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Gabriel cried out.
 
But it wasn’t a cry of pain; it was a cry of relief.
 
With trembling hands, Roseline lifted Gabriel’s shirt.
 
Slowly the blood pooling in his stomach began to recede.
 
His legs twitched, popping and cracking as the bones began to move.

Without thinking, Roseline bit into her arm, applying pressure to the wound.
 
Fresh blood dripped into Gabriel’s mouth.
 
He swallowed, sighing with relief as his body began to rapidly heal.
 
“Oh my God!” she cried, rearing back as his arm snapped into place.
 

Roseline crawled backwards, too horrified to react until she heard footsteps approaching at a run.
 
She did the only thing she could.
 
Roseline escaped in the opposite direction.

***

“Dude, you don’t look so good,” Oliver said as he stared down at the yellowing bruises covering Gabriel’s face.

Gabriel winced as he pushed himself up in bed.
 
Needles in his hands still connected him to various medicines.
 
“The doctors tell me it’s a miracle I survived.
 
The Land Rover was totaled and they found me ten feet from the car.”

“And all you ended up with is some internal bruising?”

“Yep,” Gabriel coughed, holding his side gingerly.
 
“Amazing huh?”

Oliver whistled.
 
“No kidding.
 
Thank goodness this didn’t happen before we won state!”

Gabriel winced, fighting for a convincing nod.
 
“Hey, have you seen Roseline?
 
Is she doing ok?
 
No one will tell me anything.”

“Oh not that girl again,” Oliver groaned.
 
“Dude, when are you going to wake up and realize Claire’s claimed you?
 
You know this fling with that new girl will never last.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gabriel grunted, shifting in bed.
 
His backside was numb, had been for the past four days of observation.
 
He was sick of the hospital, sick of the nosy nurses and uppity doctors.
 
He was fine but no one would listen to him.
 
All he wanted to do was see Roseline.

“Can you please just find her room for me?”

Oliver frowned.
 
“She’s not here Gabe.”
 
He looked over his friend, glancing at the huge bump on his head.
 
“Are you sure you’re feeling ok?
 
I could get the doctor if you want.”
 
He’d already begun backing out of the room.

“No.
 
She has to be here.
 
I need to know that she’s ok.
 
That truck…” Gabriel’s voice faded out, tears swimming in his eyes.
 
“I think she saved me.”

Oliver blanched.
 
“There wasn’t anyone in the car with you Gabe.
 
The paramedics found you and the semi driver.
 
That’s it.”

Gabriel fell silent.
 
Oliver shifted from foot to foot.
 
He’d done his job.
 
He’d visited Gabriel and now he was ready to split.
 
His friend was acting too freaky for his liking.
 
Without saying a word, Oliver slipped from the room.
 
Gabriel didn’t even notice.

As the hall lights began to kick on, Gabriel blinked, realizing the passage of time.
 
There was only one thing on his mind.
 
Turning his forearms over, Gabriel glanced down at the black markings that’d appeared on his arm.
 
At first he hadn’t been able to decipher any pattern to them until he’d brought both arms together.
 
The symbols formed a jagged cross.
 
“What am I?” he whispered to the empty room.

Chapter 8

“Ditched your boyfriend huh?”

Roseline turned around, shocked to see Nicolae leaning lazily against the school bus.
 
“Go away Nicolae.”

He pushed off from the metal hull and approached.
 
“So what did happen that fateful snowy afternoon?” he asked smugly.
 
“Rumor has it that you left with a certain Gabriel Marston but no one can account for your whereabouts after you two ditched school.
 
I happen to find that very interesting.”

Anger began to seep through her body, churning violently in her gut.
 
“Give it a rest Nicolae.
 
Gabriel’s alive so obviously I didn’t hurt him.”

Nicolae’s eye brow rose.
 
“About that…” he grinned, picking a fleck of fluff from his cardigan.
 
“Amazing how he lived through such a tragic accident.
 
I hear the doctors are perplexed.”

Roseline stopped in her tracks.
 
“Have you been snooping around his room?”

Smirking, Nicolae tilted his head.
 
“Should I?
 
Is there something I should know?”

She’d had about all she could take of his smugness.
 
Roseline glanced behind her, noting that for the moment they were alone. She shoved him against the bus, baring her teeth at him.
 
A flicker of fear crossed his face.
 
“Leave Gabriel alone.”

Roseline stalked away, chest heaving with fury.
 
“Is that a threat?” he called.

Turning, Roseline nodded.
 
His eye twitch was the only sign that he feared her response.
 
Nicolae was getting braver.
 
That wasn’t a good thing.
 

She swung into a seat at the back of the bus and waited for Sadie to arrive.
 
Her clomping cowboy boots caught Roseline’s attention a few minutes later and she blew out a breath of relief.
 
Sadie threw herself into the seat, eyeing up Roseline’s pale face.
 

“Still avoiding him?”
 
Sadie chucked her backpack into the seat to block a cheerleader from sitting next to them.
 
With a huff, the girl turned and headed back up the isle.
 

“I just don’t know what to say to him,” Roseline admitted.
 
That certainly wasn’t a lie!
 
She’d barely slept since the accident.
 
Images of Gabriel using her blood to heal had haunted her dreams.
 
“I’ll go see him.
 
Just not yet.”

“Rumor has it Gabe’s back at school today but I haven’t seen him,” William said, plopping into the seat next to her.
 
“Maybe this field trip will get your mind off things.
 
Apparently there’s a whole section of Romanian art.
 
Won’t that be neat?”

 
Sadie rolled her eyes.
 
“It’s art doofus.
 
It’s boring!”

“No, I just meant that it’d be cool to see where Rose is from,” William amended, sneaking a glance at Roseline.

 
“Whatever,” Sadie muttered, pressing her nose against the window.
 
“I’m just glad to be out of school.”

***

As Roseline inched slowly behind Sadie, she couldn’t help but compare the lifeless paintings to Gabriel’s stunning charcoal drawings in his attic.
 
And she was the only one who knew about it.
 
It pained her to think such talent was kept hidden from the world.
 

Mrs. Smithton’s voice droned on up ahead, informing her students about each artist.
 
From the looks of her classmates, none of them cared.
 
Sadie moved on ahead, popping her bubble gum loudly as she went.
 
Roseline grimaced as her art teacher sent a withering glance Sadie’s direction.

A hand clasped around her forearm and before Roseline could react, she was being pulled backward.
 
“Gabriel!” she shrieked, stumbling after him as he led her through the crowd.
 
She watched her classmates move away, grumbling as they followed Mrs. Smithton into yet another art gallery.
 
“Where are we going?” she asked, wincing at his painful grip.

“Just follow me.”

“Like I have any choice,” Roseline gasped, struggling to keep up with Gabriel’s fast pace. He ducked low, keeping his head just under the radar as they slipped out of the room.
 
As soon as Roseline saw the darkened hallway she grew nervous.
 

How much did he remember about the accident?
 
Would he confront her right then and there in front of the entire school?
 
Ok maybe not the whole school, but enough people to set the rumor lines on fire once again.

“This is better,” he said, stopping in the middle of the hall.
 
Only one resided at the far end, a name plate announcing the president of the museum’s office.
 
“Are you ok?” he asked, noticing Roseline cradling her arm.
 

“I’ll be fine,” she murmured, glancing at him warily.
 
He’d gotten stronger, but she wasn’t sure if it was of his own accord or the mingling of her blood with his.
 
“You’ve got quite a grip.”

Gabriel winced, flexing his fingers.
 
“Apparently.”
 
He lowered his hands, pleading eyes latching on to hers.
 
“Do you know what’s going on with me?”

Roseline shook her head, her hair falling in waves over her shoulder.
 
“No.
 
I honestly don’t.”

“But you…you saved me.
 
I saw you.”

She dropped her gaze, feeling the blood seep away from her face.
 
Roseline felt the warmth drain from her body, chilled by his admission.
 
“No one will believe you.”

“I don’t care about telling anyone Rose.
 
I just want to know what’s happening to me.
 
How did you save me?
 
I remember talking to you and then two bright lights…” he faded off, his brow scrunched in frustration.
 
“I felt you pull me out of my seat and hold me.
 
I saw the truck hit you,” he cut off, his face crumpling with despair.

Roseline remained silent.
 
What could she say to that?
 
Was Gabriel ready to know the truth about her?
 
Judging by how violently his hands were shaking, Roseline didn’t think so.

Gabriel stretched out his hand, gently caressing her soft skin.
 
“You don’t have a scratch on you.”

“I heal quickly.”

Gabriel frowned.
 
“How?
 
Why?
 
Tell me something,” he pleaded forcefully.

A shadow passed by the entrance of the hall.
 
Roseline stiffened.
 
Two brilliant green eyes met hers for the briefest of moments before moving on.
 
Nicolae was watching.
 
“I can’t talk to you right now.
 
It’s not safe.”

Gabriel blinked, looking around.
 
“What the heck does that mean?”

“It means I’m asking you to trust me.
 
Give me time to figure things out.”

“Is that even possible?” he questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.

Roseline shrugged.
 
“Perhaps.
 
But don’t get your hopes up.
 
You’re…different.”

Gabriel groaned, slamming his fist into the wall.
 
Chips of concrete fluttered to the floor.
 
Roseline watched as Gabriel pulled his hand away, watching the amazement on his face as he pulled back his uninjured hand.
 
“You see?
 
This is what I’m talking about.
 
It’s not normal!”

“I know,” Roseline sighed.

“No you don’t,” Gabriel cried, shoving his hands through his tousled hair.
 
“You have no clue.”

Roseline’s chest puffed with indignation.
 
“I know far more than you do!”

“Fine.
 
Then tell me what these are.”
 
Gabriel wrenched up his sleeves and shoved his forearms into Roseline’s face.

Instead of the recognition he’d hoped for, Roseline’s brow knit.
 
“When did you get these tattoos?”

“I didn’t,” he growled, gritting his teeth.
 
“I woke up with them.”

Roseline leaped back, bracing against the wall.
 
Her teeth barred automatically.
 
Gabriel flinched, shocked by her reaction.
 
“What is it?
 
Do you know these symbols?”

Unable to take her eyes from the markings, Roseline slowly nodded.
 
“It’s an ancient language, from before man existed.”

“Whoa,” Gabriel blew out a breath.
 
“So what’s with this one?”
 
He held his arms close together, forming the cross.
 

Roseline blanched.
 
“It’s not possible.”

Gabriel dropped his sleeves.
 
“Rose, tell me what you know.”

Roseline shook her head, trembling from head to foot.
 
“I don’t know anything,” she insisted, struggling to tear her eyes away from his arms.
 

“Rose…it’s me.”

Gulping hard, Roseline looked up into his handsome face.
 
“I honestly don’t know anything.
 
These markings are sacred.
 
I’ve seen them before but I can’t read them.”

“Then why are you so frightened?” he asked, ducking his head to meet her eyes.

“Because they are forbidden.”

Gabriel pulled her close, tucking her into his arms.
 
He held Roseline until her trembling stopped.
 
“Shh,” he soothed, rubbing his hand along her back.
 
“It’s ok.
 
We’ll figure it out.”

Roseline nodded, stepping back from his embrace.
 
“There are books…”

“Good,” he cut her off, desperate to latch onto something hopeful.
 
His hand gently cupped her cheek.
 
“Can I ask something else?”

Unable to speak, Roseline bobbed her head up and down.
 
“Why aren’t you afraid of me?”

“I am,” Roseline whispered, leaning up on her toes.
 
“But not for the reason you think.”

“No?” Gabriel questioned softly, lowering his head to meet her advance.
 
“Why then?”

Roseline allowed him to pull her close, molding his body around hers.
 
“Because I need you too much.”

Gabriel’s throaty chuckle sent electric shock waves down her spine.
 
“Good.”

The instant his lips touched hers, Roseline’s legs went weak.
 
She slumped against the wall, grateful for its solid embrace.
 
His lips moved smoothly over hers, his tongue flickering over her lower lip.
 
A contended exhale escaped Roseline’s lips as Gabriel’s fiery kisses trailed down her jaw line, drifting down to her throat.
 
He paused over her artery, grinning against the fluttering of her heart just under the thin veil of skin.