Forbidden (19 page)

“You smell amazing,” he cooed, nuzzling her neck.
 
“Like cinnamon and vanilla.”

Roseline moaned, pressing up into him as his hands splayed across her back, dipping just under the edge of her sweater to touch bare skin.
 
Her leg curled around his hip as she lifted up on her tip toes, fighting to get closer.
 
Every touch felt like living fire on her skin, searing the hidden identity from her body, leaving only Roseline’s essence laid bare for Gabriel to see.
 

A woof whistle drew them back to reality.
 
Roseline slowly opened her eyes, her cheeks flaming brightly as she noticed the crowd that’d formed at the hall entrance.
 
Guys hooted and hollered, cheering Gabriel on.
 
Oliver stood in the back, grinding his teeth as Claire dug her manicured nails into his arm.
 

“I guess we just confirmed the rumors,” Gabriel chuckled deeply, setting Roseline back on her feet.
 
She straightened her top and readjusted the hem of her plaid skirt.
 
Her skin was flushed, leaking hormones at an alarming rate.
 

“Can we get out of here now?”

Gabriel nodded, clearing his throat as he took her hand in his and led them through the gawking crowd.
 
As they emerged, Gabriel leaned in close.
 
“Oh, there’s something else I wanted to say back there.”
 
Roseline glanced over at him, from the corner of her eye she noted a fuming Mrs. Carlson closing in quickly.
 
“I love you.”

***

“How long is this going to take?” Gabriel groaned, pushing yet another dusty book across the table.
 
It’d been over a month since Gabriel’s confession of love and Roseline had yet to acknowledge it.
 
Thankfully Gabriel’s nifty forbidden tattoos were keeping them pretty busy with research.
 
But coming across century old books on spells and myths wasn’t the easiest thing to do in secret.
 
There were only so many antique book stores in
Chicago
.

“I don’t know Gabriel,” Roseline sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
 
She’d had an ongoing headache for the past couple weeks.
 
The changes she was seeing in Gabriel not only worried her, they down right frightened her.
 
She’d thought of calling Fane again, but she knew he’d just insist on swooping in to save her.
 
That was the last thing she needed.
 
“I told you, you’re different.”

“Than what?”

Roseline shook her head, biting her tongue hard for allowing another slip.
 
“I can’t say.”

“I think I have a right to know Rose.
 
Obviously you’ve seen some pretty wacky stuff while in
Romania
.”

“Yes and those things are not meant to be known,” she cried, forgetting to keep her voice down.
 
Heads came up from all over the school library.
 
Roseline blushed, ducking her head.
 
“Trust me.
 
There are some things you really don’t want to know about Gabriel.”

“But you know,” he pressed, feeling completely left out in the cold.

“I know,” Roseline sighed, gripping his hand.
 
“And I’m sorry.
 
But trust me when I say that once you know, you can never go back.
 
I don’t want that for you.
 
You deserve a normal life.”
 
Roseline was already beginning to wonder if that was even an option any more.
 
How could Gabriel live a normal life when he was so obviously abnormal?

“Whatever,” Gabriel huffed, pulling his hand away.

Roseline sank back, fear gripping her heart with poisonous talons.
 
“What’s with you today?
 
You seem really on edge.”

“It’s nothing,” he grunted, pushing back from the table.
 
The image of the shattered vase of orange roses lying on his art studio floor made him wince.
 
He’d been angry; enough to destroy the only thing that made him feel closest to Roseline.
 
But he couldn’t tell her, not yet.
 
Gabriel couldn’t bear the thought of crushing her.
 
He would wait until he could figure a way out.
 
“Look, I gotta go.
 
I’ll see you later.”

“But…” Roseline began but Gabriel had already disappeared.
 
“Great.”

A few hours later, Roseline slid into her seat next to Sadie.
 
“Wow, don’t you look glum.
 
What’s up?”

“I don’t know.
 
Gabriel’s been acting really off with me the past couple days.”

Sadie frowned.
 
“Is it about the dance?”

Roseline shrugged.
 
“He hasn’t even asked me.”

“Are you kidding?” Sadie cried.
 
“It’s Saturday night and that scumbag hasn’t even asked you?

“Hey now,” Roseline laughed.
 
“I thought you would’ve started to like him by now.”

Sadie shrugged.
 
“A girl’s got a right to be jealous.”

“Jealous?” Roseline snorted.

“Oh don’t look at me like that Rose.
 
I’m the one that’s lived next to the guy most of my life.
 
I was pining over him long before you showed up.”

“Do I hear a small amount of bitterness in there somewhere?” Roseline giggled.

“Maybe,” Sadie grinned.
 
“But I don’t hold it against you.
 
I’m just ticked that I got stuck taking the Loser to the dance.”

Roseline reached out and took Sadie’s hand in her own.
 
“I get that you’re bummed…but you can’t let your mom, or Nicolae, ruin your night.
 
Besides, the dance will be the least of your worries.
 
Just think about all of the pictures!”

“Oh, gee thanks,” Sadie grumbled, puckering her lip in a pout.
 
“That makes me feel so much better.”

“Just trying to help,” Roseline laughed, pulling her arm back.
 
Her smile faded as the weight of Gabriel’s clipped words fell heavily on her once again.
 
“Maybe I should just assume Gabriel and I are going together.
 
Isn’t that what couples do?”

“Forget that,” Sadie spat.
 
“If he can’t ask you properly then he doesn’t deserve you.”

Roseline groaned, lowering her head onto the desk.
 
“Why is this so complicated?”

Sadie grinned.
 
“Welcome to high school.”

***

“You will never believe what I just heard,” William gushed, sliding up next to Sadie on Friday afternoon.
 
“Claire Scofield is telling the whole school that she’s going with Gabriel to the dance.”
 
Sadie stared at her brother with a look of horror on her face.
 
“What?
 
I thought you’d be happy to see the guy turn out to be such a jerk.”

Her gaze shifted as Roseline appeared from behind Sadie’s open locker, face pale as a ghost.
 
“Oh no.
 
Rose, I’m so sorry!” William cried.
 

Roseline’s hands trembled as she slung her pack over her shoulder.
 
“No, it’s ok.
 
I’m glad I finally know why he hasn’t asked me.”
 
Her voice cracked, betraying the pain Gabriel’s betrayal had caused.
 
None of the tortures she’d endured at the hands of
Vladimir
had felt this brutal.
 

“I was right.
 
Scumbag!” Sadie spat, eyes narrowing with fierce anger.
 
“Want me to egg his house tonight?”

“No,” Roseline sighed, her emotions too turbulent to think clearly.
 
“Can you just take me home?”

“Sure.”
 
William tried to smile but it fell flat.
 
He felt like the world’s biggest loser.
 

Roseline held her head up high as she passed by her gawking classmates.
 
Wild whispers flew up and down the hall as she allowed William to open the door for her.
 
The wintry wind felt wonderful on her burning skin.
 
Her tears crystallized as they slid from her drooped eye lashes.
 

Sadie and William sat in silence, ill at ease, the entire way to Roseline’s house.
 
Neither one knew what to say, feeling completely inept in this situation.
 
What could you say to mend a shattered heart?
 

Tears fell endlessly from Roseline’s puffy eyes.
 
She refused to acknowledge her weakness, fighting to build walls around her heart to stave off the tidal wave of anguish pouring out.
 

Two blocks from Roseline’s house, Sadie broke the silence.
 
“Alright, I can’t take this anymore.
 
The guy is a jerk, end of story, but I’m not going to let this ruin your only school dance here.
 
You’re coming with me.”

“Oh no.
 
I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Roseline hedged.
 
She was sure to run into Gabriel, Nicolae would be there watching every move she made, and she’d be a third wheel.
 
Three strikes, you’re out!

“Please Rose,” Sadie begged, grabbing hold of her hand.
 
“I really need you.
 
You can’t leave me all alone with Nicolae.”

Roseline groaned.
 
She really did want to help Sadie.
 
“But isn’t it weird for me not to have a date?”

“Of course you’ll have a date,” Sadie beamed.
 
“You can go with William.”

William’s eyes bulged as he swerved around the corner.
 
He glanced at Roseline through the rearview mirror.
 
“Uh Sadie, don’t you think you should ask before you make assumptions like that.
 
I could have a date, you know.”

Sadie rolled her eyes.
 
“Please.
 
We both know you’ve been hoping Roseline would throw Gabriel’s butt to the curb so you could go with her.”

William reached back and knuckled Sadie’s leg.
 
“Shut up,” he hissed.

Roseline chewed on her lip.
 
She had to admit going with William could be fun.
 
He might even be able to cheer her up.
 
But…she’d see Gabriel there with Claire.
 
“Oh come on Rose, you can’t miss the last dance of your high school life!”

“I’m game if you are,” William offered, doing a poor job of hiding his excitement.

Chuckling, Roseline finally nodded.
 
“Fine.
 
But I have nothing to wear.”

“No problem.
 
We’re going shopping!” Sadie grinned.

***

Roseline waved at her friends and then turned towards the door.
 
The scent hit her, barreling into her stomach like a wild bull with its horns lowered.
 
“What are you doing here?” Roseline hissed, realizing Gabriel was sitting at the far end of her porch.
 

Gabriel rose to his feet.
 
Although his ears were red, he seemed only slightly phased by the cold.
 
“I had to see you.
 
I wanted to explain.”
 
He walked up to her, placing himself between her and the door.