Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set (29 page)

“This is taking too long,” he mutters as he cranks the defrost on full force.

“Patience is a virtue and I think it really sucks.” Sadie rubs her hands together. The tingling numbness has turned into agonizing pain. “I hate winter.”

William glances between his sister and Gabriel in the front seat. “So, is anyone going to fill me in?”

Gabriel looks back over his shoulder. “We’re going to Rose’s house again.”

“Looking for clues?”

“Something like that,” Gabriel nods. He flicks the windshield wipers and watches as they clear a small streak. “Good enough for me.” He ignores the worried glance the siblings share as he pulls out onto the road.

Five minutes later, Gabriel slides to a stop in front of Rose’s deserted house. “Everyone coming?” he asks as he jumps out of the car.

He doesn’t wait to see if they will follow him as he hurries up the path. His shoes crunch heavily on the ice-glazed grass as he crouches.

“What are you looking for?” Sadie calls, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. Her black ski jacket does little to keep out the biting chill of the arctic air that whips down the street.

“A rock.”

Spotting a large, jagged gray stone half buried under the bushes, Gabriel digs it out and tosses it in the air, getting a feel for its weight. Before Sadie can protest, Gabriel chucks it right through the glass panel edging the door. “Are you insane?”

“You got a better idea?” he grunts as he slips his arm through the broken glass, turning the lock. “Got it.”

The door swings open but no one moves to walk through. “This is so illegal,” William mutters, staring into the dark space.

“It’s Rose. Do you think she will press charges?” Gabriel asks, stepping over the threshold.

“What the…” Sadie exclaims, turning around. “Where is everything?”

“Was she robbed?” William ducks his head into the kitchen. The counters are empty, cupboards bare, and the fridge door is open. “Man, they took everything.”

“No.” Gabriel shakes his head as he moves toward the stairs. “This is how it’s always been.”

“But that can’t be,” Sadie protests, hurrying to follow Gabriel up the stairs. Her gaze flickers over the empty room on the right. Its sole occupant is the largest, hairiest spider she has ever seen.

“Gross!” she squeals, slamming the door closed. Gabriel stops in front of a partially open door, his hand pressed against the splintered frame.

“What’s wrong?” William appears from the bottom floor.

“It’s her room,” Gabriel responds with a hushed voice and pushes the door open. The room has not changed much. The same lumpy mattress sits in the corner with its sheets falling haphazardly onto the floor. The room is just as barren and bleak as he remembers it, but one thing has changed—Rose’s laptop lies lifeless on the floor with a fist-sized hole punched through it.

“Wow, what do you think did this?” William asks, bending to poke the machine.

Gabriel’s lips thin out. He knows exactly what happened but feels too guilty to offer a false explanation. Another pile of plastic bits lies off to his left. “I guess we know why she’s not answering her phone.”

Sadie groans as she reaches down to sift the shattered phone parts through her fingers. “Now we have no way of reaching her.”

“Maybe that’s not true,” William mutters, staring out the window.

Gabriel turns. “Meaning?”

William picks up a photo from the end of the table. Gabriel and Sadie move in closer to take a better look. Gabriel rears back, shocked by the evidence before him. “I think we need to have a little chat with Nicolae.”

Thirty-Five

Sadie throws up her hands. “No, Mom, I’m not joking. Will you please just put him on the phone?” She covers the speaker with her hand and turns on Gabriel. “This had better help Rose.”

“It will,” he assures her as he returns his focus to the slick roads. “Tell him to meet us at the community building at the park on Travertine Street.”

Gabriel knows the instant Nicolae picks up because Sadie’s face clouds over. Apparently their fiasco at the dance has placed Sadie right back to where she used to be—deep loathing of all things Nicolae. She quickly gives him the directions and hangs up. “He’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Good.” Gabriel nods, pressing harder on the accelerator. His left leg bobs up and down, unable to control the nervous tension any longer.

The Range Rover’s tires stutter over the ice as he slides into the deserted parking lot a few minutes later. No one in their right mind would be out on a day like this. It is windy, icy, and downright miserable.

A lone figure stands huddled against the tall wooden community building. “Let’s go,” Gabriel says as he hops out of the car.

The grass crunches underfoot as the three friends hurry toward shelter. Nicolae turns and enters the abandoned building as they approach. Sadie rushes inside, not waiting for either of the guys to open the door for her. “It must be ten degrees out there,” she groans through chattering teeth.

A cold draft filters down from above since the roof is not completely covered. The building is used as a semi-outdoor movie theater in the summer but at least it offers a slight reprieve from the brutal winds, as well as some privacy.

“Why am I here?” Nicolae asks, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He looks away, wary of meeting anyone’s glance.

Gabriel is not fooled. “You have answers. We want them.”

Nicolae’s callous laugh echoes from wall to wall. “I don’t have anything that can help you.”

“What about this?” Gabriel snarls, shoving the incriminating picture into Nicolae’s face. “Recognize anyone?”

Nicolae’s stony exterior crumbles as he shoots a worried glance at Sadie. “Alright, I admit it. I sent that picture to Rose. So what?”

“You were threatening her with this, weren’t you?” William challenges, stepping closer to Gabriel’s side to provide a strong front.

“No,” Nicolae protests lamely. “It is nothing. Just a picture.”

“I’m not buying it,” Gabriel huffs, stomping forward. “You knew exactly what you were doing. Funny thing though…this picture was not in Rose’s room the night before the dance. So you must have slipped into her house after I left, or yesterday when you knew she’d be out dress shopping with Sadie.”

Backed into a wall, Nicolae has nowhere to run. Sadie and William flank Gabriel. “Is this some kind of sick joke?” Sadie questions. “Why did you take a picture of Roseline’s ancestor at the art museum?”

Nicolae’s meek demeanor shifts. He laughs as his shoulders straighten out of their slight hunch. The skin around his eyes release the squinty look he always portrays. “Is that what you think I did?”

Gabriel’s eyes narrows at the faint increase in Nicolae’s pulse that thumps in his ears. Why can he hear it? He shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He has to focus. “I want the truth, Nicolae. No more lies. Rose is in danger and I need to help her before she gets hurt.”

Nicolae startles everyone with a bitter snort. “Trust me, she’s fine. Nothing can hurt her.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sadie presses. She spins a lock of her short hair around her finger as if needing something to occupy her hands while she plots to throttle him.

“You wouldn’t believe me even if I did tell you,” he responds, averting his gaze. He doesn’t even try to hide his disgust now.

Gabriel narrows his eyes as he leans in closer. A strange warmth builds along his neck and up into his cheeks as he stares Nicolae down. “Try me.”

Nicolae pales as a faint blue glow emits from Gabriel’s eyes. “Holy crap,” he gasps, jerking back against the wall. “You’re one of them!”

“What the heck are you talking about?” William paces back and forth.

Nicolae turns to look squarely at William. “A vampire.”

“See? I knew this was going to be a waste of time,” Sadie grumbles as she crosses her arms over her chest. “He’s full of crap, Gabriel. We’re wasting time.”

Gabriel does not break eye contact with Nicolae. Something about the word vampire resonates with him. Nicolae doesn’t flinch, his voice doesn’t tremble, and there is no hint of anything beyond revulsion when he spoke the word.

“You know something,” he says, stepping closer.

Nicolae’s gaze sharpens instead of darting to the side like normal. He meets Gabriel’s glare head on. No hint of fear. No backing down. Gabriel can see the fire in his eyes and realizes he has seriously underestimated Nicolae.

“Think about it,” he says, leaning forward. Gabriel stiffens but doesn’t back away. “Have you ever wondered why all of the guys want her? I’m not just talking guys our age. Ever see Mr. Robert’s stalking her down the hall? It’s creepy but proves my point.”

“Go on,” Gabriel growls. The thought of that old tweed-loving fart following Rose sets his blood to boil.

“What about how she talks? Surely you noticed that it took her a while to pick up on your speech patterns.”

Sadie frowns. “She was pretty formal in the beginning, but that doesn’t mean she’s a freaking vampire!”

“Any other proof you’d like to share, Nicolae?” William’s question drips with sarcasm.

Nicolae scowls. “What about her house? Didn’t you think it was odd that the mom she claims to exist doesn’t even have a bedroom in that house? No food in the cabinets. No pictures of family or anything? What mom do you know would be willing to live in a dump like that?”

Sadie and William exchange a glance. Gabriel doesn’t have to ask what they are thinking to know there is no way their mother, Mrs. Homemaker of the Year, would step foot in a home like that. “So?”

Nicolae’s eyes widen. “So? So she’s a vampire. Have you all forgotten that she’s from Romania? Brasov, to be exact.”

He pauses for theatrical effect but it doesn’t hit like he had hoped. He rolls his eyes. “Seriously? Nothing?” He sighs. “Ever heard of Bran castle?”

William’s face lights up. “Sure. Dracula’s home.”

“Exactly. Do I need to give you three guesses as to what her address is?”

Gabriel shoves Nicolae back into the wall. “That place is a museum for tourists.”

Nicolae laughs around Gabriel’s arm. “Of course it is…during the day. It’s all a ruse. Tourists are only allowed in certain sections of the castle. Why do you think that is?”

Sadie’s brow furrows. “You seem to know an awful lot about someone who you apparently only met when you came here.”

For the first time, Nicolae averts his gaze. His lips curl into a partial scowl. “When you live in Romania, you hear things.”

“Myths and legends, you mean,” Gabriel says, pressing his forearm into Nicolae’s windpipe.

Nicolae’s eyes darken as he pushes back against Gabriel’s hold. “Where do you think they came from? These aren’t just stories to scare children at bedtime or make Hollywood rich. The stories are true.”

“So what are you saying then? Roseline is a descendent of Dracula or something?”

“No, not a descendent.” He turns to meet Gabriel’s gaze. “His wife.”

Nicolae gasps for breath as he falls to the floor. Gabriel staggers back, rocked by his claim. It can’t be true. It just can’t.

“Okay, that’s it,” Sadie cries, stalking forward. “Are one of you gonna hit him or do I have to?”

No one answers her. William leans back against the wall, his shocked gaze flitting back and forth between Nicolae’s wariness and Gabriel’s intense scrutiny. “Don’t tell me you actually believe this guy,” she scoffs, pacing back and forth, itching to rearrange Nicolae’s face.

“I get that your country is riddled with tales of vampires or whatever, but to stand there and claim something that ludicrous about Rose is just plain wrong,” William scolds, crossing his arms over his chest. “Not cool, man.”

Gabriel says nothing as he straightens to observe Nicolae. He watches every facial tic, every blink of his eye, and the way he grits his teeth. There is no doubt in his mind that Nicolae believes what he says.

Something begins to stir in Gabriel’s soul, like a long-awaited answer is brewing and he is about to get his hands on it.

“Come on, Gabriel. We’re wasting time.” William tries to pull him away but he easily shakes William off.

“I want to hear what else he thinks he knows.” He tosses his keys toward William. “Why don’t you two go get warmed up? We’ll meet you back at your place in fifteen minutes, but make sure you hide my car again. I don’t want you to have to deal with Steve.”

“If you want to stay here and listen to his lies, then fine, whatever.” Sadie grabs William’s arm and heads for the door. “Just make sure you hurt him a bit for what he said about Rose.”

Gabriel’s lip curls into a smile at Sadie’s protective hostility. He can’t blame her, but, unlike Sadie, he has something vested in this. The instant the door closes he snatches a fistful of Nicolae’s shirt and slams him against the wall. “Talk.”

“So you’re taking Sadie’s request seriously, I see,” Nicolae smirks. His chest muscles ripple in response but he doesn’t attack.

Gabriel grins. “Smart move. If I were you, I wouldn’t push me today. You know I can make it hurt.”

Nicolae leans forward. “So can I, but lucky for you I’m in a talkative mood.”

“So talk then.”

He tilts his head to the side to observe Gabriel. “First I want to know more about you.”

“That’s what you’re gonna tell me. And stop with the vampire crap. I’m not in the mood for your tall tales,” Gabriel growls.

Nicolae’s bitter laughter fills the room. “Ah, Gabriel, I thought you of all people would be willing to listen to a history lesson.”

The impulse to smash in Nicolae’s face is strong as he begrudgingly sets Nicolae on the ground. He crosses his arms over his broad chest. “I’m listening.”

Nicolae nods as he smoothes out his sweater. “Good, because I’m only going to say this once. You are not human and neither is Roseline.”

“You mean Rose.”

“No,” he corrects forcefully. “Her name is Roseline. She shortened it when she came here but changing your name doesn’t change who you really are.”