Beauty and Beasts Page 6

  I walked in, and my mother turned immediately. "How was your run?"

  She approached me and put a finger on my forehead. Luckily, Amy had a bottle of water in the car, and I had soaked my hair and forehead in it, along with the front of my shirt.

  "You really outdid yourself today, didn't you?" she asked. "Very good, my girl. It's important to stay in shape, especially at this age with all the baby fat you're carrying around." She grabbed my cheeks and pulled them as if she wanted to prove her point.

  I pulled away, annoyed. I sensed suspicion in her voice, but that wasn't new. She didn't know where I had been. At least I didn't think so.

  "Yeah. I'll jump in the shower."

  I turned and walked toward the stairs.

  "Stop."

  I did. And then turned back to look at her. I smiled, strained, my heart pounding.

  "What?"

  "That girl, what's her name again…?"

  "What girl?" I asked.

  "The one on the news."

  "Oh, Stacy?"

  My mother's eyes grew wide. "Oh, we're on a first name basis, are we now?"

  I shook my head. "No, no. I just…well I read about her. She's nuts you know. They say she’s crazy."

  I cleared my throat, feeling it tightening as I spoke.

  "And they are very right about that," she said.

  "So, what did you want to ask me about…about her?" I asked, trying hard to stop my voice from shaking.

  "She's a local girl. I was just wondering if you might know her?"

  "Me?" I shook my head, maybe a little too hard.

  "She's about your age; I was just thinking…well maybe…"

  "Never seen her before in my life. Why?"

  "Nothing. I just…well, I thought someone ought to help the poor child. She is obviously deranged…"

  "Well, obviously," I said.

  "Yes…well…they really shouldn't let her tell these stories on TV. Maybe I should have a talk with her parents."

  "A…talk with her parents, huh?"

  My mother smiled, then looked pensive. "Oh, well. You go get that shower. I can smell you all the way over here. Phew," she said and waved a hand in front of her nose.

  She left, and I stood back wondering what she was up to now.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Jayden was running through the park, listening to music in his earbuds. He was going fast, trying to get some of the energy out of his body. The memorial service for Jazmine's dad had left him devastated and angry at the same time. So incredibly angry at his brother, who refused to take any kind of responsibility for his actions.

  Had he not tried to kill Jayden that day, then Jazmine's dad would still be alive. Those were the hard-core facts. And Jayden found it hard to live with it. He felt so bad for Jazmine. There were times when he even wished his brother had actually hit him with the car and killed him instead. Knowing he was the cause of her father's death was unbearable.

  Jayden was sprinting now, running as fast as he could through the trees, trying to outrun his emotions, run away from the pain that refused to leave him. There was so much right now in his life that left him angry. Duncan was part of it. The fact that Robyn had to spend time with such an idiot made him furious. He hated that they had to be together when he couldn't be with her. At least it seemed like Robyn had finally decided to get rid of him for good. But just thinking about him and the way he had looked at her before Jayden and he fought made him so angry. Especially how he refused to leave Robyn alone even though she told him to. Who did he think he was? Did he think he owned her or something?

  Then there was the issue of Ruelle.

  Jayden's parents had planned for him to meet her this coming Saturday. They had just told him. They were supposed to have a cookout together with her family at Jayden's house. Then they would meet.

  And then what? Did they expect them to fall in love just by meeting one another? Just because their parents had decided they would? What century was this?

  Jayden struggled with the fact that his brother apparently wasn't engaged to some girl. It was only Jayden. Because he was 'destined to something great,' his parents had told him. He would go over in the history of their pack as one of their great leaders.

  Jayden got tired of running and stopped. He was by the lake now and walked closer to the water. It wasn't dark yet, but the sun would set in about an hour or so. Tomorrow, Jayden had to go back to school. He couldn't believe how much his life had changed over the past months. He wished so badly he could go back to when things were less complicated, but there was no turning back now.

  He ran back toward the neighborhood, past Jazmine's house, when he stopped. Jazmine was sitting out in the yard, surrounded by a bunch of cats. Jayden tilted his head when he realized it looked like she was talking to them. There were birds in the trees above her, mostly black crows and vultures. It reminded him of a scene out of a Cinderella movie.

  The dark horror version.

  She didn't notice him, and he didn't want to disturb her, so he continued toward his house, into the cul-de-sac, when he spotted a black limo driving up toward Robyn's house, and his heart sank.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Duncan is here!"

  I almost stopped breathing when my mom yelled—almost sang—his name. I ran to the window and looked out at where the black limo was parked in the driveway, half of it sticking out into the cul-de-sac because it was so long. The sight left me cold.

  I don't want to see him. I don't want to!

  There was a knock on my door and I stared at it, not knowing what to do. "I'm busy!" I yelled.

  Duncan peeked inside. Our eyes locked. I shook my head.

  "Listen," he said and walked in. "I know I am probably the last person you want to see right now…"

  "You got that part right."

  "Just hear me out, will you?"

  "I…I don't even want to look at you. Not after…well, everything."

  "Please," he said.

  His eyes had this sweet and sincere look to them that I found it hard to say no to. I exhaled.

  "Okay."

  His shoulders came down. "Thanks."

  "But make it quick."

  He nodded. "Okay. I need to talk to the girl."

  "You said that already," I said. "I am not helping you find her."

  "I know, but listen to me, Robyn…"

  "And why do you need my help anyway? You can probably find her easier than I could. Use some of your connections; I’m sure there’s a doctor or two who your parents know at the hospital that can give you the address. Or you could just try to look her up online. It's not that hard to find people these days."

  "If you'll just let me talk, Robyn…then I can explain to you that I know where she lives, but I need your help addressing her. The last time she saw me, I wasn't exactly…well, on my best behavior."

  "So, you think she might be scared of you; well, can you blame her?"

  "Not really," he said.

  "And you want me to go with you because she trusts me because I helped her, is that it?" I asked.

  He nodded.

  I shook my head. "Not gonna happen."

  "Robyn…"

  "You may leave now," I said and turned my back on him.

  "No," he said. He approached me and grabbed my shoulder, then turned me around. "I’m not going to leave."

  "Well…you have to," I said. "I don't want you here."

  He grabbed my shoulder and held me tight. Was that a tear in his eye? I could hardly believe it.

  "I will not leave because I love you, Robyn."

  My heart stopped. "Excuse me?"

  "I didn't want to love you, especially because I hated the fact that my parents wanted me to be with you, but from the first moment I saw you, I knew you were the one, Robyn."

  I couldn't believe this. What was going on here?

  "You're just saying that because I’m mad at you and you can't stand it when girls don't fall all over you. You're j
ust like all other boys your type. You only want what you can't have."

  He shook his head. "No. I have never been such a mess. Since I met you, I am constantly thinking about you. I can't help myself."

  "That might be," I said and removed his hands from my shoulders. "But I don't want you."

  "Why not?"

  "You don't get it, do you? You're one of them. I saw you with your teeth sunk into that poor girl. Like I said when we first met, it's not you, it's what you represent."

  "You think I’m proud of being…this?" he asked. "You think I’m proud of the fact that I almost bit you out there in the forest, that I can't control myself around you?"

  "To be honest, yes."

  "I am not. They left me with no choice. They made me this. If I could have stopped it, I would have. I would never have agreed to any of it. But this is it. This is who I am, and I have to live with it. Don't hate me because of what I am, Robyn."

  "That might be a little hard," I said. "Since I absolutely loathe everything about it."

  "I'll give it all up for you, Robyn. I'll never drink human blood again if that's what you want me to do. I'd leave my family and all the money, just for you."

  I stared at him. He was being sincere.

  "Really? You'd do that?"

  He nodded. He grabbed my face between his hands and leaned over and kissed me.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  His lips were so soft. I had never had a kiss quite like this before and it kind of swept me off my feet.

  "Wow,” I whispered as he let go. I discovered that I didn't want him to. I wanted him to continue, but how could I? What about Jayden? I couldn't kiss Duncan when I was in love with Jayden!

  What was I doing?

  I pushed Duncan back as he leaned over me for another kiss.

  "I'm sorry," he said, looking puzzled. "I thought…"

  I was panting now in frustration and confusion. "I did. I liked it, okay? I liked it a lot."

  "So…what’s the problem?"

  "The problem is that you're a vampire," I lied. It was part of the problem, but not all of it. "Your lips even tasted like blood. We're not the same, Duncan, and we never will be."

  Duncan sighed. His eyes were angry. "It's that boy. The one from the funeral, right? I saw it in his eyes."

  "And what if it is?"

  "Then you must realize what he is and that you'll never be together."

  I gasped. "You know?"

  "I saw it in his eyes when we fought. One day, he's gonna make a very strong wolf, but he's not one yet. He's not the first I have fought."

  I sat on my bed, feeling heavy. I had really enjoyed Duncan's kiss. It felt like…like it was right somehow. But how could it feel so good when I was in love with someone else?

  Probably a trick. Some vampire spell he put on you.

  Duncan sat next to me on the bed. He grabbed my hand in his and kissed it. "I will fight for you, Robyn. I will not give up. The kiss we shared tonight made me certain if I wasn't already."

  I looked into his eyes and felt like I was about to melt. But I didn't want him to know. I couldn't tell him that the kiss had opened a door to a part of me I didn't know existed. Emotions I didn't know I was capable of having. It was like an explosion inside of me, something so powerful I couldn't control it. I didn't know how to.

  "I still need your help with Stacy," he said. "I have to get to her, tonight…before midnight."

  "Why?"

  "They're coming for her," he said.

  "Who is?"

  "Your mother called my dad earlier. I heard them talking. She convinced them they needed to get rid of her. My parents are sending their goons. They'll hunt her down before she is changed."

  "Your parents have goons?"

  "They have a lot of things, yes."

  "How do you know it's tonight?" I asked.

  "Because they have to get to her before she is changed in order to be able to kill her themselves. Plus, they have told me to kill her. Because I was the one who messed up."

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Stacy stared at her reflection. She was sitting in her bedroom, waiting. She was impatiently anticipating midnight’s approach.

  What will it feel like? Will I get fangs first? Or claws?

  Stacy could hardly wait. She was so excited that this was going to happen to her; she couldn't remember anything like this ever happening to her before. Nothing as thrilling.

  She had spent the entire evening reading about vampires online and watching clips on YouTube, hoping it might prepare her slightly, but none of what was out there seemed very realistic.

  Her mother soon peeked in. "Hi, honey. We're about to turn in. How are you doing?"

  Stacy smiled, annoyed. She could tell by the look on her mother's face that she was worried about her. Not because she had been kidnapped and almost killed; no, because she was worried that her daughter was losing it completely.

  Stacy wanted so badly to tell her the truth, to yell at her that it was real, and, in a few hours, she would be able to show her. She might even be able to turn her mother into a vampire too if she wanted. Oh, what a powerful tool she possessed now. It was splendid.

  "I'm fine, Mom," she said.

  And in a short while, I will be better than ever. Just you wait and see.

  "You going to bed soon?" she asked.

  Probably never again.

  Stacy nodded. "Sure

  "Good. Good. And you're sure you're okay? You're just sitting there. Not watching TV or anything?"

  Stacy smiled. "I’m good, Mom. I'll be fine. Don't worry."

  "Okay. Okay. Good night, then."

  "Goodnight."

  Forever.

  Stacy watched her mother close the door, then returned to the mirror. She approached it and looked at her front teeth.

  Had they become pointier?

  Stacy thought about the vampires she had seen out in the forest and shivered. They truly were ugly. Was she going to be that nasty too? Somehow, she didn't mind. She had felt so helpless out there, all alone, especially after Maria had been killed. She hated that feeling. The helplessness. It had to be the worst feeling in the world. She was never going to feel that again. From now on, it was others who would be terrified of her. And she was going to make them shiver.

  She thought about the vampire that had bitten her. She desperately wanted to meet him again. Maybe now that she was like him, she would? Was there like a club you could join? Did they have a special bond and maybe could talk to one another in some high-pitched frequency that humans couldn't hear?

  Stupid helpless humans.

  Stacy laughed when thinking about them and how scared they were all going to be of her. And then there was the fact that she would not be able to die. That sure made her happy. She had feared for her life so desperately inside the cage, and in the forest, and now she never had to be afraid again.

  But Stacy wasn't a vampire yet—she was still very much human—and as she heard a sound outside her window and turned to look, she did feel fear once again. Good old-fashioned human terror.

  Chapter Thirty

  The ladder was feeling very wobbly beneath me. Duncan was holding it still at the other end while I knocked on Stacy's window. We had decided this was the only way to get to her without her parents knowing. We could hardly come knocking on the door half an hour before midnight.

  What would we say?

  "Uh, hello, we're here to get your daughter out of the house before a flock of vampire-goons take her away and kill her before she herself turns into a vampire?"

  Hardly.

  "Oh, dear God, you scared me," Stacy said when she pulled open the window and stuck her head out. "I thought for a second it was those vampires coming for me."

  "I'm sorry," I said.

  "What are you doing here?"

  "I need you to come with me."

  She looked confused. "Why?"

  "I don't have much time to explain; just trust me."

 
"But…"

  She looked down and spotted Duncan, then gasped. "Oh, Lord, is that who I think it is?"

  "Yes," I said. "But before you scream. You don't have to be afraid of him. He is here to help."

  But Stacy didn't look scared, much to my surprise. On the contrary, she seemed happy, thrilled even. She giggled, then smiled blissfully, and waved at Duncan.

  Is she blushing?

  I shook the thought and focused on the real task at hand. I was here on a rescue mission.

  "We need to get you out of here," I said. "They're coming for you. The vampires. They want to kill you before you change."

  It was easier than I thought to persuade Stacy. She didn't even ask any questions before she nodded with a little shrug.

  "Okay."

  I stared at her, slightly surprised, then decided just to be happy that she was this easy to persuade and crawled back down. Stacy followed me. She was very agile on the ladder. She jumped down the last step and landed in front of Duncan, then let out a deep sigh as she looked into his eyes.

  "Hi."

  "Hello there," Duncan said.

  They looked at one another for a few seconds, and I sensed something going on between them that worried me slightly, not that I knew why. Duncan soon snapped out of it and grabbed Stacy by the hand and led her to Amy's truck, which was waiting in the driveway, Amy sitting impatiently behind the wheel, the engine still running. She was wearing that awful sweater again that was four sizes too big and she had that torn look in her eyes again. I was worried about her. What was going on with her lately?

  "Let's get out of here," I said as I jumped into the back.

  Amy stepped on the pedal and we rushed away from Stacy's house, tires screeching. I felt an ease come over me as I saw her house disappear in the rearview mirror. In the distance, I thought I heard bats screaming in the darkness and shivered.

  We drove up our street when a black SUV rushed up in front of us and blocked our way. Amy stepped on the brake. I gasped and looked behind us, where another black Lincoln SUV drove up behind us and locked us in. Out of both cars jumped men in suits, wearing sunglasses in the darkness, tall and skinny, skin pale.