Fine Chelsea

Anew

Chelsea Fine

Acacia Publishing, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 by Chelsea Fine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any methods, photocopying, scanning, electronic or otherwise, except as permitted by notation in the volume or under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the author.

Library of Congress Control Number:

2011961289

ISBN 978-1-935089-49-0

Contact the author via

www.TheArchersOfAvalon.com

Published by

Acacia Publishing, Inc.

Gilbert, Arizona

www.acaciapublishing.com

Cover photo by Ashley Bugg of Bugg Photographer LLC

Cover Design by Ashley Bugg, Jason Crye, and Chelsea Fine

Amazon Kindle edition

Also by Chelsea Fine

Sophie & Carter

This book is dedicated to my sister, Cameron—who helped make this dream, and this story, come true.

Thank you for all your late nights and early mornings,  and for believing in my book even before it had an ending...or a plot. I’m so grateful for your honesty during all the first drafts and for laughing with me in the library until I cried. You’ve been my biggest cheerleader throughout life and I can’t thank you enough for  your endless support and encouragement.

I love you, I love you, I love your guts!

PROLOGUE

She awoke with her face against cold, damp dirt. Morning sunlight cast a silent glow on the earth below, and somewhere nearby a bird began to sing.

Dawn.

She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position and looked around in confusion.

Where am I?

Tall trees and wild shrubs surrounded her, indicating she was in a forest.

A deserted and unfamiliar forest.

Carefully she stood and turned around, searching for anything that would help explain where she was. Her eyes canvassed the area, but nothing was familiar.

Nothing triggered any memory as to why she’d slept alone in the woods.

Nothing triggered any memory as to how she’d arrived there.

Nothing triggered…any memory at all….

Her breathing became more rapid as she tried to remember. She looked around desperately, her long dark hair swinging around her head as she spun in circles.

She glanced down at the clothes she wore and furrowed her brow in puzzlement. She didn’t remember getting dressed.

She began to panic.

More birds were chirping now, and the rising sun gave way to a shower of light, illuminating everything before her.

She couldn’t remember last night, or the night before, or the night before that…she couldn’t remember anything.

Not her family, not her past…. Nothing.

She rummaged through her brain for something—any information at all. She pressed her fingers to her temples as she thought, praying something would come to her, but her memories seemed lost.

Stolen, even.

As if plucked with magical precision from her head, leaving nothing but emptiness.

She was terrified.

She closed her eyes and tried to think. There had to be something in the emptiness; something inside her head that could echo back a memory. She scanned her mind desperately until finally….

Click.

Hidden far away, in the back of her brain, was a tiny scrap of knowledge. It flitted about like a hummingbird, teasing her with answers as she chased it around. Finally, she grasped it.

Her eyes flew open with two revelations.

Her name was Scarlet Jacobs and she was fifteen years old.

Aside from that, she remembered nothing.

1

Two years later…

The third weekend in June was, to most people, a three-day stretch of summer. To the townspeople of Avalon, Georgia, however, it was known as the Kissing Festival. For three weekend nights residents would gather in the town center for fun, food…and kissing.

Lots and lots of kissing.

It was tradition to greet your neighbor—or any other random stranger you came across—with a kiss. Sometimes these kisses were an innocent peck on the cheek and other times a passionate mouth-to-mouth embrace. Either way, it was difficult to spend an evening at the Kissing Festival without getting smooched.

Which was why Scarlet wanted to go home.

She stood amidst the kissing chaos in the town square waiting for Heather, her best friend—and self-declared fashion consultant—to show up.

Scarlet glanced around at the evening’s festivities. Kissing booths, kissing workshops, kissing competitions…all across town the celebration was in full swing.

It was similar to a New Year’s Eve party, but instead of mistletoe, the townsfolk hung paper stars above their doorways. And instead of a single evening with champagne and confetti, there was an entire weekend with parades and, well…confetti.

Scarlet sighed as the sun began to set. Heather was late, which was no surprise, but Scarlet didn’t like standing by herself in a crowd of tongue-happy citizens. Her fear of being kissed by some well-meaning neighbor was growing by the second.

She kicked at the sidewalk with a scuffed-up sneaker, trying to look uninterested. As music began playing in the distance, her blue eyes traced the familiar drawings she’d inked on the toes and sides of her shoes.

Scarlet had a tendency to doodle. She drew on her arms, her legs, and any napkin she could get her hands on.

But, mostly, she drew on her shoes.

And she drew one thing in particular: A circular symbol with an arrowhead in the center.

It was the only memory—or rather, image—her broken mind had managed to retrieve since her “great awakening” in the woods two years ago. And it flashed within her brain and floated in and out of her dreams relentlessly.

Scarlet looked down at her feet where she’d drawn the mysterious symbol dozens of times.

Surely, it meant something.

Surely, if Scarlet was able to salvage the image from the wreckage of her amnesia it must be significant.

But what did it mean? Scarlet couldn’t remember.

Which was the story of her life.

Her chest tightened as she thought back over the last twenty-seven months. The day she awoke in the outer forest of Avalon was the scariest day of her life. No fear could compare to the fear of the unknown. Especially when the unknown was her.

The days following her awakening were still a blur. Scarlet remembered hospitals, social workers and police reports, but not clearly. The first clear memory she had was the day she met her guardian-to-be, Laura Walker.

Laura was an attractive young businesswoman who managed to get custody of Scarlet despite the many court hurdles associated with abandoned minors. She took Scarlet in, gave her a home, and tried to make her life as normal as possible.

But normal was easier said than done.

Not knowing what existed in the past was like running through a maze blindfolded.

And that’s how Scarlet had felt.

Blind and lost. Running through a dark labyrinth without direction, without purpose.

For months, Scarlet was plagued by nightmares and racing thoughts. She was a missing person whom no one missed; a fact that ate mercilessly at her newfound life. Unanswered questions had tormented her while fear crept into every pore of her being and taunted her soul.

But Laura had been compassionate, sympathetic, and hopeful.

She’d encouraged Scarlet not to give up on her past, believing Scarlet would one day recover her memories. Laura managed to give her support and understanding without treating her like a broken doll in need of repair.

Without Laura and Heather, Scarlet probably would have gone crazy.

Laura had been her rock.

And Heather had been her guiding light.

Heather kept Scarlet from sinking into depression and crying her eyes out every day. If it weren’t for Heather, Scarlet would probably be a snotty, pathetic mess.

But Heather refused to let Scarlet mope and constantly dragged her out of bed and into the real world, trying to make her have “fun” and “be happy.”

It was obnoxious.

And Scarlet loved her for it.

Heather had made it her mission to make Scarlet fully participate in life.

So, here Scarlet was, attending the blasted Kissing Festival. “Participating in life.”

And where was Heather? Running late.

Like always.

Scarlet half-heartedly watched the Main Street parade pass by. A float adorned with large papier-mâché lips cruised along advertising a variety of lipstick flavors, as couples—and strangers—throughout the street kissed unabashedly beneath hanging stars.

Scarlet raised her brow and shook her head. The kissing tradition was bizarre.

Hello, I’m a stranger. I’m going to kiss you now. Smooch-smooch.

Yeah, no thanks.

Scarlet glanced up and noticed a trio of paper stars floating above her from an extended tree branch.

Avalon folks got a little star-crazy during the festival; draping stars from just about any place available. Trees, doorways…power lines.

Scarlet quickly moved from beneath the kissing beacon to a star-free spot on the sidewalk and watched passing pedestrians casually greet one another with a smack on the lips before parting ways.

As if exchanging a kiss with your hair stylist and bank teller wasn’t weird at all.

As she looked about the town square, her gaze caught on something.

Or rather, someone.

Across the street, beyond the parade and chaos, stood a guy wearing a black T-shirt and baseball hat.

The hat was pulled low over his eyes, making it impossible for Scarlet to see his face, but she could feel him staring at her.

Intently. Deliberately.

Unashamed.

Scarlet didn’t move.

He tilted his head to the side and something deep within her began to stir.

The stirring started in the pit of her stomach, wove into her chest and wrapped itself around her heart; squeezing until her breaths became shallow.

Her heart began to hammer as she eyed him more closely.

From the way he was dressed, Scarlet assumed he was her age, seventeen or so, if not a few years older. Tufts of dark hair peeked from beneath the hat he wore, but shadows made it impossible to see his face clearly. The only features Scarlet could make out were his square jaw and full lips.

Something about him seemed familiar.

Dangerous and safe and…familiar.

Scarlet’s heart kicked a beat. Who was he?

Her brow was furrowed in deep thought when Heather suddenly appeared at her side, out of breath and doubled over.

Used to Heather’s theatrics, Scarlet barely glanced at her friend before looking back up, hoping to get one last look at the boy in black.

But he had vanished.

Scarlet’s hammering heart softened as it lowered in her chest.

“Phew!” Heather righted herself. Her blonde hair was smoothed-down beneath a pink headband, matching her pink shirt and pink shoes. She wore a short jean skirt and a sleeve of shiny bracelets.

Even sweaty and panting, Heather looked perfect.

Scarlet looked down at her own outfit of shorts and an oversized green shirt and knew Heather would not be pleased.

Heather took fashion seriously.

Scarlet did not.

Sucking in air, Heather said, “Fluffy—Mrs. Allen’s ferocious dog—chased me all the way down Pine Street trying to tear me to shreds with his razor fangs. I barely got away.”

Scarlet scrunched her face. “Isn’t Fluffy a Chihuahua?”

Still panting, Heather said, “Yes. A demon-possessed, human-eating Chihuahua.”

Scarlet nodded. “Sure.”

Heather was a bit of a drama queen.

As she caught her breath, Heather eyed Scarlet up and down, clearly forgetting about her near-death experience with the world’s smallest breed of dog. “The baggy green shirt, Scarlet? Really?”

Scarlet rolled her eyes. “It’s a kissing festival…not a fashion festival.”

“Well, thank God. Because, you’d be booed out of Avalon.” Heather ran a hand over her shiny hair. “I mean, seriously. You have a closet the size of a castle full of cute, appropriately-sized shirts…and you choose a parachute top for the Kissing Festival? Have you learned nothing from me?”

“I’ve learned not to go near Fluffy unless I want to be eaten alive by the demon puppy from hell.”

“I’m telling you, I almost died!”

“I’m sure it was a close call.” Scarlet smiled and looked back at the passing parade. The sun had dipped below the surrounding mountains, streaking the sky with the fading colors of dusk. Street lamps started to click on and tiny white lights strewn about the town began to shine against the falling shadows.

The scene was picturesque. Music in the air, twinkle lights in the sky, cobblestone streets and grassy knolls…it looked like a postcard.

“So, who should we kiss first?” Heather puckered her heavily-glossed lips.

“Uh…you can kiss whomever you’d like. I’m only here for the free mouthwash,” Scarlet said as she began moving down Main Street, Heather at her side.

The festival freebies were the only things Scarlet enjoyed about the event. Free toothpaste, free breath mints, free lip balm…it was like walking around an ad for the human mouth.

“Whatever.” Heather tossed her blond hair over her shoulder with the kind of sass only pretty girls possessed. “You’re here because you are fun and you really, really love kissing. I’m sure of it.”

“Ha,” Scarlet said. “I’m pretty sure I’ve never liked kissing random strangers.”

Heather smiled playfully and nudged Scarlet’s shoulder. “Oh, but that’s the beauty of amnesia. You don’t really know what you like, so I’m here to help you remember.”

Scarlet rolled her eyes, “You don’t know what I like either.”

“True. But I know you—or, at least, the you that’s existed these last two years—and that girl is super cool and probably loves kissing strangers.”

Scarlet shook her head. “I doubt it.”

Heather tsked. “You’ll see, Scarlet. We’ll find you a hot stranger with yummy lips.”

Strange lips? Ew. “Yeah. I’m all set on lips. I’ve got my own, thank you.”

They walked past a makeshift dental booth advertising free deep cleanings. A balding man in white scrubs stood beside a dental chair, holding shiny exam instruments while he waved and smiled at people.

If red paint were splattered about, it would have looked like a scene from a horror movie.

Of course the deep cleanings were free. Who was going to pay a guy in the street to dig around inside their mouth?

Three guys Scarlet recognized from school approached them with smiles, their attention primarily focused on Heather.

And why wouldn’t it be? Heather looked like a giant piece of sexy bubblegum.

Scarlet, on the other hand, probably looked like a giant pea.

Heather, flirty and jovial as always, greeted each boy with double cheek kisses. Intimate cheek kisses, if ever there were such a thing.

Leave it to Heather to make cheek-kissing inappropriate.

Unfortunately, after exchanging kisses with Heather, the boys proceeded to give Scarlet a kiss on each cheek as well. She tried to act like kissing random guys from school was perfectly normal.

But it wasn’t.

It was an awkward fumbling of bobbing heads and bonking noses that left Scarlet thoroughly embarrassed and grossed out.

The Kissing Festival: Worst. Idea. Ever.

After the boys moved on, Scarlet hastily wiped her cheeks while Heather sighed happily. “Don’t you just love the Kissing Festival?”

Scarlet choked on a cough. “No, I don’t. I think it’s weird…and full of potential mouth diseases.”

“Yeah, but you get to kiss guys like Aaron,” Heather said, staring after one of the departing boys.

Scarlet scrunched her nose. Heather had tried to set Scarlet and Aaron up a few times last year, all with disastrous results. Heather was always trying to set Scarlet up.

“He’s not my type,” Scarlet said.

“Who is your type, hmm? I keep trying to hook you up with these smokin’ hot guys and you keep shutting ‘em down. You’re missing out on some fabulous opportunities, Scarlet.”

“You mean like Aaron back there? The guy who kicked-off our first date by asking me how old my hot mom was? Yeah, golden opportunity he was.”

“In his defense, your mom is hot and looks like she’s twenty.”

“That’s because Laura’s not my mom, she’s my guardian, and she’s only thirty. But that’s not the point. The point is that I don’t want to date anyone right now.”

“Whatever,” Heather said.

“No seriously.” Scarlet sighed. “The whole amnesia thing makes dating…just weird. And I don’t feel like dealing with any of it right now.”

Or ever.

A moment passed as Heather looked Scarlet over thoughtfully. “I understand that you’re afraid to connect with other people. I just don’t want you to use your mysterious past as an excuse not to live your life, you know? You can’t just exist, Scarlet. You have to live.”

Scarlet slowly nodded at her friend’s words before sighing. “You’re right.”

As a general rule, Heather was all fashion and flirting. But every once in a while, she surprised Scarlet by saying something that sounded somewhat profound.

And while Scarlet loved Heather’s flare for drama and her insatiable thirst for boys, she was grateful for her friend’s ability to switch from Whimsical Heather to Wise Heather when necessary.

“But that doesn’t mean I have to date someone and get all attached.”

Heather nodded. “Yeah, it makes no sense for you to get involved with some random guy.”

“Exactly. No strings, no pressure.”

“I totally agree.” Heather wagged her eyebrows and stretched her arm out, displaying Freemont Park, the dead center of Avalon. “Thankfully, you’ve come to the right place. Booths full of hot boys you can kiss without any complications.”

Scarlet stopped walking and lifted her eyebrows.

The grassy park was lined with dozens of kissing booths. Twinkle lights draped back-and-forth between tall trees, making a canopy of stars above the red and pink tables below. People were lined up at each booth, applying lipstick and perfume as they readied for their purchased kisses.

Behind the booths stood a large white gazebo housing a group of musicians. As a love song filled the air, couples intertwined their bodies and swayed to the melody.

Here and there, children ran about wearing red hats and eating lip-shaped chocolates, while women waited impatiently for quickie makeovers under a flashy pink tent.

The park was littered with couples kissing behind trees and making out on park benches. And paper stars were everywhere; in trees, on the ground, above heads, inside mouths….

It was like Valentine’s Day.

On crack.

Scarlet looked at the kissing booths, shook her head, and smiled. “No way. You can do your spit-swapping thing and I’ll stay right here. I don’t feel like paying someone to stick their tongue down my throat.”

“They don’t French kiss you,” Heather said, smiling. “Unless you want them to.” She wagged her eyebrows again, pulling a short laugh from Scarlet.

“I’m still going to pass.”

Heather pouted her lips. “Pretty please?”

Scarlet shook her head. “Nope.”

Heather pouted for another moment, but Scarlet refused to give in.

“You’re no fun.” Heather straightened her hair, her bracelets jingling merrily. “I guess I’ll have to go without you.”

“I guess so.”

“But just so you know,” Heather pointed at Scarlet with one perfectly manicured fingernail and used her best authoritative voice, “I will get you to kiss—and I mean kiss—a hot boy this weekend. It will happen and you will like it.”

As she spun around and headed to the booths Scarlet smiled and called out after her, “Good luck with that!”

Heather’s only response was a flick of her hand.

Watching her friend walk away, Scarlet stood alone in the sea of kissing townsfolk and took a deep breath. The sun had completely disappeared from the sky, blanketing the park in a soft darkness contrasted by the many strands of tiny lights.

The warmth and stickiness of the summer day still clung to the night air as Scarlet let her eyes roam across the park.

The band beneath the gazebo switched from an upbeat song to a ballad.

Once again, her eyes caught sight of the black-shirted stranger and she felt the same stirring as before come to life in her chest.

This time the stranger was farther away, his gaze focused on the festivities rather than on Scarlet, giving her a moment to examine him privately.

There were no people near him; no one smearing kisses on him or dragging him beneath stars. His face still hidden in the shadows, he looked around the park.

He stood with confidence, his broad chest held high with his arms crossed in front. The dark hair escaping his hat curled a bit around his neck in the summer heat…reminding her of…something.

What was it?

She felt a memory inside her begin to rustle.

Suffocated and imprisoned, it struggled to break free. Maybe if she continued to stare at the stranger, it would surface….

He suddenly turned in Scarlet’s direction, and although she couldn’t see them, she was certain his was certain her eyes were fixed on hers.

She strained to see him more clearly.

Something about him was definitely familiar. As if the memory trapped within her was about him specifically.

Scarlet’s heart pounded as her mind started spinning. For a moment—for a wonderful split second—she felt as though she was close to unlocking the memory. That precious, lost treasure buried somewhere in the abyss of her mind.

She allowed her brain to tick and turn, roving her soul for something to grasp at.

It was there, she knew it. She could feel it.

It was piecing itself together…almost a complete thought…

So close…so close…almost there—

“A kiss and a treat?” came a cheerful voice next to Scarlet, interrupting her internal quest.

Just like that, the memory disappeared back into the oblivion of her mind.

Scarlet groaned inwardly. So close.

“Would you like a KissPop?” the voice asked. Scarlet glanced to the side to see a round woman with friendly eyes and rosy cheeks pushing a dessert cart. She held up a Popsicle shaped like a pair of lips.

Scarlet was really starting to hate the Kissing Festival.

“Uh, no thank you.” Scarlet tried to look friendly despite her frustration with the interruption. Once the cheery woman wheeled away, Scarlet glanced back to the stranger, hoping the sight of him would magically reignite her lost memory.

He stared at her for a long moment and Scarlet’s heart lifted at his gaze.

The memory peeked out from the depths of her brain again and her thoughts went wild in its pursuit.

Come on, I know you’re in there.

The boy in black continued to look upon her with his shining eyes.

Almost like he knew his presence sparked a memory for her. Like he was waiting for her to remember.

Like he was…challenging her.

Scarlet took a step forward. Maybe she would just walk over to him. Maybe she would introduce herself to him and see if he knew anything about her.

She took a few more steps. Maybe if she got close enough to see his face clearly—

“Leaving so soon?” This time, the voice was male and came from behind her.

Scarlet paused.

The voice at her back was familiar.

Beautifully, impossibly familiar. Reminiscent.

Almost perfect.

It wasn’t the voice of someone she’d met since waking up in Avalon.

It was a voice of the past. A voice she knew.

What is going on tonight? Why does everything suddenly seem so familiar?

Scarlet let her gaze linger on the boy in black for a moment before turning around to see the keeper of the familiar voice, fully expecting a surge of memories to rush to her head.

But no.

There was no flash of memory, no sudden burst of enlightenment.

There was no instant recognition or flood of relief.

There was, however, a really gorgeous guy standing in front of her. Possibly the most attractive person she’d ever seen.

Wearing a blue shirt and a disarming smile, he looked to be a little older than Scarlet. His dark hair, square jaw, and deep brown eyes complimented the tan skin that wrapped around his broad frame flawlessly.

He was smiling at her. Waiting.

She blinked a few times. “What?”

His smile deepened, revealing two adorable dimples, as he took a step toward her. “You looked like you were about to leave.”

Scarlet looked over to where the boy in black had been but, once again, he’d disappeared. “Oh.” She shook her head, bringing herself back to the conversation. “No, I…I wasn’t leaving.”

“Well, in that case,” the beautiful boy said, holding out his hand, “I’m Gabriel. Kissing Festival virgin and reality TV fan. I like long walks on the beach and hate waking up before noon.”

Scarlet smiled, both grateful and disappointed he chose to greet her with a handshake instead of a kiss—what is wrong with me? She took his hand. “I’m Scarlet. Kissing Festival protester and avid coffee-drinker. I like to draw and I’m not a morning person either.”

“I like you already,” Gabriel said as they shook hands.

His hand felt cool and dry in the warmth of the summer night and he flashed his dimples at her.

She tucked her lips in and pressed down, suddenly rethinking the baggy green shirt.

They ended their handshake and Gabriel shoved his hands into the front pockets of his perfectly-fitting jeans.

“So, you’re not a fan of the festival?” he asked with a sparkle in his eyes. “Too many guys to fend off?”

“Uh, no. It’s not the ‘guys’ I’m worried about. It’s the whole town. Everyone is so..,” Scarlet tried to think of a nicer word than “wacky”.

Gabriel prompted, “Happy? In love? Giddy?”

“Yes. It’s so weird,” Scarlet said. “I came last year, and vowed never to return again. But my best friend shamelessly begged me to come and I totally caved. And now I’m surrounded by,” Scarlet gestured to the crowd in the park, “all these love-sick goobers.”

Gabriel laughed. “Yeah, I hate love-sick goobers. They’re so happy and annoying and pleasant…always trying to be nice and friendly.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “It’s so irritating.”

Scarlet smiled. “Shut up.”

“So, why did you vow never to return? Was it the dentist guy? Because that’s totally understandable.”

Scarlet laughed. “You saw him too? He’s creepy, right?” She smiled to herself. Something about talking to this guy made her feel lighthearted. Refreshed.

“Totally.” Gabriel gave a fake shudder, making her laugh.

She answered, “No, actually, I didn’t want to come back because last year I watched the kissing relay games and nearly threw up. That’s why I tried my very hardest to stay at home tonight.”

“And when you say your ‘very hardest’, you’re referring to your complete lack of resolve when caving to your best friend, correct?”

Scarlet nodded. “Precisely.”

Gabriel laughed. “I like you Scarlet…?” he prompted for her last name.

“Jacobs.” Although he was a complete stranger, Gabriel made her feel safe and, for some reason, Scarlet instinctively trusted him.

Which was probably dumb.

But she couldn’t help herself. Something about him made her feel…normal.

And so help her, Scarlet wanted to feel normal.

“Scarlet Jacobs,” he said, thinking it over. “I like it.”

“And yours is…?” she asked.

Gabriel smiled slowly, waiting a beat as if deciding how to answer. “Archer,” he said, eyeing her closely. “Gabriel Archer.”

Scarlet tilted her head to the side, wishing the name meant something to her in the same way his musical voice had.

But no.

“So,” he said, looking around with mock seriousness. “Where’s this conniving best friend of yours? I’d like to congratulate her on suckering you into attending this absurd festival of love and happiness.”

Scarlet smiled as she pointed to where Heather stood in line at one of the many kissing booths.

“Ah,” he said, nodding. “She looks like a love-sick goober. She looks happy.”

Scarlet smiled.

Heather was happy. Happy and bubbly and excited about everything. And beautiful in that Miss America way every girl envied.

She was nothing like Scarlet.

Heather was loud, outgoing, fashion-savvy, and girly.

While Scarlet was quiet, sarcastic, not interested jewelry and dressed like a boy.

But their friendship worked.

As different as they were, Scarlet felt more bonded to Heather than anyone else she’d met since waking up in Avalon.

Because Heather accepted Scarlet. Amnesia and all.

They’d met two summers ago at the mall, a few weeks before sophomore year began. Laura had taken Scarlet to buy a new wardrobe—since Scarlet’s slumber party in the woods hadn’t exactly come with a closet full of clothes—and had left Scarlet in charge of picking out her own attire.

Shopping nearby, Heather had seen Scarlet eyeing a pair of loose jeans and had immediately interjected herself into Scarlet’s life as her personal shopper.

Soon after they became close friends.

When Scarlet first told Heather about her amnesia, Heather had freaked out.

Not in the expected O-M-G-you’re-a-weirdo kind of way, but in an O-M-G-this-sounds-like-a-movie way.

She spent months talking nonstop about finding Scarlet’s parents, starting a ‘Who is Scarlet Jacobs’ fund, and doing DNA testing to see if Scarlet was from a different planet.

It was obnoxious.

Sweet, in an overbearing, obsessive-friend way, but obnoxious.

Heather thought it was “cool” Scarlet didn’t have a past. She was convinced Scarlet had been a government spy who’d had her memory erased in order to ensure the safety of the world.

Because Heather was a drama queen.

But it was easier for Scarlet to play along with Heather’s ridiculous government theory than it had been to wallow in self-pity. Heather had been a welcome distraction.

In a way, she’d saved Scarlet’s life. Or at least, her emotional well-being. She’d given Scarlet something to laugh about and a friendship to believe in.

She’d given Scarlet hope.

She was bright and sunny and full of positivity. Sometimes it was annoying, but most of the time, Scarlet needed it. She valued Heather’s role in her life and respected her a great deal.

Even though, at that very moment, Heather was paying to kiss a boy.

“Yeah,” Scarlet continued, as she watched Heather apply more lip gloss at the kissing booth. “She is definitely happy.”

A moment of silence hung between Gabriel and Scarlet. She shuffled her feet, unsure of how to continue their conversation. “So, this is your first Kissing Festival?”

Gabriel ran a hand through his dark hair. “Yeah.”

“What do you think?” Scarlet smiled and raised a brow.

“Honestly?” He gave a crooked smile and shrugged. “I think it’s…charming.”

“Charming?”

Not the word Scarlet would have chosen.

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s…I don’t know…nice. Everyone being friendly and positive. People dancing and laughing. It’s…refreshing. Sometimes the world is a cold place but this…this is nice. It’s warmhearted.” He smiled as he looked about the park.

Scarlet wrinkled her brow. “I guess so….” Up until that moment, Scarlet hadn’t seen any upside to a town full of affectionate neighbors. She’d only seen a city of people using an old war tradition as an excuse to make out with the hot checkout girl from the grocery store. But come to think of it….

Scarlet looked around at some of the happy couples nearby; whispering in each other’s ears, playfully kissing beneath paper stars, sharing lip-shaped popsicles. The bright twinkle lights glowed above the dancers while love songs floated into the air….

It was kinda sweet.

“I guess, you’re right. It’s sorta…pleasant. All the love and flirting.” Scarlet looked around again and spied an elderly couple feeding each other chocolate candies.

She leaned to the right, accidently brushing arms with Gabriel, and her insides sparked at his touch. Scarlet blushed and immediately repositioned herself so there was space between them.

They watched the park crowd without speaking as she waited for the heat that had flooded her face to subside.

Gabriel cleared his throat.

“Free Lover’s Lemonade!” A woman wearing a pink sundress walked past them carrying a tray of pink lemonade.

She handed each of them a cup and moved on.

Gabriel looked at the cup, and then gave Scarlet another crooked smile. “Wanna walk around with me?”

Scarlet hesitated.

His eyes looked playful. “I promise to protect you from the sidewalk dentist.”

Scarlet tucked her lips in, trying not to smile.

Was she totally crushing on a complete stranger?

Yes, she was.

“Sure,” she said.

For a minute, they strolled in silence, crossing the grassy park while observing the dancers and merchants and kissers. Scarlet took a sip of her lemonade and welcomed the ice-cold liquid sliding down her throat.

“So, tell me about yourself, Scarlet.” Gabriel said. “I mean, I already know about your love for coffee and sleeping in—which makes you awesome, by the way—but what else?”

She inhaled deeply, thinking of where to start.

Well, two years ago I was abandoned in a forest outside of town and then taken into custody by this pretty woman named Laura, who gave me a home so I could have a normal life and go to high school. Oh, and, I have amnesia. You know. Same ol’, same ol’.

Yeah, probably not the best way to keep Gabriel around. Instead, Scarlet decided to go with the random-facts-about-yourself answer.

“Well…I speak Spanish,” she said.

One of the few perks of having amnesia was that, every once in a while, Scarlet would uncover a hidden talent.

Like Spanish.

She’d discovered her mastery of the language last year.

“That’s cool,” he said, sucking down his drink.

“Also,” Scarlet took another sip of her drink. “I’ll be a senior at Avalon High this year. And I love ice cream. What about you? Who is Gabriel Archer?”

He laughed. “Well, that could take me all night to explain. The short answer? I just moved here from New York. I’m a fan of this pink lemonade,” he took a sip, “and I don’t like snakes.”

Scarlet nodded.

“But I do like this festival.”

Scarlet nodded. “Right, because of all the love and positivity and goobers.”

He smiled. “Among other things.”

Scarlet smiled and kept her eyes on her decorated shoes as they strolled along.

Their walk slowed to a standstill and, suddenly, Scarlet was very aware of how close they stood to one another. She looked up and saw paper stars dangling from the tree above.

Something akin to panic shot through Scarlet.

Why did Georgia have to have so many trees?

Paper stars were everywhere.

Her heart began to race at the thought of Gabriel kissing her. Half of her wanted him to, but the other half—the sane, logical, you-don’t-like-to-kiss-strangers half—wanted to flee from the park and burn down every tree in Georgia.

What was wrong with her?

She was so confused by her own heart. It was pounding in panic at the thought of kissing a guy she’d just met and hammering in delight at the thought of kissing the beautiful boy in front of her.

She was no better than any of the other kiss-crazy townspeople.

Her eyes fell from the stars down to Gabriel’s mouth and quickly back up to his eyes.

Gabriel noticed the stars and tilted his head. “Do you think it’s weird to kiss someone you barely know?”

No, it’s perfectly normal and gives us a fantastic excuse to make out. Kiss me!

“Totally weird,” she said, immediately wanting to slap herself.

He nodded slowly. “Me, too.”

Scarlet’s heart sank a little.

Gabriel flashed his dimples. “I guess now I’ve got a good reason to get to know you, don’t I?”

Scarlet narrowed her eyes. “Who said I’d let you kiss me even if you got to know me?”

He nodded his head with a smile. “Challenge accepted.”

“I’m baaaaack!” Heather rushed up to Scarlet, completely unaware of Gabriel. “I came, I kissed, I conquered. Now, let’s go find you a hot guy with a tasty mouth.” Heather reached for Scarlet’s arm, caught sight of Gabriel, and froze.

Her mouth hung open for a moment as she took him in. “Or….” She looked Gabriel up and down shamelessly. “We could just stay here and talk to this lovely gentleman.”

Heather whipped her head around and shot Scarlet an O-M-G-who-is-this-hottie? look.

Scarlet cleared her throat. “Heather, this is Gabriel. Gabriel, Heather.”

Heather put on her best smile and turned to Gabriel. “Why, hello Gabriel. It’s nice to meet you.”

Dimples showing, Gabriel said, “You too, Heather.”

“Are you new to Avalon? I’ve lived here all my life and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before. I’m pretty sure I’d remember.” She may as well have batted her lashes for all the flirt dripping from her tongue.

Scarlet rolled her eyes.

“Yes, I’m new to town.” Gabriel smiled politely, his brown eyes glancing at Scarlet.

“Well, then, welcome to Avalon. And welcome to the Kissing Festival.” Heather went up on her tiptoes and gave Gabriel a kiss on each cheek.

“Thank you,” Gabriel said, graciously receiving and returning the kisses.

“Would you like to join us as we go watch the kissing relays?” Heather said, rubbing her hands together like sweating people kissing in between sprints wasn’t disgusting.

Gabriel hesitated.

“You should come,” Scarlet said. “I might throw up. It’ll be fun.” Something about Gabriel was…nice. She wanted him to stick around and continue using his lovely voice.

He smiled. “As much as I would love to watch you vomit, I can’t. I have to go.”

Scarlet nodded her head and tried to keep her smile in place, not showing her disappointment.

Heather said, “Will you be here tomorrow night?”

“Uh….” Gabriel looked at Scarlet, blinked for a moment and said, “Yes. Yes, I will.”

“Fantastic! We will see you tomorrow then.” Heather again gave Gabriel two cheek kisses goodbye.

“It was nice to meet you, Heather,” Gabriel said. He looked at Scarlet a moment, and showed his dimples. “Goodbye, Scarlet Jacobs.”

“Goodbye,” she said, as casually as possible, even though she wanted to shout, Don’t leave! You make me feel normal!

Gabriel smiled one last time before disappearing into the crowd of kissers.

Not two seconds passed before Heather turned to Scarlet with her mouth hanging open. “O-M-G, Scarlet. W-T-H?”

Heather actually spoke in text language. It took Scarlet a long time to get used to this—mostly because Scarlet had to learn text lingo in order to decipher conversations with Heather.

Sure, Scarlet wakes up in the woods with a complete understanding of the Spanish language…but ‘LOL’? Nothing.

“What do you mean?” Scarlet asked, sucking down the remainder of her pink lemonade with a sigh. Gabriel was gone and so was the feeling of normalcy Scarlet had briefly enjoyed.

“Um…hello? Hot guy chattin’ you up at the Kissing Festival? Where did you find him?”

“Find him? He’s not a cereal toy, Heather.”

“No—but ooh! How awesome would that be? You open a box of Trix and wham! Out pops a hot guy! I would so eat more cereal. He’s gorgeous. I mean, like, Greek-god-gorgeous. How did you meet him?”

“He just came up and started talking to me while I was waiting for you to finish at the kissing booths. How’d that go, by the way?”

“Worth every penny.” Heather tossed her hair. “Tell me more about this Gabriel.”

They walked together past a breath mint stand. “His name is Gabriel Archer. He’s from New York. And he doesn’t like snakes.”

Heather raised her eyebrows and waited for more. “That’s it? That’s all you got?”

“Well, pretty much. It wasn’t an interrogation. We just…talked.”

“Did you kiss?”

“No,” Scarlet said.

“Lame.”

Scarlet sighed. “I know.”

“Tomorrow,” Heather said. “Tomorrow, I will make sure you two kiss. And I will also be in charge of your outfit. You, clearly, cannot be trusted to dress yourself.”

Scarlet looked down at her green top and innocently said, “What? You don’t like my green shirt?”

“It’s not a shirt, it’s a curtain. You look like a bad set of drapes from the 70s. But, no worries! Tomorrow, I will make sure you look stunning. Now,” Heather began with a crooked smile, “let’s go watch grown-ups run laps and pass the baton of saliva.”

Wonderful.

Let the retching begin.

Scarlet mocked a gag, but followed her friend through the crowd anyway.

Something about meeting Gabriel had put Scarlet in a better mood. She almost didn’t hate the festival anymore.

Almost.

Just as they left the grassy park, Scarlet caught sight of her mystery boy-in-black. He was farther away this time but she could tell he was still looking at her. His gaze was more intense than before and Scarlet’s heart started to pound.

Her mind sparked at the promise of a memory again.

She slowed her steps to eye him more clearly, but a group of people passed in front of her, blocking her view.

When the crowd cleared he was nowhere to be found.

Scarlet stretched her gaze across the park as far as she could but found nothing. He’d been there one moment and was gone the next.

Just like the memory.

2

Familiar pain gradually reentered Tristan’s veins as he drove away from the festival.

Away from Scarlet.

He tugged on the collar of his black shirt, adjusting to the chronic ache he suffered without her.

Tonight had been an accident; seeing Scarlet . . . feeling her so close to him. Had he known she’d be at the festival, he never would have gone.

He’d almost gotten used to the grief that wracked his body in her absence; almost learned to live with it. But tonight had undone any hope he had of peace without her.

Tristan rubbed the back of his neck as his green eyes stared at the dark Georgia road ahead of him.

Long ago, he’d been cursed with a fever of desperation.

Nonstop, unrelenting desperation.

Bursting from his heart two years ago, it had taken him by the soul and wrung his insides dry with need.

A need so impossible, so all-consuming, he could not deny it.

And he could not silence it.

The sound of his soul, crying out for Scarlet, was deafening.

Two years ago, the summons had started as a murmur; soft, faint and gentle.

But over time it grew into a scream; bleating out in need and resonating in his chest without reprieve.

It was the sound of Scarlet’s heart, alive and awake, beating steadily inside her chest, and echoing in his.

Haunting him.

Like a call. A ruthless demand to find her—to be with her.

He’d tried to ignore the supernatural pull. He’d tried to pretend his soul wasn’t screaming in separation.

But it was.

He’d resisted the siren for years. And it nearly drove him mad.

Scarlet’s heart calling to him, begging him.

Like it always did

And he had broken down and answered.

Like he always did.

He had come to Avalon. Close enough to ease the fever. Close enough to quiet his screaming heart.

But distant enough to maintain his sanity.

Until tonight.

His accidental nearness to Scarlet tonight at the festival had eased his torment, but filled him with a longing he couldn’t indulge.

He needed to stay away.

Far away.

Tristan drove into the thick woods outside Avalon and made his way to the large cabin he shared with his brother.

After seeing Gabriel talking to Scarlet tonight, Tristan was furious.

He turned his car down the cabin’s driveway and parked.

Cursing under his breath, he exited the car and made his way inside.

The cabin sat upon twenty acres of forestland and had a main floor, a basement, and an upstairs. The main floor held the kitchen, a living room, the den, and an office. The upstairs and basement were identical in layout; each with a sitting room, master suite, and a spare bedroom.

The upstairs belonged to Gabriel and the basement belonged to Tristan.

They didn’t like living together, but it was necessary.

For now.

Tristan stretched his neck.

Now that he was miles away from Scarlet, Tristan’s physical pain intensified; a constant reminder that he was, and would always be, without her.

After slamming the front door behind him, Tristan found his brother in the living room. “What were you thinking?”

Gabriel, who’d been searching for the remote control under the couch cushions, looked up at his brother. “What are you talking about?”

“You talked to Scarlet tonight? Are you kidding me?” Tristan tried to calm himself down, but he was too racked with anxiety to lower his voice.

“What, are you spying on me now?” Gabriel went back to his hunt. “That’s creepy.”

“You messed up the plan, Gabe.” Tristan bored his green eyes into his brother. “You agreed not to meet her until the curse was broken. Is the curse broken? No.” He started pacing the living room, fear and nervousness coiling inside him.

It was happening again.

The pain…the brokenness…the death….

This was the beginning of the end.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well. I didn’t feel like waiting around another few years while you tried to break the curse. Your plan—which is totally evil, by the way—isn’t working.”

“My plan isn’t evil. It’s necessary. And it will work.”

Giving up his search for the control, Gabriel stood. “Your plan is completely evil. You’re trying to murder someone.”

Tristan stopped pacing. “I’m trying to save Scarlet’s life. It’s the only option we have.”

“No. There’s another way.”

Tristan rolled his eyes. “We don’t have time to chase after a legend, Gabe. Because of the curse, Scarlet is going to die.” He swallowed, tempering the emotion that coated his voice. “My plan is the only way to save her.”

Gabriel threw his hands in the air. “Your plan is murder!”

“It’s not like I’m butchering an innocent lamb.”

“Well, how would I know that?” Gabriel shrugged. “You haven’t exactly been forthcoming with your victim’s identity. For all I know, you’re out hunting a sweet, little old lady.”

Tristan rolled his eyes again and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I’m not killing little old ladies.”

“It’s slaughter.”

“It’s not slaughter. I’m simply taking a life so Scarlet can keeps hers.”

Out loud, it did sound kinda bad.

But Tristan would do anything to save Scarlet.

Anything.

“Yeah, well…that doesn’t make it any less wrong.” Gabriel went back to searching for the control as silence fell between them.

Tristan exhaled and uncrossed his arms.

He needed more time to execute his plan. He needed more time to break the curse.

And he needed Gabriel to stay away from Scarlet.

Tristan rubbed the back of his neck. “You were reckless tonight, Gabe. Scarlet could have remembered who you were. She could have remembered who I was.”

Gabriel shrugged. “She didn’t.”

“But she will.” Tristan’s heart started pounding in fear. If Scarlet remembered him…if she came looking for him….

No. He couldn’t let that happen.

“You can’t see her again.” Tristan said, hoping Gabriel would comply.

He didn’t.

“Yeah, right.” Gabriel found the control and set it on an end table. “I’ve waited two years to ‘meet’ Scarlet. I’m not going to disappear from her life now.”

Tristan took a deep breath. “Please?”

Was that what he’d been reduced to? Begging? Was he that afraid Scarlet would remember him?

The clock on the wall beat into the silence.

Tick…tick…tick….

Yes. He was that scared.

“No,” Gabriel said, shaking his head. “I need her, Tristan.”

“So do I, Gabe. But you don’t see me running after her.”

“But I…love her,” Gabriel said, turning his palms up helplessly.

Tristan exhaled sharply.

He didn’t want to believe that Gabriel loved Scarlet. He’d rather believe what Gabriel felt for Scarlet was just a little crush.

But he knew better.

Which only made his torment more acute.

Tristan shook his head. “If you stay in her life she’ll remember everything.”

“So, what?”

“So what? Gabe! Scarlet can’t ever know about me—or meet me. It’s too risky.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “She’s not going to meet you. Stop being so dramatic. And quit following me around town. That’s weird.”

“I wasn’t following you,” Tristan said. “I was meeting a client at the festival and I happened to see you.”

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. “A ‘client’? Don’t you mean hit man?”

Tristan didn’t answer.

He knew Gabriel didn’t approve of his methods, but he didn’t have time to look for less-gruesome ways to break the curse.

Scarlet was going to die.

He had to hurry.

“What’s the matter?” Gabriel waved his hands sarcastically. “Big, mean Tristan can’t commit murder all by himself?” Gabriel shook his head and narrowed his eyes. “You’re evil.”

Tristan looked at the ceiling in frustration and started pacing the room again. “I understand you have a moral dilemma with my plan, but don’t act so righteous.” He looked at Gabriel. “I’m just doing what you’re not brave enough to do yourself.”

Gabriel made a face of disgust. “Murder doesn’t make you brave, Tristan. It makes you desperate.”

Tristan squared his jaw. “I am desperate.”

Desperate to be free of the torment that tore at his soul day after day, begging for Scarlet.

Desperate for peace.

Gabriel shook his head. “You’re desperate and you’re heartless.”

Tristan laughed softly, his heart kicking at the irony of Gabriel’s words. “Don’t. I. Wish.”

Maybe if Tristan didn’t have a heart, the pain and longing that plagued him wouldn’t be quite as unbearable. Maybe if he didn’t have a heart, he could get some sleep at night.

But Tristan had a heart, and it was currently throbbing in pain.

Because Scarlet was far away.

Gabriel shook his head. “Whatever. Go ahead and carry-out your wicked plan. But don’t expect me to support you.”

Tristan twisted his lips. “I never would.”

“And don’t expect me to back out of Scarlet’s life. I’ve waited long enough.”

Tristan stopped pacing and folded his arms. “What are you going to do, then? Just lie to her?”

“I don’t know. But I’ll figure it out. Tell your evil heart to relax.”

Tristan flexed a muscle in his jaw.

Gabriel knew nothing about Tristan’s heart, evil or otherwise. It was the best—and worst—part of their relationship.

Tristan shook his head. “Whatever you do, just don’t let her know you have a brother. I don’t want to meet her.”

Gabriel shrugged. “Fine.” He clicked on the TV and sat down.

Tristan turned and headed for the kitchen.

Gabriel would get to see Scarlet. Talk to her. Love her….

It would happen. Tristan couldn’t stop it.

And, if he really cared about Scarlet, he shouldn’t stop it.

But that didn’t make the thought of them together any less gut-wrenching.

Tristan stared blankly at the floor as a piece of his heart broke.

His very real, very existent heart.

And so it begins.

3

Late Saturday afternoon, Scarlet stood in her bra and underwear making a face at herself in her bedroom mirror, while Heather rummaged around in Scarlet’s closet. Heather had demanded Scarlet “not move” until she found the perfect outfit.

But that was ten minutes ago.

“You know it’s a Kissing Festival, not a Naked Festival, right? I’m gonna have to wear clothes, Heather.” Despite the summer sun setting through her bedroom window, Scarlet shivered.

Heather’s voice came muffled from behind the many clothes Laura had bought Scarlet when she first took custody of her. “Keep your pants on! I’m trying to create a masterpiece here!”

“I would be more than happy to keep my pants on but, oh, that’s right, I don’t have any pants on.”

Heather’s perfectly shadowed eyes and glossy lips poked out from Scarlet’s walk-in closet. “Do you want to look fabulous, or do you want to look like curtains?”

“I want to be warm. At least throw me a bathrobe, or a parka, or a mink coat or something.”

“Oh, honey, I would not be surprised if I found a mink coat in here. Shoot, I wouldn’t be surprised if I found a whole mink in here.” A moment of silence passed as Heather looked within the depths of Scarlet’s ridiculously over-sized closet. She poked her face out again. “What is a mink, anyway? Is it, like, a woodland creature or something?”

Scarlet shot Heather an impatient look. “I have no idea, but I bet a mink could pick out an outfit faster than you.”

Heather disappeared into the sea of clothes again and muttered, “I doubt it. You have more clothes than me. And I earn a paycheck solely to support my shopping habits.”

Heather worked at The Millhouse, a local coffee shop, and hosted a let’s-buy-Heather-more-clothes shopping trip every payday.

Scarlet shivered again and decided to charge into her wardrobe and find her own attire. She padded over to the double-doors of her closet and, literally, ran into Heather.

“Hey-hey! Get back to your mirror.” Heather had her hands full of shirts and shorts and belts and…a swim suit?

Scarlet eyed Heather’s booty. “I’m not wearing a swimsuit.”

“Relax, it’s for me. I’m borrowing it.”

“Ah.” Scarlet nodded. “I see.”

“These,” Heather handed Scarlet a pair of jean shorts and a soft, faded, blue t-shirt, “are for you. I chose blue to match your eyes. You have killer eyes. Okay, the look we’re going for tonight is Cute And Casual.”

Scarlet smiled. “Excellent. You can go home, I know how to do Cute And Casual.”

“No.” Heather shook her head. “No, you don’t. You think you can do Cute And Casual…but I’ve seen you try it and it just comes out looking….” Heather tapped her chin with a shiny fingernail. “Lazy.”

Scarlet huffed. “I am not a lazy dresser. Yesterday, I spent ten minutes picking out my outfit.”

“Yesterday you wore the baggy shirt.”

Scarlet puckered her lips. “Good point.”

Heather rolled her eyes. “That is why I should be here every time you get dressed. I’m talking, first thing in the morning, seven days a week. Even if you’re not going anywhere that day, I should still supervise your outfit choices.”

Scarlet laughed as she climbed into her comfortable shorts and pulled the cozy shirt on. “Okay, you do that.”

Heather bustled about Scarlet’s room, setting up a vanity area to do makeup. “Come, sit down. We have twenty minutes to make you stunning for the Greek god.”

“Please. Gabriel probably won’t be there.”

But, oh, how she hoped he would be. She wanted to hear his voice again.

“Well, then, I’m going to pretty you up for any other Greek gods that might strike up a convo with you while I’m off kissing boys. Now sit down and behave.”

Scarlet played along and sat in front of Heather, who was armed with a makeup brush, a powder tray of some sort, and a no-nonsense attitude. Scarlet tried not to cough or sneeze while powder went all over her face and tickled her nose.

“So,” Heather switched the powder out for eye shadow, “lover boy didn’t give you any details about his life last night. Therefore, our objective tonight is to find out who he is.”

Scarlet tried not to squeeze her eyelids closed as Heather stabbed them with tiny brush bristles.

Heather continued, “You know, get to know the real Gabriel—what did you say his last name was?”

“Archer.”

“Gabriel Archer?” Heather rolled her eyes. “Geez, even his name is hot.” She moved to Scarlet’s lips and started commanding Scarlet to do things like, “Say ahh” and “Make an ‘O’ face” and “Don’t smile.”

“If Gabriel Archer shows up at the Kissing Festival tonight, I’ve got a whole list of questions for him. Starting with: does he have a brother?”

Scarlet rolled her eyes. “You are so boy crazy.”

“And proud of it!” Heather finished with Scarlet’s lips and started messing with her dark hair. Several minutes and lots of tugging later, Heather was finished hair. “Voila! You look beautiful. You are well-dressed and not drape-like. I have succeeded.”

Scarlet looked at herself in the mirror. The makeup was a little much, but her hair and outfit were…cute. “Thanks, Heather.”

“Anytime.” Heather replied. “And when I say ‘anytime’ what I mean is all the time. Like, daily.”

Scarlet shook her head. “Whatever, let’s just go.”

The girls headed to the town center just as night fell.

4

The second night of the festival, Gabriel stood at the edge of the park watching Scarlet and Heather approach the Kiss Walk. The Kiss Walk was basically a giant game of musical chairs, but without the chairs. Like a Cake Walk. But instead of a cake, the winner received free kisses at the kissing booths.

Awesome.

Although the people of Avalon were friendly and sincere, Gabriel wasn’t particularly crazy about the town itself. It was a simple place, quaint and quiet, with low crime rates and high turnouts for community events—obviously—but it was small.

Gabriel preferred his cities big, loud, and bright. Not because he had an appetite for chaos, but because he’d been around the world, and slow-paced life just wasn’t his thing.

Scarlet Jacobs, however, was his thing.

Thanks to the endless crowd of people passing before him, Gabriel was able to watch the girls at the Kiss Walk for a minute without being spotted.

Heather, looking like a 1950s Barbie doll with her blond hair in a ponytail and a pair of tiny red shorts fitted to her body, seemed eager to play; while Scarlet folded her arms and stood off to the side.

Typical Scarlet. So stubborn.

With a smile, Gabriel inhaled and examined her. Even after all these years, she still took his breath away.

Was he a hopeless romantic?

Maybe.

But he didn’t care.

He let his mind wander to a time long ago, when he was constantly surrounded by her laughter and playfulness. A time when she would tease him and run her hands through his hair.

A better time than now.

Scarlet and Tristan were affected by the curse, but the curse itself was directed at Gabriel. He was cursed to be without love.

He could never love or be loved by anyone other than Scarlet. Which wouldn’t be so bad—if she wasn’t doomed to die. In fact, loving Scarlet for the rest of his life sounded like heaven.

If only he could keep her alive….

The curse needed to be broken.

Soon.

Would Tristan’s plan work?

Probably not.

But was Gabriel going to stand in Tristan’s way?

No.

Because, deep down, Gabriel was grateful for Tristan’s lack of humanity. If killing someone in Scarlet’s place really could undo the curse, then Gabriel was glad Tristan had no qualms about taking an innocent life.

Gabriel, however, did have qualms.

So, no killing sprees for him.

He watched Scarlet bite her lip as she looked about the park. She was amazing.

Flawed and soulful and…lovely.

Everything about her was fragile and perfect.

He stepped into Scarlet’s line of sight and waited for her to see him. When her eyes found his, she smiled.

She was beautiful.

He smiled as he approached her. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Her blue eyes sparkled. “I’m glad you came.”

“Me, too.”

He looked over to where Heather was arguing with a Kiss Walk judge. “What’s going on over there?”

“They won’t let Heather play because the game already started. She’s trying to sweet-talk her way in.”

“Huh.”

Heather trotted back over to where they stood. “Well!” she said, huffing and puffing. “That was pointless. No free kisses for me, I guess.”

“What are you talking about?” Scarlet raised an eyebrow. “People are handing out free kisses everywhere. Just go kiss some stranger.”

“I’m over kissing strangers. I want to kiss the hot guys at the kissing booths.” Heather looked at Gabriel and put on a brilliant smile. “Hello Gabriel. So nice to see you again.” She went up on her tiptoes and kissed both his cheeks.

Gabriel reciprocated the kisses, smelling her vanilla perfume.

“Ooh!” Heather’s eyes lit up. “Kiss Cakes!”

Gabriel followed her gaze and spied a white tent with red stars hanging from the top.

“Kiss Cakes?” he repeated, looking at Scarlet.

“Yeah, they’re like cupcakes, but shaped like lips.”

“And waaaay better,” Heather said. “Let’s get some.”

Gabriel followed the girls to the tent and snuck a glance at Scarlet. She was so small and delicate. He wanted to wrap her in his arms.

If only she remembered him. If only she would instantly remember everything. Maybe then she would smile and laugh and they could live happily ever after or whatever.

Maybe if he told her the truth….

Gabriel thought about explaining Scarlet’s history to her. Giving her all the bloody details and trying to put a positive spin on the whole curse thing.

No.

He would rather let her live a day longer without being under the umbrella of impending death. The curse was cruel and unfair, and Gabriel wanted to protect her from her fate for as long as possible.

They reached the tent and he snagged each of them a Kiss Cake.

“So, Gabriel,” Heather began as he passed out the cakes. “Scarlet says you’re from New York. Which part?”

He took a bite of his Kiss Cake and examined the blond Barbie lookalike as he swallowed his bite. “The city.”

“What’s the city like?” Scarlet asked.

Gabriel smiled. “It’s loud. Nonstop craziness and noise. But it’s full of opportunities and interesting people. There’s always something going on, never a dull moment.”

Heather sighed. “That sounds heavenly.”

Scarlet scrunched her adorable nose. “That sounds like a headache.”

Gabriel laughed. Scarlet had never liked big cities. She’d always preferred quiet places where time moved slowly.

Places like Avalon.

“Yeah,” he said, smiling at Scarlet. “New York isn’t for everyone.”

“So, why did you move here?” Heather took a bite of her cake.

Gabriel took a moment to think. He needed a plausible excuse to be in Avalon, something to hold him over until the curse was broken and he could tell Scarlet the truth.

“Family business.” It was a good answer. A safe answer.

“Really? What kind of business is your family in?” Scarlet watched him over the frosting of her Kiss Cake.

“History.” He nodded, hoping his answer was sufficient.

“What kind of history?”

Not sufficient enough.

“Just, you know, general history.” He really should have thought through his back-story before coming tonight. He didn’t want to sound like an idiot.

Heather raised her brows. “Your family is in the business of general history? Wow. That’s…vague.” She pursed her lips and looked at him sharply. “Care to elaborate?”

Gabriel had a feeling the Barbie was going to be a problem.

“Ignore Heather. She’s nosey.” Scarlet rolled her eyes before turning them to Gabriel. “Was it hard to leave New York?”

“A little. I love the city and the lights and the craziness. But I was excited to move here. It’s getting better.”

“So, you’re not gonna elaborate on the family business?” Heather narrowed her eyes. “Is it, like, import and export stuff? Are you guys drug dealers? Are you part of the mob?”

Yep, Barbie was definitely going to be an issue.

“Heatherrrrr.” Scarlet shot a warning look at her friend. “Rude.”

“Uh, no,” Gabriel said. “To all of that. We don’t do anything illegal, if that’s what you’re asking.”

At least not yet.

Tristan was planning on murdering someone, though, so the crime-free family name would soon be tarnished.

Stupid, evil Tristan and his “plan.”

“Huh.” Heather stared at him, as if trying to gauge how trustworthy he was. “Well, I certainly hope not. For your sake.”

Gabriel smiled.

Heather was a little annoying, but he liked her.

Her questions were obnoxious and she was probably going to make it difficult for him to get to know Scarlet, but he appreciated her skepticism.

She was quick. And protective of Scarlet.

Good.

“Okay, I think we’re done interrogating the new guy,” Scarlet said, tossing a dirty look at Heather and an apologetic smile at Gabriel.

Heather smiled. “Right. Totally. Sorry about that.” She laughed lightly. “One last question, though….” Her smiled deepened. “Do you have any brothers?”

“Why?” Immediately, Gabriel regretted responding so fast.

He should have waited a beat.

He should have just said no.

Scarlet’s eyes widened as she kicked Heather’s shoe. “Seriously?”

Heather ignored Scarlet and answered Gabriel. “Uh…because I’m in the market for a gorgeous boy to be my cereal toy. So...do you?”

Cereal toy?

Gabriel blinked a few times. “No,” he said. “No brothers.”

Heather studied him a moment before saying, “That’s too bad.”

“Ye-ah.” Scarlet said, finishing her Kiss Cake and saving Gabriel from Heather’s scrutiny. “Let’s go do something else. Like, anything else. We can watch the Spin-The-Bottle tournament, for all I care. Let’s just go.” She yanked on Heather’s arm. “It’ll be fun. You too, Gabriel.” She smiled at him.

He loved her smile. “Lead the way.”

Gabriel followed Scarlet and Heather across the park to an open area as he thought.

He needed to gain Scarlet’s confidence. The sooner she trusted him, the easier everything would be.

Glancing down at their feet as they walked, Gabriel caught sight of Scarlet’s shoes. Or rather, the sketches she’d penned atop her shoes.

Sketches of a symbol that looked exactly like….

Gabriel blinked.

It couldn’t be.

Why? Of all the things in her past, why would she remember that?

Unless….

Gabriel swallowed back his thudding heart and took a deep breath.

Now was not the time to worry about Scarlet’s selective memory. Right now, he’d worry about getting Scarlet to like him.

He took a deep breath as they came to a grassy spot where a Spin-The-Bottle tournament—set up like a poker tournament—was going strong.

Scarlet raised her eyebrows. “Personally, I find it disturbing to watch senior citizens bet on who the best kisser at the table is.”

Gabriel watched the game for a moment with a crooked smile. “What, you don’t find it fascinating and sexy?”

Scarlet laughed. “I find it as sexy as the sidewalk dentist.”

Gabriel laughed back. Oh, how he’d missed her.

As the game continued, the feisty contestants became more and more entertaining. Who needed reality TV when you could go downtown and watch two little old ladies box one another over a WWII veteran named Jimmy?

Classic.

When the game ended, the three of them walked together along Main Street. Stars dangled from trees and people kissed in greeting all along the road as music played loudly from the nearby bandstand.

Heather chatted endlessly about summer coming to a close and how school would soon begin and how very “lame” that was and blah, blah, blah.

Gabriel had just started tuning her out when she said, “So, Gabriel Archer,” her voice rose to adjust to the volume of the music, “how old are you?”

More questions. Awesome.

“Seventeen,” he answered.

“Really?” Heather raised an eyebrow at him. “You look older than that.”

Gabriel bit back a sigh.

Hanging out with Heather was definitely going to be a problem. She was too inquisitive. And while he appreciated that she interrogated people who entered Scarlet’s life, he couldn’t afford to be one of them.

“I get that a lot.” He gave her his best smile and turned to Scarlet. “You’ve been pretty quiet.”

Scarlet’s dark hair brushed against her small face as she tucked in a smile, “Have I? I guess it’s just been so noisy.”

It was then that Gabriel impulsively decided to ask her out.

It was risky. There was a possibility she’d say no.

Which would suck.

But Gabriel had waited a long time to be back in Scarlet’s life and he didn’t want to live one more minute without her.

Play it cool, don’t scare her off.

“Well.” Gabriel swallowed and tried to look as carefree as possible. “Maybe you and I could hang out sometime…someplace less noisy.” He shot her his most genuine smile and held his breath. “You know, just the two of us.”

Immediately, Gabriel regretted his bold decision.

It was weird.

She didn’t remember him. She didn’t know him.

She was probably going to say no and then where would he be?

Cursed to be without love, that’s where.

Bad idea, Gabe.

Slowly—so slowly Gabriel thought he might suffocate—Scarlet answered with a smile. “Yeah. That’d be nice.”

Relief rushed through him. “Tomorrow night, then?”

Scarlet looked at him with her pretty eyes and smiled. “Sure.”

He smiled.

Things were going to be different this time.

Better. Wonderful.

All he had to do now was find a way to keep Scarlet alive.

5

Tristan’s green eyes examined his most recent acquisition in the soft light of the den. He turned the ancient blade over in his hand, the ornate handle weighing heavy in his palm. The long blade glinted in the lamp light of the room as he continued to turn it over.

He’d spent years searching for this dagger. A dagger believed to have magical energy.

Or mystic powers.

Or voodoo or something.

Tristan wasn’t sure. But he didn’t care what kind of powers the blade possessed as long as it would take the life he was trying to end. A life that was proving far more obstinate in its existence than he’d anticipated.

He polished the blade carefully, running an execution plan through his head.

There were so many details involved when committing murder, so many loose ends. Killing took careful planning, patience and, most of all, resilience.

He could not give up. No matter how terrible or unforgivable his mission was, he could not stop.

The curse needed to end.

He finished polishing and made a place for the blade on the west wall of the den among the other weapons.

Measuring thirty feet in length and fifteen feet high, the wall was covered from floor to ceiling with an arsenal from the last five hundred years. The weapons ranged from the most primitive of clubs to the most modern of knives.

But no guns. That was a personal preference the brothers shared.

One of the few.

Tristan hung the dagger and stepped back to view the collection of weapons. He’d been trying to end the curse for nearly two years. He’d used nearly every weapon he owned on his brutal quest and all had failed him.

Hopefully, the dagger would not.

Tristan sighed as he retreated from the den to the large office next door. He made is way to the back of the room and sat behind the large mahogany desk. He clicked on the computer.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Tristan started his Internet search. A few months ago, he’d discovered the best way to kill his target was to hire a hit man.

Not because he enjoyed including others in his grisly task, but because he simply could not do it alone.

He’d tried—and failed—too many times to count.

And time was of the essence.

His computer came to life and alerted him of a new message waiting in his inbox—a fervent response from one of the assassins he’d tracked down.

It was amazing what you could find on craigslist.

The message contained a time and location to meet so they could exchange payment.

Tristan’s gut churned. It was easier than he’d ever imagined to find someone willing to kill for money. And, although he was sickened by the scoundrels who’d responded so eagerly to his online request, he was grateful for it.

Because he couldn’t do this without help.

Maybe this time it would work. Maybe this time there would be a dead body, an empty soul; a chance for Scarlet to truly exist and for Tristan to be permanently free of the curse.

Tristan responded to the assassin’s email.

I’ll be there.

He closed his computer screen and stared across the office, hoping it would all be over soon.

6

The next morning Scarlet awoke to the shrill sound of Heather’s far-too-cheery voice—which was better than waking up alone in a forest, but not by much.

“Rise and shiiiiiine, sleepyhead!”

Even before opening her eyes, Scarlet could tell Heather was smiling.

“Go away,” she mumbled.

“No can do, Sleeping Beauty. We’ve got things to do today. Get up, up, up!”

Scarlet cracked an eye open. “Are you seriously waking me up on a Sunday morning? In the summer?”

“It’s for your own good.”

Scarlet rolled over and closed her eyes again. “I no longer acknowledge our friendship. You’re dead to me.”

Heather scooted to the other side of Scarlet’s queen-sized bed and sat on the edge. “Dead in a good way? Like a hot girl zombie?”

Ignoring Heather’s joke, Scarlet turned into her pillow. “Who even let you in my house?”

“Laura.”

Traitor. “You’re still dead to me.”

Heather wiggled closer to Scarlet. “But I brought coffee from The Millhouse.”

Best coffee in Georgia.

Heather’s bright voice carried on, “Would a zombie bring you coffee? Probably not. Because zombies aren’t very thoughtful. They’re always trying to eat your brains out and everything.”

Scarlet opened an eye, looked at the Millhouse to-go cup in Heather’s hand, and inhaled. “You’re pure evil.” She slowly pulled herself up and took the coffee into her own hands.

“That’s what I’ve been saying. Hot Evil Girl Zombie. I think I just figured out my Halloween costume.” Heather wagged her eyebrows.

Scarlet took a sip of the café mocha, made a Mmmm noise and looked at Heather. “So, why are you here at this ungodly hour?”

Heather looked at the clock beside Scarlet’s bed. “It’s 11:00 a.m., Scarlet.”

“It’s ungodly a.m., that’s what it is. And it’s summer. You’d better have a good reason for disturbing my slumber.”

“I do. Today, you and I are going shopping.”

“Why? It’s not payday.”

“Why?” Heather looked incredulous. “Because we need something fabulous for you to wear on your date with Gabriel tonight.”

Scarlet took another drink. “It’s not a date.”

“It’s so a date.”

Scarlet shook her head. “We’re just, you know, hanging out.”

“Yeah, you’re just hanging out. The two of you. Alone. Going to the movies. Having dinner. Hanging at The Kissing Festival. Yeah, nothing about that sounds romantic or date-like at all.”

Scarlet raised her eyebrows but didn’t respond.

It was a date. Scarlet knew it.

Two days ago, she didn’t want to date anybody. But something about Gabriel had completely changed her mind.

Maybe it was the way he looked at her.

Maybe it was his familiar voice….

Why did his voice seem so familiar, but nothing else about him triggered any memories?

Heather continued, “And even though I think Gabriel’s full of secrets, I still support you dating him. Mostly because you need to get kissed. Like, bad.”

“Gabriel’s not full of secrets.” Even as she said it, a warning bell went off in Scarlet’s head. A bell Scarlet smothered with memories of Gabriel’s adorable dimples and deep brown eyes.

“Uh, yeah he is. He was all hesitant and careful last night, giving vague answers about his life. He’s definitely hiding something.”

“Just because he doesn’t want to share his life story with us doesn’t mean he’s hiding something.” Scarlet took a sip of coffee.

Heather thought about it for a moment and shook her head. “No. No, it’s more than that. I can feel it. Something’s…hidden. I just don’t know what.”

The bell blared in Scarlet’s head again.

Shut up, bell.

Scarlet purposely rolled her eyes. “Can’t you be supportive like a normal best friend and just be like ‘oh, Gabriel’s so hunky and you should totally marry him and have little Greek god babies with him’?”

“Oh, you totally should. You two would for sure have Greek god babies together,” Heather said. “And I am being supportive. I’m taking you shopping.”

“At the crack of dawn.”

“You mean the crack of noon? Yep, that’s me. Waking you up before the sun sets. What can I say? I’m an evil zombie.”

Scarlet yawned. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“Yes. I am. Now,” Heather stood from the bed and straightened her sundress, “we are going shopping in ten minutes. Get dressed. And when I say ‘get dressed’, I mean, ‘let me pick out your clothes’.”

Heather disappeared into Scarlet’s closet as Scarlet set her coffee cup down and crawled back under the sheets.

7

Ready for his night with Scarlet, Gabriel whistled as he made his way downstairs. As silly as it seemed, his palms were sweaty.

Not with nervousness, but with excitement.

The thought of being back in Scarlet’s life made his heart incredibly happy.

Tristan, dressed in all black with a long dagger in his hand, exited the den as Gabriel reached the main floor.

Gabriel stopped whistling and paused. “Please tell me you’re going to a ninja convention.”

“Nope.” Tristan didn’t make eye contact as he walked past his brother and entered the kitchen.

Gabriel followed after him. “Then why are you dressed like a ninja?”

In the kitchen, Tristan started making coffee. “I’m not dressed like a ninja.”

“Black pants, black shirt…weapon…? Total ninja outfit.”

Tristan shrugged.

“And why are you making nighttime coffee?” Gabriel looked his brother over a moment before it dawned on him. “Dude. Are you going to kill someone tonight?”

“Hopefully,” Tristan said, setting down the dagger and grabbing a coffee mug.

Gabriel groaned.

His brother, a murderer. It just seemed wrong.

Fitting, for Tristan’s dark and bitter personality, but wrong.

But what was Gabriel going to do, stop him? No.

If Tristan broke the curse, Scarlet would live, and that’s what Gabriel truly wanted.

What he didn’t want was his crazy brother slashing up the townsfolk while he was out trying to enjoy his time with Scarlet.

“Come on, Tristan. How about you wait a day or two? How am I supposed to relax on my date with Scarlet tonight if I know you’re off playing Ninja Assassin around town?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’d hate to ruin your date with my inconvenient trying-to-save-Scarlet’s-life plan.”

“What if it doesn’t work? What if you kill this poor guy and nothing changes?”

“It’ll work.”

“How do you know?”

“Because Nate said so.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Nate is crazy.”

Nathaniel Fletcher was their oldest friend and a bit of a curse expert. He’d been trying to help resolve the hex for years.

Without results.

“Nate doesn’t know what he’s talking about, Tristan. He’s speculating.”

“No, he’s not. If I’m successful tonight, the curse will be broken and Scarlet will live.”

Tristan sounded casual. Like ending a life was no big deal.

Gabriel shook his head. “What you’re doing is wrong.”

Tristan poured himself coffee and took a sip. “Maybe. But it’s worth it.” He put his mug down. “I won’t stop until it’s over, Gabe. This needs to end—for all of us.”

Gabriel jutted his jaw. He didn’t like Tristan’s dedication to the whole “murder” thing.

But still.

The three of them had suffered the curse for a long time, and a cure—any cure—sounded appealing.

Tristan finished his coffee and moved to leave the kitchen. But first he grabbed the knife off the counter and strapped it to his back.

Awesome.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “Are you seriously going out with a dagger strapped to your back? You might as well just wear a sign that says Look at me, I’m a killer!”

“Actually, yes. I have to take the dagger.”

Gabriel smirked. “Well, I’m not bailing you out of jail when you get pulled over for speeding and have to explain why you’ve got a medieval knife on your back like a psycho.”

Tristan shrugged. “Hopefully, you won’t have to.”

“You’re crazy,” Gabriel said.

“One of us has to be,” Tristan said as he grabbed his keys and headed out the door.

“I hate you,” Gabriel called out half-heartedly as Tristan exited.

Before the door closed, Gabriel heard Tristan holler back, “You too!”

Gabriel flexed his hands as he stood in the kitchen.

All he wanted was a relaxing night out with Scarlet. A chance to get to know her again and have her know him again. How was he supposed to relax when his brother was out cutting someone into pieces with a barbaric weapon?

8

Scarlet’s date with Gabriel was going well. Partly because dinner had been delicious and the movie they’d seen had been funny.

But mostly because Gabriel, in some indescribable way, put Scarlet at ease with his presence. And his voice.

He asked her questions and listened to her answers. He nodded when she spoke about the things she loved, as if he understood just how she felt. He made jokes and pulled laughter from her.

And he looked at her—really looked at her. Like she was something he cherished.

Scarlet had never felt so valuable.

She wasn’t nervous, or anxious, or insecure around him. She wasn’t giddy or gushing at his every word.

She was simply…normal.

And she savored every minute if it.

When she was around Gabriel, Scarlet forgot about her mysterious past and the questions that consumed her.

He was like magic, and she needed magic.

After the movie, they walked together down Main Street to watch the finale of the Kissing Festival—which was pretty much just a parade followed by fireworks.

“So, tell me about your family,” Gabriel said as he paid for two ice cream cones from the KissPop lady.

Scarlet took a bite of ice cream while she thought about her answer. She had two choices. She could lie and act like her family life was completely normal:

I have two wonderful parents who bathe me in love. We sit at the piano every night and sing songs together before making cookies from scratch. And I have a dog named Mr. Poodles.

Or she could tell the truth:

If I have a family, they ditched me in the woods a few years ago.

The lie was always safer. But because Gabriel made her feel so comfortable, Scarlet went with the truth.

“I don’t really have a family, but I have an awesome guardian.”

It seemed appropriate, confiding in Gabriel.

Logically, it made no sense to open up to a guy who was practically a stranger. But her instincts told her she could trust him.

And instincts were all she had.

“You have a guardian? That’s cool. Tell me about her.” Gabriel took a bite of his ice cream.

Why did Gabriel assume it was a woman?

Did he know about Laura?

An alarm went off again in Scarlet’s head.

She tilted her head to the side, looked at Gabriel’s gorgeous face, then pressed snooze.

“Her name is Laura and she’s really pretty and really young. She works for some huge international company doing some kind of procurement. She’s a terrible cook and she’s more like a sister to me than a mom.”

Gabriel smiled. “She sounds perfect.”

“She is.” Scarlet nodded and waited for Gabriel to ask the inevitable question. The notorious, Why do you have a guardian and not parents?

Scarlet was prepared to answer truthfully.

Because her instincts told her to.

But Gabriel didn’t ask.

Odd.

Was he trying to be polite? Was he afraid of her answer?

Scarlet didn’t know but, either way, she was relieved. Talking about being abandoned in the woods was kind of a downer. And she didn’t want to screw up their perfectly nice date.

She looked up at him. “Tell me about your family.”

“There’s not much to tell….” He took another bite. “My family’s originally from England. And my parents died when I was young so I’ve been pretty much on my own for a while.”

Scarlet frowned in sympathy. “I’m so sorry.”

He shrugged. “It was a long time ago.”

Scarlet’s heart hurt for him. In a way, it was probably better not ever knowing your family than knowing them well and losing them. “So, you’ve just been, like, alone?”

“Uh…I lived with other family members for a while.” Gabriel cleared his throat. “Anyway, tell me about school. Do you like Avalon High?”

“It’s all right,” Scarlet said. “It’s school, you know?”

“Yeah, I know. School’s a bummer.”

“Are you going to go to Avalon High this year?” Scarlet asked.

Gabriel smiled broadly, and his eyes lit up. “Yes,” he said. As if the thought hadn’t occurred to him until just that moment. “Yes, I am.”

Scarlet nodded and smiled. “Maybe we’ll have some classes together.”

Gabriel looked at Scarlet with a crooked smile. “I certainly hope so.”

As they finished their ice cream, a boom sounded in the distance.

They stopped walking and looked up to see fireworks. The high school band heading up the parade broke into a vaguely patriotic song as bright sparkles exploded in the sky.

They stood and watched without speaking until the song ended and the fireworks finale began.

Boom-boom-boom!

The sky lit up with brilliant colors and lights. People everywhere started kissing and hugging and cheering and laughing. From somewhere above confetti began falling around them, floating into Scarlet’s hair and landing on her eyelashes.

Her eyes still on the sky, she felt Gabriel’s hand slowly reach for hers. She slipped her small hand into his and smiled to herself.

What was it about Gabriel that made her feel so…complete?

Shifting her eyes, Scarlet saw a set of five stars hanging directly above them.

Suddenly, she no longer hated all the trees in Georgia.

Her eyes fell to Gabriel’s and for a moment she held her breath.

Ohmygoodness, he’s going to kiss me.

Scarlet didn’t know if she was nervous or excited or afraid.

Gabriel, the stranger who made her feel safe and normal, the stranger with the familiar voice, was going to kiss her.

And all of a sudden, Scarlet had no hesitations.

She wanted Gabriel to kiss her.

She wanted it more than anything.

He turned to face her with his cute dimples and Scarlet looked up at him, excitement bubbling inside her as she smiled.

He leaned down and slowly pressed his lips to hers.

Soft and full, they laid against her mouth, sending warmth and butterflies into her stomach as she kissed him back.

Everything about him…they way he smelled, the way he tasted…the way he placed his big hands on her hips and his fingers against her back….everything was wonderful.

Somewhere far away music was playing and confetti continued to fall, a piece landing gently on Scarlet’s nose.

She kept her hands on his strong shoulders and leaned up on her tiptoes to meet his mouth more fully. She wanted more.

Even with her eyes closed, Scarlet could see fireworks.

And they were magical.

The Kissing Festival: Best. Idea. Ever.

9

The next morning, Tristan rinsed blood off the ancient dagger as he tried to control the rage and fear curling inside him.

So much for magical voodoo.

He would have to try again.

Gabriel, whistling Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, entered the kitchen.

As annoying as Gabriel and his incessant good moods were, sometimes Tristan wanted to be like him. To walk around life, joyful and carefree, while whistling ridiculously optimistic songs.

Tristan’s circumstances, however, didn’t really allow for nonstop happiness.

“Hey.” Gabriel entered the kitchen and eyed the watered-down blood swirling in the sink. Carefully, he asked, “So…how did it go?”

“Rough night,” was all Tristan said.

Very rough night.

“Okaaaay.” Gabriel leaned against the counter. “Did you do it? Is it over?”

“Nope.” Tristan finished wiping down the dagger and began cleaning blood out of the sink.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“But there’s blood…lots and lots of blood…everywhere. How did the sucker not die?”

Tristan didn’t answer. He just kept scrubbing the sink.

Gabriel waited a moment before saying, “Fine, whatever. Be secretive.” He cleared his throat, his typical cheeriness returning. “So, I’ve decided to enroll in Avalon High.”

Tristan looked up. “What?”

Gabriel nodded. “That’s where Scarlet goes to school so I’m going to start as a senior.”

Tristan twisted his face. “And do what, exactly? Turn in homework? Join the chess club? Go to prom?” Tristan shook his head. “This isn’t a game, Gabe.”

“I know it’s not a game. That’s why I’m going to school—to be closer to Scarlet.”

Tristan rolled his eyes. While he was out swinging heavy daggers and undoing curses, Gabriel would be taking pop quizzes and gossiping in the hallways.

Fantastic.

“I think that’s a bad idea,” Tristan said.

“Well, Scarlet seemed pleased by the notion.” Gabriel leaned against the kitchen wall and smiled, looking off to the side. “She still bites her lip when she’s nervous.”

Tristan clenched his teeth and scrubbed the sink vigorously.

He hated it when Gabriel got all smitten.

It was obnoxious.

Gabriel continued, “We went out last night. I forgot how pretty her eyes are—”

“You know what?” Tristan interrupted, looking up from the sink. “I don’t care. I don’t want to know about her eyes. Or anything else, okay?”

Gabriel raised his brows. “Wow. Someone’s in a bad mood.” He pushed back from the wall and crossed over to the kitchen counter. “You don’t want to know about Scarlet at all?”

Tristan shook his head and went back to the sink. “Nope.”

Gabriel looked confused. “You don’t want to know anything? You don’t care what she looks like or if she introduces me to her family?”

Tristan finished with the sink and tried not to throw the nearby dagger into his brother’s heart. “I don’t care if she introduces you to a leprechaun. I don’t want to hear about it. So, shut up.”

Gabriel shrugged. “Okay.”

Tristan sighed. “Did you tell her anything yet?”

“What exactly would I tell her? Guess what? I’m from your past!” Gabriel mocked a cheesy smile. “No. I’ve decided to wait until the curse is broken.”

You might be waiting a long time.

Tristan picked the blade up and walked to the den. “It would have been much more convenient for you to have decided that before you entered her life as a hunky love interest.”

Gabriel shrugged. “What’s done is done.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Gabe. You’re playing a dangerous game. It’s not like you have much time. You can’t just keep hanging out with her and expect her not to remember anything. It’s going to happen. Her memories are going to come back and when they do, she’s going to be pissed you lied to her. Not to mention, totally freaked out that she’s dying.” Tristan’s heart throbbed at the thought. “You should have waited until everything was fixed before meeting her. Now everything’s all screwed up.”

Gabriel trailed him down the hall to the den. “Why are you so stressed? We’ll figure it out and everything will be fine.”

“Do we?” Tristan whipped around, his green eyes meeting Gabriel’s brown ones. “I just came home with a bloody weapon and no corpse. Things aren’t going well, Gabe.”

Gabriel scrunched his face. “Don’t get all moody. It’ll work out. If your plan continues to fail, then maybe we’ll just go back to our original plan—”

“No,” Tristan said, entering the den and hanging the dagger on the wall alongside their many other weapons.

“Fine. Whatever.” Gabriel turned to leave the den, but stopped in the doorway. “You know what? I’m glad your plan’s not working out. You shouldn’t have to kill someone to save Scarlet, it’s wrong. And she would never be okay with it.”

The truth in Gabriel’s words stung Tristan, but he shrugged. “Then I guess it’s a good thing she doesn’t know.”

Gabriel shook his head and disappeared from the doorway.

Tristan blinked few times and ran a hand through his dark hair. The continual ache in his chest flared up—a constant reminder his body could only handle so much time away from Scarlet without suffering.

The sooner the curse was lifted, the sooner he would be free of his torment.

And the sooner Scarlet would be free to live.

With renewed determination, he pulled out his cell phone and called their friend, Nate. After last night’s debacle with the dagger, Tristan was having second thoughts about his plan.

Nate answered on the third ring. “What’s up, dude?”

Tristan could hear gunfire and creepy music in the background. “Are you playing video games?”

“Of course I’m playing video games. How else am I supposed to win the Major League Gaming championship?”

Tristan shook his head. “Listen, I need to know how sure you are about breaking the curse.”

“Hold on…I’ve almost killed the demon king….” Nate’s voice faded, replaced by more gunshots.

Tristan rolled his eyes.

“Take that!” Nate laughed at his game in a crazy voice. “Who’s King of the Underworld now, sucka? Okay,” Nate’s voice took back its normal tone. “The curse? Oh, I’m one hundred percent certain the fountain of youth will heal Scarlet’s heart, thereby undoing all effects of the curse. You just need to find it.”

Tristan sighed. Finding the fountain of youth was a preposterous idea. And completely out of the question. “No, I mean the other way to undo the hex. The deadly way. How sure are you about that?”

“Whoa.” Nate must have paused his video game, because the gunshots and music suddenly went dead. “You’re not honestly thinking about trying to kill—”

“Yes,” Tristan said. “But I need to know that it will actually work.”

Nate squawked, “You’re crazy.”

“I know.”

He heard Nate sigh. “Tristan, listen to me. I know you’ve got a thing for Scarlet and, trust me man, I get it. You don’t want her to die and yada, yada, yada, but what you’re thinking about doing is insane.”

“Just tell me if it will work.” Tristan said.

“I don’t really feel comfortable with you—“

“Will it work, Nate?” Tristan’s voice rose. He waited in silence for his old friend to answer.

Nate swallowed so loudly Tristan heard him through the phone. “Yes. Yes, given the right weapon…it will work.”

Tristan inhaled. “Then I’m going to need your help finding that weapon.”

10

“Good morning!” Scarlet called out to her guardian, Laura, as she made her way into the kitchen. Laura was sitting at the dining room table sipping her morning coffee and reading the newspaper.

According to Heather, Laura looked like Jessica Rabbit—a sexy cartoon woman Scarlet had never heard of. But with her long red hair and big doe eyes, Laura could easily pass for a sultry cartoon character.

Despite her Jessica Rabbit appearance, Laura was a no-nonsense independent woman. She was incredibly successful and, from the looks of the massive two-story house they shared, wealthy.

Ever since Laura had taken Scarlet in, she’d tried to buy Scarlet a normal life. Clothes, shoes, music, movies, a car…there was nothing Laura wouldn’t get for Scarlet.

Unfortunately, all the shoes in the world couldn’t bring Scarlet’s memories back.

She appreciated Laura’s efforts, though. Without Laura, Scarlet wouldn’t have a sense of family. And for that, she would love her forever.

As Scarlet moved about the kitchen, she smiled to herself. Her date with Gabriel had renewed her. As if he had awakened a part of her old self—something deep inside her.

Something happy.

The reality of the night before was still sinking in.

She’d kissed a boy. She’d kissed a hot boy. On the lips and everything. And it didn’t feel weird or gross. It felt…almost perfect.

Scarlet’s smile grew bigger.

Laura raised a suspicious eyebrow. “You’re up early.”

Scarlet had risen earlier than usual, too excited to sleep soundly. Her mind had raced with thoughts of Gabriel and kissing all night long, keeping her from any deep sleep and putting her in a fantastic mood.

“I know,” Scarlet sang back at Laura.

Laura looked at Scarlet over her coffee cup. “Who are you and what have you done with Scarlet?”

“What? I’m not allowed to be giddy in the morning?”

Laura put down her cup. “I’m assuming your date went well, then?”

Heather had excitedly told Laura all about Scarlet’s “big date” the day before.

“So well,” Scarlet said.

“Ooh. Tell me more.” Laura leaned back in her chair with a smile, her attention completely on Scarlet.

“He’s dreamy, Laura. Like, beautiful and sweet and funny. He’s got dark hair and these killer eyes. Ah!” Scarlet closed her eyes and smiled.

“And?” Laura asked, smiling.

Scarlet opened her eyes. “What do you mean ‘and’?”

Laura laughed. “I mean, and what else? You’re too happy for him to have just been sweet and dreamy and handsome. What aren’t you telling me?”

Scarlet bit her lip. “We totally kissed.”

Laura made a cooing sound. “I knew it! And was it spectacular?”

“Totally.”

“Ah, I’m so jealous!”

Scarlet rolled her eyes.

Laura didn’t have a husband or boyfriend, but not for lack of interest. Men were constantly following her around and asking her out. Laura insisted her reluctance to date was due to all the traveling she did for work. She went to Europe every few weeks on business trips and argued that no relationship could survive the travel and long hours of her job.

Apparently, when it came to choosing love or work, Laura chose work.

“So, what’s his story?” Laura put her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand.

Scarlet couldn’t help but smile. “He’s seventeen. He’ll be a senior at Avalon this year. He just moved here from New York with his family. He hates snakes. He likes reality TV. And he smells like mint. And did I mention he’s gorgeous?”

Laura sighed. “He does sound dreamy. What’s his name?”

Scarlet cocked her head to the side. “Heather didn’t tell you his name yesterday?”

Laura shook her head with a smile. “No, she just said ‘this dark-haired Greek god asked Scarlet out’. So, I just assumed his name was Zeus or Apollo or something.”

Scarlet laughed. “Uh, no. His name is Gabriel…Gabriel Archer.”

For a quick moment, Scarlet thought she saw something flash in Laura’s eyes. Recognition, maybe? Awareness? But it was gone in an instant.

Did Laura and Gabriel know each other?

Scarlet cleared her throat. “Do you know him?”

“No. Not yet,” Laura said convincingly. “But, hopefully, you’ll introduce me to him soon.”

Certain she must have misread what she saw in Laura’s eyes, Scarlet said, “Don’t get crazy. We’re not dating or anything.”

“Right.” Laura smiled.

A moment passed before Laura rose from the table. “Okay, I’ve gotta get to work.” She grabbed her workbag and stepped into a pair of heels that were too tall and sexy for a ‘business professional’ dress code.

But that was Laura; the corporate Jessica Rabbit.

“Have a good day,” Laura said.

“I will,” Scarlet called after her.

Scarlet sighed to herself, thinking again about her kiss with Gabriel. She was definitely going to have a good day.

11

A week later, Scarlet went on another date with Gabriel.

To the forest.

“Where are we going?” Scarlet asked with a smile, ducking under a tree branch Gabriel had lifted for her. It was nearly dusk, the summer sky glowing orange and pink, as Scarlet followed Gabriel deeper into the woods outside of town.

“It’s a surprise,” Gabriel said with a secretive smile, adjusting one strap of the backpack he wore.

Still smiling, Scarlet rolled her eyes, “A surprise?”

“Yep.”

“Is the surprise the forty-five minute hike through the forest on a sticky summer day?”

He laughed. “Are you complaining?”

“Maybe. It depends on the surprise. And whether or not I get eaten by a bear. Or an army of mosquitoes.”

She wasn’t complaining at all. In fact, she was excited.

No boy had ever taken her on a surprise date before.

“I promise you, the surprise will be well worth the mosquito bites that you don’t have.” He smiled at her pointedly.

Scarlet had yet to be bitten by a mosquito. Or a bear.

The wind blew through the trees and swirled around them as they walked on. The day had been hot, but the setting sun was taking most of the mugginess with it and ushering in the cool breeze of night.

Ten minutes, and a brilliant purple sky later, they arrived at a cluster of trees and Gabriel stopped.

“Okay.” He turned to look at her with a smile. “This is your surprise.”

Scarlet eyed the trees before her. “A…wall of pine trees?”

“Yes.” He smiled. “I thought we’d get an early start on shopping for Christmas trees.”

Scarlet laughed. “What?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Close your eyes.”

Scarlet hesitated, biting back her smile.

“Come on…” Gabriel prompted.

“But what about the bears?”

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. “Did you coat yourself in honey before we left?”

“No, but I did roll around in sugar water.”

“Hmm.” Gabriel tried to sound serious. “Well, that explains the mosquitoes.”

Scarlet laughed.

“Come on.” Gabriel gently placed his hand over her eyes. “Close your eyes.”

Scarlet sighed with a smile and lowered her lids. “I’m trusting you.”

She felt him kiss her cheek. “You can always trust me.”

With a smile, Scarlet thought about how much she really did trust Gabriel, and how comfortable she was around him. She’d only known him for a short time but he just felt...right.

After she heard some shuffling, Scarlet felt Gabriel’s strong arms come behind her and guide her forward, weaving her through the wall of trees. A few yards later, they came to a stop.

Scarlet listened as a bird sang out the last song of day. Leaves rustled, the wind whistled softly, and somewhere nearby was the gentle slapping of…water?

“Okay,” came Gabriel’s musical voice from behind her. “Open your eyes.”

Scarlet opened her eyes and her lips parted.

She stood at the edge of a large lake, surrounded by the majestic trees of the forest swaying peacefully in the twilight sky. And on the horizon was the enormous Harvest Moon, hung low in the sky and glowing a rusty orange as it shone its soft light across the smooth surface of the lake.

It looked unreal.

“Do you like it?” Gabriel stood beside her, taking it in.

“It’s…breathtaking.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Gabriel smile. “Surprise.”

The first stars of night began to peek out from the purple sky above as Scarlet said, “Totally worth the mosquito bites.”

Gabriel softly laughed. “Okay, now time for dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“Yep. Well, it’s really more like a picnic since, you know, we can’t get pizza delivered out here.” Gabriel swung his backpack off and unzipped it. He pulled out a large blanket, sandwiches, and bottled water. He spread the blanket out on the dry shore of the lake, smoothed out the wrinkles and motioned to Scarlet. “Dinner is served.”

Scarlet smiled widely. A picnic under the stars, against the giant moon, at the edge of a serene lake?

Best. Date. Ever.

The moonlight was bright and illuminated the forest around them as Scarlet sat down on the soft blanket and took the sandwich Gabriel handed her. He sat beside her, both of them facing the glorious moon.

Scarlet took a bite. “Mmm. Peanut butter and jelly. My favorite.”

Gabriel smiled and took a bite of his own sandwich.

The purple forest was happily quiet but for the soft ripples of water hitting the shore and the hidden crickets.

“So.” Gabriel swallowed. “Tell me something real.”

Scarlet swallowed as well. “Something real?”

He nodded with a crooked smile. “Tell me something that’s not empty. Something honest and Scarlet-specific.”

“I’m guessing my favorite color probably won’t suffice?” Scarlet raised a teasing eyebrow.

“Nope. It has to be meaningful.” Gabriel’s eyes sparkled. “And besides, you’re favorite color is blue.”

“Lucky guess.” Scarlet smiled. “Okay…something meaningful….”

Should she just go for it and tell him everything? Give him the whole I’m-a-weirdo-amnesiac story?

She trusted him, she felt safe around him, and he seemed mature enough to handle it.

Probably.

Gabriel looked at her pleasantly, waiting.

Scarlet cleared her throat. “Well. I have amnesia.”

There. She’d thrown it out there.

There was no going back. He was either going to sit and listen to her story, or run away from her screaming.

Oh man, I hope he doesn’t run away. Mostly because I have no idea how to get out of these woods and it’s now nighttime and I will for sure be eaten by a bear if I’m left out here alone.

“Amnesia?” He still looked pleasant.

Scarlet nodded. “Yup. I can’t remember anything prior to two years ago.”

“Huh. And how’s that going?”

Scarlet thought about it. “Better. At first it was really confusing and frightening. But now…well, now I’ve kinda just accepted that I might not ever recover my memories.”

Genuine sympathy came across his face. “That seems…unfair.”

Scarlet nodded again, then shrugged. “Maybe, but I’m okay with it now. At first I was scared. Then I was angry. And then I was just plain curious. I wanted to remember who I was, you know?”

He stopped eating and looked at her intensely, his eyes searching hers. He cleared his throat. “Who are you now?”

Scarlet chewed and swallowed another bite. “What do you mean?”

Gabriel twitched his lips. “Who you were is never as important as who you are. So…who are you?” He smiled.

Scarlet tucked in a smile and bit her lip, thinking about it. “I’m…Scarlet Jacobs. I get good grades and blend in with the crowd. I have a crazy best friend who makes me laugh and doesn’t let me sulk—ever. I have an unnatural fear of bears,” Scarlet smiled at him, “and no fashion sense whatsoever. But I’m surprisingly good at making coffee.”

Scarlet paused, looking up at the moon. She shrugged. “Sometimes I feel out of place when other kids talk about their childhoods, but I’m not bitter. I’m just…different. I’m lucky, though, because I have Laura, who loves me, and a lot people live their whole life without being loved, you know?” She looked back at Gabriel, whose sweet eyes were fixed on her.

He nodded. “You are very loved, indeed.” A slow smile spread across his face, showing off his dimples. “I like you, Scarlet Jacobs, just the way you are. Life isn’t about the past, it’s about the future. Life is about looking forward. Our pasts,” he shrugged, “are just that: history. The past doesn’t define us, you know?”

Scarlet nodded, her eyes locked on his.

“Your life will be beautiful,” he continued. “With or without your memories, your life will be incredible.”

And just like that, Gabriel Archer won over her heart.

Scarlet slanted her eyes at the handsome boy beside her. “Thanks for not freaking out.”

“About what?”

“My amnesia. I figured you’d run away screaming once I told you.”

“Who me?” Gabriel shook his head with a teasing smile. “Never. And besides, if I ran away, who would protect you from the bears?”

Scarlet tried not to smile as she nudged him. “Shut up.”

Gabriel scooted closer and took her hand in his as they both looked back up at the moon while they ate their sandwiches.

Fireflies lit up the night like flickering stars and gentle water rocked against the lakeshore.

Scarlet couldn’t remember ever feeling so happy.

Suddenly, her past was history.

And her future looked bright.

12

Three nights later, Scarlet tossed in her bed, lost in a dream.

She and Gabriel were in a field and he was gently swinging her around as he sang—loudly and off key.

Scarlet was laughing hysterically and demanding to be put down.

“No. Not until you agree to dance with me and sing at the top of your lungs.” Gabriel broke into song again.

She could barely speak through her laughter. “I can’t sing. I sing like a duck.”

“A duck?” He swung her around again. “Ducks don’t sing. They quack.”

Still laughing, Scarlet said, “Exactly.”

“Very well.” Gabriel kept her in his big arms and started waltzing with mock seriousness. “We shall quack, then.”

He proceeded to swing her around, her long hair sailing in the wind, while he quacked.

“Quack, quack. Quack, quack.” Gabriel’s duck imitation was spot-on.

Scarlet was laughing so hard her stomach and cheeks began to hurt. “Stop quacking.”

“Not until you dance with me.”

“Fine, fine.” Scarlet controlled her laughter for a moment. “Just put me down.”

Gabriel looked at her closely, pressing his nose to hers as he spoke. “If I put you down, you’ll dance with me?”

Scarlet smiled. “Only if you quit quacking.”

He smiled broadly. “Very well.” He set her on her feet and eyed her carefully.

Scarlet burst into laughter and took off running. “But first you have to catch me….”

And off she ran, laughing until tears fell down her cheeks, with Gabriel right at her heels.

Quacking away.

Scarlet woke up with a start.

What the…?

With a smile, she shook her head. The dream had seemed so real. As if it had actually happened.

She laughed to herself as she turned on her side.

Gabriel quacking?

What a silly dream.

She shook her head again and snuggled back into sleep, a smile still on her face.

13

The rest of the summer flew by for Scarlet. She spent most of her days with either Heather or Gabriel—sometimes both—swimming, going to movies, and savoring as much summer sun as possible.

She and Gabriel went on several more dates and got along perfectly. They laughed, they talked, they had fun. It was wonderful.

Heather still held reservations about Gabriel, but Scarlet wasn’t worried.

Sure, there was something in the back of her mind nagging her about him.

But there was also something in the back of her mind telling her Gabriel was safe.

Something told her he was good.

And she chose to listen to the pro-Gabriel side of her head, and snub the suspicious side.

Because Scarlet and Gabriel clicked.

They fit together like puzzle pieces, like they were made for one another.

Gabriel was amazing. In every conversation they had it was like he knew her.

Everything about their relationship was easy and carefree and Scarlet couldn’t think of a more perfect guy for her.

Summer eventually came to a close, however, and Scarlet had to say goodbye to lazy summer afternoons and hello to a whole new world of homework.

Senior year.

School began and Scarlet felt like her life was finally falling into place; she was finally beginning to take on an identity of her own.

No more amnesia girl. No more mystery girl.

She was becoming Scarlet Jacobs: normal high school student with a quirky best friend and a hot boyfriend.

A hot boyfriend the whole school seemed to adore.

To say Gabriel made a splash on the first day of school was an understatement. Everywhere he went, girls followed him with their eyes, if not with their bodies.

Even weeks into the first semester they still ogled him, whispered about him, and batted lashes at him shamelessly.

Scarlet wasn’t jealous, per se. But she wasn’t thrilled about her boyfriend’s fan club either.

Mostly because she was almost certain there was an I-Hate-Scarlet-Jacobs club meeting after school on Thursdays, plotting her demise so they could contend for the affections of her boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

The word made Scarlet smile.

She was crazy about Gabriel.

Not just because his eyes made her melt and he smelled good, but because she could be herself around him. He made her feel perfect just the way she was, broken memory and all.

Scarlet made her way to into the hall after second period and spied Gabriel leaning against her locker, flashing a smile that broke hearts and stole souls.

She smiled back. “Good morning.” She reached him and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said, pushing away from the lockers. He glanced down at her shoes and examined them.

He did that a lot.

“You’re staring at my shoes again,” Scarlet teased.

Gabriel looked up at her with a smile. “Sorry. It’s just…interesting. You really don’t remember where you saw that symbol?”

Scarlet shrugged. “Nope. It just sorta…came to me.”

“Huh,” Gabriel said. His thoughts seemed far away for a moment before he looked at her with a sweet smile.

“What?”

He cocked his head for moment, still smiling. “Do you know you bite your lip when you’re nervous? It’s adorable. I love it.”

Scarlet stopped biting her lip and smiled.

Gabriel continued, “You know what else I love? Your smile. And your pretty face. And everything about you.”

Heart melting now.

Scarlet pressed her lips together and tried not to blush.

She was the luckiest girl in the world.

She looked at Gabriel from beneath her lashes. “Well, I love your dimples. And the sound of your voice.” A voice that still sang to her soul and soothed her lost memories. “You make me feel…precious.”

“You are precious.” He looked at her seriously and leaned down to kiss her—

“Ugh! Gag me!” Heather parted their bodies as she moved in between them to get into her locker. “You two are disgusting. Don’t get me wrong, it’s totally sweet and adorable, but could you turn it down a notch? Those of us who are not in love are puking in the hallways.”

Scarlet looked at her best friend. “And good morning to you, too.”

Heather, wearing a flattering green top and long dangly earrings, slammed her locker closed. “There is nothing ‘good’ about today.”

Heather had been a little grouchy for the past few weeks. She and a guy named Ryan had indulged in a summer fling that ended in tears, curse words and an expensive shoe being thrown from the window of Ryan’s car while they drove together down the freeway.

Apparently, if you make Heather mad enough, she’ll take off her shoe and throw it at you. It was just bad luck that she had terrible aim and Ryan’s car window happened to be rolled down when she chucked her high heel at him.

Heather’s shoe had fallen victim to the passing traffic. Which is why you should never throw shoes at anyone while in a moving vehicle.

Scarlet made a frowny face. “Are you okay?”

Heather sighed, looked at Scarlet and said, “Yeah, I’m just really sad. About my shoe.”

She pouted her bottom lip as Scarlet nodded in mock understanding.

Heather looked Scarlet up and down for the first time that day. “The brown shirt, Scarlet? Wow. I know you’ve already snagged the most delicious thing to ever walk this earth—” Heather shot Gabriel a smile, “but you’ve still gotta try to look like you care. No brown. I repeat, no brown. Brown looks like death on you.”

Scarlet smiled tightly. “Aw, I feel so pretty now.”

Heather’s phone buzzed. “Oh! Gotta go! This is Ryan.” She disappeared around the corner.

Scarlet and Gabriel turned back to each other. “So,” Scarlet began, “I was thinking maybe you could come over after school tomorrow and watch some bad reality TV with me.”

He smiled. “Sounds perfect.”

“Good. And hopefully, Laura will be there this time so you can meet her. She’s been so busy traveling for work lately.”

“Sure thing. See you at lunch,” he said, before kissing her cheek and disappearing around the corner.

Scarlet sighed as she entered third period.

Her boyfriend was dreamy.

At lunch, Heather and Scarlet sat talking while Gabriel was held up in the lunch line.

Heather took a bite of yogurt. “Angie Woods told me she saw Gabriel last night, talking to some creepy guy at Freemont Park.”

Scarlet wrinkled her brow. “Really? He was at the park? At night?”

Heather nodded. “Sounds like the behavior of someone who’s got something to hide, doesn’t it? Someone in the mob maybe?” She implored Scarlet with her eyes.

Like Scarlet was going to jump aboard her crazy train of Gabriel’s-A-Mobster simply because Angie Woods said she saw him somewhere.

“No, it’s just…strange. That’s all,” Scarlet said. “Was Angie sure it was him?”

“Yeah, she said he and the creepy guy argued about something before Gabriel left.”

Scarlet frowned. “That’s weird.”

“I bet it has something to do with Gabriel’s ‘vague’ family business. Why else would he meet another dude at a park in the middle of the night?”

“Heather,” Scarlet sighed, “would you leave him alone? I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation for last night.”

Like….

Scarlet couldn’t think of anything, but she was certain Gabriel had good reason to be at the park.

Almost certain.

“Let’s ask him, shall we?” Heather raised a brow as Gabriel freed himself from the lunch line and sat down at their table.

Scarlet smiled at Gabriel. “Hey, did you—“

“So, Gabriel,” Heather interrupted, throwing Scarlet a let-me-handle-this look. “What did you do last night?”

“Rescued kittens. Saved the world. The usual.”

Heather gave a fake laugh. “You’re hilarious. But really,” she leaned in to him, “what did you do?”

Gabriel chewed and swallowed a bite of his sandwich while he thought. “I went home after school. Looked for the TV control for an hour. Watched TV. Had pizza for dinner. Brushed my tee—“

“Did you go to the park?” Heather asked impatiently.

Gabriel smiled at her curiously. “No. Did you go to the park?”

Scarlet touched Gabriel’s arm. “You didn’t go to Freemont park last night?”

Please don’t lie. Please don’t lie.

Gabriel shook his head as he took another bite. “No. Why?”

Scarlet and Heather exchanged a look.

“No reason,” Heather said, smiling cheerily. “Just curious.” She went back to eating her yogurt without looking at Scarlet.

Gabriel wouldn’t lie to her…would he?

Angie Woods must have seen someone else. Or maybe she was lying.

Yeah, that was probably it. Angie was lying.

The little bell sounded in Scarlet’s head again as she examined her boyfriend. Even though they’d spent a lot of time together these last few months, she didn’t know him as well as she’d like to.

But still.

Gabriel had nothing to hide.

Right?

14

Gripping his longbow, Tristan pulled back and let another arrow fly. The arrow was barely airborne before he retrieved, drew back, and released a second one.

Both hit the bull’s-eye, mere centimeters from one another.

Arrow after arrow, Tristan shot at the target board he’d nailed to a tall tree in the distance.

He was angry. He was frustrated.

And he was scared out of his mind.

Nothing was working. Over the past few weeks, he’d tried endless weapons, numerous tactics. But still, nothing.

Scarlet was going to die.

Because of him.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

Nate hadn’t found any weapons yet, so Tristan had been trying everything imaginable in the meantime.

Without success.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

Gabriel exited the cabin and stood in silence off to the side.

Whoosh. Whoosh.

Double bull’s-eye.

Tristan refused to look at his brother. He didn’t want to talk about it…the curse, the future.

But, apparently, Gabriel did. “So, no luck yet?”

Like luck had anything to do with it.

Tristan didn’t answer. He lined another arrow against his bow and let loose.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

Gabriel fisted and flexed his hands. “I think we need to go back to square one, Tristan. Start over.”

Tristan let another arrow fly before answering, “Square one? You mean find the fountain of youth? The fountain we’ve been looking for for years? The fountain we can’t find? Yes, let’s get right on that.”

Gabriel raised a brow. “Would you rather let her die?”

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

Tristan’s heart started hammering. He didn’t want to talk about this.

“Listen.” Gabriel moved toward Tristan. “Since your murder plan isn’t panning out, we need to rethink our options. So, how about this.” He clasped his hands together. “I’ll stay here with Scarlet and you can go back to Florida and search for the fountain. Again.”

Tristan took a breath and raised his bow. He pulled another arrow back. “I can’t leave.” He let the arrow fly.

Gabriel shifted his weight. “It’s not like you’d have to go far. It’s only a few hundred miles away.”

Realizing he was out of ammunition, Tristan lowered the bow and started walking to gather the arrows in his target board. “No, Gabriel.”

Gabriel traced after Tristan, picking up a long stick along the way. “Why not?”

Tristan kept his face forward. “Because A: We’ve already tried to find the fountain and it doesn’t seem to exist. And B….” Tristan swallowed. “It’s worse this time. I can’t leave.”

Gabriel stopped walking as Tristan closed the distance between himself and his arrows. After picking them up, he walked back to where Gabriel stood.

“What’s worse? The pain?” Gabriel raised a brow.

Tristan nodded without looking at his brother. “I won’t be able to leave. I can barely stay in the cabin.” His affliction was progressing without mercy.

When he’d first arrived in Avalon, the pain had subsided enough to where he could breathe easily, he could sleep somewhat soundly, and he could live in the cabin, ten miles away from Scarlet, with minimal discomfort.

But now….

Now he couldn’t move without aching.

It was as though her beckoning soul knew he was nearby and was trying to draw him closer by the minute.

The torment kept him up at night. So much so, he’d contemplated driving to her house, parking on her street, and sleeping in his car. Just so his soul could have some peace and maybe even get some sleep.

Day after day, Scarlet’s heart howled in need.

But he couldn’t give in, no matter how fierce the call.

Gabriel nodded with a furrowed brow. “Okay, then. We’ll do some research and if we find it I’ll go. I’ll tell Scarlet I’m going on a family vacation or something.”

Tristan sighed, frustration and helplessness darting through him. “Has she remembered anything yet?”

Gabriel twisted his lips, darkness passing over his eyes.

“What?”

Gabriel looked at him suspiciously. “Yeah. She remembers this.” Gabriel drew a familiar design in the dirt with the long stick he held. “She sketches it all over her shoes. It’s incomplete, but close enough.” Gabriel looked back up at Tristan, hardness in his voice, “Isn’t that…interesting?”

Tristan’s green eyes fell on the design and his heart swelled. He understood why Gabriel was upset.

But still, he kept his face expressionless.

Now was not the time to explain why Scarlet would think that symbol was significant enough to remember.

Tristan tried his best to act casual. “So, what?”

Gabriel eyed him sharply. “You don’t think it’s weird that the first—and only thing—she’s remembered so far is this?” Gabriel pointed to the drawing in the dirt.

Tristan shrugged. He didn’t need to answer to Gabriel. Not now.

Maybe not ever.

What he needed to do was break the curse.

As soon as possible.

Tristan shrugged. “I think we need to focus on undoing the curse.”

Gabriel eyed Tristan for several long seconds. “Right.”

“So, you can start looking for the fountain again if you want. But I’m still going to pursue my plan.”

Gabriel kept his eyes narrow a moment longer before finally nodding. “All right, then. I’m going to start reaching out to our old contacts and see if anyone has any new information on the fountain. Starting with Nate.”

Tristan nodded.

Hopefully, Nate would keep his mouth shut and not give Gabriel any details about Tristan’s plan. The last thing Tristan needed was Gabriel interfering.

Gabriel turned to head back into the cabin.

Before Gabriel was out of earshot, Tristan asked, “How are her eyes?”

He didn’t look at Gabriel as he walked back to his shooting post.

Gabriel turned back around and fiddled with the stick in his hand. “Blue.”

Tristan lowered his bow, looked at Gabriel, and waited.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Normal blue,” he clarified. “She’s still healthy.”

Tristan swallowed.

For now.

Soon, though, Scarlet’s eye color would intensify, signaling the end of her life. Her eyes would become an electric blue and hope would be lost.

His palms started to sweat. “We still need to hurry.”

Gabriel nodded and headed back into the cabin.

Tristan concentrated on the large tree in the distance as he lined up another arrow.

Tonight, he’d have another chance. Another opportunity to kill.

Tonight, he could not fail.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

Time was running out.

15

The next suspicious Gabriel sighting didn’t occur for another two weeks and Scarlet was beginning to think her doubts about Gabriel had been ridiculous. But her fears came back to life when Heather dropped into a seat next to her before first period and said, “Gabriel’s up to something shady.”

Scarlet looked up. “Not again, Heather.”

“No, I’m serious. Didn’t he tell you yesterday that he couldn’t hang out because he had to work on his English paper?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I saw him. Right after school. In the warehouse district.”

The warehouse district was considered the ghetto of Avalon. But Avalon had a population of only two-thousand, so “ghetto” was a bit of a flexible term. Either way, it was strange for anyone, especially an Avalon High student, to be in the warehouse district at all.

“What were you doing in the warehouse district?” Scarlet asked, putting her pencil down.

“Getting my nails done. Duh,” Heather said, like Scarlet was supposed to know her friend went to the slums to get pedicures. “But I saw him, Scarlet. And he was definitely not working on his English paper.”

“What was he doing?”

Heather leaned forward. “He was talking to some weirdo in an abandoned building.” Heather blinked. “An abandoned building. Who chit-chats in the warehouse district?”

“Who gets their nails done in the warehouse district?” Scarlet retorted.

“You’re not taking me seriously, Scarlet. Gabriel is hiding something.”

Scarlet paused, thinking of the possible reasons Gabriel would meet with someone in an old warehouse.

She thought of none.

“There has to be some reason why—“

“He’s shady,” Heather interrupted. “I’m telling you, Gabriel is up to something. He’s dealing drugs or selling organs on the black market or something. He’s bad.”

Scarlet’s heart started to pound.

No. Gabriel couldn’t be bad.

He didn’t feel bad.

…Did he?

Scarlet furrowed her brow, confusion seeping into her chest. “No.” She slowly shook her head.

“Why else would he lie about working on his paper? Why else would he lurk around a creepy warehouse?” Heather tapped her freshly-polished nails on the desktop.

Scarlet shook her head again. “It just doesn’t feel righ—“

“Good morning, ladies,” Gabriel said, entering their first period. “Hey, beautiful.” He leaned down and kissed Scarlet’s cheek before taking the open seat on the other side of her.

Scarlet wanted to say something to Gabriel. She wanted to ask him a million questions.

But she wasn’t sure if she wanted to know the answers.

“Hey, Gabriel,” Heather said, slowly. “You weren’t by any chance in the warehouse district after school yesterday…were you?”

Scarlet shifted her eyes over to Heather, hoping to halt her friend’s investigation. She wasn’t ready to hear Gabriel’s answer. She wasn’t ready for him to lie to her.

Gabriel swallowed and waited a beat. “Nope.” He shook his head. “I had that English project thing.”

“Oh.” Heather shrugged.

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class and Scarlet turned to look at Gabriel.

His eyes were buried in his notebook as he opened to a fresh page.

Why would he lie?

16

Several weeks passed and Scarlet couldn’t seem to shake her feelings of distrust.

No matter what she did, no matter how wonderful Gabriel was, there was always a sense of suspicion gnawing at her insides.

Seated across from Heather in the school library thinking about how little she really knew Gabriel, Scarlet doodled on her notebook. She repeated the familiar symbol, over and over.

Doodling helped her think.

“I don’t know where Gabriel lives.” Scarlet stopped sketching and waited for her best friend to respond.

Heather didn’t look up from the magazine she was flipping through. “Yeah, that’s weird.”

Scarlet bit her bottom lip. “And I’ve never met any of his family members.”

“Nope.”

She sighed heavily, succumbing to what her instincts told her. “Gabriel’s hiding something from me, isn’t he?”

Heather looked up. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. Gabriel Archer is a hot delicious man of mystery. And, possibly, a mobster.”

Scarlet leaned her head back. “I don’t want a man of mystery. Or a mobster. I want a regular high school boyfriend who invites me over to meet his pets and look at his baseball card collection.”

“Baseball cards? Really? Gabriel’s seventeen, not twelve. Do people even buy baseball cards anymore?” Heather went back to flipping through the magazine. “You know what I think? I think he owes you. I mean, you told him about your amnesia thing right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, that’s super personal. It’s like the biggest secret you have. And you shared it with him. And he was cool with it. I think the least he could do is confide in you about…oh, I don’t know…his address.”

Scarlet didn’t regret telling Gabriel about her amnesia because that’s what girlfriends and boyfriends did. They confided in one another.

But she wished Gabriel trusted her as much as she had trusted him. “You’re right, Heather.”

“Yes, I am.” Heather grabbed a new magazine to peruse and glanced at Scarlet. “B-T-W,” she didn’t fully pronounce the ‘W’ but instead shortened it to dubb, “those earrings don’t match that top.”

Scarlet touched a finger to the hoops she had on. “You know what I need to do?”

“Buy new earrings?”

“I need to fully embed myself in Gabriel’s life. I need to get to know the real Gabriel Archer.”

“You need to buy new earrings,” Heather said.

Scarlet ignored Heather and went on. “No more excuses. The time has come. Today, I am going over to Gabriel’s house after school.”

“Good for you. Now let’s talk about your shoes.” Heather put her magazine down. “They suck.”

17

Gabriel had forgotten how much he hated school.

Homework...P.E....cafeteria food? What had he gotten himself into?

School had been a very bad idea.

He grabbed his lunch food, bit back a sigh of despair, and made his way over to where Scarlet and Heather were seated.

“Hey.” Scarlet smiled up at him with her perfect, kissable lips and radiant blue eyes. He studied them for a moment. Were they bluer than they’d been yesterday? It was hard to tell.

A pang of concern shot through him as he took in her sweet face and, suddenly, he was overwhelmed with the desire to keep her safe.

“Hey, beautiful,” he said.

“So, I was thinking.” Scarlet leaned forward. “How about I come to your house after school today?” She smiled. “We can ‘study’ in your bedroom this time.”

Well, that certainly wouldn’t be happening.

Tristan would kill him.

Scarlet batted her lashes. “Please?”

Oh, crap. He was going to sound like a jerk. “I would love that, but today won’t work.”

Why won’t it work? Come up with something good. Come on, come on….

“It won’t?” Scarlet’s big eyes looked hurt.

“Unfortunately today…” What do I say? Think, think… “My house is being fumigated.”

Wow. Terrible excuse.

Heather coughed.

Scarlet raised her eyebrows. “Fumigated?”

He was committed now. “Yeah, you know, we have lots of those big…Georgia bugs.”

What in the world was he saying?

Scarlet nodded slowly. “Oh.”

Gabriel wanted to kick himself.

“Maybe next week,” he said, putting as much charm as possible into the smile he gave her.

Scarlet tucked her lips in and nodded her head. “Yeah. Sure. Next week.” She looked down at her food.

Gabriel moved his eyes and caught Heather glaring at him with an eyebrow raised.

I know, I know.

Busted.

18

Scarlet decided not to hang out after school. Gabriel had wanted to watch a movie or “study” with her—at her house, of course—but Scarlet hadn’t been in the mood.

Fumigated?

She wanted to believe him, but the lie was so bad she was almost ashamed of him. What was he hiding from her? What could possibly be so bad at his house that he didn’t want her there?

With those thoughts, Scarlet drove herself downtown after school. Downtown Avalon pretty much consisted of the town square, The Millhouse, and the public library.

Heather was working at The Millhouse after school, so Scarlet’s plan was to grab a cup of coffee from Heather and head to the library to study.

The real type of studying.

That’s how depressed she was; she actually wanted to study.

Scarlet’s boyfriend was a liar.

Agh.

She steered her car into the parking lot of The Millhouse and waited for Heather to arrive. Heather’s car was nowhere to be found because she was late for work.

Of course.

Scarlet tapped on her steering wheel and listened to the radio as she watched people mill about downtown.

She felt a pity-party coming on and let herself indulge for a minute.

Look at all these people. Happy, content. None of them have amnesia. None of them have identity issues. None of them have a lying boyfriend.

Poor Scarlet.

Lost, abandoned, lied to by her boyfriend.

If it hadn’t been so pathetic, Scarlet would have cried.

Maybe.

Scarlet wasn’t much of a crier, but she could see herself crying over Gabriel lying to her.

Maybe.

She sat in the car and tried to conjure up some tears.

Nothing came.

She sighed, looked across the street, and froze.

There was Gabriel, exiting the public library, looking as sexy as ever.

Her heart began to beat erratically.

What had he been doing at the library? Had he been studying?

Apparently, Scarlet and Gabriel needed to actually study during their next “study” session.

Scarlet watched him walk down the sidewalk and couldn’t help but sigh.

He was so perfect.

So handsome.

She almost got out of the car to call after him. Maybe they could get coffee together. Maybe they could talk about Gabriel’s secrets. Maybe Gabriel’s house really was being fumigated.

Maybe Scarlet was an idiot.

She moved to open her door when a thought hit her.

Or maybe…she could spy on Gabriel and see where he was going.

It was a naughty thought. It was wrong.

And it was absolutely what Scarlet was going to do.

How else was she going to learn things about Gabriel? He, clearly, had no intention of telling her himself.

She reached for her sunglasses—a universally accepted form of disguise—and started her engine.

Gabriel walked for another minute until he reached a black car she’d never seen him drive before. Usually, Gabriel drove a silver car.

Strange.

Scarlet stealthily pulled out behind Gabriel, keeping a good distance between them, and followed him out of downtown.

Heather would love this.

It went right along with her theory that Scarlet had been a spy.

Gabriel drove out of the city limits and into the thick wooded area outside Avalon, the same general area where Scarlet had woken without her memories.

Very strange.

She trailed him deeper into the forest until the dirt roads and lack of cars made it impossible for her to be sneaky.

She pulled off the road and waited until Gabriel’s car had disappeared into the woodlands, giving him a very generous head start, and then proceeded to track him down.

Like an assassin.

Maybe she had been a spy.

She drove through the forest for several minutes until she was sure she was lost and on the wrong trail. She couldn’t see the black car anywhere. All she saw were the many, many Georgia trees.

She’d lost him.

Maybe she’d failed as a spy in her other life and that’s why her memories had been erased.

Maybe Heather had been right.

Then Scarlet spotted him. The black car was a few hundred yards in front of her, cruising down a long driveway.

She slowly drove closer, trying to keep her little car as hidden as possible in the thick foliage.

She watched as Gabriel pulled his car up alongside an enormous cabin and parked.

Was this his home?

He got out of the car and headed up to the front door, where he let himself in. The cabin door closed behind him and Scarlet blinked.

The large cabin, made entirely of knotty pine, looked like a mansion with dozens of windows and a four-car garage. It stood two stories high with a short set of stairs that led up to a wrap-around porch and a huge front door.

This must be Gabriel’s house.

A house that was not being fumigated.

She’d officially caught him in a lie.

Was Scarlet satisfied? No.

Why would Gabriel hide this from her?

Scarlet found a shadowy place to park her car; close enough to walk to the cabin’s front door, but far enough away where Gabriel wouldn’t be alerted to her presence.

She had two choices.

She could bravely march up to his door with an excuse as to why she’d followed him.

Hi Gabriel. You left your history book at my house and I thought I’d stop by and return it to you since, you know, I was in the neighborhood. I often roam the deep woods of Georgia by myself after school….

Okay, clearly she’d have to work on the excuse.

Or she could turn around and go home. Like a chicken.

Scarlet tapped her fingers on the steering wheel for a minute.

She hated mysteries. Her own. Those of others.

She was done.

She’d spent the past two years being afraid of everything. Afraid of her past, afraid she’d never recover her memories, afraid she’d never be able to live a normal life… afraid of living.

Being fearful was exhausting. And Scarlet was done with the mysteries. Today, she was going to do something brave. Today, she was going to get some answers.

Scarlet got out of her car and quietly walked up to the cabin’s front door, her heart picking up with every step she took. Although there were many windows at the front of the house, all of them were closed off by drapes and blinds, making it impossible to see inside.

But also ensuring no one could see outside.

Gabriel had no clue Scarlet was standing on his front porch.

It was then that Scarlet started to reconsider her plan.

What was she going to do, knock on his door and say Surprise! Just thought I’d drop in and catch you in a lie?

That was certainly no way to make a good impression on his family members.

No, Scarlet needed to leave.

Gabriel hadn’t wanted to share this with her, and she should be respectful of that.

This wasn’t brave. This was stupid.

Scarlet lifted one tattooed shoe and was about to turn away when she heard the doorknob turn.

Someone was opening the door!

Oh, no. No, no, no.

Scarlet hadn’t perfected her excuse yet. The only thing she had in her arsenal was the roaming-the-woods-after-school thing. And that certainly wasn’t going to work.

Gabriel would see her standing out there and she’d have to explain that she’d followed him to the middle of nowhere because she was a crazy girlfriend.

And then he would get all freaked out and dump her. She could see the heartbreak unfolding, right there, on the front porch of Gabriel’s cabin mansion.

Scarlet had to flee.

Too late.

The front door swung open and Scarlet couldn’t help but stare up at the person who’d caught her prowling.

It was Gabriel.

He was looking at her in confusion and disbelief. A thousand emotions crossing his beautiful face as his mouth parted and his eyes searched her over.

Scarlet’s heart began to drum wildly inside her, pounding against her chest like a caged feral animal.

As if it were desperate to break free. Desperate for…something.

Desperate for…Gabriel?

Uncontrollable and fervent, it arose in her chest as if waking from a deep and heavy slumber.

What was happening to her?

She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him.

She’d never been more drawn to him or more captivated by him.

Brief, incoherent flashes of memory assailed her mind and stung her consciousness like tiny darts.

There one millisecond, gone the next.

She was frozen in place, drawing in one long breath like she was breathing for the first time.

When her eyes locked on his, her violent heart nearly stopped.

The eyes staring back at her weren’t brown like Gabriel’s.

They were bright green.

Scarlet blinked as a sudden realization struck her.

This wasn’t Gabriel.

This was his twin brother.

19

Tristan should have known.

He should have assumed something was off when his screaming soul had suddenly gone quiet. When the war raging inside him had fallen still.

He should have known Scarlet was nearby.

He’d run home to grab a few papers before heading back to the library to continue his research on weapons and, when he’d opened the door to leave, there stood Scarlet.

Like she’d been delivered to his doorstep.

Standing still. Staring at him.

Tristan thought he would die. He actually thought the part of his soul that endlessly clawed at his insides would die of happiness at her nearness.

It took every ounce of will power he had not to touch her and assure himself she was real.

But there she stood. Looking at him in wonder.

More beautiful than ever.

In an instant he took in her kind eyes and fragile cheek bones...her full lips and soft jaw…everything about her was familiar—precious….Tristan stared for a moment longer before reality snapped in his mind—and...completely off-limits.

She wasn’t supposed to meet him. To see him.

This was exactly why Gabriel shouldn’t have met her. He’d led her straight to Tristan’s door.

Scarlet seeing Tristan could mess everything up. It would mess everything up.

Why had Gabriel let her come here? Why hadn’t he kept her away?

Where was Gabriel?

Tristan tried to think of what to say, and momentarily entertained the idea of trying to pass himself off as Gabriel, when Scarlet spoke.

“I know you.” Her mouth parted, her eyes widened, and her head tilted to the side as she took a step closer to him.

Her eyes ran up and down his face, lingering in certain places, as her eyebrows drew together. “I…know…you,” she said again, taking another step closer.

Wind blew across the porch, lifting a strand of her dark hair and blowing it across her perfect face. The scent of her strawberry shampoo met his nose and he involuntarily inhaled.

A rush of memories—shoved to the depths of his soul in punishment—broke free and flooded his mind.

Memories of love…memories of life…memories of torment…memories of death….

Scarlet took another step toward him and he swallowed his emotion. He couldn’t afford to show any weakness. He couldn’t afford to give himself away.

He forced a look of indifference upon his face and took a slow breath.

She spoke again, her face only inches from his, and he thought his heart would bruise the inside of his chest if it beat any harder.

But his heart wasn’t thrumming out of control in a paranormal way; it was hammering in a way that was undeniably natural, beating out the tune of his tragedy.

“Who are you?” she asked. It wasn’t an accusation, it wasn’t a demand.

It was curiosity.

As if she were in a trance. Fascinated by what stood before her.

He knew the feeling.

Her blue eyes flashed, changing from their normal blue to an electric blue—lighting up her face—and Tristan’s heart stopped.

It was happening. Her eye color was shifting from healthy blue to deadly blue.

The supernatural color of her eyes lasted only a second before returning to a normal hue, but Tristan was in full panic mode.

She’d seen him and now her heart was pulling for him, thrumming fiercely and tearing itself in half. Bringing her closer to death.

He needed to run away—somewhere far from the beautiful girl before him.

He needed to keep her safe from her own heart.

But instead, he stood there, drinking her in like he was a thirsty man and she was water in the desert.

Because his soul…his foolish and hopeful soul…wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

He needed to get himself under control—immediately.

20

Gabriel had a twin.

An identical twin, it seemed. Their eye colors were different, and Gabriel’s dark hair was shorter than his brother’s, but every other detail about their appearance, was identical.

Scarlet’s drumming heart refused to calm down.

She blinked as she realized the guy standing before her was, without a doubt, the same mysterious boy in the black shirt from the festival.

The boy who had stolen her breath.

The boy whose presence teased her with the promise of a memory.

Scarlet hadn’t seen his face at the festival, but somehow she just knew she was looking at the same guy.

And She was unbelievably drawn to him.

Scarlet could barely control her body. Her hands wanted to roam across his chest, her legs wanted to wrap themselves around his, and her mouth wanted to run itself up and down his jaw.

It was by sheer miracle Scarlet was able to keep her hands and feet to herself.

Her mouth, on the other hand, wasn’t being as obedient.

Her lips nearly pressed against his cheek as she brought her face close to his in examination.

She knew him.

Instinctively. Completely.

Every fiber of her being was in tune with his and pulled for him.

Longed for him, even.

If Gabriel made Scarlet feel normal, this boy—Gabriel’s twin—made her feel…extraordinary.

He was undeniably familiar, which terrified and excited her at the same time.

Who was he?

She couldn’t help but continue to run her eyes over him.

Shamelessly.

She asked again, “Who are you?”

He paused before answering, “Tri—“

“Tristan Archer,” Scarlet said, barely above a whisper. She knew his name.

She knew his name.

How did she know his name?

“Tristan Archer,” she said again, feeling his name on her lips.

It sounded right. It sounded safe.

It sounded perfect.

Her heart tossed itself up against her chest repeatedly. Like it was trying to escape…trying to pry itself from her body.

Why was she responding in such a powerful way to this stranger?

“Tristan Archer,” she repeated. “How do I know you?” She cocked her head to the side and forced herself to back a few inches away.

He searched her eyes for a moment before asking, “Do you know where Gabriel is?”

Click.

Scarlet’s eyes involuntarily closed at the timbre of his voice.

His voice was like Gabriel’s, pouring into her ears with familiarity and comfort.

But where Gabriel’s voice was almost perfect, Tristan’s voice was faultless.

A sound with a direct line to her heart.

She was connected to it somehow, and desperate to hear more of it.

The snippets of memory she’d experienced when he first opened the door had been fleeting. Too slippery to hold onto, but thick enough to be more than just her imagination.

Tristan had some connection to her past. He was there, in her memories, floating along. She just had to find him….

“Scarlet,” Tristan said.

He knew her name.

“Scarlet,” he said again, clearing his throat like it pained him to speak.

Her eyes flew open, bringing her back to reality.

Agh.

Was she really just closing her eyes?

Way to be creepy, Scarlet.

She looked up at him and tried to compose herself.

“Did Gabriel come with you?” he continued.

Scarlet scrunched her nose. “Uh…no…?”

How was she supposed to explain she’d followed Tristan—a complete stranger—to his cabin in the woods all by herself?

How was she going to spin that so she didn’t sound like a stalker?

He blinked. “Then where…? Never mind. Come in.” Tristan stood back and opened the door completely, gesturing for Scarlet to enter.

She hesitated a moment.

Not because entering a stranger’s cabin in the middle of nowhere was generally a bad idea and often the beginning of a slasher movie.

But because she felt—no, she knew—stepping inside that cabin would change her life forever.

And her instincts were humming in anticipation.

She could have stood on the porch and deliberated all day, but she chose to trust her gut instead. Even if that meant she was insane.

She slowly walked inside and stood in the vaulted entryway. Before her stretched a large living room with thick, polished wooden posts and leather furniture. To her right were two sets of stairs; one heading upward, and another leading down.

A basement maybe?

Tristan shut the door behind them and, for an awkward moment, nobody said anything. He backed away from her and moved to the farthest end of the entryway.

Like he didn’t want to be near her.

He pulled out his phone, sent a text, and dropped it back into his pocket. Clearing his throat again without making eye contact he said, “Gabriel should be here soon. You probably have a lot of questions.”

That was an understatement.

Scarlet shuffled her feet and tried to find her voice. “So, you’re Gabriel’s brother, I’m guessing?”

He nodded.

“Huh.” Scarlet nodded as well. “Gabriel didn’t, uh…mention you.”

He nodded again. “Right.” His eyes finally met hers and Scarlet had a moment to really look at them.

They were a brilliant green, almost inhuman. But pretty.

Enchanting, even.

Aside from the eyes, he and Gabriel truly were identical. They had the same dark hair, the same muscular-yet-lean bodies. The same hands. The same lips….

It was a bit disconcerting, staring at a face so familiar but not knowing anything about the boy behind it.

Was he nice? Was he cruel?

Her instincts told her little, other than: You like him. You want to touch him.

Which wasn’t helpful at all.

“Follow me,” Tristan said, moving away from the door.

He led her into an expensive-but-rugged looking living room. Two large couches and one overstuffed chair were her seating choices. On one wall stretched a large, flat screen TV and on another an ornate stone fireplace.

Scarlet felt weird being in Gabriel’s house without him.

It felt like betrayal.

Well, that and the whole I-want-to-touch-Tristan thing.

She took a seat on one of the couches and perched herself at the edge, trying not to get too comfortable. Mainly because Tristan hadn’t exactly made her feel welcome.

And why would he? She’d stalked him to his hidden home in the forest and loitered on his doorstep.

She was definitely an unwanted guest, so she kept to the edge of her seat to be polite. And in position to run if, say, Tristan turned out to be an extremely good-looking serial killer.

She didn’t get the killer vibe from him, but she wasn’t exactly getting warm fuzzies either.

Where was Gabriel?

He was going to be so mad. Waiting for him to come home and freak out on her was probably a bad idea.

“You know what?” Scarlet said, standing. “I think maybe I’ll just go. I can…talk to Gabriel later.”

“No,” Tristan said. It was a command, not a plea.

Chills didn’t run up Scarlet’s spine, but she did start to look around for exits.

Just in case.

“I mean,” Tristan said, obviously trying to control his insistent tone. “I think it’s important for you to stay. At least until Gabriel gets back.”

Scarlet nodded, slowly sitting back down, wary of Tristan and unable to determine if he was dangerous or not.

She waited a beat. “You know my name.”

Tristan looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“My name,” she clarified. “You knew who I was…. How?” Although she wanted to sound demanding, her voice came out quiet and curious.

For a long moment, he said nothing.

His eyes were pained but his voice held no emotion when he finally spoke. “Because I know you. I’ve known you almost my entire life.”

Scarlet’s mouth dropped open, a million thoughts racing through her mind.

Gabriel’s brother knew her? Had known her for years?

Scarlet’s voice came out hushed and breathy when she asked, “You’ve known me all your life?”

“Yes.”

Did that mean…?

No…it wasn’t possible….

“Has….” Scarlet swallowed. “Has Gabriel known me too?”

Tristan’s mouth tightened as he hesitated. He slowly nodded.

Why had Gabriel lied to her?

Scarlet sucked in a ragged breath.

Gabriel knew? All this time, Gabriel knew about her past—knew who she was—and didn’t tell her? How could he do that to her? How could he?

Fragmented thoughts and questions piled up inside Scarlet.

She couldn’t breathe.

She didn’t want to breathe.

But suddenly, everything made sense.

Gabriel’s familiar voice, her instinct to trust him, his lack of a total freak-out when she told him about her amnesia…. Gabriel had lied to her. For months.

Her eyes began to burn.

Just when she thought she was going to cry, or scream, or throw something, Gabriel burst through the front door, looking like a guilty puppy as he made his way into the living room. He eyed Scarlet first, then Tristan.

To Tristan he said, “I didn’t tell her. I swear.”

Scarlet stared at Gabriel in disbelief.

“Scarlet,” Gabriel said, making his way over to her. “I know this is weird. But you have to trust me.”

Her eyes grew wide in disbelief as she stood to face him. “Trust you? Are you crazy? Why would I trust you? You know me? You’ve known me for years? You’ve been lying to me and keeping secrets from me, Gabriel! Big secrets!”

“Yes, yes I have, but you don’t understand—“

“No, you don’t understand.” Scarlet pointed at him. “I’ve been living like a ghost for two years. Walking around trying to figure out who I am and where I came from. I’ve been lost, Gabriel. My identity has been lost. And you stroll into my life with answers and don’t bother to tell me?”

“I know, it seems unfair—“

“For starters!”

“But there’s a reason—“

“There’d better be!” Scarlet was yelling now. The quiet voice she’d used with Tristan was long gone, replaced by one of anger, fear and hurt.

Tristan, standing off to the side, said to Gabriel in a low voice, “Have you told her anything?”

Gabriel shook his head.

Tristan cursed and rubbed the back of his neck for a moment. “You have to tell her, Gabe. Now.”

Scarlet realized, even though she knew nothing about him, she trusted Tristan more than Gabriel. Because, so far, Tristan hadn’t lied to her.

And his jaw line was delicious.

Gabriel nodded. “Right.”

Scarlet took a deep breath and tried not to panic.

Gabriel knows who I am. Gabriel knows who I am.

Gabriel took a seat across from her on the other couch, but Tristan stayed at the far end of the room.

“Please, Scarlet. Sit down. Let me explain.” Gabriel cleared his throat.

“Explain what? Your reasons for lying?” Scarlet snapped.

Gabriel swallowed and wrinkled his brow. “No. I want to explain your past. Where you came from…and why you don’t remember.”

A moment passed, filled only by the sound of a nearby clock.

Tick…tick…tick….

Scarlet had no words.

All she’d wanted for the last two years was to know her history and Gabriel had the answer this whole time? And kept it from her?

She wanted to throw something blunt and heavy at him for deceiving her.

But she also wanted answers.

Rage and curiosity battled inside her as she eyed Gabriel coldly.

Tick…tick…tick….

Scarlet decided answers were more important than chucking objects at Gabriel’s head. She’d find a crystal candlestick or a metal wrench to bruise him with later.

Right now, she wanted the truth.

Scarlet narrowed her eyes. “I’m listening.”

“Please,” Gabriel said again. “Sit down.”

Scarlet sighed and lowered herself onto the couch. “This had better be good.”

Gabriel nodded as he nervously fisted and flexed his hands.

Scarlet glanced around the room. Still stoic in the back corner, Tristan crossed his arms in front of his chest.

It was weird to see the twins in the same room. Like looking at two Gabriels. Except the real Gabriel looked desperate, and the other Gabriel—Tristan—looked mad.

What did he have to be mad about? Scarlet was the person who’d been lied to.

“Now…,” Gabriel said, swallowing. “This is going to sound crazy. So, just…stay with me.”

Scarlet shifted in her seat.

“Okay,” Gabriel started, clasping his hands together. “You were born a long, long time ago.”

He waited.

“Okaaaay..?” Scarlet said.

Scanning her face, Gabriel slowly said, “Like…centuries ago.”

Scarlet rolled her eyes. “Gabriel, this isn’t a joke. I don’t have time for—“

“Shhh.” Gabriel held up a hand. “Just listen to me.”

Scarlet stopped talking, but raised an eyebrow at her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend.

Did he just shush me?

“Scarlet,” he said, looking at her intently. “You were born in the 1500s.”

Scarlet scoffed, waiting for Gabriel to follow up with some- thing like just kidding! Or gotcha! Or even I’m a pathological liar!

But he didn’t. He just sat there, looking at Scarlet, a serious expression plastered to his face.

He swallowed. “I know it sounds crazy, but...you were born in 1523.”

Scarlet pursed her lips, frustration swelling inside her. “You’re right. That does sound crazy.”

It sounded crazy. It sounded ridiculous. It sounded….

Click.

Scarlet’s eyes blurred as a memory expanded in her mind….

She was a little girl with her hair in a braid and holding hands with a beautiful woman—her mother? They were in a forest and wearing long dresses as they walked into a clearing where villagers bustled about wearing medieval garb and spoke with funny accents. In the far distance was a giant structure…a castle?

Scarlet blinked herself back to the present, breathing unevenly as she tried to wrap her mind around what she’d just seen in her head. Her eyes felt hot.

A memory…her own memory.

Impossible.

Scarlet tried to reason the memory away, but something inside her fell into place.

Something real and undeniable. Like a piece of her mind, waking up for the first time.

Scarlet’s hands started shaking.

Because deep within her being—in the hollowness of her soul where memories floated in blackness—Scarlet knew Gabriel was telling the truth.

Which meant she was almost five hundred years old.

W…T…H…?

21

I was born in 1523.

It couldn’t be.

But it was.

Scarlet could feel the truth sinking into her and she was terrified. Letting out a shallow and shaky breath, she felt lightheaded.

Scarlet said nothing as she stared at a small tear in the couch Gabriel sat on, unable to breathe.

“Scarlet?” Gabriel voice was far away. “Scarlet, can you hear me? I want to explain everything.”

She concentrated on the tear and started shaking her head, her lungs burning from lack of oxygen.

She didn’t want him to pull her back to reality.

She didn’t want him to explain everything.

She wanted to go home.

Back to Laura and her high heels.

Back to Heather and her incessant fashion tips.

She didn’t want to be born in 1523.

She didn’t want to be—

“Scarlet.” Tristan’s voice brought her back to the cabin’s living room and she looked up to meet Tristan’s gaze.

“Everything is going to be okay.” His green eyes sank into her, warming her core and bringing breath back to her lungs.

She nodded, bobbing her head up and down as she inhaled, and felt a peace come over her.

She kept looking at Tristan until her hands stopped shaking.

Something about him…his presence…his motionless form standing guarded and dark in the corner…something about him made her feel settled—and brave enough to look back at Gabriel and push words from her mouth. “I…don’t understand….”

“Did you just have a flashback?” Gabriel leaned toward her.

“I think so.”

“And…did you remember everything?” Gabriel eyed her carefully.

Scarlet scrunched her face. “Everything? I remembered being a little girl and walking with a woman in a village. By a castle.”

Wow. I sound stupid.

Gabriel and Tristan exchanged a look before Gabriel turned back to her. “Is that all you remember?”

Scarlet blinked as she thought. “Yes. That…that’s all.”

Gabriel let out a long exhale. “Okay. Um….well, hopefully, you’ll have more flashbacks soon. In the meantime…uh, everything is going to be okay.”

Scarlet stared at him.

I’m having memories from five hundred years ago?

Everything is not going to be okay!

Scarlet tucked her lips in. “I’m confused.”

A concerned look crossed Gabriel face. “Me too. I thought you would remember everything once I told you what year you were born. That’s how this usually works.”

Scarlet raised her eyebrows. “This? What are you talking about?”

Gabriel looked back at Tristan again, but his twin just shrugged.

Gabriel rubbed the side of his face. “Okay. Scarlet, I’m going to tell you some stuff that will sound insane, but it’s true. I need you to just…listen. Okay?”

Scarlet nodded, because anything else—like running from the cabin screaming with her hands in the air—required her to stand up.

Which she couldn’t do because her legs felt like Jell-O.

Gabriel took a deep breath. “Scarlet, you were born in 1523, and we,” he gestured between himself and Tristan, “were born in 1521.” He rubbed his palms on his jeans. “Tristan and I are…immortal.”

Scarlet blinked. “You’re what?”

“Immortal,” Gabriel said seriously, pursing his lips.

Clearly, Gabriel was insane.

Scarlet foldedng her hands together and shrugged. “You’re immortal. Sure.”

Gabriel leaned toward her. “Have you ever heard of the fountain of youth?”

Scarlet rolled her eyes. “Gabriel, please—”

He held up his hand again. “No, I’m serious. Just…just listen to me.” He took a breath. “The fountain of youth supposedly gives people eternal life if they drink from it, right?”

From the corner, Tristan scoffed.

Scarlet looked at Gabriel with impatience. “That’s a legend.”

He nodded. “You’re right. It is legend. And the legend is wrong. It doesn’t give you eternal life if you drink it. But…if you drink it while you’re pregnant—like our mother did,” Gabriel gestured between himself and Tristan again, “it gives the baby—or babies—immortal life.”

The clock on the wall sounded into the silent room again.

Tick…tick…tick….

Scarlet raised her eyebrows and shook her head. “Well, that’s just not possible.”

Tristan muttered, “I wish.”

Gabriel turned to look at his brother. “You’re not helping, Tristan.”

Scarlet dropped her face into her hands with a frustrated groan. “What’s going on?” She looked back up at Gabriel. “Are you just making up some stupid story so I won’t be mad at you for lying to me? The fountain of youth, Gabriel? Really? Worst lie ever.”

“No.” Gabriel’s eyes looked sincere. “I promise I’m not lying to you. I’m just…I’m just trying to help you remember…that’s all.”

Scarlet turned her palms up. “So…what, then? Am I supposed to believe I’m immortal too?”

“Not exactly.” Gabriel hesitated. “You’re…semi-immortal.”

“I’m…semi-immortal?”

All aboard the crazy train!

Gabriel’s expression was serious. “Yes, you’re semi-immortal.” He swallowed. “You keep…dying…and then coming back to life.”

…And the crazy train has officially left the station.

“Sure.” She nodded. “That makes total sense. I die and come back to life. Perfectly normal.”

She was about to crack a joke about zombies when….

Click.

Something in Gabriel’s words struck a chord in her.

It felt right. It felt…true.

Nope. No way.

Gabriel was a lunatic.

But still, something within her…almost…believed him.

She inhaled through her nose, confusion, hopefulness, and anger warring inside her.

No.

It was too crazy.

She couldn’t accept something so preposterous simply because Gabriel’s pretty mouth had said it. His pretty mouth had said a lot of things lately.

Scarlet leaned forward, narrowing her eyes. “Tell me something. Do I keep coming back to life in the same way…your house is being fumigated?”

Gabriel dropped his head into his hands. “Okay, that was a lie. You caught me off guard today.” He looked up. “But I’m not lying about this.”

“Right.”

She didn’t believe him.

Yes, she did.

No, she didn’t.

Yes, she did.

No, she didn’t.

It sounded insane, but her instincts told her it was true.

Agh!

She didn’t know what to believe and her head was starting to hurt.

Not to mention her heart was hammering away like a toddler with a mallet.

Scarlet shook her head and stood up. “I can’t do this right now. I think, um…I think I’m just gonna go.”

She was so confused by Gabriel’s secrets and lies, she couldn’t listen to some silly story about being immortal, or semi-immortal, or whatever—even if it was true.

Which it wasn’t.

She’d barely risen from the couch when Tristan spoke.

“Scarlet, wait.” His words drifted across her skin and floated into her pores, making her insides hum in pleasure, and hammer even louder.

His voice was powerful, familiar, and connected to her in a supernatural way.

She could almost…feel it.

And she wanted to feel it.

But, then again, she wanted to feel a lot of things.

Like Tristan’s biceps.

“Please, Scarlet,” Tristan continued, beseeching her with his emerald eyes. “Please sit down. Hear Gabriel out and let your gut decide. If you think we’re crazy or dangerous or lying, then you can leave. And Gabriel,” Tristan shot Gabriel a dirty look, “will never bother you again. I promise.”

Scarlet eyed the twins for a moment.

Trust her gut?

Her gut was currently telling her to run her hands through Tristan’s dark hair.

She wasn’t so sure her gut was reliable.

Scarlet looked at Tristan carefully. He had no reason, as far as she knew, to lie to her. He had no reason to string her along.

So, why did he care if she stayed?

Tick…tick…tick….

Scarlet slowly sat back down. “Okay, I’ll listen to you.” She eyed Gabriel. “But no lying.”

Gabriel nodded. “No lying.”

Scarlet folded her hands again and eyed her boyfriend. He looked desperate, hopeful and afraid, all at once.

She sorta felt bad for him.

She knew he cared about her and wanted her to believe him.

But could she do that? Could she trust him?

Should she trust him?

“Let me start over.” Gabriel cleared his throat. “In the 1500s, the three of us,” he twirled his finger around, pointing to Tristan, Scarlet and himself, “lived in England. And you and I,” he nodded at Scarlet, “were engaged to be married.”

“What?”

Gabriel’s immortal? Sure, no problem.

She and Gabriel had been engaged?

Back. Up.

Gabriel nodded. “But in 1538 you…died.” He swallowed. “Then you came back to life—”

“I’m sorry,” Scarlet held up a hand and shook her head emphatically. “I feel like you glossed over a few details. Like the whole you-and-I-were-engaged thing.” She shrugged. “And how did I die? And how in the world did I come back to life? If you want me to believe this ridiculous story, then you at least have to give me more information.”

She’d been engaged to Gabriel…five hundred years ago…before she’d “died”…and come back to life?

Agh.

Her alleged life sounded so stupid.

It’s true…her instincts said.

Shut up, instincts. You sound ludicrous.

Gabriel nodded. “Right. Let’s try this again.”

Tristan sighed and uncrossed his arms.

Looking over his shoulder at Tristan, Gabriel said, “Do you want to try and explain this to her?”

Tristan slanted his eyes at Gabriel. “Now, why would I want to do that when you’re doing such a fantastic job all on your own?”

“Shut up.” Gabriel turned back to Scarlet. “Anyway…we were engaged—”

“And then you died,” Tristan interjected, in a matter-of-fact way.

Scarlet’s eyes shot to Tristan.

Gabriel looked at his twin. “I thought you didn’t want to tell her.”

“I changed my mind.” Tristan shrugged, then looked at Scarlet. “You and Gabriel were on your way to happily-ever-after and then his crazy ex-girlfriend shot you with an arrow—”

“Your ex-girlfriend killed me?” Scarlet looked at Gabriel.

Gabriel turned back around. “It’s a long story—“

“No, it isn’t. I’ll sum up.” Tristan took a step forward and crossed his arms in front of his chest again. “Gabriel was courting a girl from a nearby village named Raven—”

“I was not courting her,” Gabriel snapped.

“Whatever.” Tristan rolled his eyes. “So, Raven assumed Gabriel would marry her. But then he met you.” He shrugged again. “Suddenly, Gabriel no longer cared about Raven. So, what did Raven do?”

Scarlet’s mouth parted. “She…killed me?”

Tristan nodded. “And she also cursed the arrow that killed you.”

Scarlet whipped her attention back to Gabriel. “What?”

There were curses involved now?

Immortality…the fountain of youth…curses….

What next, dragons?

“I’m cursed?” Scarlet looked at Gabriel.

“Not exactly.” Gabriel made a face. The curse wasn’t directed at you, but you still suffer a ... side effect of the curse. Because of the arrow.”

“You see,” Tristan took a step forward, “Raven, being the little witch she was—“

“She wasn’t a witch.” Gabriel sighed.

Tristan raised his eyebrows. “She cast a curse, Gabe. That’s something witches do. They ride on brooms, play with cats, and curse people.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Why do you always do that? Why do you have to argue with me about every single thing? It’s like every time we….”

The brothers began bickering and, suddenly, Scarlet’s head started spinning with color and sound.

Click.

A memory burst inside her mind.

She was a teenager, and wore a long dress. She wasn’t in Georgia, she was somewhere far away. Somewhere colder…and dense with trees. Her hair was longer, and she was holding hands with someone….

So as not to disturb the unfolding memory, she whispered, “I remember something….”

The boys immediately went silent and turned their full attention on her as she tried to soak up more of the vision. She was holding hands with…. Her eyes traced up the hand and arm next to her and met a pair of familiar brown eyes.

Gabriel.

She was holding hands with Gabriel. He was smiling and she was laughing at something he’d just said.

They were comfortable.

They were…real.

Scarlet blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend what her flashback meant. She looked at Gabriel and sharply inhaled. “I remember you. We were walking through the forest. My hair was longer…and you were dressed weird.”

Gabriel leaned in, a slow smile spreading across his face. “You remember?”

Tristan cocked his head to the side.

“Yes.” Scarlet continued, “It was cold and the sun was about to set and I….” She wound herself around the memory again, gathering as much information as possible. “I had on a long dress…and an engagement ring….”

Was I really engaged to Gabriel in some past life?

So weird.

“Yes.” Gabriel nodded in excitement. “Do you remember anything else?”

Scarlet tried to think harder; tried to get her brain to cooperate with her will to remember, but the memory began to fade—the sound and color coming to a close. Slowly, it receded to the back of her mind, where it silently laid down among the few other precious memories she possessed.

“No,” she admitted with defeat. “That’s all.”

Her head felt fuzzy as she drifted back to the present.

Scarlet stared at the floor as she thought.

It was true.

Everything Gabriel and Tristan were telling her was true.

She had lived centuries ago.

She’d been engaged to Gabriel.

She remembered. She couldn’t deny it.

Scarlet took a deep breath.

It was all true.

Which meant….

Scarlet looked at Gabriel, then at Tristan. “Holy crap. You guys are immortal?” Her small voice cracked.

The brothers nodded.

“And I…I keep dying and coming back to life?” Scarlet could barely get the words out without choking. Or coughing. Or shuddering.

Because dying and coming back to life was totally creepy.

And gross.

Gabriel looked sympathetic as he nodded.

Scarlet took a few more deep breaths. Okay, so she was semi-immortal. She died and came back to life. She could accept that…right?

Her hands started shaking again.

Gabriel sat next to her and put his warm hand on her knee. “You don’t remember…any of this? At all?”

Scarlet shook her head, utterly overwhelmed. “No, Gabriel! Clearly, I do not remember. I think if I remembered I wouldn’t be sitting here, freakin out!”

“Hey…hey.” His voice was soothing as he tried to calm her down. “It’s okay.” He nodded reassuringly. “Everything will be okay. I promise. You can do this. You can handle this. You just have to trust me…okay?”

Scarlet looked into his brown eyes and tried to summon the strength to breathe without crying.

Or, at the very least, not throw up.

She nodded at him and took a moment to gather her thoughts and approach her situation rationally.

Which was impossible, because rationality had no place amongst immortality and curses and elves.

Okay, so maybe there weren’t elves involved, but there were curses, which was just as crazy.

Scarlet exhaled.

She just needed to suck it up, and accept her new—albeit totally bizarre—reality.

She could do this.

“Okay,” Scarlet said, standing up so she could shake off the nervousness inside her. “Just…just give me a minute to wrap my head around all this….”

Or maybe to throw up.

No, Scarlet chastised herself. I will not vomit in front of the two most attractive guys I’ve ever seen.

Scarlet paced.

I’m five hundred years old.

I die and come back to life.

My boyfriend is immortal.

And, oh yeah, and there’s a curse.

So much for being normal.

She stood up straight and took a few deep breaths until her hands stopped shaking.

She had questions—lots of them.

“Okay. So, I die.” She tried to say this like it was a fact, and not a dire fate.

Gabriel nodded. “Yes, but you always come back to life.”

Like that was supposed to make her feel better.

“Do I come back to life right away? Do I just die for a few seconds and then pop right back into a new life or something?”

“Um, no.” Gabriel rubbed his palms on his jeans again. “It’s different every time. Sometimes you’re dead for a hundred years, sometimes only a few decades.”

I sometimes stay dead for a hundred years?

This day officially sucks.

She swallowed, trying not to think about her body decaying in a grave while insects crawled all over her. “And…why do I keep coming back to life?”

Gabriel’s voice was regretful. “Because you have immortal blood inside you.”

“Right.” Scarlet nodded. “Because I’m semi-immortal. Was I, like, born this way? Am I a hybrid or something?”

Both brothers shifted uncomfortably.

“Not exactly,” Gabriel said clearing his throat. “The arrow Raven used to kill you was coated in immortal blood when it pierced your body, embedding the blood in your heart. Immortal blood never dies, so when your body dies the blood inside you fights to bring you back to life.”

Questions tumbled over themselves in Scarlet’s mind. “Immortal blood inside my heart brings me back to life?”

Gabriel nodded.

“Then…why do I keep dying?”

“Because the immortal blood doesn’t belong to you. It’s a supernatural element that’s too strong for your body to contain, so in each new life the blood fights to break free of your heart. It forces your heart to beat faster and harder than a human heart should, straining your heart until it begins to rip. Over time, your heart slowly breaks until…you die. Again.”

Tristan stared at the ceiling, his jaw fixed tight.

Scarlet blinked rapidly, unsure of what to say. “I keep dying of…a broken heart?”

Gabriel nodded. “But the immortal blood inside you brings you back to life.”

“Until,” Tristan said, looking at her from his dark corner, “the same awesome blood tears your heart in half again and kills you. Basically, the blood gives you life…and then takes it away.” Tristan’s words sounded angry but his eyes looked hurt. “You die…you come back to life...you die…you come back to life. It’s a vicious cycle.”

Scarlet swallowed and looked at Gabriel. “Is that the ‘side effect’ you were talking about?”

Gabriel nodded.

“Okay…okay, okay, okay.” She ran a nervous hand through her hair. “So, why did…what’s-her-name, Raven?...why did she want me to keep coming back to life? Why did she put immortal blood on the arrow in the first place?”

Gabriel said, “She…didn’t.”

“Then who did?”

Tick…tick…tick….

Scarlet looked back and forth between the silent brothers. “Whose blood is in my heart?” She looked at Gabriel. “Yours?”

Gabriel looked at the floor.

Well, this can’t be good.

Gabriel cleared his throat. “The blood on the arrow wasn’t mine. It was Tristan’s.”

Scarlet’s eyes shot to Tristan—who was also staring at the floor.

Shifting uncomfortably, Gabriel looked back up at Scarlet. “At the time, Tristan and I didn’t know we were immortal. So, we had no idea Tristan’s blood would trap you in a life-and-death cycle. Tristan didn’t know—we didn’t know…anything, really.” Gabriel rubbed the side of his face and looked back at the floor.

“How did you not know you were immortal?” She looked at Tristan and scrunched her face. “And why on earth would you put your blood on the arrow anyway?”

Gabriel swallowed. “No one deliberately put blood on the arrow. That was…an accident.”

Tension laced the room.

“An accident?” Scarlet looked back at Tristan and waited until his eyes met hers.

He looked haunted. Pained.

Her heart thrummed as she felt something sorrowful settle upon her. Heavy and warm and full of regret, it whispered something to her soul.

Something powerful.

Something sad.

Something Scarlet couldn’t remember.

She searched his face, hoping for answers but he said nothing.

A silent moment passed. Tristan slowly turned away and left the room.

Scarlet’s eyes trailed after him as he disappeared, her rapid heartbeat calming down as he walked away.

Gabriel watched his brother exit with a sigh. “Um…Tristan has issues. So, just try to ignore him.”

Yeah, right.

Slowly, Scarlet sat back down and looked at Gabriel. “How did Tristan’s blood ‘accidentally’ get on the arrow?”

Gabriel pursed his lips. “When Raven shot you, Tristan…sorta…jumped in front of the arrow to save you. The arrow went straight through his heart and into yours. So, the arrow was covered in his blood when it hit your heart.”

Scarlet leaned back, confused. “But you said you guys didn’t know you were immortal.”

“We didn’t.”

“So….” Scarlet’s heart squeezed. “If Tristan didn’t know he was immortal, why would he jump in front of an arrow…why would he risk his life…for me?”

If she’d been engaged to Gabriel, why had Tristan been willing to die for her?

Was that normal behavior for a brother?

Was that normal behavior for…anyone?

Gabriel hesitated. “You’d have to ask him.”

Scarlet narrowed her eyes.

What was going on?

22

Tristan made his way into the study and braced himself against the old mahogany desk.

He was angry.

He was scared.

And he was sad.

Angry because Gabriel had met Scarlet before the curse was broken and now she was in his living room, completely confused.

Idiot.

Scared because her memories could return any second—as evidenced by her flashbacks in the living room—and he couldn’t have her remembering him.

Not entirely, at least.

And sad because, once again, there was nothing he could—or should—do about Gabriel’s relationship with Scarlet.

Except watch it play out before him.

He swore under his breath.

Time was of the essence.

He needed to break the curse immediately, before things got out of hand.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and texted his most recently hired assassin.

Change in plans, we’re meeting tonight.

Tristan slid the phone back into his pocket and took a few deep breaths, his heart pounding recklessly inside him.

He waited a moment, hoping his chest would calm down, but it was no use.

Scarlet was two rooms away, and his soul had never been more happy.

Or hopeless.

The immortal blood living in the center of her heart was pulling for him with its heavy thumping, and breaking her heart little by little with each pulse.

He couldn’t control his blood in Scarlet’s chest—he couldn’t keep it from tearing her heart. And the closer he was to her, the more damage it would do.

It would only get worse if she remembered him.

He needed to stay away.

23

Scarlet tapped her fingers on her knees. She didn’t know where to begin

“So, we were engaged. Your crazy ex-girlfriend shot me. Tristan tried to save my life, but really what he did was turn me into a reincarnating, semi-immortal girl. And you never told me…any of this?” She looked at him in confusion and hurt.

Gabriel drew a long, deep breath. “I was hoping the curse would be broken before you remembered everything. I wanted to have good news for you. I didn’t want to freak you out.”

“But you did freak me out. I’m totally freaked out, Gabriel!”

He nodded and looked at her closely. “I am so sorry you’re scared. But I promise, I didn’t think it would be this bad. Usually, when you come back to life, you remember everything right away.”

Scarlet wrinkled her brow. “You lied to me. You deceived me. You came into my life and pretended you didn’t know me. You played with my head—you played with my heart, Gabriel. That was wrong.”

“I know.” His voice cracked with emotion. “But you have to believe me. I know you don’t remember me, you don’t remember us together, in the past, but I am crazy about you, Scarlet. I swear I wasn’t trying to trick you. I just…I just missed you. And I didn’t want to scare you. Please forgive me?”

Scarlet pressed her lips together, a myriad of emotions coursing through her. She was angry and she was hurt. But, try as she might, she couldn’t hate Gabriel. In a weird way, she almost sympathized with his desire to be in her life. Like she understood what lengths someone would go to for the person they cared about.

Scarlet shook her head, confused and frustrated. “I’m done with the lies. No more. From now on, you need to be honest. Because this,” Scarlet waved about the room with her hands, indicating all she’d learned since entering Gabriel’s cabin, “is not cool. You shouldn’t have kept this from me. It wasn’t fair.”

Gabriel looked like a wounded animal. “I know.”

“No more lies,” Scarlet said.

Gabriel agreed, “No more lies.”

Scarlet pressed her lips together. “Then I forgive you.” She paused a moment, thinking about her past relationships with Gabriel—the ones she couldn’t remember. “Have we been, uh, together in all of my lives?”

He shrugged. “Most of them.”

“And...how many lives have I had?” Scarlet scrunched her face.

Two? Three? Eighty?

“Six.”

Six? Okay, not bad. Six lives.

Less than a cat.

I can handle that.

Scarlet shook her head. “And what about the first fifteen years of this life? Why don’t I remember those?”

Gabriel looked sympathetic. “When you die, you’re body doesn’t get buried or decay. It just sorta…disappears.”

Well, that was good to know. At least she didn’t rot in a grave after every life.

“But when you come back to life,” Gabriel continued, “your body just sorta…reappears. Out of thin air, or whatever.”

Scarlet raised a brow. “What?”

“You don’t get born into a new life,” he said. “You just… materialize in random places. You wake up without any memories—like what happened two years ago—and you’re always fifteen years old when you…reappear.”

Scarlet’s mouth hung open. “I‘ve had six lives, but none of them have been complete lives?”

“Except your first life,” Gabriel said. “You were born into that one, of course. With a family and everything.”

Her heart sank.

Family.

If this was all true, then Scarlet didn’t have any living family members. No family had abandoned her in the park. No family would ever come looking for her….

“Wait.” Scarlet held up a palm. “If I materialize in random places, how did you know I was here in Avalon?”

“Because,” Gabriel shifted in his seat, “Tristan can find you.”

“What? How?”

Gabriel pressed his lips together for a moment.

“How can Tristan find me?”

“It’s really not my thing to tell you—“

“Gabriel!” Scarlet was so sick of all the half-truths and secrets.

“Okay, fine.” He turned and hollered down the hallway, “Tristan!”

Several moments passed before Tristan appeared at the living room entrance, looking annoyed. “What?”

“Scarlet wants to know how you’re able to find her,” Gabriel said, looking anywhere but at his twin.

Tristan narrowed his eyes. “Nope.” He started walking back down the hallway.

“Please?” All the secrets were suffocating her; she had to know.

Tristan kept his back to her for several long seconds and, for a brief moment, it was as if she were momentarily inside him, feeling what he did.

Fear, anxiety, helplessness… desire?

But the emotional onslaught disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Was she losing her mind?

Probably.

That would certainly explain a lot.

Slowly, Tristan turned around and met her gaze. His eyes were empty of emotion when he said, “I’m…connected to you. Because of the blood. So, I can sense you. If I follow what I feel, I always find you.”

Tristan briefly glanced at Gabriel.

“You can feel me?” Scarlet tilted her head to the side.

Tristan nodded.

“Can I feel you?”

Tristan blinked. “I don’t know.”

“Oh,” Scarlet said, unsure what to do with that information.

An awkward moment passed.

Scarlet cleared her throat. “Is that…is that why your voice seems so…,” Perfect? Beautiful? “familiar?”

“Probably,” Tristan said.

“And Gabriel’s voice?” Scarlet looked at her boyfriend.

“Sounds just like mine.” Tristan said. “Twins have almost identical voices, so your blood—or my blood, or whatever—probably registers our sound and identifies with it.”

“Right.” Scarlet nodded. “Because your blood lives inside me.”

Tristan looked away from her and nodded.

“The same blood,” Scarlet blinked, “that, literally, breaks my heart.”

He nodded again.

Scarlet looked at Gabriel. “And you think…my heart will break again? Like it did in all my other lives? You think I’m going to die?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Gabriel looked at her with pain in his eyes. “Only if we can’t break the curse.”

“Which we will do,” Tristan said, looking at Gabriel sternly.

Scarlet looked between the brothers for a second. “Have you tried to break the curse before?”

“We’ve been trying to break it for hundreds of years,” Gabriel said. “The key to undoing the curse is finding the fountain of youth—the same fountain that gave Tristan and me immortality. But we haven’t had much luck.

“The fountain is rumored to be in Florida, but we’ve combed the state and found nothing. We’ve searched all across Europe, the Middle East, South America…we’ve followed any and every legend pertaining to the whereabouts of the fountain, but we have yet to find it.

Scarlet said, “But it exists, right? I mean, your mom drank from it, so wouldn’t she have known where it was?”

Gabriel shook his head. “No, she never went to the fountain. She drank a vial of fountain water brought back from an expedfition to the New World. The man who returned with the vials never told anyone where he’d found the water, so it remains a mystery.”

“Vials? There was more than one vial of fountain water?”

Gabriel nodded. “There were three vials in all.

“Where are the vials now?”

“Two are empty and the other is...missing.”

Of course.

“So, there are no more vials left, and no one knows where the fountain actually is, but if we don’t find it then I’m probably going to…die?

Gabriel’s face was pained. “The fountain is the only sure way to cure you.”

Fear and defeat washed over Scarlet.

“That’s not true,” Tristan said. “I have a new plan, and it’s awesome.”

“I don’t think awesome is the right word for it.” Gabriel looked at his twin with narrowed eyes.

Tristan shrugged. “It’s foolproof, and it will save Scarlet’s life.”

“What’s your plan?” Scarlet looked at Tristan hopefully.

“Trust me,” Gabriel said, shaking his head. “You don’t want to know.”

Exasperated, Scarlet said, “You just promised me no more secrets.”

“I know but—”

“Gabriel might have promised you no more secrets.” Tristan looked at Scarlet firmly. “But I didn’t. And it’s my secret to tell.”

She glared at Tristan for a long moment. She wanted to argue with him but, somehow, she knew she would lose. “Fine. Keep your little secret. But are you sure this new plan of yours will work?”

Tristan nodded.

Gabriel made a face. “It might work. But I think we still need to continue our search for the fountain.” He looked at Scarlet with a reassuring smile. “And now that you know about everything, we can look for it together.”

Scarlet wasn’t reassured. She was scared. “But you just said you’ve been looking for centuries and can’t find it.”

He nodded. “That doesn’t mean it’s not out there. We’ll just keep on looking.”

“But…what if we don’t find it? What if my blood, or Tristan’s blood or whatever, kills me first? What if I die?”

Scarlet thought back to the morning she’d woke up in the forest two years ago. The fear...the confusion...the helplessness she felt.

It was coming back to her in vivid color and emotion.

She would not—could not—go through that terrifying experience again. She was on the verge of tears.

“Hey, hey,” Gabriel said, wrapping his arm around her. “That’s not gonna happen. We’ll figure out how to keep you alive, I promise.” He tucked his lips in. “Don’t be afraid.”

Scarlet rolled her eyes with a quivering lip as she stood up. “I’m probably going to die, Gabriel. So, forgive me if I’m afraid.”

If she stayed a minute longer she was going to burst into tears and have a total meltdown.

She had to get out of there.

24

Gabriel watched as Scarlet strode to the front door, her blue eyes wide and glossy.

She looked scared and overwhelmed, and Gabriel felt helpless. In a panic, he started to follow her out, “Scarlet, wait.”

Tristan shot him a warning look and shifted his body to stand in his way.

Gabriel let out a frustrated sigh, but let Scarlet go.

If she needed some space, he could give her that.

At least for now.

Scarlet silently opened the front door and disappeared outside, the large door slowly falling shut behind her.

A moment of tense silence passed between Gabriel and Tristan.

“Well…that went well.” Tristan crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Gabriel shook his head. “Don’t start.”

“You’re an idiot,” Tristan started.

Gabriel rolled his eyes.

“No, you really are,” Tristan said. “First, you go and introduce yourself to her when we specifically agreed to let her live in peace until the curse was broken. Then you jump into her life so she tracks me down in the woods where—surprise!—she learns Gabriel has a twin brother and she’s going to die. Epic fail, man.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I tried to keep her away, I swear.”

“It doesn’t matter, Gabe. She’s smart. She probably would have found out anyway.”

Gabriel exhaled, staring at the cabin door. “She freaked out.”

“What did you expect her to do? Jump for joy? We just told her she was doomed to die. Again.”

“Yeah, but she usually remembers everything once we tell her when she was born. What happened? Why didn’t she remember this time?”

Tristan shook his head. “I don’t know. But this is exactly why I didn’t want you to meet her. She’s scared, and we’re screwed.”

A moment passed.

Tristan said, “You left out a few details, you know. You didnh’t tell her what the curse actually was?”

Gabriel shook his head. “What was I supposed to do? Tell her she’s my only chance at true love? That would’ve been awkward.”

Tristan said, “But you didn’t tell her about me, either.”

Gabriel shrugged. “I didn’t want to freak her more than necessary. And I didn’t want her to be afraid of you. Sorry Scarlet, but when you’re around Tristan your heart condition gets worse. He basically breaks your heart in half with his presence. No. I didn’t want her thinking you could kill her.”

“But I can.”

“But you won’t. And that’s what matters. You haven’t made her sick yet. We’re fine.” He exhaled.

Tristan flexed a muscle in his jaw. “You need to tell her to stay away from me.”

“If she starts to get sick, I’ll make sure she knows to stay away from you. Until then, I don’t want to add to her fear.” Gabriel ran a hand through his hair. “She’s so scared. What do I do?”

“Nothing,” Tristan said, shaking his head. “Just…give her some space and let her process everything you told her today. You can’t just expect her to trust you immediately. You told her things that probably sound insane. Let her be for a while. When she’s ready, she’ll come back.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing while she’s freaking out about dying. I have to find a way to comfort her. I have to do something.” Desperation came over him. He looked around the room for a moment before looking back at Tristan. “I have to find a way to break the curse immediately. We have to find the fountain.”

Tristan rolled his eyes.

“There has to be something we missed before—”

“No, Gabriel. We’ve looked everywhere. The fountain is a dead end.”

“No.” Gabriel shook his head. “I refuse to give up. I will find it. For Scarlet.”

Tristan sighed. “Good luck with that. In the meantime, I’ll be pursuing murder so we can really break the curse.” He moved toward the back door.

“Where are you going?”

Tristan didn’t turn around. “Target practice. It’s been a rough day.”

Tristan went out the back door as Gabriel headed upstairs to go back through his research on the fountain of youth.

Tristan’s plan might work, but Gabriel didn’t have time to wait around for his brother to come home with a corpse.

Scarlet was probably scared out of her mind and needed reassurance—something Gabriel was determined to give her.

25

Scarlet’s pounding heart seemed to quiet as she paced away from the cabin.

She thought she’d be balling by the time she stepped off the cabin porch, but no.

She was too numb for tears.

Air flowed in and out of her lungs, but she felt nothing.

She walked toward her car without a plan. What was she supposed to do? Go home and have dinner with Laura like nothing life-changing had happened today?

Uh, no.

I’m going to die.

The curse had existed for hundreds of years and no one had been able to break it. It was hopeless.

Scarlet’s heart was going to kill her.

Oh, she would come back to life again, but not without the same horrifying, confusing, unfair memory loss she’d experienced two years ago.

Her life? Screwed.

When she reached her car, the schoolbooks on her passenger seat reminded her of the “normal” life she had back home.

She wasn’t ready to re-enter “normal” life yet.

Her feet began walking into the woods and she followed their meandering trail. Through the dense forest and fallen leaves she paced, not seeing anything around her, not feeling anything inside her. Just…walking.

The sun was low in the sky and night would come soon.

Crunch, crunch.

Dead leaves and small twigs broke beneath her footsteps.

Scarlet was alone.

Alone in her fate. Alone in life.

She had no one to turn to, no one to lean on.

She had nothing.

Except a broken heart—literally.

Agh.

She ducked under a tree branch and found herself in a small clearing. Realizing where she was, she froze.

It was the exact spot where she’d awakened two years earlier.

She remembered it perfectly.

Scarlet’s eyes roamed the clearing for a moment.

It seemed fitting to have absently arrived at the origin of all her confusion and fear, since she was more confused and fearful than ever.

With a numb body, she sat on the damp earth and closed her eyes.

She wanted to feel the wind kick at her hair.

She wanted to feel the cold air of the forest and shiver.

She wanted to feel something. Anything.

And she wanted to cry.

26

Tristan lined up his first arrow and aimed at the target in the distance.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

When Scarlet left the cabin, his insides tightened in her absence, making his breathing labored and painful.

Which was nothing new.

But, for some reason, it hurt more than usual.

And, on top of that, he was stressed out.

He drew back another arrow and let it fly, hoping to relieve just an ounce of tension.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

No relief.

If anything, he felt more anxious. More helpless and afraid.

Today had been a disaster.

Scarlet meeting him…her not remembering the past…Gabriel telling her about the curse—or at least, part of the curse….

Disaster.

Sighing heavily, he drew back another arrow and loosened his fingers to release it.

Something caught his eye.

Through the thickness of the tall trees, Tristan saw movement. It was brief and shapeless, but he immediately knew what it was.

Scarlet.

What was she doing in the woods?

He blinked a moment, before shaking his head. He drew the arrow back again, trying not to think about her.

Whoosh.

The arrow missed the target completely.

He paused for a moment, wrestling with his instinct to go comfort her.

He was drawn to her physically and supernaturally, that he knew.

But what he was feeling at that moment wasn’t supernatural.

It was something old and deep, something he’d never been able to part with.

He shook his head again, shoving the warmth in his chest back into the frigid pools of his soul where it belonged.

Gabriel was her boyfriend. He should be the one to go console Scarlet in the woods.

And besides, hadn’t Tristan just lectured Gabriel on giving her space?

Tristan shook himself.

No. He refused go over to her—even if it hurt to stay where he was.

Which it did. Very much.

Tristan drew another arrow and lined it carefully against his bow.

Whoosh.

Another miss.

He waited a beat before lowering his bow and cursing.

Not because his arrows had gone astray.

But because the missing piece of his soul—the blood that belonged to him but pulsed inside Scarlet—was huddled down somewhere in the deep woods, sad and afraid.

Tristan dropped his bow to the ground and started walking into the thick forest.

He couldn’t see Scarlet, but he could feel her.

And that was all he needed to find her.

27

A single tear was all Scarlet was able to pull from the numbness inside her. But it was enough.

She let the tear well up against her lowered eyelid before spilling out onto her cheek.

I’m going to die.

Alone.

The tear slid down her face as a cool breeze drifted across her skin, and the trail of wetness chilled against her cheek. Numb everywhere else, Scarlet reveled in the cold feeling on her face.

If only she could conjure up another tear to trickle iciness down her skin.

She tried, but no additional tears came.

Unanswered questions in her head blurred inside the numbness.

She inhaled deeply, her thoughts a repetitive mantra.

I’m going to die.

Alone.

What was the point of living if only to die? Her eyes still closed, Scarlet listened to the forest.

Crunch, crunch.

More leaves being broken, their forms fragmenting beneath the weight of something real, something heavy. Something coming her way.

Crunch, crunch.

A squirrel? A bear?

Scarlet didn’t care.

Let the bear eat her, she had nothing more to live for.

Because I’m going to die.

Alone.

Scarlet tilted her head as her heart began to pound.

She heard someone inhale and, for a moment, the sound filled her with hope. Like she had a reason to breathe.

A soft exhale, slow and steady, drifted into her ears.

She opened her eyes and saw Tristan standing above her.

Her heart perked up even more, beating wildly.

Almost as if it recognized him.

And maybe it did.

Maybe Tristan’s blood, resting in the center of her chest, knew he was nearby and responded to him.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey.” Her voice was small.

He fixed his green eyes on her face, studying her for a minute. “So, today sucks.”

She breathed out a humorless laugh. “Yep.”

His eyes trailed across her body, seated cross-legged on the broken leaves and dirt. “Aren’t you cold on the ground?”

Scarlet shrugged. “I like being cold.”

She didn’t like being cold, but the chill—and the forest air passing in and out of her lungs—were the only things she could feel at the moment.

And she was desperate to feel.

He hesitated a moment, then slowly took a seat beside her on the dirt. “I like being cold too,” he said, his body heat tickling the side of her arm.

Scarlet stared straight ahead and nodded.

She was sure he didn’t like being cold anymore than she did.

But still he sat beside her.

Several minutes floated by, fading into the air along with the setting sun. Neither of them said anything as they sat together.

Breathing.

A bird chirped, a few leaves fell, and the wind rustled gently through the trees.

Otherwise, there was silence.

Scarlet turned her head to look at the boy next to her. He was handsome and strong. Exactly like Gabriel but…not.

He turned and looked directly at her, their faces just a foot apart, and gently said. “Everything is going to be okay.”

She looked at his face, and her heart softened as a realization came over her.

She wasn’t alone.

She was scared and overwhelmed, but she wasn’t alone.

She had Heather, who made her feel normal and loved.

She had Laura, who’d given her a home and stability.

She had Gabriel, who’d cared about her for centuries, apparently.

And she had Tristan, who…well, she didn’t know what Tristan’s role was in her life. But he was there, in the cold forest with her, and that was enough.

Something about him brought her peace. And she needed peace.

Because she was going to die.

“I’m scared,” Scarlet said absently.

Tristan looked up at the trees for a moment as the wind blew softly. “I know.” His voice sounded sad.

Because she was afraid and because she wanted to vent, Scarlet mused, “What’s the point of life if you live only to die? If I have no past, and I probably won’t have a future, then I have no real…meaning, right? What’s the point of all that?”

Tristan was silent for a few moments, looking at the leaves before them. “Life isn’t about the past and the future. It’s about today.” He paused. “It’s about five minutes from now and two seconds ago. It’s moments, you know? Not years. Years aren’t what define us.”

Scarlet wrinkled her brow. “But…if you know your moments are numbered, are you really living at all?”

“Oh, yes,” he said seriously. “Even more so than those of us who think we have endless moments. Knowing death is nearby gives you a chance to live…deliberately.”

Scarlet watched a leaf fall to the ground, lying dead among the other leaves on the forest floor. “A brief life seems pointless.”

Tristan thought for a moment. “Isn’t that what life is, though? A brief opportunity to exist? A short gift?”

Scarlet inhaled. “Maybe. But I’m still scared. Of death.”

Tristan’s hand brushed across the broken leaves in front of them. “Death,” he said, looking up at the trees, “is only scary for a life without meaning.”

Scarlet looked up at the trees as well. “But that’s just it…my life has no meaning…it’s…empty.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw a sad smile tug at Tristan’s mouth. “Your life has had more meaning than a thousand lives put together.” A few more leaves fell. “You don’t remember how beautiful your life has been…but someday you will. And…I,” he cleared his throat, “Gabriel and I…won’t let you die this time…. So,” he turned to look at her, “you have nothing to be afraid of.”

Scarlet turned her eyes to his for a few moments.

A breeze swept past, sending a shiver through her.

Scarlet eyed him, feeling the depth and sincerity of his words rest against her failing heart.

She wasn’t alone in this vicious cycle of life and death.

She wasn’t alone at all.

In that moment, staring into the green eyes of a familiar stranger, something grew inside Scarlet.

Something full and hopeful and brave.

Her chest tightened and her heart pounded harder, as strength filled her soul.

Her fear was gone—smothered by Tristan’s words, by the cadence of his voice, by the warmth of his body next to hers.

Everything was going to be okay.

Not easy.

Not perfect.

But okay.

The last rays of light, in brilliant hues of orange and pink, began to slip into shadows as the sun fell behind the distant mountains. The cold blanket of night fell against the trees and crept along the woodland floor but Scarlet wasn’t cold anymore.

Tristan’s body heat seeped into her skin and curled around her chest, warming her very core.

Sensation returned to her arms, legs, fingers and toes, as the cold wind lifted and twirled her dark hair behind her. Once again, she inhaled deeply, a sense of renewal filling her lungs along with the crisp air.

Scarlet was alive and ready to take on her world—no matter how dark and unfair that world may be.

Because she wasn’t alone.

And she could feel everything.

28

It was completely dark by the time Scarlet entered her house. Laura was watching TV in her work clothes, a pair of high heels kicked off beside the living room couch.

“Where’ve you been?” she asked with a smile.

Laura had no idea Scarlet’s whole life had just changed. She had no idea the girl standing before her was semi-immortal and probably going to drop dead at any second.

“I was at Gabriel’s house,” Scarlet said, because it was true and void of all details. The last thing Scarlet wanted to do was chit-chat about curses and immortality with Laura.

She would probably make Scarlet go to therapy. Or worse—put her into the foster system.

The idea shot icy panic through Scarlet.

If Laura thought Scarlet was crazy, she’d might want to renounce her custody and hand Scarlet over to the state.

And who knows what would happen to her then?

No, Scarlet thought. I definitely can’t tell Laura the truth.

Not yet, anyway.

“At Gabriel’s?” Laura smiled. “Did you meet his family?”

Scarlet nodded slowly. “Yes. He has a brother.”

A secret brother.

“Really?” Laura said, her voice raising in pitch slightly.

Scarlet kept nodding. “A twin brother.”

Scarlet thought for a moment.

Why had Gabriel kept Tristan a secret?

Yet another unanswered question.

Laura furrowed her brow. “You didn’t know about his twin? That’s weird.”

“Yeah, I don’t know. Gabriel’s really secretive about his family or something.” Scarlet needed to stop talking before she spilled her guts and Laura had her committed to an insane asylum.

Laura eyed her closely. “You look…tired. Are you okay?”

“Yeah….” Her voice sounded far away. “I just need to get some sleep.” Scarlet blinked and made her way upstairs.

“Good night,” Laura called after her.

Scarlet climbed until she reached her bedroom and collapsed on her large bed, hoping her life would be less crazy and confusing in the morning.

She closed her eyes, but sleep didn’t come.

Tears did.

29

Tristan stood in the damp back alley of an abandoned warehouse waiting quietly. Nearby, the orange haze of a streetlamp flickered in the black night. It had come to his attention, as of late, that people who were crazy enough to murder someone always wanted to meet in the creepiest of places.

Tristan tolerated this only because he was desperate.

A rat darted past his shoes. The eerie glow from the street lamp cast a wicked shadow of the rodent against the ground as it disappeared behind a dumpster.

Tristan really needed to find some villains with better taste in venues. The alley thing was getting old.

Tonight, he was supposed to meet a guy named Maniac. And ‘Maniac’ was late—which was no surprise. You can’t put feelers out for a psychopath and then expect punctuality.

Sirens echoed in the distance as Tristan began pacing along the crumbling brick wall next to him. He ran a hand through his shaggy hair and tried to calm down.

Scarlet knew now. She’d seen him, she’d heard the story. It was only a matter of time before she remembered everything.

He couldn’t risk having her—or his feelings for her—jeopardize what needed to be done.

Hopefully, tonight he’d be successful.

With any luck, the curse would be broken before sunrise, and Tristan’s heart would finally find peace.

As would Scarlet’s.

It was preposterous, the idea of Tristan having any kind of peace without Scarlet, but it was all he had to hope for.

He closed his eyes until he saw nothing but memories. Memories of long ago, when Tristan lived his life as if it were a precious hourglass of time.

Before he knew he was immortal.

Before life was no longer fragile.

Those were the days when life truly meant something.

When life was hard but worthwhile, and love was valuable because your days were numbered.

That was living.

He thought back over the years…when Scarlet was full of love and laughter…when she would lie next to him in the grass and splash around with him in the ocean…when she was full of happiness and her eyes always found his….

The memories flooded into him, filling him with longing and warmth. How could there ever be more perfect a life than the many he had lived?

Without warning, memories of pain, torment, and death bombarded him, washing away any warmth.

Sitting next to Scarlet in the forest today had been a mistake. A beautiful, hopeless mistake.

Tristan opened his eyes and stared purposefully at the ground, cursing the reality that always mocked his dreams.

That reality was why he was here, in the shadows, with a rat and a dumpster.

Scarlet had suffered too much, for too long. The ridiculous and unfair cycle of her life needed to be put to an end, and if things went well tonight—which was highly unlikely, but worth a shot—it would.

With renewed determination, Tristan straightened his back and waited for Maniac.

Eventually, a large silhouette approached him from the far end of the alley. Tristan casually walked in the man’s direction and, as he neared, he saw that Maniac was a large, muscular fellow with shifty eyes, a long mustache, and an evil vibe.

Just what Tristan had in mind.

“You Maniac?” Tristan’s voice echoed down the alleyway.

Yet another reason to hate back alleys. How was anyone supposed to be stealthy when voices carried half a mile?

“Yeah. You Brooker?”

No, but Maniac didn’t need to know that.

“Yes.”

“You got the money?” Maniac spit on the ground before glancing around the alley.

Was he nervous?

What Tristan needed here was a gung-ho criminal, ready to do just about anything. Not a mustached wanna-be who was kind of on the fence.

Maniac couldn’t let him down.

Tristan tossed an envelope filled with large bills at the man and waited while Maniac counted. Tristan was disgusted by what people were willing to do for money.

Tonight, however, he was grateful for such depravity.

Satisfied with the amount, Maniac looked at Tristan. “So, gimme the details. Who do you need me to hit?”

Tristan took a deep breath. This was the hard part. “First, I need to know if you are capable of committing murder.”

Maniac seemed to take offense to this. “’Course I am. I’ll knock off anyone for the right price. “

Tristan nodded. “More importantly, though, is the follow-through. I have to know that you’ll complete the job. It’s not an easy mark.”

Maniac scoffed. “I’ll finish him. What kinda hit man starts a kill job and quits halfway?”

You’d be surprised.

“Good enough,” Tristan said. “I brought your weapon.” Tristan reached behind his back to unsheathe the freshly-sharpened dagger he’d brought from home.

His last dagger hadn’t worked. Hopefully, this one would.

“Weapon?” Maniac raised his brow. “Why not just a gun? Guns are faster.”

“Nope. Guns won’t work.” Tristan held the blade out to Maniac and waited.

Maniac eyed the dagger a moment before saying, “That’s a wicked knife, there. But I’m much better with guns.”

Tristan clenched his jaw in frustration. “I’m sure you are. But I’m not paying you to shoot bullets. I need you to use this.” Tristan wiggled the long blade so it reflected the streetlight.

Maniac hesitated before reaching for the dagger.

Tristan inwardly sighed. If Maniac couldn’t tap into his ‘maniac’ side, this was going to be a long night.

Maniac handled the blade a few moments before saying, “Fine. This’ll work. Who’s the mark?”

Tristan yanked his shirt over his head, and felt the night air rush against his bare chest. He stood up straight, rolled his neck, and answered, “Me.”

Maniac eyed him wildly. “You want me to kill you?”

Tristan nodded. “Yes. Take that dagger, thrust it directly into my heart, and slice. Don’t just stab me, you have to cut my heart in half, understand?”

Even with the right weapon, and immortal couldn’t die unless his heart was cut in half.

Maniac snarled and looked Tristan over. “What the hell kinda sick game is this?”

Tristan shook his head. “It’s not a game. I won’t fight you, I won’t hurt you, and I won’t scream. But I need to die. So, whatever you do, don’t stop until I’m dead. Do you understand?”

Maniac seemed to deliberate so Tristan spoke more aggressively. “Either do what I ask or get the hell out of here.”

Scurrying rodent feet echoed down the alley.

In an instant, Maniac’s eyes lit up with what Tristan could only define as ‘hunger’.

At last, the ‘maniac’ had surfaced.

When Maniac answered, his voice was laced with venom and malice. “If you want death, I’m more than happy to give it to you.”

For the first time in many years, Tristan was hopeful. Maybe this guy was just crazy enough to see the kill through.

“I’m ready when you are,” Tristan said, as he took a step forward. Another rat ran across the alleyway, making high-pitched rodent noises. The smell of garbage and damp earth wafted through the alleyway on the night wind and the streetlight was flickering at pace that seemed calculated.

On, off. On, off. On, off.

This was how Tristan was going to die.

Rats and garbage and orange strobe lamps.

It seemed appropriate.

Maniac swung the dagger around a few times, adjusting to the weight and grip of the handle. He had an evil smile curling at the side of his mouth and excitement in his eyes.

His voice was low and gritty. “You ready to die, Brooker?”

Truthfully, Tristan wasn’t ready to die.

There were too many things left undone, too many words left unsaid. But he couldn’t allow Scarlet to suffer again.

He wasn’t ready to die.

But he was willing.

“Do it,” Tristan said, looking into the eyes of his murderer. He stood still and anxiously watched as Maniac gripped the dagger, pulled his thick arm back, and—with one swift and powerful movement—thrust the blade directly into Tristan’s heart.

30

The next day Scarlet didn’t leave her room once. She stayed in bed staring at the ceiling trying to figure out how she was going to adjust to life now that she was a semi-immortal girl with a dying heart.

Laura was concerned, bringing her food every few hours and trying to get her to leave her room. But Scarlet was too overwhelmed to comply.

There were so many questions trapped in her head.

How long did she have until her heart failed to the point of her death?

Would the brothers find her in her next life?

Would she be trapped in her life-and-death cycle forever?

Would the curse ever be broken?

Could the curse ever be broken?

Why had Gabriel kept Tristan a secret?

Why couldn’t she remember anything other than the snippets of memory she’d had at the cabin?

If she and Gabriel had been engaged, did that mean she was in love with Gabriel?

And if she was in love with Gabriel, then why was she so attracted to Tristan?

Questions collided in her mind until she had a terrible headache and no way to relax.

Her phone kept ringing and beeping, but Scarlet ignored all the calls and texts.

She wasn’t afraid of her life, but she wasn’t prepared for it either.

She just needed a little more time….

Scarlet rolled over and hid her pounding head beneath her pillow.

It was going to be a long day.

31

Tristan’s room had a king size bed in the center, an antique wardrobe chest in the corner and an oversized, marble bathroom off to the side. Although it was located in the basement, his room was well lit and not quite as dungeon-looking as it felt.

And it often felt like a dungeon.

A place underground.

A place without hope.

A place full of nightmares.

Nightmares like the night before.

Tristan stared at his bare chest in his bathroom mirror and sighed. His multiple wounds were healing at their normal, rapid pace.

Damn it.

Maniac had been persistent, slashing away at Tristan’s body for three hours. Which was exactly what Tristan had wanted him to do, but it didn’t exactly make for a good night’s sleep.

And it had hurt like hell.

To Maniac’s credit, even when Tristan’s body was flayed open and gushing blood, the hit man hadn’t throw up. That was more than Tristan could say for the last two assassins he’d hired.

But Maniac eventually freaked out, threw the dagger on the ground, and accused Tristan of being a vampire. Which wasn’t the first time he’d been mistaken for such a thing.

Maniac had, literally, run away in fear.

Tristan laid in the alley all night, watching in agony as his body slowly mended itself.

When morning came his organs and muscles were put back together, but he was in too much pain to attempt moving. So, throughout the day, he’d laid among the hidden rats until he was strong enough to find his way back to his car.

It had been a long drive home—as always.

Tristan was sore, tired, and depressed. He glanced at his bed in the mirror’s reflection and sighed. Sleep wouldn’t come, even if he tried. When Scarlet was alive, sleep was always fleeting and fitful.

But nowadays, it was nearly impossible.

He showered the remaining blood, sweat, and dirt from his body and toweled off. Soon the scars from last night would fade away completely, leaving his torso nearly flawless.

What he wouldn’t give to be decaying beside that dumpster right now.

He pulled on a pair of jeans and a clean shirt, grabbed the bloodied dagger from his dresser, and headed upstairs.

He had a lot of work to do.

He needed to find a new assassin and a new weapon.

It was going to be a long day.

32

Sunday morning Scarlet awoke to Heather’s high-pitched voice.

Again.

“Scarlet Marie Jacobs!”

Scarlet didn’t have a middle name—at least not one she remembered—but Heather gave her one anyway. Probably so she could yell at Scarlet at times such as this.

“What?” Scarlet grumbled from beneath a fluffy pillow. The sunlight in her room was too bright and cheery. Scarlet wanted to disappear back into the darkness of sleep.

“I’ve been texting and calling you for two days! W-T-H?”

“I’ve been busy.” Scarlet rolled over so her back was to her sunny window.

Heather shuffled over to the side of Scarlet’s bed and sat down next to her face. “Busy? Doing what, exactly? Laura told me you stayed in bed all day yesterday.”

Laura told her that?

Agh.

Her guardian and her best friend were in cahoots.

“I had a rough weekend,” Scarlet said, squeezing her eyes shut in a futile attempt to beckon sleep back to her mind.

“Rough, how?”

Scarlet sighed and opened her eyes. Sleep was a lost cause. “Just…some stuff with Gabriel.”

“What stuff with Gabriel?” Heather looked at Scarlet with narrowed eyes. “What happened?”

Scarlet twitched her lips. “Well….” What was she going to tell Heather?

The truth?

Heather leaned in closer to Scarlet. “You found out he was hiding something from you, didn’t you?” Her eyes were wide and accusing.

Scarlet wrinkled her brow, about to deny, but realized she could spin this to her advantage. “Well, yeah he—”

“I knew it!” Heather interrupted, shaking her head. “He’s in the mob, isn’t he? That bastard! I knew he was a gangster drug-dealer—“

“No.” Scarlet shook her head. “He’s not in the mob.”

“Then what was he hiding?” Heather gasped. “Is he married?”

“What?” Scarlet furrowed her brow. “No. No, he’s not married.”

But he almost was. To me.

Agh.

“No he….” Scarlet thought about telling Heather everything. Her multiple lives, her multiples deaths…but she couldn’t.

At least not yet.

Would Heather believe Scarlet’s story?

Maybe. Probably.

Heather liked aliens and vampires and UFOs, so she could probably get onboard with immortal twins and a resurrecting best friend.

But Scarlet wasn’t ready to involve anyone else. And, honestly, she was still so confused she wouldn’t know where to begin.

Hey, so, because of a curse, I’m going to die. My heart is breaking as we speak, and I might just keel over at any minute, but have no fear! I’ll come back to life in a few decades. No biggie. Oh, and, B-T-W, Gabriel’s totally immortal.

No, she couldn’t tell Heather the truth. At least not until the truth made more sense. So, she decided to tell Heather a half-truth.

Scarlet cleared her throat. “Gabriel has…a brother. Named Tristan.”

There. That was good enough…right?

Gabriel had lied about having a brother.

That was his big secret.

Heather would buy that…right?

“He has a brother?” Heather gasped again. “Why, that little, lying, son of a…. Wait,” Heather interrupted herself, switching from Protective Heather to Flirty Heather. “Is this brother hot? Does he live nearby?” Heather wagged her eyebrows. “Is he seeing anyone?”

Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief. For once she was glad her best friend was boy-crazy.

“Uh,” Scarlet pressed her lips together, “he’s Gabriel’s twin brother so…yeah, he’s attractive. And I’m pretty sure he lives with Gabriel. But I don’t know if he’s seeing anyone….” A pang shot through Scarlet’s chest at the thought of Tristan having a girlfriend.

Scarlet reprimanded herself.

Why do I care if Tristan’s dating?

Heather’s eyes grew large and her mouth dropped open. “Gabriel has a twin? And he didn’t tell you?” She shook her head wildly. “Why wouldn’t he tell you about his twin?” Heather lowered her voice suspiciously. “Is his brother, like, an evil twin? Is he in the mob?”

“No, Heather! Nobody’s in the mob.” Scarlet sat up and ran a hand through her long hair.

“Oh!” Heather’s eyes brightened. “Maybe Angie didn’t see Gabriel in the park at midnight after all! Maybe she saw his twin! And I bet it was the twin I saw in the warehouse district, too.” She nodded, like she’d just solved a great mystery.

Scarlet thought about it. “Yeah…it was probably Tristan.”

Heather squinted. “But…why would Gabriel’s brother be hanging out in the park and doing shady business in warehouses? Unless he’s—“

“He’s not in the mob, Heather.”

Heather shrugged and shook her head. “Whatever. I’m just saying it’s weird behavior. Gabriel’s twin is weird.”

Scarlet nodded. It was weird behavior. She would have to ask Tristan about it later.

“How did you find out about this brother, anyway? Did Gabriel just, like, confess?” Heather asked.

Scarlet made a face of embarrassment.

Heather smiled. “Oh, no. What did you do?”

Scarlet told Heather about following Gabriel/Tristan into the woods, leaving out the part where Scarlet wanted to run her hands all over Tristan’s body.

“You followed him into the woods…like a stalker?” Heather raised a brow.

Scarlet nodded shamefully.

Heather laughed. “That’s awesome! You’re a crazy person.” She laughed again then furrowed her brow. “But why did Gabriel keep him a secret at all? Why hide his twin from you?”

Scarlet shook her head, confused by that same question. “I’m not sure.”

“You didn’t think to ask Gabriel why he lied?”

Scarlet shook her head with a groan. “I wasn’t thinking clearly, okay? Agh.” She dropped her face back into her pillow, heaviness settling over her. “My life is crazy.”

Heather rolled her eyes. “It’s not that crazy.”

You have no idea.

Heather continued, “Gabriel lied to you…so, what? There’s no reason for you to sulk. It’s just a silly brother…a silly, hot, secret brother. Get over it.”

Scarlet didn’t care about the silly hot brother secret.

She cared about her imminent death.

But Heather didn’t know that. And Scarlet wasn’t ready to have Heather start working on a eulogy.

What could she tell Heather that would justify her emotional behavior?

Scarlet thought for a moment. “I also found out Gabriel used to be engaged to someone.”

Oh, crap. Why had she said that?

“He was what? Engaged? You have got to be kidding me! That’s insane! He’s a teenager! W-T-H?”

Okay, obviously, the engagement thing was going work as a cover story for Scarlet’s upset behavior, but it just added another string of lies to the fragile web Scarlet was spinning.

Scarlet nodded, feeling like the worst friend in the history of time. “He was engaged, and I didn’t know about it.”

“Well, where’s this hussy now? Is she in Avalon? Does she live in New York? Is she allergic to strawberries? Because I’ll send her a gift basket that’ll make her wish she’d never laid eyes on Gabriel’s deceitful—albeit delicious—body!”

Scarlet shook her head quickly. “No. She’s not in New York. She, uh…died.”

Somebody shoot me now.

Two days ago, Scarlet was enraged by Gabriel’s half-truths and secrets. And now she was doing the exact same thing—to her best friend; a girl who’d accepted Scarlet without question, without judgment.

Scarlet didn’t deserve her friendship.

Heather’s vengeful face became subdued. “Oh. Well. I guess no gift basket then.” Heather looked at her in sympathy. “I’m sorry, Scarlet. That sucks. Are you okay?”

Scarlet nodded. “Yeah, I just…I just need to regroup, you know?”

Heather nodded in understanding as Scarlet crawled back under her covers and turned away.

She wanted to be alone. She wanted to process everything she’d learned from Gabriel and figure out what her next step was going to be.

And she wanted to cry for lying to her best friend.

Heather remained at her side for a minute longer, and Scarlet assumed she would leave her alone to cry into her pillow.

Nope.

“Okay, get up.” Heather jumped out of Scarlet’s bed and clapped her hands.

Scarlet peeked from under her pillow. “Why?”

“Becaaaause,” Heather said, “you’ve moped long enough. And also because I’m almost certain you’ve been in the same pajamas for two days. Yuck.”

Scarlet looked down at her cozy jammies and shrugged.

Heather rolled her eyes. “Here’s what you’re going to do: You’re going to get up, get dressed, and let me take you out for a girls’ day. We’ll shop and eat ice cream and cry or whatever. It’ll be epic.”

Scarlet groaned again. “I don’t want to get up.”

“Well, that’s too bad.” Heather yanked the covers off Scarlet, threw them on the floor, and marched into her closet. From the closet, Scarlet heard, “You don’t get to hole up in your room and whine all day because your boyfriend lied to you, Scarlet. You’re not a helpless baby.”

Heather stuck her neck out of the closet and looked at her friend. “You’re a super smart, beautiful brunette and some stupid, hot, lying boyfriend isn’t going to change that.” She blinked. “And I will not stand by and let you stew in a filthy pair of cotton pajamas one minute longer.”

Scarlet scrunched her face. “It’s not like I’m covered in mud and sweat, Heather. My pajamas are clean.”

Heather looked Scarlet over with a lifted brow. “Okay, obviously the filth has gone to your head.”

Scarlet’s heart lifted. Heather’s persistent joy and stubbornness were exactly what she needed today.

In that moment, Scarlet decided she was definitely going to tell Heather the truth.

Soon.

Heather deserved honesty. And as soon as Scarlet figured out how to explain her “situation” without freaking her out, she was going to sit Heather down and confess.

Heather disappeared for another minute before exiting the closet with an outfit over her arm—which she threw at Scarlet. “Take a shower and get dressed.”

Scarlet caught the clothes with a yawn. “You’re bossy.”

Heather rested a hand on her hip. “Well, someone needs to take charge. This,” Heather made a wide circle in front of Scarlet, indicating Scarlet’s appearance, “is no good. You look like you were raised by a pack of wild pajama wolves.”

Scarlet gave Heather an annoyed look before reluctantly rolling out of bed and heading for the bathroom.

“I love you!” Heather called, her normal perkiness returning to her voice.

“Whatever,” Scarlet called back.

But she did love Heather.

And Heather was right.

She did need to shower.

33

Monday morning came and Gabriel still hadn’t spoken with Scarlet since the cabin. His attempt to explain things to her hadn’t gone smoothly, mostly because she hadn’t really remembered anything.

Unprepared for Scarlet’s lack of memory, he hadn’t known how to ease her into the idea of, well, dying.

And he hadn’t known how to tell her about the whole curse.

So, he left out the part about him.

The curse that robbed him of any true love outside of Scarlet. Something about telling her just seemed…selfish.

He didn’t want to pressure her into loving him. He wanted her genuine affections, not some show put on out of pity or obligation.

He would wait until she remembered everything. At least, that way, she’d also remember how they’d been engaged. And how he’d loved her even before the curse.

Until then, he’d tread lightly, hoping Scarlet would come back to him and trust him with her fate.

He sighed as he sat waiting for his third period class to begin.

Without warning, someone smacked him upside the back of his head.

“Liar, liar, pants on fire!” Heather scooted around his desk and sat in front of him, before turning to face him. She narrowed her eyes. “You were engaged before? And you have a secret twin? W-T-H, Gabriel!”

Gabriel rubbed the back of his head. Scarlet had sent him a brief text letting him know what she’d told Heather, so he’d been expecting this. Well, not the smacked head thing, but the in-your-face Heather onslaught.

He sighed. “I know. I suck. I get it.”

Heather leaned in, her vanilla perfume wafting into his nostrils. “Do you have any other family secrets you want to confess? A dead uncle in the closet, perhaps? A talking pet pig?”

He wished.

If his biggest family secret was a talking pet pig, his life would be cake.

Gabriel rubbed the side of his face. “I lied to Scarlet, and that was wrong. But,” he leaned forward, suddenly anxious to defend himself to someone—to express how he felt about Scarlet, “I would never hurt her. Never.” He leaned back. “I care about her, Heather. And that’s not a lie.”

Heather puckered her lips as she examined him with a raised brow. After a few moments, she huffed out a breath. “I believe you.” Tossing her hair to the side she scowled. “I hate that I believe you. It’s a lot easier if I think you’re lying scum and revolt against you.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Well, thank you for believing me.”

Heather sneered. Like she was trying not to like him, “But, you were engaged? That’s really weird, Gabriel. You’re in high school.”

“It was a long time ago.”

“How long ago could it have been? Were you, like, ten?”

He sighed again. “It doesn’t matter, now. Okay? All that matters is Scarlet.”

Heather narrowed her eyes. “You better not be messing with her, because I will kill you. Slowly. And painfully. And I’ll probably start by plucking out your very manly eyebrows. So, be warned! She is not just some cute girl you go to school with, Gabriel. She’s Scarlet. Don’t break her heart.”

Gabriel blinked, filling up with admiration for the tiny blond sitting before him.

She really cared about Scarlet.

Gabriel kept his face serious. “I promise I will treat Scarlet as if she’s my destined soul mate and I’ve been chasing after her for five-hundred years.”

Heather raised her brows. “Wow.” She blinked. “Good line. Very…poetic-sounding.”

Gabriel exhaled. “How’s she doing?”

Above all else, he hoped Scarlet was coping. She could hate him, she could even choose never to speak with him again, but Gabriel needed to know she wasn’t falling apart.

Heather exhaled. “Uh, not good. She’s all quiet and pensive. It’s like hanging out with a mathematician. You need to talk to her, Gabriel. Apologize to her and tell her your ex had a peg leg or something. Bring her back to life.”

He pressed his lips together. “Has she been…sad…or anything?”

“Of course not.” Heather scowled. “She’s not a cry baby, she’s fine. She’s just…far away, you know?” Heather snapped her fingers in his face. “So, fix it. I need my best friend back. And, also, I need her to start wearing matching socks. Today, she had on a white one, and an off-white one.” Heather tossed her hands in the air. “Unacceptable.”

Gabriel bit back a smile. “I’ve been calling and texting Scarlet all weekend. She wants space.”

Heather nodded, twisting her lips. “Yeah, well, then give her space or whatever. But when you do talk to her, could you pour on some extra charm?” Heather’s face fell into one of sympathy. “She’s had a tough and crazy little life, you know? Be nice.”

His heart softened. Heather was protective and feisty and annoying and blunt. But she loved Scarlet.

The bell rang and students shuffled to their seats.

Before turning around, Heather whispered. “B-T-W, I love your shirt. And your belt. Good job.”

Gabriel smiled as blond hair whipped in front of him and sat facing the front of the room.

Heather was a good friend for Scarlet—even if she was a little crazy.

34

The first few days back at Avalon High since learning of her supernatural past and doomed future were a blur for Scarlet. But she’d successfully managed to steer clear of Gabriel and dodge most of Heather’s questions.

Until Thursday.

Scarlet sat in class, staring blankly at the front of the room. She was having a hard time taking English seriously.

When you’re cursed to die and come back to life every few years, essays just don’t seem as important anymore.

A small, wadded-up piece of paper hit her shoulder and Scarlet rolled her eyes.

Heather was a chronic note-thrower.

Scarlet looked over at her best friend before swiping the note off the floor where it had fallen.

Have you talked to your smokin’ hot liar of a boyfriend today?

Scarlet glared at Heather and shook her head.

She was ignoring Gabriel—and any other piece of her ridiculous past—until further notice.

She’d sent Gabriel a text a few days ago letting him know she needed space; time to digest things and wrap her head around her future.

Gabriel had responded politely, saying he understood, but she was sure a part of him was disappointed.

The weekend had been fairly unproductive. Scarlet had come to very few conclusions, but one thing she was sure of: She had to act normal.

What was she going to do? Run off with Gabriel to hunt for the fountain of youth?

Not likely.

Laura would call the police and file a missing persons report and then Scarlet would be caught and things would get ugly.

Funny how, just a few years ago, Scarlet spent weeks wishing someone would file a missing persons report for her. Now that she had people in her life who loved her, she couldn’t just disappear on them.

Scarlet inwardly smiled.

It was comforting to know she was loved.

It was also a little inconvenient. But mostly comforting.

She couldn’t leave town, but she also couldn’t ask Laura’s permission to venture off with her boyfriend in search of a mythical fountain.

So, instead, Scarlet decided to play it cool. She would go to school. Do her homework, and behave like a normal, non-cursed teenager until she had a better plan.

Unfortunately, part of Scarlet’s play-it-cool plan involved lying to Heather.

Which sucked.

Heather was the only person, besides Laura, who’d given Scarlet a chance. Lying to her wasn’t fair and the thought broke Scarlet’s heart. But she wasn’t ready to introduce anyone else to her circle of crazy.

Heather would have to stay in the dark—at least until Scarlet had a better handle on her situation.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and everyone gathered their things. Heather approached Scarlet with a look of pity. “Are you okay? You seem…soggy.”

“Soggy?”

“Yes.” Heather nodded. “Like you’re a depressed spaghetti noodle or something.”

Scarlet sighed and shook her head. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine. You look...sad. And a little bit like a rag doll. What’s going on with your hair today? Did you lose your brush?”

“Not now, Heather,” Scarlet said, easing past her. She had more important things than her messy hair to worry about.

Like dying.

“Scarlet,” Heather said, coming up alongside her as they walked to their lockers. “What can I do to help? What do you need? Do you want me to beat Gabriel up for lying to you? ‘Cause I will. I’ll even break a nail if that’s what it takes.”

Scarlet smiled at the thought of tiny Heather trying to take on giant Gabriel. “No. No, I’m not even really mad at Gabriel. I’m…crazy about him. But I just…I just need time.”

Heather nodded, looking down the hallway. “Well, you’d better enjoy the next few seconds because I’m pretty sure Gabriel is headed this way.”

Scarlet looked up and saw Gabriel coming down the hallway, his handsome face fixed on hers. She wanted to turn and run away, finding solace in a broom closet or something, but she didn’t.

Because she had no idea where the nearest broom closet was.

And also because, despite the craziness of the last few days, she missed Gabriel.

She missed the way he smelled and his lovely voice and perfect smile.

Scarlet watched him approach, her feet planted next to her locker.

“Hey,” Gabriel said as he neared.

Scarlet nodded. “Hey.”

An awkward moment passed.

“Um….” Heather’s eyes darted from Gabriel to Scarlet and then back to Gabriel. “This is weird. And as much as I’d like to stick around and comment on Gabriel’s fantastic jeans,” she looked at Gabriel’s pants with a smile, “I’m gonna…go.” She exited the awkward tension and made her way to second period.

“So,” Gabriel said, looking at Scarlet with big, helpless eyes, “I know you want your space right now and I don’t want to pry my way back into your life, but,” he smiled sadly, “please don’t shut me out completely.”

Scarlet looked at him for a moment and realized her chest was hurting. She didn’t want to shut him out. She wanted her boyfriend back. She’d tried to be mad at him, she’d tried to hate how he’d lied to her, but she couldn’t. She’d missed him too much.

Not knowing what to say or how to undo the thickness between them, she leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, her eyes falling shut at the touch.

He kissed her back gently, almost hesitantly, like maybe he thought she was going to change her mind and pull away completely. His hands went to her waist where he held her softly against him until their lips parted.

Still in Gabriel’s arms and on her tiptoes, Scarlet opened her eyes to see him smiling at her.

She couldn’t help but smile back at his little-boy grin. “What?”

“Nothing. I just missed you.”

She blushed.

“Things will get better, Scarlet. I promise.”

Scarlet nodded, her smile faltering for brief second. “I hope so.”

“They will,” Gabriel said, confidently.

Scarlet pasted her smile back on for his sake. She wanted to believe him.

Maybe someday she would.

Scarlet lowered herself back to the floor as Gabriel’s hand fell from her waist to her hand and held it carefully.

For now, she would take things one day at a time.

Today, she would hold hands with her beautiful boyfriend and let him back into her life.

Tomorrow, maybe she would run a brush through her hair.

35

Tomorrow came and Scarlet managed to brush her hair, much to Heather’s approval. She also decided to pay Gabriel an impromptu visit at his cabin after school.

She had questions and the Archer brothers had answers.

Scarlet pulled her car into the cabin’s dirt driveway, took a deep breath, and got out.

She made her way up the porch steps and stood before the door. It seemed like years since she’d stood on that very porch and met Tristan. So much had changed for her since then.

After knocking a few times, the cabin door swung open to reveal Tristan.

Holding a sword.

A vey long, very sharp sword.

Scarlet’s heart began to knock around inside her chest. She looked at the sword, then at Tristan—who provided no explanation—and back at the sword.

“Uh…what’s with the weapon?” Scarlet asked.

Tristan looked at the blade in his hand and shrugged. “Do you really want to know?”

Scarlet thought about it. “Nope.”

She had too much on her mind right now, she didn’t need to add any weird Tristan facts to the mess in her brain.

He stood back from the door, motioned her inside and shut the door behind her after she entered.

Gabriel appeared in the entryway and smiled warmly. “Hey. I didn’t know you were coming over.”

Tristan disappeared down the hallway.

She shrugged. “I have a lot of questions. You know, about the curse and…well, everything.”

Gabriel nodded. “Sure. Come on in.”

Scarlet made her way to the living room and sat on the same couch as before. The last time she’d sat on that couch, her whole world had come undone.

Hopefully this time, her world—as fragile and weird as it was—would stay in one piece.

36

Gabriel sat next to Scarlet on the couch, grateful she’d returned to ask questions. He felt for her. He couldn’t imagine how terrified and confused she must feel.

Scarlet folded her hands together in her lap. “I’m not sure where to begin so…I guess let’s just start with the immortal thing. You said you guys didn’t know you were immortal, right?”

“Right.”

“So, how did you figure that out?”

Gabriel took a deep breath. “Our first clue was Tristan surviving an arrow through his heart. It was crazy. One minute he was bleeding on the ground beside you and the next, his wound was closing up.

“Just minutes later, your body vanished, and Tristan and I freaked out. We thought for sure Raven’s curse had done something to both you and Tristan, but we didn’t know what.

“That’s when we tracked down a guy who lived in a nearby village, Nathaniel Fletcher. When we were children, Tristan and I witnessed Nate accidently cut his hand with a knife and miraculously heal. We figured whatever healed him may have played a part in healing Tristan.

“We met up with Nate and explained how you’d been shot, how your body had disappeared, and how Tristan had immediately healed after the arrow pierced him.

“He hypothesized that Tristan and I were immortal. Naturally, we thought he was crazy, but how else could we explain Tristan surviving an arrow through his heart? We let Nate do a…test of sorts, on our blood, confirming his suspicion. Tristan and I were immortal. Just like him.”

“That Nate guy was immortal, too?” Scarlet gaped.

Gabriel nodded. “Nate’s mom was given a vial of fountain water, just like our mom, and drank it while she was pregnant with him.”

“Is the Nate guy still around?”

“Oh, yeah. He’s a friend of ours. He lives in New York right now.”

Scarlet furrowed her brow. “How many immortals are out there? Like, thousands?”

Gabriel shook his head. “As far as we know, it’s only the three of us. We’re the only people we know of born to mothers who drank water from the fountain.”

Scarlet nodded. “Three immortals. Got it. Okay, let’s talk about fountain. If we find it, then I’ll be healed?”

Gabriel nodded. “Completely. I actually called Nate the other day. He’s been helping us try to locate the fountain for centuries.Maybe together, we’ll be able to find it this time, it’s him.” Gabriel gave her his best smile, trying to reassure her.

She weakly smiled back.

His heart tightened. He wanted nothing more than to heal Scarlet, to keep her healthy and unafraid. But he felt so helpless.

Scarlet cleared her throat. “Let’s say we don’t find the fountain and I die. The next time I come back to life, will you still come find me?”

“Of course!” Gabriel would always find her. Or, at least, have Tristan track her down and then follow him. “It won’t be like it was this time. Tristan and I will come immediately in your next life. If you die. Which you won’t.” His palms got sweaty.

“Wait, you can find me immediately?”

Gabriel nodded.

“Then why did you wait two years to meet me?” Scarlet looked angry. “Why did you let me live in confusion and fear for so long?”

He swallowed. “Uh…that was Tristan’s idea. He wanted to wait until the curse was broken before meeting you.”

“Why?”

“Because he thought it would make things easier.”

“Well, it didn’t.”

Gabriel nodded. “I promise that will never happen again.”

“I hope not.” Scarlet looked off to the side.

She was right. They shouldn’t have let her live so long without them. It hadn’t been fair to her.

“I should never have listened to Tristan,” Gabriel continued. “He’s an idiot.”

Scarlet shook her head and wrinkled her brow. “Why did you keep Tristan a secret so long? Why didn’t you tell me about him?”

Gabriel shifted uncomfortably, trying to formulate a response that wouldn’t sound callous. “Tristan…asked me not to tell you.”

“Why?”

Gabriel shrugged, hoping she would accept his non-answer and move on.

She didn’t.

“Has he done that in past lives? Has he tried to keep himself hidden from me before?”

Gabriel sighed. “No.”

“Then why now?”

Gabriel shrugged. “I don’t know. He just said he didn’t want to meet you this time.” Gabriel spoke gently

“Why not? Does he hate me or something?”

Gabriel knew Tristan didn’t hate Scarlet, but he had no idea what Tristan wanted her to believe. “I’m not sure, you’d have to ask him.”

Scarlet nodded, but her eyes seemed far away.

Tristan walked into the living room, waving his cell phone. “Sorry to interrupt the age-old bonding that’s going on in here but Gabriel has a phone call.”

Gabriel looked at Tristan in puzzlement.

“It’s Nate,” Tristan said, looking at Gabriel pointedly. “He called my phone to discuss my…plan. And now he wants to talk to you.”

Gabriel waited for further explanation but when Tristan didn’t elaborate, he reluctantly rose from beside Scarlet and grabbed Tristan’s cell phone out of his hand.

“I’ll be just a minute,” Gabriel said to Scarlet’s big blue eyes.

Maybe Nate had information about the fountain of youth.

Which could be good news.

37

Tristan barely glanced at Scarlet before turning to leave the living room. He needed her out of the house. Soon. It was too hard for him to stay occupied and in control of himself when she was lounging on a sofa two-hundred feet away from him.

“Tristan,” her voice called to him. “Wait a sec.”

No, no, no.

No chatting.

He couldn’t handle her right now. He needed to go somewhere else…as far away as he could manage without being in too much pain…so he could plan his next suicide attempt.

This needed to end as soon as possible.

He rigidly turned around, trying his best to look uninterested. “What?”

She didn’t seem phased by his bad attitude—which wasn’t a good sign.

“Um….” She bit her bottom lip and every nerve in his body wanted to go over and bite it right along with her. She cleared her throat. “Why didn’t you want to meet me this time? In this life?” She looked concerned. Even insecure.

Damn it.

His heart cracked as he steeled himself for what he was about to do. He was going to have to lie to her. He was going to push her away.

He was going to break her heart.

And it would kill him, but it would keep her alive.

He waited until a look of absolute apathy crossed his face before he gathered the nerve to say, “Because I don’t want you here.”

Scarlet looked taken aback. Hurt.

Pain flashed in her eyes and Tristan almost lost all his resolve right there. He took a slow breath, harnessing his emotions.

Scarlet shook her head. “I’m…I’m sorry…I don’t remember….”

“I know,” he said, his voice still harsh. “I’m not mad at you.” He shrugged. “I just don’t want you around.”

He was evil and deserved to die.

And, hopefully, he would.

Her eyes were glossy, on the verge of tears. He could feel pain and heartbreak ricocheting through her. He could feel sadness…anger…he could feel the damage of his words.

She didn’t remember him, but her soul did. Her heart did.

And both were breaking.

Please don’t cry.

Tristan kept his eyes locked on hers, steady, careless, praying she wouldn’t burst into tears.

If she cried….

Well, if she cried, all bets were off.

She could not cry.

“Then….” Scarlet swallowed, controlling her tears. “Then, why…did you come sit by me in the forest? Why were you so nice to me the other day?”

Tristan wanted to kick himself for his lapse in self-control last weekend. If he couldn’t convince Scarlet he didn’t care about her, then she would be her normal, lovely, beautiful self around him.

If that happened, he wouldn’t be able to resist her and she would die.

The thought of her death gave him the strength he needed to end their conversation by saying, “I was doing Gabriel a favor. He thinks he loves you, or something. So, he wants you around. That’s what I was doing in the forest—keeping you around.”

A silent moment passed, Scarlet’s big eyes asking a thousand questions.

“Anyway,” Tristan said coldly, like he hadn’t just crushed her spirit. “I have things to do.”

And with that, he left, leaving Scarlet stung and insulted by his black words.

His insides curled in guilt as he retreated from her.

He was a liar and villain.

He was also in love with the girl on his couch.

And that’s what kept him moving away from Scarlet’s sweet face and toward the only thing he had to live for.

Death.

38

Scarlet sat, stunned and hollow, in the wake of Tristan’s words. She’d never felt so hurt, so personally offended.

Why did she care?

Tristan was no one to her. He was just her boyfriend’s brother.

So why did she care if he hated her? Why did she care if he didn’t want her around?

Scarlet tried to readjust her feelings and put Tristan’s words into perspective.

He means nothing to me.

He’s a stranger.

He’s a mean stranger and I don’t care about him.

Her thoughts echoed back at her, calling her a liar.

Despite his sharp words, Scarlet still felt drawn to him and it broke her heart.

She should hate him right now or, at the very least, feel nothing for him.

But no.

Her heart clenched in her chest until she couldn’t breathe and her eyes went blurry with the threat of tears.

She heard footsteps coming back down the hallway and her silly heart hoped—actually hoped—it was Tristan returning to apologize.

She cleared her eyes and sat up straight and nervous.

But it wasn’t Tristan who returned, it was Gabriel.

Her heart sank.

“Sorry about that,” Gabriel said.

She gave him her best fake smile. “What did Nate say?”

He examined her for a moment. “Are you okay?”

Gabriel had no idea Scarlet’s insides were bleeding from her conversation with Tristan, but she didn’t feel like sharing her hurt with him. “Of course. What did Nate say?”

Gabriel shook his head, “He doesn’t have any new information about the fountain. But he does have something to give to you.”

“What is it?”

“He wouldn’t tell me, but he said he’d send it to you.”

Scarlet tilted her head. “Huh.”

Gabriel shrugged before scooting closer to her and wrapping his strong arm around her. “Anyway, back to you. What other questions do you have?”

Scarlet blinked.

She had more questions, but all she could think about was Nate’s mysterious gift.

And Tristan’s cold words.

“Um…I think I’m good. For now.” Scarlet gave him another fake smile. “I’ll let you know.”

He tilted his head to the side, paused a moment, then smiled. “Are you sure?”

Scarlet nodded.

“Well, in that case, I think we should go on a date. Tonight. Let’s go do something normal. Something that has nothing to do with curses and fountains. Whatdaya say?”

Scarlet breathed out a laugh, “That sounds wonderful.”

And it did.

Or, at least, it sounded better than sitting in a house Tristan didn’t want her in.

A date would be good.

Scarlet needed a little love.

39

The following weekend, Scarlet smiled to herself as she knocked on the cabin door. She had a “secret” date planned for Gabriel and couldn’t wait to surprise him.

She was going to take him back to their picnic spot in the woods and spend the rest of the day talking and laughing and, hopefully, going over possible fountain leads. They’d spent the past weekend researching various legends and Scarlet was feeling hopeful.

She knocked again.

Tristan answered the door.

What was he? The doorman?

Scarlet’s happiness deflated.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

Scarlet blinked. “Excuse me?”

Rude.

“Why are you here?” Tristan looked around the porch, like he expected someone to be with her.

“Um…my boyfriend lives here. So, I came here for him.”

“Why didn’t you text first?” Tristan looked at her accusingly.

Scarlet raised her eyebrows incredulously. “Oh, I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t know the rules. So, I need to text you before showing up on Gabriel’s doorstep? What else? Do I need to call for your approval before I kiss him?”

Tristan rolled his eyes. “What do you want?”

“Um…I want to see Gabriel. Is that okay? Or are visiting hours over?” Scarlet took a step forward.

Her brain wanted to smack Tristan out of the way and march into the cabin and wait for Gabriel to return.

But her body wanted to permanently adhere itself to Tristan’s chest and run her fingers down his back.

Scarlet took a step back.

“Gabriel’s not here.” Tristan narrowed his eyes.

“Oh, okay. You could have just said that. You didn’t need to bark at me like a disgruntled guard dog.”

Tristan exhaled. “Are we done here?”

Scarlet felt like she’d been kicked in the gut. Did Tristan hate her so much he couldn’t stand her on his front porch?

“Oh, yes,” Scarlet quipped, mustering all the attitude she could. “We’re done.” And with that, she spun on her heel and walked away.

She heard the cabin door slam shut behind her and waited until she was back in the safety of her car before she allowed her hands to shake.

Not because she was angry.

But because she was trying to hold back tears.

Why did he affect her so much?

Just then, her phone beeped. Scarlet looked down to find a text from Gabriel.

I’m at your house. Where are you?

Scarlet sighed. Gabriel probably wanted to surprise her, just like she’d wanted to surprise him.

Because he was sweet.

His twin? Not so sweet.

I’m on my way.

Scarlet sent her text and pulled out of woods, her heart pounding all the way home.

40

The next few weeks passed by easily. Scarlet got back into the groove of her “normal” life and started adjusting to her “I’m going to die” life. She and Gabriel had been diligently searching for any new information on the fountain’s whereabouts, and Heather had almost completely forgiven Gabriel for lying to Scarlet.

Things were going well.

Which was always a sure sign that something bad was about to happen.

It was a cold Friday in October and pumpkins decorated the entire town of Avalon.

Halloween was close and Heather was concerned about her costume.

“Do you think evil girl zombies wear jewelry? Because, without earrings on, I look like a boy. Maybe I should just be Cleopatra.”

They were at The Millhouse along with, what seemed like, everybody else in town. The chill of autumn had arrived and everyone wanted a cup of hot coffee.

“Weren’t you Cleopatra last year?” Scarlet looked out the window, waiting for Gabriel. He and Scarlet had plans to go to the movies.

“Yes.” Heather nodded. “And I was super sexy.” She tapped her chin, “I’m not sure how to make myself sexy as a dead girl.”

“Perplexing.” Scarlet nodded.

“Angie’s Halloween party is going to be so much fun! What are you going to be?”

“I’m going to be sleeping. Or eating ice cream. But definitely not dressed up at a Halloween party.”

Heather pouted. “Come on, Scarlet. You have to go.”

“No, I don’t.” Scarlet smiled. “Are you excited about your trip tomorrow?”

There was no school next week because of fall break and Heather had been looking forward to her family vacation all year.

Heather smiled. “Totally. I really need a beach vacation. What are you and Laura doing for fall break?”

Scarlet sighed. “Laura’s got a business trip in Europe or something all week. She left this morning.”

Heather nodded. “Laura travels a lot.”

“It’s what she does.”

Heather glanced out the window. “Look, there’s Marge the Bag Lady.”

“Don’t call her that, Heather. It’s mean.” Scarlet looked out the coffee house window at the homeless woman Heather was referring to.

“Okay, how about Marge the crazy lady who talks to shoes?” Heather said.

“She’s not crazy, she’s just…homeless…and probably…lonely.”

Scarlet’s heart squeezed in sympathy, and then began to beat wildly.

“And there’s Gabriel.” Heather nodded.

Looking outside Scarlet spied Gabriel walking down the street.

He walked a few steps past Marge, hesitated, and slowly turned around.

The girls watched as he said something to Marge, making her smile.

They talked for a minute before Marge laughed pleasantly. Scarlet had never seen Marge laugh before. Gabriel smiled.

Scarlet blinked.

It wasn’t Gabriel talking to a homeless woman on an icy day in downtown Avalon.

It was Tristan.

She’d never seen Tristan smile before. His dimples were deep and warm, and his eyes lit up. His smile was…beautiful.

The same Tristan who didn’t want Scarlet around and was unfriendly to her whenever she was at his cabin, was standing in the cold and making a homeless woman laugh.

Scarlet was happy and sad…and completely confused. “That’s Gabriel’s brother.”

Heather, who’d just taken a heavy gulp of hot tea, swallowed loudly. “That’s…Tristan?”

Scarlet nodded, her eyes still glued to the interaction outside the coffee shop window.

Heather set her cup down and examined him more closely. “How can you tell?”

Scarlet honestly didn’t know how she knew it was Tristan. She just…felt it. “I don’t know…but that’s definitely Tristan.”

She must be connected to him in some way…right?

Heather parted her lips, “Well, Tristan is hot.”

Scarlet pulled her eyes away from the window and looked at Heather with a jutted chin.

She shrugged. “What? He is.”

Scarlet shook her head.

“Get up.” Heather started cleaning up their small table and began gathering her things.

“What? Why?” Scarlet said, panic in her voice. She knew exactly why Heather was bustling. And she had no intention of cooperating.

“Because. I want to meet the mystery brother.”

Scarlet shook her head. “No way. Tristan hates me, Heather.”

She scrunched her face. “He doesn’t hate you, he’s just…rude to you. That’s all. He’s probably just a mean person by nature or something.”

Both girls looked out the window where Tristan was still talking to Marge.

“Or,” Heather said, still looking out the window, “he’s just a really sweet guy with a big heart who happens to…somewhat dislike you.”

Scarlet shook her head again, confused. How could Tristan be so warm to a stranger on the street, but so cold and distant to his own brother’s girlfriend? “We’re not going to meet Tristan, Heather. I don’t want to talk to him.”

Heather bit her lip for a second. “Okay,” she said, then moved toward the front door.

“Wh-where are you going?” Scarlet called out.

Heather shrugged. “I want to meet the mystery twin. So, you can either stay there like a cowardly schoolgirl, or you can come along and keep me from saying inappropriate things to the newest hunk in town.” Heather wagged her eyebrows.

“Come on, Heather.”

“What’s it gonna be, Scarlet?”

Scarlet hesitated, frustrated with her boy-crazy friend. She didn’t want to talk to Tristan.

But she also didn’t want her best friend to meet Tristan and start prying. Who knew what Tristan would reveal about Scarlet? Or Gabriel.

“You’re such a bully,” Scarlet said with a sigh as she rose to meet Heather. “You’re lucky I love you.”

Heather’s smile grew. “I know. Now, let’s go chat with Tristan, the hot twin.”

Scarlet’s heart kicked a beat as they left the coffee shop and walked toward Tristan.

Actually, her heart pounded harder and harder as she neared him.

She tried not to over-analyze that too much.

“Tristan!” Heather called out, as if she and Tristan were old pals from grade school or something.

Tristan turned around and looked at Heather curiously. His eyes saw Scarlet, and immediate darkness crossed his face.

Great.

Heather bounced over to Tristan and Marge. “Hi. Marge.” Heather said, waving to the lady who’d lived on Main Street for as long as Scarlet could remember.

Marge gave a toothless smile and nodded as Scarlet slowly walked up beside Heather.

“Hi Marge,” Scarlet said softly.

“Sweet girls,” Marge said, clapping her hands together and cooing. “Sweet girls!” She looked at Tristan. “You, dear boy, are kind. But my boots have been misbehaving. I must get back to them.” Marge stood up from the ground and shuffled away, cackling as she went.

Tristan, Heather, and Scarlet watched as she left, her cackling turning into an off-pitch song as she disappeared around a corner.

Tristan turned to look at Scarlet, holding her eyes with his for a brief moment before looking at Heather.

“I’m Heather.” Heather stuck her hand out.

Tristan took her hand. “Tristan.”

“I know. You’re Gabriel’s secret twin brother.” Heather batted her lashes.

Scarlet rolled her eyes.

“I’m Scarlet’s B-F-F,” Heather explained as their handshake ended. She looked at his eyes. “Wow. You have really green eyes. How is that possible? Gabriel has brown eyes. Aren’t you two supposed to be, like, identical twins?”

Tristan gave a small smile and said with mock seriousness, “Would you believe some crazy woman shot me with a magical arrow and forever altered my eye color?”

Heather’s eyes grew wide as Scarlet looked at Tristan with her mouth falling open.

What was he doing?

Tristan glanced at Scarlet, but made no expression.

Heather nodded and mimicked his sarcastic tone, “I would believe that. And would you believe that I saw you in the warehouse district hanging out with a shady dude a few weeks ago?” She raised a challenging eyebrow.

Tristan’s smile tightened.

“I would believe that.”

“Well, this looks friendly,” Gabriel said, appearing at Scarlet’s side and putting a halt to the very uncomfortable tension filling up between Heather and Tristan. “What’s going on?” He looked at Tristan and cocked his head to the side.

Tristan looked at his twin. “Nothing.”

“Well, in that case,” Gabriel gave Scarlet a kiss on the cheek. “We need to get going if we want to get to the movie on time.”

Scarlet looked at him and smiled.

Movies. Right.

“Okay, well, this has been fun.” Not. Scarlet turned to Heather, deliberately not looking at Tristan. “See you later?”

She gave Heather a quick hug goodbye and watched as Tristan turned and walked away without a word during their embrace.

Yep. He hates me.

As he walked away, Scarlet’s pounding heart began to subside.

41

Late that evening, Scarlet was in a dead and peaceful sleep when she heard a noise downstairs. Her eyes flew open as she sat up in bed, listening.

Someone was in the house.

She heard a faint shuffle and a creak on the downstairs floor.

Of course something totally freaky would happen while Laura was a million miles away.

Slowly and quietly, Scarlet crept out of bed.

She looked around her room for her cell phone and wanted to groan. She’d left it downstairs on the kitchen table. How was she going to call the police?

Okay, don’t panic.

She heard a second creak on the staircase and realized the intruder was making his way upstairs.

Scarlet panicked.

Should I fight?

Nope.

Should I hide?

Maybe.

Should I run?

Definitely.

Frozen in the darkness of her bedroom, Scarlet formulated a plan to exit her house without tipping off the intruder.

She tiptoed to her cracked bedroom door and peeked into the black hallway. If she could slink out of her room and hide in the hall bathroom at the top of the stairs until the intruder passed by, then she could run downstairs and out the front door, screaming like a crazy person.

Yes. That was a good plan.

She pulled open her bedroom door just wide enough to fit her slim body through.

Creak.

The stranger was higher up on the stairs—she had to hurry.

Slipping through her doorway, Scarlet snuck along the dark hallway wall and into the bathroom. She hid behind the open bathroom door and peeked out between the door hinges, her eyes fixed on the stairs.

Her breath was shaky as she waited in silence.

All the lights were off in the house, making it impossible to see anything clearly. Moonlight spilling in from the windows was the only illumination.

A silhouetted figure appeared at the top of the stairs and paused.

It was a male form—a figure and body type she’d never seen before.

A stranger.

Scarlet began to shake, cursing herself for leaving her phone downstairs.

The figure, whose features were indiscernible in the darkness, cocked his head to the side like he was listening for something.

Scarlet held her breath.

Slowly, he moved down the hallway. When he walked passed the bathroom, Scarlet was sure her pounding heart would give her away.

But it didn’t.

The stranger crept along. Past the bathroom. Past Laura’s room. But stopped at Scarlet’s bedroom, and stood outside her door.

Scarlet wanted to cry.

He thought she was in there.

He thought she was sleeping in her bed. Alone. Vulnerable.

This was more than just an intruder. This was someone after Scarlet personally.

She watched him silently enter her dark bedroom.

Without another thought, Scarlet scooted from behind the bathroom door and tiptoed into the hallway. She wanted to run. She wanted to scream.

But, mostly, she wanted to live.

As quietly as she could, Scarlet turned her back on her bedroom and hurried to the staircase.

She’d just reached the top of the stairs, when a strong, male hand covered her mouth and pulled her back up against a strong body.

I’m going to die.

42

Tristan could barely control his fear when he whispered into Scarlet’s ear, “Get out of here!”

There was a strange man in Scarlet’s bedroom.

In the middle of the night.

When no one else was home.

Tristan had watched him enter Scarlet’s house a few minutes ago and immediately followed him inside. He’d seen the stranger head straight for Scarlet’s bedroom and nearly lost his mind.

Tristan didn’t know what the intruder was after, but he didn’t care.

He was a threat to Scarlet.

And he would die.

43

Scarlet calmed down as soon as she registered Tristan’s voice in her ear.

If Tristan was here, she was safe.

How she knew that, Scarlet didn’t know. But she believed it with all her heart.

Still wrapped in his arms, Scarlet let her body sink into him as she exhaled.

She stopped shaking, but her heart started thudding like it was under attack.

And, without warning, her eyes went blind went a memory.

She was in the forest. With Tristan.

They were standing the same way, his arms wrapped around her body as she rested her back against his chest.

But they weren’t in danger.

In was nighttime, and there were a million stars winking at them from the heavens. The dark forest trees softly danced in the warm wind and his voice was close to her ear when he said, “I promise.”

The memory slipped away, and Scarlet was again at the top of her staircase. In Tristan’s arms. He released her and, for the first time since he’d grabbed her, Scarlet realized Tristan wasn’t the intruder.

Which meant the bad guy was still in her bedroom….

For brief moment, Scarlet didn’t move.

Tristan’s voice was full-volume and stern when he yelled, “Run!”

Scarlet blinked one time, before doing exactly that.

She ran.

She’d almost reached the bottom of the stairs when she heard a rustling followed by a series of thumps and groans.

Alarm shot through her as she looked back up at the top of the staircase.

From the light of the moon she could see Tristan wrestling with the stranger, arms and legs flailing in the darkness. Moonlight glinted off the blade of a knife in the stranger’s hand—a knife he was stabbing Tristan with.

A surge of adrenaline rushed through Scarlet’s veins as she reached the main floor. She hurried to the kitchen table and found her cell phone.

She had just dialed 9-1- when she glanced back up and saw Tristan pull something from his back pocket and thrust it into the stranger’s abdomen, weakening his opponent greatly.

The stranger yelped and fell backward, his large body tumbling down the staircase and into the entryway.

Scarlet froze, paralyzed by fear.

She watched in horror as the stranger, gripping his midsection, stood from his fall, looked once at Scarlet, and fled out front door.

With the phone still in her hands, Scarlet smacked at the wall beside her until she found the light switch. Flicking it on, she saw Tristan hurry to the base of the stairs and look at her with wild eyes. “Scarlet, get out of here!”

She noticed a deep gash on his forehead bleeding down the side of his face. Several gashes marked up his arms and chest, coating his shirt in blood. He needed stitches. Or a doctor.

Words tumbled over themselves as Scarlet quickly pushed them through her mouth, “What happ—? Are you ok—? Who was—?”

She was shaking and her lungs felt tight with fear.

Tristan sharply motioned to the front door with a bloody hand. “Get outside.” His green eyes bore into her; without mercy, without debate. “Now!”

Scarlet blinked once before rushing out of her house, Tristan right behind her.

“Get to my car.” Tristan commanded, his hot breath brushing against the back of her neck as they ran across her front lawn.

Without question, Scarlet headed to Tristan’s black car.

He hated her. He didn’t want her around.

But, for whatever reason, Scarlet trusted him implicitly.

If he told her to get in the car, she would get in the car.

Scarlet’s breathing became more tight and rapid.

Tristan barked out orders like, “Keep your head down,” and “Don’t look back!” but Scarlet barely heard him above the roar of her pounding heart and the shallow air squeezing through her chest.

With burning eyes, she ran through the darkness and let herself into Tristan’s car. He followed suit, jumping into the driver’s seat and immediately peeled out of the neighborhood.

It wasn’t until they were speeding away from her very small and, usually, very safe Avalon neighborhood that Scarlet was able to catch her breath. “What…what just happened?”

Tristan kept his eyes on the road. “I don’t know.” He sounded out of breath, too.

He seemed…angry.

And scared.

Panic darted through Scarlet’s body. “Is someone following us?”

“No.” He cursed. “I don’t know.”

Scarlet turned around in her seat to look out the back window.

“What are you doing? Turn around and keep your head down!” Tristan’s eyes shot to Scarlet with a dangerous gleam.

She twisted back around, faced forward and shrank down in her seat.

She was terrified.

Not because Tristan was yelling at her like she was a disobedient puppy, but because Tristan was scared.

And if he was afraid, then there was something to be afraid of.

Several minutes went by in silence, the only noise the growling of the car engine.

“Are you okay?” Tristan asked in a rough voice, not looking at her. “Are you hurt or anything?”

Scarlet shook her head and looked out at the road, her body shaking again. “Who was that guy in my house? Was he a robber? What did he want?”

“I don’t know,” Tristan said shifting in his seat. He winced in pain as he reached into his back pocket. First he threw a knife, wet with blood, on the dashboard.

Scarlet’s eyes widened.

Then he held up an unfamiliar object. “Have you ever seen anything like this before?”

It looked like a wide headband. It was black, made of plastic, and lined with wires. On one side of the band was what looked like a tiny, sharp crystal.

Scarlet eyed it, her confusion growing. “No. What is it?”

Tristan shook his head, his eyes never leaving the road. “I have no idea.”

Scarlet blinked. “What do you think he wanted?” she asked again, because she was scared. And nervous. And confused.

“I don’t know,” Tristan snapped, anger in his voice, like Scarlet’s questions were annoying him.

Scarlet raised a brow. “Well, what were you doing in my house?” If he wanted to be snotty, she could be snotty. “I certainly didn’t invite you in.”

Tristan let out a frustrated sigh and checked the rearview mirror without answering.

“What were you doing in my house, Tristan? Did Gabriel send you?”

Tristan’s flexed his jaw. “No.”

Scarlet shifted in her seat to look at him. “Then…what? You were just hanging out upstairs while I slept? That’s creepy.”

Tristan shook his head. “I was outside of your house when I saw that guy walk in your front door.”

Scarlet widened her eyes. “You saw him come inside?”

Tristan nodded. “I thought it was weird that some stranger just waltzed into your house in the middle of the night while your guardian was out of town, so I followed him in. Turns out he was a bad guy. Big surprise.”

Scarlet looked at him. “What do you think he wanted?”

Tristan blinked. “I’m not sure. But he knew you were inside and he was willing to kill me to get to you.”

Scarlet shuddered. “We need to call the police.”

“Nope.”

“What?” Scarlet looked at him incredulously. “Someone just broke into my house and tried to kill me…or something. We need to call the cops.”

Tristan shook his head. “Uh-uh.”

“You’re insane.” Scarlet pulled out her phone to dial 9-1-1 for the second time that night.

Tristan snatched the phone from her hands and, with one swift movement, rolled down his window and threw it into the heavily wooded area on the side of the road.

“What the hell, Tristan?” Scarlet stared at him in disbelief.

“You don’t get to make phone calls right now, Scarlet. You need to listen to me, closely.” Tristan looked at her briefly, his eyes connecting with hers in a way that comforted her and scared the crap out of her at the same time.

“That guy back there wasn’t your normal, everyday burglar. He was after you specifically and he had this,” Tristan held up the headband thingy again as he looked back at the road, “ready to use on you. So, you don’t get to pretend like you have a normal teenage life right now. You are different, Scarlet. Somebody came after you tonight. You could have died. Or worse.”

A few tense moments passed, silent but for the car engine and Scarlet’s drumming heart.

She puckered her lips. “Still. Did you really have to throw my phone out? Couldn’t you just have asked me to put it down and talked to me like a grown up?”

“Nope.”

“You suck.”

“Okay.”

“You owe me a new phone,” Scarlet quipped.

Tristan jutted his jaw. “Phones can be traced, Scarlet. This way, if someone goes hunting you down, they’ll wind up in some roadside Georgia forest—far away from you.”

“You’re being paranoid.”

“Maybe.” Tristan glanced at her.

Scarlet met his eyes with a steel gaze, more questions filling up her head. “What were you doing in my house?”

“I wasn’t in your—“

Scarlet rolled her eyes. “What were you doing outside my house? At,” she looked at the dashboard clock, “three in the morning?”

Tristan tilted his head back a forth a few times. “Sleeping.”

Scarlet pursed her lips. “Sleeping?”

“Yes. Sleeping. Or, at least,” he exhaled, “trying to.”

“Right.” Scarlet shook her head. Liar.

Her eyes moved about the darkness of the car and took everything in. The seats were leather and the interior was very clean. The instrument lights on the dashboard cast an eerie glow on Tristan’s profile and Scarlet’s breath caught.

He was bleeding. Badly.

Her eyes trailed down to his body, where dark stains seeped through his shirt and pants.

He had blood all over him.

His beautiful face... his beautiful body...was bloody.

She stared at him another minute before swallowing and filling up with gratitude.

He’d fought for her tonight.

He’d been stabbed and hurt so some weirdo hadn’t hurt her.

Tristan had protected her.

She remembered the memory flash she’d had at the top of the stairs and she softened inside.

There had to be more to Tristan than coldness. It didn’t make sense that he hated her.

Somewhere, a long time ago, he’d held her in his arms and promised her…something. Guys that hate you don’t make promises under the stars.

Scarlet’s heart kicked as she looked him over. A piece of her wanted to climb into his arms and kiss all his boo-boos.

She was pathetic.

“You’re bleeding.” Her eyes ran over the many cuts and bloodstains on his body. “You need to go to a hospital.”

He didn’t answer for a moment, as if lost in thought.

“Tristan,” she said, trying to get his attention.

He blinked and furrowed his brow before glancing at her. “What?”

“You need to see a doctor.” Scarlet reached across the seat to touch the side of his face where a piece of hair was matted to the stream of blood on his forehead, but he abruptly ducked out of her reach.

Like her hand was poison.

Like he was disgusted by the idea of her touch.

The rejection stung as Scarlet quickly pulled her hand back.

He shook his head. “No. No, I’m immortal, remember? I don’t need doctors.”

“But you’re….” Scarlet eyed the blood oozing from the side of his chest. “You’re bleeding pretty bad…and you’re probably in a lot of pain—“

“I’m fine,” he snapped.

Scarlet raised a brow. “Fine. Bleed to death. Whatever.”

You can die for all I care.

The thought stole the breath from her lungs and Scarlet silently scolded herself.

Looking out the windows, she noticed the road they were on was dark and familiar. “Where are we going?”

“The only safe place I know.” Tristan pulled off onto a dirt road.

“Your cabin?”

He nodded.

“Let me get this straight. We’re not calling the cops, and you think your isolated cabin in the middle of nowhere is the safest place to keep me? Brilliant plan.”

“The cabin—and the land around it—are secure. And if we call the police, and explain what happened, they’ll open an investigation. We can’t have random strangers prying into your life, Scarlet. If people start looking too closely at you, they might look closely at Gabriel too. And that kind of attention will only hinder the whole curse thing. So, I’m going to hand you over to Gabriel so he can take care of you like a good little boyfriend and you’re not going to call the cops, got it?”

“You’re a jerk,” Scarlet said, because she was feeling feisty. And a little hurt by Tristan flinching at her hand a moment ago. Her eyes started burning again.

“That’s me. The jerk.” Tristan pulled out his phone—a phone that was not in the middle of the woods—from a pocket of his jeans and sent a text.

As soon as they pulled into the cabin’s driveway, Gabriel rushed out of the front door and followed them into the garage.

He came to Scarlet’s side of the car as she opened her door. “Are you okay?” Gabriel ran his hands across her head and shoulders and back as she stood from the car. “Did anyone hurt you? What the hell happened?” He paused, looking curiously at her eyes. “How do you feel?”

Scarlet shook her head, welcoming Gabriel’s affectionate touch across her body. “I’m fine. Really, I’m fine.”

But she wasn’t.

Sure, she had no scars on her body and she didn’t have dried blood caked to her shirt like Tristan, but her heart was beating out of control.

Someone had come after her tonight.

And here she thought her biggest problem was trying to outlive a curse.

44

In the cabin, Tristan explained what happened to his brother.

Gabriel’s reaction was predictable; “We need to take Scarlet somewhere to keep her safe. Maybe she could stay at one of our other places, where no one can find her—”

“No, Gabe. We’re not taking her anywhere. What we need to do is figure out what the hell this is.” Tristan tossed the black headband onto the coffee table in the living room. “Whoever that guy was tonight, he was going to do something to Scarlet with that. We need to know what it is and what it does, so we can understand exactly what he was after tonight.”

Gabriel picked up the black band and examined it. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“Neither have I. But it doesn’t look like something friendly.” He looked at Scarlet, standing scared and confused in her pajamas.

Gabriel wrapped his arm around her small shoulders and Tristan wanted to growl.

Leaving Scarlet to be protected by Gabriel was the last thing he wanted to do.

But when did he ever get what he wanted?

“Okay.” Tristan pulled his eyes away from Gabriel, and looked down at his bloody shirt. “I need to take a shower.”

“You need to see a doctor.” Scarlet’s voice was steady, which filled Tristan with confidence that she would be all right.

Tonight had been scary, but Scarlet could handle it.

She was tough.

She was brave.

Even if she didn’t remember she had it, her strength was still there, deep inside her. Which made him kinda proud.

Tristan inhaled slowly, trying not to sound like a jackass when he said, “I don’t. Need. A doctor.”

“But all the blood….” Scarlet’s eyes ran down his body, stirring something inside him.

Something forbidden.

He needed her to stop looking at him. He needed her to stop caring.

“You’re bleeding everywhere,” Scarlet said.

She didn’t remember how he healed, so it was only fair for him to remind her. His head gash was still bleeding so, instead, he yanked the collar of his shirt down so Scarlet could see a deep knife wound at the top of his chest, slowly closing up.

“Gabriel and I heal. Knife wounds, bullet wounds…nothing kills us. See?”

Well…almost nothing.

Scarlet took a step forward and looked up at his collarbone where his open flesh was mending itself in slow motion. Her body heat laid upon him as she neared and he gritted his teeth.

Scarlet’s eyes grew in wonder. “That’s…amazing.” Her breath feathered across the wound and nearly drove him to insanity.

In an instant, her eyes turned electric blue, brightening as she looked at his exposed collarbone, and sending alarm through his body.

Her eyes had been pulsing in and out of their supernatural blue color all night, flashing at Tristan and sending terror through his veins.

“Okay.” His released his shirt collar and took a step back. “Show and tell is over. I’m going to take a shower and rinse all this blood off.”

And, hopefully, wash away the fear, helplessness, and desire pouring from his core.

Without looking at Scarlet, he left the room and went downstairs.

45

Scarlet fell into Gabriel’s embrace willingly. He smelled so good and felt so warm and strong, she didn’t want to leave his arms as they stood in the living room.

Although she’d been safe for nearly an hour, her heart was still beating out of control.

Gabriel kissed the top of her head several times. His voice was full of emotion when he said, “I’m so glad you’re not hurt.”

Scarlet burrowed her face in his chest. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“Neither do I.” Gabriel pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. “But I’m going to find out. I promise I will keep you safe.” He kissed her head again. “For now, let’s get you settled. We’ll figure out a plan tomorrow.”

Gabriel took her by the hand and led her upstairs. Scarlet had yet to see any part of the cabin aside from the living room, so she took in her surroundings carefully.

“What’s in the basement?” Scarlet eyed the set of stairs leading into darkness below them.

“Tristan’s room.” Gabriel headed upstairs.

Tristan lived in a dark basement.

Of course.

The upstairs was set up like a house, with everything except a kitchen.

There was a large sitting room with an unlit fireplace and two rooms off to the side. She followed Gabriel into his large and very modern-looking bedroom. His furniture was a sleek black and the walls were a muted gray. Off to the side was an archway leading into a master bathroom with black countertops, chrome fixtures, and a very large shower.

She looked at his big bed, covered in a plush black comforter, and wished she was standing in his bedroom under different circumstances.

Yesterday, she would have loved to crawl into bed with Gabriel and wiggle into his arms.

Tonight, though, she just wanted to go to sleep without anyone trying to kill her.

Scarlet sighed. Tonight sucked.

Gabriel’s hand skimmed down her shoulder until it fell into her hand. He walked her over to the big bed.

“You need rest. Why don’t you try to get some sleep while I figure stuff out?” He smiled sweetly at her as he repositioned the pillows and blankets, making a little nest for her.

Scarlet looked up at him, skeptical of any peaceful sleep coming to her. “Do you think that guy was trying to kill me tonight?”

Gabriel thought about it. “No. I honestly don’t. But since we don’t know what he was trying to do, we just have to be careful. And this,” Gabriel motioned around the room, “is the safest place in the world for you right now. Because I would never let anything happen to you.” He smiled again as she climbed into his bed and leaned back into the fluffy pillows.

He ran his hand along her face and Scarlet kissed his nearby fingers. “I know.”

Once Scarlet was comfortably settled, her eyes became heavy and closed of their own accord.

She felt Gabriel kiss her cheek before she heard his soft footsteps leave the room. Even though she didn’t want to be alone, she couldn’t find the strength to speak or open her eyes. She was just…too…tired….

Against her better judgment, Scarlet surrendered to sleep and prayed she wouldn’t find strangers with knives in her dreams.

46

Back in the living room, Gabriel stared at the black device for a long time. Someone had come after Scarlet. Someone knew she was alone in her house and had snuck in while she was sleeping.

Someone must know she’s special.

The thought terrified Gabriel.

Scarlet was so vulnerable, so weak. She could never have defended herself against a full-grown man. She could have been hurt or kidnapped, and Gabriel would never have known what happened to her.

If Tristan hadn’t been there, Scarlet wouldn’t have stood a chance.

If Tristan hadn’t been there, Gabriel’s world would have imploded.

Which begged the question, why had Tristan been there?

Gabriel fisted and flexed his hands as a familiar suspicion settled on him.

He heard Tristan marching upstairs from the basement and waited until his twin was within earshot before asking, “Why were you at Scarlet’s house tonight?”

His palms began to sweat.

Freshly showered and wearing clean clothes, Tristan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I was trying to get some sleep.”

Gabriel raised a brow.

“In my car. Outside her house.” Tristan rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, it’s not like I was sleeping in her bed or anything. I haven’t been able to sleep for two nights now and I thought being near her would help.”

Gabriel nodded. “Is it that bad, now?”

“It’s…bad. It’s worse than ever before.”

“Why?”

Tristan shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

Gabriel looked at the floor, unsure of what to say. He knew Tristan suffered when Scarlet was far away but, with her house being only miles from the cabin, he should be able to sleep without discomfort.

“So,” Tristan said. “Our little dilemma just got way worse. What should we do?”

Gabriel rubbed the side of his face and looked at the black band on the table. “We need to find out what that thing is.”

Tristan nodded. “And we need to make sure no one else comes after Scarlet.”

A few moments passed.

“We need to talk to Nate,” Gabriel said.

“Yeah…Nate will probably have a better idea than us.”

Gabriel pulled out his cell phone and called their longtime friend.

Nate’s voicemail picked up on the third ring. “Hey, this is Nate. I’m currently in the cave of concentration. Leave a message and I’ll call you back in seven-to-ten business days. May the force be with you.” A long beep followed.

Gabriel lowered the phone with a sigh.

“What’s up?” Tristan looked at Gabriel’s phone.

“Nate’s in the ‘cave of concentration’.”

Tristan rolled his eyes. “He’s probably practicing for the video game Olympics or whatever.”

“Video game Olympics?”

“Yeah, he mentioned something about a championship to me a few weeks ago. We won’t be able to reach him. You know how he is when he’s in the ‘cave’.”

Gabriel shook his head, frustrated. Nate was always falling off the face of the earth for brief periods of time when he was working on something.

Sometimes, it was admirable.

Right now? It was inconvenient.

“We need to talk to Nate. What should we do?”

Tristan sighed. “I don’t know.”

“Let me think about it,” Gabriel responded. “We’ll figure something out in the morning. Tonight, we just need to make sure Scarlet’s safe.”

Tristan smiled without humor as he turned to leave. “Well, in that case, I’ll be downstairs, as far away from her as possible.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Don’t be dramatic.”

Tristan spun around, his face fierce. “Did you not see her eyes tonight? They were flashing all over the place.”

“She was scared.” Gabriel tried to calm Tristan down. “Relax. She’s fine.”

Tristan shook his head and exhaled. “Every time I’m close to her it makes her heart beat harder, tearing it in half that much faster. Don’t you get that? I’m killing her, Gabe.”

For a second, Tristan looked as vulnerable and afraid as Gabriel felt. But, in an instant, Tristan’s eyes hardened. “Scarlet needs to stay as far away from me as possible.”

“Tristan.” Gabriel held his palms up, surprised by his brother’s panic. It was out of character for him. “Calm down. Scarlet’s eyes were flashing but she’s not sick yet. She’s fine.”

Scarlet was fine.

Right?

Tristan squared his jaw and left the room saying, “For her sake, I hope you’re right.”

Gabriel thought about the ramifications of Tristan being around Scarlet.

Her condition would accelerate around Tristan, simply because the blood in his body was more powerful than hers. But a few hours—even a whole night around Tristan—shouldn’t be cause for concern…right?

Gabriel went upstairs with a nervous feeling in his stomach.

47

Scarlet sat up straight in bed, fear pulsing through her.

No, not fear. Worry.

She was worried sick.

She felt…helpless?

Scarlet blinked and looked around the dark room. Gabriel was sleeping peacefully beside her, his breaths even and soft. She didn’t remember him coming back in the room, but there he was.

Scarlet laid back down and took a deep breath, hoping her heart would relax—it was pounding crazily in her chest.

She scooted closer to Gabriel, soaking up comfort from his warm body.

She was totally safe.

So…why was she so worried?

48

Tristan stared at himself in the bathroom mirror again, unable to calm his nerves.

His gut churned with worry.

All he’d wanted to do tonight was get some sleep—some peace from his torment. And now that Scarlet was only two flights of stairs above him, he finally had the physical relief he’d sought out.

But there was no way sleep would come tonight. Tristan’s gut churned with worry. Someone had come after Scarlet. Someone had walked into her room….

Tristan wanted to scream.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he left the bathroom and paced his large bedroom, his fear mounting with every step.

He felt helpless.

So much for sleep.

49

The next day, Scarlet made her way down the cabin stairs to find Tristan making coffee in the kitchen. Upon seeing him, she immediately turned around and headed back upstairs—her heart pounding.

Tristan, first thing in the morning, was a bad idea.

“Morning, beautiful,” came Gabriel’s voice behind her. “Or rather, good afternoon.”

She turned to see Gabriel exiting a room at the end of the main floor hallway. “Hey,” she said, walking back downstairs. “Is it afternoon already? Did I sleep that long?”

“Yep.” He smiled and greeted her with a brief kiss. “But I’m glad you got to rest. How did you sleep?”

Scarlet thought about it. She hadn’t had any nightmares, but after waking up stricken with fear and worry, she’d had a hard time getting back to sleep.

“Fine,” she said, because what else was she going to say? I’m a big chicken?

She looked him over for a moment. He was fully dressed. “Are you going somewhere?”

Gabriel smiled at her reassuringly. “Yes. I have to go find Nate.”

“Your immortal friend who knows about curses?”

Gabriel nodded. “He knows about a lot of stuff, not just curses, and I think he’ll be able to help us figure out what’s going on. But since he’s not answering his phone, I’m going to go visit him. He might be able to tell me what that band thing is and help us figure out how to better protect you.”

Scarlet’s eyes went wide. “No, no. Don’t leave. At least wait until Laura gets home. I can’t do this without you…I’m freaked out, Gabriel.”

He looked at her softly. “I know. And I promise I wouldn’t leave you if I didn’t have to. But it will just be for a day or two, I swear.”

Scarlet’s mouth dropped open. “Someone tried to kill me last night and you’re just gonna leave town today? You’re gonna leave me alone with all the creepsters who are out to get me?”

It was a bit dramatic to say, but Scarlet couldn’t imagine trying to go back home and sleep peacefully without Gabriel.

“No one is trying to kill you. At least,” Gabriel thought about it, “I don’t think anyone is trying to kill you.” He smiled at her and kissed her cheek. “Everything will be fine, don’t worry. I’m not leaving you alone,” Gabriel led her into the kitchen. “I have a plan.”

Tristan looked up at the two of them from his coffee mug and walked to the far end of the counter.

Far away from Scarlet.

Whatever.

She avoided his green eyes and looked at Gabriel. “What plan?”

Gabriel shrugged. “You’re going to stay here with Tristan while I go to New York.”

Tristan coughed into his coffee mug and Scarlet’s eyes went wide.

“No,” Tristan said. “Not a chance.”

Gabriel looked at him sharply. “Yes.”

“I’m not a babysitter, Gabe.”

Scarlet narrowed her eyes at Tristan.

“You’re not babysitting her, Tristan. You’re making sure no one kills her.”

Scarlet panicked. “I thought you said no one was trying to kill me.”

Gabriel sighed. “Right. But since we don’t know what he, or she, or they are trying to do to you, we can’t afford to take any chances.”

Tristan put his mug down. “I’m not doing it.”

“You are doing it. Nate’s in his ‘cave’ for who knows how long, so someone has to go find him. We need to understand what we’re dealing with.” Gabriel looked at Tristan long and hard.

“Then have Tristan go,” Scarlet said.

Problem solved.

Tristan could disappear and take his mean mouth with him, and she and Gabriel could have the romantic cabin all to themselves, safe from potential killers.

Tristan and Gabriel shared a tense look.

“Tristan…can’t leave,” Gabriel said, his eyes leaving Tristan and looking at Scarlet. “So, I’m going instead.”

“Then take me with you.” Scarlet stood up straight.

Gabriel sighed. “You can’t leave either. And even if you could, I wouldn’t be able to keep you safe while we were traveling.”

Without a word, Tristan stormed out of the kitchen.

Scarlet watched him leave and turned to Gabriel, frustrated. “I don’t understand why Tristan can’t go instead of you.”

Gabriel looked at Scarlet with an apologetic face. “Can you wait here a minute?”

Without waiting for her to agree, Gabriel left the kitchen.

With a huff, Scarlet made herself a cup of coffee. She sat down with her hot mug in uncomfortable silence and decided she didn’t like being left alone in the kitchen. She wanted to know what was going on.

Leaving the the kitchen, Scarlet heard Gabriel’s voice in the next room.

“Dude, you have to do this!”

The brothers were in the living room, just a few yards away from her and probably assumed she was out of earshot. Scarlet didn’t intend to eavesdrop, but she that’s what she did.

Because secrets weren’t her thing anymore.

“No,” Tristan said. “I don’t have to do it. And I don’t want to do it. If you’re so determined to see Nate, then find somewhere else for Scarlet to stay. She’s not staying here.”

“I can’t do that Tristan. It’s too dangerous.”

“Scarlet is not staying here with me. End of discussion.”

He still hated her. Wonderful.

Scarlet found a spot against the hallway wall and peeked out so she could see the brothers.

“What’s your problem?” Gabriel stood in front of Tristan, his body tense. “We have a real situation here. We need help and Nate is our best option. And since you’re not able to go fetch him—“

“Why do we need to ‘fetch’ anybody? Have Nate come here.”

“We don’t have time to wait around for Nate to return phone calls. We need answers now.”

Tristan shook his head and laughed without humor. “You are an idiot.”

“I’m trying to save Scarlet’s life.”

“So am I!” Tristan shouted. “The difference is that I actually understand how things work. You don’t. If Scarlet stays at her own house with you until we hear back from Nate, she’ll be fine. But,” Tristan drew near to Gabriel’s face, lowering his voice to the point where Scarlet almost couldn’t hear him, “if Scarlet stays here, with me, she’ll die. She. Will. Die.”

Scarlet’s breath caught.

What the…?

“Look,” Gabriel softened his voice. “I understand you’re worried, but we have time, Tristan. Scarlet’s still healthy. Nothing will happen while I’m gone.”

Healthy? Were they worried about her heart? Was she closer to death than they’d led her to believe?

Her heart hammered inside her.

Tristan threw his hands in the air. “That’s the problem, Gabe. You’re always so willing to take stupid risks.”

“It’s not like I’m leaving for a year, Tristan. It’s just for a day or so. Someone came after her last night and we need to know why. We need Nate’s help, immediately. I’d rather risk two days of her in the house with you, than two weeks of strangers coming after her…wouldn’t you?”

Tristan paced around the living room for a minute, tension tracing his movements.

Scarlet didn’t understand why he was so angry. She didn’t exactly want to shack up with him either, but at least she wasn’t pitching a giant fit about it.

Finally, Tristan exhaled. “Fine. Leave your precious girlfriend here. I’ll keep her safe from bad guys and monsters.” He leaned back into Gabriel. “But I can’t promise to keep her safe from me. What if her heart weakens and she’s dangerously sick when you get back? What then?”

Dangerously sick? Did being around Tristan make her heart…worse?

Gabriel hesitated before nodding. “I’d rather she be sick and safe, than dead because we don’t know what to protect her from.”

Dead? So, Gabriel did think her life was in danger?

Scarlet bit back a groan.

Great.

“Whatever.” Tristan shook his head and left the room.

Scarlet stood against the wall and waited until Tristan had disappeared out the back door before making her way back into the kitchen. She sat down at the breakfast counter like she’d never left—like she’d been sitting there staring at the blank wall as though it was the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen.

Gabriel entered the kitchen with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Scarlet. I know this is all so weird for you and probably more confusing than I could ever understand.”

Scarlet said nothing.

She honestly didn’t know if she was mad or scared.

“Here’s the thing. I need to protect you, and in order to do that I need to go to New York and find Nate. You understand that, right?”

No. Not at all.

“Um…can’t you just wait a few days? I don’t really want to stay here with…Tristan.” Scarlet made her eyes sad, hoping Gabriel would pander to her request.

“Tristan’s harmless. He’s grumpy and rude,” Gabriel said, “but he’d never let anything bad happen to you.”

Scarlet wanted to scoff.

The guy had practically promised Scarlet would die in his care. That didn’t make her feel very safe.

She stood from her seat and put down her coffee. “I think I’m just going to call Laura and have her come back. That way, I can just stay at home until you get back.”

“No.” Gabriel shook his head. “You can’t call Laura. You can’t tell Laura anything.”

“And why not?”

Why were the Archers brothers always telling her what to do?

“Because it could put Laura in danger.” Gabriel took a step toward Scarlet. “If this guy—whoever he is—finds out that Laura knows something, he might hurt her in order to get to you. You can’t tell her.”

Scarlet blinked. She didn’t want to put Laura at risk, but she also didn’t want to stay here with Tristan. “Then I’ll stay at a hotel.”

Gabriel dropped his head. “Please don’t make this difficult. You know a hotel isn’t nearly as safe as a cabin with an immortal guy living in it.”

“Yeah, but Tristan doesn’t want me here. He doesn’t…like me.” Scarlet tried not to sound like an offended third grader.

But that’s exactly how she felt.

“The way Tristan feels about you doesn’t matter. What matters is keeping you safe. Please let me keep you safe.” Gabriel looked at her with his pretty brown eyes, filled with sincere love and worry. “Please stay here so I know you’re safe.”

Scarlet looked up at him for a long moment before exhaling. “Okay.” She was reluctant to agree but she didn’t know where else she could go and not get attacked by psychos.

Gabriel smiled and kissed her head.

“But,” Scarlet said, “if Tristan gets mean and nasty,” or of he tries to kill me in my sleep or something, “I’m totally leaving. Got it?”

Gabriel breathed out a laugh. “That’s fair. Now,” he took her hands in his and brought them to his mouth to kiss, “let me give you the grand tour.”

Scarlet nodded, upset she wasn’t able to convince Gabriel to stay.

He led her around the main floor and into a room that looked like an office. Books lined the walls and a large desk was in the back.

It looked like something you’d see in a movie, with dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows and fancy leather furniture everywhere.

Next to the office was a closed door. “This room,” Gabriel stood at the door hesitantly, “is where we keep our collection of weapons so,” Gabriel turned the knob, “don’t freak out or anything.”

Gabriel pushed the door open and Scarlet’s eyes took in a giant wall covered in deadly-looking arsenal. Knives, axes, swords, arrows, and many other tools lined the great wall.

And some of them looked rather used.

She started to freak out. “Uh…why do you have so many?”

Were they gearing up for battle?

Gabriel shrugged. “It’s a hobby. It’s more Tristan’s thing than mine, though.”

Figures.

“What, no guns?” Scarlet asked, looking around.

“Guns are for losers,” Gabriel said.

“And,” Scarlet looked at the nearest weapon with a crooked smile, “bloodstained battle axes are for winners?”

Gabriel cocked his head and smiled at her. “Exactly.”

After the room of death and daggers, Gabriel led Scarlet down into the basement. He turned several lights on as they descended into Tristan’s part of the cabin, so it didn’t look as dark as Scarlet had anticipated.

But it felt dark.

In layout, it was an exact replica of Gabriel’s quarters upstairs. A vast sitting room with a well-used fireplace was off to the left, and two closed doors were to her right.

In design and overall appearance, however, the brother’s living areas were completely different. Upstairs, Gabriel’s sitting room had artwork all over the place and fancy rugs and a couch and coffee table that probably cost more than Scarlet’s car.

Tristan’s sitting room, however, was lined with shelves of books and in the center of the room stood a covered grand piano—dust collecting atop its majestic back.

Somehow, a giant piano just didn’t seem to fit with Scarlet’s perception of Tristan.

She imagined him lurking in the basement with a few gargoyles and maybe lifting weights while he listened to angry music. Not tickling the ivories while holding a snifter of brandy after reading a classic novel.

“This is all Tristan’s, down here,” Gabriel said. “I’d show you his room, but he’s been moody today and I’d rather not piss him off.”

Scarlet nodded. She didn’t want to see Tristan’s room anyway.

Right?

Right.

She followed Gabriel back up the stairs, her eyes lingering on what she assumed was Tristan’s bedroom door.

She shook herself.

No, I do not want to see Tristan’s bedroom.

When she and Gabriel reached the main floor, Gabriel turned to her. “And that’s the cabin. Feel free to poke around and use whatever you’d like.” He kissed Scarlet’s cheek. “Okay. I gotta go.”

Scarlet’s mouth dropped open. “What?” she nearly shouted. “Right now?”

Gabriel nodded. “I can’t wait around, Scarlet. We don’t have any time to waste. I have to find Nate. The sooner the better.” Gabriel kissed her again. “Don’t worry, I’ll probably be back tomorrow. And it’s fall break, remember? There’s no school or anything, so you can just kick back and relax until I get home.”

Kick back?

Relax?

Was he crazy? Some weirdo broke into her house while she was sleeping and now she was being forced to hang out with a guy who hated her in the middle of nowhere.

How was she supposed to relax?

Scarlet watched his eyes fill with reassurance and she let the fight drain out of her. There was no convincing him to stay. He was trying to help her—to save her. And she should let him.

So, why did she feel like Gabriel was giving her over to the wolves?

Probably because big bad Tristan lives downstairs.

After saying goodbye, Gabriel left Scarlet standing barefoot and alone in the cabin’s big entryway. His car faded down the driveway until all that was left was a trail of dust and an empty cabin.

Well, empty save for the two people inside.

Scarlet looked around for a minute.

She hated that she was, essentially, trapped in the woods with Tristan.

Sure, he was beautiful and enticing in an inexplicable way.

But he was also a jerk.

Scarlet sighed to herself, sucked it up, and headed upstairs to Gabriel’s bedroom.

She needed to find a way to make her time in the cabin not suck.

Starting with a shower.

50

Tristan gathered his arrows from the bull’s-eye for the fifth time that morning.

Target practice wasn’t helping.

It should. It usually did. But something was off.

And Tristan knew exactly what it was.

The cold morning wind whipped around his head as he walked back to his aiming point. He could stay outside all day, if necessary. And he would, if that would keep him away from Scarlet.

Gabriel was a fool.

The more Scarlet was around Tristan, the faster his blood would break her heart.

He just needed to keep his distance for the next twenty-four hours and pray her heart didn’t weaken anymore than necessary.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

Whoosh.

Another bull’s-eye.

He heard the upstairs shower turn on—Gabriel’s shower.

Scarlet was in Gabriel’s shower.

Tristan swallowed and drew back another arrow.

Whoosh.

Miss.

He hung his head.

The next twenty-four hours were going to be harder than he thought.

51

Scarlet roamed around Gabriel’s room for a few hours, trying to keep herself occupied. Her heart was still thrumming away relentlessly inside her, but she’d almost gotten used to its nonstop jumping.

Almost.

After her shower, she put on some of Gabriel’s clean clothes, but they were too big and felt…wrong.

So, she put on her pajama pants and T-shirt from the night before instead.

Gabriel had a few books on his dresser that she flipped through, but they were all about gourmet food and sporting events and the stock market.

Bor-ing.

His schoolbooks were on a desk in the corner and Scarlet briefly entertained the idea of studying, but quickly dismissed it.

She wasn’t that bored.

She did, however, grab a notebook and a pen from his schoolbook pile and start doodling.

She sketched the symbol burned in her brain over and over until she’d filled up two pages with its design. It was weird she remembered the design so clearly, yet Gabriel—who’d known her for five hundred years—hadn’t recognized it.

Scarlet thought for a moment.

Or…had he?

He’d been interested in it at the beginning of the year, before he’d told her their history, so maybe he knew what it was and hadn’t told her yet.

When Gabriel got home, she was going to ask him again about the symbol’s meaning.

Scarlet stopped doodling and started making a list of things she needed from her house.

Clothes.

Shoes.

Makeup….

Why do I need makeup? Who am I trying to impress, Tristan?

Not in this lifetime.

She scratched out makeup and replaced it with new phone.

Scarlet shook her head as she thought about how casually Tristan had thrown away her phone—her lifeline.

She set the notebook down and left Gabriel’s room.

Tristan owed her a new phone. Today.

Her bare feet padded down the stairs and wandered around the living room and kitchen in search of Tristan.

When the kitchen and living room proved empty, Scarlet made her way down the hallway. She passed the flight of stairs leading to the basement and immediately rejected any idea of venturing down into Tristan’s turf. She could wait him out upstairs all day if she had to. She wasn’t going into the Archer dungeon.

In front of her, the office door was cracked open. Scarlet peeked through.

Tristan sat at the large desk, his eyes scanning a computer screen.

She tapped on the door, chastised herself for being so meek—especially considering she’d known Tristan for centuries—and let herself in like she belonged there.

She wasn’t going to act like a scared mouse around him.

“You owe me a new phone,” Scarlet said, demanding Tristan’s attention. “Today.”

He glanced at her before looking back to the computer. “Not gonna happen.”

Scarlet plopped down on a chair across from the desk and leaned forward. “Listen, I understand that you couldn’t care less about me, but I’m stuck here and I’d like a way to communicate with the outside world.”

Tristan closed his laptop screen and met her gaze. “The ‘outside world’ is trying to hurt you. So, forgive me, if I’m not jumping to accommodate your request for a new phone.”

Scarlet squared her jaw and stood up. “You will get me a new phone. And also, I need to run home and get clothes. I didn’t exactly get to pack a suitcase last night.”

Tristan looked her over.

He was probably just making a note of what clothes she did have, but it felt more personal than that.

His eyes ran down her pajamed body. Slowly. Intimately.

Scarlet’s heart kicked up a notch as desire shot through her.

She wanted to slap him.

Or herself.

She wasn’t sure.

“Nope,” Tristan said, looking away from her and opening his computer back up. “No field trips to the outside world.”

Scarlet pressed her palms flat on the desk above Tristan. She was angry. And he wasn’t her boss. “You can’t just keep me here like some prisoner.”

“Then leave.”

She narrowed her eyes, but said nothing.

“If you want to go running around the backwoods of Georgia while some crazy person is hunting you down, by all means, go.” His green eyes flashed. “I’ll tell Gabriel you said goodbye.”

Scarlet pursed her lips.

She was barefoot, without any money or a cell phone, and wearing thin cotton pajamas in the cold autumn of Georgia.

Leaving the cabin by foot wasn’t an option.

Was he bluffing?

She leaned in to examine his challenging eyes more closely.

The smell of leather and soap met her nostrils, shooting warmth and need through her veins.

What is wrong with me?

Her eyes burned as she tried to keep her gaze steady.

Tristan leaned across the desk, his face mere inches from hers. With a menacing voice he said, “You need to leave.”

Scarlet held his gaze a moment longer, before swallowing and pulling back.

She was trapped and there was nothing she could do about it.

“Agh.” She huffed and stormed out of the office.

Even as she walked away, furious and frustrated, there was still a hint of longing in her stomach. Something inside her wanted to run back to Tristan and…hug him.

Or more.

Scarlet shook her head and climbed back up to Gabriel’s room, where she spent the rest of the day flipping through boring books.

And, yes, studying.

52

Tristan woke up in the middle of the night. Hungry.

Which was impossible, since he’d eaten right before he’d gone to bed.

His hunger could only mean one thing: Scarlet was hungry.

He groaned.

His connection to her was getting stronger by the second. And more and more ridiculous. Now he could feel when she was hungry? Ugh.

Tristan stared up at his bedroom ceiling and thought about the girl two floors above him. She was probably still sleeping peacefully, dreaming of Gabriel and rainbows or something.

He closed his eyes in a futile attempt to fall back asleep.

No success.

With a sigh, he got up and trudged upstairs.

He should just stay in bed. He should at least pretend he didn’t feel hungry—he knew he wasn’t.

So, why was he headed into the kitchen to make pancakes?

Because he was weak.

And because Scarlet loved pancakes.

In the kitchen, he quietly got out all the ingredients he needed and tried not to over-think his actions.

Maybe if he hurried and just left a plate of pancakes on the counter, he could go back to bed and pretend he wasn’t a pathetic fool.

He looked at the clock: 1:00 a.m.

That’s what he would do. Make pancakes and flee.

53

Scarlet awoke late in the night to hunger pains.

Amidst all her pouting earlier in the day, she’d failed to eat. And now her stomach was mad at her.

She rolled out of Gabriel’s comfortable bed and rummaged through his backpack, hoping to find a candy bar or banana or something.

Nothing.

She looked back at the warm bed. Did she really want to go downstairs and hunt for food?

Her stomach growled.

Yes. She did.

Scarlet sighed and rubbed her eyes before heading downstairs. She’d find a quick bite to eat and hurry back to Gabriel’s room.

Her heartbeat was loud but her footsteps silent as she stepped onto the main floor and rounded the corner into the kitchen.

She blinked.

There, with his back to her, stood Tristan.

Quietly cooking in the middle of the night.

Scarlet’s first instinct was to run back upstairs and avoid him altogether. She’d find a piece of gum or something to hold her over until morning.

But the smell of pancakes stopped her in her tracks and made her mouth water.

Tristan turned around and, seeing Scarlet at the far end of the kitchen, paused.

Neither of them moved for a moment as they locked gazes.

Scarlet felt something twitch inside her.

Something about the darkness outside, the comfort food inside, and Tristan looking at her like he’d been expecting her, made Scarlet feel….

Loved?

I’m insane. Obviously, my hunger has taken over my body and devoured all my brain cells.

She tucked her lips in and eyed the pancakes Tristan pulled from the pan. “Making a midnight snack?”

She tried to sound light and casual. Normal. Friendly.

Not because Tristan deserved it, but because she wanted pancakes. And Tristan, apparently, was keeper of the pancakes.

He looked away from her. “Something like that.”

He was tense. She could almost…feel it.

Scarlet shifted her weight. “Oh.”

Tristan didn’t look at her. “Are you hungry?” He moved around the stove to a plate piled with pancakes.

“A little,” Scarlet lied. She was starving.

Tristan nodded with his back to her. “Feel free to eat, then.”

Scarlet’s mouth watered even more, excited at the prospect of delving into a buttery pancake mountain.

Not wanting to stand around like a princess waiting to be served, Scarlet walked up behind Tristan to grab a plate off the counter and serve herself.

But when she neared his back he turned around, unaware she’d been so close behind him.

Their chests rubbed together for a split second, and Scarlet’s eyes went blind with a flash of colors.

Click.

A memory grew in her head.

Tristan was dressed in modern clothes and making her pancakes.

It was nighttime, and his hair was longer but his eyes were still a brilliant green. He was smiling as he put a plate of pancakes before her and she was laughing. On top of the pancakes was a smiley face made of fruit….

“Sorry,” Tristan mumbled, moving away from her, and pulling her out of the memory.

As Scarlet’s eyes regained focus, she blinked and looked at Tristan. “I remember you….”

Tristan’s eyes widened.

She cocked her head to the side. “I remember you…making pancakes for me…before.”

Tristan’s chest fell with his slow exhale. “Yes, well,” he looked away from her and brushed his hands against the pants he had on, “I’ve made food for you before.”

Scarlet raised her eyebrows, wondering if maybe Tristan hadn’t always hated her.

Maybe he’d even…liked her…in the past?

In last night’s memory, he’d held her in the forest. In tonight’s memory, he made her food and seemed happy to be with her.

So, what had changed between them?

Tristan rubbed the back of his neck. “Gabriel’s a lousy cook. So, you know. I help him out sometimes.”

Scarlet wrinkled her brow.

Something in his words didn’t ring true.

She nodded and pulled two hot pancakes onto a plate for herself. “Can I ask you something?”

She set the plate down and leaned against the counter, facing Tristan.

He hesitated.

She could tell he wanted to leave, she could feel him debating it inside himself.

Their “connection” had to be both ways—it was the only way to explain how she could feel what he felt.

His voice was strained like he had to force words out of his mouth when he slowly answered, “Uh, Sure.”

Scarlet wrinkled her brow and innocently asked, “Did you always hate me?”

It wasn’t a fair question, and it was a bit immature, but she didn’t care. Tristan had made her feel unwanted and unwelcome…but he was willing to share his pancakes with her?

It didn’t make sense.

Tristan’s face held no expression. “You think I hate you?”

Scarlet shrugged. “Do you?”

Tristan looked at the floor, then at the wall, and finally at Scarlet. “No.”

Their eyes locked for a minute and Scarlet’s chest tightened. He was so beautiful and guarded, like he had a thousand secrets and no one to trust.

She watched his green eyes and felt…sad. There was something hollow and hopeless about the way he was looking at her and she wanted to fix it.

Scarlet’s voice was soft when she stated, “You don’t hate me.”

He looked at her steadily. “No.”

Something warm and safe came over her as she scanned his face, trying to figure out just who Tristan Archer was.

He was more than Gabriel’s brother.

He was more than a guy with immortal blood.

In the back of her head, and the center of her heart, he was something…more.

Her eyes searched his for a long moment, before falling along his square jaw line. They traced down to his chin…then back up…eventually landing on his lips.

Lips just like Gabriel’s; full and perfectly shaped.

But something about Tristan’s mouth seemed…sexier….

Tristan shook his head, his voice raspy when he said, “Scarlet.”

It wasn’t a question, or a demand. Just her name. On his perfect lips.

And it made her stomach wild with butterflies.

Was he breathing harder than before?

Scarlet looked at his chest, covered in a white T-shirt, as it rose and fell with each breath. It was a lovely chest. So strong and sure. So familiar…yet different than Gabriel’s….

She took a step closer to him, sliding her eyes along his collarbone and broad shoulders.

She expected him to take a step back, to shy away from her approaching body, but he didn’t. He stood perfectly still, his breath uneven.

Scarlet looked back up at his eyes, now only inches from hers, and softened her face. “Who are you, Tristan?”

His eyes looked hopeless as they dove into hers. A moment passed, filled only by the sound of breathing. “Nobody,” he said.

Scarlet slowly shook her head. “No…you’re not nobody…you’re…somebody….” She could feel his body heat humming against her neck and chest as she stood before him. He was big and warm and she wanted to touch him.

Not in a bad way.

She just wanted to…press her hand…against his chest….

Scarlet didn’t move, but she thought about it.

She tried to tap into whatever connection she had to him—if any. She wanted to sense what he was feeling.

She let her soul reach inside his and felt….

Hesitation…conflict…danger…

His gaze darkened as his eyes left hers and slid down the side of her face to her neck. She could feel his eyes linger there, like her throat—her very pulse—belonged to him.

And the thought made her heart kick.

Still searching inside him, she felt...

…Desire…possession…

His eyes floated upwards…slowly and methodically…until they reached her lips. She watched him study her mouth and desire sparked in her cheeks before spreading into her chest.

…Longing…

And suddenly, the feeling—the feelings—were mutual.

She wanted him.

Tristan’s green eyes flashed, still fixated on her mouth, and Scarlet felt her heart squeeze.

Why did she want him?

Her eyes were burning.

Tristan’s eyes lingered on her mouth and, without thought or reason, Scarlet parted her lips….

His eyes shot up to hers, full of hunger and need—

Suddenly, he stiffened.

A look of alarm crossed his face as he examined her eyes.

His feelings morphed into…fear…anger…pain…and Scarlet blinked, confused.

He didn’t move. He didn’t back away from her. He just stared at her eyes. “I have to go.”

A beat passed, Tristan swallowed and then moved away from her, taking his body heat with him.

“I thought you were hungry.” Scarlet shifted her weight.

“I was.” Tristan turned to leave. “But I’m good now.” Without looking back, he left the kitchen.

Scarlet blinked.

What just happened?

As crazy as it sounded, Scarlet felt abandoned.

But worse than that, she felt heartbroken.

54

Gabriel pounded on the door of Nate’s penthouse apartment. He could hear loud music, gunfire and general chaos inside.

Awesome.

When Nate didn’t answered, Gabriel pounded again. “Nate! It’s Gabriel.”

“Not now, dude. I’m in the cave!” came a muffled voice.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “I need you to come out of the cave, Nate.”

“No can do, buddy! I’ve almost….defeated…the great wizard….”

Gabriel pounded again. “If you don’t answer this door, I will knock it down and pour soda all over your computers.”

The door immediately swung open. “No need for threats, man. Computers are our friends.” Nate, dressed in mismatched socks, basketball shorts, a Wolverine T-shirt and a set of headphones with an attached microphone, stood before Gabriel looking like he hadn’t slept in days.

With noise still blaring in the background Gabriel said, “Sorry to interrupt your—” Gabriel looked at the large TV screen where an elf was stabbing a dragon, “…cave, but I need your help.”

“Aw, maaan.” Nate rolled his eyes, and motioned Gabriel in. He turned down all the noise and pulled his headphones off. “I don’t want to be ‘serious’ Nate right now, okay? I want to be ‘gamer’ Nate…or ‘rock star’ Nate…or, even ‘crossword puzzle’ Nate. But not ‘serious’ Nate. ‘Serious’ Nate is always getting involved in weird curses and trying to find fountains and watching people die, and blah, blah, blah. It sucks. So, why don’t you be ‘party animal’ Gabriel,” Nate pointed at Gabriel with a wink, “and I’ll be ‘funny guy’ Nate and we’ll go bowling. I’ll go get my coat.” He turned on his heel.

“Nate.” Gabriel pulled the black band from his pocket and set it on Nate’s coffee table. “Someone broke into Scarlet’s house last night while she was sleeping. And they had that. Do you know what it is?”

Nate turned back around and looked at the band. His happy countenance fell. “So much for going bowling.”

Gabriel looked at his friend. “Why? Do you recognize it?”

Nate nodded. “Yep. It’s a Head Ghost.”

“A what?”

“It’s used to extract information from the brain. Whoever snuck into Scarlet’s house was probably after her memories.” He sighed. “Which means, they probably know about her past.”

“Who would know about her past? She’s only been alive for two years and she barely knows.”

Nate shook his head. “I dunno, man. But Head Ghosts are illegal, and very hard to come by. Whoever came after Scarlet means business. Maybe they know about us being immortal. Or maybe they’re looking for the fountain.”

Gabriel’s head was spinning with questions.

Was someone else trying find to the fountain of youth? And how would anyone know about them being immortal in the first place? Or Scarlet, for that matter? She was, essentially, brand new and knew nothing about the fountain’s whereabouts.

Why were they after her memories?

Panic rose in Gabriel’s chest. “Nate, pack your things, we’re going to Georgia.”

“Aw, maaan. Why does the drama always happen when I’m in my cave?”

Gabriel looked at him. “Screw the cave, Nate. Someone is after Scarlet! There’s no time for games.”

“There’s always time for games!” Nate said with passion, pointing a finger into the air.

Gabriel looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

Nate sighed. “Fine. I’ll get my coat. But I’m bringing my gaming system with me.”

“Whatever.” Gabriel waved him off and pulled out his phone. He needed to call Tristan.

55

The following morning, Tristan spent two hours shooting arrows at his target and tried to clear his head.

After his rendezvous with Scarlet in the kitchen last night, Gabriel had called and filled Tristan in on the Head Ghost thing.

Not good.

Someone was after Scarlet’s memories, which meant Tristan couldn’t proceed with his suicide plan. At least not until they figured out what the intruder was looking for in Scarlet’s head and figured out how to keep her safe.

But everyday that passed without the curse being undone was a day closer to Scarlet’s death.

Tristan swore.

She was already getting worse.

Last night in the kitchen her eyes had practically glowed in the dark as she looked up at him with her plush lips and longing soul.

He couldn’t let that happen again.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

Gabriel needed to come home.

Soon.

Tristan didn’t think he could keep himself away from Scarlet much longer. Last night had been a mistake.

He shouldn’t have made pancakes.

He should have just let her plunder the kitchen and find her own snack.

He’d been careless and, because of it, her blue eyes had burned for him.

And she’d had a flashback.

Fortunately, it was a rather insignificant memory, but still.

Her memories could ruin his plan. He couldn’t take anymore chances.

Whoosh.

Bull’s-eye.

Starting today, he was going to practice better self-control.

56

Scarlet watched TV for a few hours in the morning, trying to distract herself from thoughts of Tristan.

Last night in the kitchen, she’d felt something with him.

Something ancient, strong and ,,, beautiful.

Tristan didn’t hate her.

And she didn’t hate him. At all.

But she probably shouldn’t ever have a late night snack with him again.

The back door opened and Scarlet kept her eyes on the TV as Tristan passed by the living room.

Yesterday, she wanted to avoid him because he was a jerk.

Today, she wanted to avoid him so she didn’t do something stupid.

Like lick his ear.

He went into the office and shut the door behind him.

Scarlet sat for another two hours in front of the TV watching infomercials and Scooby-Doo, but not once did her head stop spinning with all things Tristan.

She was a rotten, rotten girlfriend.

While cartoons played in the background, Scarlet looked around the Archer’s living room. A large fireplace took up most of the back wall and there was a bench seat made of stone running along its length. Above the fireplace hung a hand-carved clock, beating steadily into the warm room. The sofas were tan and sat atop a giant rug, and a hand-carved coffee table stood in the center of the room.

All in all, it was cozy.

If Scarlet hadn’t felt so much like a prisoner in the woods, she probably would have loved the cabin. Her eyes fell to the end table beside her and spotted a pen.

She grabbed the pen and absently started drawing her practiced symbol on her ankle. She traced the design around the corner of her foot, leaned back and looked at it. It looked good at an angle.

Out of boredom, she decided to sketch the design on her hip as well. She lifted her shirt a few inches and drew out the circular strokes along her waist. After a few minutes, she lengthened the design and let it crawl up her ribcage before scooting down the waistband of her pants and letting the artwork trail down her lower belly.

A picture flashed in her mind and she decided to add something new to the bottom of the symbol. Biting her lip, she scribbled the new strokes low on her hip and—

“What are you doing?”

Scarlet immediately pulled her shirt down and her pants up, covering her exposed skin. She looked at Tristan with a blush.

“Are you drawing on yourself?” He sounded mad. More mad than he had a right to be.

Scarlet wrinkled her brow, confused. “Yeah, why? Have you…?” Scarlet looked at him hopefully. “Have you seen this symbol before?” She pointed to her ankle. Maybe Tristan would have the answers she was looking for.

Tristan, standing across from the couch, crossed his arms in front of his chest. He ignored her question. “You’re not in kindergarten, Scarlet. If you want to draw, draw on a piece of paper. Go wash it off.”

Scarlet raised her brow, her blush completely disappearing at his tone. “No,” she said, and lifted her shirt again. She started giving more detail to the design on her hip.

“Yes.” Tristan said with a warning look.

She tried to reach into him, to feel what he was feeling…all she got was anger and fear.

He was mad.

And now, so was she.

“No way,” Scarlet snapped. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Tristan. If I want to draw on my body with pen or cover myself in tar, you can’t stop me.” She kept scribbling. “Why do you care, anyway? Geez.”

Tristan let out a frustrated sigh. “Wash it off.”

“No.”

“Wash. It. Off,” Tristan bit out.

“You’re. In. Sane,” she countered, waiting a moment before looking at him.

Tristan looked at the ceiling. “Please?” His eyes pleaded with her.

Scarlet narrowed her eyes and paused. “Is there something about this design,” she pointed to her side, “that you’re not telling me?”

Tristan tucked his lips in and shrugged. “Gabriel’s going to be home any second.”

“So?”

“Whatever.” He threw his hands up with a groan before leaving the living room.

Scarlet continued drawing on her hip and lower belly, determined to complete the symbol in defiance.

Tristan was so weird.

And bossy.

And…mean.

So much for Pancake Tristan.

Regular Jerk Tristan was back.

57

Gabriel tapped his fingers impatiently on his armrest. The flight back to Georgia was taking too long. He needed to get back to Scarlet immediately. She was in serious danger.

“So, Scarlet doesn’t remember anything at all this time?” Nate scratched the back of his head.

“Not really.”

“That’s odd.”

“Yeah.”

“What’s the deal then? Are you and Scarlet dating now?” Sitting beside Gabriel, Nate clutched his backpack like it was filled with lost treasure rather than video game equipment.

Gabriel sighed and leaned back, forcing his fingers to stop moving. “Yeah.”

“Then why did you leave her at home with Tristan? Why didn’t you just send him out to get me?”

Gabriel shrugged. “He’s in too much pain. It’s worse this time or something.”

Nate raised his eyebrows. “How bad is it?”

“I guess he can’t sleep anymore. But Scarlet only lives ten miles away, so I don’t get it.”

“And you left her in the cabin with Tristan? Alone?”

“Well, yeah.” Gabriel wrinkled his brow. “What was I supposed to do? Bring her with me? Tristan would have been in pain without her. And I certainly wasn’t going to travel with both of them. Airports and big cities aren’t secure and it would have been impossible to keep Scarlet safe in crowded areas.”

Nate blinked rapidly. “Maybe. But if he can’t be away from her, that means their connection is stronger than it’s ever been. His presence could make her really sick.”

Gabriel shook his head. “But not in just two days…right?”

Nate twisted his lips. “No. Not unless they touched a lot,” he looked away, “or something.”

Gabriel closed his eyes briefly, refusing to think about Tristan touching Scarlet. A shiver ran through him. “Maybe it wasn’t the best plan, but I needed your help with the Head Ghost thing. It couldn’t wait.”

Nate nodded.

Gabriel’s gut churned.

Tristan wouldn’t touch Scarlet…would he?

Gabriel swallowed. “We’re almost home. I’m sure Scarlet’s fine.”

Even as he said it, worry filled his veins.

Gabriel started tapping his fingers again.

58

Scarlet was drawing on a paper towel when Gabriel entered the cabin with a guy she’d never seen before.

“Hey.” Gabriel smiled and walked over to where Scarlet sat at the kitchen counter. He pulled her into his arms and started kissing her all over.

Relieved he was home, Scarlet started laughing. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing.” Gabriel pulled back from her slightly, looking at her eyes with interest, followed by a look of relief. “I’m just glad you’re safe. Oh, and I totally forgot to ask you something very important.”

“What?” Nervousness shot through her.

Great. More life-and-death curse stuff.

Gabriel gave her a cheesy smile. “Will you go to the winter formal dance with me?”

Flooded with relief, Scarlet laughed. “No.”

“What? Come on. I haven’t been in high school for years. It’ll be so much fun.”

“It will not be fun. It’ll be lame. And full of dancing people.” She smiled. “I don’t dance.”

“Oh, but you do dance.” He wagged his eyebrows. “I happen to know for a fact that you, Scarlet Jacobs, are a dancing machine.”

She laughed again. “Is that right?”

“It is.” The guy standing next to Gabriel nodded. “I’ve totally seen it.”

Scarlet raised her eyebrows as Gabriel moved to the side. “Scarlet, I’d like you to meet Nathaniel Fletcher.”

Nathaniel was a goofy-looking fellow, with thick hair matted on one side of his head like he’d just woken up, and a haphazard outfit thrown against his body.

He had no fashion sense whatsoever.

Scarlet immediately liked him.

Nathaniel held his hand in the air. “Good to see you, girl! High-five!”

Scarlet awkwardly high-fived him. “Do we…know each other?”

“Yep. You just don’t remember me. But no worries. I’m super awesome and you’re gonna love me.”

Scarlet laughed. “Okay.”

“Anyway. So, your answer is…yes? You’ll go with me to the dance?” Gabriel nodded emphatically.

She shook her head with a smile.

“Pleeeeease?” He started kissing her all over again.

After being stuck in the cabin with Tristan and his broodiness, Scarlet was grateful Gabriel had come back in such a cheery mood. She needed happiness.

“Okay, okay, fine.” Scarlet laughed again. “I’ll go with you. But only if you stop slobbering on me like a puppy.”

Gabriel immediately leaned back and threw his hands in the air. “Ha! Victory.”

“You are such a nerd.” Scarlet shook her head with a smile.

“I’m a nerd with a date to formal.” Gabriel said proudly.

“High school dances. Yay.” Tristan walked into the kitchen, bringing his dark mood with him, and greeted Nathaniel. “What’s up, Nate?”

“What’s up? Well, I’m supposed to be in my cave right now but, apparently, you guys had another one of your ‘emergencies’.” Nate shook his hands in the air, like an intruder in Scarlet’s house was frivolous.

“The cave’s no good for you, Nate. You’ll thank us later.” Tristan stood next to Gabriel.

Seeing the twins beside one another, Scarlet’s heart squeezed. Nothing had changed in their appearances; they were both still ridiculously attractive. But, as she looked at them side-by-side, Scarlet’s soul screamed for the green-eyed brother.

Which made her a traitor.

What is wrong with me?

Tristan’s eyes shot to hers and she instantly looked away.

“Tell us more about the Head Ghost.” Tristan looked at Nate and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“I’m sorry…‘Head Ghost’?” Scarlet looked around questioningly.

“The black object Tristan commandeered from your intruder is called a Head Ghost,” Nate explained.

“Commandeered? Really?” Tristan lifted a brow.

Gabriel said, “It’s a device designed to draw out memories from the brain. We believe your intruder intended to capture either some, or all, of your memories. Most likely, any memories pertaining to the fountain, or the curse…maybe even about us.”

Nate pulled the black band out of his backpack.

Scarlet swallowed. “Can that really be done? Does that…thing really work?”

Nate nodded. “Oh yeah. I’ve been hearing about Head Ghosts for a few years now. Pretty high-tech stuff. Really only moved underground. See this thing?” He pulled the tiny, sharp crystal from the band. “This is actually a very tiny syringe, holding a sleep serum.”

“Creepy,” Scarlet said.

Nate nodded. “Yeah, well. It’s useful. You can’t put the Head Ghost on a sleeping person and expect them to just surrender their memories to you. You have to put them into a deep sleep first. The sleep serum is injected right behind the victim’s ear, like a shot.” He pointed to a spot just behind his left ear.

“Ouch.” Gabriel made a face.

Nate shrugged. “It doesn’t hurt—the needle point is too thin and sharp, see?” He held the crystal up so they could all look at it. “The victim immediately falls into a deep sleep and remains there for four-to-six hours—or until they’re given the antidote.”

Scarlet’s eyes bulged. “That guy was going to put me into a deep sleep for hours?”

“Probably,” Nate said. “But the antidote is right here,” he pointed to one end of the band where another crystal—a black one—was latched, “so, maybe not. Maybe he planned to pull you right back out of it. I dunno.”

Tristan rubbed the back of his neck as he exhaled.

Scarlet took a deep breath. “Okay, so what does that mean?”

“It means you’re in danger,” Tristan said.

Scarlet swallowed.

“It also means you probably have a memory—or memories—that someone wants.” Nate smiled weakly. “You don’t, by any chance, remember any juicy secrets that someone would be after, do you?”

Scarlet shook her head. “I wish. Trust me, no one wants to know what’s in my head more than I do.”

Nate nodded. “Well, then, we need to assume your perpetrator has every intention of coming back. Which means we need to keep you, and your memories, safe.”

Gabriel shifted his weight. “I think Scarlet should stay here with us until Laura gets back.”

Tristan paced to the far end of the kitchen. “No way.”

Wow.

“You’re a jerk.” Scarlet snapped at Tristan.

He shrugged.

Nate stepped over to Scarlet. “How have your eyes been? They look pretty healthy right now, but have you noticed any sparks in them lately? Any changes in color?”

Scarlet looked at him in utter confusion. “What?”

Nate raised his eyebrows and looked at Gabriel. “Please tell me you told her how her eyes change.”

Gabriel shook his head. “She was already freaking out about dying and I didn’t want to—”

“Dude.” Nate held his palms up. “That’s, like, an important thing to tell her. She needs to know.”

“I need to know what?” Scarlet asked, panic rising in her chest.

Nate came over and smashed both his hands against her cheeks, making her look like she had duck lips. He leaned in and stared at her.

So. Weird.

Scarlet froze. “Uh…what are you doing?” Her words came out distorted through her awkwardly-puckered lips.

“Looking at your eyes.” He used his thumb to pull down the skin below her right eye and examined her like she was a foreign creature.

“They look healthy.” Nate released her face and stepped back. “Tell me, Scarlet, have your eyes been burning lately? Have they felt hot?”

Scarlet rubbed her face where his hands had been. “Uh…no, not really.” She thought about it. “Well, maybe a few times. Like when I have flashbacks, or when….”

She remembered how her eyes felt hot when she was standing so close to Tristan in the kitchen the night before.

Tristan makes my eyes hot. Yeah, she wasn’t going to broadcast that.

Nate looked at her. “When what?”

Scarlet shook her head. “That’s it. Just when I have flashbacks. Why? What’s wrong with my eyes? Am I losing my sight?”

Wonderful.

Not only am I dying, but I’m going blind as well.

It’s like the curse that keeps on giving.

“No,” Nate said shaking his head. “You’re not going blind. You’re dying.”

Scarlet blinked at his bluntness. “I know.”

“And the closer you get to death, the weaker your heart gets. Over time, your eye color intensifies, indicating your heart is close to failing. So, your eyes will get brighter and brighter…until you die.”

Scarlet;s mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”

Nate nodded.

She darted from the kitchen and into the hall bathroom to look at herself in the mirror.

The guys followed her.

She leaned in and looked at her irises closely. “Oh my g—they’re different. My eyes didn’t used to be this blue! They’re different now. They’re…weirder.” Her heart started to pound.

Tristan’s mouth tightened as he leaned into Gabriel. “I told you.”

Scarlet whipped her head around and looked at Nate. “What does this mean, then?” She pointed to her eyeball. “Am I almost dead? Could I die any second?” Her voice was rushed and high-pitched.

She was officially freaking out.

“No,” Nate said.

She calmed down a tad.

“But you are definitely going to die,” Nate continued.

She freaked out again.

“Unless we find a way to cure you.”

Scarlet looked at the three immortals in the bathroom with her. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go find that freakin’ fountain and cure me!” Scarlet nearly shouted, moving past the wall of boys and out into the hallway.

There was no time for bathroom pow-wows and paper towel doodles. Something had to be done. Immediately.

“It’s not that simple,” Nate said, following her into the living room.

“Why not?”

“Because we don’t know where to look. We can’t just pack up today and find the fountain tomorrow. I think our best bet is to come up with a new plan, and find a way to keep you safe and alive in the meantime.”

“I already have a new plan.” Tristan cocked his head to the said.

“Nobody likes your plan.” Gabriel didn’t look at his brother.

“Your plan sucks,” Nate agreed.

Scarlet couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Who cares if a plan—any plan—sucks? Let’s just fix me! I could die any second.”

“Oh, no. You have at least a few weeks left. Maybe even months.” Nate nodded.

Through her teeth, Scarlet said, “That’s not very comforting.”

He dropped his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry. But if you want to be healed, what we need to do is come up with a plan. I put a call in to one of my old contacts, looking for pictures of a recently-discovered map of the New World, so that might be a good starting place for us.” Nate looked at his watch. “I should hear back from him in the next few hours. Maybe then we can come up with a new search strategy. But for now,” Nate unzipped his backpack, “I need to set up my video games.”

59

Forty-five minutes and two-hundred wires later, Nate had transformed the spare bedroom upstairs into a video game haven. Scarlet listened to the three boys argue about the most efficient way to destroy an AWOL robot and realized she’d rather listen to Heather complain about last year’s footwear styles than one more minute of nerd-talk.

Nate pulled a few speakers from his bag.

“Surround sound, Nate? Really?” Gabriel pointed to the hall. “My bedroom is right next door. How am I supposed to sleep when you’re blasting aliens all night? Why couldn’t you just use the downstairs guest room?”

“First of all,” Nate adjusted a speaker and looked back at Gabriel, “the aliens are on my team—so I don’t ‘blast’ them. Second,” Nate’s eyes grew wide, “you know I have a wicked fear of sleeping underground. Basements are for bats and axe-murders.” He looked at Tristan. “No offense.”

Tristan shrugged.

Nate’s phone rang and he scrambled to answer it. He then proceeded to have a long conversation—in French—about…well, Scarlet didn’t know because she didn’t speak French, but she was pretty sure they were talking about maps.

Eventually, Nate ended his call and turned back to them. “Pierre just emailed me pictures of the map he found. Let’s go downstairs, print them out, and come up with a search plan.”

Finally, Scarlet thought.

The four of them went back downstairs and waited while Nate printed out the pictures.

The map made no sense to Scarlet, but she nodded her head and tried to understand what the boys were saying to one another as they poured over the pictures.

An hour and several map arguments later, Nate sighed. “Well, that sucks. There’s nothing here we haven’t seen before.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I was really hoping we’d have a new lead.”

Concern came over Scarlet. “So, the map is a dead end?”

Nate nodded.

“What now?”

“Now we go with my plan.” Tristan said, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.

Gabriel and Nate ignored him.

“I think our best bet is to start from scratch. We’ll divvy up search responsibilities and see what we can come up with in the next few weeks. Who knows? Maybe we’ll come across something we missed before.”

They spent the next few hours plotting, arguing, and delegating search assignments. Nate was going to try and contact any modern-day treasure hunters. Gabriel would track down and analyze any ancient maps they hadn’t already seen. Tristan was in charge of reading through old journals and ship logs. And Scarlet would research the fountain’s existence online.

At the end of their session, Scarlet felt hopeful.

As night fell and cold autumn darkness came upon the cabin, everyone began to disperse, retreating to their rooms.

Tristan, who’d been less than enthusiastic about looking for the fountain from the get go, descended the basements stairs with a dark cloud over his head.

No surprise there.

Nate ran upstairs to continue battling mutant pirates or whatever his latest video game was about.

And Scarlet and Gabriel went up to his room.

Gabriel closed the bedroom door behind them and looked at her sympathetically. “How ya doing? Are you still scared?”

“A little. But I feel good knowing that we’ll all be working together to find the fountain. It’s better than just, you know, waiting to die.” She smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

Gabriel smiled back and pulled her into a hug. “You’re not going to die. We’re not going to let that happen.”

Scarlet sighed as she leaned her head against his chest. “I want to stay alive. I want to grow up and finish high school and shop with Heather on payday.”

Gabriel laughed. “Ah, payday shopping. So worth living for.”

Scarlet laughed softly. “Don’t forget the Kissing Festival. I have to stick around long enough to experience that at least one more time.”

“Without a doubt.”

“And coffee. If I died, I’d miss coffee.” She sighed, still in his arms.

“What about homework? Would you miss that?”

“Big time.”

“Cafeteria food?”

“Totally.”

“What about…high school dances with your awesome boyfriend?”

Scarlet looked up at him, still smiling. “No. I would not miss dancing.”

“Oh, you would miss dancing.” He started rocking her in his arms, and she laughed. “You would miss being swept off your feet.” He swung her around and began waltzing with her.

Scarlet was reminded of her dream about Gabriel quacking—or had that been a flashback?

She laughed. “No way. I wouldn’t miss dancing one bit.”

He kept swaying with her in his big arms and wagged his eyebrows. “Would you miss kissing?”

“Hmm.” Scarlet looked at him playfully. “I’m not sure. It depends on who the kisser was.”

He kissed her cheek. “Is that right?”

She nodded.

“Well, I guess,” he started kissing a trail back to her ear as she giggled, “I’ll have to make sure my kisses,” he ran his lips back down her face to her mouth, “are memorable.” He kissed her fully on the lips.

She kissed him back, closing her eyes. In between their lips coming together Scarlet smiled. “Mmm…yes, very memorable.” Lips still attached, they backed away from his door and fell into his bed.

Scarlet snuggled against the pillows and sheets, welcoming his big body crawling in with her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her harder, his hands sliding down to her hips.

The playfulness began to transition into something more serious. Something more intense.

Their kiss became heavier as they moved against one another. Scarlet’s breaths were ragged as she gripped his back, wanting to pull all his clothes off.

She met his mouth more fully as his hand glided up from her hip and under her thin cotton shirt.

The same shirt she’d had on for three nights.

Excited by his warm hand moving up her body, Scarlet arched her back—

And Gabriel pulled away from her.

Abruptly.

He sat back on the bed and stared at her stomach in shock.

Scarlet, laying out of breath and confused, looked down. Her shirt was pulled halfway up, exposing the skin she’d penned earlier that morning.

Gabriel’s eyes were fixed on the design.

Oh yeah, I meant to ask him about that.

She opened her mouth, her lips still swollen from his kiss, but was cut off by his voice.

“What is that?”

Scarlet looked down and blinked. “Uh…just, you know, my doodle. You’ve seen it before. On my shoes and stuff.”

Scarlet’s heart began to race like she was in trouble or something.

“But why…why did you draw it on your skin like that?”

Scarlet looked at him. “What? I draw on my skin all the time. Don’t be weird, Gabriel. I’m allowed to draw on my own skin. Geez! People need to stop—.”

“I don’t care that you drew on your skin.” Gabriel shook his head, his eyes never leaving her torso. “I care that you drew that on your skin.”

He said “that” like it was the mark of Satan or something.

And it very well could have been. Scarlet did have amnesia after all.

Maybe, in her previous lives, she’d been a demon-hunter.

Scarlet sighed and pulled her shirt down. “What’s the deal with the symbol, Gabriel? Why are you freaking out? Is it some kinda devil mark?”

Gabriel shook his head. “No.”

“Then what is it? It’s not fair to get mad at me when I don’t even know what it is.” She lifted her shirt up again and examined the design. “It’s cool. It’s artistic. I dunno…I like it. What is it?”

Gabriel rubbed the side of his face. “It’s nothing.”

Scarlet dropped her head to the side. “Oh, come on. What is it?”

“No, seriously.” Gabriel said, his voice rising. “It’s nothing. It’s, literally, nothing. It’s just a stupid placement of shapes and lines. It’s dumb, really.”

“Then why are you freaking out about it?”

“Because,” his eyes suddenly caught on the lower part of the tattoo, “wait. Wait….” Gabriel swallowed and leaned back toward her, his hand moved down her ribcage and hip, tracing the design that dipped down below the top of her pajama pants.

He pulled the side of her pants down, baring her entire hip and lower belly.

“Gabriel, geez! What’s with—”

“You know what the whole thing looks like,” he said, more to himself than to her. “You’ve never sketched the bottom part before. You know the entire design perfectly….” Gabriel’s hands traced the bottom lines of the symbol as they fell in front of her hipbone, far below her belly button.

If it hadn’t been so awkward, Scarlet would have been totally turned on by his touch.

But it was awkward. And so not turning her on.

Gabriel let go of her pants and stopped stroking her sensitive skin. He sat back on his haunches and stared at the bed.

“What’s going on?” Scarlet was getting frustrated. “What’s the big deal with this symbol?”

Gabriel shook his head, still staring at the bed.

“Gabriel!” Scarlet smacked her hands down on the soft sheets in front of him. “Tell me what it is.”

He blinked and looked up. His voice was soft. “It’s nothing.” He paused for a moment, his brown eyes flecked with hurt and confusion. “It’s nothing.”

He hurriedly got off the bed.

“Wh—where are you going?” Scarlet sat up straight.

“I…I have to do something. And you need rest. So, just…get some rest. We’ll talk in the morning.” Gabriel left the bedroom and shut the door behind him.

Scarlet sat and stared at the closed door, a feeling of guilt coming over her.

Had she done something wrong?

After a few minutes of frustrating thoughts, Scarlet decided to let it go. If Gabriel didn’t want to tell her what the symbol meant, then she’d ask someone else, like Tristan or Nate, in the morning.

She laid back against the pillows, her heart sad.

So much for a hot night with Gabriel.

60

Tristan stood in front of one of his bookshelves in the basement, looking for something he hadn’t already read a thousand times.

He really needed to get some new books.

“What did you do?” Gabriel’s hard voice came from behind him.

Tristan turned around to find his brother glaring at him with clenched fists. “What are you talking about?”

“Do you know what I just saw?”

Tristan raised his brows in question.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. “I just saw a very intricate, very perfect design on Scarlet’s hip.”

Tristan said nothing.

He knew this would happen. Why had Scarlet gone and drawn on herself?

Gabriel shrugged. “Are you gonna tell me what happened while I was gone?”

“Nothing happened while you were gone, I swear. I didn’t touch her.”

At least, not on purpose.

Although I wanted to….

“Then how do you explain the design?”

Tristan sighed. “She’s seen it before, Gabe. We all have.” He shrugged, hoping Gabriel would let it go.

He didn’t.

Gabriel nodded with a tight jaw. “Yeah, but she’s seen the bottom of the design. A part that I’ve never seen. A part only select people could have seen.”

Tristan inhaled deeply and kept his mouth shut.

“What? No comments? No denying?” Gabriel’s eyes were full of rage—something Tristan hadn’t seen in years.

It was kinda cool.

Except for the fact that his rage was directed at Tristan.

Tristan kept his voice steady. “You have nothing to worry about.”

Gabriel clenched his hands as he took a step closer and, for a moment, Tristan thought he was going to punch him. “Stay away from her.”

Tristan narrowed his eyes in return. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do. Remember?”

Gabriel lowered his voice. “If she dies because of you,” he took another step closer, his eyes boring into Tristan, “I will hate you forever.”

They stared at each other for a moment, tension filling the room, before Gabriel turned and left the basement.

It was only a matter of time before Scarlet remembered what the design was.

He needed to die.

61

The next day, Scarlet’s interaction with Gabriel was tense, at best. He was still rattled about her temporary tattoo, but he refused to talk about it.

Which upset her.

It wasn’t fair for him to keep information from her. She didn’t know what the symbol meant—she had amnesia, for crying out loud. She deserved some answers.

But none came.

And she was too nervous to ask Nate or Tristan about it.

She and Gabriel spent most of the day talking about finding the fountain but Gabriel rarely made eye-contact with her. Which made her feel weird.

Like maybe he was planning on breaking up with her.

The hours ticked by slow and awkward, and all Scarlet wanted to do was go home.

So, when Heather started texting Gabriel in a panic because she couldn’t reach Scarlet’s cell phone—thanks a lot, Tristan—Scarlet practically tripped over herself to get to the phone.

Heather’s vacation had been cut short, which was a bummer for her, but great news for Scarlet.

Because Scarlet didn’t want to stay one more minute in a cabin with her upset boyfriend, his moody brother, and a nerd who spent two hours “defeating the iron dragon”.

She used Heather’s early homecoming as a chance to suggest a new keep-Scarlet-safe plan: Heather would stay at Scarlet’s house with her and the boys could take turns on night watch.

Problem solved.

Of course, everyone threw a big fit about Scarlet being “in danger” and all the guys tried to convince her to stay. But she eventually won.

When Gabriel drove her back home, she felt as though he was almost…relieved to get her away from the cabin.

Which didn’t do much for her nervous Gabriel’s-going-to-dump-me thoughts.

Scarlet tried to process how she felt about the possibility of losing Gabriel. He had come into her life and given her comfort and normalcy. He made her laugh. He made her feel safe.

He made her feel loved.

She didn’t want to lose him.

After making sure her house was secure, Gabriel kissed Scarlet goodbye—awkwardly and with less passion than a bird kissing a fish—and left to be on night watch.

The boys didn’t feel comfortable with Scarlet and Heather alone in the house, so they were going to take turns standing guard. It was a little weird to think some guy would be watching over her every night while she slept, but it was better than feeling trapped in the Archer’s cabin.

Especially when she didn’t understand why Gabriel was so unhappy with her.

Scarlet’s heart quivered as she watched him walk away from her house and post up across the street.

It’s like he’s not even mine.

Ten minutes later, Heather was at her door, packed and ready to stay for the rest of fall break.

Scarlet let Heather in and listened as she complained.

Scarlet let her friend in and listened as Heather complained.

“Can I just say hurricanes suck? My vacation was totally ruined! And to think, I spent two paychecks on beach-specific attire that I won’t be able to wear now. Unless, of course, I want frostbite. I am so glad you suggested this getaway at your house. I could really use some Scarlet time.” Heather paused as she looked Scarlet up and down.

Here we go.

“O-M-G. Have you had those pajamas on for,” she sniffed Scarlet’s chest, “three days? Do I need to buy you new sleepwear?”

Scarlet laughed. She honestly laughed as she hugged Heather tightly.

Heather’s obsession with fashion was annoying, but it was hilarious when compared to Scarlet’s impending death.

“Heather, I love you. Have I told you how great you are lately? You’re great. And yes, I’ve had these pajamas on for too long. How about I get changed and you can unpack?”

“Fantastic,” Heather said, pushing away from Scarlet with a smile. “Now, stop hugging me with your gross, pajama-laden arms so we can get this party started. I’m going to go put on my swimsuit and turn the heater up.”

Scarlet raised a brow.

“What?” Heather looked innocent. “If I can’t sport my new bikini on the beach, then you’d better believe I’m gonna wear it around the house.”

Scarlet opened her mouth, but decided against arguing.

Because it sorta sounded fun. And not curse-related at all.

“Maybe I’ll put my swimsuit on, too.” Scarlet shrugged.

“Thatta girl!”

Ten minutes later, the girls sat on Scarlet’s bedroom floor, going through a giant pile of loose socks and matching up pairs.

While wearing bikinis.

Heather liked to organize Scarlet’s clothes. And shoes. And jewelry.

It was weird.

“So, what did you do while I was gone? Did you and lover boy elope or anything? I know he’s kinda marriage-prone.” Heather dug through the sock pile.

“Uh, no.” Not even close. “Gabriel was gone most of the weekend, so I stayed at the cabin with Tristan.”

Heather raised her eyebrows. “Kinky.”

Scarlet shook her head, matching another set of socks. “Not hardly. He’s a jerk and he hates when I’m around.”

“Ha!” Heather said. “That boy doesn’t hate when you’re around at all. He doesn’t hate anything about you.”

“Well, he treats me like I’m the plague.”

Heather scoffed. “The super hot plague that’s dating his brother, maybe.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I’m serious, Scarlet. Tristan has a thing for you. And if I had to guess, it’s a big thing. Did you see the way he looked at you when we were outside the coffee shop last week?”

“Uh, no. I try not to make eye contact with him.”

Heather shook her head. “Well, he looks at you the way I look at designer jeans—with drool running down my chin.”

“Whatever.”

“No, seriously. And when Gabriel started kissing you, Tristan, like, freaked out. I saw it all over his face. I mean, it was only for, like, a second, but I totally caught it. He can’t handle looking at the two of you. That’s not the behavior of a guy who doesn’t like you, Scarlet. That’s the behavior of a guy who’s totally crushing.”

Heather looked at Scarlet, then froze. “Whoa.”

Scarlet looked at Heather in alarm. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Your eyes….” Heather dropped the socks in her hand and leaned forward. “Your eyes look…crazy. Are you okay?”

Scarlet scrambled up from the floor and rushed to her bedroom mirror. Looking at her reflection, her hands began to shake.

Her eyes were glowing.

Neon blue and bright, they stared back at her without mercy.

Oh, no. No, no, no.

Heather came up beside Scarlet and stared into the mirror with her. “Scarlet…is that normal? Are you…sick?”

Yes, I’m very sick. I’m dying.

Scarlet started shaking her head, on the verge of panic when, suddenly, her eyes melted back into their normal shade of blue.

Scarlet blinked.

Heather blinked.

And silence fell between them as they continued staring into the mirror.

“O-M-G.” Heather took a deep breath. “That was creepy.”

Desperate for a way to explain her eyes, Scarlet lied. “I guess that’s what I get for using those new eye drops.”

I’m a terrible friend.

“Eye drops?” Heather said, looking at Scarlet closely.

“Yeah, I tried new ones and I guess they have some weird…side effects.”

Wow, I’m just a lying machine.

Heather narrowed her eyes. Scarlet was sure her friend could sense the untruth on her lips, but if she did, she let it go.

“Well, maybe stay away from those eye drops in the future. That was freaky.” Heather shook her head and went back to the floor.

Scarlet tucked her lips in, hating herself. “Yeah.”

She sat down and continued sock-matching, hoping Heather didn’t notice her shaking hands.

62

Heather had just left to pick up coffee from The Millhouse when Scarlet heard a knock at her front door. Looking out the peephole, she saw Nate.

She opened the door. “Hey.”

“Morning,” he said.

She invited him in and shut the door behind him, politely asking, “Can I get you anything? Water? Milk?”

“Do you have Lucky Charms?”

Scarlet parted her lips. “Uh…maybe. Do you want Lucky Charms?”

“If you’ve got them.”

Scarlet smiled and led him into the kitchen to make him a bowl of cereal. Like he was a four-year-old or something.

“So, what’s up?” Scarlet poured Lucky Charms into a bowl.

“I’m here on Tristan’s behalf. Because that’s what I do. I run around town doing things for the Archer brothers. I’m like an underpaid personal assistant. Except they don’t pay me at all, so yeah. I’m more like a servant.” He smiled and held up a small box. “Tristan wanted me to bring you this.”

Scarlet grabbed the milk from the fridge, poured some into the bowl, handed Nate a spoon, and took the box from his hands.

She opened it to find a brand new cell phone.

“He wanted me to tell you that he’s ‘not sorry he threw your phone away’ but he is ‘sorry it took so long for him to get you a new one’.” Nate made air quotes with his hands, then took a big bite of cereal.

Scarlet was surprised Tristan remembered to replace her phone at all. “Well, thanks for bringing it by.”

He nodded. “So, how are ya doing with all the curse stuff?”

“Oh, you mean my death destiny? I’m doing splendid.”

He nodded. “No, I mean the actual curse. Gabriel’s curse.”

“What do you mean?”

Nate stopped chewing. “He didn’t tell you about his curse?”

“He told me the arrow was cursed. Not him. I thought I was cursed.” Alarm bells went off in Scarlet’s head.

“So, you don’t know about his love curse?”

Scarlet’s mouth dropped open. “Love curse? Uh, no.”

Nate slowly finished chewing his bite, like he was thinking something over, and swallowed. “You not remembering the past is strange for all of us. I mean, we’ve been through this several times and you always remember. Like always. I bet Gabriel didn’t tell you because he didn’t know how.”

She was getting impatient. “What’s the love curse?”

Nate pressed his lips together. “The curse on the arrow that killed you was directed at Gabriel, not you. Your ‘curse’ is just a side effect. Gabriel was cursed but you and Tristan sorta got roped into the whole mess when Tristan went all ‘bodyguard’ on you.

“Okay, fine. So I’m not really cursed, I’m just screwed. Great. What’s Gabriel’s love curse?”

Nate took a deep breath. Gabriel is cursed to never know love…without you.”

“What?”

“Yeah. Raven cursed Gabriel to never know love without you, and then she killed you—in an attempt to make him live without love for the rest of his life.” Nate took another bite. “Of, course, Tristan sorta messed up that plan when he jumped in front of the arrow because, surprise, Scarlet comes back to life!” He waved his hands in the air with a cheesy smile.

Scarlet blinked several times. “Gabriel can only ever love…me?”

Nate wiggled his spoon in the air. “Well, he can date and flirt and all that but real love, or I guess you could say true love, is impossible for him—unless he’s with you.”

Scarlet shook her head and took a step back. She was Gabriel’s only shot at true love?

“But that’s….that’s so unfair for Gabriel.”

Nate took another bite and fished around in his bowl. “Well, that’s the thing about curses. Rarely ever are they fair.” He gestured to the marshmallows in his bowl. “My favorites are the green ones.”

Scarlet blinked before shaking her head. “But what if he doesn’t want to love me? What if he wants to be with someone else?”

“He only wants you. You make him happy, you know?”

Scarlet’s mouth dropped open. “But happy isn’t enough. He deserves love.”

“Oh, I definitely think he loves you.”

“But does he have a choice?” Scarlet couldn’t wrap her mind around Gabriel’s curse. He couldn’t know love without her? All the years Scarlet wasn’t alive were years of hopelessness for him. It was cruel. More cruel than any curse should be.

Scarlet shook her head again. “He’s been without love all these years and now I’m alive and he has a shot at true love, or whatever but…would it even be real? If he has no other option, are his feelings for me even…honest?”

Nate smiled. “Okay. I think you’re over-thinking the curse, Scarlet. It’s not like that. Gabriel was crazy about you even before he was cursed. You guys were engaged, remember?”

“That was like five hundred years ago, though. Things change.”

“Ha.” Nate took another bite of cereal. “You would think things change but trust me, when it comes to the Archer brothers and their love interests, nothing changes. Ever.” He looked up, caught her eyes, and immediately shut his mouth.

Scarlet ran a hand through her hair. “This is all just such a mess.” Her eyes grew in realization. “If I die again, does that mean Gabriel won’t be able to love anyone for years? Decades even?”

“Uh, no. He’d have to wait until you came back to life. Again.”

Scarlet turned her palms up, angry. “And all because his ex-girlfriend was jealous? How did one girl manage to cast such an awful curse?”

“Well, she was a powerful girl. And she had no idea Gabriel was immortal and would be trapped without love for centuries. Although, if she were alive today, I’m sure she’d get a kick out of that.”

Scarlet bit her lip. “But how come the curse wasn’t broken when I came back to life the first time? I mean, I wasn’t dead anymore. The curse should have been lifted.”

“It probably would have been, except Tristan got in the way. The cursed arrow was coated in Tristan’s blood—so, in essence, the curse was sealed with immortal blood when it pierced your heart. And immortal blood never dies so…neither does Gabriel’s curse.”

Scarlet walked to the far end of the kitchen and leaned against the counter. Part of her wanted to cry for Gabriel’s loneliness. The other part of her wanted to go back in time and strangle the Raven chick for being so petty and malicious.

“So, Gabriel’s never fallen in love?”

Nate chewed for a moment. “Just with you.”

Scarlet closed her eyes in discouragement.

“But, hey! We’re going to find the fountain of youth, so everything will be fine.” Nate’s voice was cheery.

Scarlet shook her head and opened her eyes. “No, Nate. Everything will not be fine. The fountain of youth might keep me alive, but it still doesn’t give Gabriel the freedom to love whomever he wants.”

Which is what he deserved.

“First of all, Gabriel wants you. No question. Second, the fountain will totally fix everything. It will completely undo Gabriel’s curse.”

Scarlet perked up. “How?”

“The curse was sealed with immortal blood, right? So, all we have to do is make the immortal blood inside your heart go away, and the curse will be undone. The fountain can do exactly that.”

“It can take away the immortal blood inside me?”

“Yep. Short of Tristan dying, it’s the only way to kill the blood inside you. The fountain is what gave Tristan, Gabriel, and me immortal life, right? So, the fountain water can counteract any immortal elements it gave life to. Meaning, it can neutralize the immortal effects of Tristan’s blood inside your body, essentially making it the same as your own. Tristan’s blood would die inside you, and the curse would be lifted, releasing Gabriel from the curse allowing you to live, and freeing Tristan of the curse’s effects.”

“Okay.” Scarlet said, letting herself fill up with a tiny bit of hope. “So, if we find the fountain, I won’t die and Gabriel will be free to love whomever he wants.”

Nate nodded. “And Tristan won’t be in pain anymore.”

“Wait, what?” Scarlet pushed back from the counter. “Why is Tristan in pain?”

Nate rolled his eyes and dropped his spoon into the almost-empty cereal bowl. “Did they not tell you anything?”

Scarlet pursed her lips. “Apparently not. What’s wrong with Tristan?”

Nate sighed. “Because Tristan’s blood is inside you, he’s not whole. His body is constantly craving the missing piece of himself that lives in your heart. That’s how he’s connected to you. But that connection is physically painful for him. When he’s away from you, it hurts him. The more distance that’s between the two of you, the more pain he’s in.”

Scarlet sucked in a silent breath.

Great, so I cause him physical pain? No wonder he hates me.

“Is that why he couldn’t go to New York to find you? Because he couldn’t leave me?”

“Yep. Even if he tried to stay away from you, the pain would eventually become too much and he would end up tracking you down just so he could be close enough to not go crazy with pain.”

“But why would he try to stay away from me in the first place?”

Because he hates me?

“Because he doesn’t want you to die. The closer he is to you, the harder your heart beats for him. Part of your blood belongs to his body, and the piece of him living inside you is desperate to find him. So, your heart beats out of control as his immortal blood tries to tear free of your heart and jump back into his. Over time, your heart tears itself in half. When Tristan’s near you, that process speeds up. Essentially, his presence…kills you.”

Scarlet’s voice was barely above a whisper. “He makes me worse?”

Nate nodded. “In your earlier lives, it wasn’t such a problem, but lately…it’s seems the two of you are…more connected.” He paused and looked at Scarlet.

She couldn’t speak. Her chest felt tight…and sad.

Tristan was in pain when he was away from her, but hurt her heart when he was near her?

One brother suffered without love when she was dead. The other suffered in pain when she was alive.

Worst. Curse. Ever.

“Oh, by the way,” Nate pulled a small shiny object from the pocket of his pants, “I have something for you. I was going to just mail it to you but since I’m here….” He got up from the table and placed the small trinket in Scarlet’s hand.

It was a ring—but too large to fit on a finger. On one spot there was a tiny design but, aside from that, it was just a circle.

Scarlet stared at it for a moment. “What is it?”

“I don’t know,” Nate said, frowning. “I thought maybe you would remember. You gave it to me in your last life and told me to keep it safe until you returned.”

Scarlet shook her head, completely confused. “But I didn’t tell you what it was?”

“Nope. I asked, but you said it was safer if I didn’t know.”

Scarlet scrunched her face. “Safer? Were we in danger or something?”

“Not that I know of. Although, you did seem freaked out. But, then again, you were really sick, so I just assumed you were worried about, you know, dying.”

Scarlet took in a shaky breath. It was crazy to think she’d lived several lives awaiting death. Planning for it, even.

But it was even crazier to think she could live several more lives the same way.

“Well…thanks for giving it back to me…I guess.” Scarlet looked at the shiny ring with puckered lips. She had no idea what it was.

“No problem.”

She looked at the immortal boy standing in front of her and tried to imagine living for five hundred years. It sounded exciting, but it also sounded…lonely. Maybe even empty.

Especially if you weren’t free to love whomever you wanted, or if a piece of your soul was trapped in a reincarnating girl.

The curse had been ruining lives for half a millennium.

“Nate.” Scarlet looked at him intently. “This curse needs to end. I don’t care what we have to do—we need to find that fountain.”

He smiled broadly and winked. “There’s the Scarlet I know and love. I like it when you get all empowered.”

“I’m not kidding.” Her eyes burned as she looked at him.

His smile fell. “Okay. Just relax, I know you’re not kidding.” He took a step forward and reached for her face.

Realizing her eyes were probably glowing, Scarlet moved her head away from Nate’s hands. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. Let me see your eyes.” He walked closer to her and tipped her chin up so he could look directly at her irises. “Scarlet. You’re getting worse.”

“I know that,” she snapped.

“No. You don’t understand. Your eyes don’t usually get this bright until the very end. How often has this been happening?”

“I don’t know. Once a day, maybe?”

“Has your nose started bleeding yet?”

“What?”

“Your nose. Have you had any nosebleeds at all?”

Scarlet shook her head. “No. My nose is fine. I’m fine.”

He looked at her with genuine concern. “I don’t know why your condition is progressing so fast this time…something’s wrong. Something’s…different.”

Scarlet shrugged her way out of his hand and stepped back. “Okay, well. We can’t fix whatever’s different about me. So, we need to just focus on finding the fountain so this will all be over with.”

Slowly, Nate nodded, still looking at her eyes. “Okay.”

“We need to find the fountain of youth,” Scarlet repeated.

After a long moment he swallowed and gave her a weak smile. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

63

Gabriel sat next to Nate at the kitchen table and watched as he disassembled the Head Ghost. “How much time do you think we have?”

Nate’s eyes stayed on the black contraption. “Four weeks. Maybe five. Scarlet’s eyes are brighter than normal and I’m almost positive they flash more than she’s willing to admit. Her nose hasn’t started bleeding yet but…she’s sick.”

Gabriel’s eyes shot to Tristan, who sat across from him.

This is all his fault.

Tristan met Gabriel’s gaze but made no expression.

The drawing he’d seen on Scarlet’s body the other night had him worried. Her knowledge of the design implied she might already be lost to him—a thought that pierced his gut with sorrow.

He couldn’t lose her.

He’d spent centuries loving her, wanting her, taking care of her.

And it might have all been in vain.

The thought made his blood boil almost as much as it broke his heart.

Nate pulled the crystals off the band and set them on the table. “We should keep these somewhere safe. Somewhere separate from the Head Ghost.”

Gabriel nodded. “Should we hide them?”

“Nah, just put them somewhere you can get to easily, but not obvious. Like a candy dish, or a pill bottle.”

“A candy dish? Nate, we don’t want someone to accidently eat them.”

Tristan sighed. “I can just put them in my medicine cabinet.”

Nate nodded. “Yeah, that’s good. Hopefully, Scarlet’s intruder doesn’t have any more Head Ghosts.”

Gabriel exhaled. “Do you think the guy came after her because he knows she’s dying?”

“Possibly.” Nate glanced at Tristan. “What else do you remember about the guy?”

Tristan shook his head. “Not much. He was big. Strong. Unusually strong. But his muscles were weird, and he smelled…weird. Not bad, but…potent.”

“Like what?” Nate didn’t look up from the Head Ghost.

Tristan shrugged, “I don’t know.”

“Cologne? Hair gel? Roses?”

“I don’t know, Nate. It’s not like I was sniffing his chest hair. I was too busy trying to keep him away from Scarlet.”

“How did he get away?” Gabriel asked.

“Beats me—I stabbed the guy.” Tristan shook his head.

Gabriel’s mouth droppefd open. “You stabbed him?”

Tristan shrugged.

“This isn’t the Wild West, Tristan, there are laws. You can’t just slice people up willy-nilly.”

“Willy-nilly? Really?” Tristan rolled his eyes. “He stabbed me first. And it’s not like I killed him—although I totally would have. He rolled down the stairs, got up, and just ran out the door. Like a knife to the gut was nothing more than a scratch.”

Nate looked up.

“Do…you think he’s immortal like us?” Gabriel furrowed his brow.

Tristan thought about it. “No. Maybe. I don’t know.” He shifted his weight. “Everything about him was…I don’t know. Just not human.”

Gabriel rubbed the side of his face. “Are you saying you believe in supernatural beings now? Like, werewolves? Or was the guy in Scarlet’s house more like a robot?”

Tristan squared his jaw at his twin. “I don’t know what he was. I just don’t think he was human. I can’t explain it. His eyes were…weird. And he moved…weird. I don’t know.”

Nate looked at Tristan. “Do you think there are other supernatural beings? Beings like us who are…more than human?”

Tristan looked uncomfortable. “You guys are making me feel like an idiot here. I’m not saying I believe in the boogieman or anything. I’m just saying we need to be careful. Just in case.”

Gabriel inhaled deeply. It wasn’t like Tristan to believe in the fantastic, or to even take supernatural possibilities seriously.

Unease trickled down Gabriel’s spine.

He really, really hoped Tristan wasn’t right.

64

Tristan waited until Gabriel left the cabin to be on night watch duty before seeking out Nate. He found him upstairs in his newly renovated cave. “Hey.” Tristan stood in the doorway and waited for Nate to pause his game.

“What’s up?” Nate turned around.

“We need to talk.” Tristan entered the room.

Nate rolled his eyes. “I hate our ‘talks’.”

Tristan sighed. “Trust me. So do I.” He leaned against the wall. “Have you been able to find any potential weapons?”

“No.”

Tristan pushed away from the wall. “I have a feeling you’re not really trying, Nate. Scarlet’s getting worse.”

“I’ve contacted anyone and everyone I know of who might be able to help us find the fountain. I’ve got websites, blogs, ads, and bounties dedicated to tracking it down. Gabriel’s looking over every ancient map he can find and you’ve been pouring over old ship logs and journals. We’re doing everything we can, Tristan.”

Tristan’s jaw tensed. “To find the fountain maybe. But not to help me find the right weapon.”

“I’m not going to help you kill yourself.”

“Oh, come on.”

“No way.”

Tristan groaned, “Please?”

“Don’t beg, dude. It’s lame.”

“So, what then? Are you just gonna let her die? Again?” His voice cracked and he immediately tried to get himself under control.

Nate sighed. “I’m not sure what the right thing to do is.”

“The right thing is to save her life.”

“At the cost of yours? Uh-uh. I don’t think so, dude. Gabriel would kill me. And then Scarlet would kill me. And they could just keep on killing me over and over again because I don’t ever die. Do you know how much that would suck?”

“Think about this.” Tristan took a step toward him. “That very thing you just mentioned…dying over and over again? That’s what Scarlet’s been doing—for five hundred years.”

Silence fell between them.

“You don’t have to do it for me,” Tristan sighed, “but …could you just…do it for her?”

Nate hesitated before shaking his head. “I can’t help you find a way to kill yourself. It feels…wrong.”

Tristan clenched his jaw and moved to leave.

“Hey.” Nate said.

Tristan turned around.

“Gabriel said you’re in more pain this time? That you can’t even sleep?”

Tristan shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”

Nate narrowed his eyes. “It’s not just you. Scarlet’s illness is accelerating faster than it should. What changed?” He squared his jaw. “What happened in her last life?”

Tristan tried to look innocent.

No such luck.

“Don’t play with me, man. I know how the curse works, and I know she shouldn’t be as connected to you as she is, all of a sudden. What happened?”

Tristan looked around the room as he exhaled. “Let’s just say…I didn’t practice very much…self-control last time.”

Nate nodded. “Is that why she died so early?”

“I don’t know.” Tristan swallowed. “But I think it’s why she ran away.” His chest felt hollow as he thought about the last time Scarlet died.

Nate shook his head and closed his eyes. “You are one tortured soul, man.”

“Then why don’t you help this tortured soul out and find a way to kill me.”

Nate looked at him apologetically. “Nope. If you want to die, you’re on your own.”

Knowing he wouldn’t be able to change Nate’s mind, Tristan uncrossed his arms. “Fine.”

He left the room, memories chasing after him with their guilt and sorrow.

As he descended the stairs his hands began to shake.

65

Gabriel yawned as he looked out his windshield at Scarlet’s house. He wasn’t thrilled with the stakeout plan, but Scarlet insisted she stay in her own house with Heather—even if that was stupid and could potentially get her killed.

He turned on the radio and searched through channels, all while keeping his eyes on Scarlet’s front door. There was a full moon out, shining brightly on the dark neighborhood street, and casting soft shadows against the dense forest just behind her house.

It was quiet.

And boring.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Gabriel jumped as someone pounded on his car window.

Upon seeing the knocker, he sighed and rolled his window down.

“What are you doing here?”

Tristan nodded. “We need to switch out.”

“Tonight is my night to watch. You watched last night.”

“Yeah, well, I can’t sleep. So, you might as well go back to the cabin and get some rest. I’ll stay here.”

“You can’t sleep…at all?”

Tristan said nothing.

“Dude, that’s weird. You should be able to sleep. We don’t live that far away from her.”

“I know, Gabe. I don’t know what’s going on but I do know there’s no way I’m going back to the cabin tonight. So, you can hang out here with me all evening. Or you can go home and get your beauty rest.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “My beauty rest? Real—“

“Shhh!” Tristan pointed to Scarlet’s house and panic immediately filled Gabriel.

A male figure was creeping up from the woods, making his way to the edge of Scarlet’s house.

“Is that the guy?” Gabriel asked, squinting into the night.

“Definitely.”

Gabriel quietly opened his car door and got out as Tristan stepped away. The twins hid in the nearby shadows, watching the intruder make his way back to the front door.

Gabriel whispered. “Let’s go!”

Tristan hesitated. “No.”

“No?”

“No. Let’s scare him off, and then follow him back to wherever he came from.”

“Follow him? Are you crazy?” Gabriel made a face of disbelief.

“Maybe. But we want to know what he’s after, right? So, let’s follow him.”

“And how, exactly, are we going to scare him off?”

Tristan looked around. “I have a plan.” He picked up a rock and sent it flying through the night air, where it landed on Scarlet’s porch with a thud.

Gabriel dropped his head to the side. “Throwing rocks? That’s your big plan?”

The figure paused, looking around.

Tristan threw a second rock, this time hitting the stranger’s back.

Clearly spooked, the figure shuffled off the porch and started creeping back toward the forest.

“Nope,” Tristan said, leaving the shadows. “My plan is in my trunk.”

“You have a “trunk” plan?”

Gabriel left his hiding place and headed to Tristan’s black car, watching the assailant reach the edge of the woods. “If we’re going to follow him, we need to go now. He’s getting away.”

Tristan looked at the stranger casually. “No, he’s not. That cluster of trees is pretty much a dead end. He’s either got a place somewhere nearby, or he lives in a tent. We’ll track him.”

“We’ll track him? With what? Our noses?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, we’ll follow his footprints.”

Gabriel, angry the stranger was getting away, shook his head. “Brilliant. We’ll throw rocks at him and then we’ll play Sherlock Holmes in the woods.”

“He’s not going to get away. I know you haven’t had to kill your food for a century now, but you’re a hunter, Gabriel. We both are. So, we can do this. Remember when we used to do this for survival?”

“You mean back before modern medicine and toilet paper? Yeah, I try not to remember that.”

Tristan rolled his eyes. “Well, then I’m a hunter. And I’m going to hunt down Scarlet’s visitor. Are you with me?”

Gabriel exhaled. “Fine.”

Tristan meant confront, not hunt…right?

He popped the trunk.

Gabriel glanced down. “Seriously, Tristan? You drive around with a trunk full of weapons?”

“Of course.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m the family bad guy.”

Gabriel rubbed the side of his face and muttered, “How are we even related?”

“Oh, please. Don’t act like you’re pissed that I happen to have a car full of artillery right when we need it. Grab a weapon.”

“What?”

“You might want a weapon, in case Scarlet’s stalker tries to stab you. He was kinda knife-happy last time I met him.”

Gabriel and riffled through the artillery. Bows…daggers…axes. “Why do you have so many weapons?”

Tristan shrugged. “You never know when you’ll need a backup.”

“What do you do in your free time that requires a backup?”

Tristan smiled tightly. “I kill stuff. Just pick a weapon and let’s go.”

“Calm down, Braveheart.” Gabriel searched through the weapons. “I’m trying to find something not quite as fatal as…a scythe? Really?” Gabriel held the wicked half-moon blade up and looked at Tristan. “What are you, the Grim Reaper?”

“Yes. Yes, Gabriel. I’m the Grim Reaper. You caught me. I drive around in my car full of weapons collecting souls.”

Gabriel shook his head as he finally decided on one of the compound bows.

Tristan reached for the other compound bow. “What’s wrong? Afraid to use the scythe?”

“The scythe still has blood on it and I like my weapons clean.”

“You would.”

Gabriel shuffled around the trunk again, searching for faux arrows—arrows designed to injure but not kill. “All these arrows are sharp—and have blood on them.”

“Yes, well, I left my cotton candy arrows at home next to my teddy bear.”

Gabriel turned to Tristan. “We’re not going to kill that guy.”

“We might.”

“Tristan, that’s homicide.”

“It’s self defense.”

“It’s not self defense. He didn’t come after you.”

“But he came after Scarlet. And, technically, Scarlet is a piece of me. So, yeah. It’s self-defense. Are you coming with me or not?”

“I don’t want to kill him. I just want to hurt him. Or detain him.”

“Or maybe you could just give him a big hug.”Tristan started marching into the woods. “You can stay there and clean weapons or whatever, but I’m going after our intruder.”

Gabriel grabbed a few arrows and groaned as he shut the trunk. Tristan was insane.

The boys entered the wooded area and Tristan began looking for tracks.

Seriously.

Gabriel squared his jaw. “Tristan, it’s nighttime. You’re not going to find anything.” He sighed in frustration. “I knew we should have just grabbed him when he was at her front door.”

Tristan said nothing as he crouched low to the earth.

Gabriel watched his brother. Long ago, they’d hunted together for food, for survival, and for freedom.

Avalon, Georgia wasn’t lacking any of those things.

Gabriel shifted his weight, feeling like an idiot standing in the woods with a bow.

“Bingo,” Tristan said, pointing to a set of deep footprints in the mud.

Gabriel’s mouth fell open. “I cannot believe you actually did that.”

Tristan narrowed his eyes. “Maybe if you weren’t such a pretty boy you could do it, too.”

Gabriel scoffed. “Just because I don’t want to track down crazy people in the woods on a full moon doesn’t mean I’m a pretty boy. It means I’m normal.”

“Whatever,” Tristan muttered.

They snuck quietly through the tall trees, led only by the moonlight and muddy indentations of shoe tracks. They walked for a few minutes in silence until they came to a clearing and spotted a shadowed figure darting into the trees.

Tristan and Gabriel exchanged a look and Gabriel instinctively went into hunt mode. He pulled his compound bow up and slowly crept to the right, as Tristan snuck away in the opposite direction.

The sound of rustling leaves and a hooting owl broke the silence as Gabriel looked around.

A noise to his left caused Gabriel to turn with his bow raised, poised to shoot.

But only in defense. He had no intention of killing anyone.

Taking a human life was no small thing, and Gabriel wasn’t a murderer.

A sharp pain shot through his body and, with a grunt, Gabriel looked down. A long dagger stuck out from the right side of his chest and blood began seeping through his shirt.

Someone had thrown a knife into him.

What the hell?

Wincing in pain, Gabriel lowered his bow and yanked the blade from his chest, tucking it into his waistband. He scanned the shadows for his attacker, drawing the compound bow back up with new resolve.

Maybe he’d been a little hasty in his decision not to murder anyone tonight.

As his wound began to heal, Gabriel’s eyes shot through the dark shadows.

Suddenly, Scarlet’s intruder appeared just yards away from him. Coming at him. Charging, almost.

Taking careful aim, Gabriel shot two arrows, one into the figure’s thigh, the other into his side—but neither slowed his opponent down.

Gabriel wasn’t ready to kill the guy—at least not yet.

After all, Gabriel was immortal. It wasn’t exactly a fair fight.

But the stranger kept charging. And in his hand was another knife.

Awesome.

The intruder lunged and, right when Gabriel was about to release another arrow into his attacker’s body, he heard a thwack.

The stranger fell dead at Gabriel’s feet—a long and deadly arrow jutting from his back.

Gabriel looked up from the body before him and saw Tristan with his bow still raised.

“Tristan!” Horror filled Gabriel’s eyes. “You just killed him.”

Tristan lowered the bow. “I know.”

“He’s a person, Tristan! This isn’t medieval England where you have to protect your bread and your goats! You can’t just shoot people dead.”

“I can if they creep into Scarlet’s room and try to kill my brother.”

Gabriel dropped his arm, the bow hanging at his side. He shook his head. “What are we going to do now? You just committed murder and now there’s a dead body—”

The corpse at Gabriel’s feet began to crumble.

The twins watched in disbelief as the intruder’s skin and bone slowly lost their color and turned to ash.

A gust of wind blew through the dark trees and the ash swirled away into the night, leaving behind only the stranger’s clothes and the three arrows his body no longer held.

Gabriel blinked. “What just happened?”

Slowly, Tristan shook his head. “No idea.”

The brothers slowly walked in a circle. The ash was almost completely gone. It was as if no corpse had ever been there.

“He just…he just disintegrated.”

Tristan nodded.

“Have you ever seen anything like that before?”

“No.” Tristan stopped walking and crouched to where the stranger’s clothes lay. “I told you he wasn’t human.”

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. “I guess not.”

“Well.” Tristan rose from the ground. “Problem solved. No body, no crime. So, you don’t need to worry about going to jail or anything.”

Gabriel shook his head. “He wasn’t human. What does that mean?”

Tristan slowly exhaled. “It means our crazy little world just got creepier.”

Tristan kicked at the clothes on the ground until his shoe caught on something black.

A Head Ghost.

Tristan cursed and ran a hand through his hair.

Gabriel blinked. “He had another one? Where is he getting them?”

Tristan shook his head.

“What should we do now?” Gabriel exhaled.

“I don’t know…maybe we should take the Head Ghost back to Nate, but leave the clothes just like they are. We can come back here in the morning.”

Gabriel nodded and picked up the Head Ghost before the brothers quickly made their way back to their cars.

Gabriel started his engine and began to pull away, when he noticed Tristan wasnt leaving.

“What are you doing? We should go home and talk to Nate. Now.”

“I don’t want to leave Scarlet yet.”

Gabriel furrowed his brow. “Do you think she’s still in danger, even though we killed that guy?”

“I’m not sure. But either way, I won’t be able to sleep tonight. So, you go ahead. I’ll stay here and we’ll figure stuff out in the morning.

Gabriel contemplated staying with Tristan, but he was too eager to hear what Nate had to say about the non-human that turned to ash.

66

The next morning Tristan and Gabriel led Nate to the area where the intruder had died. Tristan carried a long dagger—just in case.

He wasn’t about to get all slashed up again because some crumbling creature was handy with a butcher knife.

The forest was desolate and void of any real information, aside from the scraps of clothing left in a heap on the ground.

“What do you think he was?” Gabriel asked Nate.

“I’m not sure.” Nate squatted to examine the few remaining ashes, carefully collecting a small sample. He looked up at Tristan. “Did you check for fangs?”

Tristan blinked. “Check for fangs? No. I didn’t roll him over and stick my fingers in his mouth. He wasn’t a vampire, Nate.”

“Well, you never know.”

“Vampires don’t exist.”

“Neither do immortal beings.” Nate smiled.

Tristan rolled his eyes.

“So, he just…evaporated?”

“No, he disintegrated. Like he was made of ash.” Gabriel said.

Tristan shook his head. “That guy was not made of ash. I grappled with him the other night and he had no problem punching me and slicing me open. Definitely not made of ash.”

Nate thought for a moment. “Well, I guess he could have been like us…but more vulnerable. Maybe that’s what happens when an immortal person dies. Maybe we turn to ash. And maybe he was looking for others like him. It would certainly explain why he’d gone after Scarlet.”

“He wasn’t immortal,” Tristan said. “My arrow wouldn’t have been able to kill him—even if he was a weaker version of us. Trust me.”

Nate gave Tristan a sour look.

“Where do you think he got the Head Ghosts?” Gabriel asked.

Nate stood back up. “I have no idea, but it’s weird that he had more than one. Did you see anyone else with him last night? Any other…strangers?”

Both brothers shook their heads.

Gabriel exhaled. “Do you think there’s more than just one guy after Scarlet? Do you think she’s still in danger?”

Nate twitched his lips. “I don’t know. I’d like to think this was an isolated incident…but I don’t know. Maybe he met Scarlet in her last life and knew all about her. Maybe she told him.”

“She wouldn’t do that.”

Nate shrugged. “You never know. Scarlet has secrets, just like any of us.”

No one said anything for a moment.

“For now,” Nate said, “let’s just keep a close eye on her and watch for any other…ash people.”

Ash people?

Fantastic.

67

The next few weeks went by smoothly. Fall morphed into winter and brought icy winds and silent nights with it. Angie’s Halloween party came and went without any real drama, except for Heather having to explain to everyone what her costume was.

“I’m an Egyptian zombie queen,” she’d repeated over and over.

Like people should have just guessed that.

Nobody had attempted to break into Scarlet’s house since the night Tristan and Gabriel had killed the weird ash guy. Which was good news.

The fact that crazy ash people existed and were running around in the trees behind her house? Super creepy.

Scarlet was relieved that she no longer had to worry about an intruder.

She and the boys had been working nonstop on researching the fountain and her eyes hadn’t glowed since her conversation with Nate in the kitchen.

Everything was going well.

That is, everything except for Scarlet’s inevitable death—that was still looming on the horizon.

Scarlet tried to push death from her mind as much as possible. Instead, she focused on the fountain of youth. She read books, researched online, and talked to anyone and everyone she could find about myths and legends—all in the hopes that the fountain could, and would, be found before she keeled over. Which, according to Nate, could happen in the next few weeks.

And Heather didn’t have a clue.

It was hard for Scarlet to live a double life. She wanted so badly to tell Heather everything, but something always made her hesitate. Maybe it was fear. Maybe selfishness.

Scarlet couldn’t bring herself to do it yet.

Laura had been weird about Scarlet’s obsession with the fountain of youth, so Scarlet had resigned herself to doing her research at the library. Which is where she was the morning of winter formal.

Despite her and Gabriel’s strained relationship since the symbol incident, he insisted they still attend the dance together.

Because that was a great way to spend free time when really what you should be doing is finding a way not to die.

Scarlet hadn’t wanted to go, but she also didn’t want to disappoint Gabriel. He seemed to be looking forward to the dance and she didn’t want to let him down.

Ever since Nate had told her about Gabriel’s curse, Scarlet had tried to be an extra good girlfriend. She’d tried to show him as much love as she could. But Gabriel had still seemed…distant.

As if he no longer trusted her.

So, she was going to the winter formal with a hot guy who didn’t trust her but was probably in love with her because he didn’t have any other options.

Wonderful.

Scarlet looked at the time. Laura had probably already left on her business trip—she was going to be gone for almost ten days this time. It seemed like her work trips were getting longer and longer….

Poor Laura.

With Laura out of the house, however, Scarlet would be free to pursue her fountain investigation at home.

She looked at the clock again.

She’d go home soon. Just a few more minutes at the library, and then she’d head home to finish up her reading and start getting ready for the dance.

Scarlet continued her research until she came across an online passage about the fountain of youth being in a forest of tall trees and dark shadows. Scarlet opened her notebook for the zillionth time, hoping to find something she’d missed.

She started to read on, but went blind as a new memory hit her.

She had an arrow and she was running away with it, trying to save…someone.

She ran and ran…until she came to a familiar house. She rushed inside and looked around for a hiding spot. It had to be a good spot…a permanent spot.

She ran into a bedroom and headed to a familiar cabinet. A wardrobe.

She pulled out the bottom drawer, removed a false bottom, and placed the arrow against the old wood. Covering the false bottom back up, she returned the drawer to its place and stepped back, breathing heavily.

The arrow was dangerous—it was deadly.

She had to keep it safe.

She had to keep everything safe.

Scarlet blinked back to the present and found herself breathing heavily, her eyes hot.

She was afraid. Truly fearful.

As if she had hidden the arrow just seconds ago rather than years ago.

Scarlet tried to get a grip, but she was confused. What was so dangerous about the arrow?

Suddenly, she had a feeling someone was about to die.

Someone besides her.

There was only one way to find out—she had to talk to Gabriel.

Scarlet pulled out her phone and called him

No answer.

She called Nate.

No answer.

Come on, guys!

Scarlet tapped her fingers on the library desk in front of her. She needed to tell someone immediately.

Someone was in danger—she could feel it!

She pulled out her phone and texted Gabriel.

I had a flashback. I’m on my way to your house. It’s important!

She pressed send and gathered her things.

This couldn’t wait—someone was going to die.

68

After knocking on the cabin door for two minutes without an answer, Scarlet turned the doorknob and found it unlocked.

Yeah, real safe guys.

She let herself in and called out for Gabriel.

Nothing.

She ran upstairs and looked for him, but found his room empty.

She went back downstairs, frustrated she wasn’t able to get a hold of anyone and didn’t think she could wait a moment longer to tell someone.

Unless….

She looked at the stairs leading into the basement. Could she wait until Gabriel got home for answers?

Nope.

Slowly, carefully, Scarlet descended the stairs. Tristan wasn’t her first choice, but he certainly knew more than she did.

Scarlet made her way down into the basement feeling like an intruder in a lion’s den. Tristan had made it clear he wasn’t thrilled with her presence in the house, let alone in his private quarters. But this was important.

She needed help and since Gabriel was nowhere to be found, Tristan would have to do.

She tried to ignore the little voice in the back of her mind that chided her reasoning. If she were being honest with herself, there was a part of her—a very small, very foolish part—that was happy for an excuse to see Tristan.

To need him. To be around him.

She was the worst girlfriend ever.

Shaking off her guilt and falling back on her earlier I-need-help-from-someone excuse, Scarlet proceeded down the basement hallway to Tristan’s room. The only other time she’d been in this part of the cabin was when Gabriel had given her the grand tour.

The basement looked so different without Gabriel. It looked…forbidden.

She crept quietly, feeling unwelcome in Tristan’s living space. His obvious dislike for her didn’t help with her resolve to seek him out. There was a good chance he’d yell or scoff or, worse, ignore her.

The possibility of him turning her away angered her. But more significant than his dislike for her was the sadness it triggered. Something inside her lost a bit of life every time Tristan shunned her.

Which was pretty much anytime time she was around.

Maybe it was for her own protection, like Nate had said, but it still hurt.

Taking a deep breath, Scarlet reached Tristan’s bedroom door, which stood ajar, and carefully took a single step inside. The large bed situated in the center of the room was ornate and beckoning in its design.

The deep mahogany frame was carved with masculine angles offset with intricate details burned into the four posters that stood at attention at each corner. Everything about the frame screamed man, while everything about the navy bedding whispered woman. Plush pillows sat atop a raised mattress, silk sheets and a velvet blanket.

Scarlet swallowed.

For all his brooding and brokenness, Tristan sure knew how to put a bed together. The basement ceilings were much higher than she remembered, making Tristan’s bedroom feel vaulted and open.

A wardrobe cabinet sat in the far corner of the bedroom and Scarlet did a double-take.

It was the wardrobe from her flashback.

She had hidden the dangerous arrow in Tristan’s wardrobe.

But why?

She was about to call out Tristan’s name when movement caught her eye.

Directly across from the bed was an archway leading into the master bath. In the area just beyond the archway, and visible from the doorway, was a long, marble bathroom countertop. Above the sink hung an oversized bathroom mirror framed with the same mahogany as the beautiful bed.

It was inside this mirror Scarlet’s eye was drawn to movement.

Tristan stood in front of the mirror, his perfect body shirtless, as he finished washing his face.

His body was gorgeous. Strong and male and pure muscle.

Scarlet’s mouth dropped open as her eyes zeroed in on something curious. It wasn’t his perfectly sculpted half-naked body that caught her attention.

It was the dark tattoo—wrapped around the left side of his ribcage and reaching down below his waist—that captured Scarlet’s gaze.

Her eyes followed its design in disbelief, staring unashamedly at his bare torso.

Scarlet sucked in a sharp breath.

The tattoo on Tristan’s body was Scarlet’s mysterious symbol. Exactly.

It was the doodle she drew on her shoes and her skin and on her notebook. The design that floated in and out of her thoughts and dreams. The symbol that managed to survive her memory wash.

The symbol Scarlet knew she was connected to.

And Tristan had it permanently inked onto his muscular body.

And it was a bit faded, suggesting the tattoo had been stitched into his skin for quite some time.

His eyes caught hers in the mirror and, for a split second, she thought everything was going to be okay. Tristan’s face softened at the initial sight of Scarlet standing in his doorway, but the moment quickly passed and was replaced with a tangible coldness.

He finished drying his face. “What are you doing?” he said to Scarlet’s reflection, not bothering to turn and look at her directly.

She blinked a few times, trying to compose both her surprise at his tattoo and shock at his tone. Although she tried to respond with an edge to her voice, her words came out small and soft. “Why do you have that tattoo?”

Tristan turned around to face her and looked down at the design on his ribcage. His eyes stayed lowered, although they left his tattoo and fell against a random spot on the floor. He inhaled through his nostrils, a muscle in his jaw tightening.

He was upset.

She could feel his fear and anger.

When his eyes made their way back to Scarlet’s face, there was a deadliness to them that hurt more than frightened her. “You first. Why are you spying on me?”

Scarlet raised an eyebrow, letting her curiosity about the tattoo override her hurt feelings. With as much attitude as she could muster she said, “Spying? You wish. I was looking for Gabriel.” Scarlet took a few confident steps toward Tristan, cocking her head to the side as she examined the tattoo. It was an exact replica of her drawing, down to the last detail. “You saw me draw that exact design on my hip. Why did I do that?”

His gaze didn’t falter, nor did his dark tone. “I don’t know.”

Scarlet watched him for a moment, unsure of what to think. If the mark she had been scribbling for the last two years was a tattoo from her boyfriend’s brother’s body…a tattoo that trailed down his ribcage and into his pants, then….

She looked down and away from Tristan.

No wonder Gabriel had been upset when he’d seen the drawing on her hip.

She had no words. Why would she come into this new life with almost no memory whatsoever but remember—in vivid detail, no less—Tristan’s tattoo?

All answers pointed to something Scarlet wasn’t ready to accept. She gradually pulled her head back up and looked at him, more closely this time.

His jaw was still locked and resistant. His body still tense and cold. But his eyes…the bright green depths of his eyes…were in pain.

There was no hatred in them, no apathy. Just sadness.

Her features must have reflected her thoughts because Tristan silently shook his head, lowering his brow in warning. Almost as if to say, do not speak of this.

Scarlet’s chest rose and fell as she looked at him in silence.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Her eyes began to burn. They were probably glowing neon blue.

Wonderful.

She swallowed. “What do I not remember?”

Tristan’s green eyes flashed and Scarlet’s heart began to pump with a fervor like never before. Recklessly banging against her ribcage like it didn’t belong to her. Like it needed to break free.

Like it would tear her soul in half if only to escape….

“Scar,” he said, his voice cracking as he looked at her burning eyes. “You—“

“What did you call me?” His beautiful voice came over her ears and struck something deep and warm inside her. Something she remembered…loving.

“You need to get out of here.” He spoke firmly, but his eyes looked panicked.

“You called me…‘Scar’…” She took another step closer to him, her heart pulling her near, hammering madly inside her chest. Looking up at his handsome face, she tilted her head. Her voice was soft, curious, and aware. “You called me ‘Scar’…. That’s my name…‘Scar’….”

He opened his mouth like he was going to speak—

“Scarlet!” Gabriel’s voice carried down the basement stairs and into Tristan’s room, breaking the silence.

They looked away from one another and shifted in opposite directions.

Tristan turned and retreated to the master bath. Scarlet started walking, slowly and in a state of shock, back toward his door.

He called me Scar…. I remembered his tattoo…. What does this mean? Why can’t I remember?

Frustration filled her veins.

She hated her broken mind.

She hated the secrets Tristan was keeping from her.

And she hated that her eyes were still on fire.

Tristan came up behind her with a fresh shirt on and, without making eye contact, they exited the bedroom and made their way back up the stairs to where Gabriel and Nate were looking for Scarlet.

Scarlet’s heart thrummed away, refusing to calm down.

Partly due to her shock at seeing Tristan’s tattoo.

But also because she had something important to tell the guys.

Something critical.

69

Gabriel and Nate had been across town, trying to figure out what would cause a person to immediately turn to ash upon death, when Gabriel received Scarlet’s text message.

Seeing Tristan and Scarlet come up from the basement together, Gabriel’s first thought was jealously.

But it was quickly replaced by fear when he saw Scarlet’s eyes.

Her very bright, very neon blue eyes.

Ash people were no longer Gabriel’s primary concern. “Scarlet, are you okay?” He looked at Tristan with hatred. “What did you do?”

Tristan shot Gabriel a dark look. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Look at her eyes!”

Scarlet started shaking her head. “Forget about my eyes. I had a flashback.”

She felt something warm trickle down her face and touched a hand to her nose.

Blood.

Her nose was bleeding.

Tristan cursed, looking away with clenched fists.

Nate sucked in a breath.

Gabriel came in close to her, taking her face in his hands. “You’re sick, Scarlet. This is serious.”

“I’m fine.” She wiggled out of his arms and backed away, wiping at her nose. “Listen to me, I had a flashback and I feel like someone is in danger.” Scarlet took a deep breath. “I hid an arrow. In one of my other lives, I remember running away with an arrow and hiding it because I knew it was dangerous. The arrow made me afraid and I was desperate to protect it.”

All three of them looked at her intently.

“The arrow is going to kill someone…or, or something. I don’t know.” Scarlet groaned in frustration. “I can’t remember why, but I know it’s dangerous. The arrow made me sad and scared, so I hid it. Do you guys know what I’m talking about?”

They all shook their heads.

“You thought the arrow was dangerous?” Nate asked, looking at her closely.

“You never told me anything about a hidden arrow,” Tristan said, his voice soft as he looked at her nose.

Was she still bleeding?

“Me neither.” Gabriel’s eyes looked concerned. “Scarlet, are you sure it was a flashback? Your eyes are bright and your nose is bleeding, which means you’re very ill. Do you think maybe you blended two memories together?”

“I might be sick, but I’m not crazy, Gabriel. I hid an arrow! I ran around some old house and looked for a safe place and I hid it!”

They just stared at her.

“Agh!” Scarlet suddenly remembered the wardrobe she’d seen in Tristan’s room. “I’ll show you.” She spun on her heel and rushed back downstairs to Tristan’s room.

They followed after her.

Scarlet entered the forbidden bedroom and rushed over to the cabinet in the corner. It looked exactly the same, but for some wear and tear.

She pulled out the bottom drawer and emptied its contents on the floor.

“What are you doing?” Tristan eyed her carefully.

“Proving I’m not insane.” Scarlet ran her hand against the bottom of the drawer until she found a notch. She looked up at the boys with an eyebrow raised as she lifted the false bottom. “See?”

Everyone in the room stared into the secret compartment with mouths open.

There, as if no time had passed, lay a slim arrow, its tip glinting in the bedroom light.

“Wha…?” Gabriel leaned down to look at the arrow.

Tristan reached a hand down and swiftly snatched the arrow into his palm. “You hid this in my wardrobe?”

Scarlet shrugged. “I guess.”

“Tristan,” Nate said, slowly. “Maybe you should let me hold on to that.”

Tristan said nothing.

“Do you have any idea why Scarlet thought it was dangerous?” Gabriel looked at Nate.

Nate looked at Tristan. “I have a guess.”

Tristan cleared his throat. “Until we know why Scarlet hid it, we should probably keep the arrow safe. I’ll lock it up in the den with the other weapons.”

Nate glared at Tristan. “How about I lock it up?”

Tristan glared back. “No, thanks. I’ll take care of it.”

And with that, Tristan left the room. Taking the arrow with him.

70

Scarlet watched Tristan leave and turned to Gabriel. “The arrow is unsafe.”

She had no idea how she knew that, but it was true. The arrow was deadly.

Gabriel nodded, looking at her in concern. “Okay. Well, you don’t have to worry about it anymore. I’m sure Tristan will put it somewhere safe.” He looked closely at her eyes—her burning eyes.

“How do you feel?” Warmth trickled from her nose again and Gabriel’s eyes widened in fear.

“I feel fantastic.” Scarlet swiped at her face, her hand coming away bloody. She so did not feel fantastic. She felt nervous. And shaky.

“Scarlet, your eyes are flashing out of control.” Gabriel placed his hand against her cheek and looked at her in worry.

Nate took a step toward Scarlet. “You need to get out of the cabin. Tristan’s presence is only going to—“

“I know!” Scarlet cut him off. Why was she snapping at Nate? He hadn’t done anything wrong. No one had.

So, why was she freaking out?

“I know, I know.” Scarlet moved away from Gabriel’s hand. “Tristan’s killing me, I get it. I’ll leave.”

She was angry. And frustrated. And…sad?

What was going on with her emotions?

Scarlet moved to leave the room. “I need to get ready for the dance anyway.”

Gabriel reached for her hand to stop her. “I don’t think we should go to the dance. I think you need to take it easy. Get some rest—“

“And what? Drink orange juice and eat chicken noodle soup? No, Gabriel! I don’t have the flu. I have a rare heart condition sealed with immortal blood and curable only with magic water. I’m not sick, I’m just dying.”

Gabriel spoke softly, “Which is why I don’t think you should go to the dance tonight.”

The funny thing was that Scarlet hadn’t wanted to go to the dance to begin with. But something about Gabriel telling her not to go made her want to show him just who was in charge of her life—and her death.

“No. I’m not going to stay tucked away in my bed like a weakling, waiting for death to come get me. I want to go to the dance.”

Wow. Never in a million years did I think I would say those seven words.

“No.” Gabriel said sternly. “You need to rest.”

Scarlet took a step closer to him and looked up into his attractive, over-protective face. “I’m going to the dance, Gabriel. With—or without—you.”

She turned around and marched back up the cabin stairs, her heart still thrumming wildly within her.

She didn’t see Tristan anywhere, but she knew he was nearby. Her heart knew.

She slammed the front door behind her as she walked down the drive, got into her car, and drove home.

With every mile that passed, her raging heart quieted a beat.

But her eyes continued to burn.

71

“Who’s excited about winter formal?” Heather squealed, barging into Scarlet’s room with a ridiculously fluffy blue dress on. She held up a long garment bag.

“Yay,” Scarlet said, half-heartedly. She wasn’t really in the mood to dress up. Or go dancing. Or do anything, really, other than stress-out about the arrow she’d found.

And how every guy in her life was trying to tell her what to do.

“That doesn’t sound excited. That sounds depressed. This is a big deal, Scarlet! Get happy!”

Scarlet faked a smile at Heather’s good intentions. “I’m happy. I just don’t like dressing up.”

“Uh, that’s because you suck at it. But fear not! I am here to make you dazzling.” Heather shuffled over to Scarlet’s bed and started unzipping the garment bag. “Wait until you see what I picked out for you. It’s ah-mazing.”

“Please tell me you didn’t get us matching dresses,” Scarlet said, truly terrified she’d have to go to the dance dressed like an oversized blueberry.

“No. But I’ll do that next time since I can tell by your tone how very thrilled you are with the idea of looking just like me.” Heather gave a playful smile, as she pulled out a mess of gray and black material. “Ta-da!”

Scarlet looked at the elegant dress in her friend’s hands. “Heather, that looks like a prom dress.”

“It is.”

“But, this isn’t prom. This is winter formal.”

Heather’s mouth fell open in disbelief. “This is your first dance with a real, live human boy who totally digs you and is smokin’ hot! You need a killer dress.” She wiggled the hanger. “Boo-yah!”

Scarlet shook her head. “I’m going to look ridiculous in that. I’ll look like…a doll.”

“Ye-ah. A super hot fashion doll! Come on, put it on.”

Scarlet furrowed her brow.

Heather dropped her head to the side. “What else are you gonna wear, Scarlet? That pale yellow sundress in your closet that makes you look like a sad banana? I don’t think so. Get dressed.” Heather threw the dress on the bed.

Scarlet regretted her outburst at the cabin earlier. She wished she hadn’t been so adamant about attending the dance because, now, she absolutely did not want to go.

But she couldn’t change her mind now. Her creepy, blue-eyed pride was at stake.

Scarlet reluctantly picked up the elegant gown and slid into the dress. It had a black corset top—far too tight for Scarlet to breathe normally—and a long, bunched up, gray taffeta skirt.

Scarlet looked at herself in the mirror.

Aside from her inability to take a deep breath without ripping the tight corset in half, Scarlet actually looked…good.

She looked pretty. And healthy.

Which was incredibly misleading.

Heather clapped her hands and squealed again. Like a winter formal cheerleader wearing a blue pom-pom. “I love it! Okay, let’s do your hair.”

Scarlet looked at her long dark hair in the mirror. “It looks fine the way it is.”

“Uh…yeah. If you’re going mini-golfing. What your locks need tonight is some curl and sass.”

“My locks need nothing.”

Heather pouted her lips. “Please don’t suck the fun out of this dance for me. Let me play with your hair…please?”

Despite her sour mood, Scarlet smiled. “Fine.”

This is what normal, non-dying, teenage girls do. They get ready for dances and pretend the biggest problem in their life is finding nail polish that doesn’t chip.

Scarlet followed Heather into the bathroom and endured thirty minutes of tugging and curling before Heather was finished. The end result was a giant heap of big brown curls.

And not in an attractive way.

Scarlet looked at her poofy hair in the mirror. “I look like a lion. Like a savage, brunette lion.”

Heather examined her unruly hair with a cluck of her tongue. “You’re right. You need a clip or a few pins or something. Follow me.”

Scarlet followed Heather back into her room where she immediately headed to her bedroom mirror. “Agh. I look ridiculous.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll fix it.” Heather rifled through the jewelry box on Scarlet’s dresser. “Aha!” She held up something round and shiny.

It was the ring Nate had given Scarlet.

“This is beautiful! We’ll just pin some of your crazy curls back with this, and then you’ll look magnificent.”

“No,” Scarlet said, panicked for no real reason.

“No?” Heather raised her eyebrows. “Scarlet, look at yourself. You’re a hot mess. We need to tame your hair.”

“Right. But not with that.” She pointed to the ring. “It’s not a hair clip.”

Heather looked at it. “Maybe not, but it’s a really pretty ring...or broach…or whatever, and I can just secure it with a thousand bobby pins or something.”

Scarlet scrunched her face. “I don’t think it’s jewelry.”

Heather narrowed her eyes. “Then what is it?”

She shrugged. She had no idea, but she was sure it wasn’t a fashion accessory.

Heather sighed. “Well, whatever it is, it’s beautiful. And so are you. So, I’m going to put you two together. I’ll be right back.”

Heather ran to the bathroom and returned with an arsenal of bobby pins. She twisted a few pieces of hair from Scarlet’s face and pinned them back behind her head with the trinket—Scarlet complaining about the ring the entire time.

For all Scarlet knew, the mysterious object was a magical ring of death that summoned demons from Middle Earth or something. She would probably trigger some ancient spell by wearing it and accidentally start a war in another dimension.

The last thing Scarlet needed in her life was more voodoo drama.

She started to pry the shiny ring out of her hair when Heather smacked her hand.

Hard.

“Heather!” Scarlet furrowed her brow.

“You will not undo all my hard work, Scarlet Marie! Now,” Heather batted her lashes, “help me look in your jewelry box for some earrings to match my dress.”

Heather walked over to Scarlet’s jewelry collection and sifted through her many earrings as Scarlet turned back around and looked at herself in the mirror.

Her eyes were very blue. More blue than they’d been yesterday. Or the day before.

She was getting worse, but at least her eyes had stopped glowing. She didn’t need Heather’s keen intuition bombarding Scarlet with questions about her choice in eye drops.

Her heart kicked, reminding her that something was wrong.

Something aside from her dying heart and neon eyes.

Something was wrong with the arrow she’d found.

Something was wrong with….

Tristan.

Scarlet blinked at her reflection.

It made no sense, but she knew, inexplicably, without a doubt, something was wrong with Tristan.

She just didn’t know what.

Scarlet tried to put her colliding thoughts together.

Why would something be wrong with Tristan?

And then she remembered Nate’s words about the fountain of youth.

Short of Tristan dying, it’s the only way to kill the blood inside you.

If Tristan’s blood died, she would…live.

And, just like that, she knew why the arrow was dangerous.

It could kill immortals.

Immortals like Tristan.

The arrow can kill Tristan, and he was eager to take it from me today.

Scarlet sucked in a sharp breath, looking away from the mirror.

Tristan was going to kill himself with the arrow she’d found.

An arrow she’d practically handed over to him today.

Somehow she knew that’s what he was going to do.

Her heart started to pound.

Why would he do such a thing?

The answer didn’t matter. What mattered was making sure Tristan didn’t do anything stupid. No one was going to lay down their life for her.

Especially not Tristan.

“Okay, blue dangly earrings, or blue fuzzy ones?” Heather turned from the jewelry box and held up two earrings to her ears before rolling her eyes. “Wait, why am I asking you? You’d probably suggest I wear snowman earrings or something—“

“Tristan,” Scarlet said absently, feeling her eyes begin to burn. Without looking at Heather, she hurried out of the room.

“What are you—Scarlet, I am not going to wear Tristan on my ears! That’s just weird. And probably impossible.” Her voice faded as Scarlet descended the stairs. “Although, I would definitely wear him in other ways…. Scarlet! Where are you going?”

Scarlet didn’t answer. She headed for the front door, grabbing her keys and dress shoes before leaving.

She didn’t have time for earrings.

Tristan was going to die.

72

Tristan heard Nate enter the den, but refused to turn around. He continued staring up at the wall of weapons, holding the arrow from Scarlet’s hiding place in his immortal hand.

“Don’t do this,” Nate said.

Tristan kept his back to him. “Did you see Scarlet’s eyes? Her bloody nose?” His voice cracked, but he didn’t care.

Once Scarlet’s nose started bleeding, she usually only lived a few more days—if that.

He heard Nate take a step forward. “We can still find the fountain.”

Tristan shook his head. “There’s no time. And, let’s be honest here, the fountain probably doesn’t exist. What am I supposed to do?” Tristan turned around and looked at his longtime friend. “Let her die a hundred more times because I’m too selfish to die for her? No.” He shook his head. “It has to be now.”

Nate was silent for a long time, staring at the floor.

“You and I have had many lifetimes,” Tristan said. “But Scarlet has not. She’s had a handful of partial lives, all of them lost and confusing. None of them full and happy. She deserves this, Nate.” Tristan swallowed and softly said, “You know I’m right.”

Nate looked up and slowly said, “You don’t have to do this.”

“Yes.” Tristan nodded. “I do.”

Slowly and hesitantly, Nate said, “This is forever, though. There’s no going back after this.”

Tristan turned the arrow over in his hand. “That’s the plan.”

Nate shifted uncomfortably. “What do you want me to tell Gabriel and Scarlet?”

Tristan swallowed back his emotion. “The truth.” He pulled two envelopes out of his back pocket and handed them to his oldest friend. “I’ve kept these in the safe for the last few years. They’re my final words to Gabriel and Scarlet. I don’t want…either of them to think I wanted to leave their world.”

Nate’s eyes looked pained as he took the envelopes.

Tristan took a deep breath. “Thank you, friend.”

Nate said nothing as Tristan exited the den.

For the last time.

73

Scarlet tripped over her flowing gray skirt as she entered the cabin without knocking and ran down the basement stairs.

“Tristan!” She hit the basement floor and plowed into his room, her strategically placed curls falling into her face and her corset top squeezing the breath out of her.

“Tristan!” she called out wildly.

She saw a rigged bow leaning against his wardrobe, and the dangerous arrow on his bathroom counter. He appeared in the bathroom archway, dressed in a solid black shirt and black pants.

Dressed to die.

Over my dead body.

“You cannot—no, you will not do this.” Scarlet stormed past his beautiful, big bed into the bathroom and snatched the arrow off the counter.

Tristan, looking stunned and confused said, “You need to leave, Scarlet. You’re sick.”

“No!” She faced him with the arrow in her hand. “You don’t get to push me away this time! I know what you’re planning to do and I won’t let it happen.”

His eyes widened and she knew she was right.

He really was planning to die.

He looked at her sternly. “Go away.”

She shook her head and pointed the arrow at him. “You cannot kill yourself, Tristan.”

A muscle flexed in his jaw. “Leave.”

She lowered the arrow and cocked her head to the side, trying to feel him.

He was…afraid…and determined.

He walked to the other side of the counter and started messing with drawers and cabinets.

“No.” Scarlet shook her head. “I won’t let you do this.”

He turned around, pressing his lips together with a look of sadness. “You can’t stop me.”

Scarlet’s mouth dropped open, her eyes heating up like never before. “I’m in charge of my life. I’m in charge of when I live or die. Not you! You don’t get to take your life on my behalf! I won’t let you break my heart—break Gabriel’s heart—like that!”

Tristan’s look of sadness morphed into one of fear as he softly said. “Look at your eyes, Scar. Look at them.”

Scar. He’d called her Scar again and it felt…perfect.

She turned and looked at herself in his giant bathroom mirror. Her eyes were on fire. Bright blue fire. As she watched, a single drop of blood fell from her nose and she quickly wiped it away.

Tristan’s voice was hushed and thick. “You’re dying.”

She took a deep breath as she stared into the mirror.

Standing beside Tristan, looking at their bodies side-by-side, caused her heart to twitch.

They were beautiful.

The two of them, standing together, like they belonged at one another’s side, was beautiful. And he was going to take it all away.

She looked at her glowing blue eyes for a moment longer before finding his eyes in the mirror. She kept her voice as controlled as possible. “I don’t care if I die a thousand more times.” She turned to face him directly. “I need you to live.”

She didn’t know why she needed him to live, she just did.

Tristan turned around and they stood facing each other, just inches apart. His chest was shaking with uneven breaths and his eyes flashed hurt and pain and brokenness before her.

She could cry.

She would cry.

“You don’t need me, Scar. You need life. And all I do is take it from you.”

She shook her head emphatically, feeling him slip away. “But you also give me life.”

“Yes, and you are alive right now, right here,” he looked her over with love and regret and Scarlet thought she would die of a broken heart right there on the bathroom tile, “because my blood brought you back. But I won’t let it take you away ever again.”

Scarlet opened her mouth to scream and yell and kick and fight, but all that came out was a broken plea. “Please?”

A tear fell down her face—a tear she didn’t know she had.

He was going to leave her forever.

She placed her small hands on his broad chest and looked up at him desperately. “Please?”

Tristan swallowed and she closed her eyes, feeling everything he felt.

Love…it was full and real and breaking him in half.

Fear…filling his gut and churning his insides with guilt.

Hatred…for the unfairness in her life and his.

And hope…hope for what…?

“What could you possibly be hopeful for?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

A long moment of silence passed before he answered, “I want you to have a real chance at wholeness.”

“No,” Scarlet whispered, opening her eyes again. “I don’t want wholeness…not without you….”

What was she saying?

Scarlet didn’t know why she was so desperate to keep him alive, but nothing had ever been so important to her.

Tristan’s green eyes, pouring into hers with need and sorrow, lowered to her face.

His strong jaw tilted beside her head and his perfect lips hovered just in front of hers.

Was it wrong if she kissed him?

Yes.

But she wanted to anyway.

If a kiss could keep him in her world, if a kiss could change his mind, she would kiss the hell out of him.

Because she needed him. She didn’t remember him, but she knew she couldn’t live without him.

His lips barely brushed against hers as his warm hand came up behind her neck to cradle her head.

She parted her lips and inhaled, trying to absorb as much of him as he’d let her. He smelled like leather and soap and all things wonderful as he pressed his lips to hers.

At her mouth, he whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

She felt a prick behind her ear and immediately knew she had lost.

“No…,” she croaked out as her body fell limp and numb in his arms.

The crystal. He must have pricked her with the sleeping crystal.

She heard the arrow fall from her hand and hit the tile at her feet.

He gently picked her up and she could do nothing but stare up at him in disbelief and horror.

He was going to kill himself. While she slept.

He placed her on his majestic bed and tucked her in with shaking hands and wet eyes. “I’m so, so sorry, Scar.”

He leaned down and kissed her forehead with soft lips as she laid, heavy-lidded, in a sea of blankets and sheets that smelled like him and filled her heart with love.

He was going to kill himself and she couldn’t stop him.

She was falling asleep….

Another tear fell down her cheek as her heavy eyes watched him retrieve the bow and arrow and head out of the room.

The bedroom door began to close behind him and, as her world began to fade into slumber, she saw a tear fall down his cheek as well.

He was going to destroy the most beautiful thing Scarlet couldn’t remember.

74

“Scarlet!” Gabriel called out in a panic as he left his car running in the driveway and opened the cabin’s front door.

He’d gone to her house to convince her not to go to the dance, only to find an agitated, blue Heather complaining about earrings and Scarlet’s erratic behavior.

When Heather mentioned how Scarlet had said Tristan’s name, Gabriel immediately headed to the cabin, terror in his veins.

Scarlet was sick and probably confused. Or worse.

“Scarlet!” he called again, racing upstairs and all around the main floor. Finally he raced into the basement and barged through Tristan’s door.

There was Scarlet, beautiful and still, on Tristan’s bed.

Her cheeks were tear-stained and soft, her breathing deep and steady. Walking over to her, he shook her gently. “Scarlet…Scarlet, honey.”

Nothing.

No movement. No response.

He shook her again, but still she didn’t wake.

Where is Tristan and why is Scarlet sleeping in his bed?

On the sheets next to Scarlet’s head was the tiny white crystal from the Head Ghost.

Tristan had drugged her.

Rage fueled Gabriel’s curse words and his hands as he checked her pulse and looked all over her body to make sure she was all right.

Why would Tristan do such a thing?

Gabriel frantically ran to Tristan’s medicine cabinet to search for the antidote.

After finding it, he ran back to bed and gently tipped Scarlet’s head back. He pricked the back of her ear with the black crystal, waking her body up with the serum.

Scarlet came to and immediately started to hyperventilate, new tears springing from her eyes as she breathed out, “Tristan’s…going…to kill…himself….”

Gabriel was confused. “What?”

“He’s going…to kill himself…with the arrow…to break the curse. We have…to stop him!”

For a moment, Gabriel dismissed Scarlet’s words. She was sick. She was confused.

“Scarlet, are you sure...?”

“Yes! The arrow...can kill...immorals...that’s why...I hid it...we have to hurry!” Scarlet’s eyes lit up the room.

Gabriel was about to argue when suddenly, everything made sense. Tristan’s secrecy about who his murder victim was…Scarlet’s fear of the arrow…everything.

Gabriel’s eyes burned with fear and anger.

How could he be so selfish?

Scarlet sat up and started shaking out her limbs. “We have to go. Now!”

“No way,” Gabriel said. “You’re not going anywhere. That bastard just drugged you. You are staying here.”

Her neon eyes lit up the room. “Like hell I am!” Scarlet scrambled off the bed, her dark hair falling in a mess around her face. “We need to stop him!”

Gabriel started to argue with her but was afraid the fight might be too emotionally draining for her and cause her heart to break even faster.

“Fine. Come on.” He led her out of the cabin and to his parked car, the engine still running. “Do you know where he went?”

Scarlet shook her head. “No idea.”

“Then we’ll start looking downtown.” Gabriel started to get in the car when he saw Scarlet pause at the edge of the driveway.

He watched her close her eyes and tilt her head to side.

He waited.

Then she took off running into the woods.

What the hell?

Gabriel hurriedly turned off his engine and chased after her into the darkness.

75

Scarlet was running, blind and hopeless, through a thicket of trees that were the only thing between her and Tristan’s precious life.

She didn’t know where he was. But she could feel him. And she followed the feeling without question.

Through bushes and mud puddles and broken leaves she ran, the icy winter wind whipping at her foiled hair and releasing her curls. She felt the silver ring come loose and grasped at it so she wouldn’t lose it.

Running and running, she dried her tears and kept her head high.

Now was not the time to fall apart, now was the time to focus.

She was getting closer, she could feel his anxiety…his fear…his love for her pouring out of his soul in mourning and regret.

Oh, Tristan, what are you doing?

Please don’t die.

Her feet pounded the earth as she traveled as quickly as her high-heels would allow.

Screw it, she thought, kicking of her heels and flying barefoot through the trees.

Terrified and freezing, she ran towards the only person stupid enough to die for her.

Tristan Archer.

76

Tristan finished positioning the auto-rigged bow and set the arrow toward the outlined target in the distance. Tristan double-checked his calculations until he was satisfied the arrow would pierce his heart straight-through, slicing it in two.

After checking the wind, he left the bow and went to stand with his back against the bull’s-eye. It seemed like a million miles separated him from the tree he would die against, but he walked them anyway.

Once there, he placed his back against the target and faced the arrow pointed at him from afar. He took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes, and waited for his life to come to an end. The auto timer gave him only 90 seconds and, with those seconds, he chose to think back on the beautiful life he’d had.

Scarlet, her voice, her laughter, her love, her forgiveness, her hope…. He was more blessed than any other being to ever live.

And he had lived.

Now it was time for him to close his eyes and give Scarlet the chance to do the same.

With shaking hands and a nervous heart, he stood up tall.

His eyes were still closed as he envisioned Scarlet’s sweet face.

He could almost hear her calling out to him. He could almost feel her nearness and the peace that came with it.

A final feeling of serenity before his life went black.

He heard the arrow latch pull back, about to release, and took a final breath.

With his last thought, he prayed Scarlet would find it in her heart to someday forgive him for saving her life.

77

“Tristan, no!”

Scarlet saw the arrow positioned in the distance and called out in a hoarse voice. “Tristan!” Her heart pounded crazily, louder than any other noise in the forest.

He didn’t move. He didn’t respond. Like he was deaf and blind and….already lost to her.

The idea broke her heart and sent her running faster, reaching his body just as she heard a snap in the distance.

Before she realized what was happening, she felt something sharp slice into her back, cutting off oxygen to her lungs and shutting out everything but the sight of Tristan’s beautiful eyes opening in a look of absolute horror.

“Scarlet,” Tristan’s voice caught in his throat as he caught her falling body for the second time that night. “Scarlet…?”

His voice shook almost as much as his hands as he gently lowered her to the ground.

What was going on?

Her hand fell to the side, still grasping the shiny ring, as he shifted her gently. She saw a tear fall from one of his brilliant green eyes.

Scarlet looked up at him in detachment. She felt no pain, no sadness…just curiosity at his pained face.

Why is Tristan crying? Why is he sad? He’s alive!

Peaceful joy settled on Scarlet at the realization that Tristan hadn’t died.

He was alive.

She had saved him.

Her eyes began to burn and Tristan’s face contorted in agony. “No, no, no…Scar…no, no. This can’t happen…oh, Scar….” He leaned down and started kissing her face and stroking her hair.

But she felt nothing.

His broken voice fell into her ear, “I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry….” He was coughing and crying and shaking and cold.

He was really cold. And his coldness was seeping into her.

She blinked.

No.

She was cold.

Everywhere.

And she couldn’t feel her hands or feet or head….

“Tristan…?” she said, confused.

He kissed her forehead through his tears. “I’m so sorry…so sorry.” He choked on his emotion. “I’m so sorry, Scar….”

Sadness came over her as she watched agony overtake his shaking body. Her burning eyes began to go blind as a memory assailed her. She drank it in, trying to absorb as much as she could.

After a time, she blinked her way out of the memory and back to Tristan’s sweet, wet face.

Darkness was coming down on her, shrinking Tristan into a tunnel and pushing him far, far away.

“Tristan…,” she said, her voice distant and muffled. With every fiber of strength her had left, she whispered, “I know where the fountain is.”

And with that, everything went black, cold, and dead.

Stay tuned for...

Awry

The Archers of Avalon Book 2

Coming summer 2012

www.TheArchersofAvalon.com

Also by Chelsea Fine...

While other high school seniors are dreaming about their futures, Sophie and Carter are just trying to make it through each day. Carter is overwhelmed by troubles at home as he struggles to support his mother. Meanwhile, next door neighbor Sophie is left to care for her three younger siblings in place of their absent and troubled mother. All that holds these two best friends together is each other, and knowing that each night they’ll sit together on Sophie’s front porch swing and escape from their troubles, if just for awhile. But as their relationship reaches a turning point and high school graduation nears, what lies ahead for Sophie and Carter?

ISBN 9781935089445, 128pp,

$7.95 softcover, $2.99 Nook or Kindle.

www.acaciapublishing.com

Content

Fine Chelsea Anew

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