Forbidden (26 page)

“It can’t be,” he whispered, backing slowly away, gaze riveted to Gabriel’s arms.
 
To the cross that’d been formed.
 
“The prophecy.”

Nicolae flipped open his phone.
 
His fingers blurred over the buttons and then he waited.
 
As soon as a voice came on the other end, a strange beautiful langue rolled off Nicolae’s tongue.
 
Gabriel stared down at his arms, shocked to find the tattoo symbols glowing bright blue.
 

“What the heck is going on?” he demanded, rising to his feet.
 
“What is happening to me Nicolae?”

Waving him off, Nicolae spoke a few more unintelligible sentences before snapping his phone shut.
 
“I need you to come with me.”

“Not until you tell me what you know,” Gabriel growled, unconsciously baring his teeth.

Nicolae didn’t back away from Gabriel’s threat.
 
“I promise you will get your answers.
 
But I need you to come with me now.”

“Where?” Gabriel asked, forcing steel into his wobbly legs.
 
He felt like every ounce of the amazing strength he’d been gifted with had been sucked from the marrow in his bones.
 

“
Romania
.”

***

“Have you completely lost your mind?” Sadie screamed over the phone.
 
“You’re actually going to get on a plane with that lunatic?”

“Yes.
 
He knows where Rose is.
 
I have to go after her, Sadie.”

There was a pause.
 
Gabriel could hear the clacking of finger nails on a wooden surface.
 
“Fine, but I’m coming with you.”

When Gabriel relayed the message, Nicolae blew up.
 
Sadie’s own voice mingled with the ringing in his ears.
 
Gabriel was still struggling to believe a word that Nicolae had said, but if Nicolae could get him to Rose then she could explain it to him.
 
He was desperate to hear her voice again.

Nicolae grabbed the phone back from Gabriel’s ear and immediately jumped into the fray.
 
“Out of the question.
 
I will not allow you to put your life in danger Sadie.”

“It’s my life,” Sadie exploded on the other end of the line.

Gabriel grimaced, almost feeling sorry for Nicolae.
 
“Bad move man,” he muttered in Nicolae’s ear.
 

After ten more minutes of fighting, Nicolae finally conceded to not only allowing Sadie to join in, but William as well.
 
“Fools.
 
They have no idea what they’re walking in to.”
 
Nicolae handed the phone back to Gabriel.

“We good Sadie?”
 
Gabriel asked, bobbing his head as he relayed the directions to the international terminal at O’Hare airport.
 
He hung up.
 
“I’ve gotta grab my stuff before we go.”

“Fine but make it quick,” Nicolae growled.
 
He was in a bad mood.

Nicolae’s scowl faltered as Gabriel’s hand caught his.
 
“You’re wrong about her.
 
I know Rose.
 
She would never hurt anyone.”

Nicolae’s eyes frosted over.
 
“When I was a little boy, I saw her for the first time.
 
My parents had gone to a party that night and made me stay home with my nanny.
 
I was so angry that they wouldn’t let me go, so I snuck out and ran across town to the main hall.”
 
Nicolae closed his eyes against the tears that threatened to spill over.
 
“By the time I arrived the doors were locked.
 
Their screams still haunt me.”

“What happened?” Gabriel asked, letting his hand drop away.
 

“Slaughtered.
 
Every single person inside.
 
It took weeks to clean the blood from the floors,” he choked out.
 
“My mother, father and two sisters were found among the carnage…in pieces.”

“Oh God,” Gabriel sighed.
 
“I’m so sorry.”

Nicolae straightened his shoulders, pushing away the memories.
 
“
Vladimir
is a sadistic monster Gabriel, but he doesn’t even come close to comparing to your father.”

“Roseline was with them?”

Nicolae nodded.
 
“She was.”

“And you think she was a part of this…tragedy?” Gabriel whispered, his mind refusing to accept it.

“I know she was.”
 
He started forward, but turned back.
 
“She’s not who you think she is Gabriel.
 
Or maybe you already know that.
 
Maybe you’re keeping secrets of your own.”

Gabriel was shocked by his urge to rip out Nicolae’s throat for speaking such things.
 
Unsettled by the sudden desire, he stood his ground.
 
“I don’t know who, or what I am.
 
All I know is that I love Rose and I’m going to save her.”

“Even if she’s a blood sucking monster?”

Gabriel nodded.
 
“Yes, but you’re wrong about her.”

Nicolae thought for a moment, considering his words.
 
The Roseline he’d watched over the past couple months had not lived up to the picture that’d been painted by his uncle.
 
What if Gabriel was right?
 
Roseline hadn’t killed, maimed or drained anyone.
 
Maybe she wasn’t as evil as he thought.
 

No!
 
It was too late for mercy.
 

Gabriel turned, heart weighed down, sagging his shoulders.
 
Nicolae called out to him.
 
“Make no mistake Gabriel; Roseline is evil in its purest form.
 
She’s far more dangerous than you could ever imagine, especially since the evil is masked behind such exquisite beauty.”
 

Struggling to breathe, Gabriel forced his shoulders to rise in a shrug.
 
“It changes nothing.
 
I’m going after her.
 
I won’t let
Vladimir
kill her.”

A faint gleam flashed across Nicolae’s eye.
 
“Trust me; there are things far worse than death for a vampire.”

***

Four hours later, Gabriel loafed impatiently in the first class lounge.
 
Sadie and William were still arguing with Nicolae over the tickets.

“Look, it’s no big deal.
 
The tickets weren’t that unreasonable,” Nicolae insisted, wishing they would just drop it.

“You buy four first class tickets to
Romania
and you want me to believe that they were cheap?” Sadie cried.
 
“Do I have
LOSER
written across my forehead?”

Nicolae sighed.
 
“Fine.
 
The tickets were $7,000 a piece.
 
Happy now?”

William jerked upright, spilling his fancy espresso.
 
“Good night!
 
Where did you come up with that kind of cash?”

“My parents.
 
Just trust me; the money will never be missed.”
 
Nicolae folded his hands over his lap and leaned back to get some rest.
 
He hoped Sadie would take the hint, but he should have known better.
 
That just wasn’t in her nature.

“So you’re family is like rich or something?”

Nicolae laughed.
 
“I’m a foreign exchange student.
 
Did you think that’s cheap?”

“Huh,” William muttered, scratching his stubbly jaw.
 
“You know I never really thought about that.”

“Well there you go,” Nicolae said.
 
End of story.

Gabriel had a thought.
 
“What about your visa?
 
Are you allowed to come back?”

Nicolae sighed, resigned to playing twenty questions.
 
“No.
 
It’s a one time deal.”
 
Sadie frowned, confused as to why that fact bothered her.
 
She’d spent the past couple months loathing his presence, and now, with the thought of her never getting to see him again, she found feelings buried under the loathing.
 
Man was she screwed up!

“I feel weird sitting here,” William muttered, sinking lower in his seat.
 
Gawking travelers passed by, pondering how four teenagers had snuck into the private lounge.

“Don’t worry about it.
 
Your ticket says you’re first class and that’s all the stewardess’ care about.”

“Now boarding.
 
Flight 46 to
London
Heathrow.
 
All first class passengers are welcome to board at this time,” a robotic voice called over the loud speaker.

“
London
?” Sadie questioned, looking at her boarding pass.
 
“I thought we were going to
Romania
.”

Nicolae smiled, helping her to her feet.
 
“That’s just the first stop, love.”

***

Sadie stretched her arms high overhead, working out the kinks in her sore body.
 
“What time is it?”

The flight into
London
had been eventless, apart from William’s loud snoring.
 
Even the flight attendants had been annoyed by all of the racket.
 
After a lengthy visit to Heathrow’s immigration, the four friends made it to their connecting flight with five hours to spare.
 
Not exactly ideal when you’re facing another long flight!

William and Nicolae passed the time shopping.
 
Gabriel was a tad annoyed at all of the bags the two guys had brought back, wondering how on earth they would manage all of it once they arrived in Romania, but he was too worried about Rose to say anything.
 
The closer he got to her, the more anxious he became.
 
Was she ok?
 
Would she confirm Nicolae’s crazy story?
 
Would she be happy to see him?

“It’s nearly four.
 
We’re about to land,” Nicolae answered her as William and Gabriel yawned, still groggy from the small bits of sleep they’d managed to snatch.
 

Gabriel glanced over at Nicolae, instantly noting the changes.
 
He was no longer wearing his glasses and had changed out of his geeky clothes sometime during the night.
 
He now sat, fully decked out in a designer sweater, faded jeans and expensive leather slip-ons.
 
His hair had even been styled.
 
All evidence of his former façade had been erased.
 

“What’s with the new look?” Gabriel whispered across the isle.

“I’m home.”
 
That was the only thing he said, but those two words felt like the answer to a million questions.
 

Gabriel leaned back, smirking at the cautious glances Sadie shot towards Nicolae.
 
He appeared to be completely oblivious, too tormented by his own demons.
 

“Will your parents be glad to see you?” Sadie asked, confused by her sudden desire to know more about him.
 
The annoying nerd was gone, replaced by a gorgeous model.
 
How did he hide his beauty so well?