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.