Midnight Rose

by Dani Hart

  The four of us shuffled quietly down the line, putting food on our plates. As promised, Wes waited until my mom and I were seated before he took his seat. A few bites in, my mom broke the silence.

  “So, Wes, are you back at Sandpoint High?”

  “No, ma’am. My father has someone coming to the house to homeschool us. We fell behind during our travels.”

  I was transfixed by how easy Wes could lie to my parents.

  “Oh, that’s right. I heard something about that. Where did you travel to?”

  My dad ate while my mom performed the first part of the interrogation. Roles were definitely switched.

  “All over, but we settled in the Appalachian Mountains for a good amount of time. My dad rented a cabin there, and we spent a lot of time hunting.” Wes cut his steak carefully and placed a bite into his mouth. “The steak is delicious, Mrs. Rose.”

  She giggled appreciatively. “Call me Lucinda.”

  My dad grunted in disapproval.

  “How are your sister and brother, Ben and…I can never remember your sister’s name,” my mom asked, snapping her fingers.

  “Zoe. Ben and Zoe. They’re great. They are getting back on track to graduating with their class.”

  “That’s splendid. It was always hard for me to believe they were twins, being how different they look and all. Sweet kids.” Mom moved on from wine in favor of water and took a long, uncomfortable sip.

  My dad continued to eat silently while Wes calmly answered my mom’s questions. Something wasn’t right. My gut was telling me that my parents had an ulterior agenda. By the end of dessert, I knew everything about Wes and his family from the time he moved here in third grade to his travels across the world. The one subject my mom didn’t encroach on was Wes’ mother. Although I really wanted to know what happened to her, it wasn’t dinner conversation. My dad said three things throughout the whole thing: thank you, no thanks, and decaf.

  “Sorry if I prodded too much,” my mom said politely. We were all standing at the front door to show Wes out. “This is just the first time Abigail has brought a boy home or even mentioned a boy…” My mom shifted uncomfortably from one hip to the other.

  “Absolutely, Lucinda. I’m an open book.”

  It was subtle, but my dad turned his head slightly at Wes’ comment. Did he not believe Wes?

  “Okay, well, I’m going to drive him home now.” I was pushing Wes out the door as I said this.

  “Thank you again for having me.” Wes bowed his head.

  My mother waved nervously, and my dad stood unmoving and unaffected.

  “I’ll be back in a little bit,” I promised.

  “Not too late. You have school tomorrow,” my dad warned.

  I responded with a grin and shut the front door. We had survived.

  “I’m not sure if I would call that a success. Your dad didn’t seem to like

  me.” Wes held my hand as I drove him home, his thumb rubbing circles in my palm.

  It was out of character how quiet he was. Normally, he did all the talking and my mom stayed quiet when we had company.

  “I’m not really sure what to make of it. He’s been really stressed about work, so I’m sure it’s just that. Meeting his daughter’s boyfriend ranks a little lower on the priority scale.”

  “Boyfriend?”

  I could feel Wes staring at me through the dark. I rolled down my window, suddenly feeling very hot and claustrophobic from my unexpected confession.

  “Yeah, you know. Boy and friend. Boyfriend.” I played it off.

  He laughed. “I like being your boy…friend.” He kissed my hand.

  “You do?” I asked sheepishly, still mortified as I pulled into his driveway and parked.

  “Why do you question how I feel about you? If my words don’t convince you, then how you feel when we are together should. We are connected, Abby, like nothing I have ever felt.” He watched me closely.

  “I felt it from the second I met you,” I admitted shyly, bowing my head and biting my lip.

  He raised my chin, rubbing it lightly. “Me, too.”

  One side of his mouth curled up slowly as he pulled my chin closer to him. His nose circled mine gently and then brushed over to my cheekbone, his lips so close to mine I could almost taste him. I reached over and grabbed the back of his neck, not wanting him to pull away this time. Not letting him. His ragged breath matched mine as our willpower was ebbing quickly. His lips passed over my jawline to my neck just below my earlobe, kissing me softly. His body was tense under my grip, and our chests rose and fell in unison.

  “Kiss me,” I whispered.

  He released a pained grunt, forcing himself off of me. “I—we can’t, Abby.”

  My desperation was only increasing by the second. “Why? And don’t say it’s because I’m fragile, or I might punch you in the mouth with my delicate little fist.” I waved it in front of him pathetically.

  He grabbed it, holding back laughter. “It’s not that, Abby. It’s me. I’ve never dealt with this before. I need to make sure it’s safe.”

  I flung my head back on the headrest and sighed loudly in obvious frustration. “This,” I waved between the two of us, “is really, really hard.”

  “I know. For me, too.” He paused for a moment before saying, “I should go.” He jumped out of the car. “I’m going to be away this week with my father, so you’ll probably spot Ben or Zoe hanging around.”

  I didn’t even try to hide my disappointment. “Really?”

  “I’ll be back Friday. Go straight home and lock your doors. No more sleeping with the window open.”

  “How—?”

  He winked, making me flush.

  “Sweet dreams, Abby.”

  WES WAS GONE THIS week, so I wasn’t in a rush to get out of bed. The sun was blinding, the forecast showing mild weather for the next few days, so I buried my head back under the sheets. Maybe I could just stay under here until Friday.

  “Good morning, sunshine.” Kendra’s chipper voice pierced through the solitude.

  “Go away,” I grumbled.

  “I brought you coffee.”

  She was enticing my caffeine-crazed side. I peeked one eye out from the covers to confirm she was telling the truth. She waved two cups of coffee from the local coffee shop.

  I drew the covers back and sat up. “What time did you wake up?” How could she appear so flawless at—I looked over at my clock—at seven in the morning. “No, seriously, when did you wake up?”

  She giggled, sitting on the bed with me. The coffee was still hot enough to burn my hands.

  “I got it extra hot.”

  I took a careful sip and stared at her, waiting for an answer.

  She rolled her eyes, “Fine. I had a before-school date.”

  “A what? Is that even a thing?”

  “It is now,” she answered with a glimmer in her eye.

  “All right, fess up. Yesterday you were desperate for me to be your wing girl at Natalie’s party so you could find a Winter Wonderland date. What’s changed?” I took another sip, enamored by her response.

  She took a sip and then another, avoiding eye contact. She was stalling. “You’re not going to like it.” She took a sip of her coffee.

  “Try me.”

  “Okay, but you have to pinky promise you won’t freak out on me.” She held out her pinky.

  “Are we in first grade again?” My hands were still firmly on my coffee.

  She shook her pinky and pursed her lips.

  Shrugging, I held out my pinky and wrapped it with hers. “You’re ridiculous.”

  A second later, she beamed, “I was with Elijah.”

  Oh, no she didn’t. No, seriously. Pinky promises couldn’t have jurisdiction here. I bit my lip so hard it made my eyes water.

  “You’re mad.” Her smile disappeared, and her eyes widened.

  I held onto my lip with my teeth and grunted, “Uh-uh.”

  “You’re lying,” she pressed.


  I nodded while still holding onto my lip. Pinky promise, after all. “Mm-hmm.”

  “Are you going to drink your blood or your coffee?” She bit out, disappointed.

  I finally let go, the metallic liquid from my lip overpowering the coffee aftertaste. I took another quick sip. “I pinky promised, but if you want the truth, you’d have to let me out of it.”

  She stood up. “No way. You keep your little promise. So much for a supportive best friend. You don’t have to like who I date. What if I don’t like Wes?” She stomped around the room.

  “You don’t like Wes?”

  “That’s not the point. Of course, I like Wes, because you like him. See? Good best friend.” She pointed at herself.

  The lines of being a good friend were blurred when it came to Elijah. He was using her to get close to me, but I couldn’t tell her that, so I sighed and played along.

  “I’m sorry, Kendra. You’re right. I’m being unfair.” I peeled my sheets off and jumped out of bed, racing around to get ready.

  “What’s the rush?” Kendra watched me quizzically.

  “I totally forgot I have a makeup exam in math today. I was supposed to take it before school.” I ran into the bathroom and brushed the mess that was my hair.

  “School doesn’t start for another hour.”

  “Can you walk today? That way you don’t have to sit around waiting for first period.” I shoved a toothbrush into my mouth.

  “Sure,” she replied, perplexed.

  “I’m sorry. I’ll drop you off at home so you don’t have to walk.”

  Kendra huffed as she got out of the car, and I felt really bad since she brought me coffee, but what Elijah was doing was wrong. I planned on storming up to his front door and telling him to back off. I sped down the street, but didn’t make it any further because Zoe jumped in front of my car. I slammed on my brakes and yelled, “Again? Seriously? What is with you guys?”

  Zoe sidled to my window and knocked nonchalantly.

  “Going somewhere?” She smiled obnoxiously.

  I rolled down the window. “I was, but then this really large animal jumped in front of my car,” I informed her sarcastically.

  She pouted. “I hope not that large.”

  I lay my forehead on the steering wheel. “You’re not going to let me leave, are you?” I peeked to the side.

  “Sure, I am. But I want to go with you,” she said exuberantly.

  Why was everybody so cheery this early in the morning?

  “It’ll be a girls’ day.” Her hair bounced with her around the front of my Jeep to the passenger door.

  She hopped in before I could answer. “Ooohhh, leather.” She ogled my interior, touching everything. “This is a nice car, Abby.”

  “Glad you approve.” I smirked.

  “So, where are we going?” She fidgeted excitedly, opening the center console, turning on the radio, and playing with the car windows.

  “Are you about done?”

  She giggled sheepishly. “Sorry. I just haven’t hung out with another girl in a while. So, where are we going?”

  Where was I going? I couldn’t tell her I was headed to Elijah’s. She wouldn’t believe the lie I told Kendra since I was headed in the opposite direction of school, so I blurted out, “Shopping. I was going to Spokane to find a dress for the Winter Wonderland dance.” Anybody who knew me would call me on the lie because I hated dances.

  She bounced even higher, squealing, “Really? You didn’t strike me as the fashion type.” I ignored her jab. “So fun. What about your parents, though? Do they know you’re skipping school?”

  “Are you really asking me if I have permission from my parents? I’m seventeen.”

  “Okay, but don’t mention me when you get caught.” She put on her seat belt and sat with her hands on her lap. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

  What did I get myself into?

  “Can I ask you something?” I clenched the steering wheel as I drove to the highway.

  “You can ask me anything, Abby. You’re part of the family now.” Her pale skin was even more radiant in the sunlight.

  “Do you know much about Elijah?”

  “Oh, a serious question.” She frowned.

  “Sorry, I just—”

  She shushed me with her hand. “It’s fine. You’re curious. If you weren’t, I’d be worried. I mean, you just found out your boyfriend is immortal. That’s kind of a big deal. Ask away.”

  “It’s just hard to believe that someone who saved me would come back later to kill me. That seems strange, right?”

  “We don’t really know all that much about him, which is why we are being so cautious. Plus, anyone with The Order of the Crest is not to be taken lightly. William and Wes are out trying to find out as much as they can without raising red flags.” She played with the radio.

  “They are?”

  “He didn’t tell you?”

  I shook my head.

  “Oh,” her voice dropped, “he probably didn’t want me telling you then. Oops.” She searched through the radio stations.

  “I have a few playlists on my iPod.” I handed it to her.

  “Oh, goodie. I was just about to pull out my phone, but we can give yours a listen.” She scrolled through rapidly, her face contorting in disgust, surprise, and apology.

  “What?” I spat, offended.

  “Your playlists are interesting, Abby. I really like the one labeled studying.” She giggled.

  “Give it to me.” I put my hand out for my iPod.

  “I’m only teasing.”

  I hadn’t mentioned my run-ins with Elijah to anyone yet. I was conflicted. I knew if I told them, they would freak out and I really needed to know why he was in the woods that night.

  “Zoe?” I looked over. Her eyes were closed, and she was tapping her fingers to the music.

  They perked open. “Yes?”

  My nerves trembled. “You mentioned how lost immortals were before they found their True Mates, and it had me thinking about Wes and…”

  “And you’re wondering if you could possibly be his True Mate.”

  “I guess. Yes.”

  She replied sympathetically, “Honestly, I don’t know. He’s so new.”

  An uneasy feeling swirled in my stomach. “What was it like before you met Ben?”

  The life drained from her eyes. “It’s hard to put into words. Much like what I said before. I had no purpose. No reason to not act on my impulses. The Order of the Crest was already assembled, and I knew of their punishments, but I didn’t care. Dying didn’t seem so bad after the things I had done,” she said solemnly as she peered out the window. “The worst part was, I didn’t know there was a better life. That there was someone out there meant for me. Someone that would make me a better person. I was abandoned after I was turned and didn’t run into many immortals. I was afraid for a very long time, so I hid.”

  My heart broke for her. “How did you know when you met Ben that he was your True Mate?”

  Zoe’s eyes brightened. “I came across this small village about fifty years into my immortality. It was on a Norwegian Island in between the Arctic Ocean and the Norwegian Sea. It was like nothing I had ever come across before. All the houses were built the same, out of wood slats, peaked roofs, and bright colors. There was snow on most of the island, and polar bears mostly inhabited it. They were beautiful and so mesmerizing. I spent a whole day watching a family of them. The way they navigated ice islands and swam gracefully from one place to the next reminded me so much of myself. It made me wonder if humans looked at me with the same fascination. Before Ben, I was ashamed of what I was. I hated who I had become, and my human memories still tortured me. I couldn’t let go of that life.”

  She bowed her head shamefully. “Holding onto the past had made me merciless. I was bitter because I wanted it back.” Revulsion seethed between her teeth as she spoke, “I followed the family of bears to the village, ready to kill anyone in my path, and that’s when
an enchanting scent overwhelmed me. It was a familiar scent of eucalyptus trees from my human childhood. It entrapped me in this painful thirst, leading me deeper into the village. I tracked it to the last house on the edge of the village. I peered through a window that flickered with dancing flames, the eucalyptus burning my nose as it invaded every cell in my body. Then I saw him. He was tall, his hair black as night, and when he turned to the window, his eyes paralyzed me. They were the same as mine. He floated to the window, placing his hands on the glass. I placed mine over his, and the connection was made. Our connection is as strong today as it was that day. He gave me purpose,” she beamed.

  Her story was breathtakingly beautiful, but it also raised so many doubts about Wes and me. I had never felt a connection like the one Wes and I shared, but I also hadn’t experienced the void that Zoe had. I couldn’t imagine going fifty years feeling as lonely as she described.

  “I don’t think I could have survived,” I admitted.

  “As an immortal, you don’t have much of a choice. Death doesn’t come easy for us.” She sifted through her purse, pulling out a subtly pink lipstick and applying it carefully.

  Wes had mentioned the same thing—that immortals didn’t die easily, but The Order had found a way. Or so they suspected.

  It only took us an hour to get to the mall, and the parking lot was deserted. “I guess it’s a little early for shopping.” I turned to her and feigned an innocent smile.

  “I knew you weren’t really going dress shopping, Abby.” Her words were gentle.

  “You did? Then why did you let me drive all the way out here?”

  “Because I like you and I wanted to get to know you,” she replied genuinely.

  After I dropped Zoe off at home, I headed to school. I was grateful for Zoe’s intervention, because I wasn’t thinking this morning. If Elijah was a threat, I needed to be more careful.

  When I got home that afternoon, my dad was waiting for me.

  “Abigail, can you join me in the kitchen, please?”

  He was sitting in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee. My first thought was the school called him about my tardy, but he didn’t seem upset. “Hey, Dad.” Trying to act normal, I grabbed a banana and a glass of water and leaned on the counter casually.