you need to be cool, Heather. You can’t tell other people.”
Heather reached a finger out toward Gabriel again. He caught her hand before it made contact with his arm. “And no more poking me like I’m a hands-on exhibit at the mall. Got it?”
Heather smiled. “Got it.” She winked and whispered, “Immortal boy.”
Gabriel dropped Heather’s hand and pinched his lips.
Heather laughed. “I’m just kidding. I’ll behave.” She stood up straight. “Promise.” Looking at Scarlet’s clothes, Heather sighed. “What happened to the blue shirt?”
“What blue shirt?” Scarlet looked down at her outfit of ripped up jeans and a cream-colored sweater.
Heather cocked her head. “The one I laid out on your bed yesterday and specifically called your ‘first-day-of-school’ shirt.”
“Oh, that one?” Scarlet said innocently. “I think it’s in a crumpled ball at the foot of my bed.”
Heather groaned in frustration. “Do I need to start inspecting your outfits in the morning before you leave for school?”
Scarlet scowled. “The blue shirt was way too tight. And low cut. Pieces of my body were falling out of it.” Scarlet thought about being in a Kristy and Aaron sandwich while wearing the blue shirt and shuddered.
“That’s the point.” Heather tossed her blond hair over her shoulder.
“You’re ridiculous,” Scarlet said.
“Yes,” Heather agreed. “But I’m also from this century. So you should trust me with your outfits. Besides, it would be a shame to let all those great clothes Laura bought you go to waste.”
When Laura first took Scarlet in, she’d bought Scarlet a stylish wardrobe. Much to the chagrin of both Laura and Heather, however, Scarlet preferred to spend her days wearing comfy jeans and T-shirts. She wasn’t a doll.
The thought of Laura reminded Scarlet of the weird suitcase incident.
Scarlet turned to Gabriel. “What do you know about Laura?”
He took a deep breath. “I know she’s a young executive at a European-based company called Corvus Technologies. I think she’s in charge of obtaining the chemicals and equipment needed for their tech products. She’s highly educated and has no criminal record.” He shrugged. “Tristan and I did a pretty thorough background check on her after she took you in. Why?”
Aw…the boys checked out her guardian? That was sweet.
And sort of intrusive.
“I don’t know.” Scarlet bit her lip. “I think something’s up with her. She was acting a little weird when she got home from her trip last week, like looking at my eyes and stuff.”
“Your eyes?” Gabriel asked.
“Yeah, like she was expecting them to flash or something.”
He furrowed his brow. “Are you sure?”
Scarlet nodded. “And this morning I heard her muttering about wrinkles and living forever.”
Heather pulled out a compact and checked her reflection in the small mirror. “Most people complain about aging, Scarlet. That’s normal.”
“Yeah.” Scarlet slowly shook her head as she closed her locker and turned around. “But she was also strange about her suitcase the other day.”
“Strange how?” Gabriel leaned against Scarlet’s closed locker.
“She wouldn’t let me touch it. And she clutched it to her chest when she went upstairs. Like it was valuable or something.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Maybe she bought something expensive while she was in Europe.”
“Or maybe she collects human heads.” Heather smiled, snapping the compact shut.
Scarlet frowned at Heather.
“It’s probably nothing.” Gabriel smiled reassuringly. “But if it will make you feel better, I’ll do some deeper digging on Laura. Sound good?”
Scarlet nodded. “Yeah. That would be good.”
She took a deep breath and waited for her nerves to calm.
They didn’t.
20
For several months, Tristan made a habit of bringing Scarlet and her mother food on the mornings they hunted together. Every few days, he’d pack up a large sack and make his
Heather reached a finger out toward Gabriel again. He caught her hand before it made contact with his arm. “And no more poking me like I’m a hands-on exhibit at the mall. Got it?”
Heather smiled. “Got it.” She winked and whispered, “Immortal boy.”
Gabriel dropped Heather’s hand and pinched his lips.
Heather laughed. “I’m just kidding. I’ll behave.” She stood up straight. “Promise.” Looking at Scarlet’s clothes, Heather sighed. “What happened to the blue shirt?”
“What blue shirt?” Scarlet looked down at her outfit of ripped up jeans and a cream-colored sweater.
Heather cocked her head. “The one I laid out on your bed yesterday and specifically called your ‘first-day-of-school’ shirt.”
“Oh, that one?” Scarlet said innocently. “I think it’s in a crumpled ball at the foot of my bed.”
Heather groaned in frustration. “Do I need to start inspecting your outfits in the morning before you leave for school?”
Scarlet scowled. “The blue shirt was way too tight. And low cut. Pieces of my body were falling out of it.” Scarlet thought about being in a Kristy and Aaron sandwich while wearing the blue shirt and shuddered.
“That’s the point.” Heather tossed her blond hair over her shoulder.
“You’re ridiculous,” Scarlet said.
“Yes,” Heather agreed. “But I’m also from this century. So you should trust me with your outfits. Besides, it would be a shame to let all those great clothes Laura bought you go to waste.”
When Laura first took Scarlet in, she’d bought Scarlet a stylish wardrobe. Much to the chagrin of both Laura and Heather, however, Scarlet preferred to spend her days wearing comfy jeans and T-shirts. She wasn’t a doll.
The thought of Laura reminded Scarlet of the weird suitcase incident.
Scarlet turned to Gabriel. “What do you know about Laura?”
He took a deep breath. “I know she’s a young executive at a European-based company called Corvus Technologies. I think she’s in charge of obtaining the chemicals and equipment needed for their tech products. She’s highly educated and has no criminal record.” He shrugged. “Tristan and I did a pretty thorough background check on her after she took you in. Why?”
Aw…the boys checked out her guardian? That was sweet.
And sort of intrusive.
“I don’t know.” Scarlet bit her lip. “I think something’s up with her. She was acting a little weird when she got home from her trip last week, like looking at my eyes and stuff.”
“Your eyes?” Gabriel asked.
“Yeah, like she was expecting them to flash or something.”
He furrowed his brow. “Are you sure?”
Scarlet nodded. “And this morning I heard her muttering about wrinkles and living forever.”
Heather pulled out a compact and checked her reflection in the small mirror. “Most people complain about aging, Scarlet. That’s normal.”
“Yeah.” Scarlet slowly shook her head as she closed her locker and turned around. “But she was also strange about her suitcase the other day.”
“Strange how?” Gabriel leaned against Scarlet’s closed locker.
“She wouldn’t let me touch it. And she clutched it to her chest when she went upstairs. Like it was valuable or something.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Maybe she bought something expensive while she was in Europe.”
“Or maybe she collects human heads.” Heather smiled, snapping the compact shut.
Scarlet frowned at Heather.
“It’s probably nothing.” Gabriel smiled reassuringly. “But if it will make you feel better, I’ll do some deeper digging on Laura. Sound good?”
Scarlet nodded. “Yeah. That would be good.”
She took a deep breath and waited for her nerves to calm.
They didn’t.
20
For several months, Tristan made a habit of bringing Scarlet and her mother food on the mornings they hunted together. Every few days, he’d pack up a large sack and make his
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