Death (The Devil's Roses #5)

I ask, "What can we do about him?"

She shakes her head, "I really thought that when he turned into one of us, he would be a Rose."

My insides ache, "Yeah well, you're not responsible for the fact he and Marcus have a bromance of doom. No one saw that coming."

I smile the minute I enter the kitchen. Sam is sitting at the counter. He and Giselle and Ari and Ben are my saving grace in the world we live in.

Sam grins, "Hey."

I sit next to him and nudge him, "What have you been up to?"

He blushes and shakes his head, "Not much. You know."

Ari grins, "Spying on Hanna?"

His eyes dart at her, "What? No."

We all laugh. Giselle sits across from him and grabs his hands. She closes her eyes and moans, "God, I love you."

He pulls back and frowns, "Stop doing that." She flashes him a gorgeous smile, "Sammy, it's just a little sip of the Siren."

He wrinkles his nose, "It feels violating and wrong."

We laugh at him.

Giselle rolls her eyes, "Boys can't be violated."

He looks aghast. So does Ari.

The air swirls warm and the icy blue eyes are the first thing I see. My stomach twinges whenever I see Aleks.

He smiles sweetly, but the haunted look in his eyes is still there. It never leaves.

With his father trapped in a dungeon under Marcus's massive castle, Aleksander gets no joy. He used to live on the emotions and healing from the families of his father's victims. Now he has nothing to sustain him.

Giselle beams at him, "Hey sexy."

He blushes and shakes his head, "You say that to everyone."

She winks, "Doesn’t mean I don’t mean it when I do."

Ari frowns at her, "Keep it in your pants. God, you're the worst Succubus ever."

Giselle sticks her tongue out.

Sam shakes his head, "No, I met one who was worse. She tackled this Siren, I knew in Greece, to the ground and sucked her dry right in public. It was sick. Giselle at least only takes a little."

"Gross." Ari winkles her nose.

I look back at Aleksander and tilt my head, "What's going on?"

He leans on the huge counter and shakes his head, "We go for Ophelia today."

I lick my lips, "Today?"

We've been planning it for almost two years. Ophelia is the start. The catalyst of the beginning of the end.

I had noticed Lorri was feistier than normal and Lydia has been running around like a chicken with her head cut off.

"She knows us all though right? She remembers the way it was before?"

Ari looks down. She always does when we talk about before. She still regrets turning back the time. I look at Sam, who is like a brother to me and know she made the right choice. I couldn’t imagine living in a world where he didn’t exist.

Aleksander shakes his head, "No. She doesn’t remember us. She was wiped the day they realized Ari had changed the time. Dorian went and wiped her, Tristan and Phillip. Oliver was wiped by Marcus and Henry. Everyone had to play out the parts the same as last time. Jonathan couldn’t be privy to the way things had worked out. Dorian and Marcus and Henry had a lot of mind wiping and clean up to do apparently."

Ari's cheeks are bright red.

Sam reaches across the table and grabs her hand, "Thanks for not leaving me behind."

She smiles.

"My sister, my dad, my mom, Sam, and the kids are all fine because of you." I smile.

Aleksander's eyes widen, "Ari, I never meant to hurt your feelings. Sorry. I know you saved me once."

She shakes her head, "I just hate that somehow there is always a glitch. Something gets taken or screwed up because of the reset."

Giselle stands and walks toward Aleksander, "Okay, so what's the deal with Ophelia? What are we doing?"

His eyes creep over to me. I frown, "What?"

"It's me and you and Sam going for her." He says.

I look at Sam and smile, "You're the bait I guess huh?"

Aleksander laughs. I know he's bait too. They smell too good to women. Sam is especially bad. In this world he hasn’t fallen in love with Hanna yet. Not in the way that tones down his Siren side. He has moments where he's unbearable to be around.

High-heeled boots interrupt the momentary silence.

Lorri storms in with Dorian right behind her. He flashes a grin at me, making heat stir low in my belly. I know I'm blushing, but I keep my eyes down.

"We leave in an hour for Ophelia. Today is the day. The sisters came to Annabelle earlier." She glances at Sam and cocks a dark eyebrow, "I told you to stay away from Hanna. She's made it without turning into her father. Thank God in Heaven. Dorian brainwashed her aunt and uncle and I convinced Marcus to give the cure to her dad. We all know it's temporary, but it's better this way." Her lips curled into a twisted grin on the word convinced. I shuddered imagining it. I'd seen her fight. It was dreadfully frightening.

She looks at Aleksander, "You leave in an hour. You know where."

He nods and she's gone.

"You ladies look nice today." Dorian saunters over to the table grinning like a fool. A fool he is not though.

Giselle swoons, "You do too."

He flashes her a smile and then looks at Aleksander. "Brother, we need to have a little chat about a few things."

Aleksander nods and follows him out of the kitchen.

I look at Ari and whisper, "I didn’t think he was ever joining us."

She shrugs, "I don't think he did. I think they're holding his dad's death for ransom. He helps and they kill him and end Aleks's misery."

I look back, "Dorian and Lorri are kind of evil like that."

"Yup."

Just as it gets quiet the kids come running into the kitchen. My heart lifts. I smile at Danny, "Did you get Mist of Pandaria yet?"

He beams, "Yup. Made a monk last night."

"Me too."

Giselle rolls her eyes, "Nerds."

Chapter Twelve

Ophelia

I look once more at the mirror. Something feels different but can't explain it. I sigh and leave the room. Mom and dad smile at me when I walk into the kitchen.

"Hey honey." Mom hands me toast.

"You're dad and I are going to the movie tonight. Are you going with Abbey to the pool party tomorrow?"

I shake my head and groan, "Yikes mom. Pool party with the mean kids? I don’t think so."

Dad laughs, "You are so like me. I hated the mean kids too."

I grin at him and bite into my toast. I grimace, "Is this natural peanut butter again?"

Mom scowls, "Yes, now eat. I'm not buying that peanut icing."

I glance at dad who shakes his head and makes a disgusted face.

I snort.

Abbey bounds into the room pulling her hair into a ponytail. "You coming with me tomorrow?"

I shake my head and shiver, "Hell no."

She rolls her eyes, "Dude, Jake asked me to ask you to come."

I narrow my gaze, "No he didn’t."

She nods, "For real. I swear. He did."

"Jake? Jake Mackay?"

She nods, "The one and only."

Mom shrugs, "Pool party at Lance's house might not kill you, O. Hang with some seniors before grad."

I almost snarl at her but I maintain my cool, "No. Ewww. Jake is hot but I know they got you to invite me so they can torture me when I get there."

Abbey looks hurt, "I would never let anyone hurt you O."

I nod, "I know. But they would. I'm cool hanging with the twins."

I want to go. I want to hang with Jake. I want him to want me, but it isn’t going to happen. He wants to let them hurt the loser. The popular girls are evil.

Abbey glances at me and bats her eyelashes, "You riding with me to school?"

I shake my head, "No. I'm walking. You go ahead."

She rolls her eyes and sighs.

I don’t like that she is so popular and I'm not, but I also don’t like any of her friends.

I finish getting ready and walk out the door. I feel like I'm forgetting something major. I check my bag three times, but I have everything. I shake it off and walk out of the house.

Lost in thoughts and wishes I walk, without really paying much attention until I notice a smell. It's something I know, something I've smelled before. It's delicious and seductive. I close my eyes and inhale. Flashes fill my mind. I don’t know what they are of but I know the smell. I open my eyes and smile instantly.

The sexiest guy I've ever seen is standing on the sidewalk looking at me. He's my age and gorgeous. His dark eyes pull me in completely. I melt looking at him.

He smiles, "Hey O."

My jaw drops open. He knows my name.

"I need you to come with me."

I nod, helplessly.

"You need to come hold my hand."

I walk towards him. He is intoxicating and unnervingly sexy.

I place my hand in his and instantly I'm somewhere else. I lean forward and throw up everywhere.

I pull my hand back and cry out, "Leave me alone."

"That was an asshole move. You could have just waited for us." A beautiful girl with long blonde hair grabs my hand, "It's okay O. You're not in any danger. I swear on my life. You're safe."

I shudder and throw up again.

The gorgeous guy shakes his head, "Hey, I got her before the magic at school and all that humiliation."

I shake my head and close my eyes. I must be dreaming.

A man with an English accent speaks behind me. "She'll remember it all in a minute anyway." I can hear his footsteps next to me.

I open my eyes and scream as his dark eyes fill my vision. Pain and bursts of light fill my head. I scream and pull back.

It comes in waves.

Aimee, Dorian, Aleks, and Sam. I look at Sam and jump into his arms, "SAM!" I shout.

I grip him and sob. I barely know why I'm sobbing but then it all hits. The change with Ari and then Dorian taking my memories. My heart is swollen and aching as tears stream down my cheeks.