Chelsea Fine - Anew

This was the beginning of the end.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well. I didn’t feel like waiting around another few years while you tried to break the curse. Your plan—which is totally evil, by the way—isn’t working.”

“My plan isn’t evil. It’s necessary. And it will work.”

Giving up his search for the control, Gabriel stood. “Your plan is completely evil. You’re trying to murder someone.”

Tristan stopped pacing. “I’m trying to save Scarlet’s life. It’s the only option we have.”

“No. There’s another way.”

Tristan rolled his eyes. “We don’t have time to chase after a legend, Gabe. Because of the curse, Scarlet is going to die .” He swallowed, tempering the emotion that coated his voice. “My plan is the only way to save her.”

Gabriel threw his hands in the air. “Your plan is murder!”

“It’s not like I’m butchering an innocent lamb.”

“Well, how would I know that?” Gabriel shrugged. “You haven’t exactly been forthcoming with your victim’s identity. For all I know, you’re out hunting a sweet, little old lady.”

Tristan rolled his eyes again and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I’m not killing little old ladies.”

“It’s slaughter.”

“It’s not slaughter. I’m simply taking a life so Scarlet can keeps hers.”

Out loud, it did sound kinda bad.

But Tristan would do anything to save Scarlet.

Anything.

“Yeah, well…that doesn’t make it any less wrong.” Gabriel went back to searching for the control as silence fell between them.

Tristan exhaled and uncrossed his arms.

He needed more time to execute his plan. He needed more time to break the curse.

And he needed Gabriel to stay away from Scarlet.

Tristan rubbed the back of his neck. “You were reckless tonight, Gabe. Scarlet could have remembered who you were. She could have remembered who I was.”

Gabriel shrugged. “She didn’t.”

“But she will.” Tristan’s heart started pounding in fear. If Scarlet remembered him…if she came looking for him….

No. He couldn’t let that happen.

“You can’t see her again.” Tristan said, hoping Gabriel would comply.

He didn’t.

“Yeah, right.” Gabriel found the control and set it on an end table. “I’ve waited two years to ‘meet’ Scarlet. I’m not going to disappear from her life now.”

Tristan took a deep breath. “Please?”

Was that what he’d been reduced to? Begging? Was he that afraid Scarlet would remember him?

The clock on the wall beat into the silence.

Tick…tick…tick….

Yes. He was that scared.

“No,” Gabriel said, shaking his head. “I need her, Tristan.”

“So do I, Gabe. But you don’t see me running after her.”

“But I…love her,” Gabriel said, turning his palms up helplessly.

Tristan exhaled sharply.

He didn’t want to believe that Gabriel loved Scarlet. He’d rather believe what Gabriel felt for Scarlet was just a little crush.

But he knew better.

Which only made his torment more acute.

Tristan shook his head. “If you stay in her life she’ll remember everything.”

“So, what?”

“So what? Gabe! Scarlet can’t ever know about me—or meet me. It’s too risky.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “She’s not going to meet you. Stop being so dramatic. And quit following me around town. That’s weird.”

“I wasn’t following you,” Tristan said. “I was meeting a client at the festival and I happened to see you.”

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. “A ‘client’? Don’t you mean hit man?”

Tristan didn’t answer.

He knew Gabriel didn’t approve of his methods, but he didn’t have time to look for less-gruesome ways to break the curse.

Scarlet was going to die.

He had to hurry.

“What’s the matter?” Gabriel waved his hands sarcastically. “Big, mean Tristan can’t commit murder all by himself?” Gabriel shook his head and narrowed his eyes. “You’re evil.”

Tristan looked at the ceiling in frustration and started pacing the room again. “I understand you have a moral dilemma with my plan, but don’t act so righteous.” He looked at Gabriel. “I’m just doing what you’re not brave enough to do yourself.”

Gabriel made a face of disgust. “Murder doesn’t make you brave, Tristan. It makes you desperate.”

Tristan squared his jaw. “I am desperate.”

Desperate to be free of the torment that tore at his soul day after day, begging for Scarlet.

Desperate for peace.

Gabriel shook his head. “You’re desperate and you’re heartless.”

Tristan laughed softly, his heart kicking at the irony of Gabriel’s words. “Don’t. I. Wish.”

Maybe if Tristan didn’t have a heart, the pain and longing that plagued him wouldn’t be quite as unbearable. Maybe if he didn’t have a heart, he could get some sleep at night.

But Tristan had a heart, and it was currently throbbing in pain.

Because Scarlet was far away.

Gabriel shook his head. “Whatever. Go ahead and carry-out your wicked plan. But don’t expect me to support you.”

Tristan twisted his lips. “I never would.”

“And don’t expect me to back out of Scarlet’s life. I’ve waited long enough.”

Tristan stopped pacing and folded his arms. “What are you going to do, then? Just lie to her?”

“I don’t know. But I’ll figure it out. Tell your evil heart to relax.”

Tristan flexed a muscle in his jaw.

Gabriel knew nothing about Tristan’s heart, evil or otherwise. It was the best—and worst—part of their relationship.

Tristan shook his head. “Whatever you do, just don’t let her know you have a brother. I don’t want to meet her.”

Gabriel shrugged. “Fine.” He clicked on the TV and sat down.

Tristan turned and headed for the kitchen.

Gabriel would get to see Scarlet. Talk to her. Love her….

It would happen. Tristan couldn’t stop it.

And, if he really cared about Scarlet, he shouldn’t stop it.

But that didn’t make the thought of them together any less gut-wrenching.

Tristan stared blankly at the floor as a piece of his heart broke.

His very real, very existent heart.

And so it begins.

Late Saturday afternoon, Scarlet stood in her bra and underwear making a face at herself in her bedroom mirror, while Heather rummaged around in Scarlet’s closet. Heather had demanded Scarlet “not move” until she found the perfect outfit.

But that was ten minutes ago.

“You know it’s a Kissing Festival, not a Naked Festival, right? I’m gonna have to wear clothes, Heather.” Despite the summer sun setting through her bedroom window, Scarlet shivered.

Heather’s voice came muffled from behind the many clothes Laura had bought Scarlet when she first took custody of her. “Keep your pants on! I’m trying to create a masterpiece here!”

“I would be more than happy to keep my pants on but, oh, that’s right, I don’t have any pants on.”

Heather’s perfectly shadowed eyes and glossy lips poked out from Scarlet’s walk-in closet. “Do you want to look fabulous, or do you want to look like curtains?”

“I want to be warm. At least throw me a bathrobe, or a parka, or a mink coat or something.”

“Oh, honey, I would not be surprised if I found a mink coat in here. Shoot, I wouldn’t be surprised if I found a whole mink in here.” A moment of silence passed as Heather looked within the depths of Scarlet’s ridiculously over-sized closet. She poked her face out again. “What is a mink, anyway? Is it, like, a woodland creature or something?”