Hyde (27 page)

"Do you smell that?" Aimee asked raising an
eyebrow.

Aleks chuckled, "That’s Hanna."

"Wow I get why they don’t really do the whole
staying with one person thing. Marcus might be dead in there."

Aleks sighed, "Ahhh but to die that way."

Chapter Forty-Four: Campfires at
Lydia's

Hanna

Hanna watched Marcus as he slept. She reached
into the small box and pulled the bracelet out. She examined it
again and slipped it on. She held her breath and waited to see if
she felt different. A cooling sensation slipped over her, it was as
if her feelings and emotions were pulled into the bracelet. The
white shells turned bright red. She watched them change color. It
hadn’t done that when she held it in her hand.

Marcus woke from his slumber stretching like a
cat, his muscles flexed making her think about biting him
again.

He smirked at her wrist, "You put the bracelet
on?"

She laughed, "Yeah, I think I need it. I feel so
much better with it on. Like my emotions are normal sized
again."

He looked puzzled, "You'll take it off when we
make love right?"

She blushed, "I don’t think that’s what we did
and no."

He smirked, "I love you and you made me love you
more. That’s making love."

She laughed covering her eyes in embarrassment,
"Oh my god you're a loser."

He sat upright, "Aimee is here."

She shot up, "Aimee, death dealer Aimee?"

He climbed off the bed, "The very one."

She jumped up and grabbed some jeans and a
t-shirt.

Marcus smiled watching her dress.

She frowned, "What?"

He shrugged, "Nothing. I just like you in jeans.
They sit perfectly on your hips."

She shook her head, "I think I need two
bracelets or an anklet too."

Roland knocked on the door, "Miss James and
Aleks are here to see you."

She called out, "Okay I'll be down in a
minute."

She looked at Marcus, "Go out the window and
come in the door."

He laughed, "Not a chance. I'm older than anyone
in this house, except Roland. I will absolutely not climb out a
window like a teenage boy."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "You'll climb in
like one though?"

He smirked, "That’s different."

She opened the door and walked down the stairs.
She felt him beside her instantly. He was buttoning his shirt
still, "Wait Hanna. Aimee is never to be trusted.

She felt her eyes blaze, "Neither am I, haven’t
you heard?"

He chuckled, "I'm pretty sure I got the memo on
that one."

She felt nervous seeing Aimee in her house
again. She thought about the problems she'd caused at Lydia's and
the people she was certain her beast had killed before she got it
under wraps.

Aimee sat in the sitting room with Aleks. Hanna
tried not to notice how hot he was in his light blue t-shirt and
dark blue jeans. She tried not to notice his white blue eyes or how
tall he was compared to Aimee.

She barely noticed Aimee.

"Hey Hanna."

She smiled brightly at Aleks, "Hi Aleks."

She knew she sounded like a schoolgirl. She
rubbed the bracelet to try to gain some composure.

"To what do we owe this honor?" Marcus asked
placing one of his warm hands on Hanna's. She loved the feel of his
touch but knew it was his way of peeing on her leg and marking his
territory. She was surprised he hadn’t peed on the trees in the
yard.

Aimee smirked, "We need to know what the new
chemist looks like. I have a picture of the guy I think it is."

She held up the picture but Marcus never budged,
"Why do you want to know this?"

Aimee sighed, "Please Marcus no effing around.
Please just answer."

Aleks looked at Hanna, "Have you ever seen the
chemist?"

She shook her head and looked back at Marcus. He
looked stoic that was a bad start.

Marcus never flinched, "Why do you want to know
this?"

Aimee stood and paced, "My sister is involved
with him. He was my best friend when I was a teenager."

Marcus remained perfectly still, "Why do you
suspect him?"

Aimee looked like she was going to lose it, "He
hurt a friend of mine, got her hooked as a blood bag. She was being
blood drugged. I just think it's him. I think he's gone evil."

Marcus looked deep in thought. Hanna watched him
closely, "Marcus just answer the question."

He looked at her, "Stay out of this love." He
looked at Aimee, "If I do this you will do some thing for me."

Aimee nodded, "Fine, whatever I can."

Marcus licked his lips, "Oh Aimee don’t toy with
me. Its my way or no way."

Aimee laughed, "I hate you Marcus. I hate the
things you've created almost as much."

Aleks looked at Aimee, "Giselle?"

Aimee flushed, "Well not her obviously."

Marcus laughed, "I want the Roses to leave Hanna
alone. No convincing her to join the club or campfires at Lydia's.
Leave her be."

Hanna looked at him appalled, "Don’t you
dare."

Aimee looked at her, "You want this?"

Hanna shook her head, "No. I want to know more
about the Roses and choose for myself."

Aleks laughed, "Okay well maybe we will just
wait for your answer in another room."

Hanna ignored his dig, she never took her eyes
off Marcus. He looked adamantly at Aimee. He wouldn’t meet Hanna's
eyes.

"I will give you this answer now but Lorri
leaves her alone."

Hanna looked at Aimee, "Don’t promise him
anything. I will get your answer for you myself." She stormed from
the room, "It was nice seeing you again Aleks."

She couldn’t believe Marcus. She felt sickened
and betrayed again. She knew it would be the way things would
always be with him. He couldn’t help but be old and set in his
ways. She didn’t even know exactly how old he was, just old. She
stomped up the stairs to her room. She slammed the door and huffed.
She pulled out her new cell phone and dialed.

"Yes?"

"Lorri it's Hanna I was wondering if I could
come now to the Roses?"

Lorri laughed into the phone, "Eager to be
killing bad guys again Hanna?"

She frowned trying not to recall the things
she'd seen the beast do, "No. Marcus is trying to forbid me from
doing it. He wants me excluded from the Roses."

"Ahhhhh, yes you would never be one of those
stay at home Sirens. He is a fool to try to make rules for you. I
will send Aimee tomorrow."

"She's here now. Well not here but she's down
stairs."

"I will send her a text with instructions now
then."

"Thank you."

Lorri laughed, "Don’t thank me yet Hanna."'

Hanna pressed end and grabbed a suitcase.

Roland appeared at the door. He looked at the
suitcase, "You're leaving?"

She nodded, "For a while. I'm going to be
trained."

"The Roses?"

She nodded.

He beamed, "This is the miracle your father
always wanted for himself. He always wished to have the control you
now have."

Hanna frowned, "Yeah but it's like I gained
control of one monster and now another has suddenly appeared."

Roland laughed, "Yes well life can't always be
easy. I want phone calls every other night."

She smiled, "Okay." She ran to him and hugged
him. He tensed.

She pulled back, "Even you?"

He nodded making a sickened face, "Even me.
Everyone can feel your special blend of emotions my dear."

She felt nauseous. She let go of him and stepped
back, "I'm sorry Roland. I guess I should have noticed you were
keeping your distance."

"The same thing happened with your mother. Well
until she committed herself to your father."

She frowned, "What?"

He nodded, "A Siren's power is dulled the moment
she falls in love, true love. The kiss and declaration mutes the
power."

She laughed, "Sounds like a fairytale."

"It does but its true. She was never easy to be
around until it happened. Even then she needed a charm bracelet for
some of us."

"How did they fall in love?"

He smiled, "The old fashioned way, he attacked
her. Tried to force himself on her. She beat him with a bat. He
changed. Even his beast couldn’t resist her. She ran, he chased.
She got hurt, he felt terrible. He brought her to Lydia. He begged
for her help. He offered himself up if Lydia would help her.
Obviously the Roses had wanted your father dead for some time.
Lorri agreed they would fix her if he would allow himself to be
killed."

Hanna sighed, "How tragic."

Roland's eyes sparkled, "Not so tragic. Once
they saved her she convinced him to take the elixir until they
could find a cure. He and Lorri agreed, obviously since he ending
up living another seventy years."

"How did she die?"

His face hardened, "Have a great trip my dear.
Since the Roses Institute is gone I have no idea where you'll be
going but I imagine Aimee will tell you soon enough."

Marcus stepped into the room, "Tell her
what?"

Roland turned and left the room, "Don't forget
to call." He spoke softly leaving her alone with Marcus who looked
less than pleased.

"Aimee. She should be up here any moment so if
you'll excuse me I need to pack."

She turned away from him but he grabbed her arm,
"Don’t you dare turn your back on me." He spun her to face him,
"You can't be serious?"

She nodded defiantly, "Well I am. You'll just
have to suck it up and accept that I want this."

He shook his head, "No you don’t. You're doing
this because I spoke for you. I apologize, I shouldn’t have done
that."

She shrugged, "Apology accepted." She walked
into her massive closet and grabbed a few things. She stuffed them
in the bag.

He walked to the suitcase and ripped it in half,
"NO HANNA!"

Her clothes spilled out onto the floor. She
giggled nervously.

"I'm leaving Marcus. You may accept that and say
goodbye nicely or leave now."

She pointed to the door.

He grabbed her hand crushing it, "You're not
leaving."

She ripped it away from him, "You're hurting
me."

His voice broke, "They will kill you. This is a
ploy."

She shook her head, "No they want me to join
them and I want to go and see if it's where I belong."

He stepped closer to her, "You belong to
me."

She trembled, "No I don’t."

His eyes bore down on her, "You belong to
me."

She felt her will being taken from her. She
pulled away feeling horrified, "How dare you. Leave now."

She stomped into her closet and grabbed another
bag.

He grabbed it and ripped it to pieces.

She laughed at him, "You are ridiculous. You're
a child. Ripping everything I own to pieces will not stop me."

His nostrils flared as his breathing became
harsh and uncontrolled, "You will not go Hanna. They will not take
you from me."

She felt hot tears roll down her cheeks, "They
could never have taken me from you Marcus. You're pushing me away
yourself." She turned and walked to the door.

It slammed in her face.

She felt the rage filling her, as the room
became a cage. She grabbed the door ripping it off the hinges and
throwing it in his direction.

Aimee stepped through and touched her arm and
everything was gone instantly.

As her feet touched the ground in the dark alley
she bent and threw up everywhere.

Aimee jumped back quickly as Hanna heaved and
gagged.

"I-I-I'm sorry." She heaved again.

"No don’t be. I hated it in the beginning to.
Are you alight?"

Hanna stood wiping her mouth off, "I will
be."

Aimee looked truly remorseful, "I'm so sorry all
of this happened Hanna. I know what its like to just wish
everything could be normal."

Hanna nodded, "I don’t get how my personal life
can be so fucked and then my romantic life has to be a train wreck
too. Like one thing can't just be easy."

Aimee laughed, "Oh god my sentiments exactly. We
need to go this way." She pointed down the dark cold alley. Hanna
didn't know where they were.

She followed Aimee, scared Marcus might have
been right. Aimee might have led her to her death.

Chapter Forty-Five: Monster Mash

Aleksander

He paced inside the building waiting. He knew
things had started to deteriorate at Hanna's house when Marcus
realized what was happening. Aleks hadn’t even known Hanna was
being considered as a Rose. He was scared they were bringing her to
her death but he felt better seeing Sam and Anne in the room as
well. Surely they weren't doing a mass killing and there was no way
Anne was a threat to anyone. Her gifts were simple and never harmed
a soul. He actually felt she was the only one who could live a
normal life.

He watched as a pale Hanna and angry looking
Aimee walked through the doorway.

He looked at Aimee, "How'd it go?"

She looked annoyed, "Marcus was a dick." She
looked back at Hanna with a huge smile, "She handled it well
though. Needless to say Roland will be doing some renovating while
she's gone."

Hanna looked around the large finely decorated
room.

He smiled at her, "You okay Hanna?"

She nodded, "Yeah just feeling funny. I got so
angry, I swear I saw red."

He looked at her bright red bracelet and smiled,
"Yeah no kidding."

She saw where his eyes went and blushed, "Not
that kind of red."

He laughed, "You know Sam and Anne
obviously?"

She smiled at Anna and avoided Sam's gaze
altogether, "Hey."

Anne twitched a smile, "Yo."

He pointed to the other kids he'd only just met,
"This is Lisa, she's from Kansas and this is Don he's from DC. This
is Hanna she's from Portland."

She smiled at them. Don instantly brightened up.
He'd been gloomy but seeing Hanna smile lit him right up. Aleks
winced watching her reaction.