Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set (84 page)

“Has he kissed you yet?” she asked.

“Who?” As I scrutinized each bottle, my mind was vacant as to whom she could possibly be referring to, since Zack wasn’t in the realm of possibilities. Unfortunately.

“Zack. Duh.”

I didn’t want to get into the complications of Zack, so I checked my face in the mirror to avoid Maya’s eyes. “It’s not like that with us.”

“He’s hot. You’re hot. It’s basic chemistry. Didn’t he walk you to your door the last two nights and drive you to school this morning?”

I swiveled to face her. “It’s just a work thing and it made sense to take one car. If we each take our own, then pick up my new one after school, we end up with three. Nothing else to it.”

She wagged a finger at me. “That doesn’t explain why you two are joined at the hip between classes. I know he’s walked you everywhere today. And now you’re barely talking. You two have a fight?”

“He’s very platonically looking out for me and wants Daniel to think we’re together, so he’ll stop harassing me.” I checked my face in the mirror, hoping she’d buy my lie-on-the-fly and leave it at that. After all, Zack’s disinterest in me wasn’t exactly a happy topic.

She narrowed her eyes. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

I blew out a breath. “Look, I hate to break it to you, but Zack’s had opportunities to kiss me and hasn’t taken them. Now, since it’s my birthday, can we please change the subject?” Hoping she’d move on, I examined a bottle of Black Cherry nail polish. But my thoughts strayed back to Zack. He didn’t seem to hate me anymore. If he did, he wouldn’t be shielding me from Daniel. But did he
like
me?

“Ha! You
do
like him. I knew it.” A grin spread over Maya’s face. “I can totally tell by your expression.”

Busted. But I kept up the ruse and rolled my eyes. “Let’s get to class.” I headed out without waiting for her reply.

† † †

Zack wasn’t waiting for me after my last class. I stood outside the door and wondered how long he’d be delayed and whether I should stay put or meet him at his car. By the time I realized Zack wasn’t going to show, only a handful of people milled about. Being the last one in the hallway all alone didn’t seem smart.

Without warning, the energy around me shifted. The back of my neck tingled and I had the creeps in a big way. After one last scan for Zack, adrenaline pumping, I made a beeline for the exit. The urge to get far away from Daniel drove me as I focused on the double doors at the end of the corridor. Careful not to speed and attract attention, I kept a brisk pace.

The double doors loomed ahead a few yards. As I rushed past a classroom, a hand snaked out and clamped onto my arm, knocking me against the doorway and dragging me through. I knew it was Daniel by his scent, which was much stronger now, but different somehow.

My heart beat faster and my legs trembled with the certainty that something was really wrong. The kind of wrong that gave women nightmares and made them take self-defense lessons or buy mace.

With more force than I was prepared for, Daniel shoved me into the corner of the empty room, flattening my back against the wall and pressing his hand over my mouth. His lips curled and his face twisted into a sneer. Surprised by his iron grip, I turned mute. Not that I could talk anyway, since his hand worked well as a gag. When did he get so strong?

“Finally, we can talk in private. I’ve missed you, baby. God, you smell good.” He buried his nose in my hair and inhaled at my temple. “I’m going to remove my hand now, but if you try to scream, I’ll stop you before you even get started. Understand?”

“Mm-hm.”

Daniel exuded power, an unmistakable energy, very much like Zack. Why hadn’t I realized something was odd about Zack before? That was why I always knew when he was around. It was a particular energy he alone emitted. And now Daniel.

My breathing came in quick gasps when Daniel slowly freed my mouth. If I tried to escape, could I? Or should I wait for a better opportunity? I had no idea how strong Daniel was or if he could kill me.

“Don’t be scared, Autumn. I won’t hurt you unless I have to. Zack, on the other hand, well, that also depends on you.” His moist breath coated my cheek and ear lobes. “I love you so much, Autumn. We can be happy again if you just stop fighting me and let it happen.” He cupped my face, his eyes pooling.

He loved me? In a seriously twisted way, maybe. “Daniel, you don’t want to do this. You don’t want me.”

His chin quivered a moment and he smiled sadly. “You’re all I think about.”

“What you’re asking is impossible. I can’t give you what you want and you can’t make me happy. I’m sorry.”

“Then we’ll be miserable together.” He rested his forehead against mine. “I told you before, no one else can ever touch you again.”

Daniel was really scaring me now and not fighting wasn’t getting me anywhere. I clenched my fist and struck, aiming for his stomach. But at such a short distance, I couldn’t build up any real momentum. He grunted on impact and scrambled to capture my hand. When my limbs evaded him, one of his hands wrapped around my throat, cutting off my air, while his other hand snaked under my skirt and up my thigh.

My vision darkened and just when I thought I was close to passing out, he loosened his grip around my neck. I gasped as oxygen rushed into my lungs.

“Be a good girl now.” His lips descended toward mine.

“Daniel,” I heard Zack growl.

Oh, thank God. I’d never been so happy to see Zack.

“You need to leave.” Daniel scowled over his shoulder at the intruder. “Getting rid of me won’t be so easy this time.”

“Hang on a sec.” Zack held up his hands, palms out. “You’re right. Things aren’t like they were before.”

“I said, get out,” Daniel hissed.

“Not gonna happen.” Zack kept his voice calm and even. “You’d put up a bigger fight, but I’d still win. I’m like you, but I’ve been this way a lot longer. The older you are, the stronger you get. Didn’t the guy who made you tell you that?”

“You’re bluffing,” Daniel said.

“You don’t believe I’m like you?”

Daniel snorted. “That’s not what I meant, moron. I don’t think you can take me.”

Zack nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t think
you
could take
me
. I guess we’ll have to find out. But what if I’m telling you the truth and I beat you? No matter who wins, a couple guys like us fighting in a small space like this, we’d trash the place and reveal our true nature.”

Our true nature? What did that mean?

Daniel laughed again and his grip loosened, then he turned to me, sneering. “He’s only delaying the inevitable. We’ll be together again soon. I promise.” He kissed me on the mouth, mashing my lips against my teeth. Finally, he broke contact. Then, without taking his eyes off Zack, he slipped out the door, which closed behind him.

I squeezed my eyes shut, a light tremor invading my body. “I tried, but he had me pinned. He was too strong.”

In a flash, Zack wrapped his arms around me.

I circled his waist and clung to him as I laid my head against his shoulder. The heat from his body washed over me, comforted me.

“It’s okay now,” he said. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to meet you. Gina got a hold of me and I’ll bet Daniel put her up to it.”

My eyes pooled, but I refused to let the tears fall. If I cried, Daniel would’ve won in a small way. I couldn’t allow that.

“Better?” Zack pressed his lips to my forehead, then he moved to my temple where he dropped a feather-light kiss.

His lips almost made me forget how Daniel had freaked me out. “Yeah.” I sighed, a faint moan escaping me.

Zack stiffened against me and let one of his arms fall to his side. “We should go.”

Yeah, away from Daniel. But in case he was still lurking, I needed to pull myself together. Chin high, I nodded and led the way.

Daniel’s Audi still sat in the parking lot and I involuntarily shivered and glanced around the courtyard for him.

Zack opened the passenger door and I climbed in. After rounding the Jeep, he fired it up and backed out. “You can’t let him get you alone like that again. You’re not strong enough to stop him if he…”

I froze, the implication of Zack’s words making me feel like I needed a shower. “You mean if he tries to rape me?”

Zack’s voice steeled as he peeled out of the school parking lot. “He could get away with it if he said you’d given yourself willingly, which wouldn’t be hard for others to believe since you guys were together.”

My breath left my body in a whoosh. My eyes burned and I felt strangely uncomfortable in my skin. “We dated, yes, but I never slept with him. Ever.” The entire event had been horrific and I felt sufficiently violated. Explaining my situation only added to the humiliation. I started shaking uncontrollably and all I wanted was to run it off. “Pull over and let me out.”

“I can’t. We need to get you home.” He spared me a glance. “Autumn, stay with me. You can’t morph now. Focus on me, Autumn.”

Morph? What the hell? I stared at my arms that were vibrating into a blur. What was happening to me?

“Autumn, look at me.” He squeezed my hand, pulling my attention to him. “If you just relax, it’ll be okay,” he murmured.

It took every ounce of my will to stay with Zack and push thoughts of Daniel, and how he’d nearly assaulted me, out of my mind. My body had an odd floating sensation, but the tremors had stopped.

“I didn’t sleep with him.” A sob burst from me. I didn’t think Zack cared about my sex life, but I still wanted everyone to know that I hadn’t done
that
with
him
.

“I believe you. Hang on.” Zack kept a hold of my hand while negotiating a turn. Seconds later, he pulled into the driveway of my house and killed the engine.

I sat there, numb and unable to move. My lids were heavy, and I fought to keep them open. Why was I so tired?

“My first almost-morph wiped me out too.” He slid an arm under my knees and the other around my back, scooping me up.

I didn’t think I’d asked out loud why I was so tired. But with the fuzz in my head, I couldn’t know for sure. I yawned. And what did he say about morphing?

At the front door, he put me down so I could rummage through my purse for the keys. In a fog, I handed them to him and he let us in, then I staggered to the sofa and collapsed.

“What’s happening to me, Zack? What happened to Daniel?” I had so many more questions, but was too spent to stay awake for the answers.

† † †

Heavy paws pounded through the forest as the pack chased me, gaining ground. My heart slammed against my ribcage as I ducked through the brush, only to come face-to-face with a wall of rock. Their growls sounded behind me
.

I sucked in air to scream, bolting upright. My heart pounded and adrenaline roared through my veins. Slowly, the room came into focus and I realized I was home. There were no wolves hunting me.

Zack sat on the sofa at my feet. He placed a warm hand on my ankle. “Bad dream?”

“Yeah.” I reached a hand to my forehead. “When I was younger, I used to have nightmares about wolves. It’s odd I’m having them again.”

“Autumn, don’t you know why you were shaking so much in the car?”

“No. Do you?” As much as I liked Zack touching me, I sat up straight and dropped my feet to the floor.

“How can you not know?” He narrowed his eyes as if willing me to say what he wanted to hear.

“Because I don’t. But apparently you do, so why don’t you clue me in?”

“I’ll do my best.” He rose and held out a hand for me. “But we’d better get to the bank first.”

“What time is it? How long have I been sleeping?” I stretched and stood, feeling much better.

“Half hour or so. We still have time, but we should get going. When we get back, I’ll answer all your questions.”

“Okay.” Locating my purse, I made sure I had my ID and reached for the doorknob.

“Wait.” He moved some strands of hair from my face.

My eyes lingered on his lips as I stood rooted to the floor. The other night, I’d thought Zack would kiss me, but I’d opened my mouth and ruined it. In the class room earlier after Daniel left, Zack had been holding me. When I’d sighed, he’d withdrawn. Maybe this time, if I didn’t make a peep, I wouldn’t interrupt him from kissing me.

Alas, Zack spun around, picked up my keys and opened the door.

Giving in to my feelings for Zack was a terrible idea anyway. Obviously, he was emotionally unavailable. I mean, he’d had so many opportunities to hook up with me and hadn’t. I needed to face facts that Zack just didn’t feel that way about me.

At the bank, I handed the teller my ID, Zack by my side. After studying my picture, she handed my ID back to me with a smile. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you.” I returned her smile, but inside I couldn’t believe that once Maya had presented me with the nail polish at lunch, I’d completely forgotten it was my birthday. Not that it mattered since my parents were gone and we hadn’t planned a party.