Devils Roses 05 - Death

he's waited years for this moment. Dorian smirks at him, "He's coming brother. You get your rest today. Your vengeance and then rest."
    Aleks looks at me funny. He looks confused about something. He stands so close to me the backs of our hands brush against each other.
    "Marcus never told me you were coming over Aimes." I glance up to see Shane strolling out from the back hallway.
    I clear my throat, "It wasn’t a scheduled visit. I'm here for Roses business."
    He looks so handsome, so perfect. He glares at Aleks and then turns his face to mine and smiles again. I would hardly know him he is so different. So prefect and calculated. He is like Marcus. I cringe imagining the things he has done since I killed him. I can't imagine the amount of guilt I have spilled all over my face.
    "I've missed you." He says.
    Dorian snorts.
    "Well, you knew where I was." I say curtly. I don’t want to have the conversation with Aleks and Dorian and sleeping Hanna in the room.
    He takes a step toward me and puts his hand out, "Come, take a walk with me. I need to talk to you."
    I hesitate and then put my hand in his. I let him pull me away. It's not for the reason he wants it to be. It's guilt. I have a hard time denying him because of the guilt.
    His hand is warm and firm. It feels the way I remember, the way it felt years ago.
    I try not to see the boy I loved. I try to make myself see the animal I have made him into.
    He smiles and nudges me, "What's on your mind?"
    I frown, "You asked me to come."
    He shrugs, "I don’t like how that lug Aleks looks at you."
    I shake my head and look down, "He doesn't look at me." The lie feels weird crossing my lips. I know he looks at me. He does it all the time. Ophelia did something to him.
    "He does and you know it." He grabs both my hands and spins me around to face him. He plants his lips on mine. The kiss is forced and rough. I try to push him away, but he forces it. I pull slightly with my hands, zapping him almost. He snaps out of it and steps back, looking hurt. "What was that for?"
    I wipe my lips, "You didn’t have my permission."
    His eyes darken, "Will I ever?"
    I don’t hurt the way I used to when I'm around him. The guilt and anger at myself are there, but I see it. The truth. I didn’t mean to do it. I'm a victim of the circumstances as much as he is. "No. You won't." I say with a great deal of tension I my voice.
    He grabs my arms, "Why?" He shakes me and growls.
    I pull back, "Screw you." I shove him against the wall. He cracks a painting when he hits it. The frame breaks and the painting drops to the floor. The lit wall sconce flickers from the vibration. It flickers light across his face and fangs. He looks sexy and devastating all at once.
    "Tell me what I can do to fix things?"
    I shake my head, "Shane, I liked the school boy you were. I liked you for years. Years. But in the last couple we have become people that don’t match anymore. You kill things for food and so do I, but I maintain a strict diet. You feed off humans like they're cattle. I am against the things you do. We can never make a relationship out of that."
    His brow stitches together, "I love you still."
    I shake my head, "You don’t. You don’t even know me anymore. I'm not the same girl. You and me were always doomed. It doesn’t matter how many times Ari messes with the time, you and I don’t work. We never have and it's time we grow up and move on."
    He snarls, "I don’t want to move on."
    I grimace, "You have already. I can smell her on you."
    His face drops. He smiles sweetly, "I have to eat Aimes."
    I shake my head, "Not like Marcus you don’t. You chose that." I turn my back on him to leave. He grabs my arm and drags me back. He pulls me to a room and slams the door. I struggle to get away from him. Memories of Oliver attacking me flood my brain. I shove him hard. He staggers back. I point at him, "If you touch me again I end you. Childhood together or no."
    He smiles at me sadistically. I don’t know him anymore. Just as he doesn’t know me.
    I wink to the main hall. Tears have flooded my eyes. Aleks looks at me concerned. I shake my head, "I'm fine. Just finishing something."
    He takes my hand in his and squeezes. Marcus walks into the room behind Henry. He walks holding a man that looks remarkably like Aleks, only older
    Henry shoves him into the middle of me, Aleks, Dorian and Marcus.
    I look for it. The monster. He is apparently out of control. I always try to see the monster when I