Juliet Immortal

makes tears roll down my face. “I love you. I want to do everything with you. I want to marry you and have kids with you and get old with you. And then I want to die the day before you do, so I never have to live without you.”
    I can’t say a word. I only cry harder. What have I done?How could I have let this happen? How could I have opened Ben up to the kind of pain he’ll feel when I’m gone? He and Ariel seemed possible together before, but now that I know it’s
me
Ben’s fallen so hard for, I know he’ll be able to tell something is wrong. He’ll recognize the difference of Ariel’s soul being in this body instead of mine. And it will tear him apart, wondering what has happened, wondering if love is as real as he thought if a soul connection can disappear so suddenly.
    “Why are you crying?”
    “Because I … I can’t be with you. No matter how much I want to be.”
    “Why?” The word seems torn from his chest, as if the thought of not being with me is life-threatening.
    “I can’t tell you. You’ll never believe me.”
    “I’ll believe. I swear I will.” He reaches for me, but I step away, closer to where the rain falls outside the barn door. “Anything you tell me, no matter how—”
    “You don’t understand. It’s … I’m not the person you think I am.”
    “Yes, you are.” He reaches for me again and this time I let him wrap his arms around me. It’s too painful not to. “I know you. I love you, Ariel. I—”
    “I’m
not
Ariel.”
    Ben shakes his head, brow furrowing. “I don’t understand.”
    “I’m not …”
    I’m not Ariel Dragland. My name is Juliet, and I’ve spent centuries jumping in and out of other people’s bodies, fighting for love, trying to save soul mates from Romeo, the man who killed me. Yes
, that
Juliet
. That
Romeo. He’s in Dylan’s body. And I’m only borrowing this body for a short time
.
    Then I’ll be gone, and the soul that really lives here will come take my place. But no matter what she remembers, she’ll never love you the way I do. Never
.
    I swallow. It’s impossible. He’ll never believe me. No one ever has, no one ever will. “I’m … I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t you dare. Don’t run away from me.” He holds me tight, his fingers pressing into my back. “I’m listening. You’re not Ariel. Then what should I call you? I don’t care. I’ll love you no matter what name you want me to use.”
    If only it were so simple. A rose by any other name would still smell as impossible. It’s a body I need, not a name.
    A body
. The word floats across my mind, and temptation dances behind it, luring me with smoky fingers. If I work the spell and reclaim my old form, could Ben love me in another body? Would he be able to look into my eyes and see my soul and believe? No matter how impossible it seems?
    “Mermaid?” His hand sweeps across my forehead, fingers teasing over bone. “What’s going on in there?”
    I look up into his sweet face. “Nothing.” I can’t do it. Saving myself would mean saving Romeo, and Romeo deserves to die.
    He could die just as easily
after
the spell as before. Especially if he has a little help …
    And here I am again. Back to murder, but this time contemplating killing to keep my love, not simply to save him.
    “We should go,” I say, taking his hand. “I barely made it through the water twenty minutes ago and the rain hasn’t let up. It might—”
    “Oh shit,” Ben says, gazing over my shoulder. I turn to look, echoing his curse as I see what’s become of Melanie’s car. The water has risen rapidly. The trunk is already under andthe hood will join it before too long. There’s no way Ben and I will be able to drive out of here now.
    And Melanie is going to kill me.
    “I have to call my mom. Did you bring your cell phone?” I ask. “Mine is in the car, but I can try to—”
    “Don’t bother.” Ben pulls his from his pocket and holds it up between us. “No service out here. I checked when Gemma started going psycho. I was going to call my brother.”
    I sigh. “I guess we should try to walk. Your house isn’t—”
    Lightning flashes, and thunder booms seconds behind, a warning that makes us take a cautious step away from the door.
    “It’s not safe to walk through that right now,” Ben says. His hands come down on my shoulders and squeeze. “Guess you’re stuck with me for a while.”
    “Guess so.” If I were a normal girl, being trapped in a cozy barn with