3 • Unexpected Guest

We were gathered in the living room to, I don't know, read, I guessed.

Alistair, I was sure, didn't even care if I was even actually present in the room with them.

I knew that all the guys didn't like me. I kept myself so silent, just watching them all together in the living room, reading, talking -- even watching the snow, as Georgie always did every now and then. I was observing every one of them, and I just couldn't help it. It was like I was born with observaculosis or something, which I doesn't think even exists, but whatever.

There was something about this house that was suspicious.

Realising I'd been quietly observing his siblings, Roman's gaze swivelled steadily toward my direction. He stood up from the settee where Axel and Gabriel were sitting on. I felt every eye on me as Roman came up to my side at the far end corner where a single chair was arranged, had squatted down in front of me with his wrists hanging casually on top of his knees. It looked like he was going to tell me a little secret that was just between the two of us, but I knew it wasn't that. He was going to humiliate me, if the intense and blazing golden-flecked amber eyes were any indication.

Everyone -- except Georgie, and now, Roman, talked to me. Unfortunately, Roman didn't like me, I could tell.

"Listen," Roman hissed at me. I knew that I was observing them again way too closely. I actually wanted to kick myself on the head for doing so, but I just...I couldn't help myself. "I know that my little sister told you to stay here and 'live' with us, but I hope it's only sojourn, got that? Be her best friend, fine. But I don't like strangers in our home." He looked over his shoulder, seeing that everyone acted like they weren't listening and did a fine job doing so. Everyone was minding their own business, except for Alistair, who was deliberately watching our little scene. "We don't like strangers. I don't want to see you wandering in the hall where my room is; I don't want you to get in my way; I don't want you talking to my family. Get mad all you want, because I don't give a damn."

His handsome face was set into a dark scowl as he looked at my clothing given by his sister. His face had charity case and freeloader written all over as he scrutinized me, then he stood up and left the room without another word, banging his bedroom door on the second floor.

I kept my jaw firm and my head up -- I refused to cry. What was his problem? I could understand that he didn't like people and, particularly, me, but couldn't he just have ignored me completely instead of being a total ass?

I tried my best to not think of those maleficent words that came from Roman's invective mouth. I felt someone staring at me and saw Alistair's unwavering gaze. We looked at each other for a moment, and then he broke the ice and looked away ignorantly like I was something that was to be looked away with disgust.

"Georgie," Alistair murmured, the unmistakable authority laced in his baritone voice. Georgie took her gaze away from the window and looked at her brother. Without a word, she walked away from where she sad and stopped in front of me, giving an apologetic smile. She was about to hug me - I was preparing not to shiver - when Alistair halted her from doing so.

"Georgiana." His voice was tight, his jade eyes narrowing. Georgie looked behind her slim shoulder toward him, seeing his arms crossed as he leaned on the doorway, one leg across the other. She shifted her gaze to me again and said her goodnight...then she left, heading up to her bedroom.

"Gabriel, Axel," Alistair continued, quietly ordering his two younger brothers, who were sitting by the fire, to follow suit. They went up without a word without looking my way. It was clear that Alistair was not only the eldest brother but the man of the house, as well. He exuded raw power and masculinity for someone as young as he was. He seemed like the type of man who didn't tolerate being messed with.

With all his siblings gone, he and I were the only ones in the room now. I quickly looked down, trying to avoid his piercing green eyes from me. The he spoke one word: "Goodnight."

When I was finally alone, I let the tears come streaming down my cheeks, my sobs rocking my shoulders. I stood up and sat on the black settee, sitting in front of the fire. I looked at the glowing embers - there was something strange showing. I leaned forward, peering at it very closely as I tried to find out if my eyes were deceiving me. Ever since I saw that creepy man in black, I began to see things very differently.

I waited a few seconds when a blurry vision showed. It was grey, like smoke, and shaped into an eye. I couldn't tell perfectly but all I knew was that it blinked at me, making the hairs at the back of my neck rise and a chill trail down my spine.

All I could remember was feeling drowsy, then everything went dark from there.

||||

I woke up to the sound footsteps coming from the grand foyer. I became very still, my eyes wide and alert. What if this was someone who committed felony? A killer? I didn't have any weapons with me but I was sure I could find something here to use it against the person. I was still contemplating what I needed to do (which proves that I would never even survive things like these on any giver occasion), when a light hand touched my shoulder.

"I know you're awake, Venise," said a male voice. It didn't belong to Alistair or Devil, though, so that left Axel and Gabriel. Why would one of them be up this late? How did he know I was awake, when the place was as dark as the night itself? I had so many questions when a blond head appeared and Gabriel stood in front of me in a t-shirt and lounge pants. I sat up straight, watching him walk toward the marble fireplace to light it up. As soon as the fire blazed and lit up the room, his handsome face silhouetted, he looked over his shoulder and tilted one corner of his lip. His pale blue eyes roamed over me like he was trying to read me.

The Van Allens siblings confused me. One moment they were all against me and pretended I wasn't even present, then one of them looked at me the way Gabriel was doing -- and he was smiling.

"May I join you?" he finally asked, after a bit of silence. I nodded silently, seeing that I had no choice in the matter, anyway, and he sat on another chair to my side. "Why did you sleep here? You have your own room." I expected him to be sarcastic about it but he sounded really sincere.

I blinked. "I...don't know." And I really didn't. I mean, I saw that eye but I fell asleep all of a sudden after that. "I just fell asleep."

His lips quirked into a smile that would make any woman's heart and stomach do hundreds of acrobatic tricks. It seemed to me like he knew I wasn't telling everything, but he let that slip. He swung his leg on the armchair and his elbow on the other, cupping his hand in his golden head. He looked boyish and adorable, like a total model all at once -- but I detained myself from even thinking of him as that because my stomach couldn't take the flutters anymore. He gazed at me, trying to read me my face, and then he smiled softly as he said, "You don't have to tell me."

I mentally sighed in relief. I didn't want him to know that I cried or that I saw that crazy smoke-eye. It was too nutty and embarrassing. When I heard him sigh, I snapped my attention, twitching a bit.

He laughed. "You're so tense and twitchy, Venise."

"I am not tense and twitchy!" I snapped, looking appalled that he even mentioned that.

Alright, so maybe that was a bit tense and twitchy.

Gabriel shook his head, clearly amused. He shifted comfortably while his hand still cupped in his head, and his leg still slung on the other armchair. I waited for him to say what he was about to say before he claimed that I was "tense and twitchy." As if he knew what I was thinking, he began to talk. "Look. I'm sorry about Roman. He's...not a very welcoming person."

"Well, he's not the only one who isn't very welcoming," I pointed out, raising an eyebrow at him.

He grinned, flashing white teeth. "I know, I know," he chuckled. "It wasn't that I was unwelcoming, okay? It was just that...we aren't used to this. We're shocked Georgie took someone in without consulting us first, you have to understand that." I peered at him closely, then I eventually nodded since I understood the situation. Even I couldn't believe their sister took me under her wing.

I leaned on the settee and crossed my arms, hugging my body. There was a comfortable silence between us, until he spoke.

"Venise...how did you get her?"

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as I said, "It's strange." I bit my lip, contemplating whether I should tell him the truth (or at least half of it) to him. I knew they'd know eventually; this kind of secret couldn't be kept long.

He began to look at me intently, waiting for more. His leg was on the floor again, beside its pair, and his elbows were on his knees with fingers loosely linked together. His blond hair glowed beneath the fire, turning even more golden. His light blue gaze was searching deeply into mine, waiting silently for me to speak again. He looked so handsome that I blushed for a moment. I knew I was going to tell him. I knew that what I said would make it seem like I was hallucinating, but Gabriel looked dire and truly wanted to know what happened.

Taking a deep breath, I began once again. "There's this creepy guy who always follows me around. I was at the shelter, sleeping, when I felt someone staring at me. It was him. I can't explain it but I felt like he wanted to finally come near me -- I couldn't allow that, so I fled my new home and ran as far away as I could. I don't know him, but I do believe that he knows me...like he knows every single thing about me. He didn't talk to me, but he said my name. I've never met him before in all my life." I shivered at that, suddenly remembering Georgie's touch.

He didn't look as if he didn't believe me, but he also didn't look as if he did. "Are you sure about that? Or is it more of your imagination?" he asked quietly.

I shook my head. "I don't know. But it felt like he's real. And that makes me...afraid. When I ran away, I went into the woods to escape him and here I am now."

Gabriel kept quiet and thought for a moment. The silence was lengthening between us. I hugged my body tighter, thinking back on the man tracking me down. I didn't know why he even did. Maybe Gabriel was right. Maybe I was really just imagining it; that it got into my thoughts so much, making me truly believe everything wasn't a joke.

Desperate to change the subject - and before I could keep my big mouth shut - I spoke up. "What happened to your parents?" I blurted out. I bit my lip at that, knowing I'd made a huge mistake.

Gabriel's eyes suddenly flashed white and turned into an icy blue again. He tightened his jaw. I thought I was seeing things again, but either way I immediately felt afraid of him. He looked so angry and harsh.

I shrunk back in my seat, feeling very uncomfortable. "I-I'm very sorry."

"Don't you ever ask about my parents again," he clipped. I lost the laughing Gabriel, now replaced by this guy, just like his the rest of his brothers who were belligerent.

I nodded quickly, hating myself for asking such a stupid and insensitive question, when the fact was it was too personal. I wouldn't even talk about my parents. "I know...I'm really sorry, Gabriel. I won't ask it again."

His face softened a bit at that. I thought of what might have happened to their parents and the man whose angry face scared me came back. Gabriel stood up and went for the door without another word. I didn't know why his expression changed from being understanding to callous in a flash. Everything was so strange in this house that my curiosity piqued me so much. I immediately stood up, wanting to apologize again, even if I didn't know the reason this time.

Gabriel was walking in the grand foyer, when I caught up with him. "Gabriel..." He hesitated, but stopped and waited. "I'm really sorry again. Whatever I've done now, please know I didn't mean it. I don't want to start the next day, knowing everyone isn't okay with me." I heard him exhale deeply, but he did not say anything. "I'll never pry into your personal life. But I just want you to know that I understand the feeling of having no parents. I lost mine during a fire and I refuse elaborate further whenever people question me." I felt like crying but I stopped myself.

Still he didn't say anything. He didn't even turn around to face me. The moonlight was illuminating our skin, as white as smooth alabaster. I looked down at my shoes, waiting.

"I'm sorry for that," he said suddenly, his voice low and quiet. I looked up, expecting him to talk more. He didn't.

I gave a crestfallen smile. "That's just life, I guess. I'll get over it soon, I suppose -- I hope you will, too. We're humans, after all. Life comes and goes as it pleases and we all have to move on at some point."

Gabriel's voice was tight and harsh. "What if I'm not human, Venise? What if we're not?"

I didn't believe this, so I started to laugh nervously. Like an insult to him, he walked away and went up, leaving me alone once again. Stupid, stupid me! Now he hated me.

I know I laughed that time, and I know that I thought I didn't believe what he said, but a sudden flash of Georgie...controlling the snow from outside as I observed -- and now Gabriel, a guy that looked as if he knew many things that the others didn't; as if he could read me. His irises had turned a deadly flash of white when he'd gotten angry. These things were not possible, but somehow, it just might be.

Sighing, I decided on heading on to bed. God knew I was exhausted from what just happened. I was about to turn around a corner when I heard something. Like someone bumped into a wall in the kitchen. I quickly went that way, turning on the light switch. I peered outside the window but no one was there. I furrowed my brows at that. How weird, I thought.

I saw someone pass by the window. The person was as quick as lightning, but I saw a flash of black. A sudden chill ran down my spine, immediately thinking of the man who followed me. My eyes grew round as I swallowed and made sure that I wasn't hallucinating. I walked slowly toward the window and stared harder, leaning my upper body on the counter. There was no one. How could this happen? In one day, the strangeness wouldn't stop coming. I really didn't know if everything was real anymore, or if I was only imagining many things.

I reluctantly stepped away and closed the lights, then I went out of the kitchen and into the grand foyer. I took off my shoes, held them in one hand, and continued walking. I didn't actually look where I was going but as I was turning left toward the stairs, I nearly screamed as the man I saw earlier in black was here. He ceased me by covering my mouth with his gloved hand while the other held me tightly.

In that moment, I thanked God, because Georgie was at the top of the stairs, rubbing her eyes.

"Venise," she said groggily, "what are you still doing down there? Why are you still awa --" She was about to scream when Gabriel came appearing in a flash, running toward her, covering her mouth, and shushing her like as if he knew exactly what was happening while he was in his bedroom that was far away from the grand foyer. He looked behind him where his brothers were sleeping, then he looked at the man trying to kidnap me.

Gabriel's eyes grew round. He stopped dead behind his twin, who was calling my name but was muffled because of her brother's hand, who was frozen in shock. I bit the creepy man's hand so hard that he released me. Without a word he went for the main door and left.

I didn't know how he came inside at all. I didn't move, trying to listen if he was still prowling around but I knew he had escaped already.

What did he want from me?

"Venise!" Georgie finally exclaimed, as soon as she was free from her brother's hand. She ran down the stairs and hugged me tightly. I noticed that her touch was suddenly warm like mine now. "Oh, my God! Did he hurt you?" sHe went on checking if I had any injury she didn't know about, but I shook my head.

"I'm the one who hurt him. I bit him, remember?" I tried to joke but Georgie looked at me as if I was insane

Gabriel, on the other hand, was still silent at the top of the stairs.

Georgie rolled her eyes at me. "No time for jokes, Venise. Who was that man?"

"I don't know," I said truthfully. "But he keeps following me."

"We have to watch out for him," she murmured, her beautiful face set in determination with a mix of concern for me. I felt numb inside. Why did that man follow me? How did he know me? Was he involved in the cause of my family being murdered? There were a lot of questions that were unable to be answered just yet, and I hated that. "Come on, Venise, you have to sleep. You can stay in my room."

I shook my head again, smiling a little at her protectiveness. "It's alright, Georgie. I'll be fine." We were walking up the steps when I met Gabriel's eyes. Georgie kept on talking about how terrible it was about what had happened a while ago but I didn't hear any of it. Gabriel and I stared at each other silently, his handsome face searching mine. I almost thought he looked worried for me, but this time I was the one who looked away. I went toward my room quietly, with his sister trailing behind me, holding my hand. He left.

I smiled weakly at Georgie. "I'm fine, okay? You don't have to worry. Although, I have to say, I'm really touched that you are, knowing the length of our friendship."

She looked appalled. "Of course, I am!" she all but exclaimed. "I don't want some crazy person heading here to come after you or any of us. He should come back, or I'll tell Alistair about this. Oh, he will --"

"Please!" I said quickly, my eyes round with horror. "Don't say anything. I don't want any of your brothers to have a problem. Staying here is already a complication for everyone but you. I don't want to cause another one."

She was about to protest but I looked at her pleadingly. Eventually, she sighed. "Fine. I won't tell them, if that's what you want. I promise."

"Thank you...and, Georgie?

"Yeah?"

"Please tell Gabriel not to tell your brothers."

She gave a sly little smile. "Oh, he knows already."

Ignoring my puzzled stare, she turned around and went to her room. I stared at the empty corridor for a moment, with one eyebrow raised.

What was that about?