"Venise," Roman started, once we took a curb on the left. The streets were getting a little clearer now, as we exited the forest, and little commercial buildings started to show visibly in the wintery scene. We didn't speak for a whole forty minutes, and things were starting to get a little awkward for me. The silence was just too much. But now, I knew that it was getting too awkward for Romab too.

"I didn't mean to insult or offend you the last time we spoke," he said quietly, staring down the driveway. I looked at him, my hands clutching the seatbelt for a little burst of confidence. He didn't actually look like he was sorry that much but I thought he was trying his best to swallow down his pride.

"It's fine," I murmured truthfully. I wasn't angry with him anymore, somehow. It was like all the things he said to me had vanished from my mind, and that I didn't know what he was apologizing for anymore. I forgot all about it."

He sighed. "No, you haven't. I haven't been that nice to you since you started living with us."

"No, really, it's okay," I said quickly. "In fact, I should say sorry to you, because the things I said to you last time we spoke was...unforgivable, if you ask me."

"No, you were right about that," Roman agreed, glancing at me. I was surprised. "All that you've said are true. Ever since...my parents died...it's like everything around me's been different. I mean, I loved them, and I wasn't usually a brusque kind of person -- well, (coughs) not that much as before, anyway. And when you said those things...I started to think about those words you told me about my parents being disappointed in me. And it hit me good in the chest, considering your hatred for me."

I smiled at him a little sadly. I wanted to reach over and lay my hand on his arm but I was afraid he'd shrug it off or, worse, I'd pry into his past again. He surely wouldn't be happy about that.

"I don't hate you, Ronan," I muttered benignly. "I just don't understand why you hate me so much, that's all." I looked at the side-view of his profile, tilting my head. "Why do you hate me so much?"

He glanced at me again, and this time, he looked at me as he said, "I don't exactly hate you. It's just that, I don't like having strangers around. Ever since Mon and Dad died, everything really changed a lot. Before, our home always held grand parties, and we had plenty of guests in the house; we often had friends over, but ever since they died, things got so lonely and bitter. And now, every time people asked about how they passed away, things turn a little unpleasant for them when we answer their questions. In fact, we don't answer them. But when we do, you probably know how we go." He cleared his throat.

"Full of spite?" I said, not missing a single beat.

He nodded gravely. "Full of spite," he confirmed.

I was feeling a lot better when he told me all of this. Roman seemed to be the kind of guy who'd never lie. He was secretive and moody, that was for sure, but when he wanted to answer you, he'd be honest. This was practically a private matter, and Roman was telling it to me. I wanted to tell him how deeply sorry I was, but I thought the better of it. I didn't think he wanted my sympathy at all. He just needed to let it out to someone.

"It's nice talking to you, Venise," Roman said slowly, trying to measure the words he was saying to me, like that was the strangest thing he'd ever said in his life. Like it was an alien phrase on his tongue.

I felt the blood rise up my cheeks, and it made my eyes kind of water, so I looked away from him. "Thanks. It's nice talking to you, too."

I thought my eyes were fooling me because he actually smiled. It wasn't much -- it was more of a smirk, really -- but it was devastating.

We were silent now, but it wasn't awkward anymore. We were in a companionable silence together, and everything was all right between the both of us.

I believed it was very hard for Roman Van Allen to apologize to me, telling me the reason why he didn't like me. I appreciated him telling me that, but there was still something in his gold-flecked amber eyes that made me shiver and want to flee. There was something cold and dark behind those amber depths.

When we finally reached drive, and all three cars were parked inside the basement of the mall, we went out. Georgie looped her arm through mine, and she was so excited about shopping that she jumped up and down, grinning at her brothers who all shook their heads at her. I smiled.

"Okay!" she said, as we went inside the elevator and up to the first floor of the Nordstrom mall. "Where first?" She didn't wait for her brothers or even me to reply, as said, "I know! Let's all go to Gucci! They have new boots there that I just need to have."

"Need to?" I asked, dumbly.

She eyed me like I was some kind of psycho. "Yes! I just have to have those cute black boots that's all the rage right now."

"You have plenty of boots, G," Axel pointed out, after eyeing the clear glass ceiling of the mall.

"It's an essential need for my daily life," she bit off. "Are you coming or not?"

Axel, Gabriel, and Roman all looked at each other and, without a word, the eldest Van Allen present turned around and walked away toward the fountain, while the other two followed. I wanted to laugh out loud, but didn't, for Georgie's poor sake.

Georgie stood there beside me, her mouth agape, arms akimbo.

I patted her arm lightly and pulled her hand, heading toward Gucci. "Don't pay them any heed, Georgie," I said lightly. "I'll go with you."

She sighed. "I am so relieved that you're here."

|||||

Two boxes of Gucci shoes and several new clothes from Banana Republic -- with the exception of me having two new clothes and a new pair of shoes, but I was so embarrassed -- Georgie and I were in the food court now. I was having a cheeseburger and my friend had her pasta. The brothers were still somewhere in the mall, maybe going to a sports centre or something.

We saw some guys staring at us, winking and beaming, and I began to feel very uncomfortable with that. But Georgie was a pro, so she huffed and turned her head away with an air of haughtiness, completely ignoring them all.

"I have two hotties and I do not need another, for their information."

I nearly choked from my cheeseburger at that, but I didn't, thankfully.

"Oh, here they come!" she exclaimed from the buzzing noise at the food court. She pointed her fork to the three most gorgeous guys at the mall, and I smiled as I saw them walking their way toward us, while every single one stared at them.

Gabriel's face was neutral, Axel was grinning, and Roman looked grim. They didn't seem to buy anything at all, for they didn't have any paper bags along with them.

All the girls at the mall, especially at the food court, began to hold their breath at the sight of the Van Allen brothers, and Georgie beamed with pride. The guys at the mall...well, some seemed to get a little huffed up, since their girlfriends were all gaping at the three brothers walking toward our table.

"Hey," Axel started, sitting down beside me. Gabriel sat across Georgie, and Devil was across me. "So we didn't find anything we like."

Their sister's fork stopped in midair. "You must be joking, right?" she asked.

Gabriel shook his head seriously. "There wasn't anything nice."

"Oh God," she said, turning to me. "Guys. Always choosy. Sometimes, I feel that they are the feminine ones. I bought shoes and clothes, and I didn't complain!"

I coughed.

Axel and Gabriel caught my eye.

"Looks like that's not true," Gabriel said with a beam.

I glanced at Georgie, who was shooting daggers in my direction. "No! I just nearly choked from my burger, that's all. You see, it's pretty large." I raised my cheeseburger that was still halfway finished, and placed it down on the plate again.

I wanted to slap my forehead, because I saw Gabriel giving a sly smile -- I was totally caught lying.

"Aren't you guys hungry?" I asked, gesturing to Georgie's food and mine.

"You want us to eat your food?"
Gabriel said, raising one sardonic brow.

His twin shook her head in annoyance, rolling her eyes.

"Kidding," he said to her with a little laugh that surprised me. "No, we're not going to eat, because we already ate hotdogs while we were walking a while ago."

I nodded, and took a sip of my iced tea. I put plenty of sugar in that drink, since it tasted awful just having no taste at all. And then I heard Georgie say quietly to Roman, "What's wrong with you, Rome?"

I looked up at that and saw him staring at his sister, looking elsewhere thereafter. I didn't take my eyes away from him. I was having my observaculosis thing again.

Feeling my stare me, he caught my eye and, even though my cheeks were turning scarlet, I held his gaze for a moment, and saw his eyes flash crimson for a microsecond, then he gave a little -- just the tiniest, most secretive -- smile that he ever gave me. I blinked and leaned back on my chair, furrowing my brows, and looking at my plate.

Suddenly, I didn't feel like I wanted to eat my cheeseburger anymore. It looked utterly disgusting. I glanced at Roman again, but he was looking elsewhere now, ignoring everything around him.

After a moment, I held still, feeling a sudden chill at the base of my neck, going down my spine. Like a sense, I tried to listen for something, even though I didn't know what or who I was trying to listen to. I was on autopilot again, and I didn't exactly hear anything...I didn't exactly see anything too.

Then why did I feel a sudden chill running down my spine? No one at our table seemed to feel anything like I did, and they were all doing their own business!

Axel and Gabriel were talking, Roman was in his own world, and Georgie was -- well, she was being herself -- taking out her shoes one by one out from their boxes, and eyeing them appreciatively, then placing them back one by one again, eyeing each box like a hawk, and glaring at the girls who were admiring her new stuff.

But then, I saw Gabriel stop, and his eyes flashed white, with Axel not noticing at all. Gabriel looked at me, as if he knew what I was sensing too. We looked at each other, then I stood up and said I needed to go to the comfort room. Which was a little bit true, considering the jumbo iced tea I drank.

"Want me to come with you?" Georgie offered, but I only shook my head.

I pushed back my chair and, before I left, saw Roman and Gabriel look at me, like they were keeping the deepest and darkest secret. I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling something, but nothing came up. I clutched my bag and left quickly for the comfort room past the food court, and further down the way. When I reached the area, I fell in line with the others and, as soon as I reached the inside of the cubicle, I sat on the toilet seat and placed my head on my knees, my arms wrapped around them.

I was feeling something. One that was cold and horrid. I suddenly felt nauseous. I didn't know why I was feeling those things.

My eyes were shut tightly, and my breathing was turning into a rapid pace. I gave a little gasp, sitting bolt upright, and went out of the cubicle, accidentally bumping a brunette girl in line who was waiting for me to get out, looking at me in shock.

I looked at myself in the mirror, my face all blanched, my lips dry and pale. I took off my right glove, and saw that my nails were turning into a sudden blue. My eyes grew round and hazy, and I looked at myself in the mirror again. I saw a girl with long red hair looking at me with a wicked smile. She looked oddly familiar...then she took a step closer and I gasped.

She looked exactly like me.

"Venise," she said, with a little smirk on her pretty face, her eyes twinkling.

I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. My eyes grew even rounder. I turned around from the mirror, and bumped into her.

"Hey, watch it!" she yelled at me. I saw that she was no one that I knew, and that I was just hallucinating things. Her eyes weren't red; it was blond. She looked nothing like me.

What the hell was going on?

I turned back to look at myself in the mirror, and saw that nothing was wrong with me. My pale face didn't seem to get even paler than what I saw a while ago, and my lips were a rosy pink again. I quickly snatched my glove from my hand again and saw that my nails were normal. Not blue. I gaped, looking over my shoulder to the girls who were falling in line, staring at me with surprise and worriment. They all thought I was crazy. I could feel it. The girl to my right was washing her hands, but she was looking at me with curiosity.

"Oh, my God," whispered a girl, about my age, to her friend. It was a really quiet whisper, but I heard her clearly, while the others did not. "What's wrong with her, do you know?"

Her friend shrugged and raised her forefinger near her temple and made a circling gesturing, clearly meaning that I was demented, and they both laughed and looked at me again.

I had to get out of here.

I took my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and left the comfort room as fast as I got in. There were so many people that I felt myself suddenly dizzy. I shook my head in quick movements. I was very agitated. All I wanted to do was go back to the food court and be with Georgie, who would surely comfort me.

I kept walking on, but the hall seemed to stretch, and the crowd began to blur from my vision. I halted and, through the crowd who were all passing by me with blurred faces and bodies, there was one person clear in front of me about twenty paces. I gasped. It was him.

His black hair was a bit longer than before, just resting on the base of his neck, and his dark coat flapped gently. His legs wee apart, crossing arms. His long, pale fingers had silver rings in each. His piercing black eyes were scintillating as he gave me a little smile.

I looked at all the things around me, and the mall began to change. I found myself in the snow, like the first time I ran from him. I was freezing cold and I closed my eyes tightly. The harsh wind whipped my hair, my teeth beginning to chatter; my hands were numbing and my fingernails were turning into a hideous shade of dark blue. I found out that I couldn't move from were I was, because my feet were bare and numb. I had to get away this, but I could not. I opened my eyes in a flash, and he was not in front of me. I searched frantically, my head looking all around me.

He was not there...

I started moving my legs, and when I turned around, he was there, smirking, as he pinned me to a tree, wringing my neck, his hand was like a vise. I gasped for air and squirmed. This was familiar. Like in one of my horrid nightmares.

I was wrapped up in a thin white cloth and my hair was disarrayed. I clenched my teeth, my eyes wide. "L-l-let m-me g-g-g-o!" I said in a small, shaky voice. I held his arm, trying to get his hand off me, but I could not. He was too strong. And then, he began laughing.

"Ah, Venise," he said coldly. "Don't mess with me, or I will kill you."

I tried to say something but I was freezing cold...he pinned me even harder on the tree. His free hand touched my forehead and gently brushed the hair away from it. I began to shiver from his touch. His hand was icy cold and I turned my head away from him.

I wanted to spit on his face. He groaned and gripped my neck even harder than it already was. I was gasping for air, fighting for my life. I nearly screamed, as I saw his face change, then he was suddenly the man that I knew I had to fear, even from the very beginning.

Roman.

"L-leave me al-l-lone!" I croaked.

"Now why would I do that? Venise, you can't escape me," he chuckled, giving me a cold smile. "I hate you, remember? I want to kill you." He tightened his hand around my neck even more.

"It's too bad, though," he said, looking at me through his long, black spiky lashes. His eyelids were hooded and he was breathing heavily. His eyes were from amber, to crimson. "It's too bad. You're too beautiful to kill..." He stroked my face gently with his free hand, like a romantic lover would do to his sweet maiden, then he leaned forward slowly, slowly...and placed his hot mouth on my cold one. He groaned and the kiss deepened, but I was frozen into place.

His hand was still gripping my neck hard, and the other hand was stroking my back. I was disgusted.

I tried to move away from his toxic mouth, but I couldn't. He groaned again, and kissed me harder, his tongue darting in. It was cold. I had to get out here. I took a hard, deep breath, and screamed to the very pitch that my voice could make.

Roman hissed.

"Damn you!" he roared, letting go of me and slapping my face with a thunderous bang. I was on my knees, the thin white cloth was slipping away from my shoulders. I didn't care that I was bare in front of him. I was gasping audibly for air, like I was having an asthma attack.

My face was on the floor, with my body shivering violently. Roman laughed and wrapped a handful of titan hair in his hand, jerking hard and mercilessly. He began to bang my head onto the icy floor of the wintery forest. I yelled and moaned in agony, but all I heard was Roman's laughing voice. He was enjoying this.

"D-d-devil, ple-e-e-ease, n-n-no!" I cried out loud. The blood from my forehead was oozing down my face. I could taste my own blood.

"Venise!" I heard Gabriel's voice call from the background. I didn't hear him. Everything was drowned out by my crying, and Devil's harsh laughter. "Venise! What's happening to you?!"

"No! N-n-n-o! D-d-d-don't h-h-h-hurt m-me!" I screamed, stuttering violently.

And that was it. Gabriel carried me, my eyes wide open and distant, mouth parted slightly, limbs slung in his arms, and my head dropped carelessly on the other.

"Oh, Venise..." Georgie's little voice said. But her voice was so far away, I thought I was dead.

I was unconscious and afraid.

I was afraid of Roman.