Anew

53

Scarlet awoke late in the night to hunger pains.

Amidst all her pouting earlier in the day, she’d failed to eat. And now her stomach was mad at her.

She rolled out of Gabriel’s comfortable bed and rummaged through his backpack, hoping to find a candy bar or banana or something.

Nothing.

She looked back at the warm bed. Did she really want to go downstairs and hunt for food?

Her stomach growled.

Yes. She did.

Scarlet sighed and rubbed her eyes before heading downstairs. She’d find a quick bite to eat and hurry back to Gabriel’s room.

Her heartbeat was loud but her footsteps silent as she stepped onto the main floor and rounded the corner into the kitchen.

She blinked.

There, with his back to her, stood Tristan.

Quietly cooking in the middle of the night.

Scarlet’s first instinct was to run back upstairs and avoid him altogether. She’d find a piece of gum or something to hold her over until morning.

But the smell of pancakes stopped her in her tracks and made her mouth water.

Tristan turned around and, seeing Scarlet at the far end of the kitchen, paused.

Neither of them moved for a moment as they locked gazes.

Scarlet felt something twitch inside her.

Something about the darkness outside, the comfort food inside, and Tristan looking at her like he’d been expecting her, made Scarlet feel….

Loved?

I’m insane. Obviously, my hunger has taken over my body and devoured all my brain cells.

She tucked her lips in and eyed the pancakes Tristan pulled from the pan. “Making a midnight snack?”

She tried to sound light and casual. Normal. Friendly.

Not because Tristan deserved it, but because she wanted pancakes. And Tristan, apparently, was keeper of the pancakes.

He looked away from her. “Something like that.”

He was tense. She could almost…feel it.

Scarlet shifted her weight. “Oh.”

Tristan didn’t look at her. “Are you hungry?” He moved around the stove to a plate piled with pancakes.

“A little,” Scarlet lied. She was starving.

Tristan nodded with his back to her. “Feel free to eat, then.”

Scarlet’s mouth watered even more, excited at the prospect of delving into a buttery pancake mountain.

Not wanting to stand around like a princess waiting to be served, Scarlet walked up behind Tristan to grab a plate off the counter and serve herself.

But when she neared his back he turned around, unaware she’d been so close behind him.

Their chests rubbed together for a split second, and Scarlet’s eyes went blind with a flash of colors.

Click.

A memory grew in her head.

Tristan was dressed in modern clothes and making her pancakes.

It was nighttime, and his hair was longer but his eyes were still a brilliant green. He was smiling as he put a plate of pancakes before her and she was laughing. On top of the pancakes was a smiley face made of fruit….

“Sorry,” Tristan mumbled, moving away from her, and pulling her out of the memory.

As Scarlet’s eyes regained focus, she blinked and looked at Tristan. “I remember you….”

Tristan’s eyes widened.

She cocked her head to the side. “I remember you…making pancakes for me…before.”

Tristan’s chest fell with his slow exhale. “Yes, well,” he looked away from her and brushed his hands against the pants he had on, “I’ve made food for you before.”

Scarlet raised her eyebrows, wondering if maybe Tristan hadn’t always hated her.

Maybe he’d even…liked her…in the past?

In last night’s memory, he’d held her in the forest. In tonight’s memory, he made her food and seemed happy to be with her.

So, what had changed between them?

Tristan rubbed the back of his neck. “Gabriel’s a lousy cook. So, you know. I help him out sometimes.”

Scarlet wrinkled her brow.

Something in his words didn’t ring true.

She nodded and pulled two hot pancakes onto a plate for herself. “Can I ask you something?”

She set the plate down and leaned against the counter, facing Tristan.

He hesitated.

She could tell he wanted to leave, she could feel him debating it inside himself.

Their “connection” had to be both ways—it was the only way to explain how she could feel what he felt.

His voice was strained like he had to force words out of his mouth when he slowly answered, “Uh, Sure.”

Scarlet wrinkled her brow and innocently asked, “Did you always hate me?”

It wasn’t a fair question, and it was a bit immature, but she didn’t care. Tristan had made her feel unwanted and unwelcome…but he was willing to share his pancakes with her?

It didn’t make sense.

Tristan’s face held no expression. “You think I hate you?”

Scarlet shrugged. “Do you?”

Tristan looked at the floor, then at the wall, and finally at Scarlet. “No.”

Their eyes locked for a minute and Scarlet’s chest tightened. He was so beautiful and guarded, like he had a thousand secrets and no one to trust.

She watched his green eyes and felt…sad. There was something hollow and hopeless about the way he was looking at her and she wanted to fix it.

Scarlet’s voice was soft when she stated, “You don’t hate me.”

He looked at her steadily. “No.”

Something warm and safe came over her as she scanned his face, trying to figure out just who Tristan Archer was.

He was more than Gabriel’s brother.

He was more than a guy with immortal blood.

In the back of her head, and the center of her heart, he was something…more.

Her eyes searched his for a long moment, before falling along his square jaw line. They traced down to his chin…then back up…eventually landing on his lips.

Lips just like Gabriel’s; full and perfectly shaped.

But something about Tristan’s mouth seemed…sexier….

Tristan shook his head, his voice raspy when he said, “Scarlet.”

It wasn’t a question, or a demand. Just her name. On his perfect lips.

And it made her stomach wild with butterflies.

Was he breathing harder than before?

Scarlet looked at his chest, covered in a white T-shirt, as it rose and fell with each breath. It was a lovely chest. So strong and sure. So familiar…yet different than Gabriel’s….

She took a step closer to him, sliding her eyes along his collarbone and broad shoulders.

She expected him to take a step back, to shy away from her approaching body, but he didn’t. He stood perfectly still, his breath uneven.

Scarlet looked back up at his eyes, now only inches from hers, and softened her face. “Who are you, Tristan?”

His eyes looked hopeless as they dove into hers. A moment passed, filled only by the sound of breathing. “Nobody,” he said.

Scarlet slowly shook her head. “No…you’re not nobody…you’re…somebody….” She could feel his body heat humming against her neck and chest as she stood before him. He was big and warm and she wanted to touch him.

Not in a bad way.

She just wanted to…press her hand…against his chest….

Scarlet didn’t move, but she thought about it.

She tried to tap into whatever connection she had to him—if any. She wanted to sense what he was feeling.

She let her soul reach inside his and felt….

Hesitation…conflict…danger…

His gaze darkened as his eyes left hers and slid down the side of her face to her neck. She could feel his eyes linger there, like her throat—her very pulse—belonged to him.

And the thought made her heart kick.

Still searching inside him, she felt...

…Desire…possession…

His eyes floated upwards…slowly and methodically…until they reached her lips. She watched him study her mouth and desire sparked in her cheeks before spreading into her chest.

…Longing…

And suddenly, the feeling—the feelings—were mutual.

She wanted him.

Tristan’s green eyes flashed, still fixated on her mouth, and Scarlet felt her heart squeeze.

Why did she want him?

Her eyes were burning.

Tristan’s eyes lingered on her mouth and, without thought or reason, Scarlet parted her lips….

His eyes shot up to hers, full of hunger and need—

Suddenly, he stiffened.

A look of alarm crossed his face as he examined her eyes.

His feelings morphed into…fear…anger…pain…and Scarlet blinked, confused.

He didn’t move. He didn’t back away from her. He just stared at her eyes. “I have to go.”

A beat passed, Tristan swallowed and then moved away from her, taking his body heat with him.

“I thought you were hungry.” Scarlet shifted her weight.

“I was.” Tristan turned to leave. “But I’m good now.” Without looking back, he left the kitchen.

Scarlet blinked.

What just happened?

As crazy as it sounded, Scarlet felt abandoned.

But worse than that, she felt heartbroken.