Anew

74

“Scarlet!” Gabriel called out in a panic as he left his car running in the driveway and opened the cabin’s front door.

He’d gone to her house to convince her not to go to the dance, only to find an agitated, blue Heather complaining about earrings and Scarlet’s erratic behavior.

When Heather mentioned how Scarlet had said Tristan’s name, Gabriel immediately headed to the cabin, terror in his veins.

Scarlet was sick and probably confused. Or worse.

“Scarlet!” he called again, racing upstairs and all around the main floor. Finally he raced into the basement and barged through Tristan’s door.

There was Scarlet, beautiful and still, on Tristan’s bed.

Her cheeks were tear-stained and soft, her breathing deep and steady. Walking over to her, he shook her gently. “Scarlet…Scarlet, honey.”

Nothing.

No movement. No response.

He shook her again, but still she didn’t wake.

Where is Tristan and why is Scarlet sleeping in his bed?

On the sheets next to Scarlet’s head was the tiny white crystal from the Head Ghost.

Tristan had drugged her.

Rage fueled Gabriel’s curse words and his hands as he checked her pulse and looked all over her body to make sure she was all right.

Why would Tristan do such a thing?

Gabriel frantically ran to Tristan’s medicine cabinet to search for the antidote.

After finding it, he ran back to bed and gently tipped Scarlet’s head back. He pricked the back of her ear with the black crystal, waking her body up with the serum.

Scarlet came to and immediately started to hyperventilate, new tears springing from her eyes as she breathed out, “Tristan’s…going…to kill…himself….”

Gabriel was confused. “What?”

“He’s going…to kill himself…with the arrow…to break the curse. We have…to stop him!”

For a moment, Gabriel dismissed Scarlet’s words. She was sick. She was confused.

“Scarlet, are you sure...?”

“Yes! The arrow...can kill...immorals...that’s why...I hid it...we have to hurry!” Scarlet’s eyes lit up the room.

Gabriel was about to argue when suddenly, everything made sense. Tristan’s secrecy about who his murder victim was…Scarlet’s fear of the arrow…everything.

Gabriel’s eyes burned with fear and anger.

How could he be so selfish?

Scarlet sat up and started shaking out her limbs. “We have to go. Now!”

“No way,” Gabriel said. “You’re not going anywhere. That bastard just drugged you. You are staying here.”

Her neon eyes lit up the room. “Like hell I am!” Scarlet scrambled off the bed, her dark hair falling in a mess around her face. “We need to stop him!”

Gabriel started to argue with her but was afraid the fight might be too emotionally draining for her and cause her heart to break even faster.

“Fine. Come on.” He led her out of the cabin and to his parked car, the engine still running. “Do you know where he went?”

Scarlet shook her head. “No idea.”

“Then we’ll start looking downtown.” Gabriel started to get in the car when he saw Scarlet pause at the edge of the driveway.

He watched her close her eyes and tilt her head to side.

He waited.

Then she took off running into the woods.

What the hell?

Gabriel hurriedly turned off his engine and chased after her into the darkness.