A Bloodie Rose Chapter Fourteen

"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Of course—I’m fine. What’s going on?" I asked.
He sighed. "Jason has released some uncontrolled C.I.D victims. He’s planning to attack us with his small army of cannibals and get to you or me or my family—that way he wins no matter who they kill," he say me flinch at the word, "But, my family and I are stronger than some brain-dead cannibals like he has in his army."
"How do you know all of this?" I asked, "Before it even happened?"
"My sister, Gianna, is able to see the future due to the C.I.D’s powers and she saw this coming. She could tell the day and time by the sun’s position and the type of moon there was the night before."

"Why did you leave me?"
He sighed. "I over-reacted about that. I’m sorry—I took it the wrong way. I love you and I promise I will never do that to you again."
I didn’t say anything. I was going to be stubborn about this. He left me for no reason! I’m not excepting his apology that easily!
"Please, say you forgive me."
"I don’t. I’m not going to lie to you. I do not forgive you for leaving me," I replied.
He sighed. "How can I make you see that I love you?"
"I know you love me."

"Then, why can’t you forgive me?"
"Because, I don’t believe that you won’t leave again."
"I have to leave again to visit my parents occasionally, remember?" he said.
"I know that. You know I meant leaving because you twisted my words or… Or when I need you the most."
"Why did you need me so much?"
"Because I’ll always need you! I love you so much, Zero."
"Rose, I don’t understand why you can’t forgive me."
I sighed. "I don’t know why either."
His face looked annoyed and his usual tender sapphire eyes were tense and angry.

"That wasn’t the only reason I left," he said.
I was so surprised and confused. "Where did you go?"
"Please, promise you won’t get mad."
"Why would I get mad?"
"Just, promise, please."
"Okay, I promise."
"Do you remember Veronica from France?" he asked.
"No."
"Are you sure? I didn’t think you’d ever forget her. You hated her a lot," he said, "She had golden curls, blue eyes, tan skin, always wore pink dresses…?"

Let me think…" I said, trying to remember back. I saw Candace, Lukas, Zero… My mother… Sam… Stephen… "Nope."
"Hm… Well… I-I knew this was coming up soon. To, um, keep me from, uh, marrying… You…"
I cut him off. "Whoa, wait, what?"
He sighed and ignored me. "They came up with this stupid deal for me and Veronica… It was that on a specified day, which had turned out to be yesterday, she and I would have an arranged marriage."
"What?!" I yelled, surprised.
"Shhh," he said, putting his index finger over my lips.
"You got married yesterday? Hello? What about me?" I whispered, angrily.

"Will you let me finish?" I waited. "So, I only got mad at you and twisted your words because I was in a really bad mood. And when I left, Lukas and I went to Adelais to see my parents about it. I told them I wouldn’t go through with it and we had a huge fight over it. I ended up just saying that I wouldn’t marry Veronica because I didn’t love her—I loved you, and then I left."
I didn’t know what to say. "I’m so glad you didn’t marry her."
He pulled me closer so that the side of my face was resting on his chest. "I’m glad, too."
I smiled and wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer to me.
I heard a loud smash, like glass breaking, downstairs.
"Shit!" I heard Lukas yell.
"His army is here," he sighed, "I wish he’d stop trying to get revenge on me for doing my own job."

"I think he should just give up. No one can beat you," I said, shyly.
He chuckled. "I doubt that’s true. I’m sure you could."
I laughed.
"Ah, how I missed the sound of your laugh, even though I was only gone for a day."
My heart beat quickened and I felt my face heat up with a deep blush.
"And I missed your heartbeat and your blushes," he added.
"I missed your cologne and your blue eyes," I said, "But I just missed you more than anything."
He smiled.
In a moment, he was on top of me, passionately pressing his lips against mine. It felt like magic. He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding tightly.

My fingers tangled in his hair as I pulled him closer. His black hair hung in his face, covering his sapphire eyes that I loved so much.
He was gasping for air now, but didn’t slow down on kissing me at all. I pulled his hair back out of his face to see his eyes and they weren’t even blue! They were blood-red!
"Zero!" I yelled.
"What?" he asked, breathlessly, as his eyes regained their normal sapphire color.
"Your e-eyes… They w-were red…"
"That happens."
"Why? How?" I asked.
He sat up and pulled me up with him and sat me in his lap. He inhaled the scent of my hair. "Mmmm."

"Z-Zero?"
"Yes?"
"W-why were your eyes r-red?"
"When I smell human flesh and… It tempts me to… You know… Eat it… And they turn red," he said, hesitantly, gripping my waist tightly to prevent me from escaping him.
I froze. "There’s a possibility you could, like, loose control for a second and kill me?"
He chuckled. "A very small probability, sweet heart."
"How small?"
He inhaled deeply. "Mmmm… I’d say about one in a million."
"You seem cocky about that."
"I am. I trust myself," he said as he pressed his lips to the side of my jaw, sending shivers down my spine. "Are you scared of me loosing control?"

"No. I trust you. I was only checking."
"Mhm…"
"Zero?"
"Yes?" he said, lips moving against my neck as he moved down to my collarbone.
"Do your parents really think we’ll get… Married?"
He chuckled, softly. "Yes, they do."
"Why is that?"
"Because, Gianna predicted it."
I froze in shock. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to marry him—I was merely surprised that he knew that we would in the future.
"What?" he asked, confused, "You don’t want to get married?"
"I-I’m just a little surprised…"
"Why?" he asked, as he pulled away and turned me to face him.
"I-I don’t kn-know," I stuttered.

He rolled his eyes.
"I don’t."
"What ever," he said, lying down on his back on the rickety wooden floor, arms folded behind his head, eyes closed. I lied down beside him.
"Zero?"
He inhaled deeply. "Yeah?"
I heard loud slamming in the room below us and Candace and Lukas calling to each other to look out—watching each other’s backs.
I was going to ask him if Gianna predicted us having kids, but I thought against it. It might freak him out a little.
"Are Lukas and Candace okay down there?"
"They’re fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," he said as he wrapped one arm around me, pulling me on top of him. He pressed his lips to my forehead. "Relax."

"You seem different today," I commented, wondering if I should just keep my mouth shut.
"How is that?"
"I don’t know… You’re acting different than you usually do."
"Because I finally have that dumb arranged marriage out of the way. I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to do when the day comes and how I’ll do it and what I’ll say—it’s all over and I can relax now," he replied, "Do you not like how I’ve changed?"
He kissed me long and tenderly. I felt like I would melt from the sparks I felt between our lips.
"I could get used to it," I joked.
He smiled.
"Rosetta," a voice called to me.
I turned my head to the side I thought I heard it coming from, but there wasn’t anything there.
"What’s wrong?" Zero asked.
"I just thought I…" I started.
"Don’t tell him you can hear me!" the voice hissed, quietly.

"It’s nothing," I said.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"I want you to go behind those boxes over there by yourself," the voice continued, "And you’ll find a silver pistol loaded with ammo there. I want you to take it and put it to your head and fire it off—or I’ll kill him."
I took in a sharp breath.
"Are you okay?" Zero panicked.
"Not really… Can I, um, walk around for a second? I think I just need to stretch out my legs…"
"Sure," he said, releasing me.
I stood up and walked, casually, over to the boxes.
What if I kill myself and who ever that was kills Zero anyway? Or what if I can’t pull the trigger and Zero stops me? Then, the person will kill Zero… I don’t know what I should do… What ever happens, just happens I guess… Please, please, let me be doing the right thing!

My hands began to tremble when I saw the shiny pistol lying on the ground.
"Take it now!" the voice yelled loudly.
As I was about to bend over, someone grabbed around my waist from behind me.
"Don’t," Zero said.
Tears swelled up behind my eyelids. If I don’t, he’ll die. "Z-Zero! I have to!"
"No," he said.
I struggled to loosen his grasp on me. I tried to pull his fingers off one by one, but they seemed glued to me.
"Jason, the game’s over! I heard you talking to her!" Zero called, "Be a man and show yourself."
I heard a maniacal laugh. "It’s not over ‘til I’m dead!" The laughter cut off completely and I assumed he was gone.
Zero sighed, slightly annoyed and slightly relieved, "If I didn’t hear him, you would be dead right now…"

I didn’t reply.
"Never do that again," he warned.
I still didn’t answer. He turned me around and tightly wrapped his arms around me. I didn’t hug him back.
"What’s wrong?" he asked.
"I-I can’t believe I just almost shot myself in the head with a gun," I replied, dazed.
"I can’t believe you didn’t. You would have if I didn’t stop you," he said, holding me tighter. I felt moisture on the sleeve of my shirt.
"A-are you c-crying?" I asked, surprised.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he pressed his lips to the side of my neck and inhaled my perfume. "Mmmm."

"I’m sorry," I apologized.
"I know you are."
I heard footsteps behind us and I clung to him, automatically.
He chuckled. "It’s only Lukas and Candace."
I sighed and let go of him. I turned around and saw a horrible sight.
Candace had a bloody lip and cuts and scratches that were bleeding everywhere. Her black hair was knotted and matted with blood. Her clothes were torn, ripped, and bloody. Lukas’s brown hair was messy and bloody as well. He was scratched, cut, and bleeding worse than Candace was and his clothes were torn and ragged.
"Where’s Sarah when you need her?" Zero asked.
Lukas laughed and Candace sighed, tiredly.
I couldn’t understand what was so funny. They looked close to death in their condition, but Zero and Lukas were laughing about it. It didn’t make sense at all to me.

"Are you two okay?" I asked, quietly.
"I’m fine," Lukas replied.
"Me, too," Candace said, "I’m just tired."
"Did you get rid of them all?" Zero asked.
"Yeah… Except Jason—we didn’t see him any…" Lukas started.
"That’s because he was up here," Zero said.
"Really? Rose are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Candace panicked.
"Nope. I’m fine."
Surprisingly, Zero didn’t add that almost killed myself because of Jason threatening to kill him.
"We better get you home now," Zero said to me,
"You’re not leaving me alone there are you?" I asked, afraid he would.
He lightly pressed his lips against mine. "Of course not."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Zero waited in my room as I got ready for school. I went in the bathroom and changed in to a red and black skull shirt with a black fishnet shirt underneath with my red and black Tripp pants that had thick, silver chains hanging from the belt loops. Then, I painted my nails black with red tips and put nail color drier on top of it because I was that impatient. I put my contacts in and did my black eyeliner and red eye shadow.
I went back into my room, shutting the door behind me. Zero was lying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"Hey, sweetheart," he said, grinning.
"H-hi," I stuttered, blushing.
I sat on the bed beside him and sat up next to me. He pulled me into his lap and pressed his lips against mine.
"That’s a nice way to start the day," I said breathlessly.
He chuckled. "Are you ready?"
"Yup," I replied.
He took my hand and led me down the stairs and to his black convertible that was parked in my driveway.

"Wait, what about Stephanie?" I asked.
"She took the bus," he said, smiling.
I smiled back and we got into his car. He revved the engine and sped off down the street.
"I’m so tired…" I said, blinking repeatedly.
"Yeah… I can tell."
I leaned back in the seat and closed my eyes. I felt a hand on top of mine.
I felt the car stop and park.
"Come on, let’s go," Zero urged.
I opened my eyes and found him standing in front of the driver’s seat, propping himself up on the door.
I still felt a hand on top of mine. I tried to pull my hand away, but I couldn’t
"Zero," I said, nervously.

"What? Come on, we’re going to be late."
"I-I can’t move my hand," I said.
"Why?"
"I-I don’t know. It feels like someone is holding my hand down…"
I pulled on my hand again, but it still didn’t budge.
"Hold on," Zero said.
He put his hand above mine. "Great…"
He took off his sweatshirt and threw it at the back seat of the car.
"Ouch!" someone complained.
I saw an outline of a person underneath Zero’s jacket that was now suspended in mid-air.
"Jason, quit it," Zero commanded.
"Not ‘til I’m dead," he repeated and laughed.
The sweatshirt dropped onto the seat and the hand move off of mine. Zero reached in the back and grabbed his sweatshirt and quickly put it back on.

"Let’s go," he said.
I opened my door and stepped out into the chilly, winter air. "I love winter."
"I do, too," he said.
He took my hand and we walked into the school.
"How many days have we been gone?"
"Seeing as though today is Friday and we left on Tuesday after Math, I’d say two days," he replied.
"Wonderful," I said.
He looked at me skeptically.
"I hate missing school. Then, there’s a ton of stuff you have to make up," I explained.
"Oh, yeah that is slightly annoying…"
The last time we were in school, we were only friends… Now we’re going out and it’s only been two days since I was annoyed by everyone making accusations that we liked each other. Now, I probably wouldn’t care as much, since it’s actually true now.

"What do we have first anyway?" I asked as he held the front door open for me.
"Gym," he said as we walked towards our lockers.
We reached our lockers. I took out all my books that I needed and then shut it. I turned and Zero was leaning against his locker, watching me.
"What?" I asked, self-consciously.
"Nothing."
He pressed his lips to my cheek and said, "See you first period."
"Okay."
I walked to my homeroom. I was so annoyed that we didn’t share the same homeroom. I sat down in my usual seat with Mia.
"Hey," I said.
"Where have you been?" she asked.
"I’ve been really sick."
She scooted he chair away from me, made an "x" with her fingers and said, "I’m clean! I’m clean!"
We both laughed.
"Don’t worry; I’m feeling better."

Then Rob stormed into the room. He slammed his hands on my desk. "What the hell?" he yelled.
"What?" I asked, "I didn’t do anything!"
"Why did he kiss you?"
"Oh… Um… Well…"
"He did? I was right! You two do like each other!" Mia exclaimed.
"This is not a good thing, Mia," Rob said, "He’s a freaking cannibal!"
"No he’s not, Rob! Stop it!" I yelled.
"My father knows he is!"
"What proof do you have?" I asked.
"He eats meat—that’s all he eats!"
"So do most Americans."
"Well… His skin is so pale like he’s a ghost… Or dead—like a zombie-cannibal thing," he replied.

"My skin’s pale, too," I said, "Does that make me a cannibal?"
"You’re a vegetarian."
I turned away from him and looked at Mia. She shrugged and mouthed "I’m sorry."
The bell rang for first period and I bolted out of the room like a bullet from a gun. I went into the girl’s locker room before Rob could catch me. I changed into my regular gym clothes and sneakers and then Mia came in.
"You and Zero are going out?" she said with a grin on her lips.
"Yes."
"Why didn’t you tell me?" she said, a little excited.
"Because I’ve been sick and my mom took my cell away and I couldn’t call you," I replied—it was a good enough lie for what had been happening lately.
"Oh… So have you guys kissed? I mean like, really kissed?" she continued.
"Yeah… " I said, blushing.
She squeaked, excitedly.
"Why are you so happy?" I asked.
"I’m just happy you finally found someone!"

I sighed and we walked out into the gym. We sat in the bleachers. I was between Zero and Mia. Rob sat on the other side of the bleachers, glaring at us.
"I don’t think Rob likes us too much," Zero whispered in my ear.
"You think?" I said, sarcastically.
He chuckled.
Then, the fire alarms sounded off.
"Ugh," I groaned, "You got to be fucking kidding me."
Zero chuckled again.
We jumped off the bleachers and went through the hall and out the exit at the end. We stood in the grass behind the school waiting for them to tell us to go back inside.
I caught a smell or something strange—something burning. I sniffed the air. Zero was looking at me, observantly.
"What’s wrong?" he asked.
"I smell something—don’t you?"
"No… I don’t have a very strong nose," he replied.

"It smells like something’s burning."
"Look," Zero said, pointing up on the roof of the school. I saw a faint cloud of black smoke hovering near the front of the school.
"The school’s on fire," Mia said, shocked.
"Yeah…" I said.
"Do you think they burnt the popcorn again like in fifth grade," Mia joked.
"Maybe," I said.
"I don’t think so," Zero said, seriously.
He was searching through the crowd of students, seeming like he was trying to find someone.
"Who are you looking for?" I asked.
"My brother and your sister," he said.
"Sam is here?" Mia asked.
I glanced at Zero.
"Go ahead," he mouthed.
"No, not Sam. Candace."
"She’s your sister?" Mia asked, surprised.
"Yeah—my twin sister my parents gave away to an orphanage," I said, casually, though it was a pretty big deal.

"They never told you about her?"
"No. I don’t think they wanted me to look for her," I said.
"That’s so cool though! I wish I had a twin sister!" she exclaimed.
I laughed.
Lukas walked over to Zero and whispered some things to him I couldn’t hear. Then Candace joined them.
"Rose," Zero said, turning to me.
"Yeah?"
"Come with us," he said.
"Where?"
"Somewhere—now."
"Okay."
I looked back for Mia but she had separated from me and was with Christine, Catrina, and Lindsey.
Zero took my hand and led me to the front of the school, with Candace and Lukas following us.