Raven's Rose

me if they ever find me. Despite all I have done to the pack, Levi was gracious enough to invite me into their home. I didn’t want to admit it, but he truly is an honorable man.”

“Wow. It’s true what they say. This pack is totally weird.”

He smiled and turned to peer at her. “Yes, but they are ours now.”

She smiled at him for the first time tonight. “Yes—I guess they are. I bet that’s something you never thought you’d ever say.”

He laughed loudly this time, and she seemed to enjoy the sound. “Yes, you are right about that.”

At the restaurant he watched silently as she ate. He watched her pick up her fork with gracefulness and marveled at how different she seemed from his old Rose. She was meeker, and yet he sensed she had it within her to be downright vicious if need be.

“May I ask you something?” he asked.

“Sure.”

“May I call you Sophia?”

She glanced up at him then. “How did you know that was my name?”

“Your father told me.”

“Oh, um—I guess that would be okay. I’ve always liked it, but everybody calls me Rose or Rosebud, which I hate.” She shrugged her shoulders and scrunched her nose.

He liked it when she scrunched her nose. It was a cute gesture that showed her sweetness. It hit him then. That’s it! That’s the difference he was searching for. She’s sweet—a characteristic unlike his old Rose. He found that he liked it a great deal. It made him want to protect her. He suddenly felt alive and useful somehow.

He remembered Charity’s advice about staring at her like she was the only girl in the world and realized he was doing that without any real effort at all. She was the only girl on this earth now. There would never be another one for him, of that he was certain.

They laughed a lot throughout dinner, something Raven didn’t do very often, but something he realized he missed. It felt nice—refreshing.

He liked the way she lit up when she talked about her brother, Eli. He seemed to be the sole source of entertainment in their family. Raven had actually found himself drawn to the edgy twin himself. At first there had been friction between the two of them, but it had soon faded to a friendship and mutual respect. Eli had asked, more than once, if he would be open to helping him with something that may be considered, as he put it “unmoral”. Raven always laughed at him and his mischievousness, but usually said yes. After all, he figured that was what friends did for one another anyway.

After Sophia finished her last bite, she set her fork down, wiped her mouth, and then took a sip of her drink. She suddenly appeared very serious. “Raven, before this goes any further I have something I need to say to you. I know you were in love with Rose, and that you still love her, but I want to make it very clear that I am not Rose. I may look like her, and be named after her, but I’m my own woman. I didn’t know her, but I’m sure that we’re totally different. I just want to make that clear. I mean just because you loved her doesn’t guarantee you’ll love me, and I’ve had enough trouble with guys lately. I don’t want any more if I can help it.” She searched his face for a long moment before she asked, “Does that make sense?”

Raven was slightly surprised at where this conversation had turned. He actually stiffened, if that were more possible. “Yes, of course. I only want the chance to get to know you. I feel like we have a chemistry, and I would like very much to explore that. But I will never pressure you in any way.”

With that she smiled at him. “I knew you’d say something like that. Isn’t that weird?”

Without warning he reached over and took her hand in his, a quick movement that startled her.

“I am sorry, Sophia. I just wanted to know how it felt.”

She smiled sweetly and blushed. “No, it’s fine, really.”

“So, what is this about trouble with your boyfriends?”

“Oh, well my last boyfriend was a real jerk, very possessive. He kind of mistreated me. Eli tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen.”

Raven tensed, his face becoming hard. “He hit you?”

“It’s okay, Raven. He never hit me, just pushed me around and yelled some, but the night I broke up with him it could’ve been nasty. He grabbed me by my hair and told me I couldn’t leave him.”

He made an effort to soften his expression. It was exhausting trying to impress. He had never had to do this before. “What happened?”

“I punched him in the nose.” She giggled. “I think I broke it actually, and then I ran away. Thankfully my dad had the insight to follow me that night. He picked me up before the psycho could chase me.”

“Have you seen him since?”

“No way! That loser’s history. The truth is, I didn’t think I had the guts to hit him until I did. I’ve always felt weak, but in that moment I knew I had it in me to be strong. I guess in that case I can’t regret it, huh?”

“Well, he is just lucky I was not there or he would be dead.”

“Oh, Raven, you say the sweetest things.” She batted her eyes at him causing him to laugh. “So, have you ever heard of a vampire/werewolf hook-up before?”

He shook his head slightly. “No. Never. We are natural enemies. Before I met Charity I would have killed any werewolf once I caught his or her scent. Actually, I am surprised you are not having more trouble with this than you are.”

She shrugged. “Well, I wasn’t raised in a pack, so I didn’t really know about the war between us. I mean my dad has mentioned it, but it’s not something we talked about. I guess they shielded me from that stuff, for the most part. Lucky for me, huh?”

He laughed softly. “Or lucky for me.”

“And how come you’re not having more trouble with this?”

“Well, I have observed this pack very closely, and to be honest, they are more honorable than any vampires I have ever known. I have done bad things to Levi and yet he invited me to become a part of this pack—he forgave me. I guess I have seen what they are truly all about, and I like it very much. Do you understand?”

She smiled. “Yes, I think I do.”

After dinner, he let her drive his car back to the Drake House, the hidden facility that houses their wolf pack. He thought she drove a little fast, but all in all a good driver.

It was fairly dark in the parking garage at 10:30. He took her hand and helped her out of the car.

“Raven, you bought me dinner, and now I’d like to offer you something in return.”

His eyebrows arched. “What do you mean?”

She nervously approached him, stopping just inches from his chest, and gazing up at him she said, “I want you to feed from me.”

His eyes grew wide. “It is not necessary for you to pay me back in any way.”

“But I want to,” she pressed, and a new and slightly unnerving intensity began to dance in her eyes.

Peering down at her so lovely and inviting was torture for him. He wanted her badly but knew it was too soon. He had to be strong. “I am sorry, Sophia, but I cannot do that.”

“Why not?” she whispered as she reached up and touched his face.

He closed his eyes as her touch penetrated his skin. He had to force his next words out. “It is too soon. I want to do this right.”

When he opened his eyes and glanced down at her, he could make out the disappointment on her face. It broke his heart.

She looked down at her shoes. “It’s getting late. I better get home.”

He wanted to ease her pain, but he knew he couldn’t. “Yes, of course.” But before the words were even out of his mouth, she had turned from him and was walking from the parking garage. Raven followed behind her silently—torn—not knowing what to say to make her understand.