The Deadly Rose - Amber Jonas (graded readers .TXT) 📗

Prolong: Belladonna

"Who are you?" I asked, trying to hide the fear in my voice. Standing tall his eyes glistened, making me tremble

"NO!"

I scolded myself, I couldn't fall for his tricks, couldn't give into my desire... or was it blood lust I felt?

He compelled me, I'll give him that. Making me think of hot white electricity pulse through my veins.

"Bell... My dear Bell flower, I am here to save you..."

Then everything fell black.

Part One: 1 Dreams and Schemes

I woke, sweating, heart pounding, and breathless. My sheets were soaked and tangled, hanging off to one side. Collapsing I breathed a sigh of relief "it was only a dream."

I told myself, but if felt so real, he looked so alive."

Bell... My Bell flower I am here to save you..."

The words echoed uncontrollably through my head,

"What does that even mean?"

I thought solemnly.

My phone buzzed to life, groaning I answered “You better have a good reason calling this early Cosette, or I'm going to hurt you." I heard my best friend sigh on the other side"It's a week before our senior year, we need to go SHOPPING!" she said a little too enthusiastically for my liking. Groaning I rolled off my bed "fine," I agreed "but I am not getting, pink, skirts, or skin showing outfits." I could hear her whimpering through the phone, and imagined her giving me the puppy dog face. "Bells, oh please... Would it kill you to just get one girly item?!"

Sighing I knew I wouldn't win the battle, obviously my silence also allowed Cosette to know the same."Yes! I'll be there in five, so be primped and pretty!" she exclaimed before hanging up.

I sighed as I walked with Cosette, who chatted animatedly beside me. We passed many expensive looking stores before we came to a stop."Hello? Earth to Belladonna!" she said waving her hand in front of my face. "Hum?" I asked, wondering why we stopped.

"Are you paying any attention to what I'm saying?" Cosette asked, glaring at me. My eyes shifted down "sorry, I zoned out...” I said; "well pay more attention. I was just saying did you hear about the induction they're doing for seniors. You know, naming the Alpha, Beta and so on... I wonder who the Alpha will be; I hope it's you and not Kendra. You know Kendra right? Kendra Engle?"

I stared at her, mouth open in a very unladylike manner, "what? Did I say something wrong?"I shook my head, and began walking again. "There is no way I am going to be Alpha, end of story. Now come on, either shop or I go home." I said brushing past her.

Her eyes lit up remembering why we were on the trip. "Oh right, we get to buy you girly things!" she said excitedly pulling me towards a Victoria Secret store, Groaning I allowed her to drag me through hell, looking into the sky, hoping for some kind of prayer "Why did I agree to this torment!" I cried out as Cosette laughed at my dramatics.

"Oh, look, it's nice a silky" Cosette whispered eyeing my mischievously. "Oh, hell no Cosette, I am NOT buying a thong!" I said, horrified that she would even think of something so... so sexy. "Never, never in my life will I buy that, now put it down!" I whispered harshly to her; grinning she put it back"you would make a good nun Bells." she said laughing at me.

As we left, Cosette stopped a sly smile on her lip. "Look Bells, it's your favorite person...” she said, pointing across the street... Slowly I turned, just as Blurr came sauntering up, a Cheshire cat grin on his face. Closing my eyes, I shook my head, today could not be happening.

"Hey Bells, Cosette, What are two lovely girls like you doing on this wonderful day?" he said, eyeing the hidden Victoria Secret bag behind my back, my cheeks burned bright as I shifted my weight. “Hey Blurr, I thought it would be good for me and Bella to go shopping for clothes before school you know, senior year and all!" Cosette was dragging on the conversation with Blurr, I was getting more anxious by the minute, "well we really should be going now...” I said hurriedly as I pushed Cosette towards a store, "shopping and all...” I laughed nervously.

Cosette chatted while we shopped, keeping my promise I allowed her to pick out one girly outfit for me, a purple corset with a black skirt and heels. Though girly, I kind of liked it, with a jacket to cover my arms of course.

After filling our bags, and emptying our wallets, Cosette walked me to my car "Bells, you should talk to Blurr," she said, being sincere, "he really likes you, and he's a good guy you know." I nodded hoping it looked more convincing than it felt.

On the drive home, I kept thinking about what Cosette has said, Blurr liked me... It gave me an uneasy feeling, because he was the man in my dream...

Part One: 2 Family Ties

 

Belladonna Abraxas Cameo! Where the hell have you been??!" my mother’s voice a rising siren as I entered the living room. The posh floors and antiques shone brightly as my mother frantically moved around, dusting every micro inch there was. "I went shopping with Cosette, I left a note, two voice-mails, and a text for you. I guess I should have called again, sorry" I said absently as I walked by.

"Well that's alright, I must have overlooked the note, anyways I went and picked up all the school supplies on the lists, your sisters and brother are in the family room picking what they want now, you may want to hurry before they take all the good stuff." She said with a wink, "and I expect a fashion show of your new wardrobe this afternoon!" she called after me.

There were loud shouts and a lot of bickering as I entered the family room, The oldest of the three, Pandora, was standing up shouting at the twins, Raven and Shadow, who were wrestling on the floor... over a pack of crayons. I sighed,

"you have to love them they are your siblings...”

I thought to myself, but in truth, I loved my siblings, they made my life... entertaining to say the least. I pulled Raven off of Shadow and picked up the now shredded Crayola box, setting it on the table I looked at the twins, "now look here you two, why all the fuss over the Crayons? Mom bought plenty to last us for a year and a half, now you've gone and destroyed a box what will mom say?" They looked at me, then at each other, sad and hurt.

"They have glow stickers Belle; I wanted the glow stickers..." Raven whispered, "Well you should have shared Rave, I wanted some to you know!" Shadow took no time in trying to overpower Raven; I jumped and grabbed him up by the collar.

“That’s enough, now all three of you go wash up for dinner!” I sighed after cleaning up the mess they made, putting my clothes in my room I dropped onto my bed, thinking about the induction ceremony that was to take place in one week. Who was the Alpha going to be? Why was I dreaming of Blurr? What does all of this mean?

I knew tonight would be another sleepless one yet.

Part One: 3 School Daze

As the days followed I slowly began getting ready for the new school year to start, most teenagers would be excited about their senior year however I was dreading it; I didn’t want to know about the who induction, and I really wanted to avoid Blurr.

I jolted awake to my alarm clock blaring, groaning I rolled over and shut it off. After getting oriented I stood up, rubbed my hair, and went to take a shower. Letting the water fall down on me was a relief I needed just to start off my day. After getting out of the shower I put on the outfit Cosette had picked out for me, figuring it would be a good “first day of school” outfit, and after that I could dress as a bum. Brushing out my dark hair, I noticed many red streaks going through it from the sun.

Going down to the kitchen I smelled eggs and bacon, smiling I felt a little better about going to school. As I sat down to eat my mom came in and almost fell to the floor. “Belladonna, you look gorgeous in that outfit, where in the world did you get it?!” she asked, without missing a beat I took a bite of my bacon “Cosette found it for me.” Nodding her understanding my mom sat across from me with her cappuccino, “so your dad isn’t going to be here to send you kids off to school today… however he did leave you a present in the driveway.” She said, looking up I asked “which is?” prompting her to continue with my fathers “gift” for me.  Well he really does feel bad that he couldn’t be here to give to you himself; it’s a gift for making it to senior year without dropping out. So he bought you a brand new 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R34” She looked at me smiling and handed over the keys.

My jaw dropped when I went out to see my new car, “it’s complete with neon lights on the bottom, you will have the coolest car in the senior parking lot now. Also you can keep your