Free Rose Blossom by Renee Travis

question.  She looked embarrassed and if possible, smaller than before.
                  “My eyes are purple because of the medication I’m on," I said.
                 Avalon’s eyes brightened at my words, “I must admit I am very glad Julian has chosen you instead of one of those vapid females we’re forced to go to school with.”
                 I was a little distracted as I responded; Julian had reached a hand up and was caressing my neck, sending pleasant shivers down my spine as his cooling skin touched mine.
                 “Forced?” I asked, curious at the word usage.
                 “Yes, I mean you don’t truly think Julian and I are actually teenagers, I mean we’ve done this high school thing at least a thousand...” Avalon was cut off by a growl coming from Julian’s throat.
                 “That’s enough,” he told her, his voice quiet and deadly sounding. I tried to step away from him but he kept me still, with just the one hand around my waist.
                 “Avalon, watch what you say," Loretta scolded.
                 Avalon looked ashamed and her eyes seemed to shine, almost as if she were going to cry, she mumbled, “I’m sorry,” and darted back up the stairs. No one said anything until they heard the door slam.
                 “She needs to work on her control,” Julian’s voice was still angry. Loretta looked less angry and more concerned, like she was worried about her daughter.
                  "She's older than you Julian, don't treat her like she's not." Loretta warned him.
                  "Then she needs to start acting like it.  How she ever survived without you..." he trailed off.
                 As I listen to their conversation, I came to a uneasy conclusion.  Julian’s whole family wasn’t human and I was with them, alone. Fear crept into my veins like a poison, I trusted Julian, but could I trust the rest of his family? Julian would not have brought me here and put me in harm's way. I told myself this over and over, but I thought I'd handled everything else magnificently so far, what was one little bout of anxiety?
                  “Rhodanthe, you should sit, your color is bad,” Julian whispered in my ear, “and your heartbeat is erratic, I think that this outing was not a good idea.”
                  He helped me over to the couch and sat with me.  I wrapped my arms around him for emotional support, feeling as if I just wanted to crawl into his skin; I could not get close enough to him.
                  “Avalon needs friends Julian, more than just us, she needs people her own age she can relate to,” Loretta walked over and sat in a chair across from us.
                  “There is no one Avalon’s age she can relate to here,” Julian sounded like he was reminding her of that fact.
                 One of his hands began to stroke the top of my head and I felt his lips feather over my eyebrows, his breath assaulted my senses and I took a deep calming breath.
                 “That’s my girl,” I heard his words, soft and soothing, as my heartbeat finally returned to normal.
                  “I was thinking perhaps Rhodanthe could help us with Avalon, maybe befriend her, and spend some time with her?” Loretta asked.
                  Julian stiffened, I could not see his expression, but I could guess at it, and it wasn’t a pretty face. “No, no way am I allowing her to be alone with Avalon or Antoinette even, she’s far too precious to me to put her in a situation like that.”
                  I blushed at the word 'precious,' but sat up, scooting away from Julian a little so I could look in his eyes. Reaching a hand up, I cupped his face.
                  “I think that they are as dangerous to me as you, so