Read Online Beautiful Monster 2 by Bella Forrest - Free Book Online
Authors: Bella Forrest
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minutes before needing to rest. And Isabelle didn’t speak a word of English.
“The school’s year-end show is Phantom of the Opera. Last year, Selene used the chaos of Beauty and the Beast to murder Porsche, who was the De Ritter’s active Shield. And if I’m not following her rules, not following her orders, I’m sure she’ll use this year’s chaos to come here and take my life as well. Which is what I want.”
I opened my folder, passing around the forms.
“But what she won’t know, when she’s sitting in the audience, is that each and every one of you, and hopefully more, will be on stage when she tries that. The stage weapons we use will be real. And the murder of a seemingly random audience member by the Phantom will not be an act at all. Selene will die on stage, murdered by us, in full view of the audience, the last thing she would expect.”
Outrage came from the crowd, as I had expected it would. It was a crazy plan, of course, and about as theatrical as you could expect. For those who were not performers, it must seem beyond insane. They protested, and called out, but I held up my hand for silence.
“Before you commit, I want to remind you what you’re playing for!” I said, and nodded to Amy.
Amy moved from her spot on the wall to open the door. The light from the emergency exit glowed down into the dark space, and Sarah emerged. Even I was impressed at what she had thrown together. Guessing at what kind of theatrics I wanted, she had donned a long red dress that dipped low and pooled around her feet. I held out my hand and she came to me, a smirk on her face.
The second she placed her hand in mine, I could feel it. A pain went through my heart as I compared her to Porsche’s strength but I continued my act.
“Porsche was a rebel Shield, it’s true. Shields are nature’s way of bringing balance to the universe. Porsche’s kind was outraged by her murder, and has agreed, for the first time in history, to collaborate with us to make sure Selene is dead.” I took a deep breath, leading Sarah to Nina. “But just in case they change their minds, it’s ok, we have a Shield of our own, a Shield who didn’t even know she existed until she came to me.” I placed Sarah’s hands in Nina’s tiny ones.
The change was almost instant, but for one so tiny and weak as Nina, I had expected that. That’s why I chose her, for the most theatrical value.
Nina gasped, her eyes opening wide. After a few short gasps, she began to breathe normally again, and I knew even in the back row, they could see the color coming back into her cheeks. She closed her eyes, smiling for the first time since I met her. Sarah seemed receptive to this, giving the tiny vampire a huge smile back. Finally, Nina’s eyes fluttered open and she turned to the small crowd.
“It’s amazing!”
One by one, Sarah walked through the crowd on her own, letting them touch her for themselves. If they had never felt a Shield before, and it was likely they hadn’t, then they would be impressed by her. If they had though, my bluff was called because they would know she was weak.
Amy came to my side, leaning against my arm as she watched Sarah bring the vampires such joy.
“Good job,” she whispered and kissed me on the cheek. “But next time, choreograph your crowd better. Stage looks messy.”
I laughed, kissing h er back. “Aye aye. Maybe that senior thesis should be in directing?”
“Thought about it,” she answered. “But I love acting too much.”
“A woman after my own heart,” I said, as Sarah connected at last with Connor.
“It is spectacular,” he said, meeting both her eyes as both their hands clasped each other’s. “You truly are quite a remarkable woman.”
“Thank you.” Sarah blushed and I raised an eyebrow. Sarah was not normally a girl to blush. Beside Connor, Isabelle stood up a little straighter.
“You really
“The school’s year-end show is Phantom of the Opera. Last year, Selene used the chaos of Beauty and the Beast to murder Porsche, who was the De Ritter’s active Shield. And if I’m not following her rules, not following her orders, I’m sure she’ll use this year’s chaos to come here and take my life as well. Which is what I want.”
I opened my folder, passing around the forms.
“But what she won’t know, when she’s sitting in the audience, is that each and every one of you, and hopefully more, will be on stage when she tries that. The stage weapons we use will be real. And the murder of a seemingly random audience member by the Phantom will not be an act at all. Selene will die on stage, murdered by us, in full view of the audience, the last thing she would expect.”
Outrage came from the crowd, as I had expected it would. It was a crazy plan, of course, and about as theatrical as you could expect. For those who were not performers, it must seem beyond insane. They protested, and called out, but I held up my hand for silence.
“Before you commit, I want to remind you what you’re playing for!” I said, and nodded to Amy.
Amy moved from her spot on the wall to open the door. The light from the emergency exit glowed down into the dark space, and Sarah emerged. Even I was impressed at what she had thrown together. Guessing at what kind of theatrics I wanted, she had donned a long red dress that dipped low and pooled around her feet. I held out my hand and she came to me, a smirk on her face.
The second she placed her hand in mine, I could feel it. A pain went through my heart as I compared her to Porsche’s strength but I continued my act.
“Porsche was a rebel Shield, it’s true. Shields are nature’s way of bringing balance to the universe. Porsche’s kind was outraged by her murder, and has agreed, for the first time in history, to collaborate with us to make sure Selene is dead.” I took a deep breath, leading Sarah to Nina. “But just in case they change their minds, it’s ok, we have a Shield of our own, a Shield who didn’t even know she existed until she came to me.” I placed Sarah’s hands in Nina’s tiny ones.
The change was almost instant, but for one so tiny and weak as Nina, I had expected that. That’s why I chose her, for the most theatrical value.
Nina gasped, her eyes opening wide. After a few short gasps, she began to breathe normally again, and I knew even in the back row, they could see the color coming back into her cheeks. She closed her eyes, smiling for the first time since I met her. Sarah seemed receptive to this, giving the tiny vampire a huge smile back. Finally, Nina’s eyes fluttered open and she turned to the small crowd.
“It’s amazing!”
One by one, Sarah walked through the crowd on her own, letting them touch her for themselves. If they had never felt a Shield before, and it was likely they hadn’t, then they would be impressed by her. If they had though, my bluff was called because they would know she was weak.
Amy came to my side, leaning against my arm as she watched Sarah bring the vampires such joy.
“Good job,” she whispered and kissed me on the cheek. “But next time, choreograph your crowd better. Stage looks messy.”
I laughed, kissing h er back. “Aye aye. Maybe that senior thesis should be in directing?”
“Thought about it,” she answered. “But I love acting too much.”
“A woman after my own heart,” I said, as Sarah connected at last with Connor.
“It is spectacular,” he said, meeting both her eyes as both their hands clasped each other’s. “You truly are quite a remarkable woman.”
“Thank you.” Sarah blushed and I raised an eyebrow. Sarah was not normally a girl to blush. Beside Connor, Isabelle stood up a little straighter.
“You really
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