Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set by Susan Hatler, Amy Miles, Veronica Blade, Ciara Knight

happen. A relationship with a human, especially this human, is far too risky.
    But that risk, the thrill of “what if,” has brought her to this moment. Staring across the room, Roseline eyes the machine that can instantly connect her with the only person who truly understands her. Of course, Fane will think she is crazy. A growing obsession with a mortal? Ludicrous. Fane would listen and try to help her, but he would also try to track her down.
    “Not today,” she mutters as she slips into her robe and steps out into the hall. Her fingers trail lightly over the aged wooden banister. The stairs creak underfoot, echoing loudly through the empty house.
    Stepping nimbly over the cigarette burned carpet in the living room, Roseline heads for the fridge. The heavy metal door squeals as it swings open. “Drat,” she groans, remembering that she was supposed to have gone grocery shopping.
    When was that? Yesterday? The day before? Roseline rubs her palm against her forehead. The days of the past week have passed in a blur. Gabriel consumes her thoughts far more than he should and she can’t figure out why.
    With a heavy sigh, Roseline heads back through the living room, not even caring to glance at the sparse boxes stacked in the corner. They are not her stuff and, from the musty odor coming from the loose lid, there is certainly nothing of interest in there.
    The dining room holds the most furniture in the entire house. A painted hutch sits in the corner, layered with an inch of dust. An old wooden farmhouse table fills the rest of the room, its long benches tucked underneath. Past that, a bathroom stands off from the main hall, its pink tiles glaring obnoxiously at anyone who dares to enter the time warp.
    “I really should get out today,” Roseline mumbles as she gives up her aimless wandering and heads back upstairs. Rounding the banister, she heads into one of the spare rooms. She uses this one as her makeshift closet. Designer store bags stack high in one corner, empty of their purchases. Piles of clothes, laid out in perfect condition, litter the floor. New wardrobe: check.
    Sighing, Roseline grabs an outfit from the top of a pile and heads to the bathroom. Her love for all things fashion refuses to allow her to don a baseball cap so, twenty minutes later, she settles with combing her hair straight around her face to help conceal her identity. Checking one last time to make sure her makeup has helped tone down her appearance, Roseline heads out.
    She is not sure where she is heading until she looks up to find that her feet have taken her right to Sadie’s doorstep. It’s only been a couple days since she was last here, although she struggles to remember why at the moment.
    Movement in the upper window of the house next door catches her eye but the curtain flutters back into place before she can make out the person concealed within. Roseline frowns.
    “Well hello, Rose. Did you do well on that Chem test you and Sadie studied so hard for? Sadie swears she aced it but I have my doubts.” Mrs. Hughes smiles as she opens the glass-paneled door. Her sapphire blue robe is tucked tightly around her slender figure.
    “I believe I did well enough,” Roseline says, thankful for the reminder as she steps over the threshold and dips low to slip off her boots.
    The scent of vanilla invades her senses. Sadie’s mom appears to have the same affinity for scents as Sadie’s does for wardrobe changes. “Sadie, Rose is here.”
    Thundering footsteps race down the carpeted hall. Roseline smiles as she hears abuse slung about from upstairs. “Back off, she’s my friend.”
    “How do you know she came here to see you?” William protests.
    Sadie snickers as she rounds the corner. “You are so desperate.”
    “Hi.” Roseline grins, amused by their state of dress. William stands in the doorway, wearing only plaid pajama bottoms. His hair is heavily tousled, sticking up in the back like a peacock. Roseline tries not to admire