Haunted by Jeanne C. Stein Page B

but I’m not sure.”
    “So, David and Tracey are going with you?”
    Uh-oh. Something in his tone gives me pause. “Why do you ask?”
    “You’re not with them, are you?”
    Ice is forming through the phone lines. To make matters worse, I feel Max’s eyes on me. Fuck it. “No.”
    “Well, at least this time you’re being honest. I talked to David an hour ago. Why would you lie to me? Why would you let me think you were with them?”
    “I didn’t lie to you. And if you’ll recall, you hung up before I could tell you who I was with.”
    As soon as I say it, I know I’ve sunk myself deeper into the pit. Sure enough, Stephen counters with, “Well, here’s your chance to set the record straight. Who are you with and what are you doing?”
    From outside, the sound of the plane engine roars into life. I grab at it like a lifeline, an excuse to cut the conversation short. “I’m sorry, Stephen, I have to go. I’ll call you when I can.”
    This time, before Stephen can respond, I disconnect. I look over at Max. He’s giving me one of those “I told you so” looks. I give him one of those “fuck you” looks and narrow my eyes. “Don’t say it. Not a fucking word.”

CHAPTER 19
    I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF RESCUE PLAN CULEBRA and Ramon have in mind, or how Max and I will be involved. At this moment, it doesn’t matter. Ramon’s story compels me to help him.
    Even the turbulence we hit as the small plane is buffeted by wind blowing off the hills doesn’t bother me.
    The acid churning my gut is not from the prospect of danger or the choppy ride. It’s caused by the thought that I don’t know if Stephen will be waiting for me when we get back. Why in the world didn’t I tell him what I’m doing? It’s like I have a chronic aversion to telling the truth even when there’s no need to lie. Is it because he’s human? Is it because Max is an unhappy reminder of what happens when I’m honest with a mortal partner?
    I rest my head against the seat, close my eyes. My scorecard with boyfriends is pretty bleak. Human or supernatural, it doesn’t seem to make a difference. I either piss them off, scare them away or kill them. Stephen deserved better. Of all of them, he was the best. I really liked him.
    Liked him. I’m already thinking of him in past tense.
    “Anna?”
    I open one eye. Max has taken the seat next to me. I pull myself upright. “What?”
    “We’ll be landing in about thirty minutes. Are you all right?”
    “Peachy. I’ve probably lost the nicest boyfriend I’ve ever had.” I give him the fish eye. “Present company included.”
    He shrugs. “Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t. Won’t do you any good to obsess about it. We’re going into a dangerous situation. Best get your head straight.”
    I bite back the sarcastic “no shit” comeback that almost springs from my lips and ask instead, “What’s the plan?”
    “My guess? When we land, we’ll go straight to the safe house where Ramon has his family. We’ll figure the rest from there.”
    “Does Ramon know about me?”
    “That you’re vampire? I’m not sure. He and Culebra have spent the flight talking but I get the impression it’s more catching up than anything else. Those two were close once upon a time. There’s a lot of history.”
    Max gets quiet for a moment. “You were thinking about Trish when Ramon spoke of what happened to his son, weren’t you?”
    Max was around during the time Trish came into my life. He knows what happened to her. He doesn’t know what happened to me—not all of it—not about the rape that resulted in my becoming vampire. We were dating then and I couldn’t bring myself to speak to him about it. I still can’t.
    I simply nod.
    “I was, too,” he says. “Is she doing well now?”
    So well it makes me smile. “Yes. She and my folks were just here for a visit. They’re selling the La Mesa house. France agrees with them.”
    He’s quiet for a moment. “I know you’ll miss them,