bummer.
“Sorry,” Nicholas said as we exited.
“It’s only one more week.” I tried not to appear disappointed. “I can wait.”
“That’s my girl.” He rested his hand on the small of my back, giving me chills, and guided me towards the passenger side of the car. “We’ve got to get going, not much time before dusk.”
It was a lucky thing Katie didn’t want to meet earlier.
“So,” Nicholas said, sliding into the driver’s seat and starting the car. “I’ve covered most of the west side today and figured we’d cover the east together. I ran through it last night, but any hint of scent would have dissipated after they evacuated their hide-out. I’m hoping they’ll stick to their familiar territory.”
“Me too,” I agreed, too distracted to watch the road while studying his jaw line, wanting to attack it with kisses. He was so adorable when in hunting-mode. “Have you run into that guy again?”
“Which guy?”
“The one who was selling the venom?”
“No,” he said with a twinge of disappointment. “I think he’s too afraid to show his face around here again, though it was stupid of me to overreact. I should have followed him to the source. That’s my next project after we deal with this coven.”
I smiled at the fact he said “we.”
“How’s your dad?”
I took a deep breath and Nicholas took my hand. “Okay, I guess. Just a chest pain scare they said. Dad’s supposed to take it easy, so he’ll be around for a few weeks.” I decided to leave out the fact he fell down the stairs too.
“That’s good, right?”
“Yes, but not the being around part. Kinda hard to get away with anything when he’s there, checking my cell phone GPS and stuff.”
“You put your phone in your car, right?”
“Yes,” I said, not appreciating the parental overtones of his question, but knew he was just trying to keep me out of trouble. “Of course.”
“He loves you, Jules. That’s why he’s doing this. I’d be upset if he didn’t seem concerned.”
“I don’t need him to worry. I’ve got you.”
Nicholas squeezed my hand and brought it to his lips. “That you do.” He smiled crookedly and I blushed.
Nicholas drove us down to the industrial center of town. We passed the burned down building Nicholas fought Phil and the rest of Alora’s vamps in a few months back, and I sensed Nicholas’ satisfaction. We drove by the other building a few blocks down—the one they lived in—and I took a deep breath. The building looked just as ominous during the day as it did at night. Nicholas studied my countenance.
“They’re not here,” I said, knowing he was curious to see if I’d sensed anything. “I imagine they’re smart enough to find a new place.”
“It’s not easy finding refuge being a vampire. You must be invited within if it’s been occupied recently by humans or vampires.”
“I know,” I said, feeling a little perturbed. I didn’t mind being under his protection, but I remembered the details of the curse rules.
We drove a few blocks further down the street in silence when I sensed it. Like the putrid stink of a skunk—the hunger, the longing, the craving for power and blood swooped upon us in a thick fog. My pulse raced.
“Stop,” I whispered.
He slowed down and parked, watching my reaction intently. I scanned the buildings towering over us. They all seemed abandoned with broken-out windows and graffiti on the walls. I closed my eyes to search the source. The feelings ran the gamut as usual, but not completely the typical animalistic kind I’d felt in the past.
“Are they here?”
“Maybe,” I said, trying to pull more from my senses. “There seems to be a group of people inside, but only a few vampires. Why would people be hanging with vampires?”
“Are you sure?”
I began the exercise Grandma taught me. I started with the ones discharg ing typical human feelings and began to encapsulate them. After separating about ten or so, I ended up
“Sorry,” Nicholas said as we exited.
“It’s only one more week.” I tried not to appear disappointed. “I can wait.”
“That’s my girl.” He rested his hand on the small of my back, giving me chills, and guided me towards the passenger side of the car. “We’ve got to get going, not much time before dusk.”
It was a lucky thing Katie didn’t want to meet earlier.
“So,” Nicholas said, sliding into the driver’s seat and starting the car. “I’ve covered most of the west side today and figured we’d cover the east together. I ran through it last night, but any hint of scent would have dissipated after they evacuated their hide-out. I’m hoping they’ll stick to their familiar territory.”
“Me too,” I agreed, too distracted to watch the road while studying his jaw line, wanting to attack it with kisses. He was so adorable when in hunting-mode. “Have you run into that guy again?”
“Which guy?”
“The one who was selling the venom?”
“No,” he said with a twinge of disappointment. “I think he’s too afraid to show his face around here again, though it was stupid of me to overreact. I should have followed him to the source. That’s my next project after we deal with this coven.”
I smiled at the fact he said “we.”
“How’s your dad?”
I took a deep breath and Nicholas took my hand. “Okay, I guess. Just a chest pain scare they said. Dad’s supposed to take it easy, so he’ll be around for a few weeks.” I decided to leave out the fact he fell down the stairs too.
“That’s good, right?”
“Yes, but not the being around part. Kinda hard to get away with anything when he’s there, checking my cell phone GPS and stuff.”
“You put your phone in your car, right?”
“Yes,” I said, not appreciating the parental overtones of his question, but knew he was just trying to keep me out of trouble. “Of course.”
“He loves you, Jules. That’s why he’s doing this. I’d be upset if he didn’t seem concerned.”
“I don’t need him to worry. I’ve got you.”
Nicholas squeezed my hand and brought it to his lips. “That you do.” He smiled crookedly and I blushed.
Nicholas drove us down to the industrial center of town. We passed the burned down building Nicholas fought Phil and the rest of Alora’s vamps in a few months back, and I sensed Nicholas’ satisfaction. We drove by the other building a few blocks down—the one they lived in—and I took a deep breath. The building looked just as ominous during the day as it did at night. Nicholas studied my countenance.
“They’re not here,” I said, knowing he was curious to see if I’d sensed anything. “I imagine they’re smart enough to find a new place.”
“It’s not easy finding refuge being a vampire. You must be invited within if it’s been occupied recently by humans or vampires.”
“I know,” I said, feeling a little perturbed. I didn’t mind being under his protection, but I remembered the details of the curse rules.
We drove a few blocks further down the street in silence when I sensed it. Like the putrid stink of a skunk—the hunger, the longing, the craving for power and blood swooped upon us in a thick fog. My pulse raced.
“Stop,” I whispered.
He slowed down and parked, watching my reaction intently. I scanned the buildings towering over us. They all seemed abandoned with broken-out windows and graffiti on the walls. I closed my eyes to search the source. The feelings ran the gamut as usual, but not completely the typical animalistic kind I’d felt in the past.
“Are they here?”
“Maybe,” I said, trying to pull more from my senses. “There seems to be a group of people inside, but only a few vampires. Why would people be hanging with vampires?”
“Are you sure?”
I began the exercise Grandma taught me. I started with the ones discharg ing typical human feelings and began to encapsulate them. After separating about ten or so, I ended up
Similar Books
