“Good thing we haven’t hooked up then, huh?”
I wish I could take those words back. Flew out so fast. Choking on fear and anger, they slipped away in a hot breath that didn’t come from my heart.
Simon swallows heavily and says, “Yeah.”
Hesitate, panic runs cold through my body, deep breath, “I didn’t mean—”
“No time now. I’ve gotta get to Edgar before his cravings become too strong, and then he’ll end up spilling his guts to Roderick to get his next hit.”
He turns and walks faster than I can possibly keep up—at least fifteen feet away already.
“Simon, wait—”
He stops, looks over his shoulder, “I know, Ruby. I know you didn’t mean it.”
“But—”
“I have to go. To keep you safe I have to get to Edgar.”
“She’ll kill me, Simon. You know it.”
“The only thing she’s more passionate about than sex is her hatred of Roderick. Trust me—she’ll help us tonight.”
“Then, why didn’t she help you at the bar? Why was she going to let Roderick and his two goons fight you all by yourself?”
“I’m sure by then she was on her way home with some guy she thought would be tasty.”
“You mean feeding?”
“No. Well, yes—feeding and other things.”
She appears out of the brush behind him, fangs glance over his neck.
Seductive voice spouts, “Not talking about little ol’ me, I hope.”
Neither of us says a word, and she continues, “Crept up on you twice in one day, Simon. Better get your head clear before you lose it.”
She looks at me and then to him, but his eyes are on me, paying her no attention.
Maxine says, “You already got my ears burning talking about me like that—wanna try for another body part?”
“Watch her, Maxine. Might be a long night.”
“Whatever you wish, darlin’.”
“Wait!” I call after him.
Pained, “There’s no time. You two have to let me leave.”
Laughing in a tone that sounds like singing, Maxine says, “Oh, I think there’s time. Aren’t you forgetting something, sweet Simon?”
“Now?”
“Of course, now. Maxine doesn’t keep promises until she gets hers first.”
My voice cracks, “What are you getting from him?”
“Relax, princess,” she says, “Nothing physical—just a little taste. That’s all.”
“Ruby, I’m sorry. There’s no other way—there’s no one else.”
“What? What’s going on?” I shout.
She slides her body around him, grabbing his neck, and pulling it down before her. Before I can shout, her lips slide back, unsheathing her hideous fangs, and she dives them into his neck.
His eyes stare at me sadly. No question he hates this, but his gaze stays focused on me, not on what she’s doing to him. He raises an arm out in my direction, still at least fifteen feet from me.
I run toward them, fighting the bushes and branches that separate us. His arm drops down—eyes roll back.
Her left hand slides over his chest.
“That’s enough! That’s enough—let him go!” I scream out.
She pulls her fangs out, like a shark releasing its prey. Simon stumbles, trying to hold his head in my direction. Eyes barely open now.
Her right hand runs through his hair, grasping him at the back of his head.
“Let him go, you witch!” I shout, so close, just out of reach.
She looks to me, smiles in a flash, and moves her head close to his, her tongue rising up to touch his lips.
I reach out and grab her free arm, yanking her away from him. Her wretched tongue pulls away from just in front of his lips—never quite reaching them, and she spins to face me. Easily five inches taller than me, she towers over me, her sharp fingernails out of his hair, outstretched and aimed at my face.
She sends her hand flying at my eyes. Too fast for me to move. A blur smacks her hand at her wrist.
Simon holds her wrist tightly, still struggling to keep his balance—head swaying and pointed down, not even looking at us. Her fingers keep reaching for me over and over.
He pulls his head upright, his voice as sharp as a blade, “Stop this. Now.”
Her face turns from crazed to just angry. Stepping in front of me, Simon looks her in the eyes.
“That was too long, Maxi. You know that.”
“Hard to restrain myself, sweet Simon. You know that,” she strains to smile, but rage lingers in her brow.
“You gave me your word.”
“And I will keep it,” still straining.
“Maxine. I mean it,” he says with a heavy tone, “Look at me—say it.”
“I will look after her.”
“No more like what just happened?”
“She jumped at me in the middle of feeding, Simon. That’s all that was. You know what that feels like.”
“Break your word, and I’ll find you, Maxi. I promise you.”
Wrinkling her nose and pushing her lips together, “Don’t you worry, sexy. I’ll take care of your boring, suburban princess.”
“Hey!” I say finally jumping in their conversation.
He turns to me, “Ruby, don’t bait her.”
Flooded. Hurt. Angry. Sad. Don’t know what to say. Don’t want him to leave.
He turns away from me.
Maxine looks at me, grinning at his icy exit. Hope flees from the cold gushing inside me. Look to the top of the trees, can’t even see the moon through the overgrowth of branches and coiling kudzu vine. Just two sad, faded stars.
Rustle rushes up to me—a sound path of leaves and branches being crushed leading right to my feet. Before my eyes come down from the branches, his kiss is on me, shoving the fear away, and melting the freeze out of my body.
Not ready when he pulls away. Nothing could replace the feeling he’s just taken from my lips.
His eyes struggle under the demands of time, looking just like he did before he let the last word drop at ‘80s Night, right before he turned to face the fire so I could escape. Right before I thought I’d lost him forever.
He turns away without a word, not even a single word like last time. The silence is far worse. I can still feel the memory of his kiss on my lips as my heart begins to tear.
Handsome and warm blue eyes and a smile appear over his shoulder. His body stops.
“I’ll come back for you.”
He disappears slowly, the branches and brush hiding more of him with every step he takes away from me.
Female eyes burn at me, the treetops hide all but two dim stars in the dark sky, and wicked creatures are out there, somewhere, hunting for me, but I have his kiss still tingling on my lips and his promise fresh on my ears. If I die tonight, at least I’ll die feeling alive.
Chapter IX
Felis Fatalis
Seven.
That’s all that it took.
Seven little numbers.
Time to see if the information they bought was worth the long trip into town.
Things move ahead of me. Senses are dulled. Maxi’s long drink, healing wounds, the fighting, no sleep or feeding for days—I’m drained. An easy target. This trip might’ve been a bad idea. Got to know what Roderick’s up to—gotta know what we’re up against.
Cats move through the yard. Black one darting here. Gray one darting there. Peering behind this and that. One peeks out from under the wooden porch, eyes glowing, reflecting the street light.
Walk under a large oak tree on the way up to the house. Cat brushes past my ankles. Look down at it. Gray with black swirls.Suddenly something dives out the tree, smacking my back—angry hissing, nails pushing at my throat, threatening to rip into it.
Forgot to look up. Didn’t check out the tree. Senses are fried.
That kind of mistake gets you dead. Fast.
Shouldn’t have come.
I talk softly to not push the sharp nails at my throat, slicing into my skin, “Katrianna, it’s Simon. Here—talk about Roderick.”
“What do you care for what Roderick’s doing now? Been up to bad things for centuries—what’s the sudden interest? Where were y’all when he was giving me hell?”