by A. Vers
No temptation to use it would leave Dad unsure what direction we had gone in.
It bought us a little time.
A breather.
But as a hunter, I had other ways of surviving when needed.
I opened the door on a secondhand store near the historic part of the city. Morgan’s eyes went round as she took in all the glass shelves of baubles and wares.
A younger woman sat at the back of the store. She looked up from her place behind the counter. “Good morning,” she called, eyeing us.
We had cleaned up as well as we could before coming into town, but it was obvious we had been traveling. It made for an easy enough backstory.
I smiled broadly and walked toward her as Morgan browsed the shelves, her gaze tracking over everything with bright-eyed excitement. “And good morning to you,” I said as I neared. The woman’s eyes fluttered behind her glasses. “My family and I just got into town. Sis and I decided to shop instead of heading to the new house.” My grin turned conspiratorial. “We saw your store and had to stop in.”
The woman pushed her glasses up her small nose. “Well, it sure is the kind of day where it’s better to be inside. Is there anything I can help you find?”
“In a place like this, we’re after only one thing,” I told her.
She raised a brow at that. “And that is?”
“Treasure.”
Her chuckle was surprised but delighted. “I see. Well, we have all kinds of stuff. And if you have any questions,” she appraised me and I caught the faint edge of heat, “please ask.”
I beamed and watched as her cheeks flushed. “Dad is a bit of an antiquer,” I confided. “The family camping trip is this weekend, so Sis and I thought we would surprise him with some gear. Got anything in stock that would fit?”
She nibbled at the corner of her lip. “If we do, it would be in the back.” Her eyes dipped from me, to Morgan, to the door, and back to my face. I waited, a picture of calm, boy-next-door ease. She held up a finger. “I’ll be right back.”
I raked my gaze over her. “Take your time. I’m in no rush.”
The flush grew scalding and she stumbled toward a door to the side of the counter.
As soon as the door clicked, I checked to see where Morgan was and found her with her face buried in the books at the rear of the store.
My lips quirked in a real smile before I stalked around the counter, hit the enter key, and opened the older cash register.
I didn’t take much. At least not enough that it would be immediately visible. Closing the till, I shoved the cash in my pocket and used the hem of my shirt to wipe everything off.
I was back around the counter, one elbow on the glass—in the same place I had been—when the girl walked back out.
She frowned. “I’m sorry. We don’t have anything.”
I sighed. “Well, it was definitely worth a shot,” I told her. She stopped before me and I reached over the counter, laying my hand on top of hers. Her skin was warmer than Morgan’s and several freckles marred her knuckles. “I appreciate you looking for me.”
Her lips parted and I watched as her chest rose and fell rapidly. “Of—Of course. Happy to help.”
I pulled back and pretended to remember that I had Morgan with me. “Now where is my sister…” My voice faltered.
Morgan’s head was already turned toward us, her pretty lilac eyes tracking from myself to the girl and back. Her gaze darkened as I watched.
“Excuse me,” I said to the girl, but I couldn’t look away from Morgan.
I made my way through the aisles. Morgan gave me her back as I neared, her lean frame moving agilely toward several racks of clothes.
“See anything you like?” I asked.
Her vibrant irises pierced me over her shoulder. “Did you?”
My heart sputtered.
Is she—
No. She can’t be jealous.
Right?
I didn’t reach for her even though I wanted to. But after the way we had to leave Lokworth, it seemed selfish to want her as much as I did. I wanted to kiss her even when her world was in shambles. And I couldn’t seem to think of anything else.
“No,” I said simply. Her gaze tracked over me and every damn pass made me shift to keep from grabbing her and holding her. “They don’t have what we need. But if you see any clothes you like, get them. You’ll need something to wear besides the uniform.”
Though she still seemed more distant than usual, she nodded.
I let her sort through the clothes as I snared a two clean but older towels, some blankets, and all metal cookware. Adding a change of clothes to my stack, we took everything up to the register.
The girl smiled at me, but I was careful not to show as much interest as before. Though she seemed puzzled by the change, I didn’t care.
From the moment I met Morgan, I hadn’t had eyes for any other girl.
It didn’t matter that she was a vampire and I was a human. It didn’t matter that we were on the run.
I wanted her. Just her.
Hands laden with bags, Morgan and I started from the store.
My eyes landed on a small turnstile next to the register lined in jewelry. Most of it was costume. But a silver ring with a purple stone rested behind a thin plate of plexiglass, snagging my attention.
Gaze dipping back to the door, Morgan was just visible on the outside, her head turning this way and that.
“Let me get the ring too,” I said, jerking my chin at it.
The girl raised a brow but unlocked the case.
The band was sterling with crescent moons beside the small purple stone. It was so light, delicate, and the stone was only a shade or two darker than Morgan’s eyes. I nodded and pocketed it before slipping some of the store’s own money across the counter. It barely made a dent in what I took.
Smiling again, I tipped an imaginary hat to the girl and left.
Man, I loved older towns.
Chapter 3
Morgan
We tucked our bags into the Jeep and Ryder led me through the town in search of what he called essentials.
“What exactly are we looking for?” I asked as we pushed our way through the late afternoon crowds.
The silence between us was terse after the first store, but I couldn’t shake my discontent at seeing him with the human girl.
I had no reason to be jealous. Logically, I knew that. But logic and Ryder did not seem to match.
My desire for him was present from the moment I met him. And it went deeper than a thirst for his blood.
But for all of that, I had no right to be angry at him when I was still betrothed to Ames.
“Some place that sells camping supplies,” he murmured, his hazel eyes squinted as he scanned the surrounding shops.
“But we are staying in a house,” I said and could not hide my confusion.
His lips quirked and he glanced down at me. “True. But that place hasn’t been what anyone would call habitable in years. A propane stove, a portable shower, cots … Things like that go a long way in making an abandoned house livable, and considering the season, nobody bats an eye when you buy camping gear.”
I mulled that over. Considering we were trying not to draw attention to ourselves … “Okay. Camping supplies.”
Still grinning, he continued along the sidewalk.
That smile of his seemed to garner a fair amount of attention. Especially from the other humans we encountered. It should not have bothered me over much. Ryder kept the distance between us, the same one that had been in place since we left Easthaven in the rearview.
But I wanted the warmth of his hand around mine, the feel of his lips.
The last time he had kissed me, we had just barely escaped a group of human thugs. Maybe what I took for attraction was adrenaline. The need to verify we were both living.
But I knew better on my part. I liked Ryder. A lot.
Ducking my head, I followed behind him as we perused several other s
tores. In one, we managed to find what he called an air mattress. In another, they had a portable grill that ran off small green bottles of fuel.
We were coming out of the last used ware shop on the road when he drew up short beside a metal box filled with newspapers.
I stepped closer to his side. “What?” I asked.
He stared down at the black and white print, shook his head, and stepped away from the box. “Nothing. Come on.”
I started to peer around him.
“Morgan.” His voice was firm, making me stand straight and look at him. He gave another shake of his head. “It’s nothing. Really. Come on. The storm is getting closer.”
I glanced up at the darkening sky as the clouds rolled in. The humidity was nearly unbearable, leaving my blouse sticking to my skin every time we stepped out of the air conditioned shops. I gave him a nod and we started off back through the city.
Salem, despite the old horrors, was quite the sight. There seemed to be hordes of tourists experiencing all the things the city had to offer. There were tours, the shops, of course, lots of delightfully scented restaurants, museums, and many other things to see and experience.
If we had not been trying to keep such a low profile, I would have asked Ryder to slow down so I could take it all in.
But I knew the storm was worrying him. He said earlier that we would get to see just how well the house held up under the onslaught. I hoped it did. I got an odd thrill at the thought of it just being the two of us in such a large dwelling. No curfews or rules. Just Ryder and myself.
As we walked back to the Jeep, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.
My head turned at the flash of black, fear making my heart speed.
But the man was not Giroux. He paused in front of a café, reading a chalkboard sign next to a newspaper bin as the wind tugged at the black shirt covering his frame. Perhaps sensing my focus, he lifted his head and looked right at me.
He was tall, but human strong, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. I pegged him for many years older than myself or Ryder, but human. Normal.
He turned and slipped into the café, his focus finally breaking from mine.
I let out the breath I had not realized I was holding.
“Morgan?”
I turned to find Ryder a few feet away, his brows knit.
Shrugging off the anxiety, I tried to smile. “The restaurant smells nice.”
He chuckled and motioned me forward with one strong arm. “Right. We need food too. Come on.”
I started after him, leaving the dark clad male far behind.
We packed the rest of the stuff into the Jeep and drove across town to a large department store. This one was much more modern, with bright fluorescent lights, white tile floors, and racks of so many things.
Ryder took one look at my face as we entered and started laughing. “Really?” he teased.
I flushed so hard it left me dizzy. “Lokworth has everything delivered to the school,” I grumbled as he continued to smirk. “And the only trip I took to Easthaven, you were with me.”
He shook his head. “Well, this is a store. We humans use them to overload our lives with useless crap.” He led me down the long main aisle. “Some of it isn’t completely useless,” he told me, picking up a large, squishy stuffed unicorn. “Like this.”
I snorted so loud, an older couple nearby glanced in our direction. “Ryder,” I hissed, but couldn’t stave off my smile.
His grin was broad. “What?” he asked me. “It’s cute, right?”
“It’s nearly as tall as you,” I told him. “What would anyone do with a toy so large?”
He pursed his lips and tossed it back in the bin. “Good point.” He strolled across the wide area to a gray metal shelf laden with summer cookware in vibrant pinks and oranges.
“Ryder,” I warned.
“What?” he asked with fake innocence. “I wasn’t going to get them.”
I had to cover my mouth to stifle my laughter. His hazel eyes danced under the lights. I forced myself to calm, taking several deep breaths. But my lips trembled anyway.
“Now what?” I finally managed.
He lifted a neon yellow set of tongs and held them aloft like a sword. “To the camping supplies,” he said imperiously and stalked off.
Holding my sides as they ached from my laughter, I started after him.
The elderly couple watched us go and the woman met my gaze as I passed. “I have never seen such a beautiful couple.” She smiled gently at me.
Tucking my hair behind my ears, I hurried off after Ryder with a murmured thank you.
We pulled up to the abandoned house as the first clap of thunder echoed in the distance. Ryder’s head whipped over as he stood at the back hatch. “That is what I call perfect timing,” he muttered, opening the door. “Come on. Help me get all this inside before it starts pouring.”
I scrambled forward and we lugged everything inside and to the back room we had cleared out earlier.
The space was indeed fresher with the windows open, and even Ryder drew in a deep inhale as he set his burden onto the old wood floor.
It took two trips between us to get everything inside, and by the time we cleared the threshold, the storm broke.
Rain pattered over the roof above, making Ryder pause in the hallway as it drummed heavily around us. He scanned the ceiling first in the hall, and then in the large square room. “If you see any water, let me know,” he told me.
I nodded.
We divided everything up, leaving the food stuffs and cookware in the kitchen, and the linens and bed clothes in the large room. Ryder started blowing up the air mattress with the oblong pump it came with, and I set the small stove on the back porch at his direction.
The rain fell in great sheets through the screens, obscuring the details of the world around us. But I didn’t mind. In the house, so far from anyone or anything, I could almost believe the lie.
Ryder and I were camping. Nothing more.
But I knew once the storm cleared, the world would return. The threats hovering over both of us would return.
I sighed and turned to go back inside.
The door of the old ramshackle barn banged open under the powerful wind, the sound echoing loudly and making me jump. A pale white shape hovered just under the shadowed overhang before disappearing through the crack.
I stared.
“Ryder?” I called, stepping back to the door.
His steps came swiftly over the old floor. “Morgan?” His body heat collided with my back as he darted out onto the porch. He grabbed me to steady me, inadvertently drawing my spine to his chest.
For a moment, I could not think of anything but his touch on my arms. The feel of so much muscle against me. The memory of his kiss.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his heartbeat loud in my ears. It was thick, strong. Just like him.
My gums ached, signaling my thirst. Something I had hoped not to face so soon after leaving Lokworth. I pulled away from him, disgusted once more with what I was.
“I saw something,” I said, keeping my face turned away so he would not see the glow in my eyes. “At the barn.”
He slipped past me right up to the screen, his lustrous hair buffeted in the wind. “A person?”
“No,” I admitted. “Like a white cloud.”
Ryder peered back at me, his lips curving. “Morgan.”
“What?” I asked.
“Are you telling me you saw a ghost?”
“I—”
Had I seen a ghost?
“I don’t know what it was. The door crashed open and something pale white slipped inside,” I said finally, my uncertainty audible.
He continued to watch me for a moment. “Okay.” He started to open the screen door.
I lunged, grabbing him by the arm. “What are you doing?”
His brows rose. “I was going to go see what it was.”
“But—” I peered past him to the storm raging ju
st beyond where we stood. “It’s pouring.” Even to my own ears it sounded childish. Lame.
“It’s just rain, Morgan. I’ve been in worse.”
“I know, but—”
He turned to face me, something like amusement and gentle exasperation in his expression. “You can come with me, if you’re worried,” he said.
Nibbling my lip, I nodded slowly. “Okay.”
He tugged on a lock of my hair, slipped off the porch, and started across the yard.
Quickly shucking my heels, I ran to keep up.
Chapter 4
Ryder
Shoving my wet hair back from my face, I peered around the dim structure as Morgan slipped in behind me.
The barn was what I expected. Derelict and mostly empty save for what looked like a few old wire spools from the power company. But there was no white anything.
Still, a vampire’s eyesight was better than mine, and it cost me nothing to ease Morgan’s fears.
She stayed close to my side as we trailed around the edge of the wide space. A few stalls near the back offered finely dissolved hay and a pitchfork that wobbled when I hefted it in hand. By the time we reached the door again, Morgan was frowning.
“I’m sure I saw something,” she murmured. I caught the mix of emotions in her voice and nudged her with my elbow.
“It’s been a long few days,” I told her. “We’re both exhausted and we need to eat.”
Her eyes widened as she looked at me. “What?”
I raised a brow. “Food. You know? So we don’t die?”
She dropped her gaze, another soft blush staining her cheeks and the tips of her ears. “Right. Food.”
For a moment, I could only stare at her bowed head. What else would I—
Realization dawned, causing my gut to clench. “Morgan? Are you thirsty?”
She wouldn’t look at me.
“Morgan—”
“I’m fine, Ryder,” she grumbled, still staring at her mud-splattered bare feet. “I can go for several days without.”
“But you don’t have to.” I stepped closer to her, hand raised to brush back her long hair.
