“I don’t know. Maybe.” She fell quiet, thinking it over. “I would kind of like to see where Micah spent so much time.”
“It’s kind of late tonight,” he said. “How about if I pick you up tomorrow as soon as the sun goes down?”
“All right.”
“Dress warm. It’s still cold here.”
“I will. Good night, Ethan.”
“’Night, Sofie.”
Whistling softly, he willed himself back to Morgan Creek, thinking life was starting to look a whole lot better.
* * *
Rosa stared at her younger sister. “You’re going where?”
“Morgan Creek. It’s in Wyoming.”
“Are you crazy? Isn’t that where that awful vampire, Saintcrow, lives?”
“He’s not there right now. No one’s there but Ethan.”
Rosa’s eyes widened. “You really are crazy if you’re thinking of going there alone! Good gosh, Sofia, have you lost your mind? Ghost town!” she exclaimed dramatically. “Vampire! Girl alone! Cue the scary music.”
“I’m not afraid of Ethan.”
“Well, from all you’ve told me, you should be. At least tell Micah where you’re going.”
“No! And don’t you tell him either. He’s on his honeymoon. If you call him, he’ll come home. And Holly will hate me.”
“She’s too nice to hate anybody,” Rosa said.
“Promise me.”
“If Mom and Dad find out I didn’t tell them, they’ll disown me.”
Sofia laughed. “No, they won’t. You’ve talked your way out of way worse things than this. Anyway, I’ll be fine.”
Sighing with resignation, Rosa said, “All right. I won’t say anything, as long as you call me as soon as you get back.”
“It’s a deal.”
“Don’t forget your wooden stake.”
“No chance,” Sofia said with an inward grin. “I never leave home without it.”
Chapter Eleven
Saturday morning bloomed bright and clear. Despite her assurances to Rosa that she’d be fine in Morgan Creek, Sofia was a nervous wreck. She plunged into her chores with a vengeance—vacuuming, dusting, washing the windows. She went to the grocery store, stopped at the car wash, dropped in to visit her parents only to find they weren’t home.
Back at her apartment, she took a shower, washed her hair, and spent forty minutes deciding what to wear, always conscious of time passing.
Ethan’s knock came five minutes after the sun went down. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her jacket and opened the door. “Hi.”
“Are you ready?”
She nodded. What had she been worried about? She had let Rosa’s fears get to her, she thought irritably. This was Ethan, looking handsome and harmless in a pair of blue jeans and a dark green shirt.
He put his arm around her. “Hang on.”
She closed her eyes as she experienced the familiar sense of flying through time and space. When she opened her eyes again, they were standing in front of an old hotel. All the lights were on inside, as well as in every other building as far as she could see.
“What plans do you have for the hotel?” she asked.
“New front, modern interior, that kind of thing. Why?”
“It has a lot of old-world charm. There are lots of upscale hotels, but I was thinking, maybe you should modernize the plumbing and the kitchen equipment and that kind of thing but keep the antique feel of the exterior and the interior. But, I mean, it’s your place.”
“I think maybe you’re right. So, do you want a tour?” he asked, taking her hand.
She blinked several times, then nodded.
The town looked like it had once been a nice place, she mused as they walked along.
“I was going to modernize everything,” Ethan remarked. “But you’ve changed my mind. I think we’ll try to hang on to the 1920s feel of the place as far as interiors and exteriors go, but modernize the amenities.”
He planned to renovate the old hotel, the tavern, and the restaurant, but tear down the barbershop and the beauty shop and add those amenities as part of an addition to the hotel. He said the movie theater was in pretty good shape. The grocery store needed a lot of work, but he liked her idea of keeping the Roaring 20’s atmosphere while bringing in modern cash registers, upgrading the freezers, shelves, and food storage.
She was surprised to see a library at the end of town.
“It’s about the only thing that doesn’t need work,” Ethan said.
Beyond the library, there was only darkness.
She shivered as Ethan tugged on her hand. “Where are we going?”
“There’s a park just ahead. I’ll turn the lights on when we get there.”
Biting down on the inside corner of her lip, she let him lead her into the darkness.
“Sofia, I’m not going to drain you dry and bury you in the park.”
“What?” She came to an abrupt stop.
He dropped her hand. “I can tell you’re scared. Come on; I’ll take you home.”
“No. No, I’m just letting my sister’s fears get to me. I probably shouldn’t have told her I was coming here with you. She wanted to call Micah.”
“Call him if you want. I’ve got nothing to hide.”
“He’s on his honeymoon. Anyway, I’m fine.”
He looked doubtful.
Smiling up at him, she took his hand. “Let’s go.”
The park was large, surrounded by tall trees. The pool in the center was empty, some of the plaster cracked.
“We’ll have to fix that,” Ethan said, hitting a switch that lit the lamps located at the park’s four corners.
Sofia nodded, then shivered.
“Are you cold?”
“No.” Frowning, she glanced around. “I felt something. Or I thought I did.”
“I wouldn’t worry. Probably one of the ghosts,” he said casually. “Maybe the one who warned me you were in danger.”
“How would a ghost I never met know I needed help?” She laughed softly, thinking how foolish that sounded.
“I don’t know, but he—or she—was right on. The cemetery is farther down the road.”
“I’m not sure I want to see that at night.”
“Okay. Let’s go back.”
Returning to the town, they crossed the road. In the distance, Sofia could see streetlights. As they drew closer, she saw houses, all of them with lights burning inside. “Are there people living here?”
“Just me.”
“Why are all the lights on?”
He shrugged. “I programmed them to come on when the sun goes down. Makes it seem less lonely.”
Her heart went out to him, but she didn’t know why. No one was making him stay here.
“Do you want to go inside one?” he asked.
“Sure.” She couldn’t help being curious. Micah had told her that men and women who had stumbled into this town hadn’t been allowed to leave and had been forced to feed the vampires who lived here. The thought made her shiver.
“This is the house I was staying in,” he said, leading her up a short red-brick path to a single-story house painted green with white shutters. He opened the door for her, then followed her inside.
“It’s nice,” she said, her voice tinged with surprise.
“What did you expect?”
“I don’t know, but nothing like this.” The house was old, there was no doubt of that, she mused as she wandered from room to room, just as there was no doubt it had been upgraded through the years. The carpet and the furniture were years out of style but still in good condition. A relatively new TV stood in one corner; the appliances were modern.
Sofia returned to the living room. “This doesn’t seem like a very safe place,” she remarked. “Of course, I don’t guess very many people even know about it.”
“I don’t spend the day here. Neither did any of the other vampires.”
“Oh?” She perched on the edge of the flow
ered couch.
“The humans lived in the houses down here.” She flinched, making him think he should have left that part out. “Do you remember seeing a place up on the hill?”
Sofia frowned. “I don’t think so.”
“It’s where the vampires used to spend the day. Iron bars on the windows and the door. There’s a secure lair in the basement.”
“The basement.” She lifted one brow. “Sounds real homey.”
Ethan shrugged. “I don’t need much during the day.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“I don’t know how to pose it tactfully.”
He cocked his head to the side, his mind brushing hers. “You’re wondering if I’d rather be dead than live like this.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “How did you know that?”
“I read your mind.”
“Well, that’s just rude!” she exclaimed, feeling her cheeks grow hot as she remembered some of her more erotic thoughts about him.
Ethan burst out laughing. She was one in a million, he thought. “If it makes you feel better, it’s the first time.”
“Well,” she grumbled, “make sure it’s the last!”
* * *
At home, while getting ready for bed, Sofia thought about everything Ethan had told her. It was disconcerting, knowing he could read her thoughts, which reminded her that he hadn’t answered her question about whether he would rather be dead than live as a vampire. He didn’t seem particularly happy about being what he was. There were times when she thought she detected a sense of despair, maybe even a desire to end his life. She hoped she was wrong.
She wondered who was going to keep an eye on things during the day, when he couldn’t. Sighing, she slipped under the covers. It was none of her concern, but she wished him well. Maybe doing all that renovation would give him a sense of purpose.
* * *
The next week seemed to fly by. Sofia spent Sunday with her parents. She had warned Rosa earlier not to say a word about Ethan or the fact that Sofia was dating him, and especially about her visit to Morgan Creek.
At work on Monday, she had the feeling something was wrong. Mr. Donaldson’s secretary, Karen, was unusually quiet.
On Tuesday, Sofia’s boss didn’t come to work.
On Wednesday, he told her the bad news. They were going out of business.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do now,” she told Ethan when he called her that night. “It’s not going to be easy finding another job. I’ve only worked there for five months.” She sighed dramatically. “You don’t know anyone who’s hiring, do you?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.”
“Really? Who?”
“I need an accountant.”
“That’s great, but I’m not an accountant, just a personal assistant.”
“Well, that’s really all I need. Someone to pay the bills as they come in. Take notes if someone has a question, that kind of thing.”
“I guess I could do that, but it’s a heck of a long commute from Arizona to Morgan Creek.”
“Yeah, I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe you could stay here during the week and go home on weekends.”
“I don’t know . . .”
“Forget I suggested it. Listen, I need to go. Talk to you tomorrow night, okay?”
“Where are you going?” It was a silly question.
“Sofie, come on.”
“Do you like it?”
He groaned low in his throat. She was killing him.
“I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”
“It’s not unpleasant,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “I try not to think about what I’m doing. It’s necessary, you know, something I have to do. Like taking insulin if you’re diabetic. Except . . .”
Her heart skipped a beat as she waited for him to go on.
“Except when I drink from you.”
“Why is that different?”
“I don’t know, but it is. Do you really want to talk about this?”
“Well, it is kind of fascinating.”
Her response reminded Ethan that she had once wanted to be a vampire. “Didn’t you discuss all this with Micah?”
“Not really. He was always trying to talk me out of following in his footsteps,” she said, a smile in her voice. “I read tons of books on the subject, but they were mostly about how to destroy a vampire, not what it was like to be one.”
“Well, stick with me, kid,” he said dryly. “And you’ll learn more about bloodsuckers than you ever wanted to know.”
He was probably right, Sofia thought as she disconnected the call.
She was tempted to take him up on his offer, but she didn’t like the thought of staying in Morgan Creek day and night. Maybe it was silly, but she didn’t want to be stuck in an old town, surrounded by construction workers, miles from civilization. Maybe she was being foolish, or chicken, but whatever it was, she just didn’t want to be there with a bunch of burly guys while Ethan was at rest.
Too bad, because she really liked spending time with him. Maybe because it was thrilling and a little bit dangerous. Maybe because there was something dark and exciting in knowing that he thought her blood was special.
Or maybe it was just because he needed her.
Chapter Twelve
Ethan found Saintcrow sitting on the rail of the veranda when he stepped out of Blair House the following night. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Saintcrow shook his head. “Are you gonna ask me that every time I show up?”
Ethan laughed. “Sorry. It’s just that it’s always such a surprise.”
“A good one, I hope.”
“So, what are you doing here?”
“Well, if you must know, I’m bored. Kadie went to see her family, so I decided to come by and give you a hand during the day.”
“Yeah?”
“The paperwork was taking too long, so I paid a little visit to the guy in charge of permits and got him to move things along. Your permits will be ready tomorrow morning and I’ll be there to pick them up.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Thanks will do. I also deposited some more money in your contractor’s account, then called him and told him that I was your business partner and we want him to buy the best materials out there.”
Ethan nodded. “That’s great. I didn’t know Kadie had any family.”
“Mother, father, little sister, Kathy.” He had saved Kathy’s life by giving her some of his blood. “Her father’s a doctor. Used to be a vampire hunter.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Nope. He took a shot at me once and hit Kadie instead. Almost killed her.”
“And that’s why you turned her?”
Saintcrow nodded. “Although it probably would have happened anyway, eventually.”
“I can’t believe you let her old man live after taking a shot at you.”
“He’s Kadie’s father.”
“So . . .” Ethan shook his head. “Mom and dear old Dad are okay with what you did?”
“They don’t know. I wiped all memory of what happened from her father’s mind, made him forget he used to be a hunter. Wiped her mother’s memories, too. They have no idea we’re vampires. We’re just one big happy family now. Speaking of family, you’ve been spending a lot of time with Micah’s sister.”
“You got a problem with that?”
“I don’t. Micah might, though, especially if you bring her across.”
“Why would I do that?”
Saintcrow shrugged. “It can be a powerful temptation. She’s young, beautiful. You obviously want her, and not just for her blood.”
Ethan hopped up on the railing, one shoulder braced against a support post. “What is it with Sofia’s blood?” he asked. “Why does it calm me the way it does?”
“I’m not sure. There’s no science to back it up, but I think some mortals are inherently compatible with
vampires.”
“Like, made for each other?” he asked, somewhat sarcastically.
“Not exactly made for each other. Take me and Kadie. We met under less-than-pleasant circumstances. She should have hated me. And I guess maybe she did. She said it often enough.” He smiled faintly at the memory. “But I wanted her the first time I saw her. And she wanted me, no matter how often she denied it. Just like you want Sofia. And she wants you.”
“Yeah? How do you know?”
Saintcrow shook his head in exasperation. “How can you not know?”
“Okay, we’re attracted to each other. I admit it. If I was just a man, maybe one day I’d ask her to marry me. But as a vampire, I’ve got nothing to offer her. If I had a shred of decency, I’d tell her good-bye and never see her again.”
“But you won’t,” Saintcrow said, dropping to his feet. “Come on; let’s make like vampires and hunt the night.”
“One more reason why I should end it now,” Ethan muttered. But they both knew he wouldn’t.
* * *
Hunting with Saintcrow was always an adventure. The master vampire tended to be very picky about his prey. Ethan figured that, because his sire had been a vampire since the Crusades, the need to feed wasn’t as urgent for him as it was for fledglings.
Saintcrow had decided they should hunt in Colorado. When asked why, he shrugged. “I like the mountains.”
The streets were quiet this time of night. Saintcrow strolled toward a movie theater. He stopped a block away. “One of the movies should be letting out in the next hour or so,” he remarked.
“So, we’re just gonna hang around here?”
“You got someplace better to be?”
“No, I guess not.” Ethan rested a shoulder against the side of a building. Snowcapped mountains rose in the distance, like tall fingers pointing toward the sky.
Tensing, Ethan glanced at Saintcrow as a patrol car turned down the street, slowing as it passed by.
The master vampire’s gaze was fixed on that of the cop behind the wheel. When he lifted his hand in a friendly wave, the cop waved back and drove on.
Saintcrow laughed softly. “Easy,” he murmured, amusement in his voice. “So easy.”
“You really like being a bloodsucker, don’t you?”
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