Moonglow: Blood Magic Book 2, Page 3

  “No,” he countered, “but money might.”

  I stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

  “Governor Pamphrock agreed to generously compensate you if you return his daughter to him safely. He’ll pay you five grand upfront and another ten after you get her out.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “That’s a lot of money. Why didn’t you tell me about it last night?”

  “It was a test. You passed.”

  “A test?”

  He lifted his coffee mug and took a sip. “I wanted to see what kind of person you really are. Most wouldn’t put their safety on the line to save a kid they’ve never met. The money might’ve helped convince you, but I wanted to see if you’d do it without any compensation.”

  I narrowed my gaze. “You wanted to know if my morals are up to scratch?”

  “I wanted to know how selfless you are. I don’t like putting my faith in selfish people.”

  I frowned severely. “I don’t need to prove myself to you.”

  “Ah, will you quit being so tense? You’ll give yourself high blood pressure,” Finn chided. There was a pause as his eyes wandered over me. “By the way, have you been working out? You’re looking very Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby.”

  I shifted, feeling self-conscious “I’ve had a lot of spare time on my hands. Exercise helps fill some of the hours.”

  “Well, it’s working for ye.”

  “Thanks.”

  He didn’t drop his gaze, and a weird moment passed between us. He looked a little … turned on. “Ugh! Will you stop looking at me like that?”

  “Like what?”

  I made an arcing hand gesture. “You’re all horned up or something. Been going through a dry spell, have we?”

  “I could ask you the same question,” Finn shot back. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you checking me out.”

  “Oh, my God, just shut up. And quit staring at me.”

  “You quit staring at me,” he retorted, and the dimple in his cheek suggested he was enjoying this. “I’m not some piece of meat.”

  “That’s it. I’m going to get dressed. You should get ready, too. We have a long drive ahead of us.” I stood from the table and carried my plate over to the sink. The apartment came fully furnished, so all I needed to pack was my clothes. I was rinsing the plate when I sensed Finn coming to stand behind me. I stiffened and placed the plate in the drying rack before turning off the tap. Finn rested his hands against the counter on either side of me, and I sucked in a harsh breath.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered.

  He didn’t reply for a second, and I felt his breath tickle the back of my neck. “Just wanted to say thank you,” he replied in a low voice. “For agreeing to help us get Rebecca back.” Then he surprised the hell out of me when he placed a chaste kiss on my cheek. His heat retreated, and my face flushed bright red.

  “Okay,” I said, a little breathless as I turned around. “We need to set up some ground rules.”

  Finn arched an eyebrow. “Ground rules?”

  “I’m agreeing to help you, but there are conditions. First, you need to stop doing whatever that just was.”

  A flicker of mirth entered his gaze. “I kissed you on the cheek.”

  “Don’t play dumb. You know what you’re doing. I won’t be able to focus on how I’m going to get to Rebecca if you’re constantly flirting with me.”

  “Jaysus, you’re no craic. Okay, no more flirting. What are the other conditions?”

  “On our way back, you need to take me to see my dad first. I haven’t seen him since I left, and I want to make sure he’s okay.”

  Finn ran a hand over his jaw. “It’ll have to be a very quick visit.”

  “Two hours with my dad,” I said. “That’s all I need.”

  “Okay. Anything else?”

  “Yes. If, after two weeks, I haven’t managed to rescue Rebecca, then you’ll let me leave. There are far too many vampires in Tribane, and if what you’ve said is true, they’re even more powerful now. It’s too risky for me to stay for very long.”

  “Two weeks it is then,” Finn agreed, turning in the direction of my bathroom. “Now, do you mind if I use your shower?”

  “No, go ahead.”

  Finn closed the bathroom door behind him, and I went to my bedroom to finish packing. By the time I was done, Finn emerged from the shower, shirtless, with only a white towel wrapped around his waist. I did my best to avert my gaze, but not before noticing he had a lot of scars. A hazard of the job, I presumed. I avoided looking at him as I grabbed my toiletries and slid by him into the bathroom. It was all steamed up, and I tried not to think about a naked Finn standing under a steady stream of water. I definitely didn’t need such a tempting visual in my head.

  I undressed and stepped under the spray, thinking about how foolish I was to be going back to Tribane. The truth was, I wanted to see my dad and Nicki and Florence. Aside from text messages letting them know I was safe and well, I hadn’t communicated with any of them since the night I left, and I hadn’t spoken to Ethan at all. Our parting had been tumultuous, and he’d pleaded with me to stay.

  The idea of seeing him again, of seeing everyone again, had my stomach turning over in knots. If Finn was to be believed, everyone who knew about my blood was keeping it a secret. I kept reassuring myself with this fact. Besides, it was just two weeks. All I needed to do was find Rebecca, return her to her father, and disappear again.

  I was leaving the bathroom when I heard Finn speaking on the phone. I stood just outside the doorway and listened.

  “Yes, she’s agreed to help us. We’ll get on the road this morning and should be back in Tribane by tonight.” I presumed he was talking to Pamphrock. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I considered the challenge that lay ahead of me. I was going to have to fool Ethan. Pulling the wool over the eyes of a vampire who’d been alive almost three centuries wasn’t going to be easy. My conscience nagged at me because Ethan had only ever been kind to me, but here I was, getting ready to double-cross him. I reminded myself that it was for the good of an innocent child.

  I made my final preparations and about fifteen minutes later Finn knocked on my bedroom door before coming inside. He plonked himself onto the bed, shoving his mobile phone into his pocket. I zipped up my bag and put it down on the floor.

  “So, you’re all packed and ready to go then?” he asked.

  “Yes, let’s get this show on the road.”

  I locked up the apartment, and Finn surprised me by picking up my bag and throwing it over his shoulder. We walked down the street to where he’d parked his van, and I climbed in the passenger side. A long few hours into the journey we stopped at a rest stop, and I went to grab us some food while Finn visited the bathroom.

  As Finn walked away and I joined the queue, I noticed a tall, dark-haired guy trailing behind him. Something in his gait set off my suspicions, and on instinct, I left the queue. It was almost fully dark out since we were deep into winter and daylight wasn’t plentiful. This guy could be a vampire. In fact, his tall, muscular form and lithe movements made me almost certain that he was.

  I peeked my head in the door and spotted the man standing in front of Finn. The two of them were eyeing each other like wary dogs.

  “Finn Roe. I’ve been hoping to cross paths with you for a very long time.”

  “Travis,” Finn replied stiffly, his words laced with hatred. “I suppose this was going to have to happen sooner or later given what I did to your brother.”

  “You killed him.”

  Finn’s face hardened. “And he killed my mother and sister.”

  Oh. My. God. This Travis was the brother of the vampire who killed Finn’s family? My stomach dropped and nerves flooded me. In the confines of the small public restroom, Travis lunged for Finn, who swiftly dodged him and grabbed hold of the door on one of the stalls. He swung his legs forward and kicked Travis in the chest, driving him back against the sink. I frantically tried to thi
nk of a way to help Finn. The vampire was huge, and I couldn’t see it being easy for Finn to best him, especially because an unsuspecting member of the public could walk in at any moment.

  I had my dad’s gun on me, but since there were dozens of people outside, including families with small children, I didn’t fancy firing it right then. Rifling through my bag, I found a bottle of spray deodorant, and an idea sprung to mind. Finn and Travis were currently knocking seven colours of crap out of each other, and someone was going to come and find out what the ruckus was about sooner or later. I had to act fast.

  Warily, I took a step inside the bathroom, deodorant uncapped and at the ready. Travis had both of his hands around Finn’s neck. He was so intent on strangling him that he didn’t notice me approach until I was spraying aerosol into his eyes. He grunted loudly and released his hold on Finn, who took the opportunity to grab the stake he had hidden in the inside pocket of his jacket. Travis rubbed at his eyes but was quickly gaining his composure. I stepped close and sprayed him a second time for good measure.

  “Fucking bitch!” he yelled and grabbed me, scarily fast, by the arm. However, it only took the split second that Travis was focused on me for Finn to dive forward and plunge the stake directly into his heart. The burly vampire’s eyes widened in shock just before he fell limply to the floor. Dark, almost black, blood oozed from the fatal wound. Finn and I stared at one another, both of us seemingly wondering the same thing.

  How on earth were we going to clean up the mess?

  Finn stepped back and leaned against the wall, his breathing ragged after the struggle, while I kept my attention on the door hoping no one walked in. Once he caught his breath, Finn pulled out his phone and dialled a number.

  “Who the hell are you calling?” I asked in a panic.

  “The local DOH branch,” he answered. “They’ll be able to clean up in here. Go and wait for me in the van. I’ll meet you there once this has been taken care of.”

  He handed me his keys, and I nodded in a daze, hurrying out. My legs were like jelly, but I still had the wherewithal to grab us some food before I went to sit in the van. About thirty minutes later, Finn slid silently into the driver’s seat. I handed him a bottle of water and a sandwich, and he took them wordlessly.

  “So, that was intense,” I said, breaking the quiet.

  “He’d clearly been tracking me. I should’ve noticed. I’ve been so preoccupied with saving Rebecca that I neglected to realise we were being tailed. Travis has wanted me dead for years.”

  “Well, look on the bright side, he’s gone now. You won’t have to worry about him coming for you again.”

  Finn nodded and unwrapped the Reuben sandwich before taking a hungry bite. Getting rid of dead vampire bodies obviously built up an appetite. “This is a good sandwich,” he said.

  “I know. Reuben sandwiches are my favourite.”

  “I don’t think I’ve had one before.”

  “No? Well, now you know what you’ve been missing all these years,” I said with a soft smile, hoping to lighten the mood. Finn nodded in agreement and continued eating. When he was done, he reached out to touch my arm.

  “Are you okay? Travis grabbed you pretty roughly in there.”

  “It’s just bruised. I’ll be fine.”

  A small smile passed over his lips. “You’re a tough cookie, aren’t ya? I was well impressed with your deodorant move. Travis never saw it coming.”

  “I’m good at thinking on my feet.”

  “I’m beginning to see that,” Finn said before starting the engine and pulling out of the parking spot.

  I stared out the window and eventually nodded off. When I woke up, my head was resting on Finn’s shoulder and I was practically cuddling him. I straightened up quickly and wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth. Finn’s lips curved in a grin. “Good nap?”

  Self-consciousness pinched at me. “Um, yeah, sorry for leaning on you.”

  Now he smirked. “You mumble in your sleep.”

  I shoved him in the shoulder. “Shut up. I do not.”

  He laughed quietly. “Yes, you do. Don’t be embarrassed. It’s cute.”

  I folded my arms and turned my attention out the window. We weren’t far from Tribane, and my nerves started to build. The city was my home, but it was also a place of danger. Needless to say, I had very mixed feelings about being back.

  “We’ll drive out to see your dad first,” Finn said. “I hope he doesn’t mind late visitors.”

  “He won’t mind.”

  “Good. After you’ve seen him, we’ll drive straight to the city. You can stay at my place.”

  “Your place?”

  “Sure. Where else are you going to stay?”

  Well, he had a point there. Besides, Finn had promised to protect me. Staying as close to him as possible seemed smart.

  “Tomorrow morning we’ll report to Pamphrock,” Finn went on. “He wants to talk with you before you approach Cristescu.”

  “And how am I supposed to approach him? When I left, I more or less said I wouldn’t be coming back. He’s going to be suspicious of me turning up six months later completely out of the blue.”

  “True, but just stick to the truth as much as you can. Tell him it’s a flying visit to see your dad and check in with your friends in the city. You’ll have to lay on the charm, dazzle him with your feminine wiles to get close to him.” He winked and I rolled my eyes. “In all seriousness though, your main objective should be getting an invite back to his house. That way you can try and find information on where Rebecca’s being kept.”

  I worried my lip. “That won’t be easy. I haven’t been to his house before.” Guilt pinched at me. I didn’t like the thought of deceiving Ethan, but then again, if he had anything to do with Rebecca’s kidnapping perhaps he deserved to be deceived.

  “I never said this was going to be easy,” Finn replied, but his expression softened. “Look, just try your best. It’s all you can do.”

  A little while later we arrived in Chesterport. Finn parked outside my dad’s house, and we made our way to the front door. The golden light of a lamp shone through the curtains in the living room, and my heart skipped a beat in anticipation of seeing Dad. It had been six very long months. I found my key and tried to slide it in the lock, but it wouldn’t fit.

  “That’s odd,” I said, frowning as I glanced at Finn. “He must’ve had the locks changed.”

  Then I heard someone shuffling down the hallway and a moment later the door opened, but it wasn’t my dad who was standing there. It was a middle-aged woman I’d never met before. She looked from me to Finn, clearly wondering who we were.

  Where the hell was my dad?

  4.

  “Hello, um, I’m looking for Martin Stolle. I’m his daughter,” I said to the strange woman who’d seemingly taken up residence in my childhood home.

  Her brow furrowed a moment, then her eyes lit up in recognition. “Oh, yes, Martin Stolle! We bought the house from him. He moved out a couple of months ago.”

  I turned and looked at Finn, my panic rising. Then I turned back to the woman. “Do you know where he went?”

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t believe he said where he was going, but I do remember him being in quite a hurry to sell up. We’d just come to town to be closer to my mother and were looking for a nice family home. Couldn’t believe our luck when your dad offered to sell us this place, and even below the market value price.”

  My panic increased, worry building. Why had my dad been in such a hurry to sell the house and move?

  “Are you absolutely certain you can’t remember if he said where he was going?”

  “I’m sorry, honey. I can’t tell you more than I already have. Perhaps your father has some friends still living in town who know where he went?”

  Dad had always been the solitary type and not much into socialising. Looking back, I could see that it was a way of life he’d developed from my mother. The two of them couldn’t affor
d to trust people. “I’ll try to call his work and see if they know anything. Thanks for your help”

  “No problem at all. I do hope you have some luck finding your dad,” she said, and I thanked her again before she closed the door. I stood there a moment, staring up at the house. I couldn’t believe complete strangers were now living in my childhood home. Finn placed his hand on the small of my back and led me back to the van. My mind raced as I pulled out my phone and called Dad’s number.

  “We’re sorry, but this number has been disconnected …”

  Okay, what the hell? Now I was really starting to freak out.

  “What is it?” Finn asked in concern.

  “His phone’s been disconnected. I just tried to call it.”

  He ran a hand over his five o’clock shadow, his expression perturbed, and helped me into the van. We sat in quiet for a minute or two, and my eyes grew watery. Dad had always been a solid and supportive presence in my life. He wasn’t the kind of person to just up and leave town at the spur of the moment, not unless something very bad was happening.

  Not unless he was running away from something or someone, my brain added, which didn’t help my anxiety.

  He certainly wouldn’t go anywhere without letting me know first. Not to mention he’d lived here for such a long time. He was a creature of habit; he didn’t like change. No, something was amiss, and I felt ill thinking that I’d somehow brought trouble to his door.

  “It was the vampires, wasn’t it?” I whispered. Antonia or one of her cronies might’ve told someone about my blood before they’d died. There were no magical people on the island that night besides Rita and Gabriel, and I knew they wouldn’t reveal my secret. No, it made sense that some vampire had decided to come after my dad to find out where I was hiding. Dad must’ve gotten the jump on them and left before they could get to him. Unless they had gotten to him in time …

  Finn put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. “She said he sold the house and left town. Perhaps he got away before they could catch up with him,” he said, echoing my hopes.

  “How could I have left him here so vulnerable? I’m such a selfish bitch.” A tear fell down my cheek. Finn wiped it away with his thumb.