by Holly Hook
“Hey, we're closer to making sure we stay alive through the Convening,” I say.
“For all I know, Dominic could have already sent them a message,” he says.
“But the coven has bad standing, so he'd have to find someone else to do it,” I say, hating the look of hopelessness on Riley's face. This isn’t him. He’s hiding how much he’s suffering and trying to be the powerful leader he shouldn’t have to be.
He lifts his gaze from the floor. “Maybe. It's possible that we have a chance. And by the way, where's my Olivia?”
I let the disguise drop and Riley blinks. “That's better. I feel a bit woozy when I look at you and you're doing that.”
“The same thing happened when Dad altered my perception,” I say. “Our next step should to find where the Beaumonts are hiding.”
“Exactly.” Lily steps between us. “The Beaumonts, I'm sure, have been expecting hunters to keep an eye out for them in neighboring towns. Addie saw me. She did not see Riley or Olivia, just a homeless girl who was easy prey.”
I'm glad that altering the Truebloods’ perceptions worked, that I've got a knack for this after all. “So, what do we do next, other than track the Beaumonts?”
Riley's back to life and the hope shines in his eyes. “We just have fun around town and keep an eye out. I must hunt before then, but there are plenty of woods around here and we can drive some distance away to do that. I don't think the Beaumonts will try anything again tonight with a hunter around, but they'll start getting desperate by tomorrow night. If they don't drink for a day, they'll get weak.”
“And that's good,” I say. At least his confidence is back.
“I'll stay online for now,” Lily says. “I'm glad this hotel serves coffee down in the lobby. It's going to be a long night. And just in case, we should sleep in shifts.”
* * * * *
Of course, Riley and I don't leave Lily alone when we drive well out of town to hunt, stopping on a distant dirt road. The area smells like plenty of game, and I know that even regular hunters don't come out here often. We take down a deer quickly and enjoy it while Lily waits near the car, within our hearing, but not without the crossbow.
And after we get back two hours later, it's well after midnight. We settle back into the hotel room and sleep in shifts. I watch the outside through the curtain, waiting, listening. But the town of Shacklesburg is dead. The Beaumonts are lying low after the attack, and I hear and see no evidence of them on the beach below.
What if they decide to move on and start terrorizing another town?
We've got to find them, and fast.
“I want to call my family about this, but if they descend on this place, the Beaumonts will flee for sure,” Lily says once we head down to the continental breakfast the next morning. “I should call them, since they're still after the Beaumonts. They broke the truce.” Today, she wears another puffy sweater capable of hiding some serious firepower.
The continental breakfast turns out to be a bowl of fruit, bagels, a few containers of milk, and a pitcher of orange juice. Breakfast of champions. Lily and I dig in and settle at a table in the small dining room, and Riley joins us a moment later, barely blinking at the light coming through the windows.
Lily opens her laptop. “During my shift last night, I found something else interesting. The credit card use from the new accounts has stopped, when it was frequent before.”
“That means the Beaumonts are lying low,” Riley says with a grin.
“But there's one account frequenting the cafe across this town,” Lily says. “And that new one hasn't stopped. This person visited a clothing store early this morning, and picked up some fast food from the burger joint, too. It could just be a new resident who has nothing to do with all of this, but it's from someone named Martin Kavalar. And this Martin Kavalar has appeared nowhere else until about a week ago.”
“So, new identity?” I ask, leaning across the table and almost spilling my orange juice. My heart thumps. It could be anything.
No. Dad wouldn't have run to the same town as the Beaumonts. That makes no sense.
But checking it might be worth a shot. For all we know, this new identity is Dominic himself.
“When does this person go to the cafe?” Riley asks, rolling an apple across the table.
“Usually late morning,” Lily says. “Between ten and eleven. It's eight-thirty right now. We have time to settle down at the place. Whether this guy shows up will depend on whether he's a Beaumont. And if he is, then we can follow him back to their secret base.”
We've already ruled out that abandoned store as the base when we disposed of the bodies. That turned out to be just a hiding spot to wait for prey. All we found inside that last night was some empty shelves and counters, and a few posters showing it used to be a tax place.
We head to the cafe as soon as we finish breakfast, just in case this mystery Martin Kavalar shows up early. Once again, I send out the image of me being that homeless girl, though slightly better dressed today. I'm just a would-be victim who Lily saved and pulled off the street last night. Now she's trying to be my friend. Riley dresses in a hoodie he went out and bought early this morning. He has his hood down over his face, giving him almost a criminal look, but I can't tell his identity at a glance.
The three of us order flavored coffees and sit among older people who don't look out of place at all. Some read newspapers. Others try to flirt with the young servers who carry themselves like they're used to it. No one gives us a second glance, and I smell nothing suspicious among the patrons. The cafe itself carries no bad vibes, either. It's got the same nautical theme as the other places in this town, down to the fake anchors and the strings of white lights.
We wait until eleven and then twelve, just in case, and as the place clears out, it’s clear that whoever Martin Kavalar is, he's not showing up today.
Lily frowns at her laptop. “Well, that's not usual. I think this guy is Dominic. Why else would he not show up here after a hunter attack?”
“Does he know you guys have a badass database and hacking tools?” I ask.
Lily shakes her head. “Neither party has ever spilled all their secrets to the other. The Beaumonts don't know about this.”
“Except for me,” Riley says, raising his eyebrow. “Well, I guess I'm not really a Beaumont anymore, am I? I'm something new. Do you want to know my original last name?”
Riley has never told me that. “What is it?”
“Johnson. I know. Common. Riley Johnson. Perhaps the Johnson coven is here to stay in Moon's Peak?”
Riley Johnson. His first name. His human name. I roll the syllables around in my head. “I like it,” I say, staring into his copper and brown eyes.
Something has happened since he took his father's blood. He's overcome his weakness. No longer does he feel tied to the coven who turned him. Riley is his own person with his own identity now.
“Well, since this Martin guy is a no-show, what do we do now?” Riley asks, lifting a lazy eyebrow. He flicks his gaze to the beach and my heart rises. “I doubt the Beaumonts will be out since they didn't get their drink last night.”
Maybe that's the reason our mystery guy hasn't showed up here. But whatever. Riley turns his lips up into a smile and sends a good shudder up my spine. He licks his lips as Lily continues to immerse herself in the computer.
It's safe.
That's what he's trying to communicate.
“Do you want to go for a walk?” I ask.
He rises. “Lily, do you think you'll be fine in here for a while?”
She smells of coffee and I can hear her quickened heartbeat when I tune in. “I'll just order another cappuccino. This is a busy place and I'll be another couple of hours.” Lily looks between me and Riley and shoots me a grin. “Nobody's going to try anything in here.”
She's right. I link my hand with Riley's. Is he seriously ready?
We exit the cafe quickly and make our way down a busy sidewalk. The air today
has warmed, coming off the ocean, and it's almost good enough to remove our jackets. The clouds are thick, but free of rain, and Riley and I are both sated and in a good mood.
We make our way down to the beach in silence, as if we want to save all of our energy. The ocean is calm today, with no bodies visible, and I smile at the kids throwing fries at the seagulls.
“There must be a quiet place on this beach,” Riley hisses in my ear. His voice is a low rumble that sends another good shudder up my spine.
I lean against him. “Why don't we walk up that way?” I nod toward the large rocks and boulders.
Riley grins. “Good idea.”
We leave the people behind, walking down the public beach. Houses look down on us, but soon, only trees grow up along the shore, leaving us a narrow strip of sand and gravel to walk along. But the water is calm, and the sand is dry. It's just us and the wild out here, and my senses confirm it. We're alone.
“Riley, it's good to get away,” I say, eyeing a flock of birds overhead. The breeze is soothing on my skin, and I take off my jacket and tie it around my waist.
“I agree. Olivia, we don't know what's going to happen anymore. It could be anything,” Riley says, letting me rest my head on his upper arm as we walk. “We need to enjoy our lives. Right after the Beaumonts turned me, I thought I had forever, you know? And that made life dull. It was just rules, rules, rules. But now that we have a time limit, I want to experience it all, you know?” He stops and kisses me on the temple.
Yes. He's ready. His eagerness hangs between his words, and in the way he puts his free hand around my waist. Riley forgives me for everything. We're both standing on our own.
And he's right.
We might not even be alive in less than a month.
My heart thumps with anticipation. I eye the coast for a spot, any spot, where we can be safe and comfortable. “We need this,” I say. “I need this. Look. Over there.” Too excited to hold back, I pull away from Riley only to take his hand.
I pull him into the shade of a large pine, and up here, we're blocked from the wind. The tree forms a green dome over us, blocking us from the view of anyone who might wander down the beach, not that anyone is close.
We're safe right now, and that's all that matters.
Riley tickles my sides.
We collapse on the bed of pine needles, laughing, and I lay on my side, facing Riley. We're matched.
I smile.
And he matches me.
My horrific power fades into the background. There is no need for that now. It's just me and Riley.
I don't need to manipulate him to stay with me. I won't end up alone. And if I did, he wouldn't be worth it and I wouldn't be worth it, either.
I roll onto Riley, kissing him and trailing down his neck, and he helps me peel away my tied jacket and then my shirt, working with graceful hands that pause in all the right places. I rip away his hoodie and toss it to the side, and I slide my palms under his tight gray tee and lift it away, exposing the peaks and valleys of his torso. I run my hand down the front of his chest, down his perfect, smooth skin that shines in the pale light.
Then, with a grin, he seizes me and rolls me over.
We kiss, helping each other with the rest of our clothes, removing every barrier between us. My heart races faster and faster as we run our hands over each other, exploring, taking in every landmark and the electricity it brings.
Riley hangs above me, a glimmer of sweat on his temples. “Tell me you need this. Right now.”
I gasp, almost painful from anticipation. “I need this.”
And with a single graceful motion, Riley joins us, sweeping me away in sheer joy and satisfaction.
* * * * *
We lie together on the bed of pine needles, molded for what feels like hours, with Riley's hand resting on my tummy. He traces shapes on my back for some time as we relax in the afterglow.
“We should have done that sooner,” Riley says.
“Yes. Sooner. But you were right. I wasn't ready back then, either,” I say, thinking of the horrific urges that could have torn us apart.
We're going to get through this. Together as equals.
“Well, we are now. I'm glad we had this first moment away from everyone else,” he says, resting his chin on my bare shoulder.
“We can't stay away too long,” I say. Riley provides zero body heat, and though lying with my back molded to him keeps my warmth against me, the day isn't exactly tropical. “As much as I'd love to.” I turn my head and we manage an awkward kiss.
We rest for a bit longer, watching the gentle waves of the now-distant beach. We've gone some distance into the woods, and only the single wake of a whale forms on the water, way in the distance.
And then other movement catches my attention.
There's a dark figure walking along the beach, hugging the water, and due to walk past our position.
“Someone's coming,” I hiss.
Riley pushes himself off the pine needles behind me. “Shit. You're right.”
The figure is dark and several hundred feet away, walking around a wooded curve. Provided they don't notice us up here tucked away in our natural shelter, they'll walk only a hundred feet away from us. Shit, shit, shit. I reach for my clothes and frantically pull them on while Riley does the same beside me.
Once dressed, I push myself into a standing position, almost hitting my head on a low hanging pine branch. Riley does the same, throwing his hoodie back on.
We stand there and wait for the figure to walk past.
We have to suspect everything that moves.
And then, as my eyes adjust to the light outside, I see something that makes my heart stop.
A familiar green coat, military green, and a unique one that I've only seen on one person. I recognize the button-up pockets even from this distance.
“It's Dad,” I breathe. “He's going somewhere. Text Lily. Sexy time is over.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Dad is not heading towards us. He's oblivious. His gait is quick, like he's rushing somewhere even farther down the beach than we've gone. Dad looks straight ahead, like he's definitely got a mission.
I hold my breath, wanting nothing more than to run out to him, but something feels odd. What if he's still being controlled by this Originator and being used to track down the Beaumonts? Of course, the Originator will want to eliminate them first.
So I wait.
If we have to, we can follow Dad.
“I've texted Lily. She'll follow us down this way,” Riley says. “Just in case the Beaumonts show up and try to ambush him, or us. It could be a trap.”
I blink, making sure there's none of that woozy feeling that comes when a Nightside is messing with your perception. All feels clear, and Dad walks as if he's sure he's alone. At last, he passes our shelter. Dad must not be using his enhanced senses right now, or he might have seen us, and I know he can't smell us.
I look down at my clothes, adjust them, and focus on sending out the idea that I'm the homeless girl. What's my name again? I'll worry about it later, on the fly, like I did with Addie.
Dad continues on, keeping his fast pace. He thinks he's alone, or he wouldn't be walking at a supernatural speed, defying human limits.
You're alone, I think, determined to see where he's going before I announce my presence to him. The pressure, now controlled, forms in my chest and spreads around my eyes as I watch Dad and focus on his back. Alone. No one's behind you. The beach is empty. I've altered perceptions before, sending Truebloods after fake, vague intruders in the woods, but can I also convince Dad, a Nightside, that no one's following him across the open beach and gravel?
We've got to try.
Besides, Dad won't hurt me. But he might fight Riley, and that's the major reason I can't just run out there and yell at him for The Leaving, Part Two.
I nod to Riley.
He nods back.
Riley and I emerge from the trees and follow. Lily doesn't text ba
ck, so Riley's phone stays silent in his pocket. He must have turned it off.
He nods back.
Riley and I emerge from the trees and follow. Lily doesn't text back, so Riley's phone stays silent in his pocket.
Dad continues on his way, upping his pace to a jog.
I take a breath, maintaining my homeless look just in case, and we follow. You're alone. I project the image of an empty beach at him, praying he doesn't notice us if he—
Dad looks over his shoulder.
I freeze, and so does Riley, and just as Riley lifts his hand to wave, Dad stares at the long, endless beach ahead and starts his jog again.
“He didn't see us,” I hiss. “I'm controlling it, Riley. Now that I'm away from Moon's Peak, I can control myself.” Or maybe just realizing where my anger is coming from has helped.
“Amazing.” Riley takes my hand and leads me over two large boulders and the pool of water resting between them.
We continue along the beach like this for some time, and it takes a lot of my focus to do two mental tricks at once, but at last, Dad veers off into the trees. But this time, he's not trying to lead me anywhere, unless he's doing a good job of making it look like he’s unaware.
Riley and I follow, and I let him do the sensing. Two are better than one. He waves me over to a trail that leads uphill and into the woods, and then I spot the pointed shape of a hidden cabin well up the hill.
Then I almost lose it, with my power rising and filling my head. My ears ring and I eye the cabin, a nice place with a balcony and those super tall windows. Dad has a hideout here, and it's fancy. He could have come back and told me. He must know Riley and I are having a hard time, even if he knows zip about the Convening.
Dad hurries uphill, but I now that we're alone in the woods, I hyper-focus on him so hard that he stops.