Silence suddenly fell between them and only then did Lanie remember she was still holding the plate and glass out to him. “Here. Take this,” she said unevenly, giving the glass a little wiggle.
“No, thanks,” he denied, looking slightly uncomfortable.
“Aren’t you hungry?” she asked him.
“I’m fine,” he said to her. “You need to go back to bed.”
Again, anger sparked inside Lanie. “Stop telling me to go back to bed!” she snipped at him. “If I could sleep, I would be in bed! Now take this and eat it because I’m not going to be able to sleep at all if I know you’re sitting out here starving!”
Her slightly saucy tone caused the man’s brows to lift upwards in surprise and his eyes to widen. He regarded her for a space before finally laying his crossbow down between them and reaching out to take the plate and glass from her. “Thank you. Now, get back in the house.”
Lanie ignored him, instead turning her gaze back out toward the darkened street and pulling in a breath of the chill night air.
“Are you really this stubborn or do you just have a death wish?” the young man demanded, sounding exasperated.
Lanie declined to answer. It was four in the morning. She was tired, she was grumpy, and she’d nearly been murdered only a few short hours before. She would stay outside until she decided it was time to go back in and she would fight this large, handsome man to the death if that was what it took!
With an irritated grump, the young man turned his attention to the plate of food that been foisted upon him, shaking his head and mumbling to himself.
While the young man started in on the lasagna that he may or may not have actually wanted, Lanie focused on the night surrounding them. Sitting out in the quiet darkness, with only the sparse streetlights illuminating the world, she was swept with a sense of disquiet and…vulnerability she’d never experienced before. She had never given a second thought to sitting on the porch in the dark. She’d done a thousand times. Now, she found herself struggling with the urge to get up and bolt back inside, despite the fact that she had a man armed with a crossbow sitting next to her.
Things were different now. She knew what was out there in the darkness. She knew because she’d seen…
Taking an unsteady breath, Lanie huddled deeper into her robe in an effort to stave off the cold air nipping at her flesh. It was only then she realized that she was barefooted and in her robe and jammies, with her hair all messed up from wallowing around in bed, in front of a ruggedly handsome man who looked like an extra from a movie set. And who had also saved her from…a vampire.
She didn’t know if this was a situation where she should worry about her appearance or not.
Deciding it probably didn’t matter what she looked like, Lanie glanced back to the young man who was downing the glass of sweet tea. She noticed the plate of lasagna was already half gone, leading her to question what she thought he might be. He’d eaten a burger at The Pub. He was drinking sweet tea right now. How could he possibly by like that monster if he was eating food? Maybe he wasn’t. Maybe he was something else.
While he went about eating what was left, Lanie busied herself with looking up and down the street, searching for any sign, any flicker of movement, that might warn her if a shadowy figure was coming out of the darkness at her, but the dimly lighted street was empty and the world was still.
It didn’t take long for the plate to be cleaned and the glass to be drained and without a word, Lanie took both, got to her feet, and slipped back into the light and warmth of the house. She refilled both the plate and glass, adding an extra helping to the plate. A part of her didn’t really expect the young man to be there when she stepped back out onto the porch, but he was. He was still sitting on the top step, leaning back against the porch railing, his handsome features outlined by the glow of the street light.
Lanie took the food and drink back to him and sat there while he ate, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of the monster coming back to finish her off, as well as for any sign of a vehicle turning onto the street. Her father had said he would be in the park waiting to begin processing the crime scene, but he might just decide to come home and check on things. If Sam Bancroft found her outside in the dead of night with the person who was still on his suspect list, he’d shoot the suspect and then string her up using said suspect’s entrails.
Speaking of said suspect, it suddenly struck her that she still didn’t know his name. And she should know the name of the person who had saved her life.
“I don’t even know your name,” she said to him, breaking the silence between them.
The young man looked at her, swallowing his mouthful before he answered. “Kyle Vincent.”
Kyle Vincent.
What a rugged, masculine name. It matched him. “I’m—“
“Lanie Bancroft. I know,” he answered, turning his attention back to his nearly cleaned plate.
A start went through Lanie. “H-how do you know my name?”
“I’ve been following you since yesterday. I’ve heard your father and your friends talking to you,” Kyle Vincent stated matter-of-factly.
An uneasy feeling wafted through Lanie’s belly. “You…you’ve really been following me?” she asked, although it was clear he must have been because he’d shown up on her front porch without the slightest hint of direction from her.
“Yes,” Kyle Vincent said, scraping the last bite of food from his plate. “I thought Frederik might be following you. I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
That uneasy feeling persisted. “How…how did you hear someone talking to me? How close were you…to me?” she asked, really wanting to know because she certainly hadn’t seen him and she would have. She had been looking. Hard.
Kyle drank the last couple of swallows of tea, placed the glass onto the plate and then sat the plate down between them before picking up the crossbow and turning his gaze out into the gloomy front yard. For a second, Lanie found herself stunned by his profile. She’d never seen such a perfect profile, such a finely cut chin and strong jaw. This young man, this Kyle Vincent, was actually quite a breathtaking person.
“I don’t have to be very close to you to hear what I want to hear,” Kyle Vincent finally said, his tone quiet. Lanie felt her heart speed up inside her chest and she opened her mouth to ask him what he meant, but he cut her off. “I can hear how fast your heart is beating right now,” he said, keeping his gaze turned to the front yard, his words causing Lanie to go stiff. “I can hear the car that’s coming down the street and the neighbor’s TV set going.”
Lanie sat, her heart thumping and her pulse pounding, trying to assess just what his words meant. She could only come up with one conclusion, yet that conclusion didn’t make sense because she’d just watched him eat half a lasagna! He could not possibly be like the monster that had tried to kill her.
But, then again, what did she know about it? Nothing. She knew absolutely nothing.
“Your heart’s beating even faster,” Kyle stated, still not looking at her. “You don’t have to be scared. I’m not like him. I’m only…half of him.”
Staring at him, Lanie couldn’t even begin to guess what that statement meant and before she could ask, Kyle Vincent was on his feet and down the steps, shooting her a glance over his shoulder. “Get back inside. Try not to worry. I’ll be watching out for you.” That said, he took off at a dead run, crossbow held out in front of him, long coat flaring out behind him, and then he was just gone, melting into the shadows, his echoing footsteps, sounding far faster than they should have, the only sound interrupting the quiet of the night.
Lanie was on her feet then, grabbing up the dishes sitting on the porch and spinning on her heel. It wasn’t until she was reaching for the door knob that the sound of a car engine caught her attention and she glanced toward the end of the street, watching as headlights illuminated the stop sign at the end of Rosetree Lane and then watching the car cruise on past. With a shard of fear pi
ercing her, Lanie pushed open the door and hurried inside, firmly locking the deadbolt behind her.
CHAPTER NINE
Monday morning dawned with Lanie showered and dressed before the sun was barely up. She’d given up sleep for lost after her encounter with Kyle Vincent. She’d spent the rest of the night in the living room, watching infomercials and going to the front door to look out to see if Kyle Vincent had come back, but he never reappeared.
She found herself worried about him, fighting thoughts of what might happen to him if he was out there in the dark, having a run in with Frederik? What if something had happened to him? What if he was hurt? Or worse? Or what if Frederik came to the house and Kyle wasn’t there? Would a locked door really stop that monster that had flown at her from out of the darkness? She highly doubted it. Surely, that sort of stuff was nothing but movie fluff. She couldn’t picture a doorway stopping someone with those sharp teeth and those blood red eyes.
Finally, tired of worrying and walking from the sofa to the door, Lanie decided to get up and get ready for school because there was nothing else she could do. The last thing she really wanted to do was go sit in Chemistry Class and listen to Mr. Bortz drone on and on about things she honestly did not understand—which was why she was dangerously close to failing Chemistry—but she had no choice. School was mandatory in the Bancroft household, not optional. Unless she had a fever or was bleeding out of some orifice in her head, she had to go. It wasn’t up for debate.
So, dressed in a pair of jeans, her favorite black boots, a black tank top, and the nubby green cardigan she’d bought at the thrift store, she meandered down to the kitchen to have some juice before waking up Johnna and Devyn, who still hadn’t so much as turned over.
On her way by the front door, she just automatically went to look out the curtain because she’d done it so many times in the past couple of hours, gasping as her gaze fell on Kyle Vincent, sitting on the porch steps, leaning back against the railing. A wave of relief hit her and she found herself unlatching the deadbolt and jerking the door open, only to find Kyle standing right there, his large frame blocking the doorway, again, and his handsome face etched with a scowl.
“Thank God! Are you’re okay!” she heard herself gasp.
The young man looked down at her, confusion wafting through his sparkling green eyes. “I’m fine. Why? What…what’s the matter? What’s happened?” he asked, a touch of panic lacing his words.
Lanie let out a breath, feeling her legs go slightly weak. “Nothing happened. I-I was…worried about you. I-I…you were gone a long time and I thought something might have…happened.”
Her statement caused Kyle’s brows to lift high. “You…were worried about me?” he asked, his disbelief evident.
“Yes. I mean, you were gone a long time and…I was afraid that…he…might have…” she let her words trail off.
“I can take care of myself,” he stated, his brows now low over his sparkling eyes. It seemed to stun him that she would be concerned about him.
Yes. Obviously, he could take care of himself. He was the man with the crossbow who’d saved her from…the vampire. But, did that mean he was invincible? She doubted it. Or maybe he was. What did she know about it? Nothing. She knew absolutely nothing at all about it! She really didn’t even know exactly what this person was!
“Did you…find him?” she asked, unable to believe just how staggeringly handsome this person was at five in the morning. He was breathtaking, with his mussed hair and his stubble covered chin, despite the weariness that she could see in his eyes.
Kyle shook his head. “No. Actually, last night was the closest I’ve gotten to him in nearly two years.”
Lanie felt her mouth drop open slightly. “Two years? What…does…have you been looking for him for two years?”
“No. I’ve been trying to kill him for almost four years,” Kyle answered, deadly serious.
Lanie tried to let that statement sink in, but it would take more time than she had at the moment. As would Kyle Vincent answering all the questions rocketing through her head. But, her dad might come home for before he was supposed to and then…a shooting and a hanging would occur. And she didn’t want to be hanged.
“Is he going to keep killing people?” she asked Kyle, because that was the most important question.
“He will,” came the answer. “It’s what he does. He picks a town and makes it his feeding ground. And he doesn’t leave until the bodies start piling up so that he has no choice but to go.”
Sickness gripped Lanie. “I-I should tell my dad about him,” she said. “He can help. The Mayor can call in more police officers if he has to. You obviously can’t—“
“No, Lanie,” Kyle denied the idea. “No one else can get involved. They’ll only get killed.”
“But, you…you can’t stop him. If you’ve been trying for four years—“
“If I haven’t been able to stop him and…I’m half of what he is…then what will your father be able to do?” Kyle asked her. Lanie opened her mouth to answer, but Kyle shook his head. “I’ve seen a few police officers get close to him and they’re all dead, Lanie. Frederik isn’t just someone who can be killed be with a bullet. It’s more complicated than that. Keep your father out of it unless you want to bury him.”
That warning caused her stomach to clench.
“You trust me, don’t you?” Kyle Vincent asked, his tone implying that he already knew the answer.
Lanie paused for a moment, looking up at the ruggedly handsome face of Kyle Vincent and letting herself feel that place in her gut. She didn’t know this man from Pete. She had seen him standing over a dead body in the woods. He was running around town with a crossbow. But, looking up at him, she didn’t have a single warning bell go off. There was just something about Kyle Vincent…
“You do trust me,” Kyle said to her.
Lanie really and truly hoped that she didn’t live to regret what her gut was telling her. “I do,” she answered somewhat hesitantly.
“Then trust me when I tell you that your father can’t help with this. Let him go off chasing after a human killer. He’ll live longer,” Kyle stated.
Lanie nodded her understanding, though it did not sit well with her conscience. She knew other people were probably going to die. She knew…what was killing them. She knew that if she told her dad, he would do his flat out best to hunt down the monster responsible and try to stop him. She knew her dad would do his flat out best to try and make sure that no one else in Fells Pointe had to die. He’d have everyone locked down and hiding behind their doors until everything was over.
But, if her dad went looking for the monster and happened to get close to him…her dad would be killed. She knew how fast and vicous this Frederik was. She knew. She’d seen…
“Your father will be fine so long as he’s looking in some other direction,” Kyle assured her. “You’re the one I’m worried about right now.”
“Why?” she asked, though she feared she already knew the answer.
“Because his kind usually don’t lose out on a meal. Once they find their prey…they’ll keep after it until its dead.”
Lanie’s heart plummeted into her stomach. “He-he…so he will come after me now?”
Kyle’s handsome face was set. “I can’t say for sure, but it’s better to assume that he’ll try again.”
Lanie suddenly found breathing difficult. “I-I…what do I do? I-I mean…I can’t stay in the house. I have school! I have…things going on!”
“He’s not going to come after you if you’re with a lot of people,” Kyle told her. “He doesn’t want to be seen, otherwise he’d have to leave town and find another spot to feed in. So, you have to be careful, Lanie.”
“I’ll be with my friends most of the time,” Lanie answered weakly. “And I usually don’t leave the house at night.” How much more careful could she be?
“He can hunt during the daylight,” Kyle pointed out.
A vampire that could
walk in the sunlight but who couldn’t step through a door without being invited? How did that make sense? “Johnna and Devyn…my friends, they’re staying here with me. Should I tell them to go away, just in case he does come after me?”
“I can’t tell you if they’ll be safe. He’s unpredictable. All I can tell you is that he’s still in town and there’s no proof that he won’t come after you again.”
“But-but…you shot him, didn’t you?” she offered hopefully. “Maybe he’s already gone because—“
“I hit him, but that didn’t do more than piss him off. And he is still in town. I can feel him,” Kyle stated.
Lanie wanted to ask what that meant. She actually wanted to ask Kyle Vincent a thousand questions right then, but the early morning was growing lighter and lighter and she knew she had to wake up Johnna and Devyn soon. Now was neither the time nor the place for a lengthy discussion.
“Lanie, you’re the first person I’ve ever been able to keep him from killing. So, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I’ll be close by to make sure you’re alright,” Kyle stated, his sparkling eyes intense. And then he turned to go, but Lanie shot out a hand, taking hold of his arm to stop him.
“Wait, Kyle,” she breathed, her insides clenched tight. “Where are you staying? How will I find you?”
“I’ll be close by. Don’t worry,” he told her.
Don’t worry? Don’t worry that a bloodthirsty monster might be coming after her? Don’t worry that Kyle Vincent was probably living out of his car and starving in the process? Don’t worry that Kyle Vincent might get himself killed trying to keep the vampire away from her or whoever else he decided to go after? That was not likely.
“I’ll be close by you, Lanie,” Kyle assured her and with that, he was off the front porch and then he was…just gone, leaving Lanie to stare out into the grey morning.
Lanie somehow managed to make it through the first half of her school day, though it was rough going. It was impossible to focus on classes and assignments and teachers droning on and on when her thoughts were going a mile a minute, replaying what had happened in the park the night before, replaying her brief conversations with Kyle Vincent, going over and over whether or not to tell her father what was happening in Fells Pointe, even though she knew it might get him killed.
Hunted Page 13