Midnight Hour

by C. C. Hunter

  “I can’t do this anymore.” He walked away. The door whooshed shut.

  Miranda felt the foundation of her life crack, right along with her heart. Had she just witnessed the end of her mom and dad’s relationship?

  Her mom gazed back at Miranda. “I can’t believe he just left!”

  And I can’t believe he stayed as long as he did!

  A knock sounded. Perry stuck his head in the door. His hug from earlier replayed in her mind. That safe feeling of being in his arms. She needed to feel it again.

  “What is it?” her mom snapped.

  He flinched. “I wanted to say good-bye to Miranda.”

  “It’s not a good time, Peter,” her mom said.

  It happened then. Miranda’s patience snapped like a broken pencil.

  “Perry,” Miranda corrected her mom. “His name is Perry.”

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s not a good time.”

  It did matter! I can’t do this anymore. Her dad’s words rang in her head. “Yes it is a good time. Give us some privacy.”

  “Young lady. You’re with Shawn.”

  “Go.” Miranda swallowed really hard to keep the tears back.

  With a light exhale of angry air, her mom stalked out. Perry gave her a wide berth at the door before he walked in and shut the door behind him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Sorry,” Perry said as if he’d caused the trouble.

  “Don’t be,” Miranda pushed the two words out, her vision growing watery. She lowered her legs to the side of the bed, her breath shook and her insides trembled.

  He wrapped his arms around her.

  She dropped her face on his shoulder and did what she’d been wanting to do since Burnett told her Tabitha had disappeared. She cried. Big Texas-sized tears.

  She cried for her sister and the trouble she was in.

  She cried over her parents’ relationship.

  She cried because nothing made sense and nothing felt right.

  Nothing but the guy with his arms around her. That felt … it felt like home felt when you’d been away for a long time. It felt safe.

  After several long minutes, her face still against his warm chest, she opened her eyes. She spotted the stains on his shirt that looked like blood and the safe feeling leaked out of her like helium out of a balloon.

  She pulled back. “What happened?” She flinched when she saw his black eye. “How did you get hurt?”

  He blinked, and his eyes widened, or at least one of them did. “I uh … Are you…? Your tattoo is … uh, all over you.”

  “Crap.” She held out her arms. “Go away.” She watched as the vine-like pattern seemed to chase itself as it escaped under her cast.

  “That’s weird,” he said, but he wasn’t stepping away as if scared.

  “I know.” She stared down at her arms. “And I don’t have a freaking clue what it means.”

  She pressed a palm to her cheek. “Was it on my face?”

  He nodded.

  “Is it off my face now?” Panic tinted her voice.

  “Completely.” He ran the tips of his fingers down her cheek. It was an easy soft touch that seemed intentionally given to calm her. “It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

  “No. It’s like a ladybug walking across your arm. It’s just … It’s freaking me out.”

  “But it left when you told it to,” he offered, as if to put a positive spin on it.

  “Yeah, but it doesn’t wait to be invited. It just shows up.”

  “Is that why your mom’s so upset?”

  His question led her to more questions. “That’s odd,” she muttered.

  “What?” He ran a palm down her forearm.

  “It didn’t show up in front of my parents.”

  “Do you think that means something?”

  She bit down on her lip. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “Didn’t Kylie say Holiday was trying to figure it out?”

  “Yeah, but the last time I talked to Holiday, she didn’t know anything.” She drew in a breath. “She said she was coming up.”

  “I saw her getting out of the elevator when I walked in here. She’s talking to Burnett.”

  Miranda’s heart reminded her she had bigger problems. “Any news on Tabitha?”

  “Not much.” He said the words gently, as if it might hurt less. “Chase got her and Anthony’s trace on the sixth floor.”

  “What’s on the sixth floor?”

  “Where…” He hesitated as if choosing his words. Choosing them for her, because … because he cared. Her chest filled with a sweet ache.

  “Where they do MRIs and where I found Agent Farrell.”

  The whooshing sound in her ears was her heart. She felt the fluttering of her pulse at the base of her neck. “Do they think Tabitha and Anthony had something to do with that?”

  Perry sat down on the bed beside her. “They don’t know. There was a shape-shifter, and Agent Farrell’s wounds looked like he was hurt by a bear.”

  “So they didn’t do it?” Relief came and went. “Is he going to live?”

  “Yeah.”

  Her mind reeled. Her pulse raced. Her heart wanted to revolt. It couldn’t take any more. “You don’t think Tabitha or Anthony were hurt, do you?”

  “It didn’t appear that way.”

  She blinked and gazed at his bruised face. “How did you get hurt?”

  “The shape-shifter.”

  “You fought a bear?” she asked.

  “No, I think he’d just changed back when I got there.”

  “So you caught him?”

  “No, he got away.”

  She heard the ding in his pride, but her mind jumped back and forth. “I don’t understand. What does any of this have to do with the explosion at the drug house? Is it connected?”

  “Don’t know,” Perry said. “It’s driving Burnett crazy.”

  Her gaze caught on the blood on Perry’s shirt again and she remembered Shawn’s shirt and eye. “Did Shawn fight with the shape-shifter, too?”

  Until the words were out of her mouth, she didn’t think it might be awkward asking her ex-boyfriend—who was beginning to feel less like an ex—what happened to her new boyfriend—who was feeling less like a new boyfriend. Oh, hell she was so mixed up.

  “No.” He almost smiled. “He got beat up by a girl.”

  “What?”

  “A jewelry store was robbed. He went to question the girl who worked there and supposedly she didn’t know he was FRU and she kicked him.” He shrugged and the humor vanished. “Then someone shot her.”

  “What?” Miranda’s mind couldn’t keep up.

  “She’s going to be fine.”

  “Is Shawn okay?”

  A frown tightened the corners of Perry’s eyes. “You saw him. He’s fine.”

  Her thoughts continued to spin. “But the jewelry store robbery has nothing to do with the explosion?”

  “It might,” Perry said. “One of the robbers sounded French.”

  Trying to input more information into her what-the-hell-is-happening file, she remembered Burnett asking about who had picked the lunch spot. “They think Anthony robbed the jewelry store?” Her sister was with a drug-selling, jewelry-thieving vampire?

  “Not him. Maybe his cousin.” Perry took her hand. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “It doesn’t feel like it.” She sighed. “My sister’s missing, people are getting shot and mauled by bears, my mom’s a bitch, my parents are going to get divorced before they ever really get married.” And my ex-boyfriend feels more like my boyfriend.

  “What?” Perry asked.

  “They are fighting all the time. He said he couldn’t do it anymore and left.”

  “He probably didn’t mean it.” Perry leaned closer, his forearm came against hers and sent a jolt of warm emotion.

  “I hope not.” She dropped her head on his shoulder. It felt good. Sitting there, close, leaning on him. She missed leaning on him. Had she ever leaned
on Shawn?

  She lifted her head. “Are you still leaving?” Until she asked it, she hadn’t realized how badly she wanted him to stay.

  “Yeah, but now I don’t think I’ll be gone that long.”

  “What’s changed?”

  “What?” he asked.

  “Earlier you said you would come back every week or two.”

  “Yeah…” He paused. “Now, I don’t think it’s going to take that long.”

  A vagueness clung to his words as if … as if hiding something.

  She recalled asking him earlier if his issue with his parents was dangerous. His answer, “Nothing I can’t handle,” didn’t sound convincing.

  “Does Burnett know about this?” she asked.

  “Most of it.”

  “Most?”

  “It’s nothing.”

  She peered up at him through her lashes. “You suck at lying.”

  A smile brushed across his lips. “I don’t want you to worry, but knowing you do makes me happy.”

  He dipped his head. His mouth was a breath away from hers. She could practically taste his lips. Feel them.

  It would have been so easy to let it happen. But it wasn’t right. Not until she talked to Shawn. Oh, hell, not before she decided what she planned to talk to Shawn about.

  She’d only agreed to meet with Perry. Not pick up where they’d left off. And that was a big fat lie she’d told herself, too. With all the shit falling on her right now, was it wrong not to want to think about it? But she couldn’t start something here, without ending it there. Here being Perry, there being Shawn.

  She pulled back, making Perry’s lips less tempting.

  Disappointment flashed in his eyes. The same feeling resonated in her chest.

  “I should go,” he said.

  This time he leaned in, all the way, but not to her lips. He pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

  It wasn’t altogether wrong, but how it made her feel might have been. Because now she really wanted to feel his lips on hers. She wanted to curl into him and ask him to hold her again. She didn’t want him to leave.

  He pulled back, his smile still in place. “I’ll call you.”

  Voices rang out on the other side of the door. And not just any voice. Her mom’s.

  “Why should I trust you to protect her? You already lost her sister.”

  “Shit,” Miranda muttered. The door slammed open. Perry stood up, her soft grip on his hand slowly falling loose. For some crazy reason, that loss of connection hurt. The feeling almost as devastating as when she’d lost her grip on Tabitha’s hand after the explosion. He looked down at her and whispered the word “Bye.”

  Her mom stormed in, followed by a bright-eyed, tense Burnett.

  Perry moved past her mom, nodded at Burnett, and stepped out. He glanced back one more time, and in some ways, seeing him leave hurt more than when her dad had left.

  “She’s safest at Shadow Falls!” A vein jumped on Burnett’s temple.

  “I’m not convinced of that,” her mom shot back.

  “Her father just told me he felt it was best.”

  “Well, her father didn’t tell me that.” Her mom came and stood by Miranda.

  “Then call him.” Burnett charged through the door. The rest of his words left in his wake. “As soon as I get her paperwork, we’re leaving.”

  Her mom let out an angry squeal. “That man needs to learn some manners.”

  As do you. The words rested on her tongue begging to be set free.

  “And I don’t know what you were doing cuddling up with Peter—”

  She heard it then. Literally heard it. A pop. Her patience cracking, completely broken. “Perry!” Miranda said, her voice louder than she intended. “And I wasn’t—”

  “I saw you. He was holding your hand and you are practically engaged to Shawn.”

  A warning signal flashed in her head. “We’re not engaged.”

  “You should be. He’s your own kind.”

  She saw it then, numbers flashed in her mind like a countdown to a bomb. Ten, nine …

  Her mom glared back at the door. “That vampire thinks—”

  “That vampire has a name,” Miranda said, proud her voice sounded even. But it almost sounded too calm. “It’s Burnett. And he’s right. With the security alarm, Shadow Falls is the safest place.” Eight, seven …

  “No. When your dad knows you’re at home, he’ll—”

  Six, five … “Didn’t you hear him? He can’t do this anymore.”

  “He will if you call him and ask him to come home.”

  Four … “Instead of using me, why don’t you just apologize?”

  Her mom brought out her finger. Not her pinky, but the index one, the one she used to discipline.

  “You may have gone to school there young lady, but I am still your mother! And what I say goes!”

  Three … “No,” Miranda said. Just no.

  “Respect me, young lady,” her mother snapped.

  One. Kaboom! “If you want my respect, earn it!” Miranda seethed.

  Her mom’s gasp added another layer of tension to the air.

  “You’re not behaving rationally,” Miranda continued. “We’re all worried about Tabitha and all you can do is be bitter and angry. You got freaked because Dad consoled Mary Esther. I was here, and it wasn’t like he said he loved her. She was hurting and Tabitha’s their child. And Tabitha’s my sister. If I wasn’t so damn worried about you ripping her head off, I’d’ve hugged Mary Esther.”

  “I can’t believe you’re siding with your dad and that—”

  “Don’t say it!” Miranda’s ability to censor her words grew weaker. “I’m not siding with dad. He deserves to be punished for cheating on Mary Esther.”

  “They were separated,” her mother defended him, or was she defending herself? “And that woman is a bitch.”

  Kaboom! Another explosion happened. Without a countdown this time.

  “Maybe she’s a bitch because you took her husband. What’s your excuse?”

  Miranda slid off the bed. A voice deep inside her said she should shut up, but there was no stopping her now. “You’re right. He deserves to be punished for not telling you. But maybe he’s been punished enough. And maybe it’s someone else’s turn.”

  Her mom just stared. Her expression was a mix of hurt, shock, anger. But Miranda wasn’t finished yet.

  “Don’t pretend you didn’t know! You told me that you had your suspicions about Daddy when you met him. Maybe you should have asked a few more questions before you got naked and pregnant!” Kaboom. Kaboom. “And … with morals like that, you don’t have a right to say anything about me and Perry! And I said Perry! P. E. R. R. Y!”

  One look at her mom cowering against the white wall almost brought Miranda down to her knees. Mother cracker, she’d gone too far! “I…” Was she sorry? Could she lie?

  “You just…”

  “I think you’ve said enough!” Her mom’s voice shook. “Go with Burnett. I’ll … call later.” A heartfelt sob escaped her mother’s lips. She pressed a hand to her mouth. Tears shimmered in her hazel eyes. Her mom never cried.

  Grabbing her Gucci purse, she started out, leaving Miranda in a cloud of regret.

  “Wait,” Miranda pleaded, but her mom didn’t wait. I’m sorry. The two words rested on Miranda’s lips, but she still couldn’t push them out. Hadn’t she meant every word? But it had hurt her mom. And hurting people just wasn’t Miranda’s thing.

  She almost went after her, but she knew her mom well enough to know that she didn’t forgive easily.

  Standing alone, heart aching, Miranda pushed the words out. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” She could’ve, should’ve said that.

  She went back to her bed and gave in to another round of tears.

  Chapter Fifteen

  It was almost eleven when Burnett pulled into the Shadow Falls parking lot. Miranda, a lump of hurt with a cast, sat in the passenger seat. They hadn’t talked on the
ride, but with Burnett, chitchat was optional.

  To busy herself, she went through her unanswered texts. She’d checked her phone every ding, hoping it would be Tabitha. It hadn’t been. She had seven in total. Several from Della, apologizing for not being there because she’d been given an FRU assignment. Three from Kylie, checking in and saying she’d come up to see her, but when she’d heard Miranda’s parents shouting, she decided not to interfere.

  She had one from Shawn. Call me when you get a chance.

  She’d have to do that tomorrow. But what the hell was she going to say to him?

  About to put her phone away, she saw a text she hadn’t heard come in. Not from Tabitha.

  Perry.

  Miss you already.

  Her heart spasmed and sent jolts of wish-you-were-here-now emotion. She flipped back to Shawn’s message. Read it. Reread it. No jolts.

  Not wanting to go there, she looked down at her school books that Holiday had brought up. The fae had stayed at the hospital for almost an hour, offering calming touches.

  Unfortunately, she hadn’t come bearing good news. She still hadn’t gotten anywhere on finding out what the tattoo could mean. Then again, it hadn’t shown back up. Maybe it was gone for good. It would be one less thing to worry about.

  Burnett turned the car’s engine off. Miranda got out, snatching her backpack from the floorboard. The moon, a day away from being full, added a silver hue that reflected off the concrete parking lot. A light breeze, smelling like rain, stirred the air, offering slight relief from the Texas temperature. But not much.

  Then maybe it was the hurt in her heart and not the heat that had Miranda feeling uncomfortable in her own skin. She’d tried to call her mom, even texted, but her mom had yet to reply. Needing some parental connection, she’d called her dad. He’d answered on the first ring—concern and love in his voice.

  She’d asked him where he was, and he’d tried to waffle out of telling her, but finally confessed, “In a hotel. I can’t handle your mom and worrying about Tabitha.”

  She hadn’t told him about the blowup. It didn’t feel right adding something for him to stress about.

  Burnett hit the clicker and the car beeped as it locked. He came and snagged her backpack from her shoulder.