Midnight Hour

by C. C. Hunter

  His father scowled.

  Caleb looked around the bar, then back at Chuckie. “Did he know you were talking to Jax?”

  Chuckie’s brows squeezed together. “I told Mark who it was.”

  Caleb scowled. “Find that little shit.”

  Okay, now the “little shit’s” mind raced. Perry needed an alibi. A good one. And fast.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The midnight hour had come and gone when Miranda, now tattoo-free, collected one-armed good-night hugs from her two best friends in the world and ambled into her bedroom where her worries hid out in every dark corner.

  Dropping on the bed, she closed her eyes and her thoughts shifted first to her sister. Where the hell was she?

  Was she okay?

  Where had Anthony taken her?

  Propping up on a pillow, she stared at her phone, as if that would make a magical text appear.

  Then to make herself feel better, she sent another text to Tabitha. Call me.

  Staring at the screen, Miranda remembered the phone conversation with her father. Desperation had dripped from his voice. She couldn’t recall ever hearing her father sound so broken. No doubt, his shattered heart stemmed both from concern for his daughter and from his fight with her mom.

  “I love you, Miranda. Please don’t think like your mom. Just because I love Tabitha, it doesn’t mean I love you any less.”

  “I know. I love Tabitha, too.” Her anger toward her mom for being so selfish bubbled up in her heart.

  Her father’s breath caught.

  Miranda had wanted to hug him. She almost wanted to forgive him. Forgive him for the lies he’d told her mom about not being married, forgive him for keeping Tabitha and her apart for all these years.

  Right then another hurt found a spot in her heart. Would her mom and dad really split up?

  Bending her knees and hugging them, she recalled Kylie hurting when her parents had divorced. Was that what Miranda had to look forward to? Her world, the one she’d always known, would be ripped apart.

  And what about them? Wouldn’t they be miserable without each other? But hadn’t they been miserable together these last few months?

  Damn it, she knew her parents both still loved each other.

  But was love enough?

  The question brought on a swarm of questions. About Shawn. About Perry. About what the hell she planned on doing. Or was that her problem? She didn’t have a plan.

  Mentally, she added “Get Plan” to her list of to-dos.

  She recalled that Shawn’s text asked her to call him. She hadn’t. Because it was late, because … she was white icing and stuck to a chocolate wafer named Perry.

  Setting her phone on the nightstand, she saw Ernie, her magic eight ball.

  Picking him up, she ran her thumb over the little window where words of wisdom appeared—if he decided to be wise.

  Closing her eyes, she asked the question. “What do I need to do?”

  She gave the black ball a shake. One word started floating to the tiny window’s surface.

  Listen.

  Her breath hung in her throat. Nine times out of ten, Ernie’s answers were the same: You’ll have to wait and see or You know the answer to that.

  “Listen to what?” She turned the ball over then anxiously waited for his reply to float to the surface. “And don’t say my heart because that fickle organ has gone on strike!”

  When no word appeared, she gave it another shake. Finally a message appeared.

  Look under your …

  “Under what?” She pulled her knees a little closer. Her legs were covered in tattoos again. She jiggled Ernie again.

  “Under what?”

  Bed.

  “This isn’t funny.” Her words echoed in the darkness followed by a rustle … coming from … under her bed.

  A hiccup of fear slipped out of her mouth as chills danced across her tattooed skin. She considered screaming. Kylie and Della would come running. Before the cry for help escaped, a realization hit. One that was way overdue.

  She needed to learn to take care of herself.

  Inhaling air all the way down to her belly button, she hoped it contained courage. She slipped out of bed, and stretched out on the cold wood floor. She reached for the bed ruffle. Fear left an almost metallic taste on her tongue.

  She lifted the thin cotton material up. At first she saw nothing. And then she saw … everything. Saw it like a movie in her head.

  Perry kissing some other girl.

  Shawn holding a bouquet of flowers.

  Her sister crying.

  Then the ugliest image of all flashed. A girl sprawled out on a scarred wooden floor, her neck ripped open, a puddle of blood widening around her.

  Miranda went to scream, only to have the sound trapped by her gasp when she saw the next vision. This image, not in her head, consisted of what she really had hidden under her bed.

  * * *

  Perry stayed concealed under the bar table in the darkest shadows, watching and listening.

  “Where’s your son?” Caleb questioned his father.

  “He’s probably off tapping that waitress,” Chuckie said. “She was all over him.”

  The words made Perry’s whiskers twitch.

  Good one. Remind me to thank you later, Chuckie!

  He scurried under another table. Staring up, through several pairs of jean-covered legs, he saw Bell move through swinging doors behind the bar.

  He shot through a pair of dirty tennis shoes and a dangerous pair of red spiky high heels, hoping not to be impaled.

  Behind him he heard Chuckie say, “The waitress … she just went into the back room.”

  Perry shot forward. Footsteps sounded behind him. Don’t be Caleb!

  Perry glanced back. Caleb.

  Racing forward, Perry focused on the swinging doors.

  To get there first he’d have to shoot across the floor in plain sight. If seen, his plan would be ruined.

  Perry ducked his head, tucked his whiskers and gave it all he had. Luckily a group of people blocked Caleb’s way. Perry scurried through another maze of shoes, finally entering the back room.

  Bell had her back to him, a phone held to her ear. “I had eight when I dropped him off. How many times can a three-month-old go pee?” Frustration eked out of her. “Yeah I made some, but the rent’s due tomorrow.”

  “Get the hell out of my way!” Caleb’s voice sounded right outside the door.

  Perry morphed. Fast.

  He heard people shuffling, arguing. Crap! He needed it to appear as if he’d been in here a while.

  “Bell?” Perry said.

  She turned.

  Footsteps behind the swinging door drew nearer.

  Knowing his time was out, he kissed her.

  She didn’t fight. Not at all. She leaned into him. The feel of a soft female made it hard to think. The fact that it wasn’t the female he loved made it feel wrong.

  Her tongue slipped into his mouth. He heard a chuckle at the door. Caleb’s chuckle. Bell must have heard him, too, because she waved a hand for him to leave.

  Caleb walked off.

  The kiss ended.

  “Saved by the Bell.” Perry flinched when he realized he’d said it out loud.

  Bell tilted her head to the side, looking a little shy. “And I didn’t think you liked me.”

  “I do. I mean, I don’t. I do, just not…” Okay that made a lot of sense. How in snowy hell was he going to explain?

  Her eyes twinkled with anticipation. “You want to hang out tonight? I have to pick up my son, but he usually sleeps and we can just have a beer and … talk.”

  “Thanks, but … I’m seeing someone.”

  Her brows tightened and her eyes brightened to the color of a ticked-off vampire. “And that kiss?”

  He needed an answer that made sense and didn’t include trying to get his parents arrested or stopping a murder.

  Bell pursed her lips tight. “It was a bet, wasn�
��t it? You bet your asshole friends that you could score a kiss? And I had you pegged for a decent guy. I suck at picking out guys!”

  “No. I didn’t … I am decent.”

  She cocked her head, listening for a lie.

  “Then why…?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  Frustration shone in her eyes. “Fine, but … you owe me twenty bucks.”

  “I do?”

  “Yeah, I don’t kiss for free!” She frowned as if her words tasted bad on her lips.

  He remembered her phone conversation. It hit him then. Here was a mother, unlike his own, who was doing everything she could to take care of her kid.

  Pulling out his wallet, he took out three twenty dollar bills and placed them in her hand.

  She stared at the money. Something like shame took over her expression. “I said a twenty.” She held out the other two bills. Then closing her eyes as if dealing with some internal argument, she added the last one to the others.

  “Sorry. That was wrong. Take it all back.”

  “No, keep it. Please.” He slipped his wallet into his back pocket. “You helped me out.”

  “I’m not a prostitute.”

  “I know. You’re a mother taking care of your kid.”

  She almost smiled. “You really are decent, aren’t you?”

  He turned to leave. Before he made it out the door, he heard it. The roar of a lion. Someone had pissed off a shape-shifter. Perry had a sneaking suspicion who it might be.

  Darting out, Bell on his heels, he came to an abrupt halt. Two lions fought on the dance floor. Blood dripped from their jowls. Vampires in the room looked at the scene, their eyes bright green from hunger. Weres and half-weres, at full lunar strength, stared on with orange gazes.

  Perry cut his eyes left, then right. Caleb and his father were no longer at the table. Perry’s focus shot back to the lions, and instinctively he knew the smaller one, the one losing the battle, was his father.

  Bell shot forward. Perry grabbed her elbow. “It’s dangerous.”

  “It’s my job.” She jerked loose. “I’m waitress and security.”

  “I’ll take care of it!” Before he could stop her, she jumped on his father’s back, latched on to his mane.

  “Stop fighting!” she yelled.

  His dad’s head swiveled as if to latch his teeth on to her. “No!” Perry shot forward, stopping only a foot from the fight.

  His father roared but turned to look at him. Caleb lunged, teeth exposed, and snatched Bell from his father’s back and shook.

  And shook.

  Blood. Bell’s blood, splattered all over Perry.

  Shock. Rage. Hot emotion burned Perry’s skin. The option to morph or not was no longer an option.

  His blood pulsed. His skin crawled.

  “No!” someone screamed.

  Bell’s limp body was slung through the air. Caleb in pure lion form charged at Perry. Half morphed, Perry was helpless. The scent of lion breath filled his air, then Perry felt himself being lifted from the dance floor.

  Caleb stood on his hind legs, swatting his large paws. Perry’s father attacked, his jowls sinking into the shape-shifter’s soft underbelly.

  Struggling to free himself, Perry saw the face of his abductor, the brunette, the one who’d looked familiar. He tried again to fight. She head-butted him.

  He slid into unconsciousness.

  * * *

  Adrenaline, pulsing and pumping through Perry’s veins, brought him out of the darkness. Flashes of memory ripped through his mind. Not knowing if it had been hours or minutes since he’d been swooped up by the vampire, he bolted to his feet. His lungs begged for air. Unsure of his location, he turned left, then right. He recognized the brick wall behind the bar where he’d followed Chuckie. Remembering Bell had Perry racing for the entrance.

  Panicked voices littered the air. He met bar patrons tripping over everyone as they sought escape. The vision of Bell in the lion’s mouth raced through his mind. He knew vampires could live through a lot, but … Oh, hell!

  He pummeled his way through the crowd. Silence—a dead silence—filled the bar that had recently hummed with noise.

  His gaze shot from one corner of the room to the other. He finally saw her. Bell lay—still, too still—in the middle of the dance floor. He ran to her, ready to offer her his blood. Her wide eyes stared up. Stared at nothing.

  “No.” He knelt, still praying he’d find a pulse.

  Chapter Eighteen

  With the scream trapped in her throat, Miranda gaped at the gold armadillo eyes staring back at her.

  Do not fear me. The words echoed in her head.

  And that alone was a reason to be afraid. Who the hell, or what the hell, could talk to her telepathically? Besides a … mystic Wiccan. Was this creature…?

  I’m here to help.

  “Help? I think freeing you is what caused the house to explode.”

  No, freeing me is what saved you. Don’t you remember I told you to leave?

  “You didn’t tell…” Miranda remembered back to the drug house, the armadillo looking at her as if prodding her to leave. Or had he actually told her to leave, telepathically, and she just hadn’t realized it. “What are you?”

  I’m … The creature tilted its head to the side as if hearing something. If you want me to help find your sister, you can’t tell anyone or—

  Just like that Miranda found herself staring at cat-hair dust bunnies. No gold eyes. No ugly pink snout. She blinked once. Twice. “Or what?”

  A knock sounded on her bedroom door.

  “Miranda?” Della called. “You okay?”

  Was she okay?

  Hell no, she wasn’t okay.

  If you want me to help find your sister, you can’t tell anyone or …

  Popping up as fast as a one-armed girl could, Miranda hadn’t gotten to her feet when the door opened.

  “What are you doing?” Della asked.

  Miranda stood. Unsure if she should … “I was … checking under my bed.” It was the truth. She couldn’t get a lie past a vampire.

  “For what?”

  “Monsters.” Another truth.

  Della tilted her head to the side. “And?”

  “And what?” Miranda plopped her butt on the mattress.

  “Is there a monster under your bed?” The vamp lifted her face and sniffed the air as if to detect any monster scent.

  Shit! Miranda hoped the armadillo was scentless. “Just a couple of scary-looking dust bunnies.” Her heart skipped a beat.

  Della, now looking doubtful, moved into the room, studying Miranda as if she were a suspicious speck of something floating in her drink. “You’re acting weird.”

  “You act this way when your life’s gone to shit.”

  “That’s part of what’s weird. You’re always nauseatingly positive. All rainbows and unicorns. What’s up with that?”

  “I fell off my unicorn, and my rainbow crapped in my pot of gold. Good night.”

  The vamp’s gaze shifted to Miranda’s phone on the bedside table. “Who were you talking to?”

  “I’m tired. Please leave.”

  Della stared harder. “You need a hug?”

  “No,” Miranda snapped.

  “Now I know something’s wrong. You never turn down a hug.”

  “I want to sleep!” She held up her pinky. “Go before I turn you into a goon.”

  Della gave her the pissed-off vamp look.

  Miranda countered with the bug-off witchy eye roll.

  “Is it the tattoo doing it? Because you’re covered again.”

  “At least I don’t drink blood.” Miranda tossed out the insult purposely, hoping it’d send the vamp packing.

  Della gave the door a good slam on her way out.

  Lumpy emotion tightened Miranda’s throat. She stared down at her tattooed arm.

  She waited for a good twenty seconds, then quietly, she got back down on her knees and picked up the bed skirt. No arma
dillo. But those damn dust bunnies must have done the Humpty Dance and had babies, because she saw four now.

  When she got up, she recalled the crazy visions. Her heart started pounding.

  Perry kissing someone else. Ouch.

  Shawn with a bouquet of flowers. Probably for her, and that brought on a guilty ouch.

  Tabitha looking scared and upset.

  And last, but so not least—the dead girl.

  Miranda didn’t have a clue who she was. Yet everything in her gut said it was true. Somewhere out there, a girl had died. Perry had kissed someone. Shawn had bought her flowers. Miranda had seen it.

  What the hell did all of it mean?

  * * *

  Rage had every animal inside of Perry begging to come out. It multiplied when he saw what the girl had gripped in her hand. The button of her and her son. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

  “You should go.” The voice came from the bar’s door.

  He shot to his feet. Felt his morph start.

  “Burnett sent me.” The dark-haired vampire stepped back. “He was worried.”

  Perry stopped the shift. The FRU, that’s where he knew her from. The realization didn’t stop the onslaught of emotions. He wanted to tell her that Burnett hadn’t needed to send someone, but …

  He’d messed up.

  A girl, a young mother, was dead. He probably would have been too if this vampire hadn’t saved him.

  His eyes stung. His heart stilled. Guilt swelled inside his chest.

  She must have spotted it. “It wasn’t your fault. You tried to stop her. You almost died trying to stop her.”

  “I should have tried harder.” He looked back at Bell.

  “Do you know that Caleb guy’s last name? Where we can find him?”

  Perry looked up. “I should have dealt with him earlier.”

  She moved in. “His name?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know where he is now. But I’ll find him.”

  “No. Go back to Shadow Falls. I’ll get him.”

  Her lack of confidence in him hurt, but he couldn’t blame her. Not when he blamed himself. “I screwed up once. I won’t screw up again!”

  “You didn’t…” She looked over her shoulder. “You have to go before the local FRU get here. Burnett won’t want you mixed up in this.”