Night's Master (Children of The Night 3)

Susie didn't look much better than she had the last time I had seen her. There were hollows in her cheeks, dark shadows under her eyes. She was still unusually pale and seemed thinner than I remembered. But it was the expression in her eyes that tore at my soul. She looked forlorn, haunted, but worse than that, she looked like she had lost the will to live.

I sat in the rocking chair beside the bed and conjured a smile. “So,” I asked with forced cheerfulness, “how are you feeling this morning?”

“How do you think I feel? Rick's taken my boys to his mother's house. My mother is afraid of me, and next month, when the moon is full, I'll turn into some kind of furry monster.” She waved her hand in the air, then let it fall back into her lap. “Other than that, everything's just fine.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No, please.” She reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. “I'm sorry. This is just so hard for me. I don't even know who I am anymore.”

“I wish I knew what to say, some magic words that would make it all better, but…but maybe it won't be so bad. I've met a couple of Werewolves, and they don't seem any different from anyone else, at least most of the time. I don't know what they're like when the moon is full, but maybe you could just think of this as another kind of monthly curse,” I said, remembering my conversation with Rafe. “You know, like your period and cramps, and maybe you could, I don't know, just make the best of it.”

Susie stared at me, blinked twice, and then, to my astonishment, she burst out laughing. “I sure hope I don't get both curses at the same time of the month! Can you imagine a Werewolf with PMS?”

I looked at Susie, and then I laughed with her, because I knew she was going to be all right.

It was a little before eleven when I made it to the store that morning. Surprisingly, I was busy all day. And I was glad of it. I didn't want time to think about Susie's future as a Werewolf, or what my future with Rafe might be.

Even though most of the Vampires and Werewolves had left town, at least for the moment, I decided it would still be a good idea to close at dusk from now on so I could be safely home by dark.

With that thought in mind, I turned off the lights, set the alarm, and headed for my car just before sunset. I was punching in the code to unlock the door when a hand closed over my forearm.

I shrieked and jerked away.

“Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.”

“Travis!” I pressed a hand over my pounding heart. “Are you out of your mind? What are you doing, sneaking up on me like that?”

I wanted to smack him when he laughed.

“Sorry,” he said again. “I was hoping we could go out for a drink.”

“Didn't we already cover this?”

“Come on,” he coaxed. “One drink. What can it hurt?”

“Oh, all right. I'll meet you at Sugar Babe's.”

“Great.”

With a shake of my head, I got into my car. I sat there for a minute, waiting for my heart to stop pounding, and then I drove the six blocks to Sugar Babe's Tavern. It was the only place within the city limits where you could legally buy mixed drinks. Even though it was still early, the place was crowded. I paused just inside the door to wait for Travis. A three-piece band occupied the small stage at the far end of the room. Saturday night was open mic night at Sugar Babe's, and anyone who had a mind to could step up on stage and entertain the customers. I winced as the lanky singer making love to the microphone hit three sour notes in a row. Several boos and catcalls filled the air, but the man kept on singing, his gaze focused on a skinny redhead who was looking at him as if he might be the next Elvis.

When Travis arrived, we threaded our way through the crowd looking for an empty table. Luck was with us. A couple vacated a table for two near the back wall as we approached. I sat down, and Travis dropped into the chair across from mine.

“What'll you have?” he asked.

“Just a Coke with a couple of cherries.”

“That's it?”

“I don't drink.”

“All right. Looks like there's only one waitress working. Might be faster if I go over to the bar and get our drinks. Don't let anyone else have my seat,” he said with a wink.

I made a face at him, then blew out a sigh. It felt good to sit down. A couple of women in their early twenties were on stage now. They wore white off-the-shoulder blouses, full skirts, and cowboy boots. I listened as they broke into their rendition of the latest country hit, but my mind wasn't on the music. Instead, I was thinking about Rafe, wondering where he was, what he was doing, and if he would come by my place later.

As if my thoughts had conjured him, he suddenly appeared in Travis's chair.

I pressed a hand to my heart, wondering if I was going to survive the night. One more unexpected surprise just might do me in.

“Rafe, what are you doing here?”

“You're here,” he said in that seductively masculine voice that sent tendrils of longing shooting through me. “Where else should I be?”

“Not here!” I glanced toward the bar where Travis seemed to be in deep conversation with another man. “Not now.”

He reached for my hand and covered it with his own. “Why not now?”

“Because I'm…” I started to say “on a date,” but I didn't like the sound of that. Besides, this wasn't a date, it was just a drink with a casual acquaintance. “Because there's a hunter here.”

His eyes narrowed as he turned to survey the crowd.

Did Rafe have an ability similar to Travis Jackson's? Could hunter and prey recognize each other the way lions recognized zebras and coyotes recognized rabbits?

“Come on,” I said, “let's go.”

Rafe's gaze met mine. “You haven't had your drink yet.”

I cringed at the accusation I read in the depths of his eyes. He knew why I was here, and whom I was with. I wondered if he had done that little turn-to-mist trick of his and followed me.

“Rafe, it doesn't mean anything. He invited me for a drink, that's all, and I…I didn't see any harm in it.”

He didn't say anything, just continued to look at me.

“I'm sorry,” I said, though I wasn't sure what I was sorry for.

“You've got nothing to apologize for,” he replied. “Enjoy your evening.”

Before I could say anything else, he was gone.

Moments later, Travis returned to the table. “Where'd he go?”

“Where did who go?”

“The Vampire that was here.” Travis put our drinks on the table, his narrow-eyed gaze scanning the crowd.