As Twilight Falls

“Uh, about that,” Jeremy said. “Chelsea wants to go home, and I’m going with her.”

Claude shrugged. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Frankie,” he said, and she smiled.

“I’ll have tickets for you tomorrow night,” Saintcrow said.

“I’d also like to go home,” Nancy decided.

Saintcrow nodded, then looked at Shirley. “What about you?”

“If Rosemary and the others don’t mind, I think I’ll stay here.”

“The more, the merrier,” Rosemary declared, and Donna and Brittany nodded in agreement.

“Pauline?”

“My house is only a few miles from here. I’m going home.”

“All right, then,” Saintcrow said. “Those bound for Hawaii will leave tomorrow night. Chelsea, you and Jeremy be ready to leave Wednesday night. Nancy, I’ll take you home on Thursday.” He glanced around the room. “Feel free to take anything you want with you. Claude, Frankie, I’ll come for you tomorrow at sunset. Pauline, you can leave tomorrow night, as well. Kadie, let’s go.”

She followed him outside, feeling more alone than she ever had in her life.

When they returned to Saintcrow’s lair, she went straight to her room and closed the door.

She should have known he would follow her.

“How long do you intend to give me the silent treatment?” He stood in the doorway, one shoulder braced against the jamb, his hands shoved into his pants pockets.

She shrugged.

“Do you think me a monster now?”

“I don’t know what to think. My parents want to meet you.” She pressed a hand to her mouth, wondering what had prompted her to say such a thing.

He stared at her, his eyes narrowed. “You told them about me?”

“Of course not! But I had to give them some reason for not coming home, and when my mother suspected there was a man involved . . . I told her we were going to England.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I’m going to bed.”

“So early?”

She nodded.

“If you want me, you know where to find me,” he said, and left the room.

Kadie stared after him, confused by her anger. He was only doing what he had to do to protect himself. And even though he hadn’t said so, she thought that erasing his memory from the minds of the others was probably for their protection, as well. Who knew what would happen if they told someone they had been living in a town with vampires? Those who didn’t believe in such creatures would likely think them delusional, and those who did believe might try to force them to tell what they knew.

She sat on the edge of the bed, one hand absently moving back and forth over the bedspread before picking up the pillow Saintcrow slept on and burying her face in its softness. His scent filled her nostrils and stirred a familiar longing deep within her.

If you want me, you know where to find me.

Kadie stared at the door.

Her mind told her to stay where she was.

Her heart urged her to run to him.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she hurried out the door.

Saintcrow looked up when Kadie entered the living room. To his credit, he didn’t look smug.

“I was hoping you would come,” he said quietly.

She stood in the doorway, uncertain of what to do now that she was there.

He made the decision for her by holding out his arms.

Sitting beside him was like coming home, she thought, sighing as his arms closed around her.

“You won’t hurt them, will you?” she asked as his hand caressed her shoulder.

“No. It’s quite painless. I’ll simply remove their memories of Morgan Creek and replace them with other memories. Jeremy and Chelsea will think they were old school friends. Frankie and Claude will remember meeting at a restaurant. Rosemary and the women who decided to stay here will remember each other, but their memories of how they met will change.”

“Will you wipe away all my memories of you, of this place, when you tire of me?”

His knuckles stroked her cheek. “I will never tire of you, Kadie.”

“And you’ll never let me go, either, will you?”

“Perhaps, in time, you’ll stop asking.”

Cupping her face in his hands, he rained featherlight kisses on her eyelids, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, the corners of her mouth. Kisses that, though ever so gentle, sent shock waves of pleasure coursing through her, igniting her nerve endings, energizing every cell, until she was breathlessly aware of his every touch as his hands caressed her.

She slid her hands under his shirt, desperate to touch him in return, to taste him, to feel his weight bearing her down as their bodies merged.

When he stood, carrying her with him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

Right or wrong, she was his for as long as he wanted her.

Chapter 26

The next few days passed in a flurry of activity. Kadie adjusted her hours to Saintcrow’s, so that she slept most of the day. Rising in the late afternoon, she showered, dressed, did whatever housekeeping needed to be done, and ate dinner before Saintcrow arose.

Tuesday night, she accompanied Saintcrow, Claude, and Frankie to the airport. Saintcrow gave Frankie and Claude a thousand dollars each, and then, while telling them good-bye, he erased the memory of Morgan Creek and the vampires from their minds.

On Wednesday night, Saintcrow drove her, Chelsea, and Jeremy to Chelsea’s home in Rexburg. He gave them the same amount of cash he had given to Frankie and Claude, and after Kadie hugged Chelsea, Saintcrow wiped all memory of vampires from their minds. The only thing Chelsea and Jeremy would remember was that they had met while in Wyoming.

Thursday night, Kadie was surprised to find Nancy’s car gassed up and idling in front of Saintcrow’s lair.

“Her parents live just a few miles from here,” Saintcrow said.

Nancy was sitting on the front porch when they arrived. Her eyes widened in surprise when he pulled into the driveway.

“Do you want to drive?” Saintcrow asked after stowing Nancy’s belongings in the trunk.

Nancy shook her head. “It’s been years,” she said, and climbed into the backseat.

When they arrived at her parents’ house, Nancy hesitated on the sidewalk. “Maybe I’m doing the wrong thing.”

“I’m sure your parents will be thrilled to see you,” Kadie said, wondering at her reluctance.

“I hope so, although we didn’t part on the best of terms. My father didn’t want me to marry Troy and we had a terrible fight.” She let out a sigh. “I guess that doesn’t matter now. I’m sure Troy has found someone else.”