Night's Master (Children of The Night 3)

I clung to him, holding him tight, tighter, afraid that if I let go, I'd be lost. When I was ready for him, when I was sure I couldn't wait another minute, he wrapped one arm around me and rolled over, carrying me with him, so that he was on top. I cried out with pleasure as his body merged with mine.

And even then, I knew he was saying good-bye.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

When I woke in the morning, Rafe was gone. The words gone for good echoed in the back of my mind, and I knew I had lost him and it was nobody's fault but my own. Even though I loved him, I didn't have enough faith in myself, or in our love, to believe it would last. I wasn't brave enough to face the future at his side. I couldn't keep from thinking that the day would come when he would turn to someone younger and prettier, or worse, to a Vampire who could share his whole life, who would understand him in ways that I never could or would.

I sat up, noting that Rafe had covered me with a blanket and left the candles burning. His thoughtfulness brought quick tears to my eyes.

I spent the day in the cave. When I wasn't crying, I swam in the pool or napped in the shade. Late in the afternoon, I rummaged in the sack to see what Rafe had brought. I found apples and oranges, some string cheese, a box of crackers, a couple of bottles of water, and several of my favorite candy bars.

Toward evening, I got dressed, and after gathering up the food sack and my handbag, I left the cave, wondering how I'd get back to town.

I should have known Rafe wouldn't leave me stranded out in the middle of nowhere. His car was still parked at the bottom of the hill.

Driving home, all I could think was, how had things gone so bad so fast? One minute everything had been wonderful, and the next, I was pushing Rafe away because I couldn't stand the thought that he would never change. People in love always talked about growing old together, and while I wasn't looking forward to growing old, I knew I didn't want to grow old by myself. But did I want to grow old without Rafe? It seemed a moot point now.

It was still early when I pulled up in front of my house. I sat there for a minute, staring blankly out the windshield. There was nothing here for me now, I thought. I would put the house up for sale and close up the store, maybe go home and spend some time with my folks.

With my mind made up, I got out of the car.

At the front door, I put my key in the lock, but there was no need. The door swung open on its own. A closer look showed the lock had been broken.

Turning on my heels, I ran down the stairs and climbed into Rafe's car. I didn't know who had broken into my house, but I had a pretty good idea. I doubted if they were still inside, waiting for me, but I wasn't about to find out.

Without a backward glance, I drove out of Oak Hollow just as fast as I could.

I drove until I reached River's Edge, and then I pulled into the parking lot of the first motel I saw.

Five minutes later, I locked myself in Room 9. I pulled the drapes over the windows before I turned on the lights. I stood there a minute, wondering if I had overreacted, but my mother had always said it was better to err on the side of caution than wake up dead in a ditch.

I smiled at the memory, then sat on the edge of the bed and switched on the TV. I was surfing through the channels when I heard a reporter say, “This just in from Oak Hollow.”

As I listened to his report, I knew that leaving Oak Hollow had been the smart thing to do.

Two photographs were flashed on the screen. I recognized Jennifer and Gary immediately, listened with mounting horror as the reporter related how the two had been found dead in their homes, both dispatched by a single gunshot to the back of the head while they slept.

Pulling my cell phone from my bag, I quickly punched in Susie's number. She answered on the second ring. “Kathy?”

“Hi, are you all right?”

“We're fine. I just heard about Gary and Jennifer on the radio. Where are you?”

“I'm at a motel in River's Edge. Where are you?”

“With Joe. We're on our way to pick up my kids, and then we're getting out of town.”

She was probably smart to take her kids. I doubted if either Edna or Pearl would have any scruples about using three innocent kids to get to Susie.

“What about your folks?” I asked. “They could be in danger, too.”

“I convinced them to take a little vacation.”

“Good. Listen, we need to warn those two men that were with us that they're in danger,” I said, “but how? I don't even know their names.”

“I don't know. Joe thinks it's probably too late.”

Just then, pictures of the two men appeared on the screen.

“Local police are calling the killings the work of a serial killer,” the reporter said. “If you have any information…”

I turned the volume down. “Cagin was right,” I said. “We're too late.”

“Joe wants to know if you're with Rafe. He wants to ask him…”

“I don't know where he is.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Susie said, “Keep in touch, all right?”

“I will. If you hear anything…”

“We'll let you know. Joe wants to know if you want to meet us somewhere tomorrow. He thinks we should stick together.”

Safety in numbers. Ordinarily, it was a good idea, but I couldn't help wondering if that was true now. “I'll let you know tomorrow,” I said. “How's your face?”

“It burns like the very devil, but at least it won't leave any scars. Be careful, Kathy.”

“You, too.”

I watched the rest of the news, relieved that there was no mention of Jimmy and Gina or Rafe, and then switched off the set.

Of the twelve people who had been subjected to Pearl's formula, two of the Werewolves had died from the injection. Four of the others had been executed. There was no doubt in my mind that Edna and Pearl were behind the killings. Clearly, the women intended to do away with those of us who had survived as quickly as possible so there would be no witnesses, no one left to go to the police.

Where was Rafe? Had he left town? Did he know what was happening? I wished he was with me. Closing my eyes, I tried to find the link that we shared, but either he was blocking me, or I was too far away to contact him. Or…I refused to consider the possibility that he was dead. I would know it if he was. I was sure of it. After all we had shared, I would know.

Sitting there, with the phone still in my hand, I wondered where it would all end.

Chapter Thirty

Rafe prowled the outskirts of the town. He had fed earlier, but it had done nothing to ease his inner torment. He should have known it wouldn't last, but he had let himself believe that Kathy was different, that she was strong enough and brave enough to share his life. How could he have been such a fool? No matter how hard he pretended otherwise, he was a Vampire, Nosferatu, Undead. He was a hunter, a killer by nature, a drinker of blood. He might play at being mortal, but that didn't make it so, would never make it so.