“They would have thought my mom murdered me,” he finished.
“Whathappened?I filed FOIA requests, but as it is still an active investigation they wouldn’t share the files with me–”
“Active?”Grayson grew tense.
“Not really.No.But any cold case they say is active even if they haven’t done squat on it,” she said with a moue of disgust.“They don’t want anyone looking over their shoulders to report on their mistakes even when the casecouldbe solved if they let someone else handle it.”
“You’re a true crime buff?”he guessed.
She sat up very straight and lifted her chin.“I’m aninvestigative reporter.”
“So not an amateur then,” he corrected himself.
She let out a breath.“Maybe my job involves more reporting on local events.Business openings.Marriages and stuff.But your stepfather’s death is stillnewsin town.It’s an open, gaping wound–”
“No, it’s not,” he cut her off coldly.
She lifted her head, surprised at his tone.Her mouth was still open.
“Rachel, he was an evil man and he wasstoppedfrom harming anyone else.The end.No story.No gaping wound,” he said firmly.“There’s no story there.”
“Nothisdeath.That’s not what I meant.It wasyourdisappearance,” she explained.
“Rachel–”
“Your mom still lives in that house.She’s kept your roomjustas it was when you left it.She’s hired private investigators.Spent thousands, probably tens of thousands, to find you.You are the open, gaping wound, Grayson.What happened to you.That she lost you.Thatwelost you,” she insisted.
His shoulders drew in tightly against his body.“I don’t understand why that should be.”
She stared at him, completely perplexed.“You were loved, Grayson.Youareloved.Do you not know that?”
He was halfway out of the booth and didn’t notice until she had a firm hold of his arm.
“You disappeared and no one could find you until you reappeared at a school for people who want to be Vampires.What happened between then and now?Where have you been?How did you do what you did?”Her eyes searched his.His mother had clearly told Rachel what had happened. “And you don’t think that’s a story?You don’t think that would haunt a person?”
I’m Ashyr.Not Grayson.Ashyr!
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kaito and Dani enter the coffee shop.The two of them were approaching him.Their shining Vampire eyes and barely hidden fangs were a warning.But Rachel was too intent on him to see.
She continued, “Please, if you won’t talk to me, talk to your mom.Grayson, she’s been destroyed by what happened.By not being able to protect you and not being able to find you all this time.Please talk to her.”
Grayson pulled away from her.He felt Dani’s hand on his back and Kaito’s warmth at his side. “This was a mistake.A mistake.We’re done here.”
The Hunt
Julian noticed his momentary freeze as the memory of Legion’s animal form came home to him.Ryder blinked and shook his head as if to clear it.He would not allow Legion–or even the memory of them–to distract from Julian’s triumph.Yes, he might have helped a little in that arena, but sometimes one had to give a littlepush.Besides, now that Julian knew he could shift, the next time he’d do it himself easily.Plus, Julian had several forms to choose from.So there would be plenty of firsts.
The memory of Legion though clung to him, but he forced himself to let out a laugh and went over to the Winter Wolf.Ryder slowly extended a hand.Julian lowered his head.Ryder scratched between his ears and Julian’s eyes closed.His tongue also lolled out and theremighthave been some serious tail wagging going on.
“We normally don’t allow people to pet us in our animal forms no matter how fluffy and adorable they may be.Respect and all,” Ryder explained.Julian let out a low moan.“But, then again, I won’t tell if you won’t.”
Ryder petted Julian thoroughly from head to tail and thumped his powerful sides as one might do to a great, big dog.Julian was a Winter Wolf, but he was a puppy, too.
Julian’s eyes opened and he jumped to his feet–well, to hispaws–as if ready to play.And he probably was.Ryder remembered the first time he had shifted into an animal form.It had been a lion just like Lawson, which was probably because he thought hehadto shift into a lion.But it was incredible.When he was in his humanoid form, he was strong and fast and graceful, but in his animal forms?He blew that out of the water.
Julian was staring down at his front paws, lifting one then the other.He then stuck his head between his front legs to see his back ones and his tail.He promptly did an unintentional somersault.He was quickly up and looking around ashamedly to make sure no one but Ryder had seen.Ryder’s quick laugh had Julian turning those big purple eyes on him.Ryder booped his nose.
“It’s all right, Julian.You need to test your limits.Can’t do that if you take things easy and only do what’s safe,” Ryder counseled him.“Better to make a fool of oneself and know then to remain stiff and sober and never achieve greatness.”
