“Where are you going?” Ethan asked.
“I'm just throwing the dress out.”
We had a bin inside the garage, it was of preference to the one inside. Even I could still smell the stench of blood on the dress. For vampire noses it must be like cocaine to the addict. The outside lights lit up the surroundings, but I found myself nervous, peering out into the darkened night, half expecting something to leap out from the murky depths. I drew in a warm breath. How could someone be metres away from a party and be ripped to shreds without anyone seeing or hearing anything?
Run.
I wavered, and listened hard. The sound of crickets, the ticking of the cooling car engines. An owl hooted. Nothing of concern.
I turned left toward the direction of the garage. The outside lights came on automatically, guiding my way. Moths aimed with pin-like precision toward the lights, they tap, tap, tapped against the glass panes. The bug zapper zapped. I kept my head to the ground, focusing on the tiled path, too scared to look up in case I saw something leering out from the dark.
See what?
A face.
There’s no-one out there, fool.
Once I reached the garage, I glanced back at the house. The door was open, the murmured sounds of voices floated out. I pressed the button and the door opened. The light inside came on automatically, the remote had been wired to connect to the lighting. I didn’t ask Ethan if he did it for me, and he made no mention of it, but it was installed after I moved in so when I parked my car in there at night the garage was lit.
Behind me—the rustle of bushes, the sound of a passing shoulder against tree branches, or maybe legs against low lying bushes. I jumped and spun in one motion, searching the darkness for shadows that didn’t belong. The trees speared the dark sky, their branches, thick and flourishing, provided comprehensive coverage for anything lurking. The door shunted to a halt and the silence seemed deeper than ordinary. All I could hear was the sound of my own breath. Even the crickets had fallen quiet.
Run.
There’s nothing there.
I didn’t want to turn my back on the landscape, as though I expected something to wait until I wasn’t looking to slash its claws through my back. The ground clasped hold of my ankles. My mouth felt hot and dry. My body was stiff as a board.
Stop worrying, the noise was just an animal startled by the sound of the door. If something was out there the vampires would know.Nothing’s going to leap out of the bushes and tear you to shreds.
I turned. My heart pounded against my ribs as I scurried forward. I raised the lid, and threw the dress in. Letting lid slam shut, I ran out of the garage.
I pressed the button and walked quickly, forcing myself not to run, back toward the house. Feeling elated relief as I steppedinside, I snapped the door shut, resting my back against the door for a few moments to gather myself before I walked into their line of sight.
Ethan gave me a funny look. I stifled a groan when I realised they could all hear my fast beating heart.
“Need someone to hold your hand, Amy?” Monique sneered.
“I’m sure Karson will hold it later,” I threw at her. It was a childish thing to retort. He wouldn’t, but she didn’t know that.
Her eyes narrowed, I knew it had hurt her, but her voice gave nothing away. “Yes, well, Karson doesn’t always have the best of taste.”
I thought of Felicity the hungry caterpillar—she had a point. Suddenly the energy drained away, and petty arguing seemed ridiculous.
“Now ladies, let’s try and be pleasant,” Michael interjected, crossing one leg over the other. I glanced across, he wasn’t looking at me. I wanted to apologise to him, but I would do it later.
“Well, what did you find?” I asked Ethan with a faked cool composure. I seated myself on the edge of the chair.
“Perhaps you might like to dress yourself a little more appropriately first, Amelia.” Karson glared at my legs, like they revolted him. I didn’t think they were bad legs by any stretch, clearly he liked something a little meatier. Like Felicity.
Christ. A man was dead and he was focused on my legs. “No, Karson, I might not, it’s not like Ethan hasn’t seen it before, and I’m guessing Michael has seen his fair share of female legs in his time.”
Karson’s face darkened. His eyes pinned me like a stake to the wall. He wasn’t used to anyone disobeying his commands.
Michael’s lips curved up slightly. “That I have.”
“I didn’t find out much more,” Ethan said, flicking his eyes between Karson and I. “Jefferson had called a lawyer. He had ameeting set up for later today. Not the Robinson’s, which may mean nothing.”
“Or it could mean there was some kind of problem between partners,” Michael responded.
