CHAPTERFOUR
MERRY
My digginginto Rhiannon wasn't going as I expected.
It was as if she'd disappeared from the face of the Earth.
I knew that she could do a lot with magic and a decent hacker, but this was on another level. It just wasn't possible, at least not for Rhiannon. Sure, there were some people who could fall completely off the grid, but they tended to stay in one place and live off the land or use only cash.
Rhiannon liked her creature comforts. She wanted nice things, luxurious surroundings, and designer clothes and accessories. She liked money—both having it and spending it.
The bank accounts I'd set up for her were collecting interest. There'd been no deposits, withdrawals, transfers, or debits. The money was just sitting there.
She hadn't touched it.
A chill ran down the back of my neck as I studied the accounts.
I dug deeper, looking for email accounts, possible assumed identities, anything that might point me to her current whereabouts.
There was nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I worked until nearly dark, my anxiety growing with each search and each dead end. I shoved the chair back from the desk and got to my feet. The room did a slow spin and my stomach decided to protest its emptiness.
Shit. I hadn't eaten since this morning.
I was tempted to order delivery but realized that it would take too long. I grabbed my vampire spray and turbo-charged Taser, tucking them into my pockets. I did a quick search on my phone and found a cafe nearby that was still open and had a lot of great reviews. I couldn't stay locked up in my room forever.
Considering their abilities, vampires would just mind control and get an employee to let them in if they really wanted to get to me.
I glanced in the mirror in the bathroom and ran a brush through my hair. Apparently, I'd been running my fingers through it while I was working and it was a mess.
As I got ready, my mind wandered back to the man I saw at the grocery store. Marcus with the gorgeous blue eyes. And the gorgeous other things.
He'd talked to me and I'd run away like a scared child. Even if he'd approached me before Rhiannon kidnapped me, I still would have run away from him.
I wasn't exactly a femme fatale. I usually didn't know a man was attracted to me until he tried to kiss me. Or, if I liked him, I could barely string three words together.
I tended to avoid hot guys because the potential for embarrassment was way too high.
Maybe it was time for me to make some changes there, as well.
My heart rate quickened at the thought and my stomach knotted. Okay, maybe not yet.
For the moment, I would respond when a man I was interested in tried to initiate a basic conversation. As opposed to treating him as though he had a contagious disease.
Who knew? I might run into Marcus again while I was in Austin.
And maybe miniature potbelly pigs would fly past my hotel room window.
I sighed and tossed my hairbrush onto the bathroom counter. I didn't have time for all the "what ifs" in my head. I needed to protect myself first and foremost. Then maybe I could think about men.
As I walked to the restaurant, I kept my head up and looked around, not just to keep an eye out for possible vampires but to enjoy the experience. Last night, I'd wanted to be out here, among the people that strolled along the sidewalks.
Tonight I was here.
Even though it was October, the night air was warm. The sun was going down, filling the sky with streaks of red, orange, and purple. I was tempted to find a bench to sit on, to linger outside and enjoy the gradual changes in the sky until it went dark.
But my stomach reminded me that it had been empty for far too long. Maybe I could enjoy the sunset tomorrow.
