I stomped on the accelerator. Gwyneth lurched forward while Deborah was still in the process of loading her suitcases into Nathan’s Escalade. He shouted for her to get in the vehicle, but we were already gone. We raced out of the driveway, scraping the low undercarriage of the Jaguar on the asphalt in the process.
“Was that really necessary?” Connor asked, holding onto the car’s grab handle.
“I felt like it.”
My wheels squealed as I turned right onto Fourth Street. The back end of the car started to slide before I got it under control. I concentrated on maintaining my slim lead as I rocketed down the one-way street.
“He should have been expecting that anyway.”
Vampires weren’t big on fair play. Cheating was par for the course. You had to be cut throat and ambitious when it came to Liam’s enforcers, especially. Otherwise, they’d chew you up and spit you out.
It was one of the reasons we got along so well. We were of similar minds.
Signs for the highway had me switching lanes.
The house Thomas had given me was located to the north of Columbus on the outskirts of a small city called Delaware. According to an internet search, the city was founded in 1808 and had a cute little downtown area. It also had the highest medium cost for homes in Columbus and the surrounding areas.
The place I was telling myself would only be a temporary stop until I could find somewhere else was sandwiched between the communities of Powell and Lewis Center. Until last night, I’d never even known the area existed.
Connor glanced in the side mirror as an SUV roared up behind us as we took the on ramp. “Do you remember the last time you made a bet with Nathan?”
Gwyneth surged forward as I floored the accelerator, keeping our small lead.
“What’s your point?”
My advantage didn’t last long as Nathan’s SUV roared, nudging up to our back bumper.
“You lost.”
Nathan’s SUV shot into the next lane to try to overtake us.
“That was last time,” I snarled, concentrating as I swerved to block him. “This is different.”
“Human media cautions about the dangers of gambling addiction,” Connor intoned. “It may be wise to look into a support group.”
“I don’t have an addiction.”
What was it with people and staging interventions for me? First my family. Now Connor.
It was enough to give someone a complex.
We raced north, the highway eventually turning into a two-lane road. Occasional hills dotted the side to my left with steep driveways leading to the houses perched above. On my other side, trees lined the road. A river beyond.
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel as we approached an intersection. Once we reached the other side, there would be no more chances to pass. At least not without risking running my car into the river or the guard rail.
“Is something wrong?” Connor shot me an uncertain look as I took my foot off the accelerator.
Shadows ate the edges of my vision. The same unintelligible whispers from my dream murmured in a relentless flood. I didn’t even notice as Nathan roared up behind us, a behemoth in the dark.
I was too distracted.
“Aileen?” Connor asked in concern.
I caught something running through the trees. A long, thin figure that moved at the same speed as the car. A pair of eyes caught the light at the same time as the voice from the diner spoke into my mind.
Childe.
six
