Chapter 4
They found you; they’re on their way. You still can't trust Elias, but he'll keep you safe until I can find you. Wake up, Riley and run! Remember this, remember my words, and hurry. Wake up, Riley. Run!
* * *
I sat up, terrified, my skin clammy. “Elias! Anthony! Where are you?” They ran in, alarm on their faces.
“What’s wrong?” asked Elias.
Throwing the blanket off, I leaned over to snatch my sneakers off the floor. “Do either of you know of a vampire—”
“Supay,” interjected Anthony.
“Supay,”I mocked. “Do either of you know of a Supay that could send me messages while I’m asleep?”
They shook their heads. “No. Anthony’s ability is pretty rare. I don’t know of anyone else with a power associated with controlling or communicating with another person. Why?”
I shook my head. “Just tell me.”
Anthony quirked his eyebrows at me. “I’ve got a Great-aunt Roselyn that can move small objects with her mind, and my grandfather could tell if a person’s soul was good or evil.”
“Since Michael died, those are the only ones I know of,” said Elias. “If I have an ability, it hasn’t manifested itself yet.”
My fingers quivered around my laces. “Michael had an ability?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what else Michael had hidden from me.
“Yes,” replied Anthony, “Michael could lure a human, almost put them in a trance.”
My heart dropped.Did he use that power on me? Itwaslove at first sight…
“As much as I want you to expand on that information, we’ve got to go. There’s a vamp—or some sort of creature—out there that can communicate with me when I’m asleep. Maybe the barrier that keeps you out, Anthony, is gone when I’m asleep.” They looked at each other skeptically. “I don’t know. I mean, hell, it might not even be a Supay. But he told me that someone has found me and they’re on their way to get me.” Elias's eyes widened, and Anthony’s jaw dropped.
“I take it you know who he meant?”
They took off running, faster than I ever could. I yelled up the stairs after Elias, “Get my guns!” I grabbed my bag from its spot beside the couch and waited for the men to join me. Footsteps pounded overhead as they ran from room to room gathering supplies.
My voice echoed up the stairs as I yelled again, “Guys, we're driving somewhere in a car. You don’t need to pack for a journey to Mordor! We can stop and pick up anything we’ve forgotten!” I sighed when their shuffling and running didn’t slow.
After a couple of minutes, they thundered down the stairs. Each carried a bag of clothing and an overstuffed bag of guns and ammunition.
“Do guns even work on Supay?” I asked as they ushered me out the door.
“They’re not as effective as they are on a human, but a direct hit to the heart or brain will usually kill us.” Elias rushed me toward the car. “It doesn’t help that we can’t go to traditional hospitals, so our medical care is often limited.”
Well, at least I know how to get my kids out, if it comes to that.
“So, I sharpened my stakes for nothing then, eh?” I joked awkwardly. Anthony ignored my joke and grabbed my bag with his own. “I can get it. I’m a big girl.”
Anthony stopped in the driveway and turned to me, wasting precious seconds. His eyes bored into mine. “It's my pleasure.”
Shivers ran down my spine, and my happy place perked up.No, happy place, no! Calm down. We’re still mad at him.
After relinquishing my bag, I climbed in the rear seat of Anthony’s blue SUV to give them the front to drive and navigate. Anthony looked disgruntled when I reached the door first and didn’t let him open it.
“Guys, I realize you both like to be proper Southern gentlemen, but it’s not necessary for you to hold my door or carry my bag.” I slammed the car door in his face and pretended I didn’t see him roll his eyes.
Anthony drove and Elias turned in his seat to talk to me. “Riley, there's still so much of the story you don’t know. We told you a lot, but we need to tell you more.”
My arms crossed defensively. “Seriously? More? How much more could there be? The only thing I can think of is I need to know details of how you feed.” I laughed, nervous and a bit horrified at what I might learn.Maybe they’ve found a way to adopt a lettuce diet.
