Page 44 of Crimson Storm

A few men were already out in the fields—the day started early for Amish people—but I didn’t worry about them giving our truck any special notice. There were truck drivers who lived in our rural area. The farmers would assume this rig belonged to one of them.

Amish people tended to mind their own business anyway and not concern themselves overmuch with the affairs of “the English” outsiders.

I only hoped the barn where I planned to hide the truck still stood empty and unused.

As the members of my old community all had their own homes and farms, I doubted anyone would have moved into this one—especially after the ghastly thing that had happened there.

Sure enough, when we turned onto the long drive leading to the Yoders’ house and barn, there were no lights to be seen, no activity at all.

“What is this place?” Kelly whispered, though of course no one could hear her.

“It’s the home of an old friend. It’s... unoccupied. This is the village where I grew up.”

“Oh wow. I’ve never been in an Amish house before,” Heather said.

“You won’t be in one tonight either,” I said. “We’re going to sleep in the barn. We can pull the truck in through the barn doors and hide it in there. You all can sleep in the back. I’m going to sleep up in the hay loft and keep an ear out in case anyone comes down the drive.”

Shane craned his neck toward the dark house. “Darn it. I was kind of hoping for a real bed tonight—and a little more space—no offense, ladies. Any reason we can’t sleep in the house? You said it’s unoccupied. What, you think the owners will be mad?”

“The owners are dead,” I said and left it at that.

He didn’t ask any more questions, just stayed quiet until we pulled up to the barn doors. He and I got out and hurriedly opened them, and Kelly drove the big rig inside.

Only after we rolled the doors closed behind it, did I breathe a sigh of relief.

We were safe, and not a moment too soon. The slats between the boards of the barn walls turned bright orange as the sun crested the horizon.

Heather opened the truck’s back door and poked out her head, looking around. “That was tight. Thank God you thought of this place.” She yawned loudly. “I’m exhausted. See y’all tonight.”

Then she backed into the cab again, disappearing into the dark cocoon where we’d spent the past couple of days.

Kelly rolled down the truck’s driver’s side window. She looked beat as well. “You want me to take first watch, or...”

“No. Don’t worry about it,” I said. “You did your part by driving all night long. Thanks by the way—you did great.”

“Thanks.” She disappeared from view, climbing into the back with Heather to sleep.

Shane looked at me, lifting his brows. “So... I guess you’re on first watch again?”

I shook my head. “For the police or curious locals—not for you. I know that isn’t necessary. You more than proved yourself last night with the blood bags and the whole ‘my girlfriend’ story at that last checkpoint. You were very convincing by the way.”

He laughed. “High school theater. I thank you, and Mrs. Dunn, the drama program sponsor, thanks you.”

I started climbing the ladder. Instead of getting into the truck cab, Shane followed me. “What are you doing?” I asked over my shoulder.

“Figured you could use some company. Besides, I wasn’t kidding about the space issue in that sleeping cab. I couldn’t stretch out my legs all the way, and I got a wicked kink in my back. And... there are afewthings humans can do that you can’t.”

“What do you mean?”

When we reached the top of the ladder, he demonstrated his point by going to the loft’s opening and closing the old plywood door to block out the morning light.

“Ta da.”

I smiled. “Thank you. I might have gotten a rude awakening as the day went on and the sun shifted positions.”

“You’re already hot enough,” he quipped. “No need for flames.”

He meant it as a joke—or a compliment—but the remark caused a stab of pain in my abdomen. On this very property was the spot where Josiah had stood and allowed the sun to end his brand-new vampire life.

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