Page 12 of Valentine's With A Vampire

Count gears of gold and name them all—

Share the sum or watch them fall.

He blows out a breath and looks at his map of the town. “So...Celestial Clock Tower?”

I grin. “Looks like it. Ready to hunt?”

The music in the square changes to a lively tune, and lanterns begin bobbing in sync above us. Declan’s orb hovers near his shoulder, glowing brighter, as if eager to begin. He tightens his hold on the clue. “Yeah, let’s get this done.”

A mischievous thrill flickers through me. “We’ll see if you’re as good at scavenger hunts as you are at tasting chocolate.”

He glances at me, lip twitching in a near-smile. “At least the chocolate had rules I understood.”

“Don’t worry.” I hook my arm through his, leading him from the square. “Just follow my lead, soldier boy.”

He snorts but doesn’t pull away. We dart toward the glow of the clock tower. Around us, couples race past with their own clues, everyone fueled by excitement. Even he is wearing a small grin.

Chapter 5—Declan

I’M RELUCTANTLY DRAWNin and soon running alongside Vandria as we round the corner, heading toward the Celestial Clock Tower. There’s no time to process how I ended up in a full-blown scavenger hunt. One moment, I was sulking under a lamppost, the next I’m sprinting through Evershift Haven with a vampire at my side, chasing magical clues like it’s a normal Friday night.

We reach the tower, which stands in majestic contrast to the swirling illusions overhead. Metal cogs bigger than car tires spin silently behind the tower’s transparent face. Lanterns bob around, guiding other teams. Several pairs crowd near the base, reading the parchment pinned to the clocktower.

“Within the ringing of midnight’s tower,

Seek the shape that holds time’s power.

Count gears of gold and name them all—

Share the sum or watch them fall.”

She points upward. “We need to identify every gold gear up there. That means we’re climbing, right?”

I glance at the spiral staircase snaking up the tower’s interior. “Uh, yeah, guess so.”

“Better than letting someone else claim the prize first.” She flashes a grin that lights something inside me. Maybe it’s the festival, or maybe it’s her. Either way, I’m not about to back down.

We slip in through an arched door. The tower’s interior hums with clockwork. A slow, rhythmic whirr resonates in my chest.A flicker of excitement breaks past my frustration. I’ve always enjoyed challenges, and I guess you can’t get more challenging than a magical gear-counting puzzle.

Vandria leads the way up the stairs, footsteps echoing on iron steps. Partway up, we pass a sign that readsNo Unauthorized Tamperingin shifting script. Someone’s scrawled“Good luck, lovebirds,”underneath. Vandria laughs softly when she sees it, but she doesn’t comment.

We reach a broad landing where giant cogs mesh in front of a window. Each gear is a different shade of gold, silver, or bronze, all spinning in hypnotic precision. She pulls out a small notepad and scribbles tallies.

I inch closer, counting each golden cog through the tinted glass. The tower’s mechanical heart thrums steadily. My shoulder brushes Vandria’s, and that faint contact sends a jolt down my spine.

After a minute, we compare notes. Vandria’s brow furrows. “I see fifteen. You?”

“Fourteen,” I say. “Where’s your extra gear?”

She points to a partially obscured cog behind a bigger one. Leaning in, we both peer through a narrow gap in the machinery. The space is so tight, our arms press together. My heartbeat stutters. She tips her head, nearly brushing my cheek. “See it?”

My voice drops. “Yeah, you’re right. Fifteen.”

Her smile warms me in an unsettling, pleasant way. “Let’s hope that’s correct. Now we sho—”

A swirl of pink confetti flutters down from an overhead vent. We jump back, startled. Then we exchange a look and burst into unexpected laughter. Something about the absurdity deflates my tension.

I clear my throat, stepping away. “We’ll go with fifteen. Next clue says we name them all to someone. Probably the caretaker, Chronos Ticktock?”

---