Page 32 of How a Vampire Falls

“Growing up here, I get a lot of my art inspiration from nature. I go out all the time and soak up the mountains. I’d like you to see them for yourself.”

“Let’s do it,” he said.

“No more drop-offs, I promise.”

“I trust you.”

Did he? That seemed fast. Did she trust him? She didn’tnottrust him…

Enough. Analyze later.

“Let’s go then. There’s a lot to show you, and the diner will be open by the time we get back. Any other day of the week, we could grab breakfast now.”

A crinkle formed between his eyes. “Um…breakfast?”

“Um…yes?” Why was he giving her his signature curious look? “Please tell me you eat breakfast.”

“Why would I?”

“Because you enjoy food.” She shrugged. “And breakfast food is magical and unique to all other foods.”

“Is it?”

She threw up her hands. “Okay, I know what we’re eating when we get back. The diner serves breakfast all day on Sundays. You’ll thank me.”

Ryker laughed. “Like I said, I trust you. Lead on.”

She did. All the way out of town, past Lunar Lane—yes, the wolves would wake up, but they didn’t seem to mind this time as she and Ryker darted by without slowing. She didn’t mean to be a nuisance to them. At least they’d be out of bed by the time she and Ryker passed by again.

“Whoa,” Ryker murmured without slowing his stride.

Leslie looked around her, trying to determine what had impressed him. She followed his gaze to the mountains on the far horizon. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

“They’re majestic,” he said.

“Want to hike one?”

He glanced at her as they ran. “Can we?”

“Not even a vampire can reach one of those summits in a day. They’re farther away than they look, the tallest ones. But we’vegot foothills for days. This is what I do, take off out of town and keep going for hours.”

“Let’s get as far as we can.”

Then they ran. For half an hour, nothing registered in Leslie’s body but her unleashed speed and the nature that surrounded her. The rich scents of earth and sunshine and the fresh streams and still ponds that lay out of sight no more than a mile from their path. The unsuspecting wildlife that continued their foraging and hunting close by—sweat and fur and feathers, and beneath it all the steady course of their heart’s blood. In all of biology, the only creatures that abhorred the scent of a vampire were wolves—both animals and people.

“Hey,” she said, “do you have any pets?”

“Nooo,” Ryker said, a laugh like a melody beneath the word. “High maintenance, low return.”

“Wow, so you’re all about the bottom line even with furry snuggly animals.”

“Pretty much. What about you?”

“I had a rabbit when I was in high school, but no pets since.”

They had reached the base of the first hill, which stretched up toward the sky from their vantage point. The inclined acres were clothed in trees as far as anyone could see. Most were pine trees. The only paths up belonged to the deer.

Ryker slid to a stop and gazed up toward the peak, such as it was. “A rabbit, huh?”

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