Page 74 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

Stratton failed to hide his laugh. “I’m almost sorry I’m going to miss seeing that.”

“Yeah. Same. Listen, I just wanted to say thanks for checking on my family,” said Brett. “And I wanted to be sure you know that I trust you, Bright. I should have made that clear to you earlier after you told me everything.”

“I know you do,” said Stratton. “And, Brett. Drest called. He’s headed here as we speak to help us with this issue.”

“Is he keeping it off the Nightshade’s radar?” asked Brett.

“Yes. He’s got skin in the game. This is personal for him,” Stratton returned. “Should we come across one of these things before he gets here, we need to contain it. He needs answers and wants to question it.”

Brett was quiet a second.

Stratton sighed. “It’s about his mate. They’re hunting her too. They could lead Drest to her. If it was Poppy and you’d spent over thirty years tracking her across the world, desperate to see her, to know if she was alive, to meet your child, you’d want someone to do this for you.”

“I know what it’s like to be separated from my mate for twenty years,” said Brett, his voice low. “I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. If we can contain one, we will. You have my word.”

“Thank you,” said Stratton. “We should call Bram Van Helsing. He can help by sending slayers out to patrol with our officers tonight. Might be smart to ask him to have Jonathan put all the Harker wolves on high alert too.”

“Already done. I called him the minute I got cell reception. Jeffrey is having pack members patrol too. Bram said he’d reach out to the head of the vampires in the area and to Maria. She’ll help coordinate the rest with him. I feel like we should be doing more,” said Brett.

“It’s the best we have for now,” said Stratton. “Hug your loved ones. It’s all we can do.”

“Stay safe,” said Brett.

“You too,” replied Stratton before disconnecting the call.

Stratton was just about to put his truck in reverse when movement from inside the café caught his attention.

Astria was there, walking out from the back, carrying a washcloth and a spray bottle. She didn’t seem to notice him or anything for that matter, as she went to work wiping down tabletops.

For a second, all he could do was stare as she began to dance slightly as she worked. It took him a minute to realize he was gripping his steering wheel, staring at a woman he’d only just met, with a dumbstruck look on his face. But she did something to him and he wasn’t willing to ignore the pull to her. He only hoped she found it in her heart to accept his apology.

ChapterTwenty-Six

Astria

I finished wipingdown the last of the tables and chairs in the café and stepped back, dancing in place to a No Doubt song that had been playing on loop in my head as I cleaned. Yolanda had put a lot of trust in me, asking me to close for her so she could leave and get ready for a date. She’d known me a day. I wouldn’t have put that kind of faith in me if I were her. But she had.

She’d also been worried about overworking me, having me there from open to close. I’d reassured her that I didn’t mind and could really use the hours. Both things were true. Working kept my mind off the fact Stratton had been a no-show for our lunch plans, and I really could use all the hours I could get. Then there was the fact I wasn’t in any real hurry to go to the house on Gallows Lane, despite knowing it needed to be done.

Weirdly, I’d been looking forward to going to lunch with Stratton, which was amusing since he was a cop. I hadn’t even needed to be angry about the fact he’d never showed or called the café. Yolanda and the others handled that emotion for me. At first, I’d felt numb, like the wall I’d put up years ago to protect my heart from getting harmed was doing its job. Then, when no word came from him, I’d started to worry.

Had something happened to him?

There were always stories of something as mundane as a traffic stop going horribly wrong for law enforcement officers. Could that have happened to him? Was he hurt? Was he dead? Every scenario I could think of had run through my head the remainder of the day, each one worse than the next. The only thing that had kept me from leaving the café and searching for him myself was the fact that no one else seemed concerned.

It was evident they were all close. Had something actually happened to Stratton, my gut said Yolanda would have heard. That she’d have then said something to me. But still, I couldn’t shake the worry. I hoped that he stood me up because he’d lost interest in wanting to be around me. That meant he was fine instead of the alternative.

I stared at the table I’d only just cleaned, trying to remind myself that he was a cop. Being around him too much would end poorly for me. He’d eventually figure out I’d been in trouble with the law and then he’d be duty-bound to deal with me.

That would super suck.

No.

It was better this way.

Better that it hadn’t worked out.

Still, concern for him left my stomach in a knot.

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