Page 136 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

Most vampires seemed to be happy with who they were and their role in the pack. They had jobs and lives and most of them didn’t care what the pack did. They took their turn patrolling on run nights and that was it. They took their turn because they were looking after their families or because they liked that sense of duty, like Talia.

Talia opened the cabin door and Macey followed her up the stairs. Neither of them bothered to turn on the light, it wasn’t needed when the moonlight was more than enough to see by. There was something peeking out from beneath Macey’s pillow.

While Talia’s back was turned, Macey drew the piece of paper out.

Meet me at the lake. I’ll be waiting.

A drop of blood darkened the corner. She licked it, but she already knew it was from Owen. Her lips curved, and she slipped the note into her pocket. Would he still be there? “I might take that swim I didn’t get today. Nothing big lives in the lake, right?”

“A few big catfish, apparently, if you believe the stories.” Talia put her hand on Macey’s arm. “You have to forget about him.”

“I haven’t spoken to him since yesterday. And nothing’s going to happen. He’ll go back to his nice traditional pack and I’ll…” She had dreams, but no plan to put them in place. Tomorrow she’d tell her parents. She’d look at places she wanted to live and then find the corresponding pack. She had to make it happen this gathering because another five years of waitressing while she tried to find an apprenticeship nearby would kill her—and be a total waste of her degree. She didn’t want to prove her parents right in that regard either. They’d wanted her to do something more traditional, and useful, like nursing.

“I can ask my leader if you really want to move away.”

Macey shook her head. Talia’s pack was too rural. “I need a city where I can start my training.”

She didn’t want to grab the first branch that was offered or end up in a pack that was more traditional than hers. Many of the rural ones followed tradition too strictly. Too many rules for the sake of having rules would not be the adventure that she wanted.

Talia frowned, then nodded. “What about Cloudy Lakes…they’re big and spread out and cover the city and surrounds. They might be glad of an extra vampire, and if you can self-support…”

That was a little farther away from home than she’d been thinking. “Thanks, I’ll check them out. Let me know if you hear anything else.”

“I will. Enjoy your swim.” Talia took her towel and headed to the showers.

Macey stood there for a few moments, deliberating. If she went Talia would suspect, if she didn’t go Owen would think she’d blown him off and that she wasn’t interested. If she was smart, she’d have a shower and meet up with the vampires. But she was here for fun and adventure. So she grabbed her towel and headed for the lake.

Few moved about the camp, and by the time she reached the trail she was on her own. The woods were alive with hunting owls, bats, and other nocturnal animals. She’d never come to the lake alone before—even during daylight. And while it was silly for her to fear the night, and being alone, that didn’t stop her stomach from forming a knot. Even if she ran into other vampires, she was doing nothing wrong. Maybe some of them would be enjoying a swim if they weren’t involved with patrolling and pack business.

It was unlikely there’d be wolves at the lake this late. And if there were? She’d swim and head back as though all she wanted was a quick dip. She should’ve grabbed her bikini, so the lie at least looked plausible.

The lake glimmered reflecting the stars and moon on the inky surface, and waves lapped the shore. She scanned the beach but saw no one. Maybe he’d given up waiting. Well, she couldn’t turn around straight away, and the water looked good.

She walked up the beach a little to where she’d sat earlier, then peeled off her clothing until she stood in her underwear. Moonlight bathed her skin. There was another week until it would be full. Then there would be a big celebration. Wolves didn’t need the moon to shift, but it made the energy rise so running under a full moon had become tradition.

Macey waded into the cool water, then slipped beneath the inky surface. At night there was something alien about the lake. Anything could lurk in the depths the moonlight didn’t reach. And even though she saw as well as if it were daylight she didn’t want to swim too far from the shore.

With just the sound of the water and her breathing, she could be the only person in existence. But she wasn’t alone in the lake. There were hundreds of heartbeats, some tiny, some much bigger. Catfish, or something else?

Fear flared brightly, and she stopped swimming and trod water while she found her bearings. A few strokes and her toes touched the bottom. Her heartbeat settled.

Water lapped against her skin. She should go back, find the others and be sociable, chat to the Cloudy Lakes pack vampires, and try to embrace what she was. Maybe it was her own insecurity that made her feel like an outcast in her own pack.

Was Talia right and the rules had been created out of fear? Or was that a lie vampires told themselves?

Coming here was stupid. She waded closer to the shore, then stopped.

Someone moved in the tree line.

Macey slid lower into the water and watched.

The man glanced along the shoreline, before stopping at her towel and clothes. Macey was all too aware that she was only in underwear that was more see through than helpful in keeping things covered.

Then he stepped out of the shadows and took off his shoes. He walked toward the lake, his head turning as he scanned the surface, searching… The moonlight caught his familiar features. His heartbeat a tune she shouldn’t know so well.

Owen.She breathed a sigh of relief while her stomach turned in anxious knots. Neither of them should be here, but they both knew the risks. And for him they were greater.

She waded closer to shore, and he strode into the water with a smile on his lips.

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