Page 76 of Shadows of Eternity

“What about you?”

“I’m staying in a hotel for a while.” He shuffled from one foot to the other. “Anyway, I told Janae I’d let you know she’s okay.”

“Is she? Really?”

“No. But I can’t tell her the truth or she’d really freak out.” Trent laughed, but there was no humor in it. “She’s talking about a divorce, said she doesn’t want to be married to a man who hunts other men for a living. Imagine how she’d feel if she knew I was hunting vampires.” He stared into the distance. “My father was a hunter, and his father before him. He warned me not to get married. I guess I should have listened.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you still determined to marry that bloodsucker?”

Leia nodded.

Trent blew out a sigh. “I know I can’t talk you out of it, so I won’t even try. Just be careful.”

“You, too.”

Trent went down the stairs to his car and opened the door. He stared at her over the hood, then said, “Be careful. Rohan’s not the only vampire in town.” With that final warning, he slid behind the wheel.

Leia felt a wave of pity for Trent as she watched him drive away. It occurred to her that hunters and vampires both had to hide what they were in order to survive. She shook the thought away. There was nothing she could do for Janae and Trent except pray that they would be able to work things out between them, that their family would be safe.

She had worries of her own, she thought, as she went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk. Introducing her parents to Rohan. Last minute wedding details … She sighed. The wedding wouldn’t be the same without her best friend, who was also supposed to be her matron of honor, but that wasn’t possible now.

Needing a distraction, she carried the glass into the living room and picked up the novel she’d been reading. Settling on the sofa, she opened the book, hoping to lose herself in a good mystery for an hour or two.

Leia glanced in the bathroom mirror, smiling as Rohan came up behind her, slipped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled her neck. “So, tomorrow night’s the big event, huh?”

She turned in his arms, closed her eyes as he lowered his head to kiss her.

“What if they don’t like me?” he asked, still holding her close.

“I guess we’ll have to call off the wedding.”

“No chance, darlin’. I’ll be on my best behavior, I promise.”

“See that you are,” She ran her fingertips down his bare chest. “Rohan?”

“Hmm?”

“What’s going to happen to Janae?”

“What do you mean?”

“Trent told her a felon is out to kill him and sent her to stay with her parents for a while. Is she really in danger from Josiah?”

“I don’t know, but it’s probably a good thing Trent sent her away. As for Trent?” Rohan shook his head. “I think his days are numbered.”

“Can’t you do something? I mean, you can’t just let Josiah kill him.”

“Do you think Trent would hesitate to take Josiah’s head—or mine—if he had the chance?”

Leia stared at him, too stunned by his answer to reply. And yet, she knew without a doubt that Trent wouldn’t hesitate to kill either man. That was what hunters did—destroy vampires. But to do nothing to help Trent seemed so cold-blooded.

She sighed. There was nothing she could do about Janae at the moment. And right now, her major worry was introducing Rohan to her parents. Maybe she was worrying too much. After all, either her parents would like him or they wouldn’t, she thought with a sigh.

Tomorrow night would tell the tale.

Rohan slid an admiring glance at Leia as they drove to the theater. She looked as pretty as a spring day in a dark pink sweater and a white skirt. She had been unusually quiet since they left her place. He didn’t have to read her mind to know she was stressing out about introducing him to her parents and still worrying about her friend’s safety.

It was twenty minutes to show time when he pulled into the theater parking lot.

“They’re here,” Leia said, pointing at her dad’s car, a pale blue Subaru.

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