Page 8 of Their Haunted Hearts
Jenna raised one eyebrow and stared at Kane’s grin. “So, you’ve become his romance advisor now?”
“Why not?” Kane headed for the door. “I know Emily better than anyone, I figure. She comes to me all the time for advice. She figures Raven is overprotective and is wasting his time working with dogs. I told her he is a great asset to the team and uses all his skills. I also mentioned being happy is more important than anything.”
Surprised, Jenna bit back a smile. “And what did she say?”
“That you’re happy and I’m overprotective, so maybe that’s a good thing.” Kane turned to her on the stairs. “I told her it’s what we do for people we love.” He took her hand. “Let’s go home. I want to see my boys.”
Jenna walked beside him. Happiness was everything. “Me too.”
Eight
Exhausted, with blistered feet and aching muscles after cleaning the filth left by the patrons of the Triple Z Bar, Bunny Watkins grabbed a handful of beef jerky, a few packets of chips, and emptied the tips from her jar into her pocket. She shrugged into her coat, pulled on her gloves, and turned around to scan the room before extinguishing the lights. It was a thankless job. She cleared tables and cleaned for twelve hours a day, seven days a week, but was glad to have a job. She’d arrived on the bus penniless after escaping an abusive relationship and had made it this far and stayed. She’d spent her first couple of nights in the motel out back of the bar and regretted it. Now she had a room in the Black Rock Falls Motel, only three miles from the bar. It wasn’t much better but it was an escape from the patrons. It would do until she could get a room at the Stanton Forest Bed and Breakfast. It had opened only recently, along with many old renovated ranch houses in the area, to cater to visitors passing through who wanted something better than a motel room. She’d been very happy to discover the flyer on the noticeboard not long after she’d arrived and left her details for the moment a room became available.
She’d been in Black Rock Falls for two months and had planned to find a better job, but as the regular patrons, mostly men—truckers, ranch hands, and bikers—had gotten used to her now and given up trying to give her money for sex, she’d decided to stay. The sexual harassment was something that both the day and night managers conveniently ignored, as if treating someone like that was normal, but she’d soon discovered ignoring the annoying men worked just fine. She did her job well and avoided talking to almost anyone. Sometimes a lonesome guy would be crying into his beer and she’d listen to him, but most times, she ignored them and kept busy.
Stepping outside, she scanned the parking lot, looking for anyone hanging around in the shadows. Eighteen-wheelers stood in rows of military precision under the dimly lit flickering street light, casting long shadows across the empty blacktop. Silence surrounded her, broken only by the occasional rumble of a vehicle’s engine as it left the local roadhouse. It had been raining and a gust of damp air tousled her hair. Mist rose in coils of white from the forest like ghosts walking out to seek souls. She shivered and pulled her coat tighter around her, remembering how close it was to Halloween. The walk to the motel seemed like one hundred miles away as she stared into the forest. She hated walking opposite the moaning, swaying wall of black. Anyone or thing could be waiting in there ready to pounce.
Gathering her courage and lifting her chin, Bunny made her way across the parking lot. As she approached the highway, the new neon sign buzzed like a swarm of angry bees, its reflection in the puddles making strange colored lights in the many potholes. With each step, her boots crunched on the wet gravel, but as she listened, the steps became different. Not one set of footsteps—two. Panic gripped her. Someone was heading straight toward her. She spun around and every hair on her body stood to attention. From the shadows near the eighteen-wheelers, a man emerged. If he planned to hurt her, she had nowhere to run, no place to seek help and no phone. Her only choice would be to fight. Bunny pushed her hand inside her coat pocket and her fingers closed around the handle of a small penknife. She turned away to open it and kept it concealed before turning back again. “Are you following me?”
“Nope, but I’d like a word, if that’s okay?” The man looked strange as the colored lights flickered across his face. “We spoke earlier. You told me about staying at the motel, remember?”
Heart racing like a freight train, Bunny stood her ground. Her hand gripped the small knife so tightly the handle cut into her palm. “I remember—why?”
Bunny did recall the plainly but well-dressed soft-spoken man. He’d sat alone in a dark corner and ordered a bowl of chili and she’d filled his Thermos with fresh coffee. He hadn’t been rude or aggressive and seemed to be nonthreatening. They’d chatted as she cleaned tables. As she waited for a response, a streak of lightning lit up the sky and thunder rolled over the mountains.
“I came out before and noticed you leaving right behind me.” He held out a hand to catch the increasing raindrops. “It’s raining and from that thunder there’s more to come. I saw you heading for the highway. I’m guessing you’re planning on walking? I figured that you might appreciate a ride as I’m heading into town.”
Instinct telling her to turn and run, Bunny shook her head. “Thanks but no thanks. I’ll walk.”
“Are you sure?” He indicated to a pickup parked in the shadows. “You’ll be soaked through by the time you get to your room and the bears are hunting. I’ve seen the signs of them all along the edge of the forest.” He sighed. “It’s not safe to be walking alongside the highway at this time of night. I have coffee and I’ll share it with you along the way.”
The rain increased, bringing with it the smell of diesel and damp leaves. Legs heavy and back aching with exhaustion, Bunny glanced at him. Every part of her screamed a warning but the road ahead was dark, wet, and cold. Hot coffee sounded good. She looked at him, trying to assess the threat. “I know it’s not safe but getting into your truck isn’t safe either.”
The man stared into the forest but said nothing. Needing to leave, but unable to risk turning her back on him, Bunny moved her attention to the forest and then back at him. Bone weary, she needed to get going before becoming too exhausted to walk the long three miles. Her stomach cramped when a shadow moved along the perimeter, rustling the fallen leaves. Trees moved and twigs snapped like gunshot. It could be anything, an elk or a bear. Right now, she didn’t want to find out. “Okay, thanks.”
“You’ll be safe with me, Bunny.” He opened the door for her. “I’m not like those rough men in the bar who give you a hard time.” He slid behind the wheel and offered her the Thermos. “I’m one of the good guys. Help yourself to the coffee. I’ll have you home by the time you’ve finished.”
Noticing how clean and nice smelling he kept the inside of his truck, Bunny poured a small cup and offered it to him. “You got this for yourself. I’ll be fine.”
“I’ve had enough for a while.” He smiled at her. “I’ll keep the rest for the other half of my journey. It’s going to be some time before I go to bed tonight.”
As they turned onto the highway, rain pelted the windshield and the wipers flashed back and forth. Bunny sipped the coffee. The brew at the Triple Z Bar was nicer than most and she usually took a to-go cup with her, but she’d given him the last in the pot. Heat rose from the vents in the dashboard, at first welcome and then almost too hot. So tired, she fought to keep her eyes open. Sleep overwhelmed her, she couldn’t fight it a second longer. Bunny dozed and snapped awake a few seconds later—but how long was it really? It was as if time had stopped and the next second started again, but something was terribly wrong. The heat had gone, and under her, cold seeped into her flesh. She forced open her eyes, but the lids closed again refusing to obey. She couldn’t move, as if all her energy had drained away. What was happening to her? Her neck ached and she wanted to touch it, but her arms refused to move. Finally cranking her eyes open, she peered into a dimly lit area, maybe a barn. A light came from a lamp on a table beside her and then a shadow came closer. She tried to force words from between her lips but only a moan escaped.
“Oh, look, you’re awake. My first turned vampire. Surprise.” The man from the bar was smiling at her. He had a long stake in his hands and waved it in front of her. “Enjoy your time on the dark side because it will only last another second or two.”
Bunny wanted to scream, tell him he’d made a mistake, but it was too late.
Nine
Tuesday
“Mommy, Mommy.”
The sound of Jackson’s voice woke Jenna with a start. She stared down at the grinning face, cheeks bright red from teething and the wet bib around his neck. He was Kane’s clone, solid build, black hair, and dark blue eyes, but Jackson had a dimple in his chin and she wondered if Kane had had his removed during his facial reconstruction, but she’d never ask. “Good morning, handsome.” She swung him onto the bed. “You’re up early.”
“Yeah, he came out with me to do my chores this morning.” Kane came into the room with a cup of coffee and set it on the bedside table. “I’m running a bit behind.” He ruffled Jackson’s hair. “He’s a handful now he’s walking. He refused to sit in his highchair, so I haven’t been able to fix breakfast or wake Tauri.”
Jenna pressed kisses all over Jackson’s face, making big smacking sounds, and the baby giggled. “You should have woken me. I can’t expect you to do everything.” She smiled at him. “We work together, right?” She frowned as Jackson worried his gums with his fist. “I’ll settle him and then get Tauri ready for school before I take a shower.” She slid out of bed and carried the toddler to the kitchen. She took a frozen teething ring from the freezer, wrapped the handle in a bib, and handed it to Jackson, guiding it to his mouth. “Yes, that helps doesn’t it. Poor boy, don’t worry, it’s almost through.” She slid him into the highchair and grabbed the cup Kane handed her. “He should be fine for a while. Give me five and I’ll come back and feed him.”
