Page 7 of Heartbeat Girl

I stopped dead in my tracks. Liz, Ruth’s former best friend from high school, stole her songs. I wanted to be mad at Ruth, but I couldn’t. She was telling me something important, and tears stung my eyes. I knew what that was. She was saying goodbye.

“You’re scaring me! Where are you?” I started running again.

“I’m leaving.”

“Ruth, is Amit alive? Is that what this is?” I asked.

“I’m choosing me and him over everything else. Don’t resent me for it.”

“I’m always going to support you, but tell me what you’re planning so I can be prepared.”

“You’ll see.” She hung up.

I stared at my phone.

“Did you find her?” I turned around and found Liam directly behind me. Had he followed me? That part of the hall was empty and colder since it led to an exit.

“She’s…missing.” I averted my gaze.

He hummed softly before saying, “So it seems.”

“I’m going to look outside,” I said.

“You’re not wearing a jacket.”

I ignored him and sprinted toward the door. I couldn’t see Ruth anywhere in the back parking lot, so I rushed back inside. For whatever reason, Liam followed me the entire time I searched for Ruth.

“Jayne,” he whispered, catching my arm as I stepped into the dressing room for the hundredth time. “Maybe try the roof?”

I didn’t even question why he said to go there. It was a place I hadn’t checked, and I was more than willing to. Once I got there, though, the roof was crowded with workers. A man bent over and picked up something from the ground. I recognized the purple case that belonged to Ruth’s iPhone.

Ruth was right. I saw her plans. With nothing more than her cell phone left on the rooftop, Ruth Thomas vanished.

“Jayne!” Liam hollered.

Why was he following me?When I looked up at him, I was alarmed. Not a single worry-line was on his face. Instead, a softness was in his gaze. Heknew. They all knew before me. I hated them for it.

“Don’t,” I snapped before walking away from him.

Even so, his peacefulness relieved some of my worry. If he was calm, that must mean Ruth was fine.

I hoped.

Chapter Three

LIAM

Six months later

If sinners sinned, what did saints do? Pray? I wondered if any of them would pray for a demon? Not that I’d ask anyone to pray for me. I knew what I was and accepted a lot worse before I realized there was a way to escape some of the bad.

Immortality.

An escape from death sounded far too tempting for a sick boy at twenty-four.

Vampires.

Nobody knew there were rules that came with the bite and their blood. Rules that bound you to someone else’s will—someone else’s lifestyle and words.

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