Fate of Blood: Vitarian Chronicles Volume 1 (EBOOK)

Chapter 1

The door chimed as I pushed into the Craft Haus. Familiar faces filled the tables and sofas with laughter and chitchat. A group of hipsters exiting the craft room drew the attention of the front-of-house customers as they exclaimed over their fresh-made soaps.
“Daddy, I want to learn to make soap,” said a young girl to her father as I walked past their table.
The Craft Haus was a local hot spot, a one-stop shop for eating, drinking, and learning to make your own homemade beauty products.
“Hey, sweetie,” said my mother as she wiped down the long stainless-steel craft table.
“Hi, Mom. Looks like you had a fun class tonight.”
“Yeah, it was a great group.” She tossed the rag she was using into the laundry bin. “All very eager to learn. Will you grab me the dish soap?”
She filled the dishwasher that was for craft supplies only. “The café’s been busy today. I’m sorry I have to take off early, but Molly’s going to stay late and help you close up.”
“No worries, Mom. I got this.” I sealed the lid on the container of dried lavender buds and placed them in the craft cupboard, on top of the dried rose petals.
“I appreciate you coming in early for your shift,” my mom said as we closed the craft room and walked into the office next door. “My friend Creagan dropped by unexpectedly. He’s only in town for a couple more hours, and we’re going to meet up before I have Bunco tonight with the girls.” She untied her apron and hung it on the office coatrack.
“Sounds busy,” I said.
She straightened her blouse and let her hair loose from the clip holding it tight atop her head. Her raven waves spilled free over her slender shoulders. “It’s my night to host,” she said as she smoothed her hair into a long side ponytail, securing it with a silver clip, “so I need to make sure I’m home in time. Calista’s getting to the house early to help get things set up.”
“Creagan’s been popping into town more often lately,” I said inquisitively as I opened my employee locker and pulled out the pair of maroon work clogs I kept at the café. I slid my feet out of my flats and into the clogs.
My mom performed the same task, only she removed her clogs, sliding them under her desk, and pulled her black boots on and zipped up their sides. “I suppose he has. He’s had some personal things going on and needs a friend to talk to.” She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall above the desk. “I should probably get going. Do you need anything before I head out?”
“No, thanks. I’m good, but hold on.” I grabbed a tissue from a box sitting on her desk. “You have some mica coloring on your cheek.” I carefully wiped the purple craft powder from her skin.
Her sapphire eyes shone with amusement. “Thanks, sweetie.” She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed.
“Oh,” I said, “I made some mini quiches and stuffed dates for tonight. They’re wrapped in the fridge, along with plenty of Chardonnay I brought up from the cellar.”
She smiled. “How did I get to be the luckiest mom on all of the planets?” She kissed my forehead before releasing me. “I love you. Promise you’ll call me if you need anything.” She slid her purse over her shoulder and grabbed her sweater.
“I will, Mom, and I love you too.” I fiddled with the hem of my top.
“And, Mom?”
She paused at the door and turned to look at me.
“How many other planets have moms, anyways?”
She winked and walked out.
She says the quirkiest things sometimes.
I hurried and put my bag and cardigan in the locker, then grabbed an apron hanging on the coatrack on my way out of the office.
Lively chatter mingled with the soft instrumental music playing over the café’s sound system. Molly whirled past me as she bustled from table to table, her purple ponytail bouncing atop her head. Last week it was blue.
“Everly, thank goodness you’re here. Ty is buried in orders, and two new tables just walked in. Can you take those, please?”
“I’m on it, Molls.” I wrapped and tied my apron around my waist as I did a quick scan of the room. A group of teenagers huddled in the small sofa area at the front of the café, giggling as they watched something playing on one of their tablets. Excited vibrations swam over their group, filling the room with youthful optimism.
A few tables over, the sheriff sat in uniform with his daughter, his vibrations and aura tangled and constricted, betraying the positive exterior he exhibited for his daughter’s sake.
My breath caught when my eyes landed on a man sitting alone at one of the tables near the wall. Our eyes met, and the air charged with intense energy. His vibrations felt … different. My stomach tightened and my cheeks warmed as we maintained eye contact. I quickly turned away to catch my breath and pretended to survey the rest of the room, although everyone else had become a blur. When I looked back in his direction, his attention was on his menu.
“Earth to Everly,” Molly’s voice buzzed in my ear. “Are you going to get those new tables?”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. I got distracted.” I hurried and grabbed a notepad and pen from behind the counter, then hustled to the new customers.
“Hi, Sheriff Baze, and hello, Piper. How are you two this evening?”
The young girl stopped her doodling on paper and smiled up at me. “My daddy’s going to let me take one of your soap-making classes,” Piper said in her chipper voice.
The sheriff smiled fondly at his daughter, who had inherited his unique eye condition. Each had one blue and one brown eye, with each iris containing specks of the other eye color sprinkled within. Their unusual eye color stood out all the more against their shining dark hair and caramel skin.
“Well,” the sheriff responded, “I suppose that’d be okay, as long as it’s safe?” He looked at me questioningly.
“Oh, it’s safe, Sheriff. We only use all-natural and organic products. And we have a class designed just for the youngsters.” I leaned down to match Piper’s level. “We put special surprises inside the soap,” I revealed with a touch of dramatic flair, and winked at Piper.
Her eyes grew wide, and she clapped with excitement.
“Ooh, can I, Daddy? Can I?” Piper asked as she bounced in her chair.
The sheriff laughed, and his vibrations relaxed a bit. “It looks like you just got yourself a new student,” he said.
“Yay! Thank you, Daddy!” Piper picked up her crayon and continued her doodling.
“I’ll bring you a schedule of upcoming classes and the paperwork you’ll need to sign Piper up. She’s going to love it! So, what can I get you two tonight?”
As I jotted down the sheriff’s order, I sneaked a quick glance toward the stranger sitting alone. His long, muscular form leaned back casually as he gazed toward the large front windows, observing the group of teens. His energy radiated around him, giving his skin a faint glow. He turned his head and looked directly at me, and my entire body flushed with heat.
The sheriff’s voice cut through my daze. “And I would like a pot of your Headache Remedy tea.”
“Okay, you got it, Sheriff. I’ll go get that started.”
My heartbeat sped as I approached the next table.
“He’s so hot!” Molly whispered in my ear as she passed, carrying a tray full of rattling mugs and a steaming teapot.
I shot her a glare and turned back toward the man sitting alone. Hot was an understatement.
I mean, seriously, is he even human with those blue-green eyes and that golden hair?
His energy exerted confidence, but I could tell by his expression and posture that it wasn’t a cocky confidence, just that of someone completely comfortable in his own skin.
He’d combed his hair back, revealing strong bone structure and a stare that made my legs wobbly. His honeyed five-o’clock shadow had the same golden hue as his hair and added an edge to his look.
I resisted the urge to reach out and gently touch the arm he had draped over the vacant chair next to him.
He watched me with a devilish grin, and I realized I’d been standing there a little too long without saying anything.
“Um … hi. My name’s Everly. Can I start you off with something to drink?”
“I’d love a pot of Wake Me Up.”
A sexy voice, too. Not too deep or high-pitched, but just the right tone to wake something up in me.
I caught myself staring at his lips, and a knowing expression lit up his face.
My mouth pulled up into a nervous smile. “Sure, I’ll be right back with that.” I fumbled as I reached for his menu, and it slipped down to the floor, skimming past my shiny maroon clogs.
The tips of my ears burned with embarrassment as he picked up the menu and handed it back to me.
“Thanks.” I took the menu and sped away behind the employee counter.
“Wow!” exclaimed Molly. “I’ve never seen you so fidgety around a guy before.”
“I’m not fidgety, Molls,” I said as I fanned my face with a menu to cool the stinging.
“He must be new in town. I’ve never seen him around before,” she said, ignoring my rebuttal.
“Molly—please stop staring at him. He’s going to notice. Oh, and could you grab me a class schedule and registration packet? Sheriff Baze is going to sign Piper up for a class.”
“Oh, that’s great. It’s good to see them getting out after … what happened,” Molly whispered as she handed me the paperwork.
“Yeah, it is. Shame that—”
“What are you two gossiping about?” Ty craned his head over the kitchen bar. His copper skin glistened from the heat of the grill.
“Hey, Ty, and we’re not gossiping, just making observations. Can I get a slice of the daily quiche?”
“Your wish is my command, my lady,” he said with a bow of his head, his straight, dark hair bending forward over his trademark bandanna.
“You’re such a dork,” Molly and I said simultaneously, and the three of us laughed.
“Okay, you guys. Let’s get back to work.”
I delivered the stranger’s tea order. “It needs to steep for at least five minutes,” I instructed. The teacup rattled atop the glass plate as my shaky hand set it on the table, next to his teapot.
Molly’s right, he does make me fidgety.
I got an odd sensation in his presence, like he knew what I was feeling, and I wasn’t used to being on the opposite end of that spectrum. I was tempted to let my guard down and use my ability to fully get a sense of his inner emotions, but that would selfishly violate his privacy.
It’s just my nerves. That’s all.
“Thank you,” he said, looking at me quizzically. I’d been staring again for longer than appropriate. He was probably wondering if something was wrong with me.
“You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can get you?”
“No, thanks. Just the tea.”
“Okay, then. Enjoy your tea, and I’ll check back on you in a bit.” I smiled and walked away, feeling like an idiot.
I noticed him watching me as I delivered the sheriff’s order. I glanced away and focused on the task at hand.
“One slice of daily quiche with a special treat for our newest soap maker, and for the sheriff, one pot of Headache Remedy with your favorite lavender-and-honey scone. You two enjoy, and I hope to see you in class real soon, Piper.”
She nodded eagerly while she ate her cookie, crumbs falling from her mouth and garnishing the top of her quiche.
Such a sweet girl.
I looked forward to teaching her how to blend herbs into the perfectly scented soap.
The night continued to bring in a steady stream of customers. I tried to keep my attention from the stranger as I moved from table to table, his unique energy a constant presence in the café. With every movement, my body wanted to turn toward his table, but Molly had already eagerly refilled his teapot. I noticed him watching me more than once, but not in a creepy way. His vibrations indicated a curiosity, a curiosity I also felt toward him.
I wondered again if it was possible, but no, it couldn’t be. I’d met no one else with my ability, or any unusual abilities, for that matter. Without thinking, I set the tray of dirty dishes down and moved toward his table. I was almost there when the door chimed and a familiar face walked in.
“Jasper! What are you doing here?”
“Hey, Evs.” He lifted me off the ground into a hug and gently set me back down. “What? Can’t I come and visit my best friend?”
“Of course, but I thought you still had finals in Portland.”
“I finished early. I’m on my way home to my parents, but I wanted to see you first.”
I looked up into his big amber eyes, and my whole body relaxed in his presence. “It's great that you're finally home. I’ve missed you.”
“Now that’s the welcome I was expecting,” he teased with a grin, and there it was, that flash in his eyes, the same look he’d had before he left for a summer term at Portland State University. I’d hoped it was temporary, but now I worried it wasn’t.
“Hey, Jasper.” Ty popped out from the kitchen. “What’s up, man?” He waved Jasper over.
“Go on.” I nudged Jasper with my hip. “I’ve got tables to bus.”
Jasper squeezed my arm before heading off to catch up with Ty.
When I looked back toward the stranger, cash sat on his table, and he was gone. My stomach tightened and a frown formed. I looked out of the front windows and glimpsed him dashing through the parking lot. He stopped at the guardrail that overlooked the river, and a man approached him.
Wait a minute. Is that Creagan he’s talking to? I thought he was meeting my mom.
I moved closer to the window for a better look.
Do they know each other? Maybe Creagan was running late and thought he was meeting my mom here at the café.
I squinted. The two men chatted rapidly, Creagan casting glances over his shoulder.
Strange. I shook my head. Maybe the stranger had just stopped Creagan to ask for directions to some place.
“Excuse me, miss?” a customer called out.
I turned to attend to the customer, and when I looked back, Creagan and the man were nowhere in sight.
How odd. If Creagan thought he was meeting my mom here, wouldn’t he have come in?
I’d have to ask my mom about it later.
I picked up the tray of dishes I’d set down and took them to the kitchen. Jasper and Ty stood near the walk-in cooler, talking excitedly about a video game they both loved.
“Okay, man. I’ll catch up with you later,” I heard Ty say as Jasper headed in my direction.
“I better get home. My parents want to see me before they leave on their trip. I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m off tomorrow. Come by in the morning, and I’ll make breakfast.”
“Deal!” Jasper kissed the top of my head and left the kitchen.
The rest of the night flew by, and before I knew it, it was closing time.
Molly and Ty helped clean the café to a shine, and the three of us were just heading for the door when the phone rang.
“You two go on. I’ll lock up. It’s probably just my mom calling to see how the night went.”
I ran to get the phone before the automated voice mail answered. “Craft Haus Café. How may I help you?”
“Everly!” the voice demanded.
My senses went on immediate alert.
“This is Everly. Who am I speaking to?”
“Everly—” a man said in a frantic whisper and paused. Ruffling sounds came from the other end, and then the voice spoke again. “This is Creagan. I need to see you. It’s urgent. Can I meet you at the café?”
I hadn’t realized it was Creagan’s voice at first. He normally sounded calm and soft-spoken, but now his tone carried grit and tension—like he was desperate.
Mom must have told him I was here when they met up earlier, but that didn’t explain why he would need to see me. Why hadn’t he come in earlier, when I saw him talking with the stranger?
“I don’t know,” I responded. “I’m just closing up the café and heading out. You can tell me now over the phone.” I glanced nervously at the front door. I’d left it unlocked when I ran to answer the phone. A creepiness crawled up the back of my neck.
“It must be in person. I don’t mean to frighten you, but you’ll understand once you know what I need to tell you.”
I hesitated to respond, but Creagan was a friend of my mother’s, and I’d sensed nothing mistrustful of him over the years.
“How soon can you be here?” I asked him.
“I’m five minutes away.”
“Okay, I was just locking up. I’ll wait for you out front.”
There was no answer on the other end, and the call disconnected.
I locked up the café and got in my car, which was parked in the space right out front of the entrance. I locked my car doors, then started the engine and kept it idling as I waited. The tone of Creagan’s voice unsettled me. I sensed he was genuinely afraid of something or someone. Maybe that was what he wanted to tell me. But why would he come to me? We barely knew each other outside of the occasional chitchat when he visited my mom.
Five minutes passed, and no sign of him. I glanced out of my windshield and side windows to see if anyone was heading in my direction. The sky was dark and lit only by the stars and a few streetlights, so it was hard to see too far into the distance, but no pedestrians were within visible range, and no vehicles drove in my direction. I waited another ten minutes, then put the car in gear and backed out of my parking spot. Just to be safe, I drove around the block in case he was running behind. Unsure of whether he was driving or walking, I had already waited for a sufficient amount of time. With a dreadful feeling in my gut, I made my way home, a nagging sense of unease lingering in the air. 
Chapter 2
Bright lights were aglow in the windows on all three floors of our house as I pulled into the drive, and several vehicles were parked in the front gravel lot, which didn't surprise me. Bunco night could sometimes last until the early hours of the morning with my mom’s eccentric group of friends. I drove around to the back of the house and parked in my normal spot, closest to the guest house, which I’d turned into my own apartment after high school graduation.
Leaning against my car, I couldn't help but replay the odd phone call with Creagan in my mind.
There was fear in his voice, I’m sure of it, but why? What could he have been afraid of that involved telling me something so urgent?
I considered talking to my mom about it tonight, but then a flickering light coming from one of the third-floor windows caught my attention, and I saw shadows dancing from within the room.
I’d wait until tomorrow. I didn’t want to interrupt her good time.
Creagan's strange behavior must have a reasonable explanation.
I walked through the outdoor herb garden and closed my eyes, breathing in the herbal scents. Echoes of laughter escaped the house and mingled with the chirping of the hiding crickets and tree frogs. A light wind blew and rustled a nearby lavender bush. I reached out and picked a stem covered in plump purple buds, then rolled it between the palms of my hands. The freshly crushed buds released an intoxicating scent.
Sensing an unfamiliar energy, I paused in my tracks. It wasn’t coming from the house. I peered out at the dark forest of Douglas fir trees surrounding our property. Something angry was lurking in their shadows. I scanned the woods, but it was too dark to see anything out there. The creeping sensation I had back at the café returned, and the back of my neck prickled with goose bumps. I let down my guard just slightly and allowed my “sixth sense,” as I liked to call it, to activate. Closing my eyes, I focused on what direction the vibrations came from. It wasn’t an animal—the make of the energy felt connected to a person. I focused harder on tracking the energy back to its source, but it was fading deeper into the woods. I took a few steps toward the trees and considered following it, but then I heard the back porch door creak open.
“Hey, Evs,” called a familiar voice. “Come in here and help us win some of our cash back from your mom, will ya?”
My guard snapped back into place as I turned toward the silhouette leaning out of the partially opened door.
“Ha! I know better than to bet against Mom when she’s on a roll. You guys are on your own tonight. I’m exhausted and gonna call it a night.”
“Okay, hon.” She smiled. “Get some rest.”
“Thanks, Selkie. Will you tell my mom that I’m home and calling it a night?”
“You got it, Evs. See you later, sweetie.”
I turned back toward the forest as my guard slipped back down. A wave of sensations completely engulfed me as I opened myself up to feeling everything. Emotions of love and friendship and a touch of envy vibrated from the house, but nothing came from the woods. Whatever had been lurking there before was gone now.
I pulled my phone out and dialed Jasper’s number as I headed toward my apartment.
Jasper’s voice answered. “Hey, Ev. What’s up?”
“Are you busy?”
I heard clicking on the other end of the line. “Nope, just surfing the net and plotting out my next Warcraft move. Why?”
“Can you come over? Something kind of weird happened tonight.”
“Of course. But what’s going on?” Jasper must have set his phone down and switched to speaker mode, because his voice faded in and out with his movements.
I stopped on my deck and looked out at the woods, searching again for anything out of the ordinary. “Now, don’t freak out, but I sensed someone lurking around out in the woods when I got home tonight. Whoever it was is gone now, or far enough away that I can’t sense their presence anymore, but I’m a little uneasy, and I was hoping you’d come check the area with me.”
Keys jingled over the speaker. “Is your mom home?” Jasper’s tone had gone from casual to serious.
“Yeah, but it’s her girls’ night, and I don’t want to worry them all, since whoever it was seems to have moved on.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in five.”
“Thanks, Jasp.”
I slid the key into the doorknob to unlock my apartment door and paused, feeling for any vibrations just to be sure before I went inside. The experience with Creagan and then the presence in the woods had put me on edge. I shook my head. I was probably just tired and overreacting.
I flipped on the lights and tossed my bag onto the small kitchen island counter top, next to my unfinished crossword puzzle. The temperature wasn’t cold, but my bones trembled with a chill. I clicked the thermostat up a couple of degrees and grabbed the hooded sweater I’d left hanging over one of the bar stools. I pulled the sweater down over my head and readjusted my ponytail.
Jasper’s Ninja motorcycle crunched over the gravel as he parked out front. I opened the utility drawer in the kitchen and found two small flashlights and clicked the buttons to make sure they both had some life, then hurried back outside.
Jasper was already off his bike and scanning the woods with a baseball bat strapped to his back. “What direction did you sense the energy coming from?”
“I’m not exactly sure. Someone interrupted me while I was trying to figure it out, and then it disappeared. I don’t sense anything now, but I’d feel better having a look around. Here.” I tossed him a flashlight and started walking toward the woods.
Jasper moved to block my path, his tall frame hovering over me. “Oh, no you don’t. I’m going to look around by myself. You should go inside the house with your mom.”
I met Jasper’s stern expression with my own. “That’s totally out of the question. No way am I letting you go out there alone, and besides, I’m the one with the ability. Someone could sneak up on you without you knowing.”
Jasper narrowed his eyes. “Why are you so stubborn?”
“Why are you so overprotective?” I countered.
He released a sigh. “Okay, but stay behind me.”
“Seriously, Jasp. Have you forgotten that we hold the same-level black belt?”
His scowl deepened, and his posture remained fixed in place.
“All right, fine,” I acquiesced. “Let’s just get moving.”
Jasper turned, and we both crept toward the woods. I was thankful I’d put the sweater on, since the temperature seemed to have dropped a few degrees already.
Jasper pointed, indicating which direction he wanted to go. His dark hair and clothing blended with the night shadows as he led the way into the forest.
The tree-tops created a canopy of darkness, making it impossible to see what was in front of us.
Something soft and sticky clung to my forehead, and I reached up to peel the spiderweb I had just walked through from my skin.
I carefully clicked on my flashlight inside my sweater pocket to muffle any noise as we wove between trees. Jasper left his flashlight unused in his pocket. Instead, he pulled his baseball bat from his backpack and held it poised to swing.
The scratch of claws on bark caught my attention, and I turned, pointing my flashlight to see a raccoon scurrying up a tree. It stopped for a moment and observed us. The light of my flashlight reflected in its pitch-black eyes before it disappeared somewhere into the branches.
Jasper cinched up to my side. “Do you sense anything?”
“No. It’s just us and the night creatures. It must have just been someone passing through. Maybe one of the neighbors was upset and walking it off through the woods.”
Jasper looked at me with a dubious expression. “Yeah, maybe, but I’m staying over tonight just to be safe.”
The wind rustled through the leaves, causing me to shiver and adding a stutter to my words. “I … I’d like that. It’s been a … a weird night.”
“Come on. Let’s get you back to some warmth.” Jasper wrapped his arm around me, and I got a whiff of spice and wood from his leather jacket as we ran arm in arm back to my apartment.
We flew up the balcony steps, taking two at a time, and pushed through my front door. “Ahh … It feels so good in here.” My jaw jittered as I pulled a fleece blanket out of the small, round cream-colored storage ottoman and hopped onto the matching sofa, tucking the blanket over me. The soft fleece quickly warmed my skin.
Glasses clinked from the kitchen as Jasper rummaged through the cupboard and pulled out two mugs. He heaped cocoa powder into each mug without measuring, as usual. I’d given up on asking him to use the measuring scoop years ago.
The kitchen and living room made up one large space in the apartment’s open floor plan, each distinguished by its furniture and fixtures.
Jasper moved around with comfort and familiarity, pulling out the cinnamon and whipped cream. He’d shed his leather jacket when we came in, and his bronze skin stood out against his dark-cocoa hair and snug black T-shirt and black cargo pants. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, and his mouth lifted in a smile when he saw me watching him.
“So, tell me what happened earlier that got you weirded out,” he said over the running kitchen faucet as he filled the kettle.
My eyes drifted to a framed picture of the two of us, taken on the beach, that was propped on my wooden bookcase. Jasper was laughing about something just as the image was captured and had a big cheesy smile on his face.
“Well, you know my mom’s friend Creagan, who visits from out of town sometimes?”
Jasper nodded, leaning against the kitchen island. “Yeah, what about him?” he said, tilting the whipped cream toward his mouth and filling it with cream.
“I got this really strange phone call from him tonight, when I was closing the café. He said he had something urgent to tell me and insisted on meeting right away. I waited for him, but then he never showed. It was totally weird, and his voice sounded … I don’t know … afraid?”
Jasper’s brow furrowed. “That is strange. I wonder what it was all about.” He pulled the whistling kettle from the stove and filled our mugs, spraying them with whipped cream and sprinkling the tops with cinnamon.
“I have no idea,” I replied, pulling my ponytail free and transforming it into a loose bun. The tightness in my scalp relaxed immediately.
“It’s not like we were that close. He and my mom usually spend their time together away from the house when he visits. In fact, she left the café early today to meet him while he was passing through. I’m going to talk to her about it tomorrow.”
Jasper sat down next to me and said, “That’s a good idea. I think you should mention the presence in the woods, too. Even if it was just a neighbor, she should know.” He took a big mouthful of whipped cream from his mug, giving himself a creamy mustache. “How do I look? Irresistible?” He wiggled his eyebrows, and his amber eyes twinkled with mischief.
“More like a doofus. How about me?” I dipped my lips in the frothy whipped cream and smiled as the melting cream slid down my chin.
Jasper reached over and scooped the dripping cream from my chin, then ate it off his finger. “You look like a sugar-coated goddess.”
I rolled my eyes. “Like I said, doofus.” I gulped down my cocoa. “Well, I’m beat.” I set my mug down next to the lamp on the end table. “I’ll go get you a pillow and blanket.”
“Hey, now. Wouldn’t you feel safer with this big hunk of muscle snuggled up next to you?”
“In your dreams.” I ruffled the top of his dark, wavy hair. And there it was, that look again. The unspoken look that said he wanted more.
More of something I’m not sure I’m ready for.
“Oh, ouch.” Jasper dramatically placed his hand over his heart.
I averted my attention to picking up my empty mug and hoped he wouldn’t voice the words that had been on the tip of his tongue so many times recently.
He stood up and smiled awkwardly. “I’ll go grab the blanket and pillow, Ev.”
“Thanks for staying.” I lifted the throw pillows from the sofa and tossed them next to the ottoman to make more room for Jasper.
“Of course,” he replied, then turned down the hall toward the linen closet.
A silent tension hung in the air as we both moved quietly, completing our tasks. Jasper settled onto the sofa, while I flipped the lights off. His fingers brushed my arm when I leaned near to switch off the end-table lamp. “Night, Ev. I’m here if you need a warm body to snuggle up to.” He laughed, and I pulled his blanket over his head.
“Night, Jasp,” I said, sternly.
I closed my bedroom door and pulled out the sketchbook and colored pencils I kept in my nightstand drawer. My hand started moving across the page, and after a few minutes, a pair of blue-green eyes stared back at me from the paper.
Would I ever see those eyes again?
I tossed the sketchbook aside and opened my journal, adding today’s entry.
I stared at my last words:
What was Creagan trying to tell me, and why did he sound so afraid?