Shadows & Secrets (Lick of Fire Book 4) Read online

  “When do I have to make a decision?” I asked the lawyer, pushing down the hurt at my father’s continual rejection.

  “You don’t. Your actions will dictate what happens next. If you leave?” He shrugs, “the house will sit empty for twelve months and then I will arrange the sale. If you stay? Well you decide at the end of the year what you want to do.”

  “So I can’t return to Alaska? At all? To get my things even?”

  “No. You must not leave Maxxan, at all, for the next twelve months.”

  “Then I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.” Darting across the room I snatched the bottle of whiskey and fled the lounge room, bounding up the stairs, two at a time, electricity dancing over my skin. Trapped. I was trapped. How could Grandma do this to me?

  Slamming the bedroom door, I sank to the floor at the end of the bed, spun the lid off the whiskey and took a healthy gulp. It burned but it was nothing compared to the fire my demon was igniting. I was tired. And hot. It was too hot to think, think straight anyway. I could hear muted voices downstairs, most likely talking about me, about what this meant, for all of them. I couldn’t stay. It simply wasn’t an option. Which would mean this beautiful old house would sit empty for a year. Be neglected. Then sold. The neglect would affect the sale. But then, my cousins didn’t want the house sold, they wanted it kept in the family. Maybe they could all pool together and buy it, at a reduce price because it hadn’t been maintained. I clung to that thought.

  Someone knocked at my door, then banged. Mom calling to me, then joined by more voices. I ignored them all. Today had been shitty enough with my bizarre encounter with Agent Jordan Buchannan and his talk of vampires and fire demons. I’d never in a million years expected it to end like this. Slowly the noise outside my door abated. They wanted to sway me, one way or the other. I didn’t need swaying; my decision was made. In the morning I’d be on the bus.

  Chapter Four

  “Want to ride on my back, sugarplum?” Grandpa asked, glancing down at my small hand curled around his. “We lost track of time and Grandma is going to be mad at us if we’re late for supper.”

  I giggled, then nodded. I loved walking in the hills with Grandpa, searching for mushrooms. He promised me they were out there, but we’d never found any. Ever. Only today they’d walked a little further and the sun had dipped over the horizon, twilight bathing the hills in shadows.

  “Come on then. Jump up.” He crouched and I scampered behind him and jumped, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs as far around his waist as I could reach. He looped his elbows behind my knees to keep me anchored in place.

  It was soothing, being rocked as he walked, and I must have dozed off for the next thing I knew I was flying through the air, landing hard on the ground.

  “Ow.” I whimpered, rubbing my elbow. It was dark now. Grandma would be mad. But…where was Grandpa? Peering through the darkness I tried to find him, but couldn’t, I couldn’t see anything. “Grandpa?”

  “Run sugarplum!” There. To my left. The sounds of grunting and shuffling.

  “Grandpa?” I called again, struggling to my feet. I headed toward the sound.

  “No, Rae! Run! Run as fast as you can, it’s vampires!” Grandpa yelled. My eyes had adjusted to the dark now and I could make out the shadow figures, three of them. One was Grandpa. But what did he mean, vampires? What was a vampire? I stood, uncertain. He wanted me to run, I recognized the urgency in his voice and it finally penetrated that we were in danger. I had to get help. Turning, I ran!

  “Not so fast bambino!” I was swept off my feet by an arm around my waist. I screamed, Grandpa screamed my name in response and then he was running toward me.

  “You let her go!” He thundered, a shot of fire shooting from his hand, lighting up the night. The man holding me shot to the side so fast my neck snapped painfully. The bolt of fire missed its mark. The other man, vampire, leapt onto Grandpa’s back, opened his mouth wide and then sunk his teeth into Grandpa’s neck. Grandpa roared in pain, struggled to dislodge the vampire, the scent of blood heavy in the air.

  The vampire holding me caught the scent of the blood and tossed me to the ground, I caught a glimpse of his glowing red eyes a second before he pounced on Grandpa, teeth ripping into his shoulder. Grandpa’s head snapped back, mouth open to scream but no sound, only a strange slurping noise and I knew, I knew he was dying. They were killing him.

  Struggling to my feet I ran toward them, nothing but a child against two vampires in the throes of blood lust. I tugged at the vampires leg and he kicked me away. Sliding along the ground several feet, my skin burned from the impact. Then a loud thud next to me and I looked into the lifeless eyes of my Grandfather.

  “Grandpa?” I whispered, hand shaking as I reached for him, touched his face with my fingers, feeling tears wet my cheeks, “wake up Grandpa.”

  “Now for dessert.” The vampire was looking at me and I knew he meant to kill me too. Rising to my hands and knees I attempted to crawl away but he caught my ankle and hoisted me into the air, laughing at my cries as he held me upside down.

  “You want first taste?” He asked his friend, laughing.

  “Nah, you caught her. Go ahead.”

  “Children have the sweetest blood.” He murmured, holding me effortlessly as I continued to twist and struggle, kicking out with my free leg. The blood was rushing to my head and I felt strange. Then he bit me. His teeth sunk into the back of my calf and I screamed, the sound long and loud and echoing through the hills. Pain shot through me and I cried for my mom. For help. But no help was coming.

  “Argh!” Unexpectedly the vampire dropped me, clutching his throat. I fell to the ground in a heap, barely able to see for the tears in my eyes.

  “What is it?” The other vampire rushed to his friend’s side, while the vampire who’d bitten her coughed and choked, foaming blood flying from his mouth. His blood or hers? For while I was watching something was happening. To me. I burned. All over, inside and out, I felt like I was on fire and it was excruciating, my insides were burning, lava pumping through my veins where once blood had travelled. The vampires were forgotten as I writhed on the ground, scream after scream torn from my throat. I felt like I was too big for my skin, that I was going to tear free from my body. My last conscious thought was that I was going to die here. With my Grandpa. At least we’d be together. Then nothing, nothing but darkness as oblivion claimed me.

  * * *

  Sitting up in bed, I clutched at my chest, trying to suck in a breath. I was covered in sweat, my hair damp with it, the shirt I’d slept in soaked. I hadn’t dreamed of that night in years, but being here, in this house, brought it all back. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I sat, trembling. Right now, I’d give my left arm for some of the drugs they’d pumped into me at the asylum, for they numbed everything, took away the pain, the anger, the hurt. But I didn’t have the drugs anymore. I’d gone cold-turkey the day I’d walked out the gates and I hadn’t looked back, hadn’t craved them. Until now.

  Breathe. Inhaling through my nose and exhaling through my mouth, I focused on the simple act of breathing until my trembling stopped. A slightly hysterical laugh escaped for no apparent reason other than the ridiculousness of it all. Why had Grandma laid a trap for me? Why would she want me to stay? I was a lost cause. I knew it, hell everyone knew it. Why bother trying to change me now?

  Reaching out I wrapped my fingers around the whisky bottle on the bedside table. Taking a swig, I embraced the burn, welcomed the numbness it would eventually bring. If I couldn’t block out the memories with drugs, alcohol would have to do. I sat on the edge of the bed and drank as if my life depended on it, until the room began to bend and sway, until the bottle was empty and slipped through my fingers to fall with a soft thud on the carpet. I flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

  “Don’t matter none Grandma,” I slurred, “I mean, kudos to you, great plan ‘n all, but I’m not staying. In the morning I’ll be on that bus, ain
’t nothin’ you can do to stop it.”

  Chapter Five

  “Are you kidding me?” Throwing my phone onto the bed in frustration, I watched as it bounced, twice, then fell to the floor on the opposite side. “Fucking great.” I’d forgotten to charge it and now the battery was dead.

  Cursing I rounded the bed and scooped it from the floor, ignoring the throbbing in my head as I shoved it into the side pocket of my backpack. I’d been about to call a taxi to take me into town when I’d discovered the black, unresponsive screen. Backpack in one hand and coat in the other I ran downstairs and into the kitchen, snatched the landline receiver from the wall and listened for a dial tone. None was forthcoming. Damn it, they’d cancelled Grandma’s service already? How surprisingly efficient.

  “I’m not staying Grandma.” I muttered, rummaging in the kitchen drawers, “I know you think you’ve thought of everything old woman, but you’ve underestimated me this time.” Triumphantly I pulled out a set of car keys and held them up, a grin on my face.

  Outside I wrestled the garage door open then stood looking at the blue hatch covered in dust. The tires were low but not totally flat, I figured I had enough air to get me into town. That’s if I could get the car started. Clearly Grandma hadn’t driven it in a long time.

  Climbing into the drivers seat I tossed my backpack and coat on to the passenger seat and slid the key into the ignition. Closing my eyes on a prayer I turned the key. Nothing. Total silence.

  “No!” My yell echoed around the garage, the sound bouncing from wall to wall. Blowing out a frustrated breath I popped the hood. One thing I remembered dad always telling me – if you weren’t going to drive a car for a period of time, disconnect the battery. I hoped that was the case here. Moving to the front of the car I felt for the release catch, then lifted, closing my eyes for a quick silent prayer before looking down into the engine bay.

  “Eureka.” Sure enough, the battery cables lay across the engine, disconnected from the battery. Propping the hood open I reconnected everything before slamming the hood shut. This time when I turned the key in the ignition the engine turned over and with a couple of pumps on the accelerator I managed to coax it into life. A rattly, coughing life, but the engine was running and I just needed it to stay that way long enough to get me into town.

  Throwing it into reverse I backed out of the garage, squinting against the glare of the sun on the dusty windshield. Flicking on the windscreen wipers to try and disperse some of the dust, I slammed it into drive and peeled down the driveway, gripping the steering wheel tight as it fought me every step of the way.

  Grandma’s car was almost as old as Grandma herself, which meant no such thing as power steering or electric windows. For a small hatchback it handled like a truck and I broke a sweat manhandling the small car around the corners. I was almost to town when flashing blue and red lights appeared in the rearview mirror.

  “You have GOT to be kidding me!” Flipping on the indicator I pulled over, my fingers gripping the steering wheel extra tight as electricity danced over my knuckles. Breathe.

  “License and Registration.” The Sheriff appeared at the window, hands on hips. I squinted up at him. He looked fresh in the early morning light, unlike me who’d already worked up a sweat and a quick glance at my dusty clothes told me I looked like I’d been rolling around on the dirt road.

  “Sure.” Leaning over I punched the button on the glove box and dug around inside for the papers. Finding them I handed them to him without looking while I dug through my purse for my license.

  “This is expired.” I couldn’t say his voice was happy but I could definitely sense a certain amount of satisfaction behind his words.

  “What?” Of course, the registration was expired – why wouldn’t it be? The battery had been disconnected, the car hadn’t been driven in a long, long, time. Why hadn’t I thought to check the registration? But then who was I kidding? Even if I’d known I’d have taken the risk and driven it anyway. I had to be on that bus. Had to be.

  “Step out of the car please ma’am.” He opened the door and held it open. With a grimace I did as instructed.

  “Look Sheriff, I apologize, I didn’t think to check the registration, my bad. The thing is, I’ve got a ticket on the eight o’clock bus. My phone died, Grandma’s phone is disconnected and I had no way of calling a cab. Using her car is my last resort to catching that bus.”

  “It’s the drivers responsibility to check the vehicle they are in control of has the appropriate and valid registration.” He sounded like a robot and I ground my back teeth but remained silent.

  “It’s also the drivers responsibility to make sure the vehicle is road worthy before getting behind the wheel.”

  “Of course it is.” Refusing to look at him I gazed off in the distance. Could I walk it from here? I could see the silhouette of Maxxan on the horizon, it would take at least twenty minutes if I started walking now.

  “What’s the time?” I asked. He glanced at his watch, “seven forty-five” Damn it. Not enough time to walk it. A jog might cut it. Unless I could convince the Sheriff to give me a lift.

  “Sheriff, I need to get on that bus.”

  “You’ll be on your way soon enough.” Pulling out a notepad he slowly circled Grandma’s car, making notes. I waited. It crossed my mind that I could steal his truck, for it sat parked behind me, lights still flashing, engine running.

  “I wouldn’t.” He murmured, still writing.

  “Sheriff you’ve made it pretty clear you’d like me out of this town, I would have thought at this point in time you’d see yourself clear to helping me. The longer you delay me here, the more likely it is that I’m going to miss that bus – and I’ve gotta be honest, I don’t have the money for another ticket. I miss that bus and I’m stuck here – you’re stuck with me.”

  “This vehicle is unroadworthy. Look at those tires! It’s not safe.”

  “So fine me and get it over with.”

  “Oh, I intend to. Driving an unroadworthy vehicle, driving an unregistered vehicle, the charges are stacking up. And you’ve just admitted you don’t have the funds to pay the fine.”

  “I’ve got thirty days to pay, don’t I?” I challenged, chin up, despite the sense of doom settling over me. For each second that ticked away I knew the chances of catching the bus were slimmer and slimmer. My skin was prickling, sweat was trickling down my back and not just from the heat, but my own anger. Things weren’t going my way and I wasn’t happy about it. A zap of static electricity puffed the dust at my feet.

  “What was that?” The Sheriff looked at my boots then back at my face, frowning.

  “What was what?” We eyeballed each other for several long seconds before he shrugged and began walking to his truck.

  “Am I free to go?” I asked hopefully.

  “Hardly. I need to run your license through the system. Wait there.”

  Frustration bubbled through me. I didn’t want to be here, in a town where everyone hated me, where I wasn’t liked or wanted. I longed for the freezing temperatures of Fairbanks, where I had a handful of almost friends and a job that while it didn’t make me rich, it paid the bills.

  Throwing up my hands I moved to the front of Grandmas car and leaned against the hood, arms crossed over my chest. My simple plan of getting to the bus depot had gone horribly pear shaped and if I missed the bus I was all out of luck – I had a non-refundable ticket. Then it hit me. Aunt Martha had given me a wad of cash yesterday for this very purpose! I practically fist pumped the air. Crisis averted. Yes, I’d lose out on a big chunk of money but in the whole scheme of things, all was not lost. I could grab a ticket for the next bus – and this time I’d camp at the bus depot if I had to.

  “All clean Shelton. Surprisingly.” Sheriff handed back my license, along with the fine for driving unroadworthy and unregistered.

  “Twelve hundred dollars?” I shrieked, reading the numbers in his messy handwriting.

  “You broke the law, tha
t’s the price you have to pay. If you can’t pay, thirty days in jail will suffice.”

  “Never.” Oh how I wish I could see his eyes right now, for I’d know if he was taking pleasure in punishing me like this. But his eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses and all I could see was myself reflected in them.

  “Can I go now?” I asked, stuffing the slip of paper in my back pocket. The Sheriff glanced at his watch, “you’ve missed your bus.”

  “No shit. I’ll get the next one.”

  “You just said you couldn’t afford another ticket.” He pointed out.

  “I just remembered my Aunt Martha spotted me cash for a ticket. I’m good.”

  “No. You’re not.” He shook his head, looking smug.

  “What have you done?” My voice dropped at least three octaves, coming out more of a growl, for the cocky expression on his face told me I wasn’t going to like what he had to say next.

  “Given that you have a criminal record, you can’t leave Maxxan until those fines are paid.”

  “That’s ridiculous. You’re making that shit up. I would have thought you’d be pleased to see the back of me, but with all these charges, why Sheriff, a girl could be fooled into thinking you were wanting her to stay.”

  He opened his mouth to respond when a black SUV pulled up next to us. The Sheriff shut his mouth without uttering a word.

  “Need some help here?” SIA Agent Jordan Buchanan wound down his window and rested is elbow on it, glancing from me to the Sheriff and back again.

  “Had a tip off that someone was out here driving an unregistered and unroadworthy vehicle. Decided to check it out.” The Sheriff told him, tipping his hat ever so slightly.

  “You were tipped off?” I was appalled.

  I held up my hand, cutting him off, “no. I don’t want to hear it, whatever it is you think you have to say Sheriff. You’ve done your duty here today, I’m sure the people of Maxxan are incredibly grateful that you’ve prevented my sorry ass from leaving town.” The shock had worn off and now my anger was climbing high and fast, I could feel it, thrumming through my veins, heating my skin. The flush on my cheeks wasn’t from the sun and another shot of static electricity shot from my fingertips, puffing the dust at my feet. I had to get out of here before I zapped the Sheriff with something more potent than static electricity.