Page 64 of King of Night

“Not of him.”She looks at the man on the floor and her heart beats faster than ever.She blinks and her lips part, as if she’s staring at a ghost.

“Then what the hell is—”

“Wait,” she says and holds out her hand.She narrows her eyes and tips her head, like she’s thinking hard about something.Letting out a sigh, she reaches into her purse and pulls out money, setting it on the counter.“Keep the change,” she tells the cashier, and grabs a water bottle.“Let’s go.”

She starts toward the door, and I turn, drawing my fangs and stare down the man on the floor.I’m not convinced he didn’t do something to Callie.He slinks back and I whirl around, going outside and getting to the car before Callie.I open the door for her and she gets in, heavily sinking onto the seat.

She looks tired and closes her eyes as soon as she sits down.I speed around and get into the driver’s side, firing up the engine.

“What happened in there?”

“Nothing.”She twists the cap off the water and takes a big drink.

“Nothing terrified you?”

“Yeah, it did.I just, uh, drank too much and am not seeing straight.”It’s a lie, and it’s only making me more curious.She recaps her water and points to the road.“Take a left once you pull out.”

I follow her directions and pass a sign welcoming us into town.

“Thorne Hill,” I read.“Interesting name for a town.”

“The woods used to be filled with thorn bushes,” she explains.“Hence the name.”

“What about the hill?”

She gives me a pointed look.“We’re in Indiana.There aren’t many hills here at all.”Her lips pull up into a smile.“Keep going through town.”

The main street in Thorne Hill runs through the downtown.It’s a stereotypical small town, looking like something set in one of those fucking lameLifetimemovies Eliza likes to watch.

“I live on the outskirts of town,” she tells me, eyes falling shut again in a long blink.“We got another ten minutes or so.”Leaning back again, Callie looks like she’s going to fall asleep again.

“That road,” she grumbles a few miles later.“Keep going until you see a brick house with a gravel driveway.Pull all the way in.”

“All the way?”I look at her with raised eyebrows and she responds with making a face.I park in front of her house and get out, going around to her door.

“Shall I walk you in?”I hold out my hand for her to take.

“In?Don’t you mean to my door?”

“Ah, so you’re not as drunk as I thought,” I say with a grin.

“Pathetic.Trying to take advantage of a drunk girl.”

“Trust me.I never have to take advantage of anyone.They give in to me willingly.More than once…if they’re lucky.”

“Please,” she retorts.It’s fun pushing her buttons, and I’ve only just gotten started.

“Lovely little house you have.”Her heels catch on loose gravel as she stumbles up to the front porch.The house is old, a century at least, and is an Italianate style.I remember when this type of house came into fashion.Eliza and I had one built up north and lived in it for fifty years before moving out west.

“Thanks.I mean, what do you care?”

“I don’t, not really, but you’ve piqued my interest.”I zoom around her, blocking her way up the stairs so I can look at her.She throws out her hand, hitting me with a shock of magic.It hurts, but the pain subsides quickly.Just the simple fact that she’s able to cause me pain so easily intrigues me even more.

“Will you stop it with the super speed?It’s annoying.”

I laugh and look down at the burn on my shoulder.It’s healing already.“That hurts.I like it.”

“You’re messed up.”

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