Page 23 of A Memory in the Flame

“Lovely choices,” the woman says with another warm smile. “Eucalyptus is a wonderful aid for stress.”

I push the coins toward her with a short laugh. “Am I that obvious?”

“The tension in your body is stressingmeout, honey.” She pulls out a paper bag with the store logo stamped on the front and places my items inside, wrapped in some tissue paper.

“Do you happen to have this scent in any other products?” I ask her. “Maybe something I can hook up to an IV?”

She laughs softly. “We have a lavender pillow spray that helps with sleep.”

I shrug and reach for more coins. “Sure, why not? Toss it in there.”

“My treat,” the woman says, placing the small plastic bottle into the bag before sliding it toward me.

Her kindness affects me more strongly than I expect it to, and I lower my gaze, hoping to hide the sudden sheen in them. “Thank you very much.”

“Have a good night. I hope to see you again.”

“You, too.” I offer a small wave on my way to the door, then step back out onto the cobblestone street. The rain has stopped, so I leave my hood down as I start walking.

A shop door opens, and my pulse jumps when Noah steps out. His eyes find mine instantly, as if he was expecting me. “Stalker isn’t a cute look on you, baby vampire,” he says with a smirk, meeting me halfway.

I roll my eyes at him and hold up my shopping bag. “Unless you frequent the soap shop, don’t flatter yourself.”

He chuckles as a group of girls hurry past us into the shop I just exited. “So this is what Charlotte Travesty does on her day off, huh?”

I can’t stop a wistful thought about my garden. Out loud I say, “I guess so. Can’t say I was expecting to see you doing the same, though.”

“Yeah, well, I’d rather be working, but Sylvia makes us take this day off every year.” An instant after he finishes speaking, Noah lips press into a thin line, as if he said something he shouldn’t have.

“Why?” I ask, despite that I know a truthful answer is unlikely.

Just as I expect him to, Noah’s expression closes, like a door slamming shut. “We’re not friends, halfling.”

But even though I expected it, I still experience a small stab of hurt. “Okay. Why don’t we just walk in opposite directions and pretend we didn’t see each other then?” I suggest.

“That’s an idea.” Noah shoves his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. “Or I could take you somewhere.”

“Why?”

He takes a wide step closer and lowers his voice. “Because if there’s something I want, I don’t hide from it.”

“No,” I say quietly, forcing my gaze to hold his, “you just take it.”

“Unapologetically.” Before I can track his movement, Noah catches one of my curls, pulling it straight before letting go. “Come on. The night isn’t getting any longer.”

Noah and I walk down the streets of Wardthorpe until the shops thin out. As we continue toward Oldbel, the rain starts again. I pull my hood up in a futile attempt to prevent my hair from becoming a bird’s nest. When a sign for Calyape Park eventually comes into view, my pulse quickens. I jump when Noah’s hand touches the small of my back, and my eyes snap to his. “You’re scared,” the vampire murmurs, looking down at me.

“You brought me into the woods,” I say defensively. “You don’t see why that’s a little concerning?”

Noah smirks. “If I wanted to kill you, Charlotte, you’d be dead a thousand times over already.”

I scowl and shove him away. “Quit being creepy and tell me where we’re going.”

Noah purses his lips speculatively, drawing my attention to them. His tone matches the amusement in his eyes as he asks, “Now where’s the fun in that?”

“Yeah, well, I’m betting if I walk away, you’ll just carry me again,” I mutter, stomping forward. Leaves and dirt crunch under my boots, and Noah radiates amusement as he easily keeps pace. Within minutes, the sound of moving water reaches my heightened hearing.

Before I can comment on it, we come to a break in the trees, and my eyes immediately go to the towering waterfall. It has to be at least twenty feet above us, with water cascading down, crashing against the rocks beneath. Then it disappears into the trees.

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