Page 218 of Shifting Hearts 1

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I froze.That voice.

Annie.

The sound of it was like a knife wrapped in silk. Soft. Sharp. Familiar. Too familiar.

Tears welled up, threatening to spill. I bolted for the en-suite bathroom, turned on the cold water, and splashed my face.Not now. Do not cry.

I stared at myself in the mirror, holding onto the edge of the basin like it could keep me standing.

I couldn’t even fake being sick, vampires didn’t get sick.

From the other room, I heard Em laughing as she introduced Paul to Annie.

Annie’s laughter still sounded like wind chimes. Exactly the same.

“Natash?” Jesse’s voice came through the door.

“I’ll be there now,” I called, forcing calm in my voice.

He still knocked and I knew it was sound proof.

I rushed to the door, opened it. “Give me a sec?”

He nodded and I closed the door.

I stood up straighter and looked myself in the eye.You can do this. You have no choice. Pretend you don’t know her.

Then I stepped out of the bathroom, shoulders squared, mask in place.

Annie turned, her eyes finding mine. She smiled politely. “And who’s this?”

It almost shattered me, but I didn’t let it. I stepped forward and offered my hand.

“Natasha Seymore. Nice to meet you, Annie.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” she said, her smile soft, unreadable. “I need to see you back at the house.”

“Me?” Jesse asked.

“Oooh,” Em teased. “Your mom’s gonna read youLeviticus.”

I laughed along, though my heart was cracking beneath the sound.

Annie walked out with Jesse and Abby, and just before the door closed behind her, our eyes met one last time.

Then Abby rushed to the door. Em signed,You’re leaving?

Promise I’ll be back,she signed in return.

Then she was gone.

I stood there in the quiet, the memory of her gaze still burning in me. I never thought I’d see my sister-in-law look at me like I was something dragged in from the street, but she did.

Guess a vampire would never be enough.

TWO

JASON

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