Page 40 of The Tracker's Secret
I thought about what my choice would be for a moment, recalling all the scents. “I’ll have to go with a Twisted Caramel.” Caramel was my weakness.
Rosalina moaned. “It sounds delicious. Gah, I want them all.”
“We’ll buy a pint to take home. How does that sound?”
“Perfect!”
I parked in one of the few available spots. We got out of the car and walked toward the serving windows. A line of people stretched along the sidewalk. We went to the back and tried to peer at the attendants, but the glare at the windows prevented us from seeing anything.
As people walked away with their treats and huge smiles on their faces, my nose twitched with all the scents, and my mouth watered, desperate for a taste.
“This is torture,” I whined.
“I know.”
Finally, it was our turn to order. Young college and high school kids bustled around inside, dispensing custards, malts, and shakes, and topping them with all kinds of goodies. I quickly peered at all the guys working behind the counter, but none of them fit the bill. They were all Stales and on the young side.
I glanced at Rosalina and shook my head. Her mouth turned downward but went right back up as I handed over her Dutchman. After paying, we pulled aside and shoveled spoonfuls of custard into our mouths like two savages.
We made indecent sounds, licking our spoons and tasting each other’s flavors. An old woman walked by and gave us a disapproving look, but we didn’t care. She’d probably forgotten what ecstasy felt like, the poor thing.
Oddly, there was nowhere to sit, so we just stood there, hoping to catch a glimpse of Aaron’s mate, as people came and went. After we finished, we got back in line to order our take-home pint. We agreed on Brennan Blend for the flavor because... more caramel. Yum!
Suddenly, a strange sensation came over me. It was like a thrum rippling through my body, alerting me, telling me to pay attention. I straightened my back, eyes roving all around.
“Something the matter,” Rosalina asked.
“He’s here,” I said.
“You smell him?”
I shook my head.
Rosalina frowned. “Then how do you know?”
Slowly, I turned to face the parking lot.
A young man was walking toward the employee entrance. He was dressed in a khaki bottom and a yellow T-shirt like the rest of the workers and carried an apron in one hand, and a large open umbrella in the other.
I elbowed Rosalina. “That’s him.”
Her green eyes darted in his direction. “Ooh, he’s cute.”
He really was cute with his disheveled hair, smooth complexion, and intense dark eyes. He smelled of strawberries and sugar, Ted Drewes’s scents.
As he got closer, he started whistling the tune I’d heard in my trance. My heart leaped in excitement. Yep, we’d found him! Aaron would be so happy.
Rosalina scratched her head. “Uh, why is he carrying an umbrella? It’s not even raining.”
The umbrella was massive, one of those UV-blocker numbers with a reflective lining that went for over two-hundred dollars at the mall.
“Oh, no,” I said, a sinking feeling descending over me.
“Oh, no, what?” A little panic had entered her voice.
“He’s... he’s a vampire.”
Why, oh, why?!
