Asylum(21)

“Max, I’ll be fine,” I assured him in a whisper. “You need to let go of whatever issues you have with Julian and make peace. We’re going to be in these mountains for a long time.”

After a pause, Max relented. I’m right here, listening. If I hear the smallest threat, I’ll bust this door down and tear his head off.

“That’s very sweet of you, Max,” I murmured sarcastically as I stepped into Julian’s room and shut the door as instructed, much to Max’s annoyance. This room was smaller than mine, but it had the same cedar-paneled walls, slanted ceiling, and chest of drawers in the corner. A small single bed was positioned under the window, with an oil lamp on a simple pine nightstand beside it.

Julian stood about five feet away from me. He placed his food on the chest of drawers, then turned to face me. He began unbuttoning his black and green-checkered shirt.

“What are you doing?” I blurted, averting my eyes.

What’s going on in there? Max called suspiciously; I envisioned the dog’s massive head pressed up against the door.

My embarrassment brought a chuckle to Julian’s lips. So he’s capable of laughing, too.

“Relax,” he said. “You’re not my type. I need to change into that.” He jerked his chin toward the bed.

Still avoiding his bare chest, my eyes darted to a pair of long johns, several layers of warm clothing, gloves, and a balaclava lying on his bed. “Oh, you’re going for . . . a hike?” I asked.

“More like as far away from here as possible,” Julian confirmed, dropping his shirt onto the floor, giving me ample opportunity to see his tanned, lean torso. It didn’t generate the same reaction I’d had when seeing Caden with his shirt off for the first time, but I had to admit, Julian was pretty attractive, even if he was a world-class jerk. He paused to pick up the half-eaten muffin on his nightstand and inhale the rest of it.

“Um . . . ” I began, directing my eyes to the wall behind him, where a painting of a little blonde girl walking down a sidewalk hung. Good God, I’m everywhere! I gave my head a quick shake. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s dangerous out there, in the mountains. I’m pretty sure there are grizzlies,” I added for embellishment.

“Can’t be any more dangerous than staying here with that lunatic butler and those freak mutts.” He leaned over to grab the long john top and began pulling it over his head.

“But we’re a long way away from anyone else.”

“Who told you that, Leo? I don’t buy it. There’s probably a ski lodge on the other side of the ridge. How else would all this stuff get up here?” With his undershirt on, he began pulling on a second layer—a blue wool turtleneck.

“No, there probably isn’t!” I retorted, panicking as I realized that Julian was about to walk to his death for the simple fact that he had no clue what he was a part of. “You don’t know Sofie. We are nowhere near anyone. I guarantee it. She made sure of it. She doesn’t want us to be found!”

“Why?” He turned to look at me.

I faltered. “She . . . has her reasons.”

He reached back to grab a black sweater. “Well, I’m not waiting around to find out what those reasons are.” He added more sarcastically, “They’ll all be lies anyway.”

“But Julian, you have no idea where we are!”

“Yes, that’s exactly my point, Ev—what’s your name again?”

“Evangeline.”

“That’s my point, Evangeline.” He continued to speak as he yanked the sweater over his head. “One minute I’m in Manhattan and the next minute I’m in the mountains in the middle of nowhere, my parents are dead, and no one will tell me a damn thing! Do you know what it’s like to know you’re being lied to?”

I burst out in a laugh before I could control myself. My hand flew to my mouth in an attempt to contain it, and knowing I must look like a complete ass, I glanced shyly his way. He was glowering at me again. “I’m sorry, it’s just . . . I know exactly what it’s like to be lied to by everyone around me.”

Yet again, surprise flashed over Julian’s face. He crossed his arms over his chest. “How are you involved in this?”

Evangeline.

I ignored the warning. “It’s . . . a really long story and I can’t tell you a lot of it.” I saw disappointment flicker in his eyes and the sudden, overpowering urge to confess my contribution to his parents’ death, even if not intentional, took over. At least I could tell him that much. “I’m so sorry about your parents. I didn’t mean to bring all those other vampires home with me. It was just supposed to be my friends.”