“Thank my stomach. If it wasn’t for mom’s leftover pasta salad calling to me in the fridge, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Probably not.”
He sat down by the counter. “I just don’t know what else to do. You know, I wonder if we should see if Abigail is still in town. She might have some ideas. She’s the only other person who’d believe us.”
“We should probably go and pay her a visit in the morning,” I said.
He looked at his watch. “The sun will be up soon. I’m going to grab my sleeping bag and camp out in your room for the next few nights. Hopefully, that horny vampire gives up and decides to go after someone else.”
“Oh, my God,” I whispered in horror. “What if he killed all of those girls in the paper? You said they were all similar looking. Maybe he was looking for me?”
He snorted. “Or worse yet, you are not the real Miranda and he decides to kill you when he figures it out.”
I glared at him. “Oh, thanks, Nathan. Just when I think it can’t get any worse.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to keep everything in perspective. I mean, we shouldn’t rule anything out,” he said with a yawn.
His yawn triggered one from me. “True, but I hope you’re wrong,” I said as we headed out of the kitchen and back upstairs.
Ten minutes later, Nathan was snoring on the floor but I was still awake. I stared at the door to my balcony, which was now closed and locked. Part of me still longed for Ethan and I wondered if I’d have the strength to say no if given the chance to surrender to him again.
Chapter Twenty
“Wake up, Princess of Darkness,” teased my brother the next morning.
“Very funny,” I mumbled. I looked at my alarm clock to find it was already after eleven o’clock.
“I talked to Duncan already,” said Nathan, between bites of a banana. “We’re supposed to meet him at the marina around four o’clock.”
I yawned. “Did you tell him about last night?”
“I told him some things but left out the part where you were sitting on Ethan’s lap, panting away.”
I groaned. “It was pretty bad. I’m so disgusted with myself.”
“You were certainly enjoying it last night.” He grimaced. “Heck, I was the one disgusted.”
“Come on, you know very well that it wasn’t me, last night. Aren’t I typically the frigid and shy twin?”
His lips curled up. “True. I’m usually the one fighting off the opposite sex.”
I got out of bed. “I’m taking a shower now. At least you don’t have to follow me everywhere during the day. Vampires don’t like the daylight.”
“As far as we know,” he said. “But this is real life. I wouldn’t count anything out.”
“I’ve only run into Ethan at night. In fact, he usually hangs out at the diner after dark.”
His eyes narrowed. “What in the hell does he order? Steak Tartare?”
I grimaced. “Gross, no, he only orders coffee; he and his five friends.”
“Oh, hell, more vampires?”
“I think so, although the others never say a word. They just sip coffee and stare at the rest of the customers.”
“Probably planning a strike.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it. Look, I’m taking a shower. I’ll meet you downstairs in a little while. Is mom awake?”
His face darkened. “No, that’s another thing that’s still bothering me. This isn’t like her, at all.”
“I know. We’d better keep an eye on her. Maybe give the sheriff a heads-up, too,” I said.
“He already thinks we’re nuts,” said Nathan. “Can you imagine if we tell him about last night?”
I bit my lower lip. The sheriff would never believe us. “Let’s keep it to ourselves, for now.”
“We’re going to have to.”
Nathan left my room and I took a hot shower. When I was done, I slipped on a white sundress and a pair of sandals. After I dried my hair and added a little makeup, I stared at the results and frowned. I definitely looked like I was going on a date.
I’m doing it solely for Duncan, I told myself.
“You getting dolled up for Duncan or trying to catch a vampire?” joked my brother when I stepped into the kitchen.
I scowled. “For your information, I am doing it for Duncan.”
“Wow, you look very fresh and lovely this morning,” said mom as she walked into the kitchen.
I smiled. “Thanks, mom. By the way, it’s the afternoon, now.”
She removed her sunglasses and looked at the clock. Her face fell. “Oh.”