Almost Midnight (11 page)

“How's the shoulder?” he asked.

She reached up and touched where she'd been stabbed. “Completely healed,” she said. Then she remembered something they'd talked about earlier. “Did you learn medicine from your mom?”

He nodded. “Sometimes she'd volunteer at different free clinics. I used to go with her on weekends. I'm a fast learner on some things.”

She suspected he was a fast learner in all things. She hadn't seen it at first, but intelligence lingered in those big brown eyes. “And you don't want to be a doctor?”

“I didn't say I don't want to be a doctor.”

“But you said … I mean I got the feeling when you talked about your parents that you didn't want to do what they wanted you to do.”

“She wants me to go into medicine for humans because that's where the money is. I want to train to treat supernaturals. That's where my skills will be the most useful.”

She nodded. “I see.” The waitress dropped off their drinks. Della twirled a straw around her glass and watched the bubbles rise to the top. “My parents wanted me to be a doctor, too.”

“And you don't want that?” he asked.

“Hell, no. I want to go into criminal justice.”

“A lawyer?”

“No. I don't want to defend the law. I want to enforce it. Before I was turned, I was thinking FBI or CIA. Now I'm thinking FRU. Which is why I didn't want Burnett to know I'd screwed up.”

He shook his head. “You didn't screw up.”

“I got stabbed. That's pretty screwed up.” She jabbed her straw into her drink.

“We were up against a whole gang of rogue vampires. The fact that we got out of there alive is a freaking miracle.”

She gave the straw another race around her glass. “But you're the one who saved us. The one who came up with a plan, and then again with the werewolves.”

“Yeah, but you were a little busy trying not to let that rogue were/vampire kill you in the ring. And when the weres showed up you were already stabbed and bleeding like crazy, but you still stood up.”

“I didn't do shit when they came,” she muttered, ashamed of herself.

“You stood up and faced them and let them know you weren't ready to be their dinner.”

He looked down at his own glass for a second. “Honestly, I was totally impressed with you. The whole time, I'm freaking out inside. Hell, my knees were shaking and you were like this epitome of calm. I kept looking at you and thinking if you could do this, I could, too.”

She let go of a deep breath. “I wasn't calm. I was freaking out, too.”

He smiled. “Well, that's why you're so good at this, Della. You didn't seem scared. Not once. You can do this. I personally don't like the thought of you putting yourself in danger, but don't ever think you screwed up. You kicked ass in that ring.”

His compliment felt like a big hug. And as she constantly told Kylie and Miranda, she wasn't much of a hugger.

Looking down at her drink again, the realization hit. She used to be a hugger, but now when anyone wrapped their warm arms around her it reminded her of how cold she was.

Suddenly, she realized when Steve had kissed her and touched her she'd forgotten she was cold. For the first time since she'd been turned, she'd felt normal again—felt … human. Damn that felt good.

“Thanks.” She looked up briefly and hoped he understood how much she meant it, because she didn't want to have to express it any more than just offering the word.

The waitress dropped off their food. Della spooned the French onion soup into her mouth, bypassing the cheese. But as the warm, tasty broth danced on her tongue, she couldn't help but think how good Steve's blood tasted. How good his kisses were. How it felt to be touched and not think about being cold.

When she'd showered, she'd noticed a hickey between her shoulder and left breast. She was glad he'd left his mark on her. But she was equally glad it wasn't permanent. It would fade in a few days. And that's the way it should be. Because once they were back at Shadow Falls, this was over.

Done.

She simply couldn't put her heart on the chopping block again. Lee, along with her parents, had taught her how hard it was to love someone. How easy it was for them to disappoint you.

She didn't love Steve, not yet, but these last thirty-six hours had taught her how easy it would be to let herself go there. When someone was genuinely nice, your heart welcomed them inside. Add the whole good-looking thing and him being such an awesome kisser to the scenario, and her heart had a welcome mat ready to toss down, a marching band, and banners with flashy letters reading,
COME ON IN.

And that was unacceptable. She couldn't fall in love with Steve. Nope. No way. As soon as they returned to Shadow Falls, she was back to being the old Della. Solo. She had Miranda, and she had Kylie. As soon as Kylie returned.

Della didn't need a guy making her feel special, making her feel beautiful, making her feel … human.

Steve picked up his knife and cut a piece of steak. “Oh, when I spoke with Burnett earlier this morning he mentioned that he went to see Kylie.”

Della's heart swelled. “He knows where she is? Is she coming back?”

“He must know because he said he'd seen her, but he didn't say anything about her coming back. He just said to tell you that she was okay and that she asked about you.”

That was Kylie, always worried about others before she worried about herself. The girl was an idiot. Well, not an idiot. She was just one of those really caring people. Sort of like the damn shape-shifter Della was having lunch with.

Della dipped her spoon into the onion soup. “Well, if he knows where she is, then I can just go and bring her back.”

“Kidnap her?” he asked.

“If I have to, yeah. She belongs at Shadow Falls with Miranda and me.”

Steve chuckled. “You're not serious,” he said.

“The hell I'm not,” Della snapped. “Kylie's coming home and that's all there is to it.”

*   *   *

Home. Della felt it as she landed outside the fence at Shadow Falls about thirty minutes later. Funny, how the place had started to feel that way. Of course, maybe that was to be expected when she no longer belonged with her parents.

Steve landed and transformed. “We should go to the front.”

“No.” She pulled out her phone. “I'm calling Burnett and telling him I'm here, then I'm jumping the fence. I just want to go to my cabin and relax … I don't want to be interrogated right now.”

She wanted to have time to regroup in her head.

Burnett answered on the second ring. “Where are you?”

“We're here. Right outside the fence on the east side of the property.”

“Good. We're having dinner now. Why don't you come over? There's a surprise.”

“I'm tired. Not in the mood for surprises. I just want to take a shower and relax. Can we talk tomorrow?”

“Are you okay?” His tone grew dark, concerned.

“I'm fine,” she growled.

When she hung up, Steve started walking over to her. She watched the way he moved, like a lion, lithe and with purpose. He stopped right in front of her and brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. “You know, I kind of don't want to go back. I liked it just being you and me.”

She'd liked it, too. Too much.

She caught his hand and lowered it from her face.

Swallowing a lump of regret, she forced herself to say it. Part of her had hoped she wouldn't have to spell it out for him. But that was the coward's way out. And Della Tsang wasn't a coward. Plus, Steve deserved to know up front that it wasn't him. It was her.

“Look, I … I enjoyed this. Everything. I really did, but … it's over now.”

He shook his head. “Why? It doesn't have to be.”

“Yeah it does.” Her heart suddenly grew heavy. Too heavy for her chest. “I don't … I'm not … I'm not ready for this.” She waved a hand between them.

That look of apology filled his eyes again. “I told you I didn't mean for that to happen. I'm not going to pressure you to take it there. It'll happen when it's supposed to happen. I'll be patient.”

She shook her head. “I don't mean just that.”

Concern tightened his brows. “Then what do you mean?”

“I mean us … period. Us being an item, us being an ‘us.' I'm not up for that.”

He shook his head. “Why? I thought we got along great.”

“Why isn't important. It's just the way it is. I'm not going there. I'm completely happy the way things are, happy with me … not being a couple.” It was such a huge mistruth she could hear her swollen heart doing all sorts of erratic thumps, each one hitting against her sternum and calling her a lying bitch.

“No,” he said, “I can't accept that.”

“You're going to have to accept it. Because that's just the way it is, Steve. We went on a mission and we did great. We did what we were sent to do and thanks to both of us the world might be a little safer. But what happened between us needs to end. I'm not right for you.”

He studied her. “Who are you right for?” he asked, sounding jealous.

“I'm not right for anyone,” she said and her heart didn't race or mark that as a lie. She had loved already. Loved and lost. “It's over, Steve. Just accept it.”

She started running and right before she leapt over the fence she heard him.

“We'll see about that.” His words rang in her ears. A promise or a threat, she didn't know. But the idea of it being a promise chased away the biggest part of the pain she carried in her heart.

As she walked inside her cabin, she breathed in the scents of home—the smell of Miranda's fruity shampoo, and her scented candles. Della could even pick up the scent of Kylie's favorite lotion.

Standing in the living room, Della let herself feel the tiniest bit of pride that she'd completed the mission. The feeling reconfirmed that she wanted to pursue a career in catching bad guys.

Walking into her bedroom, she opened her bottom drawer and pulled out the pictures. Images of her and her family, and others of her and Lee. All captured moments with emotion. Memories that now hurt to think about.

She started to rip them all up, but then on second thought, she dropped the pictures of her family back into the drawer. Some things she couldn't give up on. But others …

She tore the snapshots of her and Lee into little pieces and let the tiny specks of paper rain down into the garbage. Then she went to her bed and flopped down on her back and stared at the ceiling.

We'll see about that.
Steve's words echoed in her head like the lyrics of a song—a good song, one that crawled into your head and replayed itself over and over.

She closed her eyes. Life might have thrown her some punches this last year, but Della Tsang didn't go down easy. She was just going to punch back.

 

U
nbreakable

 

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 6 A.M.

BREAKING NEWS

Missing plane spotted in Jasper Mountain Range

According to a statement from Sheriff Ted Carter, wreckage of a Cessna 210, believed to be the same one flown by Dr. Edward Tallman, was spotted in the Jasper Mountain Range. A SAR (Search and Rescue) team was called in when twenty minutes after takeoff the plane fell off radar yesterday at 4:20. Two helicopters from Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) searched the perimeter of the area yesterday but didn't spot the downed plane until this morning. Due to low clouds and high winds, visibility of the crash site was poor and they were unable to spot any signs of survivors. Flying with Dr. Tallman were his wife, Amy, their two teenage children, Mindy and Chase, as well as a family friend, Tami Collins.

Emergency ground crews have been put on call, but are waiting for a break in the weather. A spokeswoman was quoted saying that they know it's imperative to get to the site as soon as possible, but the safety of their crew must be considered.

It was speculated that Dr. Tallman and his family may have flown into Jasper to take part in a genetic study, however no local research facility reports any of the Tallmans' participation. Meanwhile, friends of the Tallman family and the parents of Tami Collins are in Jasper praying the news will be good once Search and Rescue teams are on the ground.

 

Chapter One

ONE DAY EARLIER: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 10:30 A.M.

Chase Tallman watched as the bright-eyed, bloodthirsty lab tech tied a large elastic band around the middle of his arm hoping to expose a few of Chase's veins.

“There's a good one,” the woman said as she passed two fingers over the crook of his arm where a blue vein now bulged out. “You have great veins,” she said, sounding sincere.

Her hands were cold. Extra cold, making a chill run up his arm.

“Just a little stick and we'll be done.” She smiled at him and reached over to pick up the needle with the large tube attached, taking the plastic tip off the syringe. Shit! How much blood did the woman need?

He freaking hated needles. But he didn't flinch. Fourteen was too old to flinch. He hadn't even cried when he broke his arm last summer during baseball practice. It had hurt like hell, but his coach had been the one to take him to the hospital and the last thing he'd wanted was to look weak in front of his coach.

Chase glanced around the small lab in the doctor's office that was practically hidden in some remote part of the Rockies. He wasn't exactly sure why his dad had insisted on them taking part in this research study, but it had to be pretty important for his dad to get his plane checked out and fly them up from Houston to participate.

Not that Chase liked it. Who gave up their blood for no reason? But the promise of a weekend in a cabin in the mountains, plus the plane ride, made it worth it. The fact that his sister's best friend, Tami Collins, tagged along, made it more than worth it. Hell, he'd let them stick him with needles all day for the pleasure of seeing her in her bathing suit again. Holy cow, she'd looked hot last night when she'd joined him and his sister in the hot tub.