Lainie put the final bag in the trunk of her car, ready to just get the trip over. After the latest ambush from her father, the veiled threats from both him and Miles, she just wanted out of Draven Falls and away from anything that had to do with Daniel Everest. Alanna and Josh loaded her car down with more of Josh's own possessions, leaving the bulk of the dishes and household items behind for his sister to use when she returned from her vacation. She would keep the apartment for now, relieving Josh of the burden of getting out of his lease. His family was supportive, of course, and Lainie was just a little bit jealous.By the time they finished all the heavy lifting and showers, the ladies sat around the front room in their bathrobes, towels on their heads, while Josh sat there in shorts and a T-shirt, bare feet propped up on the coffee table. Everyone held a beer, even though Lainie wanted something stronger. "You see?" Josh said after lowering his beer from his lips. "This is how
Dimitri paced outside of the cabin he had prepared for Lainie. They should have been here by now. Josh had called him when they crossed the state line, entering Florida from Georgia, which was almost three hours ago. Had they stopped for dinner and not told him? That would piss him off, since he hadn't eaten anything since lunch, waiting on them.He didn't want his sister to have the same feeling as Josh and he had when they first arrived and saw how overgrown the plant life was around the cabin. Instead, Dimitri spent the day clearing out the shrub around her place, cleaning the inside, and making sure everything sparkled for when she first arrived. He even put a rocking chair on her porch. At least Bull Creek would have a good first impression for her. Of course, with the way things had been lately, that impression could go downhill fast.Dimitri gave up his pacing and moved to the front porch and the rocker he had purchased for his sister. He had just sat down when he heard the rumb
Lainie took a quick shower while Dimitri washed up in the guest bathroom. It had been a long day on the road—over nine hours—and, at first, Lainie wanted to refuse her brother's suggestion of hitting a bar and just climb into bed and sleep the night away. However, the feeling lasted only a second before the lure of a cold beer called to her, and she headed for a hot shower. Monday, she had to show up at the sheriff's department for her first day of duty, so she would make the most of her time off before she didn't have any. Less than an hour later, she was in Dimitri's truck as they headed for the bar he called Everglades. Or rather, she was being jostled in Dimitri's truck because of the crappy roads of Bull Creek."I need to warn you," Dimitri said once they pulled off Crabgrass Road and onto Highway 192, turning left toward Everglades. "This bar is nothing like Shades back in Draven Falls." He glanced over at her and shrugged. "It's more like a…comfy shack."Lainie laughed, believin
Josh's panther leaped over a fallen log as he made his way through the woods around Bull Creek. Dimitri had called him that morning after Lainie called him and asked for Josh's help to locate Miles Hemingway. Alanna remained back at the cabin with Lainie, keeping her calm and preventing her from joining in the hunt herself. Dimitri, Josh, and Nathan had all shifted, sniffed out the residue of Miles' scent around Lainie's cabin and hit the woods. When the scent faded, they each split, racing off in different directions, noses to the ground. They would find the scum that threatened Lainie, and god help the man when they did. Nobody messes with Josh's family.Josh still couldn't believe Lainie had not called Dimitri after she found the note nailed to the door of her cabin. Miles could very well have come back once he knew she was home and broken in to her cabin to carry out whatever vile intentions he intended. The fact that he followed her from Draven Falls to Bull Creek reeked of desper
Wherever Miles hid, he had found a great spot, because no one could find him, not even Karena Hahn, the vampire. She had a stronger sense of smell and sight than any of them and still came up empty. Finally, Lainie had enough and told everyone to just go home. "He's probably just trying to scare the hell out of me," she told them. "Hell, he may have even left right after he pinned that note to my door, which is why we can't find him." Of course, she didn't tell any of them she highly doubted that scenario, not even her brother. If she had, most of them would have camped out on her doorstep all damn night, and she did not want babysitters. How would that look to anyone who saw her as a deputy? They'd think she wasn't up for the challenge, and she would not have that before her very first day, if ever.Lainie was sure her brother still kept a close watch on her throughout the night, but by the time Lainie dressed and headed for the sheriff's department Monday morning, there was no sign o
How the hell could this happen in the parking lot of a sheriff's department?" Dimitri practically roared as he stared at his sister's windshield. "This should be the safest place in the whole damn area." Chet Einstein ran a hand through his shaggy hair with one hand while he held his sheriff's hat with the other. "You would think so, wouldn't you?" He glanced over at Lainie. "Seems you may have left something out earlier." He pointed to the windshield with the hand holding the hat. "Want to fill me in now?"She didn't really, but Miles left her no choice. With a deep breath, she filled her new boss in on her father's arrangement with Lars Hemingway and Miles' refusal to accept no for an answer. "I truly didn't think he'd follow me all the way to Florida, however," she said as she finished her tale. "I didn't realize the depth of his…infatuation.""Infatuation?" the sheriff repeated with a smirk. "An understatement for sure." He shook his head as he glanced back at Lainie. "Do we have
Lainie sniffed around the ground, searching for any trace of Miles Hemingway, the stinging words of their fathers ringing in her mind, mocking her, thinking her weak. She was far from weak, and Miles would discover that as soon as she sunk her claws into him.The humid afternoon air caused her panther to pant as she searched the area. Dimitri stayed close for a while, but then moved off a bit to the south, still within shouting range, but pretending to give her some space. If she thought it was because he thought her as weak as their father did, she would have already chewed into him, but she knew Dimitri remained close more for himself than her. He needed to make sure she was all right. Besides, if they were going to catch Miles, they would need to span out more. Their animal's supernatural noses would pick out Miles' scent quicker than normal panthers, so they could cover more ground. Dimitri already sent Josh, Alanna, and Nathan Landry out searching the area and anyone else he could
Dimitri sped through the woods as soon as he heard Miles' voice calling out to Lainie, scolding himself for allowing the two of them to be separated as they searched for her stalker. Now, he only prayed he could arrive in time."Lainie, stop!" Miles screamed, and Dimitri could hear how out of control the man was by the fury in his tone. "Don't take another step. You need to shift back to your human form and join me. Keep coming toward me as your panther, and I'll assume you're still resisting. That would not be good on your part. Last warning."Don't do it, Lainie. Dimitri prayed. I'm almost there. Just stall him. At least, he hoped he was almost there. He wasn't even sure when Lainie and he became separated or for how long. Then, he finally heard his sister answer her stalker.I'm not shifting, Lainie sent, loud enough for anyone else nearby to hear her and get a read on her location. I'm not joining you. We're not going to be married. We're not going to be anything. Go home, Miles, b