“That’s some damn good motivation.”
When she looked at him again, she thought about kissing him. Before she could, someone knocked on the door.
“Who is that?” Holly asked. “You’re the only person who ever knocks.”
“I don’t know.” Trevor crossed the room and opened the door.
Standing in the hall was a short, squat woman who embodied every fairytale granny ever written.
“Mrs. Sanders!” Trevor smiled. “What can I do for you?”
Holly grabbed a pillow and placed it over her bare legs. It didn’t cover much, but she wanted to at least attempt to be modest.
“You have a visitor,” she said.
Trevor’s face hardened. “Who?”
“I’ve never seen him in town before.”
Holly sat up straighter, eager to catch every word.
“Did he give a name?”
“No,” Mrs. Sanders replied. “I wish you’d come down and talk to him. There’s something…off. The sooner he gets out of my inn, the better.”
“I’ll be right down, Mrs. Sanders.” With a nod, she departed, and Trevor closed the door.
“How could a new person come to town with that wall up?” Holly asked. “Elise and the firstborns couldn’t even find the town!”
“I don’t know, but I’d better go,” Trevor said.
“You’re not going alone. I want to see this guy.” Holly set the tray onto the bureau and grabbed the first pair of pants she saw.
“No way.”
“Yes way!” she fired back. “You said the tide always turns. This is the tide turning. I’m not missing it.”
Trevor wanted to argue. She saw it all over his face.
In the end, he let out a frustrated groan. “Fine but stay behind me. Who knows what we’re dealing with? Anyone who can move through a barrier like that must have power.”
“I’ll behave. I swear.”
“You’re lying, aren’t you?” Trevor smirked.
“I’m not lying,” Holly protested. “But, I also make no promises.”
“Fair enough, but I will lock you in a closet if I think it’ll save your life.”
“That’s also fair.”
Trevor and Holly left the room. Trevor insisted on going down the narrow staircase first.
When they reached the landing, the first thing Holly noticed was how dark the lobby was. It wasn’t even ten in the morning yet. The room should be flooded with sunlight, yet all of the curtains were drawn.
Mrs. Sanders stood at her desk, still as a statue.
“Ah, excellent,” a cool, smooth voice said from the far side of the room. “You may leave, Mrs. Sanders. Thank you for your hospitality.”
Mrs. Sanders gave a jerky nod before going upstairs.
“Who are you?” Trevor demanded.
Holly peeked around him to find a single man sitting in the armchair in the darkest corner of the room.
“Go upstairs,” Trevor murmured.
“Who is that?” Holly asked.
Aside from his long white hair and black clothes, Holly couldn’t make out any features.
“Go. Up. Stairs.”
“Don’t send her away on my account,” the stranger purred. “As delicious as she looks, I’m not here for brunch. I’m here to talk business.”
Fear tightened around her heart. Cold seeped right down into her bones.
“We have nothing to discuss with you. Leave,” Trevor said through clenched teeth.
“Do you know you’re being hunted?” the stranger said.
“We have nothing to say to you.”
“Who is that?” Holly asked again.
“You are being hunted, and if you want to come out of this alive, you need my help,” the stranger said. “Now, please sit and join me for a cup of tea.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN—HOLLY
Holly stepped around Trevor.
His hand shot out and wrapped around her upper arm. “Holly,” he whispered to her. “Please, go upstairs.”
“He knows something we don’t,” she said. “We need to know what he knows, so I suggest we drink the tea and be polite.
“Holly,” Trevor protested.
“What aren’t you telling me?” she asked. “Do you know him?”
“No, but that’s exactly why we shouldn’t jump into this.”
“We’re not jumping. It’s tea. He got into town somehow, and I want to know how he did it. If he got in, we could get out.”
Holly pulled her arm from Trevor’s grip and walked across the room. As she approached the stranger, his features came into focus. His face was as pale as his hair. Long, thin fingers gripped the top of a long, thin walking cane. While his face looked youthful, his eyes shone with age and wisdom.
“Holly, is it?” he said.
She nodded, unable to speak. He was hypnotizing. Not in a love-at-first-sight-take-off-your-clothing kind of way, in a way Holly had never encountered before.
“My name is Lucien van Bell. I know your companion doesn’t seem to think so, but I am a friend. Will you please sit with me?”
Holly sat in the empty chair across from Lucien. Between them was a coffee table with three teacups. All three looked full. Holly reached for one.
“Oh, not that one,” Lucien said. “That one is mine.”
Holly glanced down at the contents of the cup. Dark-colored liquid filled the cup. As Holly put it down, the liquid shifted. It didn’t move like a normal liquid. It looked slow and thick.
Holly put down the cup quickly.
“My apologies,” Lucien said. “I can’t do anything about my diet, but I do try to conceal it when necessary.”
“Was that…”
“Blood.” Trevor appeared by her shoulder. “I’ve heard of the van Bells. I didn’t know any of you were still around.”
“Who are the van Bells?” Holly asked.
Trevor looked at Lucien. “How about a smile, pretty boy?”
Lucien narrowed his eyes at Trevor before turning his gaze to Holly.
“Your friend is alluding to the fact that I’m a vampire. I imagine that’s his way of being tactful, though it’s clear he’s never had the word properly defined for him.”
“Vampire,” Holly repeated slowly. She turned to Trevor. “You didn’t tell me vampires existed.”
“I didn’t think we’d be
