Bryn Morrow Page 5

  “Deb?” Celeste released her grip on Bryn, then blushed and leaned back.

  He laughed.

  “This is my friend, Bryn,” said Celeste, gathering her composure. “And this is Debra.” She gestured.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Debra. You are every bit as pretty as Celeste said.”

  Debra smiled big and offered her hand. Instead of shaking it, he kissed it.

  “Wow, Celeste. I thought you were exaggerating about him. But I can see that he is every inch the man you said he was.” Debra drank some beer and wiped her lips with a napkin. She looked him up and down, undressing him with her eyes.

  “What are you up to tonight, Deb?” Celeste asked.

  “Oh, Tommy’s doing ‘boy stuff’ with Jason, so I’m just out having a drink. And then I saw you over here and—”

  “You were curious about Bryn. It’s okay, Deb. I was planning on introducing you to him anyway. What do you think?” She grinned.

  “Major fucking hunk.” Debra giggled. “That’s what I think.”

  “You are drunk, girlie.” Celeste grabbed Debra’s beer and drank some.

  “I’m with the girls, over there.” Debra pointed at a table full of women. They had two pitchers of beer, a plate of nachos, and they were sneaking glances of Bryn. “I better get back. Nice to meet you, Bryn.”

  He stood and gave Debra a hug. She went up on her toes and let him squeeze her, then walked back to her table while the girls toasted her success with raised glasses.

  “You are getting more popular every second,” said Celeste, watching the girls high-five Debra when she sat down.

  “You promised me a bite to eat,” he said. “Would you care to join me?”

  She stood and took his hand. “Where are we going?”

  “I have a van.” He grinned, exposing pointed teeth.

  “A van? You sleep under a lake and you have a van?”

  “Hey, you’re not exactly normal yourself,” he teased.

  He led her across the hardwood floor to the front entrance. She ignored all the eyes on them. When he opened the door, she stepped outside. Bryn followed her into the parking lot, and then walked over to a dark grey van under a stand of trees; pulling out a set of keys, he unlocked the side-panel door.

  “No keyless remote?” she asked.

  “They short out under water. Please come in, lovely.” He gestured toward the interior, which was covered with a plush black carpet. There were throw pillows in the back and a mini bar behind the front seats. The only windows were in the front.

  “Oh, quite a little love den you’ve got here. How many girls have seen it?” She climbed in and sat on the thick carpet. It was very comfortable.

  “Very few, Celeste.” He got in and slid the door closed. Three lights along the ceiling emitted a soft yellow glow, illuminating the interior. “Come here.”

  She melted into his arms and ran her hands up his shoulder blades. He caressed her and kissed her deeply. His eyes showed passion, and she could feel his firmness against her.

  “Is this what you want, beautiful?” he asked. He gripped her breasts, and she gasped.

  “Yes, Bryn. Bite me. Taste me.”

  Chapter 21

  “It’s that dude again,” said Tommy. He pointed at the sidewalk to their right, where a man in a studded leather jacket was walking. It was dark, and the streetlights were few and far between. They were driving west along Lake Drive in Tommy’s truck, on their way to Rock and Bowl.

  Jason leaned out the passenger window and got a good look at him as they drove by. “Hell, yeah. It’s that crazy Simon guy from Brinkman’s. The one that’s looking for Celeste. Pull over and let me out.”

  “Are you nuts? He’s like a bodybuilder or something.” Tommy slowed down, looked in his rear view mirror, and then pulled to the right. He put the truck in park but left the engine running.

  “I’m just going to have a word with him. Tell him she left town. Don’t worry.” Jason opened his door and jumped out. He slammed the door behind him and gave Tommy a thumbs-up before turning.

  “Be careful.” Tommy turned around in his seat and watched Jason approach Simon. He opened the glove compartment and rummaged through it, looking for his handgun. It wasn’t there. He couldn’t remember where he had left it.

  “Hey, Simon. What a coincidence,” said Jason when they reached each other. He kept his hands in the pockets of his jacket, stopping a few feet away.

  Simon looked at him curiously. “Ah, yes. One of the people at that bar in Corwin. What was your name again?”

  “Jason.”

  “Good to see you.” Simon brushed past Jason and kept walking. He was still wearing the red T-shirt, leather jacket, and blue jeans that he’d had on at Brinkman’s.

  Jason turned around. “Hold on a second. I was asking around about that girl you were looking for, and it seems she left town. Word is she’s heading for Chicago.”

  Simon turned, his face expressionless. His hands were at his sides and he seemed calm. “You came all this way to lie to me?”

  Jason took two quick steps toward Simon and unleashed a lightning fast left hook. Simon reached up, caught his hand, and broke it. Jason screamed in pain. His bones cracked under the pressure of Simon’s grip.

  Tommy shoved his truck into gear, pounded on the gas, and spun it around in a one-eighty. The tires smoked, and an acrid smell rose in a cloud around him. Simon and Jason were directly in front of him, but forty feet away. Simon’s back was to him, and Jason’s eyes were wide with pain. Simon was holding Jason’s left fist with his right.

  Simon grabbed Jason with both hands and threw him into the air. He spun once, flying over the road, and then crashed into the ground, landing hard on his left leg, which collapsed with a loud crack.

  “Fucker!” yelled Tommy, jamming his foot to the floor. The truck shot forward onto the sidewalk and gained speed. Jason was groaning and lying on the ground on the other side of Lake Drive. Tommy gritted his teeth and held onto the wheel tightly.

  Simon turned around and stood still. His arms hung at his side, and he grinned like the devil. His brown eyes were serene.

  Tommy accelerated. The V8 under the hood roared with power. The distance closed quickly, and he braced for impact.

  The truck lurched to a stop when he hit Simon, and Tommy’s head cracked the inside of the windshield. The engine died in a grinding sound of gears and metal. The horn on his truck blared continuously while blood ran down his face. Tommy slumped over the wheel and didn’t move.

  “Tommy!” Jason yelled, clutching his leg with his good hand. The bones in his right hand felt like they’d been crushed. He pulled his cell out of his pocket and dialed 911. He had the cold sweats; his breath was coming in rapid bursts. The trees above his head were swirling around in the night sky.

  He watched Simon smile and walked around Tommy’s truck, heading west toward Celeste’s house. The front of Tommy’s truck was caved in where it had bent around Simon, and the engine had been shoved partway into the cab. There were shards of glass, plastic, and metal radiating away from the point of impact like a cone of destruction. Steam rose from the cracked radiator.

  Jason tried to push himself to his feet so he could help Tommy. His vision stuttered with flashes of light, and then he blacked out. The last thing he heard was sirens.

  Chapter 22

  “Celeste? This is Deb. Tommy and Jason got hurt bad, and they’re in the hospital in Corwin.”

  “Oh my God! What happened?” Celeste slipped her shoes on with one hand while holding her cell phone in the other. The clock on the living room wall said it was midnight. She had been relaxing and leafing through journal entries about her dreams, looking for any sign that she had seen other latents.

  “Tommy’s in a coma.” Debra was crying. “Can you come?”

  “I’m on my way.” She flipped her phone shut, grabbed her keys, and ran for the door.

  Corwin was twenty miles away, and Fairlight Hospital
was on the west edge of town. It was a straight shot down County Road 12. All she had to watch for was light reflecting in the eyes of deer as they edged toward the road, eager to dart in front of her from the trees.

  “Don’t die, Tommy,” Celeste said to no one. Her mind raced as she wondered what had happened to Jason. Her heart was a lump in her throat. She kept both hands on the wheel and flipped on her high beams. She was way over the speed limit, but she didn’t care.

  Fifteen minutes later, she slid sideways into the hospital parking lot and slammed on the brakes. Her car almost tipped over from the high-speed turn. She flung open her door and ran to the front entrance of Fairlight, which slid open automatically. Then she ran to the front desk. “Where are Tommy and Jason? How bad are they hurt?” She wiped tears from her eyes and tried to slow her racing heart. She was gasping, and her hands trembled.

  “They’re stable. Jason has some broken bones, and Tommy’s in a coma,” said the nurse on duty. “Try to calm down.”

  Her name tag read Ellen, and Celeste thought she looked familiar—probably from Brinkman’s or Rock and Bowl. “I’m calm. I’m calm.” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly through her nose. The air smelled of antiseptic and flowers. “Can I see them?”

  “Room 108, Celeste.” Ellen reached out and squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry.”

  She followed the signs and ran down the hallway, dodging carts and equipment. The door of 108 was open slightly, so she pushed her way in. Debra had a chair pulled up to Tommy’s bed, and she was holding his hand. Tommy’s face was bruised and bandaged, and his eyes were closed. Machines hooked up to him beeped softly and displayed numbers in soothing green. An IV hung from a stand dripped fluids into his arm.

  “Thanks for coming.” Debra looked up. Her mascara was a mess and her eyes were puffy.

  “Who did this?” she asked, dreading the answer.

  “Simon,” said Jason, who was lying in the other bed. His left hand was bandaged, and his left leg was splinted. “He’s like Bryn.”

  “He’s not like Bryn. Simon is evil.” She went to Jason’s side. “I’m so sorry you got hurt. You shouldn’t be involved in this.”

  “I chose to be involved. I can’t let some Russian vampire come here and take you away.” His words were slurred, and he was having trouble focusing on her.

  “You are lucky to be alive, Jason. Do you even realize how strong he is?” Celeste leaned over, kissed him on the lips, and squeezed his right hand. She held back tears.

  “I do now. The fucker stopped Tommy’s truck with his body and then walked away without a goddamned scratch!” Jason coughed and gasped in pain. “He threw me across the fucking road like I weighed nothing.”

  “I’m sorry about Tommy.” Her eyes echoed the guilt she felt inside. “It’s my fault Simon is here. I dreamed him.”

  “Leave town, Celeste. Save yourself.” He met her eyes, imploring. “I don’t want you to die.” Tears welled in his eyes. She wiped them away with her fingers.

  Chapter 23

  Celeste was eating scrambled eggs and bacon at the kitchen table when there was a knock on the door. She had woken up at sunrise after fitful dreams she couldn’t quite recall and decided to cook breakfast when she was unable to get back to sleep. She walked to her front door, dressed in a pink nightie and slippers, peeked through the curtain to see who it was, and then unlocked and opened it.

  “Celeste.”

  “Bryn? You can’t be outside. It’s daytime!” She pulled him inside and closed the door.

  “It’s okay. I’ve been working on my polymer.” Bryn was wearing long pants, dark sunglasses, a white T-shirt and a black leather jacket, minimizing his exposed skin.

  “Sit down and talk to me. It’s been a long night.” Celeste walked into her kitchen and sat at the table in front of her plate and glass of orange juice. “Do you need anything?”

  “Just you.” Bryn sat, removed his sunglasses, and tucked them into an inside jacket pocket. His gaze took her in, and he smiled.

  She ate a bite of eggs, and washed it down with juice. The coffeemaker on the counter steamed and hissed as it finished brewing. “Jason and Tommy are in the hospital.”

  “What happened?” Bryn gripped the edge of the table and leaned forward, his eyes narrowed.

  “Simon happened. They saw him on Lake Drive and things didn’t go well. I don’t know all the details; Tommy is in a coma.”

  “I’m sorry. How badly is Jason hurt? I know you care for him.” He touched Celeste’s shoulder.

  “Jason has a broken hand and leg. He got off easy.” She finished her bacon and orange juice, then got up and poured herself a cup of coffee. She held up another cup and looked at Bryn; he shook his head.

  “Simon hasn’t come here?” He asked. He looked around as if expecting to see damage.

  “I haven’t seen him.” She sipped her coffee. “I can’t believe you are day walking, Bryn. You’re crazy.”

  “I don’t have much time. Maybe an hour.” He looked at his watch. It had a digital dial, a black metal band, and looked expensive. “But I wanted to make sure you were safe.”

  She said, “Why don’t I give you a tour of my bedroom?”

  He smiled and stood up. “That sounds nice.”

  “It’s upstairs. Come on.” She got to her feet, took Bryn’s hand, then pulled him into the hallway and led him to the upstairs.

  He watched the curve of her ass under the flimsy fabric. They went into the first room on the left. She slid her nightie over her head, stepped out of her slippers, and spun around in a circle. She was wearing red lace panties and a matching bra. Her bedroom window faced east; a thin shaft of light was coming in through an opening in the drapes.

  “See anything you like?” she asked with a big smile.

  “You know I do. Your beasts are perfection and your dark skin contrasts enticingly with the red lace.” He crossed the distance between them in one step and took her into his arms. He squeezed her bottom while kissing her. She melted into his arms and bit his lip.

  “You are so firm and strong.” She ran her hands up his chest, under his T-shirt. “Put your lips on my breasts.”

  He yanked her bra down, freeing her dark breasts, and began sucking on them. Her nipples were darker than her skin. He traced her back muscles and pushed against her spine, stopping at the triangle above her bottom. He rubbed the small of her back in a circular motion while sliding his lips down to her neck. His sharp teeth scraped her skin but he didn’t bite.

  She arched her back and moaned. “Man of my dreams. You are so beautiful. I can’t believe I found you.”

  “You were meant to find me.” He locked eyes with her and squeezed her breasts. Then he slid his hands down to her thighs and kissed her again.

  She reached down and unfastened his belt. “Now come to bed before you burn up in the sun.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Chapter 24

  Celeste touched Debra’s shoulder. She jerked awake and looked up. “How’s Tommy?” The paperback she had been reading was on the floor next to her chair. It was a fantasy about swords, muskets, and magic by someone named McNally. It was almost noon on Saturday. Deb had fixed her makeup and looked better, but tired. “You’ve been here all night?”

  Debra nodded. “He still won’t wake up. They say he’s stable but there’s swelling on his brain. They can’t tell me if he will ever wake up. They are going to keep monitoring him.”

  “I brought you a mocha,” she said, handing Debra the Perky’s cup. “I’m sorry about Tommy. I blame myself.”

  “You didn’t make them confront Simon. They just made a mistake.” Debra drank a big gulp of mocha.

  “A big mistake,” said Jason. He swung his legs off the bed and sat up. Stretching his arms above his head, he winced at the pain in his ribs. His left hand was in a full cast, and they had plastered his left leg. There was a walking boot on the bottom, and the cast ended below his knee. A pair of crutches was propped against t
he wall near his bed.

  “Hey, take it easy. Are you supposed to be sitting up?” Celeste rushed to his side and steadied him so he wouldn’t fall.

  “They’re letting me out today. Can you drive me home?” Jason asked.

  She nodded. “Sure. It’s the least I can do after—”

  “It wasn’t your fault, Celeste. It was mine. I thought I could reason with him… convince him you left town.”

  “You always did play with fire.” She touched his face and looked at his eyes. They were still glazed from the medication, but he looked determined.

  “And this time I almost got Tommy killed.” He looked at the floor and clenched his right hand.

  “Tommy made his own choice,” said Debra. “He could have gone for help, but he didn’t.”

  Jason nodded, but his eyes showed he was unconvinced.

  “Does your mom know you are getting out today?” asked Celeste.

  “Yeah. I called her. But you know she doesn’t drive.”

  “No worries. I’ll take you. Let me check with the nurse and get you a wheelchair.”

  “No wheelchair,” said Jason. “I can walk. I just can’t drive until the medication wears off.”

  “Okay, tough guy. I’ll be right back,” said Celeste.

  Jason watched her leave. She was wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt. She hadn’t bothered putting on any jewelry, and her only makeup was red lip gloss and purple eyeliner.

  He pushed himself off the bed and limped over to Tommy’s side. “Stay with us, Tom. I’ll come back and see you every day. You just get better and wake up. Okay?” He squeezed Tommy’s pale hand.

  “I’ll call you if he wakes up,” Debra said, then stood and gave Jason a hug.