Out of the Shadows (5 page)

Oh he did, did he?

“You don’t know me. You have absolutely no reason to trust me.”

Truer words Lori had never heard. Narrowing her eyes, she asked, “How did you say you knew Terrence?” Brother, cousin, friend?

Or undercover cop?

“I didn’t. Listen, asking you to meet me privately without knowing me was a mistake. But I think we both agree we can’t talk comfortably in here.”

Ah, but Lori didn’t care whether or not she could talk to him. The less contact with him, the better.

Unable to read her thoughts on the subject, he continued, “Let’s go somewhere else. Somewhere you consider safe.”

“And where exactly would that be?” She crossed her arms over her chest. If the conversation hadn’t already long since worn thin, it did now. Would she have to swear off her favorite club just to avoid him?

A twitter started in her stomach. A warning, like the slightest brush of a predator’s claws. Her instincts had never led her wrong before. She should obey them and end all contact with him here and now.

His smile was smug. “A church. Maybe the one by the university? On–”

“I know where it is,” she snapped. But her voice lacked venom. Instead, it held something much more akin to fear. Were his words a veiled threat? Clearly, he told her he knew exactly where to find her if she didn’t show up.

The widening of his smile betrayed the same intent. “Tomorrow, six o’clock. I’ll be waiting.”

As he brushed past her, the shiver in her stomach intensified. Terrence’s face suddenly swam in front of her eyes. She missed him so much, the painful pang nearly bent her in two. For a second, she thought she saw Terrence’s broad shoulders tower over the crowd. But the mirage soon dissipated. He wasn’t here. If he had been, would she have let him take her home?

She walked home alone, savoring the icy air. It made her feel alive, if uncomfortable. Her jacket would need to be dry-cleaned to remove the stains. A problem for another day. Right now, she needed to figure out what she would tell Devin.

He wanted information on Terrence. But what information? Was he, in fact, looking to draw out a confession of her misdeeds? She wrapped her arms around her torso. She needed a valid excuse, a valid explanation. She didn’t have one. If Devin was really an undercover cop, she might soon go to jail.

At the moment, she couldn’t muster up much dread over the thought.

The dorm was deserted. Her dorm room, even more. But when she flicked on the lights, she noticed something on the ground. A note.

Not again.

With apprehension digging into her stomach, she unfolded the note.

If you value your life, you’ll stay away from him.

Methodically, she ripped the paper to shreds. Who would she give it to? Her PI? Garcias was dead. Same as the creator of the last notes she’d received. Even so, the knot in her stomach didn’t loosen.

The death threats had started again.

* * * *

The day settled into dusk early, an attribute of the approaching winter. As she exited the dorm, Lori paused.
Don’t do this
. But what choice did she have? Unless she relinquished her dreams of earning her Masters in Literature, she couldn’t flee the campus. And Devin knew where she lived, where she slept. Besides, if he was an undercover cop, fleeing would only mark her as being guilty.

You are guilty.

Ignoring the little voice constantly harassing her over Terrence’s death, she strode into the deepening night. Tension clawed at her gut, warning her with every new step, to turn back. Lori plowed onward.

The church steeple loomed above, but Lori paused.
Last chance to turn back.
She shot a look of longing over her shoulder.

That man… His hooded gaze pierced her even from across the street. With night descending, she couldn’t make out his features, but there was something familiar about him. Terrence? Impossible. Her cellphone vibrated in her pocket. She glanced down for a split second to fish it out, but when she raised her gaze once more, the figure had disappeared. If he had even been there to begin with.

Was she hallucinating? Going mad? Terrence was dead, so she must be.

If he was dead, what had happened to his body?

No, she had to stop thinking that way. No one could live after being staked in the chest. Not even a wannabe vampire. Especially a wannabe vampire.

Her hand clenched around the cellphone, reminding her of the text she’d received. Glancing down, she stilled.

Go home. Lock the door if you know what’s good for you.

She didn’t recognize the number, but the intent shone through loud and clear. Who was her stalker? The figure following her? He had to be, in order to know she was no longer in her dorm room.

Fear seized her muscles. She couldn’t walk into the church. She couldn’t backtrack to her room, either. Then where? Underground? The police station? With her last stalker, she had held off crawling to the police because of the Order. The Aka Druj Spenta Michos was secret, held hidden from everyone but other members. From the very first note, the very first murder, her last stalker had clearly been entrenched in the recent cacophony with the Order. To prevent exposure, she’d found a fellow member and approached him. This case? No murder, nothing concrete. Just a few notes threatening her away from Devin. Could be a run-of-the-mill stalker or even a jealous girlfriend.

But how had they gotten her cellphone number? A jealous girlfriend with resources, then.

Maybe approaching the police with a complaint was the right thing to do. Devin would just have to wait to interrogate her another day. If he didn’t get so frustrated he decided to give up. Smiling at the thought, she switched direction.

“Lori?”

Damn. He’d caught her. The police would still be there tomorrow. And unfortunately, so would her death threats. Maybe she’d get another. She’d destroyed the first two, but wouldn’t she need those for evidence?

Devin’s hand ghosted over her shoulder, ratcheting her unease higher. Like a hive of bees swarming beneath her skin, ready to sting. Did her senses warn her away from Devin, or away from the church? She balled her fist, wishing her stake was closer at hand. But it remained securely tucked into her boot.

That figure…had he really left?

Lori didn’t like the sinking feeling, but a quick scan of the street didn’t reveal any lurkers to her wary gaze. Reluctantly, she turned to Devin.

He didn’t wear a coat. On this brisk night, the winter breeze brought bumps to his bare arms. His eyebrows knit together over his piercing gaze, as if he knew she contemplated leaving. Upon earning her attention, he dropped his hand.

“I asked the priest to stay a bit later than usual. He’ll be here the whole time. Come on in.”

Was one senile old man supposed to provide protection should Devin intend her harm? Lori nearly snorted at the thought. No, she could handle herself, should it come down to that.

Even so, she wasn’t ready to step inside.

“I don’t have anything to tell you.”

Devin sighed. “I’d rather not have this conversation out on the sidewalk.” Rubbing his hands together, he breathed on them for warmth.

“You want to find Terrence, right?”

Devin nodded.

“Well, I don’t know where he is. I’m sorry. Have you checked his apartment?”

“Vacant. Best anyone’s heard from him is two weeks ago. Lori, won’t you come inside? I just want to talk, I promise.”

What else would he want to do? Arrest her? She sobered at the idea.

“Please,” he added, rubbing his arms.

Lori hesitated, but even through a heavy coat the chill had started to creep into her bones, too. Best to get this over with. It wouldn’t take more than five minutes. “Fine,” she said with a sigh.

Smiling, he led the way.

The church doors thudded shut behind her. Devin continued up the aisle. The church was lit with dim lights and myriad candles at the altar, where the priest kneeled in prayer. Devin continued past. At a door leading to a deeper room, he paused and glanced at her.

The priest halted his prayer to transfix her with his gaze. “You go on, child. It’s much more comfortable. I’ll be only a moment more.”

Warily, Lori took a step. Then another. Eventually, she traversed the length of the aisle with her stilted stride. Unfazed by her reluctance, Devin waited. When she reached the door, he ushered her down a hallway into another room.

This one held a desk, a pair of chairs, and a long leather sofa in one corner. Devin left the door ajar, but turned to her. “If there’s anything you’d like to say to me out of earshot of the priest, say it now. He’ll be joining us in only a moment.”

“I have nothing to say to either of you. I told you, I don’t know where Terrence is.”

Instead of accepting her answer, Devin steered her to the sofa. She sat at one corner, turned toward him. He lowered himself beside her.

“Can you think of any reason he might suddenly leave town? Any place he might go?”

He’s dead
. “No.”

She wanted to leave. Sitting here, talking about the very man she couldn’t erase from her thoughts over the past few weeks… It was terrifying. She just wanted to forget.

Narrowing his eyes, Devin studied her. She stiffened her spine. A new persistent suitor was the last thing she needed.

“Why did you become involved with Terrence?” Instead of a flirtatious tone, Devin adopted a pondering one.

“I didn’t.”

He became involved with me
. That, in a sentence, summed up the entire two months she’d spent with Terrence. Trying to rebuff him, only to be met with unwavering confidence. Unwavering patience. It had paid out for him eventually. On the night prior to his death. Even thinking back to the passion they’d shared seemed too close to necrophilia.

Confusion flickered across Devin’s face. “I’m sorry, I thought you were a couple.”

Not even close. Though by Terrence’s designs, that might not have been far from the mark.

But denying it outright somehow seemed to dishonor his memory. Opting to compromise, she answered, “We were friends.”

The priest chose that moment to interrupt their conversation. Thank God. Poking his head into the room, he asked, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

Saying yes would commit herself to staying long enough to finish it. Still, the lure was too strong. At her nod, the priest disappeared in search of the beverages.

Leaving her alone again with Devin. Stifling a sigh, she balanced her boot over her knee.

Devin’s gaze latched onto the stake sticking from the top. She lowered her foot, but not before he raised astounded eyes. For a minute he didn’t say anything. Had a smudge of blood shown on the stake? She’d cleaned it thoroughly, but…

“I don’t understand why you would…associate with someone like him.”

Why was her friendship with Terrence under such scrutiny? What did Devin know that she didn’t?

“It’s none of your concern.”

Surprise flickered over his features. “Of course. Sorry for overstepping. No doubt you saw something redeemable in him.”

Redeemable. Interesting choice of words. Just what had Terrence done before he’d met her? Something terrible, no doubt, for Devin to have such a poor opinion of him. None of it mattered now.

“Did you have anything in particular you wanted to know about him, or were you planning to quiz me all evening about how unbelievable it is we met at all?”

Devin shook himself, slipping a smile into place. He was so easy to read. So unlike Terrence, whose surface moods seemed to consist of determination, confidence, charm, and lust. The contrast was off-putting.

“Forgive me. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

Lori shrugged off the apology.

The priest waddled into the room precariously balancing three steaming cups of coffee. Grateful for the chance to end the conversation, Lori accepted one cup with a smile. How fast could she chug the scalding coffee and dash out?