Authors: Starla Silver
She giggled.
He really had been the biggest dumbass on the planet for not giving in to this, years ago. He thought he knew her so well, but now they were embarking on a new journey, together. His always-there, always-smiling, always-happy, always waiting for him to wise-the-fuck-up, Emily, was not predictable at all.
And as long as it wasn’t her life being threatened, he couldn’t wait to see what surprises she hit him with next.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Melinda sat outside the Wicked Muddy Cafe. They were about to close and Grace had sat down with a cup of decaf for both herself and Melinda. Riley was late. Her nerves were on high alert.
Had he decided to ditch her after all? She tossed the thought away. There had to be a good reason.
She was anxious about Grace meeting Riley, but sensed the café owner understand why she was meeting him here, rather than at home. Melinda did not dare tell her brothers she was dating someone. Not yet. Grace, however, was tickled to death that Melinda was dating and could not wait to meet the young man.
Although, seeing that Melinda looked a bit sickly over the young man’s lateness got her dander up.
Riley would come. He would. And then she’d have to ruin any good time by opening up and being honest with him. About being a witch at the very least. And what would she tell him about William? Her nerves short-circuited just thinking about the vampire.
It might well happen that she and Riley would get carried away busying themselves all over each other and she’d just chicken out anyway. In the end though, Riley was the winner. So that had to count for something.
“Grace, have you had any more Deane sightings?” Melinda needed to keep her mind busy.
“Not since this mornin’. What did you guys decide to do about ‘em?” She sounded genuinely curious.
“Nothing right now. Just going to see how things play out I guess. Not that they are welcome to just come into our house, or anything like that,” she added, as if it should be a given that the Deanes were still not welcome here. “I suppose it's basically that we don't
like
that they're here, and definitely don't
want
them here, but we can't do anything about it, not without cause at least.”
Grace nodded. “Well, I sure hope it all works out. I'd hate to think of dark magic comin’ back to this Island. From the stories I’ve heard, those were scary times to be livin’ on The Demon Isle.”
Melinda heard the now familiar sound of Riley's motorcycle approaching. She glanced around but did not see him. He must have parked down the street, out of sight. Or perhaps she had misheard. There were many other motorcycles on the Isle.
“Well, would ya look at that!” Grace suddenly blurted. “Speakin’ of a Deane sightin’. There's one of 'em now. One of them boys I met this mornin’, he's walkin’ right towards the cafe. Not a bad lookin’ lad, either.”
For the tiniest moment, Melinda was overwhelmed by a cluster of emotions.
Should she get up and leave?
Should she call her brothers?
Should she, and could she, handle this on her own?
Melinda bit her lip and stood up, putting on her most serious,
I mean business
kind of face.
At the least, she would show no fear.
The Deane’s needed to learn right here and now that the Howard Witches protected this Isle, and that would never change.
Melinda gathered her bravery and spun around.
For the second time that day, the world stopped.
Her eyes were not seeing correctly.
Her chest seized, stealing away her breath.
Had her head just been shoved inside a plastic bag? She’d swear it had, and someone was twisting the plastic tighter and tighter, cutting off her air supply.
Grace had to reach out an arm to steady her. “Melinda?”
She could not answer. Blood rushed to her ears and she couldn’t even hear Grace’s voice. Melinda’s head swam in disbelief. Her voice vanished. Her vocal chords refused to work. There was a pain starting at the bottom of her throat that sliced down through her body as if she was being torn in two.
She expected at any moment for her body to just shatter into tiny pieces. Pieces that would never be put back together.
This pain cutting through her… this is exactly what William’s face had betrayed to her when she’d crushed him earlier that day. Now, it was her turn to get trampled.
“Sorry,” the young man called out, grinning widely. “Didn't mean to be so late, but I got held up. My brother...” he used as an excuse, rolling his eyes.
Melinda swallowed hard, her throat thick and dry.
Her heart skidded across beats so wildly she feared it might stall.
“Melinda, what’s wrong?” He reached out to her, but she jerked out of his grasp.
“Riley?” she choked out in a hoarse whisper. “Riley... Deane?”
##
To continue reading Book Four,
Ghast Me Gently
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