Lucy made a face at her. “Tell meyouwouldn’t rather eat a person than a baby deer.”
Melanie couldn’t deny it. “It’s still messedup.”
“True, but you’re right on board withme.”
“I will sink with that ship.”
Lucy laughed before opening her door andclimbing out.
“Is she going to be okay?” Melanie asked Kylewhen she closed her door.
“She’ll be fine. She just completed thetransition; once this phase passes, she won’t feed as often.”
“Okay.”
“I’d prefer it if you came with us.”
“I’ll be fine here,” she assured him. “Go onand be safe.”
Kyle hesitated before leaning over to kissher. “I love you.”
“I love you too, nowgo.”
Kyle reluctantly climbed out of the vehicleand leaned back inside to remove the handgun from the glovebox. Hehanded it to her. “If anyone bothers you, shoot first and askquestions later.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Lock the doors.”
“Stop worrying andgo.”
She turned the key, and music from the radiofilled the car. She refused to let him see how nervous she wasabout being left alone here. If he knew, he wouldn’t go, and Lucyhadto feed.
When he closed the door, she hit the lockbutton and smiled before waving at him. He stood for a minutebefore reluctantly turning away and striding around the vehicle tojoin Lucy.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Lucy glanced back at Melanie. “Will she beokay?”
Kyle glanced around the parking lot beforenodding. “We won’t be gone long.”
Still, he hated leaving Melanie, but hedidn’t have a choice. Lucy would become a threat to her if shedidn’t feed soon, and he couldn’t allow that.
CHAPTER 40
Melanie watched thepeople moving in and out of the store as she drummed her fingers onthe steering wheel and waited for Lucy and Kyle to return. Theheadlights of a passing vehicle illuminated the inside of theToyota before it parked near the store.
She didn’t know how long it would take themto hunt, but she hoped they returned soon. She was ready to getback on the road and somewhere safe soon.
A mother with three young children exited thestore. The youngest child sat in the seat of the cart. Her littlelegs swung back and forth as she sucked on a popsicle. The middlechild walked beside his mom while the oldest stopped to examine amechanical horse.
Melanie had seen those coin-operated machinesat other grocery stores over the years, but she never had thepleasure of riding one as a kid. When the mom realized her oldestwasn’t with her, she turned back and called for the child.
The young girl pulled herself away from themachine and jogged over to her mom. The woman took the girl’s hand,and they headed for a van.
Melanie wondered what it must be like to havea family. She could barely recall what her family was like beforeher mother’s death. Occasionally, she remembered being surroundedby love and laughter, but sometimes she wasn’t sure if thosememories were real or if she wanted them to be.
Her mother had been a good person; she wascertain of that. She’d enveloped Melanie in love, hugs, and kisses,but she couldn’t picture her father being the happy, affectionateman she sometimes remembered from her past.
