“Where are you now?” Ronan asked.
“A motel in New Mexico.”
“I can send help.”
“No, we’ll be gone by the time they get here,” Logan told him.
“Do you still have Alejandro’s daughter?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure what she’s going to do.”
“Tell her that she’s welcome to return here with you. We’ll keep her safe.”
Logan studied Elena as he spoke with Ronan. She leaned against the wall as she held the curtain back and stared out at the night. Despite the shadows and sadness haunting her eyes, she was beautiful.
Rain had started falling right before he returned to the room. Now, the parking lot lights reflected off the shiny asphalt as rain slid down the plate glass window.
“I’ll let her know,” Logan said.
“Are you going to drive back?” Ronan asked.
“We haven’t discussed it yet. I plan on driving for at least a little while. I want to put more distance between the hunters and us before we attempt to board a plane. They might have sent scouts to the closest airports. I don’t think they’d send them into Texas or Oklahoma, though.”
“Neither do I,” Ronan agreed. “Keep in touch and let us know what’s going on.”
“I will.”
He hung up the phone and set it on the table. When Elena released the curtain, it settled back into place with a small swish.
“Ronan said you are welcome to return with us; we’ll keep you safe,” he told her.
She only gave a small nod in response.
“You can call your mother now,” he said and waved at the phone.
She wouldn’t meet his eyes as she walked over, lifted the phone from the stand, and returned to the window.
Elena’s fingers quivered as she dialed her mother’s phone number. She was desperate to hear her voice, but she was terrified her mom wouldn’t answer. What if they’d taken her phone from her? Or worse, what if whoever killed her father had also killed her mother?
Her hand tightened on the phone as she fought the panic rising inside her. With each passing ring, her heart twisted more and more until she was certain it was a crushed lump struggling to pump blood through her veins.
On the sixth ring, a gruff voice answered, “Elena.”
It wasn’t a question; Mateo had made a statement.
“Yes,” she breathed. “It’s me. Where’s my mother?”
“Where areyou?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Where arethey?”
Elena glanced over at Logan and Asher. She had a feeling she’d be better off not revealing she was still with them.
“I got away from them when they stopped for gas. The hunter was badly wounded, and the vampire thought I was unconscious. I jumped out of the car and ran when he went to pay.”
It astonished her how easily the lie rolled off her tongue. Lies had never been her strong suit; she far preferred the truth, even if it was a vicious one, but she didn’t feel an ounce of guilt over lying to this man. He’d shot her, or at least been a part of the reason she was shot, and had most likely helped to kill her father; she could stab him in the heart and not feel any remorse.
