The young girl sang “If We Were Vampires” by Jason Isbell.And Ayana stopped walking.Vampires.The Family was made up of vampires—the leadership sucking the life and the light from young girls.But this was a love song—knowing that time was limited made their lover more treasured.
Like Telford made her feel.From the beginning he’d consulted her, thought of her, listened to her.
And she was running away.
Letting the Family win again.
Letting them still suck her life and light.
“No,” she said.
She didn’t want to face them.But she would.And she wouldn’t be facing them alone.
“Beautiful song, thank you,” Ayana called out.
The teen paused.“Thanks.I’m still struggling with the chord changes.”
“Play them on repeat fifty times and then again ’til you can do it without thinking.”
“Yeah, that’s what my mom says.”
“Sometimes moms are right,” Ayana said and then retraced her steps back to the hotel, but going by Main Street as she wanted to meet the Family in a more public place.
“And sometimes moms are wrong.”
“Ayana,” Maddy called out to her.“What are you doing back here?I thought you and Telford were heading back to the hotel.”
“Ahhhh.”She stared at Maddy, and then her gaze reluctantly shifted to Cash, Riley and Cole, Rohan and Ginny, Boone and Piper, Witt and Miranda, and Taryn and Sarah.All couples.And family if she could get through this next horrifying bit.
“Running away but not running anymore.Standing still.”
She sounded drunk.Or demented.
“Did you and Telford have a fight?”Riley asked coming closer.
“No.Nothing like that.I’m sorry,” she blurted.“This is complicated and I’m making it worse, but your brother showed up at the hotel,” she said to Taryn, not sure of the response she expected or how much she should tell them.
“He approached Telford in Denver.He didn’t believe him.Didn’t want anything to do with him, but…” She shouldn’t speak for Telford.“It’s his story to tell.”As hers was hers on her own terms.She straightened up, almost like her fear and panic had been a wet cloak she could shrug off.
“He’s dealing with Tarek.He asked me to go.”
“We’ll all go,” Taryn said, striding down away from Grey’s toward the hotel.
Ayana hesitated.She could still go.Hot-wire Telford’s truck.And then what?Leave him?Humiliate him in front of his family?No.She had to stand up for herself.Stop running.And then if Telford had found what he was looking for—and it wasn’t her—she could leave.Just keep the deposit.Start over.He’d probably help her.
She tried to squelch the sick feeling that swirled in her gut when she thought about leaving Telford.Everything in her rebelled.No.She would make her stand with him.She owed him an explanation at least.And closure if he wanted it.
Or a future.
She clung to that hope and fell into step with Riley and Maddy.Riley wore an electric blue cowboy hat that matched her boots.Her eyes shone with emotion and her ponytail was high and swung back and forth like a clock on amphetamines.
“Maybe I need to grow out my hair,” Ayana mused.
She’d cut it first thing when she’d left the Family.Something she had control over and it made her less recognizable.
“That ponytail gives you a lot of sass.Yours too,” she admired Maddy’s rich dark hair that hung in a low ponytail down her back.
“You got plenty of sass,” Riley said.“But I admit, I did like to flick it when I was irritated with my brothers.”
