Page 56 of Slayer

I peered to the right, where they’d been looking, and saw a man with dark brown skin and glowing red eyes. He was watching a woman as she slipped into the bathroom.

Vampire.

I felt my whole body tense as we passed him, every instinct screaming. His eyes seemed fixed on the woman who’d just gone into the bathroom, hungry and intent.

“Should we help her?” I whispered to Celia as we reached the stairs going up.

“I’m on it,” she told me and I looked over to see that she was typing out something on her phone.

Speaking of phones. Now that we were earthside, mine was buzzing like crazy with missed texts and messages.

Rae: Did you sleep over at some rando’s house? So unlike you, tell me everything.

Rae: Girl call me back!

Rae: Okay now I’m worried. Should I call Linda?

Rae: Now I’m pissed WTH Stella, you’ve been 18 all of one day and you go MIA like this!

Rae: Call me or I’m calling the cops.

That was sent an hour ago.

“I need to call my friend,” I told Celia as I dialed Rae.

She picked up on the first ring.

“You better be half dead in a hospital, Stella. This isn’t cool!” she barked.

“I’m sooo sorry. I’m totally fine,” I blurted out.

She growled. “Stella, this isn’t like you. Where the hell are you?”

“Um, in the Valley. That guy I made friends with is a model scout, and he wants me to go to New York with him.”

Where did that come from?

I was a horrible liar.

“Model scout living in Spokane Valley, Stell? Huge red flag. No way.”

“He lives in New York. He’s staying at an Airbnb. Listen, I’m going to stop by later today and see you. I have something for you, and I’ll explain everything. Will you be around?”

She sighed. “You really had me worried.”

My heart pinched, and I had to swallow a few times to clear the emotion from my throat. Rae was such a loyal friend. “I’m sorry about that. It’s been a crazy forty-eight hours. Just… I need you to trust me, and I’ll see you by dinner?”

“Fine.” I could tell she was hurt and confused by my behavior, which was totally valid.

“I’m sorry. I’ll see you soon.” I hung up.

“Model scout, moving to New York. I like it,” Celia commented.

I could practically feel my cheeks pinken. “I should be banned from lying. It was the first thing that popped in my head.”

We were on street level now, and the road was busy as Asher stood with Silex, holding his bouquet of flowers, the city roaring around us.

Two people dressed in black leather with stakes and swords on their hips approached us.