Night's Master (Children of The Night 3)

Maybe I should just close up the store, sell the house, and leave town. The idea wasn't as appealing as it should have been, and I knew Raphael Cordova was the reason.

I read the local newspaper while I ate. Most of the news concerned the new movie theater being built on the south side of town, whether it would have two screens or four, and if it would put the local drive-in out of business. I shook my head. Living in Oak Hollow was like living in the early part of the twentieth century. In a way, I hoped the town and its people never caught up to the present. Since we were pretty much off the beaten path, there wasn't much crime here; life was slower and more laid-back. The people were open and friendly, and when the baddies weren't here in number, the townspeople sat outside in the evening, or strolled down the street, stopping to chat with their friends and neighbors.

Several people nodded or waved to me as I walked back to the store. Flicking on the overhead lights, I went behind the counter, thinking maybe I should buy a portable DVD player so I'd have something to do while I waited for those elusive customers to find their way into my shop. I glanced around, wondering if I would attract more customers if I sold homemade fudge or cookies or something equally fattening and irresistible.

I was in the back room, unpacking a box of new releases, when the bell announced that someone had entered the store. My heart did a little tap dance at the thought that it might be Raphael. Running a hand over my hair, I took a deep breath and hurried toward the front of the store.

I knew a moment of disappointment when I saw that it wasn't my favorite Vampire. This man was fair where Raphael was dark, his eyes were yellow instead of black, but other than that, the two men were of a similar build, although Raphael was a few inches taller, and broader through the shoulders.

My skin tingled oddly as he moved toward me. He was a Were. I knew it immediately, as I had known that Raphael was a Vampire. But the moon wasn't full, so I figured I was safe enough.

I moved behind the counter. “May I help you?”

“I hope so. I'm looking for a book called Nocturne by Xavier Valdez. It's out of print, but I was hoping you might have an old copy lying around.”

“It doesn't sound familiar,” I said, “but I can check for you, if you'd like.”

“Thanks.”

I powered up my JG5000 and typed in what I was looking for. The JG5000 was the latest in computer technology. It was small, portable, required no hookup or cables, and the battery lasted for five years. You could talk to it or type in your commands; the JG could respond verbally or display the message on the screen. At home, I liked the verbal commands, but here at work, I used the keyboard.

I typed in the title, and when nothing came up, I typed in the author's name. “I'm sorry, nothing comes up. Have you tried the library?”

“No luck there, either. Well, thanks for trying,” he said with a shrug. “It was worth a shot.”

“Have you looked on WebNet? You might be able to find a used copy there.”

“Struck out there, too. You're new in town, aren't you?”

I nodded. His question proved that he wasn't. “I'm sorry I couldn't help you.”

“Coming in here wasn't a total loss,” he said with a dazzling smile. “At least I got to meet you.”

I couldn't believe it. Except for having dinner with Raphael, I hadn't had a date in six months, hadn't met a man who even appealed to me in all that time, and now, in less than a week, I'd met two gorgeous guys, and neither one of them was human. Talk about rotten luck!

“I'm Cagin, by the way.”

“Just Cagin?”

“Joseph, but nobody calls me that.”

“Kathy McKenna.”

“So, Kathy, there's a pretty lake not far from here. How'd you like to go on a picnic Sunday afternoon?”

“I don't know…”

“Is it because we've just met?”

“Partly.”

“Partly?”

“I'm sorry, I don't date Werewolves.”

“No problem, then,” he said with a wink, “since I'm not a Werewolf.”

Funny, I'd been sure he was. Okay, so, maybe my Supernatural radar wasn't all that reliable.

“Come on,” he coaxed, “I promise to be good. I'll even pack a lunch if you'll bring dessert.” He glanced around. “I'll even buy something to sweeten the deal.”

“All right,” I agreed, “but only if I get to pick the book.”

“Done!”

Grinning, I walked to the back of the store and picked up an enormous volume titled Gunmen and Ghost Towns of the Wild West . I had ordered it by mistake and had been wondering how I'd unload it, since the supplier refused to take it back.

“Gunmen and Ghost Towns of the Wild West,” Cagin said, grimacing as he read the title. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

“I don't know,” I said, stifling a grin. “I guess you could always use it for a doorstop.”

“You drive a hard bargain.”

“A deal's a deal, and the price is forty-nine fifty, take it or leave it.”

With a rueful grin, he lifted his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a credit card, which he slapped on the counter. “For that dirty trick, you have to pay the sales tax.”

It sounded like a bargain to me.

I handed him the book and his receipt, gave him my address, and agreed to meet him Sunday afternoon after church.

The rest of the day dragged on by. Long after the sun had gone down, I kept hoping Raphael would come by, but he never did. Maybe he hadn't enjoyed himself on our date as much as I had, though I had to admit it was one of the strangest dates I'd ever been on.

Later that evening, while taking care of some overdue paperwork, my skin tingled with awareness. I looked up, expecting to see Raphael on the other side of the counter, but there was no one there. Frowning, I glanced around the store, certain that he was there, but if he was, he was invisible. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was nearby, that he was watching me. And then, abruptly, the sensation was gone.

Feeling a little creeped out, I closed the store half an hour early and went home, bolting the front door behind me.

Saturday came and went, and there was still no sign of Raphael. Well, I could take a hint as well as the next girl. I told myself it didn't matter. He was a Vampire, after all, and no matter how attractive he might be, we had no future together. Besides, I couldn't imagine taking Rafe home to meet my folks. Hi, Mom, Dad, this is Raphael. Oh, by the way, he's a Vampire. I told myself I was better off without him, but deep down, I didn't believe it. Nor could I believe how much I missed a man I hardly knew.