Bite Me Read online

  Where was Trent when she needed him? The last couple of days he'd been gone for the most part, making arrangements, but she suspected there was an edge to his busyness.

  The way she caught him staring at her as if he saw her with new eyes. And not the eyes of a lover. There'd been something sad in their depths. Was he marrying her out pity? But that didn't make sense either. It wasn't as if she needed a ceremony to boost her self-esteem.

  Another knock.

  Geez, way to space out. Seffy got up and went to the door. “Who is it?”

  Half-expecting a child's voice, she was surprised to hear Gareth on the other side of the wood.

  “Sef, I need to talk to you.”

  She stared at the brown panels, her pulse jumping. He didn't sound mad. Or maybe it was an act. Would he dare attempt to physically stop her from getting married?

  Deciding against speaking to him in her room where she would be trapped, she edged open the door and slipped into the hallway, looking for a potential escape route.

  When she turned back to him, she forced an even note into her voice. “What do you want?”

  His brown eyes, lighter than hers, seem to bore into her soul. “I'd like to talk, privately.”

  “We're alone here.”

  Gareth looked up and down the halls, frowning. Easing out a sigh, he dropped the issue. “Don't marry Ellison.”

  Seffy stared at him, poised for flight. “Are you done?”

  He regarded her for several awkward moments. “Marry me, instead.”

  A startled gasp fought for escape but she clamped her mouth closed.

  She waited for her shock to die down before speaking. “There was a time when those words might have meant something, but...that's in the past.”

  Gareth laughed without humor. “We're in the past.” When she didn't respond, his tense expression darkened. “I'm asking you not to throw yourself away like this. If marriage is what you want, I'm willing.”

  Seffy tried to figure out his angle. Maybe she wasn't the only one losing it around here. “Gareth, I don't want to get married for the sake of marriage. I just want to be with Trent. Period.”

  “You can't love him,” he said, his voice flaring. “Not after how you felt about me.”

  Blood rushed to her cheeks, but she maintained a calm expression.

  “I'm convinced this is a cry for help. You're acting out to get my attention. Well, I'm paying attention now.”

  “Funny, I don't remember your ego being quite this overblown before.”

  “Seffy, we have loved each other in one form or another for over ten years. You don't just walk away from that.”

  “If I remember right,” she said over the pounding of her heart, “you're the one who did the walking.”

  He suddenly gripped her arms. “I still love you, Seffy. You must know that.”

  She caught her breath, waiting for the sick longing for him to reassert itself, but it didn't come.

  Seffy stepped away from him, forcing his hands to drop.

  “Doesn't that mean anything to you?” he said in an anguished whisper.

  “Gareth, you've made your feelings for me clear over the last several months. I'm dirty, I'm slutty, whatever. Now you love me. You can't have it both ways.”

  His face flushed red. “I know what I've said. I just wanted you to slow down and realize where you're headed.”

  “Looks like I'm headed away from you,” she said, watching him struggle with her words.

  “It doesn't have to be like this.”

  “It is like this.” She closed her eyes briefly. “Gareth, if you really cared for me, you wouldn't be talking to me this way.”

  He smirked. “So what, I'm supposed to watch the girl I've protected for years walk away and hook up with some druggy loser?”

  Fury rushed through her. “Why do you say 'druggy?'”

  “That's what he is, right? Some filthy junkie who knows how to use words to fool a desperate girl.”

  She grabbed his sleeve. “Why do you think he's a junkie? Addison said that, too. What have you heard?”

  He stared at her, silent.

  “Gareth, who told you about his drug addiction?”

  “So it's true,” he said, a note of triumph in his voice.

  “He's clean now.”

  His expression hardened. “There are some things you can never get clean from.”

  Seffy felt her anger dissolve into a wave of sadness. “Well, there's your answer, Gareth.” She dropped her hand. “And I'm marrying Trent whether you approve or not. Now, go figure out how to get us back to 2006 and stop listening to malicious gossip.”

  “Jared didn't gossip. Obviously, he has his facts straight—”

  “Jared told you?” She clenched her fists. “I'd sure like to know where that little sneak is getting his information.”

  She glanced down the hallway as if to catch him somewhere eavesdropping.

  Her eyes widened when she saw Addison leaning against her door jamb, listening to their conversation. As soon as their gazes connected, Addison disappeared into her room and noiselessly shut the door.

  Seffy looked back at Gareth, who continued to stare at her with disgust.

  “I gave you a chance, Sef. And now I know what you think of it, so, for once, you'll have to deal with your own consequences.”

  A hundred retorts sprung to her mind, but she kept them to herself.

  With one last disappointed look, Gareth turned and headed back to his room.

  When the hallway was empty, she was surprised that she felt little remorse.

  More than anything, she wondered how much Addison had overheard.

  Chapter Seven

  “I swear, if Trent calls me Half-pint when he sees me in this...”

  Lani looked up at Seffy. “He won't,” she mumbled around several straight pins lodged between her lips. She pulled out a couple of the pins and fastened them into the hem. “You have to trust me that you will look fabulous.”

  Seffy snorted. “As fabulous as one could look in the 80s.”

  Lani finished pinning. “I'm modernizing the dress, Sef. Don't worry.” She surveyed the dress with a critical eye. “Besides, thousands of brides have worn Gunne Sax. And this one is a black label. Best of the lot.”

  Seffy rolled her eyes as Lani carefully lifted it over her head. Once she was clear of the dress, she yanked on her tracksuit over her bra and panties. “Well, I appreciate you taking this on. I admit I was a bit depressed when I started looking through the dresses.”

  “Olga is loaning me her sewing machine. I will have this ready tomorrow, well before the ceremony.”

  Tomorrow.

  God.

  “Can you believe it, Sef?”

  Seffy smiled faintly. “Not really. I don't think it's sunk in yet.”

  Lani carefully draped the pinned dress over the desk chair. “I guess I won't be asking you where you're going on your honeymoon.”

  “Well, it won't be far at any rate.”

  Her friend sighed. “Malone's said that there's an animal they've been trying to capture not far from the compound—that thing that chased him and Trent when we left last time—so I guess you two can't even partake of a stroll around the building.”

  “That's okay. It's been pretty cold outside. Anyway, one could argue that we've kind of already had our honeymoon.”

  Lani went over and sat on the couch. “I'm glad you two found each other, in this life and the last.”

  “Me, too,” she said quietly. Seffy was especially thankful that Trent had been tolerant of her weirdness. At what point would she do something so freaky that he'd finally wash his hands of her?

  Like Gareth had.

  “I know you two had a rough start, but even at the beginning, I could always tell he was fixated. When I talked to him yesterday, I saw how crazy he is about you.”

  “When did you talk to him?”

  Lani's face reddened. “He asked me to go to the chapel and look it ove
r. He said he needed a female's perspective—”

  Seffy clenched her jaw. “Of course, he couldn't take me, what with me being a sicko and all.”

  Her friend frowned. “Sef, it's just a precaution. We don't want anything to stop the ceremony. You will be allowed at the chapel tomorrow—”

  “Let me guess, I'll have an armed escort.”

  “Something like that,” she hedged.

  “Are Gareth and Addison still upset?”

  “Of course Gareth is—although I think at this point he's more shocked than angry. Then Addison keeps making snide comments that this is some kind of scam, that Trent will change after the ceremony. That his 'love' is an act to get you to trust him before he goes in for the kill.”

  “Sounds like they're still upset.”

  Lani peeked up at her. “Yep.”

  Seffy sighed. “So tell me about the chapel. I never knew the compound had one.”

  She scooted forward. “It's very pretty—small, wooden pews and a little bit of backlit stained glass. Very non-denominational like the chapels at airports. I recommended candles and some flowers to make it more weddingish. I know you'll love it.”

  “Thanks, Lani. Just having someone enthusiastic is nice. It doesn't look like Gareth and Addison will come around.”

  The brunette mashed her lips together. “We'll see about that. By the way, besides Olga, Trent invited Jared, Cynthia, Eva. I hope that's okay.”

  “Jared. I hope he doesn't come. He's been talking behind Trent's back.”

  Lani lowered her eyes. “Yeah, I kinda heard some of that. About Trent being an addict.” She looked up. “Is it true?”

  “It was.”

  The brunette's bright smile seemed a bit forced. “Well, it shows great fortitude that he quit. And now you'll have a fresh start together.”

  A fresh start. That had a nice ring to it. “If only we could start somewhere else.”

  “You don't seem all that excited.” Lani bit her lip. “I mean, I get that these are not the most ideal of circumstances, but you have each other. That's what really matters.”

  Meeting her friend's look, Seffy swallowed. “But will love be enough?”

  Lani's long lashes swept downward to hide what was in her eyes. “It has to be,” she whispered.

  It has to be. Seffy wished she could truly unburden herself. On one hand she appreciated the gesture of a wedding—it was lovely and sweet and thoughtful. On the other, she just wanted it over with.

  She hated having Trent gone so much, doing who knew what. “I'm sorry to be such a downer. This was all just so unexpected.”

  Lani got up and approached Seffy where she sat on the edge of the bed. She took her hands, squeezing them hard. “Don't think about the compound. Think about what you and Trent have in each other. You're committing to each other. You'll be a brand new family.” She dropped her hands. “Not everyone gets that chance, you know.”

  Seffy wondered if Lani was referring to herself. But what about a real future? Or did she want too much? Maybe she was being greedy. She stood up and hugged her friend tight. “Thank you. You're the best, do you know that?”

  Lani smiled. “Now I do.” She reached around her and picked up the dress. “I should get going on this. Oh, I was wondering if you and Trent are working on your vows?”

  “Uh, I think we're going to go with the pre-fab ones.” She felt her face redden. “Think of my wedding as a cautionary tale for what not to do at yours.”

  “Mine? I don't have any upcoming nuptials.”

  “Well, you know, maybe you and Malone someday...”

  Lani shrugged. “We'll see. But then again, I'm not sure Malone is the marrying type.”

  “Hey, if Trent is, anyone is.”

  “I guess any guy is if they find the right girl. I'm just not sure Malone sees me that way.” She took a deep breath. “Luckily, I'm an optimist, so there's always hope—even for us enfants perdu.”

  Seffy clutched at Lani's arm, her heart skipping a beat. “What did you say?”

  Lani's brows went up. “Uh, there's always hope?”

  “No, no, that phrase. Was it French?”

  “Les enfants perdu?”

  “Yes!”

  “I'm sure you've heard it before. It was the school administrators code word for us foster kids because of what was considered our statistically doomed futures.”

  Seffy stared at her, still questioning.

  “They didn't use it out in the open, of course. Just when they didn't think we were listening.”

  “Lani, you took French. What does it mean?”

  “Oh, uh, it means the 'lost children.'”

  ***

  Seffy nestled against Trent's warm chest, wondering what had stirred her from a particularly yummy dream—one that involved the hunky monkey she was currently having cuddle time with.

  He must've been having the same dream because his arms tightened around her. His deep breathing made her hair flutter. Determined to go back to sleep, she closed her eyes.

  A cold draught of air blew over her exposed shoulders, giving her a sudden case of the chills. Seffy slid further under the blankets, wondering where it came from.

  She peeked behind her, and froze.

  The girl stood by the bed, staring at her with solemn brown eyes.

  Seffy's heart slammed into her ribs. No, no, no! Turning back to Trent, she squeezed her eyes shut, willing the vision to go away. And it was a vision. Angelique wasn't real. If she were, he would've seen her earlier.

  Another rush of cold air filled the room, accompanied by a far off keening sound.

  Unable to stop herself, she slowly turned around the faced the girl. Angelique glanced up at the ceiling.

  A ceiling tile was opened to one side—the one that led to the Light Room.

  “Who were you talking about earlier?” Seffy asked in a low whisper, her voice shaking with a soul-deep chill. “Am I a lost child?”

  “Come find what was lost.”

  “What will I find?”

  The girl looked back at the hole in the ceiling, her dark eyes seeming to hold some secret.

  Seffy slid from the covers and grabbed her tracksuit off the floor. She tugged on the clothes, feeling detached from reality—like an astronaut cut loose from the air hose—adrift, bumping along the currents of starry space, knowing it was only a matter of time until the oxygen ran out.

  When she looked up, the girl was gone. Still, Seffy knew she'd gone up into the attic.

  And that she would follow.

  She couldn't help it. Her movements were smooth and coordinated as she got on top of the desk and hoisted herself through the hole. The path to the Light Room wasn't lit, but some kind of glow gilded the attic framing, leading the way. As she neared the room, the air grew cooler and more blustery.

  When she entered the space, she saw that the skylight was open.

  As she approached the opening, she saw polka dots, gone in the twinkling of an eye.

  Seffy didn't give a second thought to crawling out onto the roof. She was propelled by some forward momentum that had nothing to do with curiosity.

  On the roof, Seffy looked around. A partial, yellow moon hovered in the sky like a baleful, jaundiced eye. Black tattered clouds drifted across its surface, giving it a menacing air. Raindrops came on the gusts of wind, scattering her thoughts like dry leaves.

  “Little girl?”

  Nothing.

  “Angelique? What do you want me to find?”

  That's when she heard the growl.

  ***

  Trent stirred and reached out for Seffy, but found only empty air. Opening one eye, he saw she wasn't in the bed. He sat up, looking toward the bathroom. The light was off. Trent reached out and ran his hands along the sheets. They were cool to the touch. His pulse jumped. Where was she?

  Then he remembered her vision of the girl. Did it happen again? Damn.

  He grabbed a pair of jeans and tugged them on, then surveyed the room. It
was silent aside from a strange moaning sound—like wind over eaves. Trent headed down the passage to check her room, but it sat shrouded in silence as well. He went back into his room, trying to decide where to look next.

  Suddenly a rush of cold air made him look up at the ceiling.

  No way.

  As his brain raced through the ramifications, he hurried onto the desk and up through the opening. The sound of his frantic breathing competed for the increasing noise of wind blowing past him as he scrambled along the path to the Light Room.

  Adrenaline pushed him faster, and when he reached the room, he saw the reason for the gusts.

  The skylight was open to a dark, windy night.

  Not pausing to wonder why it would be open, Trent pulled himself up onto the roof and looked around.

  Where the hell was she? Was she even out here? Maybe she'd gone to visit Lani or something.

  But that didn't explain the open tile.

  Ever since Gareth had found them in bed together, they'd been very careful to close doors and panels all the way. And the Light Room was sacred. If Seffy had left it open, she'd come this way.

  A far-off growling sound caught his attention. He whirled around, struggling to discern the direction it came from. An eerie howl sent goose-bumps erupting over his skin—that and the whipping wind. As he took a step toward the sound, he slipped on the rain-slick metal roofing and went down hard. Groaning in pain from his aching ribs and backside, he got back to his feet, wishing he'd thought to put on a pair of shoes.

  Trying to ignore the cold, he tipped his head, listening for another sound.

  A blood-congealing howl sent him running across the roof in the direction of the noise. It took him a moment to realize he was headed toward the ladder.

  His heart thundered in his ears as he braced himself to look over the edge.

  Oh no.

  “Seffy!”

  Seffy—halfway down the ladder—paused from her downward climb and looked up at him, her face a pale oval in the moonlight, her hair flying wildly around her head.