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  He stood up, angry, "Fuck that! Most people break oaths as soon as they utter the words."

  "I'm not most people," I said standing up. "I told you I needed to leave in the morning. Why is that suddenly an issue?"

  "Dianna, I want to be with you until sunrise. One full night. Is that too much to ask?"

  "Right now, yes." I moved back a step, holding up a hand. I stopped the impulse to jump on him and say Lewis and Solas could wait. Jason Lewis might be out there right now. Killing. "I made a promise."

  He took out a silver case from his back pocket, took out a cigarette, and lit it. "What about the promise to see where this goes, Di?" Roth's voice was low. "Or don't I count?"

  "If you can't deal with how I treat my friends, then we should stop."

  "So, I don't count," his voice was almost too soft and accented to make out.

  "Not if you're being an asshole!" I should have kept my mouth shut. "We have plenty of time together tonight."

  Taking a drag from the cigarette, he breathed out a string of smoke. "You could save me." His words were still very hard to hear. His pale eyes pierced me, "Or was this just a fun adventure to you?"

  He took a drag as he came towards me. The lean muscles on his body were bunched like a panther about to pounce.

  "I want this to be more than a few nights of fun. What is it you want?"

  "I don't know," I said. I hadn't meant to destroy the evening.

  "Do you want me to take you home?" He kept coming closer.

  I wasn't willing to give ground and took a step forward. I wanted Roth. Part of me had started to wonder if we could have a relationship beyond our chemistry. But I didn't want him to make me feel guilty or like I had to give up my friends to show dedication to him.

  As he reached me, he asked, "So, should I take you home?"

  Shivering at the heat he was putting out, I said, "Yes!"

  Roth took another drag off the cigarette. He was so close the smoke coming out of his mouth penetrated my senses. I moved away slightly. I never cared for the smell.

  He turned away from me and tossed the cigarette into the water. "Before or after we have sex?"

  Even mad I wanted to jump on him and start kissing. What power did Roth have over me? So much for a fun date. "Screw you, Roth!" I walked out the door leaving paradise. Returning to the metal, tile, and concrete of reality.

  "Isn't sex all you want," he shouted.

  I turned around and bumped into him. His arms encircled me, and his lips took mine. The heat was more intense and hurt. Crying out against him, he kept a hold on me. One hand slipped into the dress to squeeze a breast. Leaning into his heat, I wanted more.

  His tongue pushed into my mouth and saliva fell from my chin. My breasts felt heavy. The smell of honey and cloves enveloped my senses as one of his hands pressed me into his hard desire.

  I opened my eyes to see his eyes on me, angry and hard.

  I pushed him away. "No."

  Roth stumbled slightly. His breath was fast, and I could feel the rage coming off of him. "Let's go then," he said. He held out his hand.

  "Why are you so mad?!"

  "Because I want more!" His voice echoed in the hallway.

  "Well, I don't know if I have it to give," I said. Breathing in and out, I said, "Seriously, what the hell? Maybe this is normal for you, but it is overwhelming to me." My temper flared, "Stop trying to intimidate me." I moved, poking him in the chest.

  He stood still.

  "Why are you picking a fight with me?"

  He slowly leaned down slightly, so we were eye to eye. He asked, "Do you want to come back to my place, Dianna?"

  I shook my head and said, "Not now."

  Roth said, "Let's get you home. When will you return?" He opened the door for me. His expression was the same polite impersonal one he used talking to people at work.

  It made me mad. "A couple days."

  He nodded as we left the area. "So good of you to inform your boss. I assume you don't consider me a boyfriend?"

  Growling at him, I yelled, "Screw you!" Walking towards the building exit faster, I dodged as he would have picked me up. Somehow he still caught me from behind. Pulling me to him, he kissed my throat.

  The feeling of his hard body against mine made my knees weak. Hot lips singed my flesh as one hand rubbed the front of me pushing me into him. His erection was still firm and big. I moaned as he rubbed a breast while moving me against him. Crying out, my head rested on his shoulder while his mouth continued to kiss my neck.

  His fingers found my nipple again as he kept squeezing me. His other hand moved, pulling up the dress. Swept away by his fiery touch, I moved my hands to his thighs. I matched his movements with my lower body. Roth groaned and lifted the dress up completely, trapping it between us, so it stayed that way. His hand lightly caressed the front of my panties. Slowly touching me up and down.

  I wanted to kiss him. His tongue licked where he had been sucking. Trying to turn into him, he wouldn't let me. His arms kept me as I was. All at once he let me go.

  I stumbled, trying to make sense of everything.

  As he headed for the exit, he said, "I can make love to you until you have trouble walking." He gave me a look over his shoulder, and his eyes held a promise that I'd enjoy it.

  "You're still angry," I asked while trying to switch gears.

  "Yes," he said, but there was still an edge to him.

  He walked past me, and I breathed out, not realizing I was holding it.

  I got into the limo. Roth followed. We headed to my apartment. Roth rolled down his window and smoked. I hadn't known he was a smoker. His kisses hadn't tasted ashy, and he hadn't smelled. To us non-smokers, smokers usually have a distinct odor, and it is generally unpleasant.

  "You shouldn't smoke," I said.

  Roth ignored me at first. He blew a trail of smoke out the window He lowered his head, his gaze slid up and down my body. Meeting my eyes, he said, "I recently took it back up."

  Angered at the implication that I'd driven him to a filthy habit, I turned away. I spent the rest of the time looking out the window, trying to figure out how such a spectacular evening had gone so wrong. Angry at myself and at Roth's reaction, I tried to calm down.

  The limo pulled up to my apartment building.

  Roth said softly, "Go. And may the things I would have done to you haunt your dreams, Di."

  Leaving the vehicle, the night was cold. My heels clicked as I walked out of the limo. Roth grabbed my arm, stopping me. "I'll beg." His voice was soft. "Just stay. Choose to be with me." His head was bent down so I couldn't read his expression.

  "Roth, I don't choose between friends." Shaking off his grip, I left.

  I shook from the cold. I couldn't stop myself; I turned to look.

  He sat partially out of the limo, his head still down. His shoulders were bunched up as if he was restraining himself.

  I stopped myself. I'd started to walk back to him. Turning back around, I growled at myself.

  Dammit Dianna, what have you gotten yourself into now?

  Chapter Fifteen

  The light seemed brighter than normal. Brad's pale form walked with me up the stairs.

  "I almost did it," he said excitedly. "I wasn't sure when you'd get back. I felt something! I almost moved the coffee table!"

  "Wow," I said. The word sounded unimpressed. I fought the urge to run out and see if Roth was still there.

  "What's wrong," Brad asked. "Was the date a bust? I mean, you look like you had a good time?"

  I glared at Brad.

  He stopped talking and went through the apartment door as I dealt with the lock and the alarm. As I was about to shut the door, I saw my neighbor Koslov. He nodded at me politely as he headed to his unit. I gave a small wave before shutting the door.

  Closing my eyes, the red pushed against my walls. I was so angry. At myself, at him, at the damn broke bathroom doorknob.

  I'd better be excused from work, even though he was pisse
d.

  Remembering Roth’s heat, I leaned against the door and shuddered as I yearned for him.

  In the shower, I stripped down. I could smell cloves, honey, and his musk all over me. Washing, I winced touching my neck. It hurt. I didn't need to wash my hair, so I got out after quickly rinsing the soap off my face and body.

  Looking in the bathroom mirror, I saw that Roth had marked me with a couple hickeys on my neck. Son of a bitch, they were over where Jason Lewis had attacked me.

  I was grateful for my healing powers. The marks would heal.

  Roth had totally used my desire to manipulate me.

  My jeans made a ripping noise as I shoved my foot through a leg.

  "Damn it!" I tossed the jeans into the small garbage bin. Grabbing another pair, I finished getting dressed with more care.

  I grabbed my laptop and logged on. I went to officially request time off but the entire week was blocked out for me as vacation already. Looking at my email, I saw the official vacation time approved letters. His high handed behavior grated.

  My phone buzzed. The screen showed Roth had texted me twice. Once when I'd been in the shower. "Let me know when you get there." And the second was, "Be safe."

  Well, he wasn't a complete asshole.

  Sighing I put my knees up and arms around them. I liked Roth, mostly. He was clever and passionate. However, the intelligent side of him was also manipulative.

  He had planned out, in great detail, dates specifically for me. To woo me? If he'd only wanted in my pants, he wouldn't be so angry at me for leaving. We would have had sex in the garden.

  Why had I said anything? Shouldn’t I be happy he wanted more?

  Resting my head on my knees, I wrestled with the confusion. Did I want more with him? His temper was as bad as mine. Well, almost. Why did even this simple relationship have to be so stupidly complex?

  I logged onto a maps program and looked at the satellite imaging of Solas. It was a small town of just over twelve thousand people, located about one hundred and twenty miles northeast of town. The images of the town showed an old strip for the main street nearby a railyard.

  The town was full of homes more than anything else. There was one large shopping center on the outskirts that looked like a recent build. An older farm to market road ran perpendicular to the main street. It was between the newly constructed megastore and a motel. I looked at it, and the website for it loaded up. It had a two-star rating, with multiple complaints of fleas and roaches.

  A quick web search revealed a bed and breakfast close to town along with an hourly motel. Doing a quick search for a hotel nearby Solas reveal three located thirty miles or less away. The closest one was in Hastings, only about a twenty-minute drive. The reviews were almost all four stars. Many people praising its cleanliness. It was next to a trucker stop, which meant fuel and food. Perfect.

  I didn't want to leave a paper trail, so I decided to stop by the bank on the way out of town to grab some cash. I only had about eighty dollars on me.

  Realization hit me. My car still sat in the parking lot at Burke & Walsh. I debated whether I should try to rest or just go get it.

  Brad came over. His semi-transparent self-looked worried. "Dianna, nothing bad happened on your date did it? Not like Max?"

  Looking into his concerned dark eyes, I said, "Nothing like that Brad. Just a fight."

  He said, "That's normal for you." He held up his hands, "No offense."

  My eyes narrowed, "What do you mean by that?"

  He gestured at me, "This. You are prickly lately. After Halloween."

  I held up a hand. "I told you, I don't want to hear about it." He started to talk, but I said louder, "I don't want to know, Brad. My mind blocked it out for a reason." I stood up to get my jacket. "If my brain wants to shield me from more nightmares, let it."

  Brad shrugged, "Alright, Dianna. I still think you should know. It is big."

  "Later," I said.

  "Grumble at me all you want, white girl," he replied. He went back to the living room.

  I put my head in my hands. I didn't want to think about Max. That night. This night was nothing like that. However, I'd wanted my first time with Roth to be sexy, not something that came from our anger.

  Max's voice taunted me, 'You are still mine.'

  "Screw it," I said.

  I packed a pair of jeans, tee, hoodie, socks, and undies. Two full bags of beef jerky. Water bottles. And two charger cables. Debating, I put in another bag of jerky. I sent out a text to Gretchen letting her know I'd be out of town for a few days. It was pretty late, so I didn't get a response.

  Putting on the backpack, I felt like I forgot something. Putting my tonfas in my jackets large inner pocket, I headed to the living room.

  Brad concentrated on the coffee table. His hair was still short as it had been when he'd died. One of his frat brothers had convinced him to cut his gorgeous long black hair. After he cut it Sara had cried.

  Brad was part Mexican-American and part Cheyenne but was still somehow stuck here as a ghost. I'd asked him if he remembered any tunnel or white light. Or any ancestors or spirits. He'd said no. Just unbearable agony and then he woke up as a ghost.

  "I'm off to Solas for a few days," I said.

  "Cool." He looked up, "I'll be here."

  Leaving the apartment, I thought about what might make him a ghost. Mostly, he talked about seeing Sara again. We thought if there was an afterlife, and Brad being a ghost seemed pretty firm evidence leaning towards yes there was, that Sara and everyone killed at Lake Clare had ended up in Heaven. At Peace.

  Brad stayed away from his loving family because it broke his heart to see them. He'd been a math whiz and the first of the Garcia family to go to college, and with a full ride in the engineering program. His family saw his death as a sign of more than a lost young man, but that of lost hope.

  A part of me wished I'd stayed with Roth and shut out all the past. But it would still be here. No matter how much I wanted it all to go away, it had all happened, and I was different. I adjusted the backpack and winced. The hickeys hadn't healed and really ached. I'd pick up a double burger on the way to Solas.

  The night was even colder now. It hadn't been that long since Roth had dropped me off. I looked up in the sky, trying to see the stars. If only I could recapture that moment of peace, I'd had lying next to Roth gazing at them.

  The city lights blocked their glimmer.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The drive to Solas went by fairly painlessly. A two and a half hour viewing of nature. A bobcat, various black squirrels, and a handful of deer had all been nearby the FM road. Spotting them broke up the monotony of the drive. I'd reserved a room in at a hotel just outside of town.

  The inside of the hotel was clean but worn. It wasn't a major chain and took cash. The lady behind the counter had a five o'clock shadow, a magenta velour robe on with a coat over it, and curlers in her aging orange locks. Her face was glued to a laptop screen as she furiously clicked a mouse and pressed a number of function keys.

  I waited while she kept clicking.

  After a couple minutes, she said, "Yes! Level one-twenty-seven!" She looked at me finally, and said, "Sorry, raid night for the guild."

  I had no idea what she was talking about.

  "It’s sixty-five dollars per day. We take all major credit cards or cash."

  I handed her enough to cover two nights. She took the money, and grabbed a key from the wall, "You're in room eighty-four. It's on the west side towards the back." She returned to her online game.

  "Thanks," I said. The only reason I got a room was to have a place to patch up.

  It was either really late at night or fairly early in the morning, depending on your point of view. My room was number eighty-four and was fairly secluded. With any luck, I'd find Jason during the day and be out before nightfall.

  I'd grown up in a small town and spent a fair amount of town outdoors with nature. However, ten years in the city made me hope I d
idn't have to deal with any creepy-crawlies.

  I drove over and parked by my room. It was the typical hotel from the eighties. Inside looked clean but stuck in the 90s. With Oakwood cabinets with white doors and a very tiny floral print on the duvet and shams. I tossed my bag on the chair by the table-slash-desk and locked up.

  I started a text to Roth, "I made it to Solas. I don't want this over before it begins." Stopping from hitting send, I erased it. "I'm in Solas." I hit send.

  My emotions were a mess. I needed to focus on why I came to Solas. It wasn't to ponder and brood about a potential relationship.

  Taking out my laptop, I decided to see if there were any local social media groups. I found the usual online sites for finding old classmates, but not much else. A local paper had the headline on their online publication about Connors and his death.

  It had a smaller article about how Lewis was wanted for questioning in Fort Augustine. The paper had Lewis' graduation picture alongside a photo of him with arms around other people at a club. The other people in the photo were cropped out, but I'd seen the picture on his social media site before and knew that one of the arms was Connors and the other was a man named Sean Flynn.

  Flynn had been ruled out as a suspect because he had been in Silicon Valley for business when Connors had been killed.

  Looking at the photograph, it had been blown up. Although this made it have less definition the expression Lewis had was more visible. Lewis gazed at Connors with adoration. Whether it was hero worship or love wasn't clear. Lewis had killed Connors. Perhaps in a lover's quarrel. But was he a monster or a human?

  Reading more of the news article, it stated that Lewis still had a sister in his hometown. Their parents had retired and moved to Florida. Joan Lewis worked at the local bank and had no comment about the murder or her brother.

  Doing a quick search showed the bank opened at seven in the morning. If Jason had fled home, his sister seemed a likely hiding spot. She should be easy to find.