Havermouth, Three Weeks BeforeRhett’s bedroom door was still shut Cameron saw as he got home. He paused in the hallway, wearing nothing but his underwear as he’d taken off his clothes on the balcony and carried them straight through to the washing machine, starting the cycle as his mother had taught him to do.With Rhett sulking in his room, and Heath at work, there was no one to frown disapprovingly at him when he changed into his running gear and tiptoed back out of the house.They had stayed away from Aislen on Sunday night, knowing that Abigail would be watching them to make sure they obeyed, with Rhett shutting himself off in his bedroom, Cameron had slept in Heath’s bed, clinging to his mate, but both of them rendered silent by their loss.On Monday, Havermouth had buzzed with news of the Secret Keeper, but Cameron had been distracted by the nagging question of whether or not the Carter house was empty… He had driven by during the day, doing laps until he saw her car return fro

Havermouth, Present TimeAislen woke from a deep sleep between Rhett and Cameron. A hole in the wooden divider wall shed a fragile light into the room, just enough so that she could run her worried gaze over Rhett. He was looking better, she decided, his face less waxy pale, his eyes less shadowed. His cheekbones still stood out too prominently against his skin, emphasized by the dark shadow of a couple of day’s stubble, but he didn’t seem to be losing more weight.She hovered on the edge of sleep and awake, admiring the heavy fall of his hair, and the fullness of his lips, until her bladder demanded action. Rhett’s eyes opened as she eased out from Cameron’s arm. She touched his cheek. “Go back to sleep. I’m just going to the bathroom.”Cameron sat up, bleary eyed. “Are you hungry?”“Not really,” Aislen ruffled her fingers through his hair. “But I’ll go downstairs and empty cans into the saucepan if you two are?”“Not yet,” Rhett’s eyes were almost closed and his face was relaxing ba

Havermouth, Present Time They drove as close to the bridge as they could get before hitting the first roadblock. Every alternative route they attempted from that point they found blocked either by cement barricades or vehicles parked across the street and left. The only way into the town by car was barricaded by soldiers and spike strips. “Let me out here,” Leighton said from the back seat. Talen’s eyes flicked to the rear-view mirror but he slowed to a stop and Leighton reached for the door handle. “I will make sure that all eyes are away from the bridge, and that the bridge guards are distracted by what is happening in town,” he told them as he stepped out, and paused with a small smile. “Just make sure not to get distracted yourself, and Talen…” He raised an eyebrow. “I remember. Don’t open the pouch until I need to return,” Talen replied with amusement, patting the chest of the many-pocketed military style vest that he wore over a black, long-sleeved top and cargo pants. Heath k

Havermouth, Present TimeAislen caught at Talen’s elbow. “Hey,” she said her eyes flicking to the vampires around her. “Talen… I am so glad you are back, but this sounds… dangerous.”He paused and cupped her cheek on his palm leaning down until his breath warmed her lips. “We will stalk and kill the Van Helsing soldiers who make themselves vulnerable. Maybe they will step away from their post in order to urinate against a wall… Maybe their shoelace will come untied, and they will bend over to tie it taking their eyes off the road... Maybe they will be the one left manning the post whilst their partner follows a pretty girl into the shadows… Whatever way it unfolds, we will be the nightmares of shadow stalking them.“In the light, they have the advantage of numbers, but in the shadows of night, we can outrun them, we can sneak up on them, and we can kill them before they can put a finger to the trigger. Is there a risk?” His fingers stroked through her hair. “Of course, there is a risk

Havermouth, Present TimeCameron was ebullient on the way back to the Ute, his steps bouncing, and his grin wide. He nudged up against Heath with his shoulder playfully. “That felt good, didn’t it?” He prompted his mate. “Seeing Lauren and Anne get Jessica back, and helping them to move to Anne’s house.”“Yeah,” Heath glanced over his shoulder, and linked his arm through Cameron’s. “Cam…” He broke off at the sound of engines, and the squeal of tyres. They both dove into the bushes and crouched looking back to where the Van Helsings had pulled up out front of Lauren’s house, their car lights flooding the house with cold light and dark shadow.Many armed men flooded the house, moving through it, calling out to themselves, their words stolen by distance, but their purpose clear. They were searching for Lauren and, presumably, Jessica.“Look,” Heath hissed, his hand squeezing the cuff around Cameron’s wrist so that it pinched skin against bone, but Cameron didn’t protest, his eyes followi