Scorched Ice (Fire and Ice #3)

Julian caught a hint of movement from the corner of his eye a second before the door opened. The bell above the door released a tinkling ring that caused everyone in the diner to turn toward it. When they had first entered, all of the patrons within had done the same thing. Whereas everyone within had returned to their food and business shortly afterward, this time the giant ducking under the doorframe kept their gazes riveted on him.

Julian slipped from the booth and shot to his feet all in one fluid motion. He stalked with lethal speed toward Quinn and stood beside her before Vern took more than two steps into the diner.

“Vern,” he greeted.

The men at the counter continued to gawk at Vern while one of the waitresses poured them fresh coffee. “Boss,” Vern replied. “Just letting you know we’re here. We’ll be waiting outside by the gas station.”

“We’ll be out in a few minutes.”

Vern nodded and turned away from him. The bell rang as he exited the diner, and the men at the counter finally returned to their meals and gossip, but the old men’s shoulders remained more rigid than they’d been before Vern entered.

This was a small town, and the employees in this diner probably knew almost everyone who came into it. At first, they’d been written off as normal people simply passing through. His reaction to Vern’s entrance and Vern’s size had brought unwanted attention to them.

Julian focused on Vern again as he made his way across the parking lot toward the gas station next door. Vern opened the driver’s door of a van and climbed inside.

“We should go,” Devon said. He tossed some cash on the table before sliding out of the booth behind Cassie and taking hold of her hand.

Julian took hold of Quinn’s hand before walking over to throw a hundred-dollar bill on the table. The old men watched them the entire time, their gazes curious and more than a little wary. They all turned away when Julian focused on them. Talk of what they were going to plant in their gardens this year resumed.

A tendril of unease slid up his spine. When it came to The Commission, nothing was ever as it seemed. He’d already been in one town where their evil had been embedded in everything there. He didn’t think that was the case here, but he wasn’t taking any chances either.

With Quinn against his side, he brushed his hand against the arm of one of the men. The man jumped and leaned away from him, but not before Julian saw that all he really did have on his mind were tomatoes and lettuce.

“Sorry,” Julian apologized as the man’s watery brown eyes ran over him.

Keeping Quinn’s hand in his, he led her from the diner and out the door behind Devon and Cassie. He searched the night for any hint of something hiding within the shadows created by the trees swaying in the breeze. Scenting the air, he detected only the crisp aroma of water from a nearby river and snow still on the highest peaks of the mountains. The chill of the April air made his lip curl, but he had to admit the freshness of it was welcome after nearly a week in the RV.

Certain there was no one waiting to ambush them, he turned his attention to the van he’d seen Vern climb into. The streetlights at the edge of the parking lot illuminated some of the van, but most of the windows were tinted enough that he couldn’t see who was in the back of it.

“I’m going to talk to Vern. Wait here,” he said to the others.

“I’m coming with you,” Quinn replied.

Julian hesitated but nodded when her eyes narrowed on him. Her hand warmed his as they walked across the parking lot toward the idling van. Vern was leaning back in the driver’s seat, his large frame stretched out as much as he could get it when Julian stepped up to the open window.

Prue sat in the passenger seat, one of her bare feet propped on the dash as she painted her toenails. Her silvery blonde hair swayed about her shoulders when she glanced at him before returning her attention to her toes. In the back of the van, Hadie sat with four other vamps, all of them stared at him with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

“Boss,” Hadie greeted and pushed back a lock of her strawberry blonde hair.

“Hadie,” he replied. He nudged Quinn back when she leaned forward to peer inside the vehicle. He could feel the daggers she stared into his back before she pinched him. Gritting his teeth, he focused on Vern. “We’ll be parking about a mile down the street from the house. We’ll pull into the first place we can find to put the RV where it won’t be noticed.”

“You got it,” Vern said and leaned forward to start the van. “Just so you know, there are some vamps coming to Maine tomorrow night who might prefer to see you dead.”

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