Stakes & Stilettos - Michelle Rowen [117]
He was a murderer. He’d killed countless vampires over the years, and he’d even murdered Stacy last night. He was a very bad man. Not that this was a revelation.
I’d tell Thierry I had to talk to him. I’d explain what had happened and then we’d… we’d… I didn’t know what we’d do, but it would be better than waiting and worrying that Gideon would just kill everybody anyhow.
This was the best way. The only way.
And sure, it did bother me that Thierry had accepted our breakup without even standing up from his desk; with his expression only growing colder and more distant.
Then again, he might not believe me. After everything I’d said to him…
Oh, God, I thought. He has to believe me.
“Sorry,” George said. “He’s not here.”
I licked my dry lips. “Where is he? This is urgent.”
“Look, I’d get him to give you a call, but he’s gone. Like gone, gone. I figured you already knew about this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I can’t believe you broke up with him, Sarah. Wow. I didn’t see that coming. He was in a foul mood when he came out of that office. Foul. I asked him where you were and he told me that you dumped him—although he didn’t use those exact words, of course. He finished the paperwork and cleared out his office of all his personal belongings, which I believe amounted to a fountain pen and an extra black shirt. He said he was going to the airport.”
My stomach turned over. “The airport?”
“I figure he’s going back to Europe. Now that Haven’s gone, and you’re moving on, there’s nothing to keep him here anymore. Are you okay, sweetie? Amy said you and Veronique had a talk earlier and I guess I can tell that it didn’t exactly go well, did it?”
Thierry had left for the airport. He was gone. Shock quickly spread over me.
“It…” I tried to swallow. “It went fine. But it made me realize a lot of things about me and Thierry. And yeah, it’s over.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I was speaking at a normal level now and my throat ached with every word.
“Look, I want to help you through this, I do, but I have ten tables who need service glaring at me right now. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Chin up. It might feel sucky now, but in the long run it’s probably the best decision. You guys were really different. I guess opposites don’t always attract after all, huh?”
“You’re right.” I sniffed. “See you later.”
I hung up and put my hands over my face and sobbed until I was all out of tears and felt utterly exhausted. The proverbial bed had been made and now I had to lie in it. Thierry was gone and Gideon was still here waiting for our appointment with destiny.
I felt for a tissue, but the box next to the phone was empty so I reached to turn on the light. It didn’t work. I stood up and walked over to the floor lamp next to the sofa, stubbing my already-blistered toe on the coffee table as I went.
I swore loudly.
Could the night seriously get any worse?
I felt at the wall for the light switch, but it didn’t work either. I’d shut the lights off before I went to bed, so they were working. Was there a power failure? Had we blown a fuse?
I heard the floorboards creak and I froze in place. They creaked again.
Somebody, other than me, was in the house.
It wouldn’t be George since he was still at the club. Then who? Was it Gideon? Had he followed me home and broken into the house? What was he going to do? Or, even worse, was it another hunter? I’d been bodyguard-free on my walk home, and somebody could have picked up my trail and slipped in through a window.
I didn’t care who it was, my survival instincts kicked in and I knew I had to get out of there. I made a beeline to the front door, turned the lock, and put my hand on the knob.
Somebody grabbed me firmly from behind. Before I could scream, a hand came over my mouth and I clutched at him, clawing at his arms and imagining my death a thousand different ways. But if I was going to die, I was taking whoever it was with me. I waited to feel a sharp wooden stake at my throat, but there was nothing.
“Shh, Sarah. It’s okay.”
My eyes bugged. I released my death hold on his