Chapter 4

I signaled and pulled over. Setting my feet to the road, I idled and wondered if she was finally at her destination. She’d switched buses four times within the last twenty-four hours, and I’d followed.

A pale and shaky Bethony disembarked. She made it five steps before she stopped and lifted her head to look around. Her movements were measured. I hoped she’d stop to rest.

She turned to a passenger who’d stepped off the bus behind her.

“Is there a hotel near here?”

The sound of her voice pulled at my insides, and my fingers tightened around the bike grips.

The man pointed down the street. As she shuffled down the road, I pulled away from the curb and drove past her to park in the hotel’s parking lot. She didn’t notice me as she walked inside.

I waited several minutes, giving her time to check in and settle into her room. After grabbing my bag from the back of the bike, I checked in and followed her lingering scent down the hallway. I paused at her door and listened to the sound of water running inside.

Setting my hand on the door, I closed my eyes and forced myself to relax. She wasn’t going anywhere. At least, not at the moment. I went to my room, two doors down and let myself in. Since I’d skipped sleep when I’d sat up with her and had spent the past twenty-four hours following her across state lines, I was ready to crash. But not before taking my own shower.

I’d just finished drying off when I heard the first muffled cry. I quickly tugged on pants and flew out the door. Of course her door was locked.

Since our rooms were right down the hall from the front desk, the clerk would have a clear view of me if she looked up from her book. Even if she wasn’t looking, I was worried she’d hear me if I tried forcing the knob.

I jogged down the hall toward the front desk, and the woman looked up at my approach.

“Hey. I locked myself out of my room. Room thirty-seven. Can I have a new card?”

She smiled at me and started typing on her computer.

“Can you verify your address?”

I rattled off the address that had been on Bethony’s fake ID.

The clerk reached for a new card, swiped it, and handed it over.

“Thank you.”

The woman went back to her book.

I jogged back to Bethony’s room. Her cries were getting louder, almost to human hearing level. I swiped the card and opened the door two inches before it caught on the security latch. Pulling the door almost closed, I tried using the card to push the latch out of the way. It wouldn’t budge.

Frustrated, I closed the door and went back to my room. The window was the only other option without alerting the front desk. I slid the glass panel aside. It only opened several inches. Swearing, I closed the window.

The connecting door caught my eye. It wouldn’t lead to Bethony’s room; it was on the wrong wall. However, the room between us likely connected to hers.

I pulled on my shirt and socks and left my room one more time. Luck was on my side because the woman wasn’t at the front desk this time. I debated on just breaking into Bethony’s room, but decided it would be easier to hid the damage of a broken handle than a splintered door jamb.

The hallway was quiet when I knocked on the door between mine and Bethony’s. No one answered. I knocked louder, needing to be sure. When there was still no response, I forced the handle open, breaking the lock, and quickly closed the door behind me. Then I did the same with the connecting door to Bethony’s room.

Her natural scent teased my nose as I went to her. She looked clean and smelled chemical free as she lay twitching under the covers. I inhaled slowly, savoring her real flavor—cinnamon and an earthy hint of Earl Grey tea—while I studied her. No makeup polluted her tear trails tonight. Her dark hair was a damp tangle around her head.

“Shh,” I said, reaching out to smooth the strands back from her sweaty face. “I’m here, sweetheart.”

She turned her head into my hand. The gesture made my yearning for a Mate stronger. Why did she have to be so young? I leaned down and pressed my lips to her forehead, wishing time would pass faster for us. As before, she quieted when I touched her. I studied her as she relaxed and sank into a quieter sleep. She still looked like an adolescent, but not as childish as she had with the heavy makeup.

I straightened and glanced at the bathroom. She’d washed several items of clothing and had hung them on the shower rod to dry. The small scrap of bright teal drew my gaze, and I swallowed hard before averting my eyes. A few crumpled bills lay on the bathroom counter. Removing my hand from her hair, I went to the money and counted it. There wasn’t much there.

Behind me, Bethony started making troubled sounds. I set the money back where I’d found it and returned to her. She was starting to cry again. I dried her tears, my touch once again quieting her. Whether she knew it or not, she needed me.

Hoping I wasn’t making the biggest mistake of my life, I walked around the bed and eased myself onto the covers. She turned toward me as if sensing my nearness, and I reached out to pull her close and slip an arm under her head. She sighed in her sleep and snuggled against me, her hair tickling my jaw. This was what I’d been missing. I smoothed a hand over her head as an ache grew in my chest. It was so clear; she was supposed to be mine. Life was cruel to show her to me when she was so young. She would need time to understand she was meant for me. Time to grow and mature. I’d give her that time. I hoped the Elders would too.

I relaxed. With her in my arms, I let myself sleep.

****

Lack of sensation in my hand woke me several hours later. Bethony was still passed out beside me. Easing my numb limb out from under her, I got up. She continued to sleep peacefully as I sat on the edge of the bed. We needed to talk. It would have been better if I’d talked to her that first morning. Now, I doubted she’d listen to me. I’d followed her for several days and suddenly asking to talk to her would prove it. It would be better if she spoke with Gabby. But how?

I dug my phone out of my pocket. It was a cheap disposable phone, easy to sacrifice. I cleaned the call history, not that there was much of it, and slipped the phone into the pocket of her drying jeans. The tiny pocket held the phone snuggly so it wouldn’t fall out. I went back to the bed and wrote down the number I’d memorized, just like all my other contact information.

Hopefully, when Bethony called the number, Gabby would know what to say to convince her to come with me.

In addition to the phone, I added some cash. She needed more sleep and food. A lot of both. And the money would help her get them between here and the Compound.

Once I had everything tucked into her pockets, I went back to her. She was already growing restless. I lay beside her once more and let her sleep.

Close to dawn, her breathing changed, signaling my need to leave. Quietly slipping from the bed, I checked the room to make sure I’d left things as I’d found them. Then, I let myself out through the adjoining door.

In the opposite room, I waited, listening to her wake and get out of bed. She took her time, obviously relaxed from a night sleeping in my arms. I set my hand on the wall, wishing I was still in the room with her.

I was about to leave when I heard something clatter. Everything was silent for a minute, then the quiet sounds of her getting ready changed to frantic rustles. A moment later, her door opened and I heard her hurried footsteps in the hallway.

I went into her vacant room and found my cell phone and Gabby’s number in the garbage. At least she’d taken the money. Frustrated that I’d sent her running again, I grabbed my phone and quickly went back to my own room to grab my jacket and bag. She had a few minutes head start on me; and when I walked into the lobby, she was already getting into a taxi.

Frustrated, I checked out while watching the taxi pull away.

As soon as I cleared the doors, I inhaled deeply to commit the scent then jogged to the bike. Hopefully she wasn’t going too far. The engine roared as I gunned out of the parking lot and took off in the direction the taxi had driven.

Several blocks later, I slowed. Bethony was walking on the sidewalk in a busier area. Before I could reach her, she entered a building. Pulling over, I eyed the sign. A homeless shelter? She was carrying more than five hundred dollars now.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I considered my next move. Obviously, I couldn’t just walk in there and try to talk to her. There were too many people, and I didn’t want to draw any attention. Yet, I couldn’t just leave her.

An angry looking youth walked past me and entered the building. No, I couldn’t allow her to stay in that kind of place alone. A well-dressed man beat the boy to the door and held it open for him.

“Just in time for breakfast, Mark,” the man said.

“No shit,” the boy said. “Why else would I be here?”

The man didn’t let the boy’s attitude get to him. He just smiled wider.

“I thought it was because you liked helping in the kitchen.”

The door closed behind them, and I gave the idling bike some gas and eased away from the curb. I needed to find a safe place to park the bike so I could go be a homeless shelter volunteer. I never thought finding a Mate could cause so much trouble.