And Kenzie’s heart did that unwelcome somersault again when she saw him, and continued to do so after he finally approached her.
“So, you saw a plant-eating zombie last night,” he said by way of greeting.
“Yeah, I did. Do you think I’m crazy too?”
“You being crazy was the farthest thing from my mind. I was just going to see if you were okay.”
“I’m fine. But I’m wondering why you care. You made it obvious yesterday that you wanted nothing to do with me.”
“Is that what I made obvious? That wasn’t what I wanted. I just wanted you to know that you don’t want to be mixed up with someone like me.”
Kenzie folded her arms across her chest defiantly. “What does that even mean?”
“Just what I said. Trust me.”
“Trust you? You make hardly any sense, send me mixed signals, and you want me to trust you? Sure, I’ll get right on that. And how the hell did you even hear me and Paige talking? We were clear back here where no one else is.”
“I was right around the corner.”
“We didn’t see you.”
“Yeah, because I was hiding around the corner.”
“Hiding? You mean eavesdropping.”
“Well, I am a reporter.”
Kenzie just glowered at this enigmatic, but very attractive, man standing in front of her. He was a bigger mystery than any case she’d ever solved. It was mind-boggling and frustrating all at once.
“If you wanted an interview for a news story,” she finally said, “all you had to do was ask. Snooping wasn’t necessary.”
“I don’t know, that sounds like the pot calling the kettle black to me.”
“Detectives are different.”
“They’re not that different. You and I, we both deal with criminals being caught and then we report on it. You just happen to do the dirty work with snooping, gathering evidence, and interrogations. I just get to interview people and put it all into words. But really, we’re not that different.”
“Uh huh. So, is that what you were doing? Eavesdropping for a story?”
“Something like that. You never know when the most exciting story is going to hit.”
“This isn’t exciting. This is scary.”
“Maybe you should go back home where it’s safer then.”
“Oh for crying out loud! Why is it every damn person, or creature, I talk to always wants me to go back home when there’s even a hint of danger?!”
Hayden brushed his neck awkwardly, shocked at Kenzie’s sudden outburst. Kenzie recoiled, ashamed and embarrassed.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I just get tired of hearing everyone say that. Even when I’m on a case.”
“I understand. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. But now I have to ask, what other supernatural creatures? You mean Paige?”
“No, I mean my friend Isaiah. He’s dating my best friend and he’s a vampire.”
“You have a vampire friend?”
“Yeah, is that a crime?”
“No, of course not. I just didn’t take you for the type to be affiliated with blood suckers.”
“Believe me, it wasn’t easy. And I still watch him like a hawk where Jillian is concerned.”
“Jillian?”
“My best friend, his girlfriend. But Isaiah isn’t like other vampires. He’s got a good soul deep down, and he’s even saved Jillian’s life before.”
“How touching. Sounds like a cheesy teenage romance novel.”
Kenzie restrained an exasperated sigh. Hayden had already made it abundantly clear that he didn’t like supernatural creatures. He had no right to judge her for associating with them. What was his problem, anyway?
“I don’t have a problem,” he replied when she asked him bluntly. “I just worry that it might not have been the best for humans for supernaturals to come out in the open. Vampires especially, considering they thrive on human blood.”
“You’re afraid of vampires?”
“Hell no. I’m just stating the facts.”
“Here’s another fact – vampires can live off plasma juice and fruit, and I’m sure more things like that are being made to quench their thirst.”
“Wonderful. Synthetic blood that might make just enough of a difference so vampires don’t give in to their true nature. Kind of like a human being a vegetarian – lettuce and the like are fine but they don’t fill you up like meat. But it’ll do.”
“Okay, you know what, I’m done here. I have nothing else to say to you.”
“Sorry if you can’t handle the facts.”
“The facts are that I trust that vampire more than I trust you right now.”
Hayden held his hands up but Kenzie wasn’t interested. He’d gotten on her last nerve with his closed-mindedness, not to mention what he’d said to her yesterday. That rejection still tugged hard on her heart strings.
As Kenzie trudged back through the convention inside the warehouse, she recalled her brochure stating that fairies would be demonstrating something today. A nearby bulletin board confirmed that this wouldn’t be happening until later in the afternoon. Kenzie glanced at a clock and saw that it was only 11:30. She glanced toward the werewolf booth but didn’t see the same pair as before. She considered asking them what was up Hayden’s ass considering his previous altercation with them, but decided that would probably be unwise.
Instead, she browsed through the booths once more until she came across a fortune teller in a secluded area behind hanging beads, surrounded by starry curtains. She knew about them thanks to Barnacle Bay, but what did she have to lose getting her fortune told?
Kenzie sat down across from the elder woman (though she was trying to hide her age with hair dye and makeup) and smiled. The woman smiled back and wasted no time in beginning the process.
The woman waved her hands over the top of the oblique, transparent ball, willing something inside it to come to life. Kenzie didn’t expect anything to, so she was pleasantly astonished when smoke began to fill the small sphere.
“I see some hardships in your future,” the old woman discerned. “But you are strong. You will overcome them. It will take time, but things will pay off in the end.”
“Uh...thanks.” Sounded like something a fake fortune teller at a carnival would say.
“Big changes are coming your way as well,” the woman continued, unfazed by Kenzie’s lack of enthusiasm, as the crystal ball began to levitate and glow. “Embrace them, for not all change is bad.”
Kenzie had always hated change, but how did this woman know that? But then again, it sounded like another faulty line from a carnie.
That concluded her fortune telling experience. She thanked the woman and left.
“Hardships in my future,” she mumbled to herself. “Story of my life.”
Kenzie went to the concession stand and bought a slice of pepperoni pizza to satisfy her stomach’s rumbling. As she ate, she looked down at Sage, who was eyeing the pizza greedily.
“Hey, why didn’t you warn me Hayden was back there?” Kenzie asked her dog. Sage tipped her head to one side as though to ask what Kenzie was talking about.
Kenzie finished her pizza and dug out her cell phone. The battery was nearly dead. She’d been so traumatized last night that she’d forgotten to charge it. But she didn’t want to return to the hotel just for that purpose. What would she possibly need it for now anyway? She was in a public place. She’d be fine.
She spent the rest of the afternoon at the convention, and she eventually got to witness a demonstration of the fairies and their abilities. She had to say, she was quite impressed.
Kenzie had always envisioned fairies as tiny little pixies that caused mischief. If Paige’s assertions were correct, then at least half of that stereotype was true. These fairies were the size of humans rather than insects, but they sure could cause mischief if they desired to.
The thought was unsettling.
At last, the sun began to set and Kenzie prepared to venture back to the hotel. She didn’t care to see more vampires show off their abilities. She did, however, get a chuckle out of several of the other convention-goers wearing supernatural costumes. Why hadn’t she thought of that?
As she was heading out the doors, Paige caught up to her.
“Kenzie!” she called. Kenzie turned around and waved. Paige caught up to her quickly.
“Hey,” she said, “I talked to Hayden earlier, and he mentioned he’s writing a story on that zombie you saw last night.”
“Okay...how did you run into him?”
“He came to me because he heard what we were talking about in the hall. He wanted me to tell you what the plan was.”
“Plan?”
Paige nodded. “Yeah, I talked to my coven. We’re going to see if fairies are really responsible for what’s going on with that zombie. And if they are, we’re going to try to stop them. Hayden wanted me to let you know you should probably avoid them at all costs.”
“Uh...okay...why? I mean, why does he care? And why didn’t he tell me himself?”
“It’s getting dark. He was in a hurry to get home.”
“Uh huh. So he wanted you to tell me to stay away from fairies and zombies. Even though I just watched some fairies at this very convention perform some sort of magic.”
“I think he means don’t venture out into the woods or dig into this thing. I’m not even entirely sure what fairies are capable of, and no one wants to see a human get hurt. Now listen. It’s a full moon tonight, and witches and fairies are more powerful during that time. So whatever the fairies may be planning, it’s bound to be worse because of the full moon. Do yourself a favor and stay in tonight.”
“I plan on it.”
The two said goodbye and Kenzie headed for the door again. As she was about to reach it, she spotted a pay phone. Without even realizing what she was doing, she walked toward it and glanced at the phone book. She found Hayden’s phone number quickly, as there was only one other Howland in the phone book.
Kenzie withdrew her cell phone to call him...
...and sighed in defeat. The battery had finally died. And her spare change had gone to the pizza she’d had for lunch.
She looked at the phone book again and saw Hayden’s address listed as well. She knew it was crazy, but she ventured back to her car and programmed the address into her GPS. Sage sat in the front seat, curious as to her owner’s intentions.
Kenzie wasn’t sure herself what she was doing. But curiosity was getting the best of her. Plus, she had to know what exactly was going on. The sun was still going down, plunging the town of Moonlight Falls into an orange mirage. She gripped the steering wheel tightly as she got closer to Hayden’s house.
When she pulled up in front of it at last, Kenzie couldn’t help but gape at it. It wasn’t what she was expecting. She’d imagined a masculine bachelor shack with one story and minimal landscaping. Then again, that was probably because both Austin’s and Logan’s houses shared that appearance. Hayden’s house, on the other hand, had a Victorian vibe to it with a balcony on the second story holding a telescope. It was quite impressive for a single guy.
Taking a deep breath, Kenzie exited the car and strolled toward the front door. Sage trotted next to her, on the lookout for anything suspicious.
Kenzie rang the doorbell and heard it echo through the house. She heard movement inside, and a few moments later, was face to face with Hayden once more.
“Kenzie, what are you doing here?” he demanded, and Kenzie swore she detected fear in his voice.
“I just need to talk to you, and my phone’s dead and I was out of change. I got your address from the phone book.”
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“Why? Afraid I might try to assault you or something?”
“Kenzie, please, I’m begging you...”
“Beg all you want, but I need to talk to you. I need some damn answers, and I’m going to get them.”
Kenzie was shocked to see that her assertiveness was causing Hayden to back up into his house. She kept walking forward until she was inside, Sage standing loyally next to her.
Hayden put his hands over his ears as though to block out Kenzie’s voice. This just pissed her off more.
“You’re not going to get out of this. I need to know why you were in such a hurry to get home tonight that you had Paige give me the message of avoiding zombies and fairies, as though I had to be told that. I need to know why you’re a perfect gentleman one minute and a total dick the next. And I need to know why you’re acting like a psycho right now.”
“Kenzie, I...don’t feel well and I’m trying to work on that zombie story. Please, leave.”
“Bullshit. If you weren’t feeling well you wouldn’t have been out today. And if you were really working on that story, you would have interviewed me earlier. Look, I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here...”
“Damn it, Kenzie! Get out! NOW!”
Kenzie’s words halted at the bitterness of Hayden’s voice. As much as that shocked her, what happened next was even worse.
Hayden gripped his head as though he were going to crush it. Then he fell to the floor as though he were in agonizing pain. It was like watching a horror movie play out in slow motion, yet it was happening in a matter of seconds.
When it was over, Hayden had vanished, and in his place was a half-man, half-wolf.
“Holy shit,” Kenzie blurted.
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