In Plain Sight (A Hunted Rose)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Liam was in a panic, and it was not funny.  It never happened.  Liam, aside from all his joking, was the calmest person I knew.  To see him as scatterbrained and flustered as he was, I started to freak out as well.

After watching him dash around my house in circles – his way of pacing, and it was at vampire speed as well – I finally had enough and stopped him with a strong hand on his arm.  He was going to get me sick from just watching him.

“What?” I exclaimed.  “What’s got you all in a tizzy?” 

“I need to leave.”

“What?  Why?”

“Because,” he stressed the last syllable.  “Andreas is looking for me, and I can’t risk him finding you.”

“Liam,” I said.  “I thought you got rid of him months ago.”

“I lied.  You were scared and he wasn’t bothering me.”

I scowled at him.  “I cannot believe you did that.”

“Don’t worry Girlie.”  Liam grabbed a bag I didn’t notice he had packed off the floor by the couch.  “I’m going to take care of him now.”

“You better,” I said.  “From what you’ve told me he’s one of the slimiest vampires there is, and very rich at the same time.”

“Yep,” he said as he pulled me close and placed a tender kiss on my forehead.  “I need to go.  I need to get out of the state and find him before he gets anywhere near close to you.”

“I’m not that delicate,” I told him.

“Ah, but you are a young vampire, and so you are actually delicate compared to other vampires.”

“Whatever,” I finally sighed.  “Just… be careful.”

“I will,” he said.  “I love you too, Rosie.”

I smiled, unable to keep the grin off my face.  “Go get the stupid guy.”

¥¥¥¥

With Liam gone, I didn’t have anything to do.  I ended up going back to the bakery.  Trevor had left, and it was just Isabelle there.  She didn’t seem happy to see me, but I figured that she had just wanted me to act more like an actual teenager.  She was more than happy to let me help her bake more; she needed all the help she could get because the treats were selling out faster than she seemed to be able to make them.

I was in the bakery kitchen with Mrs. Anderson when there were loud booming voices outside the door right before six hulking males ran excitedly into the room, Ryder running in right behind them with a slightly panicked look on his face.

Rylan’s shock of spiky red hair rushed past me and right to Mrs. Anderson, where he pulled her into a tight hug that lifted the tiny woman right off her feet.

“Oh, Mrs. A,” he said as Ryder came to stand next to me.  “I haven’t seen you in forever!”

“Rylan Hart, you saw me just last Christmas!  And this past Easter!  And after that, the Fourth of July!”

“That might as well be forever,” he exclaimed, “without your cooking and baking!”

Mrs. Anderson sighed, and Rylan released her from his hold.  She turned around and faced the others.  “Jaycen Blake!  Caiden West!  Kallan Eatson!  Graham Destin!  Erik Paulsen! How nice it is to see all you boys again!”  Mrs. Anderson’s face lit up with her smile as she went around giving out hugs.  It was hilarious that she was able to call them boys, because I would never consider thinking of them in that way.