Bloodlines

Chapter 26

Maddie had no idea how Luke was making great time, but he was. The sun was just setting, and they were nearing the place. Maddie had texted Hope to cover for them while they searched for Cole and the stone. The whole time, Maddie tried to think about why Nina Clemens would cover up Cat's death with a fury attack. Was she trying to keep relations good with the werewolves? Why was covering Cat's death so important?

Maddie must've been thinking for a long time because she didn't notice Luke practically shouting her name to grab her attention. Maddie jumped and snapped out of her thoughts and faced him. She looked at him apologetically. "Sorry."

"What were you thinking about?" Luke asked her.

"Nothing," Maddie lied. She couldn't burden him with another plausible problem in their lives, especially when it came to killing Cole today. "I'll tell you when this mission is done."

Eventually, they exited the highway and drove up to some sleazy hotel that looked like a place where drug addicts sold drugs. It looked disgusting. They stayed in the car as Luke parked the car and checked something on his new burner phone that Nick gave him since Cole stole his. She looked at him and saw how calm he was with everything that was going on.

Maddie put her head on his shoulder and put her arm through his. She put her hand on his forearm and she looked down at the floor. Luke kissed her head and Maddie felt her stomach get the nice butterflies she usually got every time he kissed her. She smiled as her hand slid down his arm and onto his hand. He held her hand gingerly and rested his chin on her head.

Knock, Knock, Knock was heard against the car window. The knocking repeated in a loud obnoxious matter that reminded Maddie of Alex. Maddie and Luke lifted their heads off each other and both exchanged the same annoyed look. They looked towards the window on the driver's side and saw a man with an elfish face and a scrubby beard. He kept his fist on the door and motioned to open the window. Luke opened the window and looked at the man.

"Yes?" Luke asked him with annoyance.

"This is a no standing zone," the man pointed out in a high-pitched voice. He sounded like an elf or a dwarf.

Luke looked around the parking lot and shrugged. "But there's no sign that says no standing."

"It's hotel rules for people not to loiter in the parking lot," the man explained, snobbishly.

Maddie looked at the man and then looked at Luke. She smiled up at him as she saw a chance to get on the man's nerves. She looked back at the man and smiled. "But we're not standing. We're sitting so technically we aren't breaking the rules."

"Yes, biscuit, you are!" The man said, shouting at her.

"Says who?" Maddie teased.

"The hotel!"

"But hotels can't talk."

The man looked at them and looked so unamused. "God, I hate hunters." He put his hands on his face and he breathed in and out. He was so annoyed and it gave Maddie joy. She hadn't annoyed someone in so long that she forgot how funny it was. "Can the two of you please just get out of the car and check into your room, please?"

The man walked away from the car and waited at least a few feet away from the car. From afar, the man seemed to be average height. He looked shorter than Nick and was definitely taller than Maddie. Everyone was taller than Maddie. The man had his tablet out as he waited for the both of them to get out and check them in.