The sun was setting by the time everyone had gathered for the tour. I pulled out my phone and glanced at it. Ken still hadn’t texted me back, which I was glad for since I wanted to go on the tour still.
I had pretty much given up on seeing Lucky, but I was having a good time. Mort and Shirley were pretty entertaining and so were the sisters who babbled non- stop about whether they were standing in the same place Jacob had with Bella.
I was paying more attention to the people on the tour, than the tour guide. By the time we finished the Scavenger Hunt of which I sucked at, everyone gathered around the bonfire. Strategically placed logs were scattered around the edges. Shirley and Mort were the big winners and the sisters got second place.
I sat down on a log away from the crowd and stared out at the ocean, my mind drifting. When someone sat down next to me I didn’t even bother to look. Whoever it was, I hoped they would take my cue and just enjoy the scenery. I was small talked out.
“See something interesting out there?” said a deep voice.
“Not really,” I sighed, so much for my respite of peace and quiet. I looked to my right into the dark eyes of Lucky and my breath caught. His long hair hung loosely around his broad shoulders and he was smiling.
My heart did an involuntary flutter. “Hey,” I said, recovering.
“So,” he said. “How’d you like the tour?”
“Um, it was…informative.”
“Informative?” he asked. “What part did you like best?”
I swear he knew I was lying. I exhaled. “Well, I kind of watched the people on the tour, mostly,” I admitted.
He laughed and pulled his hair back away from his face. “They are an interesting lot, aren’t they?”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “They really are.”
“So which side are you on?”
“Huh?”
“Are you team Jacob or are you in with the blood thirsty lot…team Edward?”
“Not sure. I don’t think I have enough information to make an informed decision...yet.” I smiled. He didn’t.
“So are you the one signed up for the one on one with a real Quileute?”
“I guess.” I made a face. “I got the works… whatever that is.”
He laughed. “Well that just means you get a whole hour of my undivided attention.”
“Oh, so you’re my guide?” My stomach flipped again involuntarily.
“So it would seem.” He lifted his brows. “You ready for your personal tour?” He stood.
“Is anyone else going to be coming?”
“It looks like you’re the only one that is interested in the “works.” He made air quotes.
I laughed. “So I get you all to myself.”
“Yeah, I’m all yours.” He gave me a lopsided grin.
My pulse skidded to a halt.
“Cool.”
I rubbed hands on my jeans and then stood. He was a lot taller than me and I had to lean back to see his face. The firelight danced over his strong features. He had high cheekbones with a straight nose and full lips. When he smiled his entire face lit up. “So where are we going?”
“Got me,” he laughed, sounding nervous. “No one has ever gotten the works before.”
“Seriously?” I asked more than a little shocked.
“Yeah.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I guess a one on one with me isn’t that appealing.”
“Puhleeze. They must not know you’re the one giving the tour because if they did they’d be lining up for it.”
“You think so?” His face brightened considerably as he gazed down at me.
“Um,” I croaked and then cleared my throat, “yeah, of course.” My cheeks burned.
“Well,” he breathed. “Let’s get this show on the road. I want to make sure you get your monies worth.”
“I’m sure it will be epic.” I grabbed my pack. Thankfully, it was pretty dark so he couldn’t see how red my face was.
“Follow me,” he said.
“Okie Dokie.” I trailed behind him through the driftwood and rocks.
He stopped about twenty feet from the crowd and slung out his arm. “This is First Beach.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “Good to know.”
He took a few more steps and stopped once again. “And that is Jacobs Island.” He flung out his arm in the direction of the little black blob in the middle of the ocean.
I squinted at the black blob. “Hmmm, good to know.”
“God, I suck at this,” he sighed.
“No, you’re doing great.”
He laughed and casually put his arm over my shoulder, pulling me into his side. “You lie really bad, you know that?”
“Sorry,” I muttered.
He rubbed my arm. “Don’t be. I’m glad you suck at lying.”
“Thanks…I think.”
“Want to sit?”
“Sure.” His arm was heavy and I ducked out from under it and sat down on a big rock. It was warm under my butt.
He gave me a strange look and then sat down next to me.
“Why’s the rock warm?” I blurted stupidly.
“Oh.” He looked surprised. “It holds the heat from the sun,” he said. “And it’s a good place to dry fish too, if that’s what you’re into.”
I nodded, stared out into the ocean. “Good to know.” What is wrong with me? I sound like a broken record. “So,” I paused, and fidgeted with my jacket zipper. I was trying to figure out a way to broach the subject about Glinda and the night of the attack but wasn’t sure how to go about it.
Lucky exhaled and raked his hand through his hair. “Why do I get the feeling you didn’t come here to see me, exactly.”
“I did,” I said. “And I came for the tour, of course,” I added.
“Nothing else?” he prodded.
“Well, I did wonder about your real name,” I said, telling a half truth.
He gave me a doubtful look. “So why don’t you ask me?”
“Ask you what?”
“What my real name is.”
“Okay,” I breathed. “What’s your real name?”
“If I told you that I’d have to kiss you or… kill you.” He waggled his brows. “Which would you prefer?”
A shiver of unease spread over me and I pulled my jacket closer.
He waited.
“Ah…”
“Kidding,” he laughed and bumped shoulders with me.
“About which part exactly?” I asked my voice betraying my nervousness.
“Depends,” he breathed, his dark eyes glittered. He lifted his hand and brushed my hair over my shoulder.
“What does it, um,” I swallowed hard, “depend on?” His fingers brushed against my neck and another shiver raced up my spine, but not in a bad way.
“Whether you really want to know or if you are just using it as a way to get information out of me.”
My face immediately flamed. I felt like he could read my mind. “Of course, I want to know what your real name is,” I said, my voice too high, betraying me.
“Come on, Amber.” He shook his head.
“Fine,” I exhaled. “I wanted to ask you about the other night.”
“Ah,” he sighed. “I wondered when you were going to get to that.”
I looked at him in surprise. “How’d you know?”
“Just a feeling, I guess,” he said and shrugged. “So what do you want to know?”
“Are you the one that saved my friend, Glinda?”
“Wow.” He shook his head. “The one you left?”
“Yep, guilty as charged.” I felt like a complete deserter.
“How’s she doing?”
“She’s still unconscious but is on the mend…or so they say.” I pulled my jacket closer feeling chilled suddenly. “So you’re like a hero,” I said.
“Please, I didn’t do much. Bear chased whoever it was off, I only called the ambulance. Anyone else would have done the
same.”
I shook my head. “No, I doubt that.”
“I didn’t realize she was your friend.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I am the worst friend ever.”
“No you’re not,” he disagreed. “If I remember correctly your friend wanted you to leave.” He adjusted and turned toward me more. “You just did what she asked.”
“Yeah, but she was drinking,” I argued. “I should have stayed since I was the one that brought her.”
“That’s right,” he said. “Blame yourself. That does her a lot of good.”
“How can I not blame myself?”
“Amber, you weren’t the one that attacked her.”
“Well, I know but…” I chewed my lip.
“But what?” he asked. “What could have you done to stop it?”
“I don’t know.” I placed my hands on the rock. “Maybe it wouldn’t have happened if I stayed.”
“Please,” he exhaled roughly. “Then I would have had to save you both and I might not have been able to. It was good that you left.”
I shook my head. “That’s what Viktor said.”
“Viktor?” His eyes darkened. “As in Viktor Roth?”
“Yeah, do you know him?”
“Yep, sure do,” he said coldly. His entire demeanor changed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He stared out at the ocean.
I pushed his arm. “You know, I’m not the only one that sucks at lying.”
He cracked a smile and then it faded. “Are you dating him or something?”
“Hardly,” I scoffed. “I barely know him.”
“You should keep it that way,” he said, his face stern.
“Why’s that?”
“He’s bad news, that’s why.”
A surge of irritation shot through me. I hated when people said stuff like that with no explanation. “Why’s that?” I prodded.
“It’s not worth relaying.”
“What did he do?” I poked. “Steal your girlfriend?”
Lucky glared at me. “You shouldn’t joke about things you know nothing about,” he snapped.
A fissure of fear shot through me for a moment but then my irritation flared again. “Maybe you shouldn’t say things about people when you don’t have anything to back up what you’re saying then.” My heart was pounding. I wasn’t sure if it was anger or fear.
“This was a mistake.” He stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“Tours over.” His jaw was working. “I’m going home.”
“You can’t just up and leave. I haven’t gotten my monies worth.”
“I’ll get you a refund.”
“Lucky,” I started and then stopped. What was I going to say…sorry. I wasn’t though.
He turned. His body was rigid. “You should be careful, things are not what they seem here.”
“Really, what are they then?”
He raked his hand through his long hair. “There are things here you don’t understand.”
“Like what?”
“Vampires’ for instance.” His black eyes were intense, unblinking as they bore down into my own.
I broke eye contact first and laughed, not because I thought it was funny but because it unsettled me. “You people are really taking this tourist thing a bit far don’t you think?”
He didn’t flinch.
“Come on,” I said. “I get it, but I’m not one of those people. I live here.”
“That’s why I’m telling you.” His face was deadly serious.
“You’re ridiculous.” I grabbed up my pack and jumped down from the rock.
“Amber…”
“What?” I snapped and jerked my pack on my shoulder.
“I’m not...”
I held up my hand to silence him. “I get it, this is you’re lively-hood but I’m not that gullible.” I pulled my hair out from under my strap. “You know, I did come here because I wanted to see you,” I admitted. “And yes, I had some questions too.” I took a breath. “But this…” I pointed to him and then to myself. “I can’t deal with the lies.”
“Amber, I’m not lying to you.” His face was completely serious.
“God!” I raked my hands through my hair, frustrated. “What’s next, Lucky?” I asked. “No wait, let me guess,” I said, when it looked like he was going to speak. “You’re going to tell me werewolves are real too.”
He didn’t answer. He merely lifted his broad shoulders in a shrug.
My mouth fell open.
His dark eyes flashed.
I threw my hands up in the air.
“That’s it!” I turned and stormed across the beach back the way we came, wishing once again that I had just stayed home.