Part 15

(Catalina)

What the hell? I had been talking to Grace and she'd stopped, switched off, just like that. Something had happened. Devin had gone to play hero and rescue Marcie? Decided to hunt himself a few vampires while he was at it?

I wondered why I should care anyway. I stood up and started packing again. Maybe I would go to a city, New York perhaps, or maybe LA. I had heard Santa Cruz was supposed to be a good place for vampires, the supposed Vampire Central, but I seriously doubted any of the vamps there would actually be *real* vampires.

Just humans with fake fangs, stupid outfits and bad taste in music. Maybe it would be easier for me to blend in amongst a crowd like that, no one would notice anything particularly different about me. Cult people probably couldn't tell a real vampire from a fake if they fell over one.

Vegas was also a possibility. But I had heard rumours that was where the Circle Daybreak headquarters were, I wasn't sure I wanted to try them yet.

I had almost packed all my clothes when there was a loud banging on the door. "They're all dead." Eliza barged in without waiting for me to invite her, her eyes wide with fear. "Grace and Layla are *dead* and Marcie's *gone*!"

"Gone?" I asked. Had Devin been and rescued her already? There was that other vampire hunter girl Dayna on the loose as well. But she and Marcie hated each other. But they were both hunters, and obviously hated vampires as well.

Eliza slammed the door shut. "They're probably on their way here right now. We've got to - " She broke off, noticing the suitcases on the bed. "What are you doing?"

I shrugged uncomfortably. "Leaving. It's not like it would make any difference if I stayed."

Eliza was eyeing me curiously. "It's something to do with Devin, isn't it?"

My shoulders tensed. Had they already figured out that Devin and I were soulmates? "It's none of your business."

Eliza's arms folded. "Uh-huh."

What did she expect me to say? I'm running because Devin is my soulmate and I can't stand the sight of him because we can never be together?

Why should I care what Eliza thought anyway? I did what I wanted. Always had done.

"So you're just doing to leave me to deal with the vampire hunters?" Eliza demanded, her hands moving to her hips.


"Why should I care?" I snapped, annoyed, "I made no commitment to you people."

~Get out of the house right now or you'll die!~

The suddenness of Devin's voice in my mind startled me. Humans couldn't communicate telepathically. But I didn't have time to think about it - he was serious, or why else would he warn me?

"What?" Eliza asked, clearly seeing the expression on my face.

"We have to get out of here." I grabbed her arm and started pulling her from towards the door and out the room.

I could hear whispering voices coming up the stairs. Marcie and Dayna were combining forces, and coming for us.

We were trapped.

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