Jillian Chantal

This week’s word is steel. I’m still working on the pre-WWII paranormal story. The hero and one of the twins he’s working with have been in the woods to spy on the vampires’ meeting.

Be sure to check out the other stories here.

“You don’t get it, do you?” Declan tossed his bag over his shoulder and walked away from her.

Humiliated at having to follow behind and almost run to keep up with his long strides, she skipped alongside him. “Why aren’t we waiting for Schumacher?”

Declan stopped so abruptly she almost tripped over her feet. Taking hold of her upper arms, he said, “What part of this mission is blown do you not understand?”

“Surely he will come.” Allison wanted to poke her tongue out at the infernal man. She hadn’t messed up their mission. Why wouldn’t Schumacher come? He couldn’t know all the vampires who were meeting him were gone. Could he?

“He’s not coming.” Declan let go of her arms. “Now we’re back to square one. We don’t know where he’s going from here and where the next meeting will be.”

“And you’re mad at me.”

Declan didn’t answer. He merely kept striding ahead through the dark, back in the direction of the train station.

Allison knew she couldn’t talk him into stopping to see if the vampire they sought was on the way. He was adamant the man wasn’t going to show now. She could hear the steel in Declan’s voice as he said the words.

Deciding she wasn’t really in a position to take the train back into the city and would have to walk the long way round or find a place to wash the blood off herself, she sat.

In a few moments, Declan must have realized she wasn’t behind him. He turned and cocked his head to the side. “Aren’t you coming? It’s late. We’ll miss the last train if you don’t come on.”

“I think I’ll stay and see what happens.”

He strode back to her and knelt. “You cannot stay out here by yourself.”

“Yes, I can. You didn’t even know I was coming. You’re not responsible for me. Go on back. Make your report. I’ll make my way to my room later.”

“No. You’re here, I outrank you and I can’t leave you. Get up and come on.” He stood.

“I’m not in any condition to get on the train.”

“We don’t know how much blood actually got on you until we get under the lights. It’s hard to tell out here in the dark with only the moon to see by. Come on. If you’re too covered, we’ll make a new plan to return to the city then.” He held his hand out to assist her to her feet.