Chapter Nine

Van

When I sank back into the comfortable leather seat of the town car, I thought my troubles were over and that all I had to do was chill until I got to the inn where I could continue to chill. But no sooner did the driver pull away from the curb than it became apparent that he was more tour guide than chauffeur.

The drivers who worked with the band were consummate professionals who rarely spoke to us, which, now that I thought about it, made me wonder… Had they just chosen to be silent, or had someone told them to? The idea sent a frisson of unease through me. We were generally pretty tired, and it could have been that the drivers were just respecting our privacy, but it was also possible that they were stifled, and that I did not like.

“So, have you been to the area before?” he asked, and something told me to say yes, but I just didn’t want to lie. Or maybe I didn’t have the energy.

“No, first time.”

“Oh, then you’re in for a treat.” He signaled and turned left out of the airport. “We’ll be on the highway in a few minutes, but would you like to get something to drink or eat along the way?”

I started to say no, but it had been a while since I’d had any coffee made by anyone one but me or the owner of the local diner. “You know anywhere good for coffee?”

He glanced at me over his shoulder. “Oh yes.” A grin lifted the corner of his lip that I could see. “We have the best coffee spot in the state.”

“Is there a drive-thru?” Because I did not have the energy to go in anywhere and sit down.

He nodded. “Tired, huh? No, but if you will put yourself in my hands, I will go in and order you something delicious.”

“That would be great.”

And it was. I had never been one for fancy java drinks, but in this case, I welcomed the dirty chai with espresso whipped cream that the driver brought back to me. Everyone I was used to dealing with knew my preferences so well that I didn’t have to make choices, which was probably the reason I’d let him select. Honestly, I didn’t even remember what my staff had been bringing to me. Since leaving the road, I’d been sticking to using the percolator that had been tucked way back in a cabinet in my cabin. It was likely much older than me and I loved the idea that the original inhabitants might have sat on the porch and sipped coffee looking out over the same lake I did.

But the spicy, creamy drink I had now was a delightful change, at least until we hit a bump in the road. I managed to splash the whole thing over my lap, involving a stop at the next gas station because I had enough pride not to want to wear filthy sticky clothes when I checked in to the inn.

I had anticipated arriving quite a bit earlier and if I had been visiting friend or something like that, a call would have been in order, but not for lodgings. As long as it wasn’t going to be the middle of night or something, I wasn’t too worried.

“We’re about a half hour out,” my driver announced. “I hope you’re taking in the countryside. It’s quite beautiful, Mr. Eddie.”

“I’m sorry.” I’d been living in a bubble for such a long time, and I was starting to remember the niceties, the things people did out of courtesy. My omega father would be ashamed. “I never asked your name.”

“No one does.” He signaled and changed lanes. “But it’s Art. And thank you for asking.” My driver, Art, flashed me a friendly smile in the rearview. “Franklin at the Bearclaw will make sure you see some of the good sites around, if you even manage to leave your room.” He winked, confusing me.

“Uh, yeah, I do plan to relax, but I’ve never been in this area, so a little sightseeing would be fun. Half hour out, you say?”

“A little less now. Off to the left, if you squint a little, you should be able to see the remains of the Edler Mansion. You’ve probably heard of the murders there?”

I couldn’t help but look, and squint, but all I could make out was a heap of rubble. “No…did they just happen?” After all, someone would have cleaned up, right?

“Over a hundred years ago. Whole family wiped out, and they never solved the crime. Rumor has it there’s still a demon roaming the countryside trying to pick the next victims.”

I shivered a little. “Let’s hope he or she doesn’t have the Bearclaw in his sights.”

“He. Supposedly an incubus the alpha dad had a deal with to achieve money and fame with an end date. You know, like they claim all those big stars have?”

He couldn’t know who I was, could he? “Was the alpha a star of some kind?”

“Businessman, but you get the idea.”

I forced out a laugh. “I’m sure that’s not true. And those murders, if they even happened, likely a domestic issue.”

“I dunno. People around here are pretty sure…but you know how stories build up.”

“Old omegas’ tales.”