CHAPTER 30 THE HAPPY ENDING

A few nights later Matt walked with his arm around April’s shoulder on the curving path toward town.

“I feel much better,” Matt said softly, kicking at a clump of sand. “How about you?”

“Much better,” April said, reaching up to her shoulder to squeeze his hand affectionately. “What a dreadful summer,” she added.

“The worst,” he said, trying to force back the wave of painful memories that kept invading his mind, returning relentlessly like the tides.

“I don’t think we’ll ever be the same,” April said in a soft, regretful whisper.

“Yeah,” he quickly agreed. “I didn’t think I’d ever say it, but I can’t wait to get back to Shadyside.”

“Me too,” April replied, tilting near, brushing his cheek with her soft, golden hair.

They walked on for a while in comfortable silence. Then, as the beach cottages gave way to the large, grassy field before town, a large gray rabbit hopped boldly across the path.

“He thinks he owns the place,” Matt joked—and then stopped, letting go of April’s shoulder.

As the rabbit crossed, Matt spotted something in the dirt.

“Whoa,” he said, bending down to retrieve it.

“What is it?” April asked curiously.

“Look,” Matt said. He held up her silver cross. “Is this the cross you lost?”

“Oh, just leave it there,” April said casually, turning away.

“Huh?” Matt wasn’t sure he had heard right. “But, April—”

“Just drop it,” she insisted sharply.

Confused by her request, Matt obediently dropped the cross and chain back to the grassy field.

As he stepped away from it, April turned back to him, reached up and grabbed his shoulders with surprising strength, and bared her fangs, slender and pale in the light of the half moon.

“No—” Matt protested, struggling without success to free himself from her powerful grasp.

She chuckled, staring deeply into his eyes.

“But, April—” he insisted, panic gripping his throat. “It—you—can’t be! Back on the island, you—you saved my life!”

“I know,” April said softly, smiling at him behind her ivorylike fangs. “Why should Jessica have all the nectar? I was saving you for me!”

Holding him tightly, she forced back his head and bit deeply, thirstily into his tender, throbbing throat.

Date: 2015-04-20; view: 669