“Done? How could—?”
“Someone will tell the gang we were looking for them and they’ll be here tomorrow when we come back.”
“What makes you think someone will tell them?”
“Because establishments like that are loyal to the local gangs. They depend on them for protection and business.”
“How do you know so much about gangs and establishments like that?” she asked, her mind going to her original beef with this guy. Where the hell did she know him from? Had he been a part of the gang that had been fighting when she first saw Chan?
“I’ve been on the streets a long time,” he said.
“How long? When were you turned?” She stopped to see if he’d answer.
He took a couple more steps, then faced her again. “I was fourteen.” He started jogging, but not at a breakneck speed.
She joined him. “How did you survive?” The muscles in her legs stung from her previous exertion.
“Race me back to Shadow Falls. If you win, I’ll answer the question.”
Temptation had her pulse racing, but she wasn’t stupid. “I’ve already admitted you’re faster.”
He stopped. “Race me, and I’ll tell you for trying.”
She didn’t like losing or consolation prizes. “Maybe I don’t want to know that badly.” She did, but her interest in him grated on her more than anything else.
“Sure you do,” he said confidently. “You wouldn’t have asked if you didn’t want to know.”
She frowned and tried to find a way to make this work for her. “I tell you what, I’ll race you if … win or lose, you tell me where I know you from. And this time, don’t lie to me.”
He blinked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do.” She glared up at him.
“Can’t you hear my heartbeat? I’m not lying.”
“You’re forgetting, I heard what you told our friend back there. You told me your parents were killed and you told him your mother lived here. So I know you lied to one of us, and your heart never skipped a beat.” At least she assumed it hadn’t skipped when he’d told this to the creep at the bar.
Chase appeared caught. “I lie when I have to.”
“Or when it’s convenient.” Maybe you’re a pathological liar.
“I wish it’d been that easy. Controlling my heartbeat is something I worked at for a long time.”
She remembered seeing his expression twitch when she thought he’d lied earlier. She moved in front of him and studied his face, but tilted her head to the side so he’d assume she was listening. “Does your mother live here?”
“I told you they died.” His eyes didn’t shift.
“Where have we met before?” She tossed the question out there and didn’t breathe, waiting.
“I don’t think we’ve ever crossed paths.” He didn’t blink, but his left brow twitched. Was that enough to call it a lie?
And if he was lying, why? What wasn’t he telling her?
He started walking again. She followed, trying to figure out her next move.
After a few minutes of silence, he spoke. “You should have never let him touch you.”
When she didn’t respond, he jumped in front of her and started walking backwards, making it hard to ignore him.
“He was answering my questions,” she said. “More than you’ve done.”
“I could have gotten those answers myself.”
She tilted her chin up. “I don’t think you were his type.”
Chase’s laugh caught her off guard. It sounded so deep and honest. She remembered how he’d handled himself in the bar. It irked her that she was still impressed. Impressed with a liar.
“You ready to run again?” he asked, as if thinking they’d found some kind of a truce. There was no truce. Not until she knew what he was up to. She recalled her conversation with Jenny. Who the hell was Chase secretly meeting with late at night at the Shadow Falls fence?
“Come on a short run,” he prodded.
“I’m done running.” What was it with this guy and racing? Was he training for the Olympics?
She darted around him, walking in the direction of Shadow Falls.
“Come on. It’s good for you,” he said, falling beside her again.
“The truth is good for me.” She felt him, too close. As if they were old friends.
They walked in silence. The night seemed extra quiet. Only the sound of their footfalls on the soft earth and dead leaves filled the night.
They were almost to the gate when he spoke. “My father was a doctor. He owned a small plane. We were all in it. It went down.”
She looked at him. Nothing about his expression said he lied. Quite the opposite. Grief touched his eyes.
“I was the only one to survive. But I was hurt pretty badly. The guy who found me was vampire. I was a carrier of the virus and when he helped me, I turned.”
“So he took you in?”
“Yeah.”
“Was he rogue?” She couldn’t help but try to see his angle for being at Shadow Falls. Was he helping some rogue organization or gang who wanted to shut down the school because of its affiliation with the FRU?
This wouldn’t be the first time.
“Depends on what you call rogue. He’s a decent guy but not registered.”
Of all the things he could have said, this was the one she could relate to the most. Wasn’t this the very reason she’d kept information about Chan from Burnett? Why she wasn’t mentioning her uncle or aunt?
“So why come to Shadow Falls?” she asked.
“I heard about it. Thought it’d be interesting.” His pupil in his left eye dilated slightly.
So he was here for a reason, but what? She almost called him on the lie, but now that she had a better handle on detecting his untruths, maybe it was wise to see what she could learn. Let the guy lie himself into a corner he couldn’t get out of.
Looking up, she saw the Shadow Falls fence ahead. She pulled out her phone to dial Burnett. She had missed two calls. But no voice messages.
She checked the numbers. One was unfamiliar for a second, but then she recognized it. Kevin, Chan’s friend. The grief that had been pocketed away slipped out.
What did Kevin want with her? Paybacks can be hell. She did owe him a favor.
The second number flashed across the screen and she felt her heartstrings being yanked in another direction. Steve.