Sterling Silver: (Sterling Hunter 1) Page 9

  Sebastian made his way to the front desk where a pretty blond woman stood. She looked up from her computer, and her eyes widened in shock and surprise when she met his face. Sebastian flashed her his most dazzling close-lipped smile.

  “Uh... hi... I mean... what can I do for you today?” she stammered. He smirked. At least his charms still worked. Tabitha had made him start to doubt that he could dazzle anyone anymore. “Hi, I'm looking for a Keller Thompson?” His silky, velvety voice took the poor girl off guard, and she blinked and touched her forehead before going to the computer. “Um... of course. Just a moment.”

  Sebastian smiled and glanced around the lobby. “Of course,” he murmured, leaning against the polished wood counter.

  A minute passed and the woman–her name tag said Kelly–looked up at him an apologetic smile on her lips. “Sorry, you must have just missed him. He checked out earlier this morning.”

  Sebastian grimaced. He must have known his little stunt with Carlos would draw attention. However, maybe someone else had stuck around…

  “Is there... anything else I can do for you?” The woman’s eyes sparkled with the need to please him as she angled her body toward him.

  Sebastian grinned and leaned across the counter. He made sure to look her in her eyes, giving her a full blast of his power of persuasion. “Yes, what room is Miss. Emmeline Davis staying in?”

  Kelly gave him a weird look but didn't question why he wanted to know or even if she was supposed to tell him. She clicked through her computer and gave him a pleased smile. “Room 311. Third floor.”

  He dipped his head in acknowledge and wrapped his knuckles against the counter. “Thank you.”

  With that, he left her and walked past the elevator and to the stairs. He could get to the third floor faster than the elevator could take him. In a mere few seconds he'd vamped up the stairs and got to the third floor. But he stopped in front of room 311. Was he really about to do this? He hadn't seen her since 1915... They'd gotten into a huge fight. He'd made her choose between him and Alistair and she'd chosen wrong. It wasn't like he didn't think about her often. He thought about her almost every day. Especially with living in his old house... In his old town. Memories of her often came loose from the depths of his mind. Too often for his taste.

  Sebastian swallowed the panic in his throat, making his heart race and grabbed the doorknob.

  He swung the door open to behold a large suite with a small kitchen and large bathroom directly to the right of him. A TV was on farther in. Sebastian shut the door behind him and strode in, stealing himself. They were bound to cross paths eventually. With them the world was much too small. He walked past a small living room area with a couch and TV and threw open the door where he found her lying in a large bed watching a drama.

  She jumped and shrieked, popcorn from a giant plastic bowl flying everywhere when he stepped in. “Sebastian, what the heck?” she gasped.

  He scowled and folded his arms. “Good to see you too... sister.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Emmeline scowled and grabbed the remote, pausing her drama show and gestured at the popcorn all over her bed. “Look what you made me do,” she pouted.

  Sebastian scowled back at her and leaned against the door frame, arms folded. He tried to keep his composure, but that was hard in front of her. Emmy knew him better than anyone else ever would. They'd grown up together. She'd seen him when he was just a little rascal of a boy with mud on his face and messy hair. He'd seen her at her wildest. Running around barefoot in just her petticoats and diving into the dirty lake that had been by their home.

  And now there she was, sitting in front of him as a beautiful immortal vampire. She would forever be the sixteen-year-old girl she'd died as, and she would never again be the innocent human Sebastian had loved so dearly. Her pretty heart-shaped face scrunched up in annoyance as she hopped off the bed and brushed the popcorn and kernels onto the floor. “What are you doing here Sebastian? I thought I would have to track you down. Not the other way around.”

  Sebastian took her in, surprised by how different and yet so much the same she looked. Last time he'd seen her she had been wearing a blue and pink Edwardian evening gown. Her curly gold hair had been all bunched up in a pink hat. Now she wore a pair of pink drawstring pants and a floral cropped hoodie. Her once long hair went to her shoulders in wispy gold curls.

  She walked around the bed and stopped in front of him, folding her arms and giving him one of her defiant looks. Sebastian flashed her a fanged smile. “Well an almost dead hunter showed up on my doorstep yesterday evening and he had your MO written all over him. The wrist puncture wounds. How did you compel him? He takes rowan.”

  Emmeline shot him a serpentine smile. “It’s a secret.”

  Sebastian gave her an unamused look. “You’re not cute Em.”

  “I think I am.”

  “Well you’re not. I had no idea you were still doing his dirty work. How very low of you Emmy.”

  Emmeline's lips twisted into a disagreeable scowl. She flashed him a glare. “You have no right to judge me Seb. You left me when I needed you most.”

  It took all Sebastian had to keep his composure. He wanted to find Alistair and rip his head off for deluding and destroying his little sister. “No, I do not get to judge you. I've done plenty of horrible things in my lifetime... But that doesn't mean I want to see my little sister corrupted. And don't start on the whole leaving you. Alistair practically ran me out of your life. Besides, you didn’t seem too keen to have me around. Or do you not remember?”

  Emmeline said nothing, and Sebastian continued. “You attacked me and even then, I said I would stand by you. Help you. But when push came to shove you chose him. I couldn't stand by and watch as a monster ruined my sister.”

  She folded her arms. “I was ruined the minute I died Sebastian. You just won't admit it.”

  He sighed, giving her a pinched expression. “I know Em. I know... But I didn't come here to argue with you. Did you try and kill that hunter yesterday or not?”

  Emmeline shrugged her dainty shoulders and gave him a pointed look, her lips curling into a grin. A grin that looked exactly like Sebastian's. Charming and wicked, a double-edged sword. “I didn’t kill him. I didn’t even try to. It was just a message.”

  “What’s your message then?” Sebastian asked, folding his arms.

  “Not from me. But from Al. Just to let you and Tabitha know that we can get to anyone anywhere and anytime we want.”

  Sebastian’s eyes narrowed, his blood warming with anger at the thought of Alistair threatening Tabitha. “What does he want with her?”

  “You’re a smart guy, figure it out yourself,” Emmeline snapped.

  Sebastian knew the answer to his own question… He had wanted to see if Emmeline knew. From the secretive smile on her lips, he supposed that answered that question.

  “Besides, Alistair wouldn't send me to kill someone. He thinks more highly of me than that.”

  Sebastian sneered. “I doubt that very much.”

  Emmeline's lips puckered into a pout and she folded her arms like she used to when she was a spoiled little girl and didn't get her way. “I haven't even killed anyone in... well, it's been far too long Sebastian, so don't you go pointing that judgmental finger at me.”

  Sebastian shrugged off the doorframe and took a step toward her, stopping in front of her, so he could look down at her. She hated when he did that, and he could tell from the flicker of annoyance in her eyes that that hadn't changed. “Then why did you come? To annoy me?”

  “No, I came because Alistair asked me to. He wants me at his side Sebastian. He loves me.”

  “I have a hard time believing that,” Sebastian muttered.

  Emmeline sat up and folded her arms. “Well it’s the truth. He does love me, and he wants me to be involved in his plans.”

  Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “And what plans are those?”

  “None of your business. Maybe if you st
uck around, you would know.”

  “You know I would never condone this sort of behavior. I would never let anyone hurt another Sterling.”

  Emmeline sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. “That’s your problem. You think you’re so noble. You’re not. You’re only delaying the inevitable.”

  Sebastian growled and strode forward, leaning over her. “I will not,” he whispered, a threat in his voice, “let you or Alistair or anyone else walk into this town and destroy everything. I’m not going to let any of you get anywhere near Tabitha. She’s off limits. And you can tell Alistair that too. I want you out of this hotel Emmeline and out of this town.”

  Emmeline’s lips turned into a pout as she got to her feet, forcing Sebastian to take a step back. “That’s not very brotherly of you.”

  “Maybe not, but you haven’t been very sisterly lately either. Get out of this town Emmeline. I’ll come back here to make sure you’re gone by tonight,” he promised, turning on his heels and walking to the door.

  Just as he opened it though, Emmeline’s voice stopped him. “Tabitha’s going to find out one way or another and when she does, she doesn’t seem like the type to forgive you for lying to her.”

  “I never lied,” Sebastian murmured, even though the thought had crossed her mind. Spending all this time with her had made him see what kind of person she was, and Emmeline had a point. Tabitha wasn’t the type to forgive and forget easily.

  “No, but you kept this huge, life-altering secret from her. She won’t be happy.”

  Sebastian’s jaw clenched. He didn’t have to stand here and listen to this. “It’s my problem. I’ll deal with it.”

  With that he left, shutting the door behind him. He ran at superhuman speed down the stairs and out of the hotel. He slowed to a walk once he came into town and shoved his hands into his pockets. If Alistair had brought Emmeline with then he must have brought his right-hand man along too. Tomorrow he and Tabitha would hunt down Keller and this time, he wasn’t going to get away. He was going to realize pretty quick that he shouldn't have sided with Alistair.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Tabitha blew a strand out of her hair as she grabbed her gloves off her desk. She’d already gotten all her homework done so her mom had no reason to tell her no. Tabitha had changed into a pair of black skinny jeans, black boots and a black long-sleeved turtle neck to fight off the early October chill in the air.

  Her phone dinged on her dresser and Tabitha grabbed it, finding a text from Sebastian saying he was waiting for her outside. She grinned, snatched her purse and headed downstairs.

  “Be careful hon,” her mom said, waiting for her at the door.

  “Don’t worry, I’m always careful Mom.”

  Her mom gave her a doubtful look and Tabitha just shrugged. “Seriously, I promise.”

  “Ok. Be back before twelve.”

  “Will do. Love ya,” Tabitha said as she threw the door open and headed out.

  Sebastian waited in his sleek black car. The instant Tabitha slid into the passenger seat he sped off down the road. “So where are we going?”

  Sebastian shot her a fanged grin. “To say hi to an old friend. I did some snooping around and figured out where he’s staying. He’s connected to Alistair.”

  “Where did you hear about him?”

  Not for the first time Sebastian took on a cagey look. Tabitha cocked her head, her interest piqued at his silence. “Who was it?”

  “My… sister.”

  Tabitha’s eyes widened in surprise. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”

  “Yep… I used to have a brother too. Emmeline and I don’t talk often… We had a falling out a few years ago. She showed up the other day out of the blue and where she is, Keller can’t be far behind. They’re both Alistair’s pocket.”

  “That’s quite the assumption.”

  “My assumptions are usually right.”

  Tabitha smirked as they turned toward 165, a straight shot to the city.

  “Wait. Where are we going hunting?”

  Sebastian grinned. “In the city. Keller will most likely be down there, hiding out. But… first I thought we could eat first. Have you had dinner yet?”

  Tabitha shook her head, unsure what to say to that. Dinner and then a hunt? This sounded suspiciously like a date. But that was impossible.

  “Good. Cus I brought plenty for both of us.”

  They fell into comfortable silence for a few minutes before Tabitha spoke up once again. “So what place are we going to?”

  He smirked and gave her a look, mischief twinkling in his eyes. “The old drive-in movie theater and a bit of a scenery change.”

  Tabitha was pretty sure there wasn't a drive-in movie theater here. If there was, she would know about it and yet she watched as Sebastian drove through town and turned down a deserted, almost overgrown and nonexistent road that Tabitha had never gone down. Tabitha had been everywhere in Rosewood. She knew about the ruins of the Victorian style houses from the 1800's and the ruins of the old part of town that had been forgotten and abandoned long ago. But she didn't know of any drive-in movie theater. It must have been well hidden.

  Tabitha watched as they headed down the highway, driving past the forest.

  “A long time ago the town used to be far larger than it is now. This road used to lead down to an assortment of estates, the movie theater where the teenagers always hung out and a large bridge that went over a creek,” Sebastian explained. He shrugged, looking out the window with glazed over eyes as if he were remembering another lifetime. Which he was, Tabitha supposed. He'd lived a long time and had seen towns and cities change and shift. “I guess as the world shifted and technology improved the estates faded and people forgot about the old movie theater. Trees grew over everything and people forgot about the old houses but... they're still out here.”

  Tabitha's eyebrows furrowed, and she peered out the window. “I know about the estates and the old part of town. Just not about the movie theater.” Even as she said that they passed overrun tangled parts of the forest. Between the trees and vines, she could make out bits and pieces of destroyed brick and stone homes that used to stand tall and house the owners of old sugar plantations.

  He smirked as they drove through a bend in the road, a meadow coming into view. “Here we are.”

  Tabitha gave him one more glare and then turned to the large meadow. An old rusty sign with broken glass bulbs all around it sat by a tree boasting Rosewood Drive-In Theater in faded pink letters, the background yellow. Sebastian drove onto an old paved road overgrown with grass and weeds and flowers, the meadow overgrown as well. And looming above them was a huge black screen, broken and on its last breath. Across the meadow was a gas station sized building, the sickly yellow painting chipped.

  Sebastian smiled and parked the car in front of the holey and broken screen. He left the car on and reached into the back seat, grabbing a picnic basket. As he pulled food out setting it all on the dashboard between them, everything from an expertly made sandwich to chocolate dipped strawberries he spoke of a time long ago. “You would have loved it, Tabitha. The sign and building used to be a bright neon color. Cars all over and people laughing and leaning against one another in their seats. Good simple entertainment.”

  His voice had taken on a wistful tone and Tabitha grinned looking up at the huge screen and taking one of the strawberries from the plastic container. She made an effort to ignore the water bottle of red still in the basket.

  Tabitha could almost see what he saw. Girls with perms and boys with slicked back hair laughing and heading for their cars with popcorn and candy in their hands. Teenagers making out in the front seat of their cars as an old black and white movie rolled in front of them.

  Tabitha leaned back in her seat. She would have liked it. “I could have rocked the look back then,” Tabitha decided with a grin.

  Sebastian laughed at that and Tabitha blushed, flashing him a halfhearted glare. “You would have been the bees'
knees Tabitha. all the boys would have drooled all over themselves for you.”

  She laughed and rolled her eyes, leaning her elbow against the dashboard to face him. She grabbed another strawberry. Chocolate covered strawberries were her favorite. “Really?”

  He nodded, earnestness and innocence on his face. “Yep and all the girls would have been so jealous of your hair.”

  Without warning his hand came up and brushed away the strawberry juice that coated her lower lip. Tabitha's breath caught in her throat.

  “You would have looked beautiful in red lipstick and the makeup of the time. The dresses and the skirts and the hair... You look beautiful now too,” he whispered, seemingly more to himself than to her.

  Tabitha swallowed her last bit of sweet strawberry, her whole body heating up. Had he really just told her she was beautiful? Really just leaned forward and touched her hair? She froze when his hand left her hair and caressed her cheek, his hand cold against her warm skin. Cold because he was a vampire and because he was technically dead. But alive, nonetheless.

  She didn't know what else to do, so she just sat there, waiting for him to move his hand and release her from his penetrating gaze. His eyes never left hers, his eyebrows furrowed as if in some sort of concentration. And then as quickly as he touched her, he sighed and leaned back, letting his hand drop to the picnic basket that separated them.

  He didn't look away from her, though, and Tabitha's words stuck in her throat. She couldn't talk. Not with him staring at her like that. Not with him so close to her. If she could just lean forward and... and brush her lips against his. Feel if they were as cold as his hands. Just one kiss. One kiss wouldn't make her dependent on him or make her fall in love with him.

  One little innocent kiss. Tabitha had kissed other boys before without falling in love with them. She involuntarily leaned forward, quieting the instincts side of her that shouted and screamed for her to back up and get out of the car and run because this guy was not human. He may look human, but he wasn't.