BLOOD, a vampire story

to the bad part of town, and creeping ever closer into what was definitely the worst part of town. Max had had no idea that such a place even ex

od transfusion," he muttered.

er-lock button and

," Miley said. She looked cautiously through the w

elia for talking Miley into doing this.

cart bulging with trash bags across the street. Max cocked his h

st go around hi

fter nightfall. He wondered where the homeless man went to sleep. Max definitely

"No one would rent a room to us

ir location. He didn't want to think of Miley getting out

's leave,"

ver at him. "

you?" he rep

is place is really terrible, Max. I want to l

wanted to say. Sher

is mind, she said, "I promise

ith the plan. He thought about asking her to stay in the car, but the problem was, he didn't think she'd be any safer alone

ght. "I won't." He'd just have t

early jumped out of his skin

melia,"

speaker," Mi

as distorted. Miley's cell phone reception was

a little heatedly. "Oh, look, there's another liquor store. With iron bars across

ss but... how bad?" Amelia

'm kind of wishing I had

o," Max

nt, as if she were trying to decide what to say next. Max respected that silence. Amelia was clearly having a cri

p with anything?

or Hunter Butcher and nothi

odded, agreeing. "Maybe it's an alias, f

ing to shake money out of the Ruperts with all kinds of crazy schemes. Fake charities, supposed l

t it's called

tive--not a detec

sighed. "But he's been off his game lately. In more ways than one

at we can find out,

hang a left, but he didn't tell Miley. He want

, facing a plain, two-story beige stucco building that said Thrifty Inn. It wasn't an inn by any stretch of the imag

bad," she murmured. "We can just go in the lob

out it. Then he calmed down a little, figuring Amelia had sent it to her spec

e said re

." Miley said, and t

at her phone. He pulled out his own and che

e were done talk

ampire vision into action. He knew his eyes were glowing scarlet red as he swept his gaze around, seeing everything in infrared, loo

ense the presen

the door and flashed him a quick, uncertain smile in return. "Opening my

the sooner we're out of here,

ught gold strands in her dark chestnut hair. He felt a little wistful as they walked together to the front door of the motel. He sure didn't want his first time with Miley-his first time wi

omewher

turquoise metal square with a white doorb

ing," he said,

the button, a woman