“Or stupid, maybe,” I said, trying to hide what I was feeling behind a tight smile.
“I don't think so.” He glanced over my shoulder at the table of people I had left. “I shouldn’t keep you. I just wanted you to know that…well, I wouldn’t mind seeing you again. You know, if you ever needed help or something.” His face had turned red and he gave me a puppy grin.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.
He put his hat on his head and turned to leave.
“See you soon…vampire slayer,” he said.
“I’ll see you later...wolf boy.”
He grinned and walked off through the grass toward the parking lot.
“What do you think a fully-waxed werewolf would look like?” I heard Xandra ask as I walked back to the table.
“Incredibly bald,” Derrick said. “And probably pretty pissed off, because waxing really hurts.”
“How would you know that?” Laura asked and I could hear the teasing in her voice.
I joined them laughing at that, because hey, it was hilarious.
“You read these things,” Derrick said, shrugging, flushing just a little. “You know. On the web.”
“Suuuuuuure,” Laura said.
“Hey, don't hate on a man for waxing,” Xandra said, slurping down a mouth full of noodles. “Reward him for his good behavior, so we can get more of it.”
“Because Xandra will not be happy until the world of the race of man is as hairless as Sphynx cats,” I said and everybody laughed.
I basked in the warmth of their amusement and thought about how far I'd come in the few months since I'd come to Florida. From liar to truth-teller, from friendless to...well, sitting at a table surrounded by them.
From Cassie Howell, the girl most likely to get chased out of town by an angry mob of townsfolk for lying about...well, everything...to...what had Jed called me?
Oh, yeah. Vampire slayer.
I could get used to that. All of this, actually, I realized, as my table of friends dissolved into laughter again at some silly thing Gregory said and I joined them...content at last.
Cassie Howell Will Return In
HIT YOU WHERE YOU LIVE
LIARS AND VAMPIRES, BOOK 7
Coming Spring 2019!
Get it here!
Author’s Note
Thanks for reading! If you want to know immediately when future books become available, take sixty seconds and sign up for my NEW RELEASE EMAIL ALERTS by CLICKING HERE. I don’t sell your information and I only send out emails when I have a new book out. The reason you should sign up for this is because I don’t always set release dates, and even if you’re following me on Facebook (robertJcrane (Author)) or Twitter (@robertJcrane), it’s easy to miss my book announcements because … well, because social media is an imprecise thing.
Come join the discussion on my website: http://www.robertjcrane.com!
Cheers,
Robert J. Crane
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Lewis Moore for editing this book. Proofing was completed by Lillie of Lillie's Literary Service (https://lilliesls.wordpress.com) and Jo Evans of Raj of India.
Cover by Karri Klawiter (artbykarri.com).
Co-authoring by Kate Hasbrouck.
Formatting by Nick Bowman (http://www.nickbowman-editing.com)
Sanity NOT by Robert J. Crane's family. But I love them anyway.
Other Works by Robert J. Crane
World of Sanctuary
Epic Fantasy
Defender: The Sanctuary Series, Volume One
Avenger: The Sanctuary Series, Volume Two
Champion: The Sanctuary Series, Volume Three
Crusader: The Sanctuary Series, Volume Four
Sanctuary Tales, Volume One - A Short Story Collection
Thy Father’s Shadow: The Sanctuary Series, Volume 4.5
Master: The Sanctuary Series, Volume Five
Fated in Darkness: The Sanctuary Series, Volume 5.5
Warlord: The Sanctuary Series, Volume Six
Heretic: The Sanctuary Series, Volume Seven
Legend: The Sanctuary Series, Volume Eight
Ghosts of Sanctuary: The Sanctuary Series, Volume Nine
Call of the Hero: The Sanctuary Series, Volume Ten* (Coming in 2019!)
A Haven in Ash: Ashes of Luukessia, Volume One (with Michael Winstone)
A Respite From Storms: Ashes of Luukessia, Volume Two (with Michael Winstone)
A Home in the Hills: Ashes of Luukessia, Volume Three (with Michael Winstone)
The Girl in the Box
and
Out of the Box
Contemporary Urban Fantasy
Alone: The Girl in the Box, Book 1
Untouched: The Girl in the Box, Book 2
Soulless: The Girl in the Box, Book 3
Family: The Girl in the Box, Book 4
Omega: The Girl in the Box, Book 5
Broken: The Girl in the Box, Book 6
Enemies: The Girl in the Box, Book 7
Legacy: The Girl in the Box, Book 8
Destiny: The Girl in the Box, Book 9
Power: The Girl in the Box, Book 10
Limitless: Out of the Box, Book 1
In the Wind: Out of the Box, Book 2
Ruthless: Out of the Box, Book 3
Grounded: Out of the Box, Book 4
Tormented: Out of the Box, Book 5
Vengeful: Out of the Box, Book 6
Sea Change: Out of the Box, Book 7
Painkiller: Out of the Box, Book 8
Masks: Out of the Box, Book 9
Prisoners: Out of the Box, Book 10
Unyielding: Out of the Box, Book 11
Hollow: Out of the Box, Book 12
Toxicity: Out of the Box, Book 13
Small Things: Out of the Box, Book 14
Hunters: Out of the Box, Book 15
Badder: Out of the Box, Book 16
Nemesis: Out of the Box, Book 17
Apex: Out of the Box, Book 18
Time: Out of the Box, Book 19
Driven: Out of the Box, Book 20
Remember: Out of the Box, Book 21
Flashback: Out of the Box, Book 23
Cold: Out of the Box, Book 24* (Coming February 8, 2019!)
Southern Watch
Contemporary Urban Fantasy
Called: Southern Watch, Book 1
Depths: Southern Watch, Book 2
Corrupted: Southern Watch, Book 3
Unearthed: Southern Watch, Book 4
Legion: Southern Watch, Book 5
Starling: Southern Watch, Book 6
Forsaken: Southern Watch, Book 7
Hallowed: Southern Watch, Book 8* (Coming in 2020!)
The Shattered Dome
(with Nicholas J. Ambrose)
Sci-Fi
Voiceless: The Shattered Dome
The Mira Brand Adventures
Contemporary Urban Fantasy
The World Beneath: The Mira Brand Adventures, Book 1
The Tide of Ages: The Mira Brand Adventures, Book 2
The City of Lies: The Mira Brand Adventures, Book 3
The King of the Skies: The Mira Brand Adventures, Book 4
The Best of Us: The Mira Brand Adventures, Book 5
We Aimless Few: The Mira Brand Adventures, Book 6
The Gang of Legend: The Mira Brand Adventures, Book 7
The Antecessor Conundrum: The Mira Brand Adventures, Book 8* (Coming in 2019!)
Liars and Vampires
(with Lauren Harper)
Contemporary Urban Fantasy
No One Will Believe You: Liars and Vampires, Book 1
Someone Should Save Her: Liars and Vampires, Book 2
You Can’t Go Home Again: Liars and Vampires, Book 3
In the Dark: Liars and Vampires, Book 4
Her Lying Days Are Done: Liars and Vampires, Book 5
Heir of the Dog: Liars and Vampires, Book 6
H
it You Where You Live: Liars and Vampires, Book 7* (Coming Spring 2019!)
* Forthcoming, Subject to Change
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Author’s Note
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Other Works by Robert J. Crane