Younger, Bree - Burn [All American Vampires 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Bree Younger

hidden in the shadows of the surrounding trees then he stopped and turned off the engine. He closed his eyes and let out a relieved breath that they had made it this far. After resting for a moment or two he looked over and saw that Libby hadn’t moved.
    Good. She was still out. He would leave her here while he checked out the place and made sure no one was home. The pine needles stung his feet, and he wished like hell he had a pair of shoes. He crept stealthily through the woods, moving with the grace and silence of the predator that he was. Out of the gloom, he could see the glow of a security light that illuminated the area around the cabin.
    Halting at the tree line, he examined the building before him. It was typical of other hunting and fishing cabins he’d used in the northern part of Harrison County. Could that be where they were? The rough wooden structure rose on wooden pilings to tower about eight feet above the ground to accommodate rising water when the creek was up. When he detected no movement, he sprinted across the yard, conscious of the lack of cover, and noiselessly climbed the stairs leading to the deck. A For Sale sign in the window reassured him that the place was deserted, so he moved forward to peer in the window. It was as he had thought. No one was here.
    He tried the door, but it was locked. In one quick movement, he broke out a small pane of glass on the door and reached in to unlock it. After taking a few moments to check through the rooms, Ty decided the place would be perfect. Luckily, the utilities were still on, though they wouldn’t use the lights. He didn’t want to draw any attention to the cabin, just in case. The darkness wouldn’t be a problem for him, but Libby would have to make do with the glow from the outside light. Unfortunately, there was no phone.
    Covered by sheets, the furniture consisted of a beat-up sofa and chair in the living area, a couple of wooden stools slid under the bar, and a bare mattress on the floor in one of the bedrooms. The toilet worked and the shower, too, and he saw a few threadbare towels and bath cloths sitting on the shelves above the sink. Some old clothes hung in the small closet, and a few more were in the drawers of a beat-up dresser. It wasn’t luxurious by any means, but it would do. Yes, it would definitely do.
    Nothing was in the refrigerator but some moldy cheese and a shriveled-up apple, but there were a few things in the cabinet—peanut butter, some soup, and a tin of crackers—that looked pretty edible. And some instant grits. He also found an unopened pack of beef jerky. At least he’d be able to get some food in Libby, get her strength back up.
    He exited the way he had come and made his way back to the truck. As he rounded the front bumper, he froze. The passenger door was open. Libby was gone.

    * * * *

    Libby ran through the darkness, her breath coming in gasping pants, her mind a scramble of panicked thoughts. Her tired eyes could barely see two feet in front of her. One wrong move and she could end up with a sprained ankle…or worse. The pounding of her heart was loud in her ears, obliterating any sound of possible pursuit as she stumbled on as fast as she dared.
    The ground was covered with downed limbs and slippery straw, and the smell of pine permeated the air. Stray silver moonbeams unsuccessfully attempted to penetrate the thick canopy of leaves above her head. Her heart accelerated with each imagined noise as she tried to ignore the weakening state of her body.
    What had he done to her? She was so tired. Her legs trembled with the strain, but she couldn’t stop, couldn’t rest. He would be after her as soon as he discovered her missing. She knew she had to get as far away as she could. Blindly she continued forward, ignoring the painful stitch in her side. She was weak, so weak, but she couldn’t stop.
    A tree suddenly appeared before her, barely visible in the darkness, and she swerved to avoid it, catching her