Page 97 of Burn Falls

“I came back to make sure the cops knew nothing.”

“Why are Athan and I still talked about?”

“No one has had the balls to leave since you two took off.”

“Until you.”

“It’s either go on the run or have my heart yanked from my chest.”

“I’ll do it if you so much as lay a finger on Calla,” I warned.

He held up his hands in defense, the first sign that he wasn’t ready to run for the hills. “If that were the case, I wouldn’t have made it known I was back.”

True. “What’s your name kid?”

“Donovan. Donovan Corbett.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I paced in Draven’s house as I waited for him to come inside. I had no idea what was happening and why he was so angry all of a sudden. When I tried looking out the window, all I saw were two figures standing at the end of his driveway. What was happening? And why was it taking so long?

Since I was taken aback by Draven’s order for me to get in the house, I’d forgotten to actually look at his house when I came inside. I turned around from looking out of the front window and gasped. It was beautiful. I’d expected his house to be beautiful because I figured that amanthat lived as long as Draven had to have good taste and not live like a lonely bachelor. Exposed wood beams supported a vaulted ceiling with a stone-walled fireplace that went all the way up. Giant windows overlooked a moonlit view of the Susitna River, and a rustic, wrought iron chandelier sat in the middle of the room with a brown leather couch and matching armchairs below it in a U shape. It was cozy and homey, and instantly I wanted to curl up on the couch with a fire going while reading a book.

“Oh my God,” I said to myself, running my hand along a table behind the couch, wide-eyed as I looked around. I kept walking and straight into the kitchen where I’d come in from. For a vampire who didn’t need to eat food, his kitchen was spectacular. A huge, brown granite island with two wrought iron chandeliers above it was in front of a giant stove with an arched stone wall over it and counters on either side. The high beams continued in the room, and not only was the stove stainless-steel but so were the rest of the appliances. It was a kitchen built for family gatherings—something Draven would never have—and parties.

Adjacent to the kitchen was a dining room that had a view of the river on one wall, and the other wall was another stone fireplace. A humongous, dark wood table that easily sat ten was in the center of the room with a deer antler chandelier above it. High back, white fabric chairs accented the room and once again I couldn’t believe he had a room this beautiful. I wanted to cookanymeal in the kitchen and eat it in the dining room with a fire going.

As I was admiring everything, I didn’t hear Draven come into the room, so when I turned around, I jumped. “You really need to stop doing that to me. That’s twice in one night.”

He cracked a smile. “Sorry.”

“Is everything okay?”

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Okay …”

“We can sit in the living room or at the kitchen island. Whatever you prefer.”

“Which room do you use the most?” I teased.

“Actually, I do use the kitchen to heat up mymeals.”

“Right. Meals.” I chuckled. “Either room is fine.”

“Let’s go into the living room, and I’ll start a fire.”

“Sure.” I followed Draven into the room, and while I sat on the couch, he put wood into the fireplace and lit it.

“So?”

“There’s been another development.” He stood and pushed up the sleeves of his grey sweater.

“A development?”

“Do you want a drink? I think you need a drink.”

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I do?”