It Happened One Doomsday (36 page)

“Rane doesn't have access to my credit cards,” Dru reminded her, silently thankful for that fact.

Up front, the familiar rattle and snap of the mail slot caught Dru's attention.

That's weird
, she thought. It was far too late in the day for the mail to come.

That meant someone else had slipped something through the mail slot. And she knew from experience that such an occurrence was not usually a welcome surprise. “Opal, gotta go. Stay safe out there.”

“Uh-huh. Have fun without me.” Opal hung up.

Quickly, Dru picked her way across the cluttered floor to the mail slot.

On the floor lay a single black rock, a polished oblong stone half the size of her palm. As she picked it up, its surface glittered with flecks of iron pyrite.

Midnight Lemurian jade. Just like the one she had given Greyson.

As she turned it over in her hand, she realized it
was
the one she had given Greyson.

But that was impossible.

Like a shot, she yanked the door open and stepped outside into the steady rain. The wet sidewalk was empty. A few cars swished past, windshield wipers sweeping back and forth. No one waited at the bus stop. For once, there wasn't a soul around.

She looked down at the stone, watching the rain spatter it as shiny black as Hellbringer's paint. She tried to calm down the sudden storm of emotions inside her by telling herself that she wasn't losing her mind. There had to be a rational explanation. There always was.

Except when there wasn't.

Thunder rolled across the city. And it kept rumbling, steadily.

She realized it wasn't thunder at all. It was an engine: deep, thudding, and all too familiar.

Hellbringer.

Tires chirped in the alley behind her shop. Before Dru even thought it through, she charged down the narrow gap between her building and the next. Her feet slipped on rain-slick leaves, splashed through muddy puddles.

She reached the back of the building just in time to see the tall wing on Hellbringer's rear end pull out of her parking space and slip away down the alley.

She charged into the alley and pounded along the wet concrete, ignoring the throbbing pain in her still-sore leg.

Hellbringer's wide red taillights glowed at her like the slitted eyes of a sinister demon, retreating into the rain, mocking her.

She waved her arms overhead, slinging raindrops from her soaked sleeves. “Greyson!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. “Greyson!”

It was impossible. She and Rane had searched every inch of that cliff face, and there was no trace of Greyson. How did he survive? How did he return?

It didn't matter.

All that mattered was that he was here now. And he was slipping away forever.

She wouldn't lose him again. She couldn't.

She chased him down the length of the alley, shouting his name. Squinting through the raindrops on her glasses.

She ran for all she was worth.

At the end of the alley, Hellbringer's taillights flashed brighter as the car slowed to a stop.

As she ran toward the black car, she couldn't see Greyson through the dark rain-spattered windows, but she could imagine him looking up at her in the rearview mirror, the set in his stubbled jaw resolving into a lopsided smile. She could practically hear the creak of his leather jacket as he turned around to look at her.

She wanted to ask him where he'd been. Find out how he'd come back. Tell him all the things she wished she'd said. But more than anything, she wanted to throw her arms around him and lose herself in his embrace.

Dru pounded toward the end of the alley, breathing hard, smiling so wide it made her cheeks ache. Greyson was back. Nothing else mattered.

Then everything inside her shattered as Hellbringer's tires spun, shrieking on the wet pavement. The black car turned onto the street and rocketed out of sight around the corner, its engine roaring away.

Had he seen her? Why would he leave?

She ran to the end of the alley, but Hellbringer was already gone, as if it had never existed. Nothing was left but the sound of its engine throttling up into the distance.

Was that really Greyson?

Was he alive?

Was he human again . . . or something else?

Dru sagged against the wet brick wall, oblivious to the cold rain pounding on her head, plastering down her hair, raising goose bumps on her skin.

She puffed clouds of fog into the chilly air, trying to catch her breath, and stared down the length of the empty street, where nothing moved but raindrops hitting the puddles.

She would find him again, she swore to herself. She would never stop looking.

Not until the end of the world.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book would not exist without the steadfast determination and encouragement of Kristin Nelson, a true gem among literary agents.

I'd also like to thank the whole team at Nelson Literary Agency for their sterling work over the years: Lori Bennett, Angie Hodapp, James Persichetti, and even Chutney the Wonder Dog.

Extra special thanks to Rene Sears, for her consistent insight and editorial vision.

Thanks also to the fine folks at Pyr for making this book possible.

Heartfelt thanks to all of my fellow writers and critique group members, here in Colorado and around the world, for their insightful feedback and for their friendship.

Finally, words cannot express my gratitude to my lovely wife, Cyndi, for her unflagging support, tireless wisdom, and boundless faith.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author photo © Kelly Weaver Photography

Laurence MacNaughton grew up in a creaky old colonial house in Connecticut that he's pretty sure was haunted. He's been a bookseller, printer, copywriter, and (somewhat randomly) a prototype vehicle test driver. When he's not writing, he bikes and hikes the Rocky Mountains, explores ghost towns, and wrenches on old cars. His books include
It Happened One Doomsday
,
The Spider Thief
, and
Conspiracy of Angels
. Visit him online at
www.LaurenceMacNaughton.com
.