Deception (Absent Shadows Trilogy Book 3) by S.M. Spencer Read Free Book Online Page B

that was barely audible.
    Ceylona was clearly upset, and my instincts were telling me it was time to go, but I couldn’t move or take my eyes away from the man. He was walking directly toward us, but when he reached the sidewalk, he turned to his right to walk in the same direction as the jogger had gone. I let out the breath I’d obviously been holding, then looked past him to where I could still just see the jogger, further along the sidewalk. His attention was clearly focused on her, and thankfully, he didn’t even seem to notice we were there.
    My first thought was of David, stalking me in Burlingame Avenue that day—waiting for me outside the children’s shop. Could this man be a jilted boyfriend of the jogger’s? Was he following her? If so, he’d have to be careful—her dogs were big, and no doubt protective.
    I sighed with relief as I watched him continue to get further and further away from us. But when I turned back to look at Ceylona, she looked far from relieved. In fact, she was still as pale as if she’d seen a ghost; and not a nice one like Elizabeth either.
    I stood and walked over next to her. Then, reaching down to take her tiny little hands in mine I said, ‘Ceylona, it’s okay, the man is gone. Shall we go home now, sweetheart?’
    But she shook her head, and looked in the direction he’d gone, and said, ‘Bad man, Mommy. Must stop him. Bad man.’
    And then for some reason I turned my attention to Archie, sitting there in middle of the blanket. His little face was looking right at me, with his shiny black nose, and his bright eyes that looked quite red in the natural daylight.
    And suddenly I felt lightheaded, and I had to fight to remain upright as a dizzy spell tried to engulf me. Ceylona had said the man had eyes like Archie. Archie had red eyes.
    I looked at Ceylona, and as calmly as possible asked, ‘Sweetheart, did the man have strange eyes?’
    Her face was still as pale as before, but she was frowning, and it even looked as though her teeth were clenched.
    ‘Yes, Mommy. Bad man. Eyes like Ah-chee. Very bad man.’
    A shiver ran down my spine again, and I could feel the hairs on my whole body standing upright as the confirmation of what she’d seen hit home. She’d seen through his illusion. Ceylona had spotted her first vampire.

~ Chapter Six ~
    I stood there as if in a dream, still holding her hands, knowing my mouth was wide open but powerless to shut it. I felt as though a cloud of heavy fog was smothering my brain, preventing me from thinking clearly; preventing me from taking any action.
    Then I felt Ceylona tugging at my hands. I forced myself to look down at her and saw the look of determination on her tiny little face.
    ‘Must stop him, Mommy,’ she said, staring at me with such intensity that it seemed to cut through the fog.
    I don’t know why I did it; in fact, I don’t even know that I was thinking so much as just doing. I bent down, and grabbing Ceylona by the arms I slung her around behind me, pulling her arms down around my neck. I grabbed her legs and started to run as fast as I could in the direction of the jogger, calling back to her, ‘Hang on tight, sweetie.’
    The woman had just started to go up the hill, and the man was not far behind her. I imagined he was letting her get up toward the trees, rather than confronting her, or attacking her, in the open.
    I made a wide berth around him as I passed, and caught up to the woman within a few more strides. Then I ran past her and turned, stopping directly in front of her. She had no choice but to stop as well.
    ‘What the?’ the woman said, pulling the earphones away from her face, and glowering at me for interrupting her run.
    I had no idea what to say to her, and wasn’t even sure what to do next, but then I heard Ceylona’s soft voice whispering in my ear, asking me to put her down. I obeyed, without even questioning the action.
    As soon as I put her down, Ceylona stepped between me and the jogger, then