I rubbed at the beginning of a headache. “Can we talk about this later with Roland? I just want to call Phil and go back to Dylan’s before Nikolas finds us.”

His face fell but he did not push it. “Okay. You call Phil and I’m going to run in and get a milkshake. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

I pointed to the picnic tables partially hidden by a semi on the other side of the parking lot. “I’ll be over there.” The tables had a good view of the interstate so we could see Phil’s car when he arrived. I sat on the hard wooden seat and pulled out my phone.

“Date ran off and left you did he?” a male voice jeered from behind me before I could make my call.

Am I being punished for some horrible crime in a former life? I groaned inwardly, turning on the seat to face Scott. “Go away, Scott. I’m so not in the mood.”

“Free country. If you don’t like me here you can always leave.”

I started to make a retort then decided it wasn’t worth it. Fighting with Scott seemed so petty after the things I learned today. “Suit yourself,” I muttered, turning my back to him again.

His footsteps moved away and I couldn’t help but think I needed to try this tactic the next time I wanted to get rid of unwanted company. I had just finished congratulating myself when he walked in front of me to sit on the next picnic table.

“Are you broke down here or something?” he asked, scanning the vehicles in the parking lot. His voice held curiosity instead of scorn and I wondered why he even bothered to ask.

“Why? You offering a lift?”

It was meant as a joke and I was surprised when it seemed to take him off guard. He looked off to the side and back at me. “I… no.”

“So what do you want?”

“What makes you think I want anything from you?” he asked defensively.

I waved a hand at him. “Oh, I don’t know. You’re hanging around a highway rest stop on a Saturday talking to me of all people. You couldn’t find anyone else to fight with?”

His brow furrowed in a scowl but whatever he said to me went unheard. My full attention was drawn to a man standing beside a black Escalade on the other side of the rest stop. His profile seemed familiar and I strained to make out his face. At this distance, I could only tell he had dark hair and a dark olive complexion but something made me think I knew him from somewhere.

The man shifted position and I saw thick eyebrows, a square and an unsmiling mouth. A jolt of recognition went through me and I ducked my head. He was one of the men from the marina.

He didn’t get a good look at me that night, I thought frantically, trying to slow my racing heart. I had to calm down and act normal. The man was alone and he had no idea who I was. It was nothing more than a coincidence that he was here now. Still I really wished Peter would hurry up. Ignoring Scott’s puzzled look, I raised my head enough to peek at the man again. My breath caught.

The man looked right at me and smiled.

Chapter 16

My gut clenched. This was very, very bad.

I scrambled away from the picnic table and stood like a cornered rabbit with my heart thumping in my chest before my mind began to quickly evaluate my options. The Escalade was on the far side of the parking lot. The diner was blocked from view by the semi but I knew it was closer than the SUV. Even if the man was fast, I could make it to the diner and Peter and hope the man did not want to risk a public commotion.

The man must have realized it too because he started walking briskly toward us. Any hope that he did not recognize me drained away.

Scott stood. “What’s wrong?”

Movement to my right brought me up short. A dark figure stepped into view around the rear of the semi. Tall and thin, he was dressed in a black robe covered in strange symbols that shimmered in the sun like white gold. A black hood covered his head and hid his face from me but I could feel something, some kind of power emanating from him. He halted and reached up to push back the hood and my mouth opened in a silent gasp. The man – if he was a man – was as black as ebony with a small black goatee and a bald head. His face and head were covered in a strange pattern of red and white markings that appeared to be gouged into his skin. But it was the eyes that sent fear racing along my spine. Two white orbs glowed in the black face and when they turned on me I felt like a deer staring into two headlights coming out of the dark.

“What the fuck is that?”

Scott’s bewildered voice pulled me from my own paralysis. “Run!” I yelled and whirled away to bolt in the only direction available, towards the interstate.

Hands grabbed my arms roughly from behind and I cried out. I twisted and kicked at the person restraining me but he held me in an iron grip. “It is no use to struggle,” he said in a clipped Middle Eastern voice. “You are coming with me.”

“Help!” I screamed as I was spun toward the SUV. I saw Scott on the ground looking dazed and I realized my attacker must have hit him. “Scott,” I yelled at him. “Please help me!”

“What the hell?” he moaned, teetering to his feet. “Someone hit me.”

The man began pulling me backward, effortlessly dragging me away from the picnic tables. “Do something!” I shouted at Scott.

At first I thought he was going to stand there and watch me get hauled away. It took him a minute to comprehend what was happening and he started toward us. “Hey, what do you think you’re doing? L-Let her go…”