Timeless Moon by C.T. Adams

Author:C.T. Adams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2010-06-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

RICK PACED OUTSIDE the small white building that served as the terminal for the Grodin Municipal Airport. Back and forth, until Bruce made an exasperated noise in the back of his throat and went inside rather than watch and feel the unending, panicked guilt that rolled from him in waves.

She wasn’t here. She hadn’t been here. They’d checked every inch of the airport grounds, including sniffing around the various private hangars. Nothing.

When he’d returned to the motel and discovered the struggle that had occurred—her room broken into through the bathroom ducts, the scent of a dozen vipers that had touched every surface, and another dozen scenting the grass outside, he’d gone nearly insane.

How could he have doubted her? If this was what her life had become, no wonder she’d hardened. What sort of person would he have become if every dawn brought a new battle, and it was the same people over and over?

Something was obviously wrong. The drive from Pony to Grodin should have taken only a little over an hour. Her car had been gone when he arrived, so she must be driving. She should have arrived here long before he did, considering that the snakes had gone long before he arrived back. But neither the secretary, nor the airport manager had seen any sign of her. Nor had the man working on the engine of a plane in one of the private hangars.

It wasn’t like there was anywhere she could hide here. The airport was a small affair: single 5,005-foot asphalt runway with a parallel taxiway, a few private hangars, and the terminal. They were lucky that the management had fuel available for private jets.

Still, he couldn’t fault the place or the people. The little white terminal building was only the size of a one-bedroom house, but it was clean, well-kept, and had modern equipment. The scent of fresh coffee filled a lounge area packed with vending machines and comfortable furniture.

Rick checked his wristwatch again. It told him that precisely two minutes had passed since the last time he’d looked—ten minutes since he’d arrived.

Where the hell is she?

“She hasn’t been here.” Bruce reappeared in the doorway carrying a pair of Styrofoam cups filled with hot black coffee. He passed one over to Rick, who accepted it with a nod of thanks. For just a moment Rick wished Lucas had been able to come with Bruce as originally planned. Unfortunately, something had come up. Which left Rick in charge.

“I know.” Rick resisted the urge to take out his aggression on the nearest wall. It wouldn’t do any good. Still, it was getting harder and harder to control his aggression. They were only a few days out from the full moon, and he was feeling the effects.

“So.” Bruce dug in the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a plastic packet of trail mix he’d bought from the vending machine inside. “You’re the boss. I’m just the wheel man. What do you want to do?” Setting his coffee cup carefully on a nearby porch railing he pulled the packet open.

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