Free Storm (Blood Haze: Book Two) A Paranormal Romance by Tara Shuler Page A

your
    house. I sent you an email, but after a few
    minutes you didn’t respond, so I just dropped
    everything and hopped on a plane back to
    Georgia.”
    “Oh, Max! Why didn’t you contact Jamie?
    That must have been after I sold my computer
    and bought a plane ticket. I sent you an email
    with the word ‘lake’. I thought you would meet
    me there.”
    “When I got to your house, he got my
    computer. He said he had you in a secret
    location, and he’d kill you if I didn’t tell him
    what ‘lake’ meant. Not that he needed me to tell
    him.”
    “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t he need
    you to tell him?”
    “Because he can read minds.”
    “He can… read minds… Oh, my God!”
    “What?”
    “I was thinking about Kai and the motel in
    Chicago while I was in the clearing!”
    “If he saw Kai in your thoughts or mine, he
    can view him.”
    “What?” I gasped. “I thought hunters had to
    meet a vampire before they could view them?”
    “Alexi is an Elder,” Max explained. “He has
    multiple abilities. He can read minds, he can
    view, and there are other abilities, but I can’t
    remember them right now. That’s why I was
    shocked you defeated him so easily.”
    “Where’s your dad?” I asked. “You haven’t
    mentioned him.”
    “He’s dead.”
    “Oh, Max,” I whispered, putting my hand on
    his arm. “I’m so sorry. What happened?”
    Max’s jaw clenched, and I saw his eyes turn
    cloudy as tears threatened to spill.
    “If you don’t want to talk about it, I
    understand,” I said gently.
    He took a deep breath. “No, it’s fine. I’m fine.
    After a group of hunters confronted my dad, and
    me I admitted I was in love with you. I told him I
    loved you more than my own life, and that I’d die
    to protect you. I guess he could see how much
    you mean to me, so he stepped in front of me and
    told me to run – to go find you. I hesitated, but
    he attacked them, and I jumped in my car and got
    away as fast as I could.”
    “But you didn’t see him die?” I asked.
    “No, but…”
    “Max,” I said, looking deep into his eyes. “If
    there’s even the slightest chance he’s still alive,
    we’ll find him. I promise.”
    He took my hand and placed it against his
    cheek. His eyes closed, and he brushed his face
    back and forth against my palm. The he kissed my
    palm gently.
    “Do you really think…”
    I put my fingers against his lips. “I feel it.”
    “I hope you’re right,” he whispered.
    “I don’t know how, but I know he’s alive,” I
    told him.
    Somehow, I could feel his father. I couldn’t
    explain it, and the feeling was very faint. But I
    could feel a connection to him through Max.
    When he placed my hand on his face, I could
    suddenly feel this pull, and I knew without a
    doubt he was well, and we would find him.

    *****
    Chapter Seven – Grace
    We landed in Chicago, and hailed a taxi. We
    went straight to the motel, and Jamie greeted us
    outside. Streaks of tears stained her face, and her
    eyes sagged with worry.
    “Any word?” I asked.
    “No, none,” she answered. “Will won’t
    answer his phone, and I don’t know what’s going
    on.”
    “Alice!” called my mother, running over to
    give me a hug.
    “I have our bags in the taxi,” I said. “All of
    them – the ones from the van. I picked them up
    from the house.”
    “You were in Georgia?” Jamie balked.
    “Yeah,” I admitted. “No time to explain. Get
    the bags in. I have to go to the bathroom.”
    I went straight into the bathroom and closed
    the door. I had felt a connection to Max’s father
    when I touched him, though it was faint. I was
    hoping desperately I could make a connection
    with Will or Kai. I tried touching myself, but it
    didn’t work. I felt nothing at all. Then I
    remembered that my mother had said Jamie and
    my brother might be falling in love.
    “Jamie, I need you,” I called.
    I sat down on the bed and pulled her down
    beside me.
    “Think about Will,” I told