Free Arctic Fire 2 by Erica Stevens Page A

other,” Julian said.
    “Could you touch us to learn if he has taken control of one of our minds?” Lou asked Julian.
    “I could try, but he most likely would command you to forget any encounter you had with him, especially if he knows who I am.”
    “Wouldn’t there be something on our skin from him if we had contact with him?” Chris asked.
    “He doesn’t have to touch you to take control of your mind.”
    “I’d still feel a little better if you tried,” Lou said and held his arm out to him.
    Julian walked around the room, taking hold of everyone’s hands. Images of their lives flashed through his mind, but he saw nothing involving the vampire from last night. He shook his head before returning to her side. “There’s nothing there.”
    “Can he take us in a group?” Lou asked.
    “No, he’s much stronger than the last vamp we came across with this ability, but the only vamp I know who can take control of more than one mind at a time is Devon, and he’s an Elder,” Julian replied. “This vamp can’t be older than two or three hundred, I’m guessing from the little I’ve seen of him, and that’s not old enough. If he gets you separately, he can take control of you and keep control, but he couldn’t take an entire group at once.”
    Chris wiped his fingers on his jeans and leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen. “What if we’re in a group and he’s hiding somewhere, could he take over the mind of one without the others noticing?”
    “That’s a possibility,” Luther replied. “But we’re all trained to know when a vamp is present, to look for signs of something unusual. We’re much stronger in a group than separated.”
    “We are,” Julian confirmed. “And you’ll be much safer here than in the motel. He can enter any of those rooms at any time. Before the sun sets, you should move in here.”
    They all glanced around her cramped apartment. There was barely room for the sofa, TV, and milk crate coffee table, never mind five more people, but there was little other choice. “Where?” Zach asked.
    “Wherever you can find room. It’s not going to be pleasant for any of us, but it’s better than the alternative,” Julian replied.
    Zach ran a hand through his hair. “Can’t argue with that.”
    “We should get moving then,” Melissa said. “We’ll see you at the bar?”
    “I’m going to walk Quinn over. I’ll meet you at the motel after,” Julian told her.
    Quinn watched as they all filed out her door before following. She stepped into the hall and locked the door behind Julian and her. Together, they walked down the hall. Dusty was coming up the stairs when they reached them.
    “Hey, Quinn-o,” Dusty greeted and flashed the peace sign at Julian.
    Quinn bit back a laugh as Julian shook his head at him. “I’m going to have some friends staying with me, Dusty,” she told him.
    “The same peeps I’ve been seeing a lot around here lately?”
    “Those are the ones.”
    “The black-haired girl single?”
    “Sorry, but no.” It was better she broke Dusty’s heart with a lie now than have him chasing after Melissa while she was staying here.
    “Oh well, she probably couldn’t handle all this anyway,” he said and gestured at his skinny body.
    Julian looked at Dusty as if he’d sprouted a third eye. “We have to go.” She grabbed Julian’s arm and propelled him down the stairs before he could say something to hurt Dusty’s feelings. Dusty was a little strange, but she liked him.
    ***
    “Are you sure you’re feeling better?” Clint asked as she tied her apron around her waist.
    Despite having come face to face last night with the man who had ended her life as a human, she felt like she was walking on clouds. Every time she recalled what had transpired between Julian and her earlier, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. She half-worried she’d become like one of those Disney characters and burst into song at any second. Unlike Snow White, her singing