Dark Beauty (Seeker) by Taryn Browning Page A

‘show me the way,’” she said.
     “Then, I guess he didn’t tell you that they can walk in the sunlight.” He placed his back against the wall. His T-shirt was wet and clung to his muscular chest in the July heat.
    Isabelle couldn’t believe what he’d said. Vampires couldn’t go out in the sun. “What’s the real reason you’re interrupting me? I have three vamps to kill. Real vamps, not these fake vamps that probably don’t even exist.”
    He removed a stake from his waist. “Would you like some assistance?”
    “No, I’d like you to go back to whatever city you came from and leave me alone to do my job.”
    He turned, waving his arm for her to pass. “Have at it.”
    She shoved by him. “Thank you. That’s the first helpful thing you’ve done.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 2
     
     
    Isabelle searched the alley, but the only evidence of the vampires’ existence was a limp body slouched up against a wall. She hurried over to the guy, but it was too late. Puncture wounds on his neck and wrists indicated they’d already drained his body of blood.
    “Damn it.” She threw her stake on the ground. Her first time out by herself, and she’d been distracted.
    “He was dead before you sensed the vamps,” Abram said, sauntering up behind her.
    She swung around and said, “No! You stopped me from killing them and now he —” She pointed to the body. “ He is dead!” She snatched her stake up and shoved it into her boot. Without another word, she took off down the alley, not wanting to see Abram ever again.
     
    Back at home, Isabelle stormed into the kitchen. Her mother jabbed at the buttons on the dishwasher and bent over, her shoulder-length black hair spilling forward. She grumbled and shoved her full weight into the plastic door. The machine started up and sputtered to a halt.
    “What’s up with the shitty dishwasher?” Isabelle said.
    Eponine shot upright, frowning. Isabelle realized she’d just cursed in front of her mother. Great, here comes the lecture.
    “Excuse me, young lady.”
    “Sorry. Bad night. What’s up with the dishwasher?”
    Her mother brushed the wisps of dark hair out of her eyes. “It’s not working. Nothing in this house works. First the AC and now the dishwasher.”
    “Well, then, it’s a good thing we only have to spend four years here.” They’d just moved to the suburbs, and they would stay there until Isabelle graduated from high school. Then they’d move to another city, she’d turn fifteen again, and start the cycle over.
     Apparently no longer angry at Isabelle’s choice of words, Eponine approached her daughter. “What happened? This was your first night in the city without Jared.”
     “Oh, yeah, great mentor Jared’s turning out to be. He sent some cocky as— er, jerk into the city to assist me. Like I can’t handle the vamps all on my own. What, does he think I’m going to suck at my job? You were a Seeker, what’s up with the backseat Seeker crap? I was supposed to be out on my own. This was my chance to show him I could handle my job. Alone.”
    Eponine took on her motherly tone. “I’ve known Jared for years. He doesn’t do things unless there’s a good reason.” She rested a loving hand on Isabelle’s shoulder. “Look, you have a few weeks before school starts. Try to work with this other Seeker, and then I’m sure he’ll be gone. Trust me. You have years left of the Seeker life. Don’t try to jump in too fast. After a while, you’ll wish you could be a ‘normal’ teenager.”
    Eponine hurried over to the desk she’d created on the countertop and fumbled around for a notepad. Her mother often retreated from their conversations to do something she’d forgotten to do earlier.
    “Mom, what are you doing?”
     Eponine fussed with her hair, scribbling on the notepad. “We’re out of spices. I’ve got to get to the market,” she sighed. “There aren’t as many of us in Houston. It was so much easier to find