It was a cute town, albeit a little like a postcard for my taste. The Spring Fair was like something out of a movie, with booths set up all over the center of town. Every homemade item you could think of graced the tabletops. Jellies, fudge, deep-fried everything, wooden signs, animals, and people, and so much more.
Truly, it didn’t look like a haven for vampires so much as a kitschy little town for old couples to retire and families to raise their kids away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Plus, they got overflow traffic from skiers and vacationers and the tourists.
Which I was pretending to be right now.
I prepared a cover story well ahead of time to make sure I had my bases covered. After all, if I was going to come up against a vampire, I didn’t want to divulge my secrets too early. I wanted them to think I wasn’t a danger to them or their way of life before I told them the truth.
How I’d been searching for vampires my whole life.
But I didn’t hide the rest of it, the research, my passion for the extraordinary. Most people loved it and found it easier to open up to me. That was how I’d gotten the lead to come here.
When I reached the end of a row of booths and spotted a woman close to my age sitting at a colorful table with what looked like a crystal ball, I paused.
She saw me right away and smiled. “Good afternoon.”
I nodded at her. “Afternoon. This is interesting.”
I always went the straightforward route, too. Like an overly enthusiastic tourist just wanting to learn everything he could about every place he went. I’d found that being open and friendly, and giving more information than most people expected, made them open up to me more.
“You’re a fortune teller?” I asked.
“Madame Maya,” she answered, her voice low and husky. “I’ll tell you if all your wildest desires are going to come true.”
I took a step closer, intrigued. “To be honest, I kind of figured this town for being more…”
“Traditional?”
With a good-natured laugh, I shrugged. “Yes. No offense.”
“None taken. People can be skeptical at first, but when the locals got to know me, they loved the idea. It brings a little whimsy to the town, and the locals have grown to love it.”
“I bet. Do all your fortunes end in happily ever afters?” I asked.
Her lips curved. “Mostly, yes. Sometimes the crystal ball sees distractions, trials that will test your path, but true happiness comes from conquering those obstacles.”
She was good. I’d met fortune tellers and psychics before, of course, all in the name of research. But I’d never found one to be real. I was willing to give Madame Maya a try, though.
“Interested?” she asked.
I sat in the chair across from her, knowing this was going to cost me. But again, it was in the name of research. I could put this in my next book or a magazine article if I wanted.
Despite trying to uncover the truth about the supernatural and paranormal, my best-selling books were the ones I told of small towns or interesting buildings and locations where tourists and enthusiasts could find wonders just like this.
I knew most of them weren’t real, but people still believed what they wanted to believe.
“What’s your name?” she asked, reaching out to take my hand. “And no, just because I’m psychic doesn’t mean I should already know that.”
With a chuckle, I squeezed my fingers around hers and shook her hand. Her fingers were cold but smooth. “I’m Hawk.”
She didn’t release my hand but instead lifted her eyebrows with a smile. “Sounds like your parents were a little bit hippy like mine were.”
“Absolutely. They lived in Colorado for a while—up in Boulder. I haven’t been back in a while, though, and I’ve never been to Silver Creek.”
All the truth, and probably information I didn’t need to offer up. But if it made Madame Maya trust me a little more, then so be it.
“Very good.” She smiled. But as she continued to hold onto my hand, her smile faded. “You’re here for more than just a vacation. You’re here for answers.”
My brain sputtered for a minute, but I calmly reminded myself that it was a statement that worked for anyone. Lots of people went on vacations but still had questions. Should they stay with their wives, should they quit their jobs? Were they even on the right path in life?
“Hawk,” she said softly, her eyes focusing on the colorful tablecloth. Her lips turned down in a frown. “Something happened…something…” She shook her head, like the image wasn’t coming to her clearly. I kept silent, letting her continue with the ruse. Then, suddenly, she looked up. “An accident? Oh—and it was bad.”
My heart stopped. I’d been in a terrible accident with my mom when I’d been younger. My mom had nearly died. But someone…or something…had saved her.
Something I believed was a vampire. I still remembered dark, dark eyes, the blood dripping from his wrist, the deep timbre of his voice telling us it was all going to be okay.
Maya straightened abruptly and released me. She flashed a smile, but I could tell it was forced.
“What?” I asked, leaning it. “What else did you see?”
She shook her head. “Nothing—it’s—” She was clearly flustered.
I reached out for her but she jerked back, almost faster than I could blink. “I’m so sorry. I think I need a break.”
“Please,” I said. I’d always been on the brink of answers before, always close to learning the truth, but always so far away. Somehow, I was convinced this woman knew things I’d never been able to figure out before. “I need to know.”
She stood gracefully as I pulled out my wallet to prove to her I was good on my end. That I would pay her for her time.
She waved it away. “No, don’t. I didn’t give you a full reading.”
“I can pay more. Or I can come back later—”
“That won’t be necessary,” she said, starting to turn. But she paused and angled back, something almost like sympathy on her face. “You will get your answers, Hawk, but unfortunately I don’t think that alone will give you the closure you need.”
The next moment, she was strolling away. I glanced down to the table to check the rest of the information she had on the small card behind a hokey crystal ball. And when I looked up again, she was gone.