A Shade of Vampire 11: A Chase of Prey Read Free Page A

long and made of canvas rather than plastic, which meant it was breathable. It also had a large hood and a flap that fell across the face, with thin mesh around the eye, mouth and nose area to allow for breathing. It was more of a bee suit than a raincoat, designed for heavy-duty excursions. Perfect .
    “My uncle runs a tour company, if you’re in search of a guide…”
    I barely heard him. My heart dropped as I looked at the price. I opened the wallet and fingered through the notes.
    “Something wrong?”
    “Do you have anything similar to this but cheaper?” I asked.
    He frowned and walked back over to the rack.
    “Hm. No, I’m sorry. That’s the cheapest we have.”
    I cursed beneath my breath.
    “Okay. I’m afraid I can’t afford it, but thanks for your time.”
    I walked away from the stall and moved on to the next one. Not all of them spoke English, which made my search even harder. But that seemed to be the only stall that sold what we needed. I was also sure that ten minutes had passed already. I couldn’t find a clock anywhere to check the time. I didn’t want Caleb to have to put himself through the agony of the sun to come chasing after me. But I also knew that I couldn’t return without a coat.
    My thoughts drifted back to the suit I’d seen earlier at the friendly young man’s stall.
    As much as it grated against my conscience, I did the only thing I could think of. I walked back over toward the stall and stopped behind a tree opposite it. Peering round the trunk, I spotted the man. He had his back turned as he chatted with a pretty woman who looked after the stall next to him. I left my hiding place and drew nearer, crossing the road quickly. I hurried over to the rack and, reaching out for the suit, unhooked it from the rail. Casting aside the hanger, I rolled the coat into a bundle and tucked it under my arm.
    A pang of guilt hit me as I hurried away. That was the first time I’d stolen anything in my life. And that man had been so friendly. I felt tainted, dirty, for doing it. But my desperation had overcome my values.
    As it turned out, I didn’t have long to feel bad about it. Guilt soon turned to panic as a hoarse voice shouted out from my left.
    “Oi!”
    My heart leapt into my throat.
    I caught a glimpse of another tan man—perhaps a relative—glaring at me about five feet away from where I stood. I hadn’t noticed him in my rush to grab the coat. I lurched forward, snaking in and out of the crowd, trying to speed up. Footsteps thudded behind me, followed by more shouts in Portuguese. People in the crowd were beginning to respond to the commotion, turning their heads as I rushed past them. A woman lurched for my midriff in front of me. I swerved to the side just in time to miss her. The knife Caleb had given me slid out from my underwear and dropped to the ground. My heart pounding, my parched throat stinging, I couldn’t afford to slow down.
    I dared to shoot a glance over my shoulder only once I’d reached the top of the stairs leading to the glass doors of the hostel. Three men were chasing me now—including the young stall holder. I ran through the doors and cast my eyes about the foyer. My heart sank to my stomach.
    “Caleb?” I gasped.
    I ran to the woman at the reception desk. “The boy I was with,” I mumbled, even though I knew she barely understood me. Her eyes widened as the front door swung open and the men lunged for me.
    I stumbled back and ran deeper into the reception area. I swung open the doors of the dining area in the adjoining room, praying that I wouldn’t meet with a dead end. I didn’t know how long I could keep up this pace. I was already heaving from exhaustion. If there wasn’t an easy exit at the back of the kitchens somewhere, I’d be screwed.
    The two men hot on my heels, I barged into the kitchen area.
    A hollow feeling gripped my chest. Where’s Caleb? I could only assume that I’d been gone longer than ten minutes and he had indeed gone