The Wolf's Daughter (The Tala Chronicles 1) Read Free Page B

that time.
    ***
    “He’ll kill me.”
    Vanessa grabbed
Tala’s shoulders and shook her slightly. “Would you stop being such a drama
queen.” She pressed the sixth-floor elevator button.
    “I’m serious. My
father will have a fit if he finds out. Tala took a deep breath. “What room is
he in? Please don’t say 666.”
    Vanessa rolled
her eyes. “It’s 618.” 
    The doors
opened, and they boarded, Tala scrunching herself into a corner. Someone had
drawn a skull and crossbones on one of the walls. Creepy. An omen? “I’m
serious. If he finds out... After what happened last night, my father really
meant it when he told me to never see Matt again.” She wrinkled her nose. “Why
do hospitals smell so awful, ammonia, bleach...” She sniffed. “Blood?”
    “Don’t think
about it. Just try to figure out how you’re going to tell the love of your life
you’re not seeing him anymore.”
    When the ding of
the elevator sounded, the doors parted.
    Tala loped out
of the elevator. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this. I should have
just called—”
    “Never again!” her
father cried, storming out of Room 618.
    ***
    “Are you still
with us?” Vanessa glanced over at her. “You’ve been so quiet.”
    Tala sat up
straight and nodded. “I’m sorry, I guess I just fell asleep.”
    The white
Mercedes, like an elegant ghost, glided past the graveyard. A cold chill
wrapped icy fingers around Tala’s heart. They passed statues and gravestones
she remembered, an angel with one wing, Saint Francis with a wolf at his feet,
a gravestone so old the name and dates on it were like whispers from the wind.
But the marble swans hid.
    “Funny, I never
was afraid of this place until the incident with Matt. I’ll be glad when my
mother’s funeral is over.”
    Vanessa
shrugged. “Well, I don’t blame you. Nothing happened to me here, but I’m still
creeped out by it.”
    As they neared
the house, Tala’s heart beat faster. Then it came into view. A sense of
foreboding enveloped her. She fought to stay in the moment. “You’re right about
one thing. It sure needs a coat of paint.”
    The house wore a
mourning dress of dirty gray clapboard. The dingy windows said, “Go away!” With
wood missing from the front steps, the stairs warned her with a jack o’ lantern
grimace.
    Tala shook her
head. “This wasn’t a good idea, Vanessa.”
    “Hey, it is a
good idea. I’ll stay with you if you want me to. Isn’t it best to put all this
in your past and move on with your life?”
    “Yes, and that’s
why I have to do it on my own.” She hugged herself.
    “Okay, I’ll help
you with your stuff.” Vanessa reached in the back and picked up the cat
carrier. Even Maeve looked frightened, her gold-saucer eyes staring out the
window.
    Tala hobbled up
the stairs. She touched the rough doorjamb and outlined the crosses she’d
carved. As in her dream, the porch chairs rocked with an eerie rhythm. She took
a deep breath. Tala inserted the skeleton key in the door, and the loud click
made her flinch. She pushed the door open and walked in, Vanessa behind her.  
    Vanessa placed
the carrier and suitcase in the foyer. “Want me to let Maeve out?”
    “Sure. She has
to get used to the place sometime.”
    Maeve stuck her
head out of the security she had and looked around. Then one front paw was on
the Oriental rug, followed by the other.
    A piercing chill
surrounded them and the chandelier swayed. Maeve retreated to the carrier.
    “What was that?”
Tala asked.
    “Oh, it’s just a
draught. This house is anything but airtight. I can practically see the wind
swirling around in here.” She held up an index finger and twirled it.
    “You’re right.
Thanks again, Vanessa, for picking me up.”
    “Don’t mention
it. Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?”
    “No, we’ll be
fine.” Tala looked down at the cat carrier. “But I almost wish I had a carrier
to crawl into.”
    “Call me if you
need anything.” Vanessa