****
“Look. There’s some kind of commotion up the street,” Milo said, pausing on the threshold of the coffee shop and pointing. Thomas gazed in the direction he’d indicated and saw a throng of people gathering as sirens wailed in the distance. “Wonder what’s going on.”
“Some sort of accident,” he guessed.
Milo hesitated, craning his neck like he was trying to see better. The crowd was too thick to reveal anything, so he gave up and shrugged. “Inevitable with this many people around, I guess. It’s probably better we don’t get in the way.”
“Let the professionals handle it,” Thomas agreed. “Not much we could do if the police and ambulance are already there.”
They continued inside. Luckily, they found an empty table at the back and claimed it. A waitress immediately appeared to take their order, and Milo encouraged Thomas to eat whatever he wanted.
“This is on me,” he promised, patting his wallet. Thomas took him at his word, feeling only the slightest flash of guilt as he ordered a deluxe breakfast with pancakes, fried eggs, hash browns, and sausages.
“Thanks,” he said.
“My pleasure. No offense, but you look like you could use a good meal—or two. Or three.”
“I guess I have lost a little weight since I’ve been here,” Thomas agreed, running a hand over his cheek. It did feel a bit emaciated. The skin also felt baby smooth for the first time in weeks, thanks to Milo’s offer of a brand new razor and a bathroom sink to shave over. The old blades he’d been making do with over a bucket of stream water just didn’t work as well. The soft bed at Milo’s house hadn’t been bad, either.
But no. He couldn’t go there. He had to stay focused on the task at hand.
Two hot cups of coffee arrived, and Thomas gulped his down gratefully, adding plenty of half and half and sugar. He’d grown tired of the instant junk he’d been cooking over the campfire, but it was better than nothing. And he couldn’t afford the froufrou coffee houses in town, which charged four and five bucks just for a few mouthfuls of concoctions with cutely names and some whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
“Coffee’s tasty, isn’t it?” Milo asked, grinning as he signaled for a refill. The waitress brought one at once. Thomas wondered if everyone got such good service here or only the Hawthorns. Probably everyone in town was afraid of what happened if they didn’t toe the line with Milo and his brothers. He’d caught a glimpse of Jules, the oldest one, striding out of the house and toward the iron gate that morning. He was handsome, just like Thomas had heard, and haughty as a medieval prince. Even the way he walked betrayed his arrogance. Milo didn’t seem anywhere near that cocky, but then again he was the younger brother. And Thomas knew for a fact that Milo Hawthorn had plenty of faults of his own.
“We can hang around town for a while, if you want,” Milo said. “Lots going on with the Harvest Festival coming up next week. And you can get a feel for some of the jobs available, if you’re serious about finding one.”
“I am,” Thomas assured him.
“Afterward, we can go out to the woods and pick up your gear. I’m sure it’ll be okay until we can get there.”
“Pick up my gear? Uh…why? I’d planned to go back there tonight.”
“No way. It’s too cold after dark and besides, with all these strange people passing through Warlock’s Cove—that’s what the natives call this town among themselves, you know—it’s a little too risky. Generally we don’t have much crime here, but you just never know about people, right? They’re capable of anything under certain circumstances.”
“True enough. You never know.” Thomas put his head down and avoided Milo’s gaze. He sipped his replenished coffee.
“Besides, you’ll be much more comfortable in the guest room at my house. We can set up your things in there until we can find you a room to rent or a studio apartment or whatever. I know enough people around here that I should be able to come up with something. Just give it a few days.”
“That’s very nice of you, but won’t your family object? I mean…I don’t want to impose on your parents or your brothers.”
“I only have one parent—my dad. And he’s kind of wrapped up in his—er, you know, his hobbies. I’ll bet he won’t even notice you. My younger brother doesn’t care, so that just leaves Jules. Sure, he’s kind of a pain, but just leave him to me. It’ll all work out fine, Thomas, I promise you.”
“Well…thanks again, Milo. I really don’t know what to say,” Thomas said, fidgeting.
“Don’t say anything, then. Just focus on getting some meat on your bones. Look, here comes the food. Best breakfast in town. Trust me.”
As he ate, Thomas had to agree that everything was cooked to perfection—even the eggs, which he usually found either too mushy or too hard—and filled his withered stomach the way nothing had in weeks.
It would be so easy, he reflected, to get caught up in Milo’s outward charm and generosity. It might even be possible to fall in love with him. Probably more than just possible, judging from events of the recent past.
Of course, that would only happen if he let himself forget what he’d gone through, the mind-numbing, soul-searing pain he’d felt thanks to the man sitting beside him. Milo’s affable good nature was all an act, Thomas knew, perfected at the expense of others and carefully honed to draw in new victims all the time.
He could never let himself lose track of what Milo had done and, without any doubt, planned to do again. Failure wasn’t an option. He couldn’t allow himself to imagine, even for one second, that he felt anything but contempt and burning hatred for the middle Hawthorn brother.
If he did, it would be a lot harder to kill him.
THE STORY CONTINUES IN
RETURN TO WARLOCK’S COVE, PART 2
COMING 9/13/2016
ADDITIONAL DARK HOLLOWS PRESS TITLES
FROM JADE ASTOR
THE MOON LAKE WOLVES SERIES
DARIUS
CALEB
SERGE
WARLOCK’S COVE
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART THREE
PART FOUR
PART FIVE
STAR CADETS SERIES
MORGAN AND THE STAR GUARD
DUSTIN AND THE DIPLOMAT
JEFRUS AND THE ALIEN GENIUS