My entire world was my work. I’d never had a great love. No first date, no first kiss, no first anything with anyone. I had my degrees, the respect of monsters all over the world, and journals full of mysteries that I couldn’t share with anyone outside of the supernatural community.
It had never bothered me before. Being alone meant that I could hop a plane across the world at a moments notice and spend months digging in the sand of a forgotten colony of preternatural creatures without having to worry about being missed.
I liked my life. I loved my work. So why the hell was this case making me question all of my decisions? It was just one more vampire in one more tomb on one more island.
It wasn’t just that I shared my name with one of the key players in the story. Because I’d been dreaming of Victor since I’d arrived on the island. Long before I knew about the other Claire DuBois. There was something more going on here that I didn’t understand…and it was scaring the hell out of me.
Despite Hugh’s insistence that he wouldn’t have the files available for me any time soon, I still fired up my laptop and opened my email. Of course, there was nothing waiting for me from the museum, but I still hit refresh a few times just to be sure.
After giving up the exercise in futility, I got up and took a shower. It was barely four in the morning, but there was no way I was going to get back to sleep, so I didn’t figure there was any point in trying.
Plus, I was starving.
After getting dressed, I headed down to the lobby and approached the man at the front desk.
“Good morning, Ms. DuBois,” he said brightly. “How can I help you?”
“Actually, I was wondering if it would be possible to get something to eat this early?” I admitted.
“Good morning, Bruce!” Mindi said brightly as she walked up beside me and beamed at the man behind the counter. “I’ll just open up the café, if that’s alright with you.”
“Of course,” the man, Bruce apparently, agreed, smiling back at the dark-haired witch.
“We promise not to make a mess of your kitchen,” Candi added, sidling up to her sister.
“No worries,” Bruce assured her.
“Come on, Claire,” Trudi said, her voice behind me making me jump. They were so damned quiet.
I followed the sisters across the lobby and into the little restaurant, starting a pot of coffee while they wandered into the kitchen and started turning on lights.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Mindi asked with a soft smile.
“Not really,” I admitted. “Weird dreams.”
“Victor?” Candi suggested.
“I think so.” I lifted my shoulders in a shrug then shook my head. “I don’t know. All of this is very strange.”
“Welcome to Fayshore,” Trudi muttered as she whipped a whisk around a large metal bowl she’d cradled in one arm. “Strange happens a lot around here.”
“Why are you all awake so early?” I couldn’t help asking as I watched the sisters work together to make breakfast.
“Too quiet,” Mindi said with a giggle. “We’ve got seven kids between us, and they’re all on the mainland with Candi’s husband Lincoln. We decided to stay here in case you needed our help, but it’s weird without all those hands and feet banging around.”
Seven kids between three sisters? I’d never even stopped to consider how much work one child might be. It was incredible to imagine seven little ones.
“Four in the morning pancakes is a nice break,” Trudi said wistfully as she ladled batter onto the griddle. “As is digging around a two-hundred-year-old tomb to be honest.”
“Well, that happens to be my favorite thing,” I told her with a smile. “Though I have to admit that this one has me a little freaked out.”
“Because it’s the burial place of your soul mate?” Candi guessed.
“You don’t really believe that, do you?” I asked, my tone incredulous.
“Actually, I do,” she said firmly. “It’s not the name, though that’s one hell of a coincidence. But if you’re dreaming about him, if he’s not pummeling the island with storms because you’re here, then I do believe there’s something deeper at work.”
“I don’t know that I believe in reincarnation,” I admitted.