by A. J. Macey
“What?” I asked as he got up, his shirtless chest holding my attention before he, sadly, covered it with a shirt.
“Landon isn’t back yet. I’m going to go make sure he didn’t get lost.” He gave me a quick kiss. “Stay here. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Sitting down on the bed, I tried to settle in for a few moments of solitude. I was getting so used to the guys being around all the time that it felt weird to be on my own. After a few moments of silence, I flopped back onto the bed, my hair flaring around me on the sheets. I took deep meditative breaths to try and clear my mind so I could hopefully get some decent sleep tonight, but after a few minutes I didn’t hear the twins’ usual rambunctiousness. A deep niggle of fear wormed its way into my stomach as I sat up. My door was left open, but I still didn’t hear anything, not even Bill and Troy’s scheduled shift change. I slipped into the hallway that separated my room from the library. This is a dumb idea, Lucie, I mentally lectured myself, this is how all the horror movie plots go.
But I couldn’t bring myself to turn around knowing that Logan or Landon, even Bill or Troy could be in danger. I just have to be smart about this, I reasoned, I know the library better than anyone except for Muriel. I slipped into the library, making sure to avoid any of the squeaky portions of the floor. I cursed when I went to check my phone. Alex put his foot down yesterday saying enough was enough, and now it was to be kept off. Bill was supposed to be bringing me a new phone tonight, but that clearly hadn’t happened. I remembered there was a landline at the front desk, now all I had to do was get there.
I stayed to the edge of the library, the angle giving me an uninterrupted view of the room around me. Making sure to look down each aisle before continuing, the walk was slow going, and I still hadn’t found my twins or my security. I struggled to breathe through the clawing panic in my stomach and chest. Please let them be okay, I mentally pleaded, swiping angrily at the tears that had spilled down my face. I was over this stupid fucking game Noah was playing. Finally reaching the front area, I quickly made sure Noah or anyone else wasn’t around before darting to the desk.
“Come on,” I whispered softly, typing out Alex’s number. When I pressed the headset to my ear though, no sound came out. The phone’s cord had been cut from the wall, the open wires sending me into a near panic attack. I set down the phone, rethinking my plan, but before I could think of anything solid or smart, I noticed a pair of legs sticking out from behind one of the stacks on the other end of the study area.
Oh no…
No, no, no.
I jogged over to the black combat boots, rounding the corner quickly. Bill was lying there, still as death. I knelt and checked his pulse, luckily finding it was strong and steady. Breathing a sigh of relief, I stood. I need help. I turned and bolted towards Muriel’s office. She would have a phone and her magic. I made it to the desk, when two steel bands crossed over my chest, pulling me against a solid wall of muscle. I fought, doing everything I had been taught, but every move was countered with scary precision. When I got a look, the arms were darker than Noah’s, distracting me just long enough for a cloth to press against my nose and mouth. The rag reeked of ether, and the suffocating scent gagged me. Darkness slammed down, dragging me under.
December 8th
Saturday Overnight
Alexandre
The phone continued to ring, and for the third time ended on his voicemail. I twitched, my hand running quickly through my hair. Something is wrong… Standing, I visualized the library, specifically Lucie’s door, and pulled myself through the mental connection.
Her door was open, an immediate sign of alarm. Forgoing her privacy, I looked in to find it empty and my jaw clenched painfully. Doing something I hadn’t done in years, I called upon my probability manipulation. The scales of good and bad luck stood before me in my mind. The large, tarnished metal contraption taller than me as I walked towards the right scale. A brief second of hesitation passed through me before I pushed it back and pressed down on the cool metal. Tipping the scales of luck in my favor, I started my search for Lucie and her boyfriends as well as her security detail. It was only a few minutes before I came across the Anson twins, collapsed in a heap in the darkness of the library.
“For the love of…” I groaned. Hellions, both of them. My eyes started scanning for Lucie’s guard. A few rows over I found Bill, quietly groaning and shifting in a way that made me think he’d be awake again shortly. Realization set in that the twins had not knocked themselves out in a prank gone wrong, and I knelt to catch Bill’s attention. “Where is she?” Panic and fear made my normally steady voice wobbly. He groaned, blinking quickly.
“I don’t know, sir.” He sat up, rubbing his head. “I came for shift change, and Troy stopped to talk to me. Next thing I know I’m here.”
“She’s missing, and Logan and Landon Anson are also passed out. I initially thought it was one of their crazy pranks or games, but that’s turning out not to be the case.” I helped him stand, trying to reclaim my calm exterior. “Are you all right?” I looked at his eyes while having him follow my finger before taking a pen light to test reactiveness. I didn’t see any delay as I pulled out my phone.
“I’ll go wake the boys and start searching.” Bill turned quickly, running toward the twins. The phone rang for two cycles before Dante answered.
“Dean Renaud?” His voice was heavy with sleep.
I cut right to the chase knowing he and Lucie’s other boyfriends would assist the security in the search. “Lucie is missing, and the twins were assaulted. They’re okay, just knocked unconscious. Bill’s taking care of them now.” Shouting and rustling was heard in the background.
“Library?” he barked out. I gave an affirmative, continuing to look for Troy. After a few more minutes, I concluded that he wasn’t in any of the stacks.
“Call Gerry, have him send as many security guards as he can. I need to locate Troy.” It was his turn to give an affirmative. I visualized Troy’s rooms, pulling myself quickly through the link. I had started closing the small space between me and the door when his voice reached me, and my steps stopped abruptly at his words.
“It’s done. I’m leaving now.” Troy shuffled inside the room before opening the door fully and starting down the hall. In his rush to get wherever he was heading, he slammed into my chest.
“Sorry, sir,” he stuttered. Spluttering, he tried to right himself, but not before I caught the duffle bag he carried. Reacting instinctively, my hand shot out, catching him in his chest. He stumbled back, tripping into the Omnilock I opened. The seam sealed shut, silencing his shouts of protest. Rather safe than sorry right now. I’ll deal with that after we search the library. I mentally tallied the lists of to do’s before pulling myself back to the library.
Please let her be safe…
Hudson
We had split up, each combing a section of the library while Muriel had gone to the basement. She was the only one able to maneuver down in that maze except Lucie. My princess. My heart squeezed in fear. I rejoined the rest of the guys as well as Bill in the front entry. My heart stopped at the blatant worry on everyone’s faces, betraying that we all feared the worst. A thunderclap startled all of us, and our gazes landed on Dean Renaud’s face. It was harsh and stone cold while his ice blue eyes burned in fury as he straightened his suit jacket. My skin prickled under the feeling of his power wafting in nearly unrestrained waves. When the dean catches up to Noah, he’s going to be a dead man, no doubt about it.
Gerry had just returned, breathless from scouring the library one last time, and we all turned to him expectantly. “Report,” the dean ordered.
“No sign of her,” Gerry huffed. Guilt ate away at his eyes despite the brave face he wore. My stomach knotted tighter.
“The phone line was cut at the checkout counter.” Muriel’s tinkling voice reached us as she stood up from behind the desk, a severed cord tightly gripped in her age-spotted hand. The floor seemed to drop from beneath me, final
ly accepting what I had been trying to deny, Noah had taken Lucie. “The phone was off the cradle; your number had been dialed.” Her green eyes centered on the dean after having waved a hand over the phone, the keys last pressed illuminating in a soft purple haze. His jaw ground at the news, and another wave of power pressed against me near suffocating before he reined it in.
“Search the grounds, call in all off-duty guards,” he directed at Bill who nodded before taking off. His attention shifted to Gerry. “Contact local law enforcement, especially the detectives on the case.” Finally, he turned to us. “Help wherever there is something to do, search her room, contact Charlie and Abigail and find out if there is anywhere he could have taken her that they knw of.” He yanked out his cell, hitting a button to speed-dial someone without even looking.
“Who are you calling?” I asked, not concerned that it might be a private call. His face was stern as he looked at me.
“The director of FSID,” he said with finality.
Lucienne
Everything throbbed, and nausea rolled through me in thick waves. Taking steady shallow breaths, I was able to push back the urge to throw up, but only just. My head felt like it had gone up against Muhammad Ali in the ring and lost, miserably. My teeth ground against each other, unconsciously responding to the strain in my neck from having my head bowed down for who knows how long. Trying to move as another wave of nausea passed over me, the bite of a rope rubbed against my skin. I peeled my eyes open slowly to ensure I didn’t lose my ongoing battle with whatever was making my stomach turn.
A wall of tears had collected behind my unopened lids, and my lap and the scuffed wood floor swam when my eyes finally opened. After blinking the unshed liquid away, I glanced around from under my lashes, wanting to be able to close my eyes in case anyone came in while I was surveying the area around me. My heart ratcheted in panic as I registered my surroundings, an empty room so small it was barely bigger than a closet. The walls were drywall, unfinished in some places showing the studs and wooden framing. The floor was a worn, older wood, scuffed and scratched, and the chair I sat in was cold metal. The sting of the winter air finally registered to my shivering body.
My breaths puffed out in front of me as I lifted my gaze. I eyed the door, deciding it looked to be a simple interior home door. Light-colored stain covered the plain flat surface, and the handle was a gaudy gold shining brightly against the drab of the space. The part that caught my attention was the large industrial-looking deadbolt. Now what do I do? I ground my teeth in irritation. The throbbing eased as I felt the fog lift from my brain, and I tried desperately to recollect what had happened and how the hell I’d ended up here.
Getting ready for bed with the twins? Check.
Attempting to find them or any of my security? Check again.
Make it to Muriel’s rooms? Nope, no check this time.
Dammit, I huffed, I got snatched like a class b horror movie victim.
Frustrated at myself for being so careless, the anger overrode my panic and anxiety allowing me to focus on trying to escape. The rope that was wound tightly around my wrists and forearms was rough as it bit into my skin with each pull of my arms. I panted hard after a few hard tugs; whatever had been given to me was still lingering in my system, draining my energy. The thudding click of the deadlock sounded, my heart galloping in my chest as spots darkened my vision. Stay awake, Lucie! I mentally screamed at myself, shaking my head to clear away the impending darkness. Noah’s cold face appeared in the crack of the door, his body covering the opening to keep me from seeing out into the other area of wherever we were.
“Hello, Babygirl,” he greeted, a sneer taking over his face that had my blood running cold. Reality finally sank in; I was who knows where locked in a tiny room with the one person I knew would revel in the pain he wrought on me. I was at his mercy. “Nothing to say to the love of your life?” I remained silent, knowing that responding would only fuel him on. He knelt down in front of me, his hand resting on my bare thigh. My shorts had shifted up my legs in my attempts to wiggle out of my restraints. Swallowing back revulsion at his touch, I made sure to leave my face blank.
“I’ve missed you, Lucie baby,” he cooed, his hand stroking my thigh softly before slowing. When he finally stopped his pets, his fingers dug painfully into my skin and muscles. “Of course, you were too busy with those freaks to be thinking about me,” he ground out.
I held back a whimper at the pain, crushing my teeth together to keep the urge to spit on him at bay. Antagonizing him would be a bad idea despite how much I wanted to claw his eyes out and beat the smug smile that curled his lips up his face. I found a spot on the wooden door, a knot in the wood. Locking my eyes on that one spot, I focused my will power at ignoring everything else around me.
“I see you’re still being feisty,” he huffed, standing up. His hand gripped my chin, yanking my head up to look at him, the sharp angle tugging at my locked-up muscles. I looked at him, but I didn’t see him, my eyes glazing over in an attempt to ignore to the rage I saw there. “I’ll see how you are after a few hours.” Nails dug into my cheeks as he hooked his fingers around my jaw, and my eyes watered involuntarily at the sharp sting. He stepped back, the cold air rushing into where his hot hand had been on my thigh and face. Slipping out of the room, he left me in my tank and shorts in the near freezing temperature.
He might think the cold would break me, but I refocused on that spot in front of me. He had no idea how strong my will had grown in the last seven months. I will survive, I chanted, losing myself in the knotted wood. I bow down to no one…
24
December 8th
Saturday
Landon
I couldn’t sit still, my hands clenched tightly in fists to keep my daemon claws away. Logan and I paced back and forth in the conference room in the administration building, unable to sit still without my nerves pulling too strongly on my daemon side. My brothers all fidgeted in their seats; only Nik stood stoic against the wall, Grigori missing from his usual perch on his right shoulder. The hawk had taken off to scour campus and the surrounding woods as soon as we discovered Lucie had been taken. So far though, he hadn’t sent any news to Nik via their familiar bond.
Dean Renaud strode into the room followed closely by Gerry, Assistant Dean Mastersen, and the two police detectives who had been working on Lucie’s case. The woman, Detective Connelly, and the man, Detective Branch, both wore severe frowns, matching tactical pants, and the local human police department’s polo shirt. Immediately following them were four men I didn’t know. Out of habit, I squared my shoulders and watched them with suspicion. The rest of the guys did the same.
“Gentlemen,” the dean called our attention, “these are the Special Agents from FSID assigned to Lucie’s missing persons case.” I growled at the phrase, and Cam snarled, flashing fang. Dean Renaud cut his hand through the air. “Enough!” he reprimanded. “We’re all stressed, but we need to focus on the task at hand and not jump at every little thing.” I stopped my growling, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Special Agent Mason Bronstad,” one of the men introduced, his rough words clipped. As he shucked his coat he revealed he was covered in tattoos all the way down to his fingers, only his face seeming to be clear of the colorful artwork. “This is my team,” he continued, gesturing to a tall, lean man with a beard and messy dark blond hair. “Dr. Ryan Tanner.” Agent Bronstad’s hand moved to a dark-skinned man with a small smile wearing a crisp white button up. “Special Agent Knox Jenkins, and finally, Special Agent Flynn Garcia.” The last man wore a black leather jacket, black jeans, and had shoulder-length dark brown hair that he tucked behind a tan ear.
“You’ve already been introduced to my staff,” the dean started, nodding toward the familiar faces in the room. “These gentlemen are Lucie’s boyfriends.” He held out a hand toward us as he performed introductions down the line ending with my twin and me. Agent Bronstad’s icy blue eyes were even lighter and brighter t
han Dean Renaud’s, looking like freshly frozen icicles. They were the complete opposite of my deep blackened blood red, or as Lucie liked to call them, my burned coal eyes. My jaw clenched at the pleasantries. We need to be focusing on finding Lucie not making friends.
“What’s the plan?” Dante must have read the growing anger on my face. He glanced between the dean and the lead FSID agent.
“What did you learn from Charlie and Abigail?” Alex questioned. Agent Jenkins pulled out a small pad of paper and a pen ready to note what was said.
“Abigail has no idea where they could be,” Hudson offered. He’d had to use his emotional manipulation to keep her calm enough to be able to answer his questions. The long-distance use had drained him, and his eyes now sported dark purple circles as he slouched in his chair.
“Charlie suggested we talk with Noah’s parents; they live in the same area just a little ways outside of town,” Dante added. “She said that when they started dating, Lucie didn’t share much of what had happened until the end of high school and even then it was just bits and pieces. Said Lucie wanted to move on from that part of her life.”
“Abigail is her mom?” Agent Jenkins asked, scribbling quickly on the paper. “And Charlie is her best friend?”
“Adoptive mom, and yes. They’re both human,” Dean Renaud informed him. Agent Jenkins nodded as Agent Bronstand started directing the investigation.
“Knox, go interview the boy’s parents,” he ordered. “Flynn, go look around her room and the library, see if you can get anything from there. Ry, contact Bren, tell him it’s an emergency, and we need him here as soon as possible.”
“What about us?” Dante questioned. Agent Bronstad fixed him an icy glare.
