Vampires and Vanishings

by Lily Webb

  But that was the sticking point. All the puzzle pieces fit to place Regan as the kidnapper — except Nazarr’s death. As far as I knew, Regan wasn’t a vampire so he wouldn’t have had the strength to kill the gargoyle with his bare hands, and Mueller had said that there was no evidence of spell casting in Blaine’s office. So maybe Regan had help? It was impossible to say.

  In any case, it was clear that the two most important men in Dawn’s life were pushing and pulling her in opposite directions. No wonder she felt conflicted about how to vote.

  “Did she mention anything to you about Councilman Rathmore?”

  “Only in passing. She told me she was good friends with him, which kinda blew my mind.”

  I laughed. “Crazy, right? You’d never guess the two of them would get along.”

  “Opposites attract, I guess.”

  “Speaking of, you came to Blaine’s self-defense course earlier today. Did you see or notice anything suspicious while you were here?”

  Christian paused while he thought it over. “No, not that I can recall, but honestly I was in a hurry to get over to the vampire’s mansion for my interview with President Delroy. I didn’t even stay for the whole thing. I had to leave early.”

  I remembered him being gone when I came back outside after the attack in Blaine’s office, and I’d bumped into Christian in the mansion later, so I had no reason to think he was lying.

  “Okay, this has been very helpful. I’ll let you get back to transcribing your interview,” I said. “Thanks for talking with me, Christian. I appreciate it.”

  “Oh, any time! I’m sure I covered everything, but if you need to talk about it again, I’m open. You know where to find me.”

  “I do. Have a good night, and good luck with all the stories you’ve got going. I can’t wait to read them.”

  “Wow, you just made my night. I feel so much better after talking to you.”

  “Good, I’m glad. I’ll see you around, Christian.”

  “See you,” he said and hung up. I stared at the wall nearest to my desk, my wind whirring like an old engine. I had to get to Regan, but I knew Heath wouldn’t dare let me leave again and talking to him over the phone wouldn’t have the same effect — because if Regan had lied to me once, he’d do it again, and I couldn’t read his mind to get the truth over the phone.

  But somehow, I knew Regan held all the keys, so I’d just have to get through the night without incident and track him down first thing in the morning — and I knew exactly where to look because, like all council members, Dawn’s home address was public record.

  Chapter Twelve

  The next morning, Heath stood surrounded by a crowd of cramped, cranky council members who all would’ve rather eaten their wands than spend another uncomfortable night in their offices at town hall — including me.

  “I refuse, absolutely refuse, to stay here again tonight,” Lorelei Riddle snapped as she played with her flowing blonde hair. “I skipped a hair treatment last night for you and it’ll take me weeks to fix it.”

  Heath glared at her. “With all due respect, I think we have bigger things to worry about than your hair, Lorelei, but I take your point. Thankfully, the gargoyles reported no incidents here or at any of your residences, so though I’d rather we stayed, I understand you all have lives to live.”

  “Oh, thank the Lord,” Grandma whispered in my ear as she massaged a knot in her back with a fist. “I couldn’t take another night on the floor.”

  “That said, because we still haven’t caught who’s responsible for the disappearances of Dawn and Blaine, I’ve arranged with the gargoyles for three of them to guard each of us at all times.”

  I groaned along with everyone else. I understood why Heath had to be cautious, but it was bad enough to have Obax follow me everywhere — now I’d have two more giants with wings on my tail, which would make going to Regan’s house without notice difficult, if not impossible, and I highly doubted I’d be able to sneak away after the stunt I’d pulled the night before. Heath probably gave my new guards explicit instructions not to let me leave their sight.

  Then again, maybe a trio of gargoyles showing up on his doorstep along with the Head Witch would scare Regan into letting his tongue loosen. I had no choice but to find out.

  Heath looked each of us in the eye and stopped on me. “Even with the guards, we’re all vulnerable. Please stay alert and don’t go anywhere or do anything that isn’t necessary.”

  My face flushed; he meant for the message to apply to me but addressed it to everyone. Still, he hadn’t forbidden us from leaving our houses altogether, so it didn’t change my plans to visit Regan.

  He dismissed us, and I retreated to my office with Grandma to gather our things. Inside, Luna perched on my desk, her tail curled around her.

  “Are we finally free?” she asked.

  “Not entirely, but at least we can leave.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We’ve got new gargoyle guards. Two of them. And Heath doesn’t want us doing anything that we don’t need to do until we figure out where Dawn and Blaine are and who took them.”

  “Yeah, right. Does he really expect you of all people to listen?” Luna asked as I sat down behind her.

  “If he does, he’s mistaken.”

  “Are you kiddin’ me, Sugar?” Grandma asked, her hands on her hips. “After the way he blew his top about you sneakin’ off last night, you’re gonna do it again?”

  “I have to. The cops aren’t making any progress — not that that surprises me — and I think I have a lead.” Or at least I hoped I did. None of us could go on living like this; we had to track down the attacker and get back to life as usual, otherwise we’d get nothing done. Was that the attacker’s goal all along?

  “I know you ain’t gonna listen to me no matter what I say, so I’ll save my breath,” Grandma said and started stuffing her things into her backpack. I helped where I could, thinking all the while of what I’d say to Regan when I finally got him alone.

  A knock at the door pulled me back to earth. Obax stepped inside, followed by two male gargoyles I didn’t recognize: a larger one with grey-green skin, neon yellow eyes, and wings pock-marked with holes, and a smaller one with cement-grey skin and a short pair of horns on his head, which I’d never seen before.

  “This is Gorloz and Kabarr, your new guards,” Obax said.

  Both gargoyles bowed slightly. “It is our honor to protect the Head Witch,” Gorloz, the larger of the two, said. We’d see if he still felt that way when this was all over; I didn’t plan to make life easy for him or his buddy.

  “Thank you. We’re almost ready to go. I’ll call when we are.” Obax nodded and escorted the other gargoyles outside.

  “They seem like regular ol’ cuddle bears,” Grandma said, and I chuckled.

  “Most gargoyles are. Sometimes I wonder what it must be like to be one of them. Do they have competitions to see who can stare piercingly the longest?”

  Grandma snorted. “We prolly shouldn’t be makin’ fun of ‘em when our lives are in their claws.”

  “Good point.” When we’d packed all our things, I picked Luna up and called for Obax. Wordlessly, the three gargoyles led us down the hall and toward the chamber doors. Obax yanked them open and the kiss of sunshine and fresh air on my face as they rushed in were divine.

  “Behave yourself, Zoe,” Heath said, and I turned to find him eyeing me.

  “Don’t I always?” I asked and left before he had the chance to answer. Obax led the charge north across town with Gorloz and Kabarr close behind us, and I tried not to pay much attention to the wide-eyed stares and pointed fingers from the witches and warlocks we passed.

  At the intersection of Crescent and Mirth Streets, I stopped. The Witch’s Brew was less than a block down Mirth, and just a few more blocks beyond that was Dawn’s house. I didn’t know if Regan would even be home, but it was a safe bet.

  “Is something wrong?” Gorloz asked.

&nbs
p; “No. I need to make a stop at Councilwoman Bloodworth’s house, but I don’t want to hold Grandma up. Obax, take her and Luna home and make sure she stays there.”

  Obax growled. “The Head Warlock’s orders were to—”

  “Keep me at home, yeah, I know,” I interrupted. “Well, tough luck. I’m a free witch, and I want to speak to Mr. Bloodworth. I’ll take Gorloz and Kabarr with me; everything will be fine.” Grandma shook her head as she took Luna from me.

  “Y’all better do what she says. You don’t wanna get on her bad side, trust me,” Grandma told Obax and kept walking north toward home. Realizing she had no choice but to follow, Obax scowled and turned to chase after her. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve sworn Grandma was trying to help me.

  “Come on,” I ordered the two remaining gargoyles and turned down Mirth Street. We passed The Witch’s Brew, which looked like any other cafe. It was a small brick building with wooden tables and chairs lining its insides, and the smell of freshly ground coffee seemed to radiate from the place. A witch I didn’t recognize waved from one of the outdoor tables, so I waved back and kept walking.

  Regan and Dawn Bloodworth lived at Number 13 at the end of the street. When we arrived, I found a small but cute brick house, its exterior covered in ivy that snaked from the garden to the roof. It didn’t seem like a house a witch of Dawn’s stature would own, but maybe she didn’t want to be ostentatious.

  Though it didn’t look like anyone was home from the outside, I walked to the front door and knocked, anyway.

  “Just a minute!” Regan called from deep inside, and my heart crawled up my throat. Part of me hoped he wouldn’t be there, but now that I’d knocked there wasn’t any going back. Clattering noises drifted through the door and a few moments later, Regan flung it open. He seemed startled at the sight of me but quickly hid it with a bright smile.

  “Oh, Councilwoman Clarke, I hope you’ve brought good news,” he said as he eyed my gargoyle companions.

  “Not exactly. Do you have a minute to talk?”

  He blanched but opened the door wider and stepped aside. “Yes, please, come in.”

  I turned to the gargoyles. “Wait for me outside. I shouldn’t be long.” Gorloz nodded and he and Kabarr stood sentinel on either side of the door as Regan closed it behind me. I wasn’t sure if Dawn or Regan had decorated the house, but whoever did had done it well. Tasteful paintings of nature adorned the walls and photos of Dawn and Regan together lined the mantle of the fireplace that served as the centerpiece of the living room.

  “Have a seat wherever you’d like, Councilwoman. Can I get you some tea? I just brewed a fresh pot.”

  “That would be great, and please, call me Zoe.”

  Regan nodded and shuffled into the attached kitchen. As he clattered around in the cupboard for two mugs, I glanced around the room, drinking in the details. An open cardboard box in the room's corner caught my eye.

  “Are you packing up to go somewhere?” I asked as I lowered myself down onto a plush loveseat, and the smashing of glass replied. Regan had dropped a mug.

  “Oh, goodness, I’m a nervous wreck since Dawn disappeared. I’m so sorry,” he muttered as he pulled his wand from his robes and waved it. The mug’s pieces lifted from the ground and magically rearranged themselves into one object. Regan snatched the repaired mug out of the air and cleaned it in the sink. “To answer your question, no, I’m not going anywhere. I just dug out an old box of photos from our travels and I’ve been going through it. You’re welcome to look if you’d like.”

  Based on all the pictures they’d chosen to display in the house, it seemed like they traveled often, and I envied them that. In all the photos, they seemed so happy, so perfect — which made me wonder if it was a coverup for something darker.

  “Thanks, but that’s okay. I don’t want to intrude anymore than I already have.”

  “Oh, it’s not an intrusion at all,” Regan said through the steam that curled up from the tea he’d poured for me. He carried the mug over on a tea plate and handed it to me carefully. “I’m glad you came, Zoe. I’ve been coming unraveled waiting to hear from the Council since Blaine vanished. Please tell me you have some updates.” He sat down across from me in a recliner.

  “That’s why I came, Mr. Bloodworth,” I said, looking him right in the eye. “I’ve spoken to some others about Dawn’s disappearance and there are some, well, discrepancies between your version of events and theirs.”

  Regan’s brows smashed together as fast and hard as a head on collision. “What do you mean?”

  “You told Heath and me that the owner of the Witch’s Brew said Dawn hadn’t come in that morning, but she did.”

  “What? That’s impossible! I asked Leland, the owner, personally, and he swore he hadn’t seen her. They talk every time she stops by, and Leland never has anyone working with him that early in the morning so he wouldn’t have missed her if she did.”

  The pleading look on his face told me he wasn’t lying, but I had no reason to think Christian had lied either — if he said he met Dawn at The Witch’s Brew the morning she vanished, he did. So could the owner have missed them? Given how long an interview would take, it didn’t seem likely.

  “Do you think Leland would have any reason to lie to you?”

  Regan shook his head vigorously. “No, no, of course not. We’ve known him for years, and besides, why would he lie about something like that?”

  It was a good question, and I didn’t have an answer. Someone wasn’t being honest; I just wasn’t sure who.

  “I don’t know, but I talked to a reporter at the Messenger who says he interviewed Dawn that morning. I think he was the last person to see her before she disappeared, and he said they met for the interview at the Witch’s Brew.”

  Regan’s face contorted as he tried to make sense of what I’d said. “She never mentioned doing any kind of interview.”

  “The reporter told me he’d asked her to speak with him about the vote to expand the Council. Evidently, he’d reached out to all us council members about it, but she was the only one who responded. I’m not surprised she didn’t tell you about it.”

  Regan sighed and sat back in his chair, which squeaked from the movement. He rubbed his forehead and stared at the wall. “I can’t believe this. We tell each other everything. Why wouldn’t she share this with me?”

  “That was my next question. Why wouldn’t she want you to know?”

  “I don’t have a clue.”

  “Really? Because the reporter also told me that Dawn verbalized concern about how her vote might impact your marriage.”

  Regan rocketed forward. “No offense, Zoe, but that’s ridiculous. I love my wife more than life itself. I would never hold her actions over her head like that.”

  I dodged the denial. “How would you have voted, if you were in her position?”

  Regan stared me straight in the eye. “I don’t like where this is going.”

  “No more than you liked the idea of Dawn voting no?”

  He scoffed. “Fine, it’s true. I pushed her to make what I thought was the right move.”

  “Did you push her so hard that she ran away rather than face the vote?”

  “No. I worried what voting no would do to her politically. You know, she’s up for re-election next year, so I wanted her to consider it carefully.”

  “But she told you she intended to vote no the night before her disappearance, which likely would’ve made her a swing vote, right? And then the next thing anyone knows, she’s gone without a trace. You say the owner of the cafe swears he didn’t see her, but a reporter says she was. Do you see why I’m having trouble believing you?”

  Regan sighed and nodded. “Yes, I do, but I’m telling you the truth. I swear it in Lilith’s name. I didn’t hurt my wife, and I don’t know where she is now, but all I want is for her to come home safe and sound.” His eyes watered as he stared down at his hands. “This is all so terrible. First Dawn, then Blaine. It’s be
en four days since she vanished and I’m losing hope.”

  “Wherever they are, I think they’re both alive. Whoever did this is trying to send a message — a political one.”

  “I’m telling you, Zoe, I know nothing more than what I’ve told you. Maybe Leland lied to me, though I can’t fathom why he’d do that. You’ll have to ask him.”

  I opened my mouth to tell him I planned to but a thunderous knock on the door stole the words from my mouth. “Councilwoman!” Gorloz shouted, so loudly that he sounded like he was standing right next to me.

  I raced Regan to the door and threw it open. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “There’s been an incident, we need to go. Now.”

  “What? Where? I don’t—”

  “Now,” Gorloz interrupted and grabbed me by the wrist to drag me outside. He scooped me into his powerful arms and kicked with his muscled legs to thrust off the ground, leaving gashes in the soil from the claws on his feet. His wings snapped like ship sails in the wind as we left the ground and hurtled upward with Kabarr right behind us.

  “Where are we going?” I shouted against the roaring air in my ears, but as we soared north toward Moonbeam Lane, my heart dropped into my stomach. Gorloz was taking me home, but he’d said there’d been an incident, so did that mean…?

  I got the answer as we descended in front of my house. A pile of rocks littered the front porch, and the door was wide open. I pried myself from Gorloz’s grip and dashed inside, stumbling over Obax’s remains on my way. “Grandma? Grandma!” I screamed, but got no answer. Panic clawed up my throat as I ran from room to room, desperately searching for her — but found nothing.

  “Grandma! Luna!” I shouted through my tears and tightening throat and fell to my knees in the living room. Obax was dead, and Grandma and Luna weren’t there. Was someone here waiting for them? Did they mean to take me instead? Did Grandma get away while Obax died fighting off the attacker?

  The house was empty, but nothing inside seemed like it’d been disturbed. There hadn’t been a struggle; it looked as if Grandma had just wandered out of the house of her own volition. It all seemed so normal — except for the front door hanging wide open and the stony remains of the gargoyle I’d left to defend Grandma.