“I’d be grateful if we did.”
“Fine, apology accepted,” she announced then studied him. “Are you back to your old self then?”
“I think so, although I’ve felt better.”
“You should try to get some sleep. I’m going to take a shower.”
Vander smiled gently and nodded. He moved onto the edge of the bed and studied her a moment in silence. “Thanks for looking out for me.”
“Don’t get all sentimental, Agent Hawk,” she said. “We’re all just trying to survive the same nightmare.” She headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Vander pulled back the covers, looked at the bed, and appeared alarmed. He hurried to the bathroom and promptly knocked on the door. Devon opened the door with a disgusted groan and glared at him. His look was serious.
“Tell me you weren’t a virgin.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped despite the heat she felt rising in her cheeks.
He stared at her with disbelief. “I can’t believe you weren’t going to tell me and act like it wasn’t a big deal.”
“I stand by my decision, and I’m fine with it,” she announced firmly. Her firm tone would have carried more weight if she hadn’t felt the redness in her cheeks. She hated being called on his discovery. She hated that he knew.
“You’re not fine with it, I can tell.”
“Let it go, Agent Hawk, before you piss me off.” Devon shut the door with surprising force.
†
Novak lie naked beneath the covers as sunlight poked through the part in the curtains. Both he and the bed were severely rumpled from whatever had happened last night. An earthquake wasn’t entirely out of the question. He slowly woke and groaned while holding his head as he fell onto his back. Novak panted a moment and seemed unable to move. The aftershocks weren’t helping either.
“What the hell--?”
The curtains were pulled open. He looked toward the sunlight flooding into the room through the window and shielded his eyes. Monica had just finished opening the curtains where she stood alongside the window wearing only a tank top and panties. Novak stared at her with confusion then apprehensively eyed his naked body beneath the sheets. It was taking him a little longer to catch on than usual.
“Back from your trip?” Monica asked while raising a cocky brow. “I should warn you, you’re going to feel like shit the rest of the day.”
Her grin mocked him as she walked past him, entered the bathroom, and shut the door behind her. Novak slowly sat up and stared at the bathroom door with a bewildered look. He lifted the sheets, glanced at his naked body, and then looked back at the bathroom.
“What the hell?” He remained puzzled then groaned softly as if finally putting it altogether. “Please let me remember what happened last night.”
The shower was heard running within the bathroom. Novak looked at the closed bathroom door, strummed his fingers on the bed while deep in thought, and then suddenly grinned.
“Yeah, shower sex,” he announced cheerfully. “If you can’t remember the night before, there’s always round two in the morning.”
Novak jumped from the bed, despite his unsteadiness, and streaked across the bedroom in his birthday suit. He grinned boyishly and gently knocked on the door.
“Is there room for two?”
“Don’t even think about it!” Monica snarled through the door in response.
Novak appeared stunned while staring at the door then sank into thought. “Okay, that’s not a good sign,” he muttered softly. His eyes suddenly widened in horror. “Oh, God,” he gasped, “I hope I didn’t misfire.”
Novak chewed on his fingernail and returned to the bed while deep in thought.
Chapter Twenty-four
Ravin stood by the window and stared out into the bright, sunny morning. It was a beautiful day for early spring. It didn’t seem possible that things could be so dismal on such a beautiful day, but life was filled with cold, cruel irony. Gemma shuffled out of the bedroom wearing a plush, white signature hotel bathrobe. She looked rumpled and severely hung over almost as if she’d spent several days drunk out of her mind. She collapsed onto the corner of the sofa and groaned softly while holding her head. Ravin didn’t look at her. He couldn’t look at her.
“What the hell happened?” she muttered softly.
“We were all drugged for the last three days,” he reported gently.
She didn’t seem surprised by the comment. Somewhere inside, she must have remembered hearing about being drugged. She stared off as if in a trance. “The last thing I remember was all those people in the dining room--”
Ravin slowly turned and looked at her with a stunned expression. “Are you serious?” he asked. “You don’t remember anything after the dining room?”
She sank into thought, considered his comment, and shook her head. “A thousand images are flashing through my mind, but I don’t know what they mean. Sort of like a bad porn movie on an endless loop.”
Ravin tensed, inhaled a deep, shaken breath, and timidly approached her. He sat on the arm of the nearby chair and seemed extremely uncomfortable. He had a difficult time looking at her, which wasn’t surprising.
“I’ve been trying to figure out what to say to you,” he said gently. “I wanted to lie and tell you I didn’t remember anything that happened, but I remember all of it--every insane detail.”
She sheepishly glanced at him and fidgeted. “We slept together, didn’t we?”
“That’s putting it mildly,” he muttered softly and again avoided looking at her.
Gemma closed her eyes, held her head, and groaned softly. “That would explain why you were in the endless loop of porn movies.”
He attempted to remain strong but his insecurities seeped through. “Neither of us were responsible for what happened,” Ravin gently informed her, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel terrible for my aggressive behavior.”
Gemma suddenly chuckled. “From the bits and pieces I’m remembering, I was the aggressor,” she casually informed him without looking up.
Ravin shifted uncomfortably on the arm of the chair. “Maybe so, but I’m rather ashamed of a lot of what I did,” he announced then appeared to recall something that caused him to shutter. “One incident in particular has me a little disturbed.”
She cast a glance at him, allowing her eyes to stray to the scratches on his neck. “You mean when I freaked out and scratched you?”
He looked away shamefully. “I was hoping you wouldn’t remember that.”
“I don’t blame you,” she said gently. “I went a little crazy and tried to hurt you for no reason. You had to stop me from beating you.”
“It still bothers me,” he said gently.
Gemma shifted on the sofa and finally looked at him. “It’s okay, really.”
He stared at her a moment in uncomfortable silence then inhaled deeply before speaking. “I promise no one will ever hear about our indiscretions from me.”
A strange smile crossed her face as she laughed. “I think everyone already knows.” She stared at him with a serious look. “I’m okay with what happened, Ravin,” she said timidly. “I actually enjoyed every insane moment.”
His expression suddenly dropped as he stared into her eyes with surprise. “Really?”
Gemma smiled timidly and nodded. “Yes, really,” she replied softly. “If I were going to have a wild, three-day fling, I’m glad it was with you.”
There was an odd silence between them. Ravin shifted on the arm of the chair while staring at her. There was something more on his mind, but he was reluctant to say it aloud.
“What if I didn’t want it to end?” he asked gently.
A tiny smile crossed her weary face. “I’d be very happy to hear that.”
Ravin stared at her a moment then moved closer and uncertainly kissed her on the lips. Gemma immediately returned the kiss and pulled him onto the sofa with her.
†
Din
o crouched before the large bloodstain on the floor in the lounge and studied it. He was deep in thought, and the look on his face conveyed his concerns. Vander passed by the lounge then doubled back and entered. He saw Dino examining the blood just within the doorway, appeared concerned, and quickly approached. He studied the area on the floor near where Dino crouched. By the large amount of blood, the outcome of what must have happened was obvious. Dino had to have known Vander was standing over him, but he didn’t bother looking back at him.
“What happened?” Vander asked then looked around for signs of a body.
“I don’t know, but that’s a lot of blood,” Dino said then indicated the bar. “There’s more over there too. Something bad happened last night.” Dino straightened and eyed Vander with a stern, serious look. “My brother is missing.”
Vander looked over the bloodstain then approached the neatly placed chairs and looked at the smaller bloodstain by the bar. He glanced back at Dino, who now approached the bar as well.
“Is anyone else missing?” Vander asked.
“It’s too early to tell,” Dino replied with a defeated sigh while nervously looking around. He suddenly seemed annoyed and shook his head with disgust. “I told him a hundred times about his drinking--”
“With the drugs starting to wear off, I wouldn’t expect anyone to be up early,” Vander announced. “We’ll need to see who’s missing.”
Vander examined the room for any indications of a struggle, although nothing seemed out of place. Whatever had happened seemed to be quick and without altercation, as with the other deaths. The entire situation was disturbing on several levels.
Dino stared at Vander with a look of surprise. “Drugs?” he suddenly questioned. “I hadn’t heard anything about drugs. You mean the ghosts weren’t--”
“Not real,” Vander informed him.
“I don’t get it. Why drug us?” Dino suddenly asked. “If that was the intention, why not just kill us all? Obviously whoever is behind this had the means and plenty of opportunity.”
“That’s just part of the puzzle,” Vander replied while glancing at the two glasses on the bar. “Can you account for your people while I account for mine?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Two scotch glasses and two bloodstains,” Vander announced with a defeated sigh while looking around. “Any idea who was in here drinking last night?”
“Cody was the only one with access to the scotch,” Dino replied and indicated the empty bottle on the bar. “He’d found two bottles stashed in the kitchen our first night here.” He shook his head with disgust. “Something’s happened to him, I know it. That idiot has been making bad decisions his entire life, and now it looks as if he finally paid for it.”
“Drinking out in the open with everything that’s been going on around here wasn’t exactly wise, but the drugs didn’t help anyone keep a clear head either,” Vander said then considered. “There’s blood but no bodies. That’s not the killer’s style. He seems to prefer leaving his victims in plain sight, I’m guessing for dramatic effect. What would his reason be for moving the bodies in this instance?” He considered his own comment. “It’s possible whoever was attacked managed to get away. I’ll check for a trail of blood and then have a look around the infirmary.”
Dino snorted a soft laugh and attempted a smile. “I appreciate your attempt at making me feel better, but I think we both know my brother is dead.”
“It’s not an attempt to make you feel better,” Vander insisted. “The second bloodstain indicates minimal blood loss. Whoever was here at the bar has a fighting chance of being alive. We need to concentrate on finding out what happened to him.”
Dino stared at Vander and nodded with conviction. “You’re right,” he announced. “I’ll gather the others.”
Chapter Twenty-five
Everyone remaining within the hotel that Dino and Vander could find had assembled in the lobby for a briefing on their situation. Felicia, Trent, and Cody were the only ones neither man could locate. Mostly everyone looked exhausted and hung over from their drug-induced bender. Although alarming, the news of potentially new victims wasn’t surprising to anyone. Sadly, it was becoming just another tragedy, which with they’d need to confront.
“I think the last time I saw Felicia, she was in the dining room talking to the dead people,” Ravin informed Vander from his seated position on the sofa alongside Gemma. “You’ll have to forgive me; I’m a little fuzzy on details at the moment.”
“Yes, she was there,” Devon agreed then looked at Ravin on the sofa. “I was with you, don’t you remember?”
He looked at her and took a moment to consider the question. “I suppose it could have been you.” Ravin again looked puzzled. “At the time, I was convinced it was Rita Hayworth.”
“My father and Trent could be passed out somewhere,” Tyson informed them. “It wouldn’t be the first time he didn’t make it to his room after a night of drinking. Just because they were in the lounge--”
“What the hell was he doing drinking like that in the first place?” Dino demanded while glaring at his nephew. “If you knew he was there, why didn’t you say something to him? Or at least come find me?”
“Since when am I responsible for my father’s drinking?” Tyson snapped hotly. “At least I don’t encourage his behavior by tying one on with him!”
“The situation here is a little different,” Dino launched back at his nephew.
“You’re not helping, Uncle Dino,” Sonya said softly while holding her head.
“Family is supposed to look out for one another,” Dino growled at Sonya then glared at Tyson. “What sort of kids let their father get drunk in a life or death situation?”
“Okay,” Vander announced sternly. “That’s enough of the finger-pointing for one morning. We’re all a little on edge after everything that’s happened the last few days. Let’s just try to remain civilized and keep our heads.”
Harris paced the length of the lobby before the large windows. “When are we going to get the hell out of here?” he impatiently demanded.
Vander was about to respond to Harris’ question but Dino beat him to it.
“Someone will see the accident by the bridge and check on us,” Dino informed them. “It won’t be long now, I promise. We just need to stay put a little while longer.”
“What makes you so sure help will make it here?” Harris demanded while glaring at Dino. “Your big plan is to sit and wait for help to arrive, but look what happened to every single person who attempted to leave this place. What makes you think a rescue will get through if we can’t get out?”
“I made it to the ravine twice,” Monica informed them from where she sat on a coffee table near the fireplace. “Help will arrive. As added insurance, I left a message with a warning on the rear window of the bus. Whoever comes along will see it and know there’s trouble.”
“Tomorrow is Monday,” Tyson said. “Someone is sure to drive down that main road where you said that first car was stranded. They’ll see the abandoned car in the middle of the road and search the road to town. They’ll see the wrecked cars by the bridge, find the bodies, and bring additional help. Real help. The kind that carries automatic weapons, if we’re lucky.”
Gemma clung to Ravin’s arm while they sat huddled together on the sofa. “This might be a good time to lock ourselves in our rooms,” she announced.
“Safety in numbers,” Novak replied.
Tyson glared at Novak and chuckled. “That didn’t work out so well in the lounge or the pool area,” he reminded him then considered. “Or on the bus or in the sunroom.”
“Those people were all heavily drugged and then systematically murdered,” Vander announced. “I can’t say for certain how they were drugged, but they didn’t kill themselves. Someone did it for them.”
“I found some strange canisters in the kitchen. I could be mistaken, but I believe they contained knock out mist,” Monica said to Vander. “Simply roll a
canister into a room of unsuspecting people and, poof, everyone goes nighty night. They weren’t nearly as sophisticated as what I’d seen in the Army.” She shook her head defiantly. “There was no mass suicide, and it also explains why they didn’t struggle against their attacker.”
“So one of us is a killer?” Harris gasped and quickly looked around the room.
“Okay, let’s not start pointing fingers at the person next to us,” Vander announced sternly. “The killer could easily be someone we think is already dead. There’s no telling who’s unaccounted for, so let’s try to stay calm.”
“Although, we can account for those who are already dead,” Tyson remarked. “It won’t be pleasant though.”
Sonya looked at her brother and appeared alarmed. “You mean a body count?” She gasped with horror then cringed. “That’s disturbing.”
While the others discussed the possibility of a body count, Ravin stood from the sofa and left Gemma’s side. He headed behind the front desk and removed a small stack of paper, a clipboard, and a pen. Devon joined him by the front desk and studied him. His behavior seemed unchanged despite the drugs wearing off, and it had her curious. To her added perception, his personality hadn’t changed at all. She still couldn’t read him.
“How are you feeling?” she asked gently.
“Rather well, considering,” Ravin replied.
“It looks as though things between you and Gemma seem to have worked themselves out,” she remarked.
“Surprisingly, yes,” he replied and glanced at Gemma on the sofa across the room. She was caught watching him then looked away while smiling. Ravin looked back at Devon. “Turns out she’s always liked me, but she was afraid to say anything because I was her boss.” He hesitated and chuckled softly. “Her emotionally guarded boss.” He then gave a nod at Vander across the room. “What about Agent Hawk’s delusion of you being his girlfriend? There seems to be a lot of tension between the two of you.”
“He’s very uncomfortable around me right now,” she reported gently.
Dead Village Page 13
