by Dale Mayer
Tessa’s laughter rippled through his mind.
God, he was so hooked on her.
If that were true, you’d be here at my side instead of wasting time and mooning about.
Mooning? Mooning? Me? he asked, affronted. Then he realized he’d come to a dead stop in the middle of the hallway like a lovesick child. He groaned and picked up his feet. I wasn’t mooning.
Sure. That’s okay though – as long as you’re only mooning over me.
He grinned. Only you, Tessa…forever.
He hadn’t meant to add the forever part, but it sounded just right to him.
*
“They are just a floor downstairs? Really?” Goran grinned. “Let’s go get them then.”
Motre shook his head and waved his phone back and forth in front of him. “Serus says David is trying to find Jewel. They want us to sweep this floor first then go join them.”
Feeling lighter and more connected than he had in a long time, Goran said, “Then let’s go.”
He called out mentally to Serus, Hey Serus, old buddy, is that you?
Damn, it’s nice to hear you again. Are you sure you should be out of bed?
Goran’s smile fell away. I’m fine, he growled. I’ve been calling for you for hours. Where the hell have you been?
In the basement – and what a hell of a basement it is. Must be a quarter mile deep. Met a few interesting people down there too. He laughed. You missed all the fun.
Goran frowned. Damn it. We’ve been busting asses up here too. Met a couple of monsters that we could barely drop. Realizing how that sounded, he quickly added, Of course we took care of them.
Serus chuckled. Yeah, us too. How come we didn’t meet this size in the blood farm?
I think they are smarter than that lot. Goran growled. They are here at the hospital area doing whatever bullshit they are doing here.
But they are bigger, stronger than the others. Shit. I’m getting tired of going against genetically modified vamps.
Yeah, I hear you, but the good news is we keep winning. The more they throw at us, the more we knock them down.
At least he hoped so. Goran walked down the hallway behind Motre, Ian at his side. Motre opened the first door. Goran glanced inside. More drugged vamps. And one of them Councilman Bushman – the councilman Motre was protecting when they all ended up in the blood farm. He’s hooked up to drugs again.
Damn. Serus said. He wasn’t supposed to be anywhere around here. I thought he’d gone to some damn Council meeting?
Meeting with the Human Council? Goran asked sharply.
No. Other clans. He was attending the International Council.
Goran stopped Motre from closing the door after pulling the tubes loose from the men. He strode closer. There are four men in here with him. I don’t recognize the first couple, but they are old. As in very old. Not sure about the last one.
What’s the chance the Council meeting was targeted? A way to collect a few more specialized vamps for their damn experiments?
That would be unbelievably wrong. If you’re right and these other vamps are from the International Council, then these are heads of their own clans. That’s bad news.
And will bring down the other clans on our heads because we let this happen.
I know.
Would you recognize the men from that meeting? Goran walked from one to the other. At the fourth man, he stopped and swore loud and long.
Motre asked him, “What’s the matter?”
“I recognize this man. He’s the head of the German Council.”
*
Jared hunched in the back of the ambulance, his head low so no one could see through the window. He pulled the blankets down on the boy’s face and checked for a pulse. And let his breath out in a rush. Tobias was alive. As relief shuddered through him, he realized he hadn’t expected that. With all the dead bodies racking up, he’d half expected him to be dead. He twisted around to look outside. The voices were closer. Shit. How could he get out? He shifted back to the front passenger side and opened the door quietly. He slipped out and ran into the bushes lining the parking lot. His heart yammered so loud he couldn’t hear anything. Had they heard him? They hadn’t called his name. Then again, maybe they hadn’t been able to recognize him. There. His gaze darted to the driver’s side of the ambulance and the heated discussion going on between the manager and the driver.
Still, that wasn’t his prime problem. How to get back inside the home was. He needed to avoid these men. And he needed the license plate of the ambulance to track it. Although what good that would do, he didn’t know.
Another option was to stow away inside the ambulance. At least then he’d find out where they were taking Tobias.
He stared at the ambulance in frustration. From his position, he couldn’t hear the conversation, and that just pissed him off. He didn’t want to let Tobias be taken away but if he was sick, maybe he needed help. Only sick men weren’t hauled out like a sack of potatoes.
He so didn’t trust the manager. He was damn dodgy. Hence Jared’s need to sneak back into the home without being seen as he’d left his stuff inside. How could he get out of the bushes? He turned around and searched the neighboring yard. Could he sneak around back and get into the house that way? Or come into the property from the far side? Realizing he was running out of time to act, he picked up his feet and ran around the back of the home and over to the far side where the shrubbery was closest to the door and raced to the door. He slipped inside, pausing for a moment before running upstairs to his room. He closed the door and jammed the chair under the doorknob again. His heart clamoring and his blood pulsing, he slipped under the covers and closed his eyes.
He could hardly breathe for the panic choking him.
Had he made it without being seen?
*
Wendy sat beside Rhia and did the slow, tedious cross–checking for Sian. She couldn’t help but constantly check her phone. She knew Ian didn’t have his but surely if he was free, he’d managed to get a hold of someone’s phone. Just then it buzzed. Ian. She read the incoming text and gasped.
Rhia sat up from where she’d been reclining. “What is it?”
Wendy turned to face her, a huge smile on her face. “It’s from Ian. He’s with Motre and they are waiting for the rest to meet up with them.” As she finished speaking, another text came in.
“Goran is there too.” Wendy sat back and pinched the bridge of her nose, willing the tears to not fall. She was so damn grateful Ian was okay. She quickly texted him back asking for more details and when he was coming home.
When he didn’t answer right away, she didn’t know why. Just when she was starting to worry again, another text came in. Lots of fighting. We’re coming down the hospital and searching room by room. So far, it’s mostly drugged vamps. Not sure about some of them. It’s really weird. For a hospital, there is no staff to be seen. No noise even. It’s like the dead are the only ones here.
“Wendy?” Rhia asked gently. “Can you let me know what they are all saying, please?”
Sian walked in just then, carrying a big tray of blood slushies. Wendy took a tentative sip while Rhia told her what had happened.
“That’s excellent. As soon as they meet up with the others, then all will be well.”
“Except they are searching the hospital room by room.”
Sian frowned. “I guess that is the orderly approach. Do you know what or who they are looking for?”
Wendy read the next text then looked up. “David is trying to find Jewel. She’d been close to Ian last time he’d seen her, but they haven’t found her yet.”
She looked over at Rhia. “Ian says he saw me leaving earlier but couldn’t get out. Motre rescued him.”
“Perfect. Motre is a good vamp. With him in charge, they should be just fine.”
Wendy studied her face. “I hope so,” she said quickly. “I’d like to see them turn around and just come back here.”
The smile on
Sian’s face was gentle and compassionate. “For the same reason you want Ian home, David won’t leave Jewel behind and in danger.”
“I know.” Wendy gave her a tremulous smile. “That doesn’t stop me from wanting something different.”
“Keep trusting in Ian and those helping him. So far we’ve all been lucky. Maybe that luck can hold out for a little bit longer.”
She hoped so, but like everyone else’s thoughts, she knew no one’s luck held forever.
Chapter 10
Tessa followed David to the room he disappeared into. She stood at the doorway, waiting for Cody to catch up to them. She started when a strong hand slid around her waist, tugging her backwards against a large warm chest.
Hi.
Hi back. She smiled. I gather my father isn’t right on your ass?
He stiffened and his arm dropped away.
She giggled.
Think that’s funny, do you?
Yep, and then some. But that’s okay. Our time will come. She watched David walk through the large ward checking the beds, so when the silence was a little awkward, she could forgive herself from missing it initially. What? she asked mentally. What did I say?
Nothing, he muttered. She turned to look up at him, noting her father’s approach from several feet away. Something is.
Just your comment that our time will come. Will it?
She knew what he was asking without asking. Yes, it will. Soon? Yes. Today? Given our situation, so not.
He grinned. How about next week?
Ha. I wanted to go to the hangout this Friday.
His voice turned serious. And I want that too. All we have to do is get Jewel and Ian out of here. Then we can go home, rest, shower, feed, and still have the next few days to ourselves before Friday.
“Hey, move it you two,” Serus barked. “You’re standing there mooning at each other.”
Tessa snickered at the word he used.
Cody stepped back and gritted through his teeth, “I am not mooning.”
Serus growled as he walked past them into the room, “Were too.”
At that, Tessa broke out laughing, her voice free and easy.
Until she saw David turn around at the end of the room and come back slowly, checking out the beds on the other side. As she’d seen him glancing at both sides as he’d walked down, she had to assume he hadn’t found Jewel. Every step he took toward her, the grimmer his face got. Every step he took, the more her heart sank. What if Jewel had been moved, the same as Ian had? They couldn’t just isolate her friend – there’d be no point to such actions. Her friends were no more dangerous than other vamps. So why move them?
David met with Serus and the two bent heads, the conversation fast and furious. Tessa stayed at the doorway with Cody. David’s face and clenched fists told the story. Jewel wasn’t here.
As they approached the doorway, David said in a harsh whisper. “She’s not here. No one is.”
“No one,” Cody asked, motioning to the closed curtains. “What do you mean by no one?”
“I mean all the beds are empty. As in completely empty.”
“What? That makes no sense.”
“No,” Serus said, adding, “But from what I can see, the beds are all made and prepped as if waiting for an influx.”
“Aren’t hospital beds always ready like this?”
“No idea.” Serus shrugged. “Why would they need to have so many beds?”
“More than that, what happened to those that were here? This ward was full when I was here last time,” David snapped. “Where is Jewel?”
“Could they have gotten better?” Tessa asked with a faint hope.
“I know you don’t want to consider this, but do we know for sure that she’s still here?” Cody asked quietly. “Is there a chance Jewel is on her way home, or already at home and sleeping?” He threw up his hands at David’s glare. “I just want to make sure that she’s not before we go half–cocked with more conspiracy theories.”
David shook his head violently. “She’s here,” he said harshly. “I’d know if she weren’t.”
Tessa stared at him. She understood what he meant but didn’t want to put him on the spot. She heard Cody swallow back his own comment. She slipped her arm through his, grateful he was at her side and they weren’t once again split up and trying to find each other. Cody squeezed her arm tight against his body.
He understood.
“Dad,” Tessa said, “Have you asked Motre to look for Jewel?”
“Goran knows already, but I’ll remind Motre,” he said, already texting. Tessa backed out of the room, tugging Cody with her. “David, let’s do a systematic search,” she suggested. “Jewel might just be in one of these rooms.”
She was surprised they hadn’t met any staff since they’d arrived on this floor. Surely if they had video cameras in the depths of that basement, they’d have similar cameras on these floors. As she walked to the room beside the one they’d been in, she noticed a camera, the same color as the walls. She turned to the next room, and said to Cody, Smile, we’re on camera.
His step faltered. Where, he hissed.
In the corner, the walls with a doorway arch. They are the same color as the hall so they blend in well.
Damn, his harsh whisper raced through her mind. I suggest we check these rooms quickly before we have company.
She agreed. The next room was full. Of vamps. Connected to tubes. In a grim voice, she asked, Who are all these people? Tessa assessed the occupants. All males, roughly late teens to late twenties as far as she could tell, although males that age kept their looks for a long time, making it hard to guess their age as they could be a couple of decades older. They all appeared to be in fine physical shape. There were no broken bones or visible injuries.
“They are being drugged. I just don’t know why.”
Serus came to the door behind them. “Let’s go. Goran says they haven’t seen Jewel, but there are foreign delegates being held upstairs.”
Tessa, in the act of checking out the other occupants, froze, her mind racing. “Why would that be?”
“There is a huge international meeting happening this week. Between all the clans. And now the head of the German clan is here, and he’s drugged. There are a few men with him in the same room. Likely the entire German party.”
“Does Dad suspect that there might be other delegates here?” Cody asked, striding toward the door. “Is that what we’re thinking? Someone is kidnapping the delegates and keeping them here?”
“Isn’t that a bit much? Why not take the drugs to them?”
“Because they’d have to infiltrate the clans. And you know clans are very protective.”
In fact, Tessa remembered from her history lessons, the clans were more warring than peaceful. Peace, tentative at best, had happened several centuries ago. Now the clans met yearly to make sure all treaties were still being met.
“If they kidnapped the Germans, then chances are the other clans are in trouble, too.”
“Or maybe the Germans signed up for this willingly. They’d get enhancements and then be superior to the other clans and be able to dominate them if another war happened.”
Tessa winced. That was the last thing she wanted to consider, but it was all too possible. The clans’ peace treaty was a little ragged around the edges. It wouldn’t take much if someone wanted to make a power play and take over the others. Especially if they had enhancements for their people well before anyone even realized what was happening. It wouldn’t be a war – it would be a non–war – over before it had begun.
The humans would be the fallout in that case. And everyone’s way of life would change.
*
Cody hated to hear this new twist. As far as he was concerned, all this bullshit could disappear so he could go and play – with Tessa. Immature maybe. There was no doubt his relationship was getting stronger, but he hadn’t had any time with her alone.
And damn it, he wanted that. He needed that.
So did she.
He strode out of the room, leaving the others behind. It was only as he swung into the emptiness of the long hallway that he realized his hands were clenched into fists. He stared down at his fingers, opening and flexing them in frustration. He’d rarely known such emotion. And no target to hit out at. God damn it. He swung out and punched the wall in front of him.
And barely strangled back a scream. That hurt! What the hell. He stuffed his fist into his mouth and bit back the moan of pain.
Idiot. Tessa’s concerned voice whispered through his mind as the pain swelled and ebbed.
Ya think, he snarled. I want this bullshit over.
Me too, she said soberly. We all do. Let’s find Jewel and Ian and go home.
Promise? He smiled at the warm hug that he swore he could feel in his mind from her thoughts, her emotions. She was so expressive.
Yeah, I just choose not to punch out walls. And she laughed out loud.
He turned, caught her close in his arms, and hugged her tight.
As he released her, he started to turn away but she stumbled. He reached out to steady her. Her knees buckled, the color drained from her face, her eyes great orbs of pain.
“Tessa?” He tried to hold her up against him, but she’d gone completely limp.
She moaned deep inside her throat. He tried to contact her mentally to see what she was feeling, sensing. And couldn’t gain access. The damn door was closed again.
“Please don’t shut the door, Tessa,” he begged. “Please. Stay in contact. Tell me what’s wrong,” he cried, seeing her gaze fog over.
“Tessa?”
Her father rushed over to Cody and grabbed Tessa around the waist, throwing her arm around his shoulder. “What happened, Cody?”
“No idea. She just collapsed.”
“Tessa, stay with us.”
She groaned and with the barest of a whisper, she said. “It’s Deanna. She’s in trouble.”
Then as if a string was cut, Tessa collapsed.
*
Serus gasped and shifted his weight to catch his daughter more securely. “What the hell…?”
“I don’t know,” Cody cried out.
“What did she mean about Deanna being in trouble?” Serus snapped, trying to get Tessa on her feet again. He considered laying her down until she came out of her faint but didn’t want to let her go.
