by Dale Mayer
“Earlier, Deanna spoke to Tessa telepathically – and slammed the door shut between Tessa and I. I couldn’t open it at all.”
“What?” Serus stared at Cody in shock, his mind racing.
“She’s really strong.”
Serus started. He considered how strong someone would have to be to do what Deanna had done to Tessa and how strong Tessa would have to have been to survive the onslaught.
“Did she collapse then like she’d done now?”
Cody shook his head like mad. “Not like this. It hit her hard for the initial moments then she was fine. She had a conversation with her. Several in fact.”
Serus studied his young face. “And she didn’t show any reaction?”
“A mild one, but not like this.” He shifted his weight. “How long is she likely to be out?”
With a frown, Serus had to ask that question himself. He didn’t know. “Shouldn’t be long.”
“Why would Deanna have called Tessa?”
David, having checked out the several rooms around them, returned to lean against the wall and said, “Because she could. Either Tessa’s door was open so she could talk to her, or she was the only one close enough to hear Deanna’s transmission.”
Tessa moaned.
“Easy, Tessa,” Serus crooned against her head. He shifted her weight slowly, trying to get her to tilt her head up.
“Tessa. Wake up.”
She moaned again louder.
Serus studied her face, her head tilted to his side, her pallor ashen and her cheekbones strong and lean. Damn Deanna. What was her game? And why his daughter? He didn’t have a reason to not trust her, but he wished she’d contacted anyone else but Tessa.
Still, it was Tessa who’d been the one to step in Deanna’s space. And no one could call Deanna stupid. And neither could anyone ever say Tessa was weak. A few weeks ago, a few people might have made that mistake – not him – he prided on knowing his daughter had always been stubborn and strong–willed. Right from birth, she’d been determined to follow her brothers in whatever trouble they’d gotten into. They’d tried to discourage her, but she’d never listened. They’d had a hell of a time with her. Like the first time she’d gotten loose while they’d slept and had run outside the house – in the daytime.
To this day, he didn’t know how she’d managed to open the door. The security system had been on and the light said it was working. Rhia had gone to bed, but he’d been in the study. Until he heard the door and had raced out to the hallway to find Tessa laughing and dancing outside – wearing only a diaper and the biggest smile possible – in the bright sunshine.
He’d screamed for Rhia. As she’d come running, so had her brothers.
They’d stood in shock and terror as Tessa had run and jumped in joy, enjoying her first time in the open sunlight – something no one else in the family had ever experienced.
Rhia had stood by helplessly, confusion all over her face. Her brothers had been shocked to silence. Serus, well, he’d grabbed up his coat, hat, and gloves and had gone out into the sunshine to play with his daughter.
As he stared at her, so grown up and so confident – at the same time – so vulnerable at this moment, his heart ached for the little girl he’d spent so much time protecting from sunlight only to realize she hadn’t needed it in the first place.
As if on cue, she moaned again and this time her eyes fluttered. She was a long ways from being alert. He glanced down the hallway. “We should move into a room and out of the public eye.”
Tessa shook her head, more like a puppy shaking off water, as if shaking off Deanna’s voice. “Too late,” she muttered, her voice slow and slurry. “Cameras.”
“Shit,” Cody said. “I never gave them a thought.” With his free hand, he pointed up to the corner of the wall arch. “She pointed it out earlier.”
Cameras? Serus hadn’t considered that. Not that it made much difference at this point. “David, let Motre know about the cameras and about Tessa.”
Mentally, he gave Goran a quick rundown.
“I already have.” David motioned to Tessa. “Is she going to be able to move anytime soon? Or should we lay her down in one of the rooms and you can stay with her while Cody and I search the rest of the floor?”
Cody opened his mouth to protest but choked back the words.
Serus gave Tessa a shake. She mumbled, “I’m fine.”
“Like hell you are.”
David’s phone rang. He pulled it out while Tessa made an attempt to stand. She gave another shake of her head. And this time, she struggled to lower her arms. “I’m going to be fine. I just need a moment.”
“Or ten,” Serus snapped, but he kept a supportive arm around her waist. He watched David grin and close his phone. David turned to the end of the hallway and motioned. Motre, Ian, and Goran were standing there.
Tessa took one step then another on her own. Serus watched the color come back to her face and awareness back into her eyes.
She smiled at Cody. “Good, now we’re all here, we can go help Deanna.”
In unison, all three men said. “Like hell.”
*
Jared lay shaking under the covers as the clock slowly turned. He couldn’t help thinking that he was in danger again. He was already cursing himself for being a fool. And yet what were his choices? What was he supposed to do at this point? He didn’t want to go to a foster home. He wanted to stay with the people he knew. The people he trusted. He pulled out his phone and checked to see if he had any texts.
He needed to contact the group of friends who’d been here last night. Let them know that Tobias had been moved. If he was being moved. Had the ambulance even left? He couldn’t get rid of the feeling that they might have seen him. And what was he going to do about it? Shit. He looked around his small room and took a deep breath. He got up, packed up his few belongings, and sat on the bed. He’d love a shower – but was it safe? It seemed a long time ago since it was safe. Undecided, tired, but too wired to relax, he rocked back and forth, a blanket now around his shoulders as he tried to concoct a plan. Like what the hell was he supposed to do?
Just when he’d started to relax and figured out that maybe he was going to be okay, there was a soft knock on Jared’s door.
He swallowed hard, a nervous panic filling his blood. He didn’t answer.
“Jared? Are you awake?”
He huddled deeper into the corner of his bed, his gaze locked on the door handle and the chair jammed underneath.
“Jared? You there?” This time, there was no pretense at being quiet. And it was definitely the manager’s voice. “Jared. Time to get up for school.”
Jared looked at his watch.
Shit. It was seven. How the hell had the time gone by so quickly? He must have dozed off.
The manager was right. It was time to go.
The only question remaining was time to go where?
Chapter 11
Tessa couldn’t help the shudder of pain that raced down her spine as the voices around her rose. She wished she had a way of explaining, but the fact that Deanna had almost crippled her with the force of her entry and exit said a lot about the vamp’s methodology. But the men weren’t listening to Tessa, and neither could they hear Deanna. And she had no choice but to listen, otherwise Deanna could cripple her again.
There’d been no malice in Deanna’s actions. More fear. Panic. Desperation.
Tessa reached up a hand to rub her temples, her nerves ragged and frayed, screaming at her now. They had to go help Deanna. There was no option here.
Just then David snapped, “We have to find Jewel first.”
“First, yes,” Ian said. “But I want to go and see Wendy.”
“Tessa needs to lie down for a bit,” Cody said. She rolled her eyes at him.
“Forget the others,” Motre growled at everyone. “This is bigger than before. Like way bigger now.”
Finally, her father snapped. “Enough!” he said in a roar loud enou
gh that the rest of the German delegates should have been able to hear him in their home country. She couldn’t hold back the cry of pain as his voice thundered through her head.
Instantly, Cody wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her closer.
She nestled in.
Into the silence, she whispered, “If you want to split up, fine, but I have no choice. Deanna is going to be able to cripple me no matter what I’m doing if it’s not what she wants me to do. And I don’t think distance is going to help.”
The others stopped their muttering. Serus said, “Fine. Deanna really has left us no choice then.”
“And the Germans?”
Cody asked, “Any idea if the Nordic clan is here? Or the Asians? What about the African clan?”
Tessa turned slightly so she could see Motre’s head shake. “Would you know?” she asked in a quiet voice. “Could you recognize them all?”
“All of them? No. Some of them, yes,” Motre said. “So far I’ve only seen the German group.”
“We’ve only checked part of this floor. While I stay here and rest, you should do a fast sweep of the floor, see if Jewel is here or anyone else we know so we can see what we’re dealing with. There’s no way the others don’t know what we’re up to with the cameras running the whole time.”
“Let them,” growled Goran. “I’d be happy to tell them how I personally feel.”
He walked over to the first door, Serus at his heels, and in a systematic method, the four men carried out a search of the rest of the floor. As the hallway was broken into long segments, and from the size of it, could likely house a hundred and fifty or more patients to the floor, she highly suspected that there could be other delegates found soon too. She could believe that the Germans would willingly want the offer of superiority through enhancements, but she couldn’t be sure they were here of their own free will. They could just as easily be prisoners like her friends had been. If the blood farm assholes managed to collect all the DNA of all the ancients available throughout the world, who knew what kind of nightmare they’d create in the name of science?
“Are you okay?” Cody had kept his arms around Tessa, holding her up.
She straightened again and moved her head around slightly. “Yes, for the moment. It’s scary though. There’s nothing like knowing someone can jump into your mind and take you out without warning.”
“And given that she can do that, she’s got a hell of a weapon to use on anyone. If she can use it on anyone – it’s a crazy good self–defense, too.” He waited a bit then said, “So why does she need you to help?”
“I think that’s what she can do, but I’m not sure.” Tessa stopped to consider what she instinctively understood but was struggling to put into words. “I think it only hurt because she more or less shoved her way in. In her panic, she blasted at me instead of spoke to me.” She shrugged. “Like a slap in the face instead of a hey you.”
“So that’s why you didn’t get knocked out the first time she talked to you?”
“Exactly.” She smiled up at him. “She’s powerful. Incredibly powerful.”
“I think I remember my father mentioning her and her husband in the past. Something about being the strongest of us all. And the oldest.”
“That’s what she said. The oldest generation being the strongest, with all others becoming more diluted as each new generation came along,” she murmured. Experimentally, she took several steps around him, her hand on his arm for support just in case she needed it. She shifted her body and neck from side to side. “I think I’m back to normal now.”
“Good. Any idea how to help Deanna?”
“Not really. She told me where she’s being kept.” She stretched, only to step back in surprise as Cody stepped in front of her.
“Really? Why didn’t you say something?”
At his raised voice, she groaned slightly, her hands coming up to clasp over her ears. “Shh. And the answer is because I haven’t really had a chance to recover yet.” Then she sighed heavily and added, “And because of where she is.”
That stalled the words about to explode from his mouth. Instead, he sighed. “Sorry.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. He stepped back and eyed her carefully. “So where is Deanna?”
Tessa stared at him, then sadly said, “She’s in the morgue.”
*
Cody stared at Tessa, not sure he’d heard correctly. “Are you telling me she’s dead?” And how that could be, he didn’t know. But there was a surge of relief washing through him at the thought. He didn’t like her being able to slam the door between him and Tessa closed like she’d done. Hurting Tessa was another big no no. Still, given the atrocities he’d seen, he wouldn’t wish her fate on anyone. He doubted she’d gone down easy. “She might be just a prisoner in that room.”
Tessa stared at him, and damn if her bottom lip didn’t tremble. He tugged her back into his arms. “You think she’s dead, don’t you?”
Tessa’s slim shoulders shifted. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice muffled against his shirt. “But something is very wrong. And I know time is an issue.”
The others were almost done. “We’ll be able to go soon.”
Sure enough, the ancients walked back toward them, with David and Ian, heads bent, trailing behind.
“There are many vamps here. Same as upstairs,” More said, “I don’t recognize any of the foreign delegates, but I can’t be sure.”
Serus said, “There’s no sign of Jewel.”
Cody waited.
Serus looked at Tessa and frowned. “I know you want to go off after Deanna, so David will join Goran and Motre and keep going floor by floor, I’m going with you and Cody to find Deanna if…” he paused and fixed his long considering gaze on her wan features. “If you know where she is.”
Tessa winced, but in a clear strong voice, she explained the little bit she’d heard from Deanna.
“The morgue?” Motre exclaimed. “Damn. I never even thought to look there. That’s a great place to start.”
“And as such,” Serus said, “We’ll go to the bottom where the morgue level is and slowly work our way up.”
Goran stared at Tessa’s face before switching his gaze to Cody. “Son, you okay with this?”
Cody nodded. “Yes, sir. She thinks Deanna is still alive but that she’s running out of time.”
“And she could quite possibly be. Let’s go.” Serus headed down the hallway, calling back, “And you guys, check in constantly. Goran, keep the mind link open. We need to know where each group is and what they are up against at all times.”
Tessa ran to catch up to her father, a smile on her face. “Thanks, Dad.”
He shrugged. “You were going to go no matter what I said. This way I can at least try to keep an eye on you – maybe keep you safe.”
Tessa tossed a rolling eye look at Cody. He laughed.
“At least he knows you, Tessa.”
“That he does.” She reached out a hand. Cody grabbed it and they headed to the elevators.
*
Jewel placed her ear against the locked door. She heard loud voices outside, but they were far enough away to not identify the tone or the speakers. She shuddered. She’d been curled up on the corner of the bed, wondering, worrying when she’d heard voices.
She glanced around the small room, thinking there couldn’t be anything good about waking up in a small room on her own.
What had happened to the nice big room where there’d been lots of other people to see and feel comforted in knowing she wasn’t alone? She looked around her room once again. There were no windows, just empty shelves as if they’d hastily converted this room for her. Why? She hadn’t done anything to them.
Of course she’d been involved with Tessa and that whole blood farm mess, but waking up isolated like this was the first indication that she’d been in trouble. At least she couldn’t get the concept that she was in trouble out of her head. However now that she’d said something about b
eing isolated, she had to wonder if that was exactly what they’d done. But for a good reason. As in she’d been infected. Or contagious, or they were concerned that she might be.
There was no name on her bed or the wall. No buzzer to contact anyone for help. There was nothing. She sat back down on the corner of her bed and wondered something else. She’d been here for hours – without a bathroom. In her old room, there’d been a large bathroom with a shower. Now… there was nothing.
The only door in and the only door out was the one right in front of her. She didn’t need the bathroom yet, but now that the concept had been brought up, she’d have to go soon. A loud noise outside had her racing to the doorway. Crap. Why couldn’t they speak louder so she could hear what was going on?
“Then again, Jewel, why haven’t you called out or pounded on the door so someone lets you out of here?” she whispered out loud, finding comfort in the sound of her voice.
Because she was afraid. If she was here and forgotten, then she was safe. If she brought attention to herself, then she had no idea who’d open the door.
The voices grew louder. She got up and crept into the corner of the room.
She had no idea who was coming, and she had no weapons but her own brains. However, as she’d found out this last couple of weeks, thanks to Tessa, that was more than enough in most cases. She shrunk into a tiny ball and waited for the person to unlock her door.
This was her ticket to freedom. She’d be damned if she’d waste it.
*
Goran hated to see them split up. Are you sure this is a good idea, Serus?
Hell no, it isn’t. But if she thinks Deanna is either dead, dying, or lying in trouble, she’s going to go regardless of what I say. I just want to keep her safe, and the only way to do this is to go with her. I’m hoping we can be done in a half hour. Be back here soon.
Yeah, but I doubt it.
Serus snorted. I know. Nothing is ever easy. He hesitated.
Goran’s senses sharpened. What’s up?
