light.
“Alex?” He walked down the short hall to the bedroom. The door was open, and it was obvious the room was empty. No sound of the shower running. No sounds at all. “Shit…”
Tommy glanced at his watch. Eleven. Too early for Andrew to be up and about, but he might just be awake. He pulled out his cell and punched in Andrew’s number.
“Yes, Tommy?”
“Hi, sorry to bother you this early, but I got to the station and Alex quit his job. I’m over at his place and he’s not here. His car is, but he’s not.”
“Are there signs of a struggle? Anything out of place?” Andrew asked.
“No, everything looks okay. Did you…did you sense anything wrong with him last night? I know you can pick up on stuff like that real easy.”
“No, I did not. He seemed quite free of any kind of angst, or indecision. In fact, I would say he is a most uncomplicated man. Of course, you know him better, Tommy.”
“No, no, I agree. Alex is kinda happy-go-lucky most of the time. This is just so unlike him, you know?”
“I understand your concern, but…” The hesitation in Andrew’s voice drew Tommy to alertness.
“What? You did sense something, didn’t you?”
“Tommy, I…”
“ Andrew .” Tommy narrowed his eyes as he continued. “If you suspect something, you have to tell me what it is! Alex is my best friend and—”
www.total-e-bound.com
BLOOD LUST
J.P. Bowie
69
“Yes, I know. It’s just that, gods, Tommy—Marcus doesn’t want any of our mortal friends involved in what might happen.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Dakar, Tommy. Marcus has been informed by a fairly reliable source that Dakar is recruiting, or rather enslaving humans to help him usurp Lord Kardis, the ruler of the demon underworld. Then he plans to take on Marcus and his loyal followers.”
“But what has this to do with Alex?” Tommy drew in a sharp breath. “You mean…?
Oh, God, you think Dakar might have taken Alex?”
“Well, is it not a rather strange coincidence that we saw him in conversation with Dakar last night, then he mysteriously disappears after quitting his job?”
“Damn that fucking demon! I’ll kill the son of a bitch if he hurts Alex.”
“Tommy, calm down. We don’t know for certain that’s what happened. First, we have to find out just where Dakar is, and where he is keeping his recruits. I will contact Marcus.
Perhaps his demon friend, Constantine, can be of some help.”
“Yeah, another demon. How does Marcus know he can trust this guy?”
Andrew sighed. “Demons can never be trusted. They are inveterate liars, but Constantine owes his life to Marcus, and because of Marcus he has vampire blood in his veins. I have to believe that Constantine is as loyal as any demon can possibly be.”
“You’re not exactly filling me with confidence here,” Tommy said, grimacing.
“Can you come home, Tommy? I can’t go out yet, and the phone is not the best way to deal with this.”
“Right. I’m going to root around for any kind of clue here, then I’ll ask Chief if I can have the rest of the day off. Don’t know how difficult it’ll be with Alex gone, but I’ll do my best.”
Andrew closed his cell phone and fell back on the bed with a groan. The lethargy that all vampires endured until near dusk made it difficult for him to function at his full capacity.
He could, however, move about the darkened apartment and he could communicate his fears to Marcus and the others.
If Constantine was indeed a reliable source—and at this point Andrew had no reason to doubt he was, given his and Marcus’ history—then it might very well be that Alex had been abducted by Dakar and his minion, Arturo, along with who knew how many more humans.
www.total-e-bound.com
BLOOD LUST
J.P. Bowie
70
This would make things very much more difficult for Tommy, if his best friend was allied with the enemy.
He sent out a warning to Marcus and all vampires within reach of his mind.
“Alex?” He walked down the short hall to the bedroom. The door was open, and it was obvious the room was empty. No sound of the shower running. No sounds at all. “Shit…”
Tommy glanced at his watch. Eleven. Too early for Andrew to be up and about, but he might just be awake. He pulled out his cell and punched in Andrew’s number.
“Yes, Tommy?”
“Hi, sorry to bother you this early, but I got to the station and Alex quit his job. I’m over at his place and he’s not here. His car is, but he’s not.”
“Are there signs of a struggle? Anything out of place?” Andrew asked.
“No, everything looks okay. Did you…did you sense anything wrong with him last night? I know you can pick up on stuff like that real easy.”
“No, I did not. He seemed quite free of any kind of angst, or indecision. In fact, I would say he is a most uncomplicated man. Of course, you know him better, Tommy.”
“No, no, I agree. Alex is kinda happy-go-lucky most of the time. This is just so unlike him, you know?”
“I understand your concern, but…” The hesitation in Andrew’s voice drew Tommy to alertness.
“What? You did sense something, didn’t you?”
“Tommy, I…”
“ Andrew .” Tommy narrowed his eyes as he continued. “If you suspect something, you have to tell me what it is! Alex is my best friend and—”
www.total-e-bound.com
BLOOD LUST
J.P. Bowie
69
“Yes, I know. It’s just that, gods, Tommy—Marcus doesn’t want any of our mortal friends involved in what might happen.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Dakar, Tommy. Marcus has been informed by a fairly reliable source that Dakar is recruiting, or rather enslaving humans to help him usurp Lord Kardis, the ruler of the demon underworld. Then he plans to take on Marcus and his loyal followers.”
“But what has this to do with Alex?” Tommy drew in a sharp breath. “You mean…?
Oh, God, you think Dakar might have taken Alex?”
“Well, is it not a rather strange coincidence that we saw him in conversation with Dakar last night, then he mysteriously disappears after quitting his job?”
“Damn that fucking demon! I’ll kill the son of a bitch if he hurts Alex.”
“Tommy, calm down. We don’t know for certain that’s what happened. First, we have to find out just where Dakar is, and where he is keeping his recruits. I will contact Marcus.
Perhaps his demon friend, Constantine, can be of some help.”
“Yeah, another demon. How does Marcus know he can trust this guy?”
Andrew sighed. “Demons can never be trusted. They are inveterate liars, but Constantine owes his life to Marcus, and because of Marcus he has vampire blood in his veins. I have to believe that Constantine is as loyal as any demon can possibly be.”
“You’re not exactly filling me with confidence here,” Tommy said, grimacing.
“Can you come home, Tommy? I can’t go out yet, and the phone is not the best way to deal with this.”
“Right. I’m going to root around for any kind of clue here, then I’ll ask Chief if I can have the rest of the day off. Don’t know how difficult it’ll be with Alex gone, but I’ll do my best.”
Andrew closed his cell phone and fell back on the bed with a groan. The lethargy that all vampires endured until near dusk made it difficult for him to function at his full capacity.
He could, however, move about the darkened apartment and he could communicate his fears to Marcus and the others.
If Constantine was indeed a reliable source—and at this point Andrew had no reason to doubt he was, given his and Marcus’ history—then it might very well be that Alex had been abducted by Dakar and his minion, Arturo, along with who knew how many more humans.
www.total-e-bound.com
BLOOD LUST
J.P. Bowie
70
This would make things very much more difficult for Tommy, if his best friend was allied with the enemy.
He sent out a warning to Marcus and all vampires within reach of his mind.
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