the Inn before Niki considered going off without him.
He dropped Chase off, but before he could pull out, Becky’s voice came over the radio.
“ Sheriff?”
“ Here.”
“ There’s been a disturbance at the Inn.”
His heart thumped heavily. “What kind of disturbance?”
“ A room was broken into and trashed, the lady renting it nowhere to be found.”
His mouth dried. “Room number?”
“ 113.”
He cursed. “I’m on my way.”
Shane sped down the road, worry pushing him to break all safety limits. When he pulled to a dusty stop at the Inn, Molly hovered near the room’s broken door. She tried to smile when she saw him.
“ Sheriff. How are you?”
“ What happened?”
Her smile turned to a scowl at his brusqueness, but he didn’t particularly care at the moment.
“ I just got here to open for the night and found this mess.”
Shane headed to the next room, banging on the door.
“ She’s not there. I checked.”
“ Did anyone see her or the kid leave?”
Molly shook her head. “Jimmy’s out with the flu, so no one was in the lobby today.”
“ Lock the doors. Call Deputy Campton out to search the room and document the damage.”
Molly pouted. “Where are you going?”
Shane bent down in front of the broken door and laid his hands in the gravel. He unfocused his eyes until the auras appeared.
Almost faded, he caught thin strands heading from the destroyed room. Three were tinged pink with gray flecks, which would have been the maroon of vampires if they’d been fresher. Another dark gray could have been the kid. The last was a silvery-blue.
Shifter? What had one of the pack been doing here?
He followed the aura threads to the trees surrounding the Inn. Taking Niki’s dagger from his pocket, he watched the flickering glow. It was still tied to the stubborn woman who hadn’t waited for him. He’d have to track her again, and she was going to get an earful.
***
Niki emerged from the forest on the edge of a small farm. The house looked old, deserted. Dingy gray paint had nearly peeled away, though every window was freshly blackened. Tall weeds wrapped around the porch. The steps were cracked, one missing, two others broken.
She jumped up to the porch, landing lightly without a sound.
Inside the house, Robby screamed. It couldn’t be him. She’d made sure he was safe. Hadn’t she? Niki rushed the door, barreling into the dark interior.
More screams echoed below the floorboards.
Her eyes adjusted almost immediately and Niki glanced around the room. Empty but for a few scraps of wood and cloth. She slipped down a hall, into the kitchen. A doorway led into deeper darkness. The musty, damp scent drifting up from a basement told her where to go.
She headed down rickety stairs in silence.
As far as she could tell, no one was there. Yet the screams...
She stepped from the stairs and onto hard-packed earth. A light flashed on and she blinked at the glare. In the center of the room, on a small wooden table, lay a tape recorder, continuing to play. Robby’s tortured, pain filled whimpers filled the basement.
“ You shouldn’t steal from other people, m’dear.” Thomas’ voice interrupted the recorded screams, sending shivers down her skin. “The boy belongs to me. Don’t worry, he’ll be properly punished for daring to escape. As for you, we’ll have our showdown soon. I do hope you are as excited as I am.”
The tape clicked off. Niki growled, picking it up and throwing it at the wall. It shattered, bits of metal and plastic and tape scattering on the floor. After a few deep breaths, she studied the basement. Chains were embedded all over the walls.
The stink of vampire was heavy.
But she was too late.
Thomas was long gone. Her fists clenched and she took another deep breath to keep from screaming.
At least her sire no longer had the boy to torture. And Thomas would never get him from the King’s protection. She searched for any clue, no matter how
He dropped Chase off, but before he could pull out, Becky’s voice came over the radio.
“ Sheriff?”
“ Here.”
“ There’s been a disturbance at the Inn.”
His heart thumped heavily. “What kind of disturbance?”
“ A room was broken into and trashed, the lady renting it nowhere to be found.”
His mouth dried. “Room number?”
“ 113.”
He cursed. “I’m on my way.”
Shane sped down the road, worry pushing him to break all safety limits. When he pulled to a dusty stop at the Inn, Molly hovered near the room’s broken door. She tried to smile when she saw him.
“ Sheriff. How are you?”
“ What happened?”
Her smile turned to a scowl at his brusqueness, but he didn’t particularly care at the moment.
“ I just got here to open for the night and found this mess.”
Shane headed to the next room, banging on the door.
“ She’s not there. I checked.”
“ Did anyone see her or the kid leave?”
Molly shook her head. “Jimmy’s out with the flu, so no one was in the lobby today.”
“ Lock the doors. Call Deputy Campton out to search the room and document the damage.”
Molly pouted. “Where are you going?”
Shane bent down in front of the broken door and laid his hands in the gravel. He unfocused his eyes until the auras appeared.
Almost faded, he caught thin strands heading from the destroyed room. Three were tinged pink with gray flecks, which would have been the maroon of vampires if they’d been fresher. Another dark gray could have been the kid. The last was a silvery-blue.
Shifter? What had one of the pack been doing here?
He followed the aura threads to the trees surrounding the Inn. Taking Niki’s dagger from his pocket, he watched the flickering glow. It was still tied to the stubborn woman who hadn’t waited for him. He’d have to track her again, and she was going to get an earful.
***
Niki emerged from the forest on the edge of a small farm. The house looked old, deserted. Dingy gray paint had nearly peeled away, though every window was freshly blackened. Tall weeds wrapped around the porch. The steps were cracked, one missing, two others broken.
She jumped up to the porch, landing lightly without a sound.
Inside the house, Robby screamed. It couldn’t be him. She’d made sure he was safe. Hadn’t she? Niki rushed the door, barreling into the dark interior.
More screams echoed below the floorboards.
Her eyes adjusted almost immediately and Niki glanced around the room. Empty but for a few scraps of wood and cloth. She slipped down a hall, into the kitchen. A doorway led into deeper darkness. The musty, damp scent drifting up from a basement told her where to go.
She headed down rickety stairs in silence.
As far as she could tell, no one was there. Yet the screams...
She stepped from the stairs and onto hard-packed earth. A light flashed on and she blinked at the glare. In the center of the room, on a small wooden table, lay a tape recorder, continuing to play. Robby’s tortured, pain filled whimpers filled the basement.
“ You shouldn’t steal from other people, m’dear.” Thomas’ voice interrupted the recorded screams, sending shivers down her skin. “The boy belongs to me. Don’t worry, he’ll be properly punished for daring to escape. As for you, we’ll have our showdown soon. I do hope you are as excited as I am.”
The tape clicked off. Niki growled, picking it up and throwing it at the wall. It shattered, bits of metal and plastic and tape scattering on the floor. After a few deep breaths, she studied the basement. Chains were embedded all over the walls.
The stink of vampire was heavy.
But she was too late.
Thomas was long gone. Her fists clenched and she took another deep breath to keep from screaming.
At least her sire no longer had the boy to torture. And Thomas would never get him from the King’s protection. She searched for any clue, no matter how
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