message waiting for me. I didn’t recognize the number, but it read, “I saw your employee on the news today. I’m really sorry. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.” There were a few squiggles and stars surrounding the sender’s name. Lyn.
I smiled to myself. She would be the only one I knew to say that to me. She had sent it around midday, which meant Francesca hadn’t figured out how to pry her out of the house. At least she hadn’t before dawn. Tonight was another night. I hopped out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans.
Alex was lying on the rug in the middle of the living room. His phone was on his chest, and the television remote was in his hand. An anchorwoman was talking about some political scandal on the news, but he was just staring at the ceiling.
“Why isn’t anyone calling?” he asked in a dry, monotone voice.
I sat down in a chair and sighed. “I don’t know.”
His eyes were bloodshot. “The bus company still hasn’t heard anything.”
I didn’t know what to tell him. I had no answers. The company wasn’t able to get in touch with the driver. None of the pack were answering his calls. Whatever was going on wasn’t good.
“Everyone has gone out to feed,” he told me, breaking the silence. “They left just after dark so they could be back in case something happened.”
“How much sleep did you get?” I asked.
He forced himself to sit up on his elbows. “A few hours, on and off. Sarah called. You should know that Lyn’s ex-boyfriend had The Amaryllis searched earlier tonight. They’re probably going to try to pin it on you or something.”
I shook my head. Human laws were the last thing on my mind. Tonight I was going to find Francesca and rip her head off. There was no more time to waste. I got up and walked out the door. I had no idea how to find her, but I was going to look until dawn, and keep looking each night until I found her. At least the weather seemed to be holding up. There was no wind, no rain, and the sky was clear.
“Alone tonight?” Davis asked. He was leaning against the corner of the house in a navy blue suit. “Don’t worry; I’m here on my own too.”
I scanned the surrounding area, but he seemed to be telling the truth.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“Hmm.” His face lost any hint of humor “I came to apologize for last night. The Marquis explained the entire thing. I can’t say they were very remorseful, but they should be.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, looking him up and down. “What’s it to you if they’re dead?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “We are supposed to be getting you back without involving the locals. Phoenix wants to get on your good side.”
I laughed and started to walk away. “It doesn’t matter what he does. I’m not going back with you. The three of you need to get that through your heads and go back before I find where you’re staying and kill you.”
His forehead wrinkled. “Were you always this stubborn?”
“Yes,” I called over my shoulder.
“I know where they are staying.”
I stopped midstep. I knew that voice. I would recognize it anywhere. It was the one vampire I had been hoping to see again. I finally felt there was someone I could trust wholeheartedly. Sullivan’s coal gray eyes were lifeless and dull. Even his brown hair seemed to have lost some of its shine. He couldn’t possibly still be in mourning. I wanted to reach out and shake him back to normal. But nevertheless, it was good to have him by my side again, and I had to smile.
Davis laughed. “It really is a family reunion.”
“You know where they’re staying?” I asked, getting back on track.
Sullivan nodded. “There’s a house in Oyster Bay Cove that they’re using.”
That was out of my territory. The only way to get to them would be to piss off the vampires in the neighboring area. I didn’t need that at the moment. And I would never get permission to cross over and kill them, because that would upset
I smiled to myself. She would be the only one I knew to say that to me. She had sent it around midday, which meant Francesca hadn’t figured out how to pry her out of the house. At least she hadn’t before dawn. Tonight was another night. I hopped out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans.
Alex was lying on the rug in the middle of the living room. His phone was on his chest, and the television remote was in his hand. An anchorwoman was talking about some political scandal on the news, but he was just staring at the ceiling.
“Why isn’t anyone calling?” he asked in a dry, monotone voice.
I sat down in a chair and sighed. “I don’t know.”
His eyes were bloodshot. “The bus company still hasn’t heard anything.”
I didn’t know what to tell him. I had no answers. The company wasn’t able to get in touch with the driver. None of the pack were answering his calls. Whatever was going on wasn’t good.
“Everyone has gone out to feed,” he told me, breaking the silence. “They left just after dark so they could be back in case something happened.”
“How much sleep did you get?” I asked.
He forced himself to sit up on his elbows. “A few hours, on and off. Sarah called. You should know that Lyn’s ex-boyfriend had The Amaryllis searched earlier tonight. They’re probably going to try to pin it on you or something.”
I shook my head. Human laws were the last thing on my mind. Tonight I was going to find Francesca and rip her head off. There was no more time to waste. I got up and walked out the door. I had no idea how to find her, but I was going to look until dawn, and keep looking each night until I found her. At least the weather seemed to be holding up. There was no wind, no rain, and the sky was clear.
“Alone tonight?” Davis asked. He was leaning against the corner of the house in a navy blue suit. “Don’t worry; I’m here on my own too.”
I scanned the surrounding area, but he seemed to be telling the truth.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“Hmm.” His face lost any hint of humor “I came to apologize for last night. The Marquis explained the entire thing. I can’t say they were very remorseful, but they should be.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, looking him up and down. “What’s it to you if they’re dead?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “We are supposed to be getting you back without involving the locals. Phoenix wants to get on your good side.”
I laughed and started to walk away. “It doesn’t matter what he does. I’m not going back with you. The three of you need to get that through your heads and go back before I find where you’re staying and kill you.”
His forehead wrinkled. “Were you always this stubborn?”
“Yes,” I called over my shoulder.
“I know where they are staying.”
I stopped midstep. I knew that voice. I would recognize it anywhere. It was the one vampire I had been hoping to see again. I finally felt there was someone I could trust wholeheartedly. Sullivan’s coal gray eyes were lifeless and dull. Even his brown hair seemed to have lost some of its shine. He couldn’t possibly still be in mourning. I wanted to reach out and shake him back to normal. But nevertheless, it was good to have him by my side again, and I had to smile.
Davis laughed. “It really is a family reunion.”
“You know where they’re staying?” I asked, getting back on track.
Sullivan nodded. “There’s a house in Oyster Bay Cove that they’re using.”
That was out of my territory. The only way to get to them would be to piss off the vampires in the neighboring area. I didn’t need that at the moment. And I would never get permission to cross over and kill them, because that would upset
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