Vampire in Chaos (26 page)

Wendy studied the
text that Tessa had sent.

She’d forwarded texts from Jared.

She understood the text, she just didn’t believe it. She opened the door to the hallway, wondering if Sian was around. She could just forward it to her and hope that she knew how to help find Jared’s friend. The thought of the blood farms recruiting anyone else for their new blood supply requirements made her stomach knot. She’d seen the horrors from Moltere’s Mountain and to consider that there were others – that had been hinted at – but not confirmed – made her skin crawl. Those teenagers who rescued them were her age. Human or vamp, it didn’t matter – they were young people trying to have a life. The damn assholes were putting a crimp in everyone’s plans. She looked back down the other way and sure enough, there was Sian racing toward her.

Wendy held up her phone.

Sian mimicked her actions. “I have Tessa and Jared’s messages now, too. I just got the text about the missing ambulance – did you?”

“Yes.”

“Why would they take a kid out of the home in the middle of the night?”

“I don’t know, but I think that if he didn’t show up at any of the local hospitals, private or public, we have to assume something bad has happened to him.”

Wendy snorted. “I assumed that as soon as I heard he’d been taken out while sleeping.”

“And over a man’s shoulder instead of carted out on a gurney.”

“So…?” Wendy took a deep breath and voiced her worst fears. “Are we thinking blood farm?”

Sian shrugged. “Not for sure. They might be part of an experimental group. We don’t know for sure what Tobias was doing at the home in the first place. We already know that place needs to be shut down. We can’t prove it, but I believe Jared’s story that he found two dead men there. Bodies that no one else saw.”

“Damn. So they are using the home to find victims for their purposes?”

“It could be worse. Those people in the home could be ongoing experiments.”

Wendy stared at her. “That’s horrible.” It was, in fact, much worse, but words failed her. She shook her head mutely. “How can we find out?”

“I’m going to give you access to some databases and see if you can track down the ambulance. Who owns it, who used it on the day in question. If there is a driver listed. Etcetera. There could be even a pick up and a drop off point.”

Wendy brightened. “I’d like that. I’d love to be able to nail this guy.”

“And hopefully recover those kids.”

Wendy smiled grimly. “Even better if we can catch the assholes that did this to them.”

*

Goran grinned as
he caught sight of his boy staking his claim. Not that Tessa was doing any fighting. She was looking all too happy to be in Cody’s arms.

Good boy.

He chuckled as he walked back to the ninth floor. One below where they’d been last time. Serus went to turn around and check on Tessa and Cody’s progress, but Goran hooked his arm around his and led him forward.

“They are coming.”

Serus grumbled but walked forward. “Yeah, before or after he kisses her.”

Goran’s laughter rippled free. “They are who they are. And it’s going to be good to watch them grow together.”

“Says you.”

They were so engrossed in their conversation that Goran didn’t realize until it was too late that they weren’t alone. He looked up in surprise to see several vamps relaxing along the walls. His steps slowed. “Well, well. Who do we have here?”

*

Jared picked up
his pace, trying to stick to the one side of the sidewalk, and made his way to the school. His mind churned. His gut was twisting with what he’d learned about his aunt. He desperately wanted a chance to study the papers and see what else he could find out. He wanted someone in the legal world to help him out. He needed help, and he didn’t know how to get it. Surely there was someone he could trust in the human realm. Maybe Taz knew someone? Would Tessa? Or would it be out of her league? What were the chances that a vamp would know a human lawyer?

“Damn.” There had to be a way forward. There had to be someone out there.

“Hey, Jared.”

He spun around to see Clarissa running to catch to up to him. “Hey,” he said, “I’m surprised to see you here.”

“Yeah, I was going to bring Tobias some of his work from school. But they said he wasn’t doing well this morning.” She frowned. “He looked so much better last night and when he asked for it, I thought I’d drop it off on my way to school.”

“Who said he wasn’t doing well?” Shit. Should he tell her? If so – tell her what?

She frowned and shrugged. “A different man than I saw there before, but I didn’t know him.” She grabbed his arm and tugged him to turn and face her. “Why?”

Worriedly, he stared at her. “I don’t know what it means.”

“What is it?”

He searched around the area, making sure no one was close enough to hear them. He lowered his voice. “They took him out of the home early this morning by ambulance.”

“What? Really?” She spun around to stare back the way she’d come. “Are you sure it was him?”

“Yes.”

“You saw him on the gurney? Close enough to make sure.”

“Yes. It was him. I know it.”

“Why wouldn’t they say something?”

Jared shrugged. “I don’t know? It’s possible they brought him back this morning, but I doubt it.”

“Why would they not tell me?”

He winced. “I just know I saw him taken away.”

“Okay then, I want to go to the hospital and find him.” She glanced down at her watch. “This really worries me. I think I’m going to go there now and see what I can find.” She turned around as if to reorient herself and figure out what direction she was trying to go. “I’ll be late for school again, but if he’s in trouble…” her voice trailed off as she took several steps in the direction of the hospital. “Look, I’ll see you later.” And she gave a half wave and walked away.

“Wait,” Jared called out.

Clarissa turned to look at him, but she continued to walk backwards. “What?”

“I’m coming with you.”

T
essa struggled against
Cody’s embrace, afraid they’d be seen.

Shh. They’re gone.

She stilled. Breaking contact, she snuck a look around behind her then over Cody’s shoulder. They were alone.

“I told you so.” Cody hauled her back into his arms. And laid his lips against her temple.

She peered up at him under her lashes. “I can’t believe they’re giving us a moment to ourselves. My dad has been watching us constantly. If he isn’t, someone else is.”

“To be expected. Besides, your father is handling us much better,” Cody said with a smile. “He’s worried about you.”

“True.” She twinkled up at him, “But he’s more worried about you.”

Cody chuckled. “And so he should be.”

She gasped, laughing.

And he couldn’t resist. He tugged her close, pinning her from thigh to shoulder and lowering his head once again. This time, knowing that she was alone with him for just a few moments, she returned his lighthearted passion with a fervor of her own.

She slid her hands up his chest to wrap around his neck and pressed herself closer. He coaxed her lips open, sliding his tongue into her mouth to tease and dance with hers. She lost herself in this world of heat, touch, sensations. Her blood pulsed, her heart swelled.

He deepened his kiss.

She moaned softly against his lips.

At the almost imperceptible sound, he eased his embrace, his lips no longer so demanding. They soothed as they stroked across hers, now swollen from his touch. Finally, he withdrew altogether to drop tiny kisses on her cheeks and closed eyelids. He buried his face in her hair and just held her close.

She shivered in the aftermath. “That was magic,” she murmured.

“No,” he murmured, a gentle laugh rumbling through him. “That was the merest of fairy dust. The true magic is yet to come.”

She tilted her head back so she could look up into his dark eyes and smiled. “In that case, I can’t wait.”

Heat flared in his eyes. As he went to lower his head again, she stepped back with a regretful smile. “I know you could make me forget where we are and what we are here for, but we shouldn’t…”

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and dropped his arms. “True. And since I can’t have you where I want you, I suggest we catch up with the others.”

“You mean before they come looking?” she asked dryly.

Chagrin washed over his face. “Definitely before then.”

She hooked her arm through his, and giggling like kids, they raced to catch up with the others.

*

The men stood
up to attention.

The aggressive look on their faces had Goran’s muscles bunching, and he could feel his jaw locking. “Looks like we’re going to have some fun.”

“Good,” Serus snarled. “I could use a good fight right now.”

“Hold up.” Motre said from behind them. “We let those guys off the tubing.”

Serus sighed. “Really? That’s no fun.”

“Damn,” Goran said. “We could use a good fight.”

“Then again,” Motre said, “Have you forgotten the size of that last group we tangled with? We got our butts kicked.”

“Hey, they weren’t that big.” Goran snorted. “I was fine.”

“Flat on your ass, you were fine.” Motre grinned at the glee on Serus’s face. “Especially once Ian landed beside you.”

“Harrumph.”

With the casual conversation keeping the other men confused as to why they were there, they reached the men before they had time to react.

“You guys look much better on your feet instead in that bed hooked up to a mess of tubes.”

The first man looked confused.

“That’s okay, you can still say thanks,” Serus said, a big grin on his face.

The first man smiled and nodded. “If you are the guys that woke us up, then thanks.”

“The real question is why you were there at all.” Goran asked. “Followed by the next question – why are you still here?”

The two men exchanged glances before looking back at Goran. “We weren’t sure if there was a reason why we were here. We can’t remember anything about how we got here. We aren’t injured as far as we can tell.”