Bang, bang-bang, bang …
A strange sensation went through her, as if the only things that existed in the world were her, the wind and the broken sign.
Bang, bang-bang, bang …
The sign continued to lift and fall, hitting the window with more force.
Am I doing this?
The broken sign had caught the attention of the others in the room as well, and even Ryan had stopped talking and was now chewing his lower lip nervously. Was this enough of a distraction for her to get to Mr. Callaghan? She turned her head slightly and caught him staring at her. No, not yet. He would see her coming.
She switched her attention back to the window. She didn’t think it was her imagination, but the wind had lulled slightly when she’d been looking at Ryan’s dad.
Harder, she willed. Stronger.
The sign lifted again and slammed back into the glass. At the table, Mary gave a little cry of alarm and half got to her feet, her eyes wide in the direction of the window.
Again, Elizabeth thought. Harder! Harder!
The result was like an explosion. The sign hit and glass burst inward like confetti, showering the inhabitants. Mary shrieked and even the men cried out in shock. Broken glass, wind and rain blasted into the room and, automatically, everyone lifted their arms to protect their faces.
Having had some idea about what was about to happen, Elizabeth had quickly turned away from the implosion, leaving only her back exposed. But she couldn’t waste any time and she took her chance. With everyone preoccupied, she spun back around, dived forward and grabbed Ryan’s father by the wrist. He turned to look down at her, his eyes wide with surprise. Tiny shards of glass glinted from his hair and flecked over his fair skin.
A series of images flashed in her head: a big, doublewide trailer with cream leather couches along the walls. A person-sized bundle lying under a blanket, starting to twitch. Sebastian crouched over a body, red blood on his lips. Her, Elizabeth, as a child, curled up in the corner of the couch, crying.
She sensed the man’s horror at what was happening in that moment in his past, but beneath the horror, something else had sparked—a strange, warped interest took hold in his heart. Something about the situation had caught him, spoken to a dark and twisted part of him he’d not given voice to before.
Everything changed that day.
Conner.
The realization made her gasp and she let go of his wrist and stumbled backward, away from him. Her eyes strained as she stared at him, her brain trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle.
She knew his identity now. They’d met before, though she didn’t have any idea what he was doing here now or what he wanted from her. She also didn’t understand his son’s involvement. Ryan was obviously older than her, yet he’d told her his mother was a vampire. That would mean his father had been with a vampire. Yet, she remembered their attitude toward vampires on the horrible day when Sebastian had killed Bridget; it was an attitude that had existed even before that awful event. They had hated vampires, hadn’t even wanted to help her because of Sebastian. How could Ryan have a vampire for a mother when they’d made it so clear that they hated vampires?
Where did Ryan fit in?
It doesn’t matter, she decided. They must have some other agenda than the one they’d told her. She needed to contact her parents and have them come get her. But she had the sinking sensation that Conner and his people weren’t going to offer her a ride or just allow her to walk out of here and place a call.
Conner was staring at her, his gray eyes hard and knowing. He would realize she’d placed him from before, that she was on to him.
Can I make a dive for the broken window? Could she use some of her additional speed and strength and make a run for it?
But Conner must have seen her gaze shifting to the broken window and click onto what she was thinking. He spun around to the others. “Come on and help me get this covered up,” he barked at them. He turned to Elizabeth. “Why don’t you go and sit down.”
“I’m fine standing,” she said.
His eyes narrowed. “I said, sit down!”
Her insides twisted and she reluctantly took a couple of steps backward. The backs of her legs bumped against the edge of the bed, forcing her to sit.
Conner, Ryan and the other man, Liam, all pushed and shoved the wardrobe into the open spot where the window had been. Glass crunched underfoot, though the men ignored it. The big piece of furniture blocked out the worst of the storm and her route for escape.
Elizabeth did her best not to touch the phone in her pocket and clutched her hands in her lap. Her palms seemed to be itching to defy her brain. She was desperate not to call attention to the presence of her cell while simultaneously feeling like it stood out, impossible for them not to notice.
She caught Ryan looking at her, his mouth a thin line. But it wasn’t the cool ice of anger she saw in his pale blue eyes, but something softer, closer to pity. He must know she had her phone on her. After all, she’d called him from the street. Did he feel sorry for her? Did he not want to be involved in whatever the hell their plans were for her? She was pretty certain at this point that her reason for being here had nothing to do with helping her.
So what else could they want?
A small bathroom was through an adjoining door. If she could get a few minutes alone, she could try to contact her mom. While she wouldn’t be able to place a call, as they were bound to hear her, she could at least send a text.
She chewed on her bottom lip, trying to pick her moment. Things had calmed down since the window had blown in, everyone retaking their positions around the room. Ryan’s cheerful chatter had ceased, as though he realized Elizabeth’s touch on his father’s arm had revealed the truth of who they really were.
She swallowed her nerves and drummed up the courage to open her mouth. “I’m sorry,” she said, half getting to her feet. “But I need to pee something bad.”
Conner and Ryan both rose with her.
“You’re not going in there alone,” said Conner.
She grimaced. “I’m a big girl now. I don’t need help going to the bathroom.”
“Maybe not, but something might happen.”
“Like what?” She couldn’t help the sarcasm sharpening her tone.
“Like another window blowing in.” He jerked his head toward Mary. “You can take her.”
Elizabeth lifted her hands. “No way. I don’t need someone coming to the bathroom with me.” She remembered something. “It’s my time of the month. Can’t a girl have some privacy?”
The men exchanged a glance, any mention of female problems always guaranteed to make a guy feel awkward.
“Fine,” said Conner. “But leave the door open a crack so Mary knows you’ve not locked it.”
That would have to do. “Fine,” she huffed.
She’d turned her phone off after she’d called Ryan, knowing her mom would probably have found her gone by now and would have been calling every couple of minutes, frantic and trying to find out where she was. As soon as she turned the phone on, it would play a standard tune, but she couldn’t do anything about that.
She went into the bathroom and shut the door behind her, making sure the door was as closed as possible without the latch clicking into place. Not wasting any time, she pulled her cell from her pocket and pressed the power button. With her heart pounding, she shoved the phone under her sweater and quickly flushed the toilet, trying to cover the noise. She hoped they’d think she’d just encountered a dirty bowl.
The phone came on, the electronic music faint but audible. She froze, waiting for Conner to come crashing through the door because he’d heard, but no movement came. The storm outside had at least gone some way to hiding the already muffled sound.
She carefully dropped the lid and sat down on the toilet and quickly started to key in a message to her mom’s phone. She tried to remember the name of the place; Happy Stay Motel, she thought, or something similar, bu
t she couldn’t be sure. Then she saw it, embroidered into the corner of the hand towel hung on a rail beside the sink: Happy Rest Motel.
Suddenly a high-pitched beep-beep filled the small room. An incoming text! She froze once more, her breath held in her chest. Then, realizing the phone would beep again, she frantically hit the off button. But she was too late. The beep shattered the quiet.
The bathroom door exploded open, and Conner’s furious form filled the doorway.
“What the hell?”
Conner snatched the phone out of her hands and threw it to the floor. The phone shattered, but he didn’t stop there. He lifted a booted foot to smash down hard onto the plastic and metal, breaking it into fragments.
He reached over and picked her up by the hair. Pain shot through her scalp and she screamed, battering at his hands with her balled fists.
“I thought you were supposed to be watching her!” he yelled at Mary.
The woman cowered.
“We can’t stay here now. We’re going to have to move on. She might have managed to tell someone our location.”
Should she tell them that she didn’t? She might be better off staying here than going somewhere else. No, she decided. She needed to get out of this room. While she didn’t want to go out in the storm, she thought her chances for escape would be better outside.
“My dad will be here any minute,” she said with false bravado, trying not to show her reaction to the burning pain in her scalp from where Conner still held her by her hair. “If you plan on getting out of here with your necks intact, I suggest you get a move on.”
He gave a yell of frustration and threw her to the ground. She hit the floor on her right side, fresh pain rocketing up through her shoulder and hip.
“Dammit,” Conner swore. “Get your stuff together. Looks like we’re moving out.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Goddamned witches,” spat Sebastian, seething with fury. Right when he’d thought his family was safe, witches had forced themselves back into their lives and now they had taken Elizabeth. He’d always prepared himself in case of the need to deal with others of his own kind, but having more witchcraft threatening not only Elizabeth, but the very world they lived in, made him livid.
He caught the glare of warning Serenity sent in his direction and forced himself to clamp his mouth shut, but Iona didn’t skip a beat.
“I don’t think vampires have done this family much good either,” she snapped back, her hands on her hips, her blue eyes blazing like glacial ice.
“Don’t put all vampires into the same hat,” said Vincent with a snort.
“You can’t talk,” Sebastian directed at Vincent. “You were involved in Elizabeth’s kidnapping for Demitri when she was small.”
“That may be, but I’ve been here for Serenity and Elizabeth ever since you decided to take off.”
“I didn’t just take off,” he snarled, clenching his fists to stop himself from swinging at the other vampire. “This family is none of your concern.”
“Would you two stop fighting!” said Serenity, her face pale, her whole body tight with anger and fear.
The last thing Sebastian wanted was to upset Serenity. She’d been through a lot and deserved better than watching his squabble with a rival. And he didn’t doubt Vincent was exactly that, his rival. He’d noted the way the other vampire acted around Serenity, protective, much like he did himself. Sebastian trusted Serenity’s love for him, but he’d not missed the way she looked at Vincent either. No wonder Vincent wanted him out of the way. If he didn’t exist, perhaps Serenity would have made room for Vincent in her heart instead.
Tension simmered between the two vampires.
“We want the same thing, Sebastian,” said Vincent eventually.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think that’s something you want to admit to me, Vincent. I’m two hundred years older than you.”
“I meant Elizabeth’s safety. Whatever I may or may not feel for Serenity, she’s made it perfectly clear that you’re the only one who will do.”
Sebastian watched color creep up over Serenity’s cheeks and she glanced away from them both. This was obviously a conversation she and Vincent had already had. That Vincent must have declared his feelings for Serenity, despite knowing that she was, and always would be, Sebastian’s, made him want to tear the other vampire limb from limb.
Vincent said nothing more, finally realizing he should stay silent in the presence of a much older, angry vampire.
Serenity stepped forward, her hands held out. “Listen to me, both of you. I’m getting a bit sick of playing the peacekeeper. Either you’re here to help Elizabeth and we’re all united in one cause, or you get the hell out of my house, because, frankly, I’ve got more important things to worry about than whatever stupid vampire-vampire or vampire-witch politics are going on here. Okay?”
Sebastian ducked his head, chastised. He shouldn’t be directing his anger at others when he needed to be thinking about what they were going to do next. Also, the chances were they’d need Iona. She was their only link to the people who had Elizabeth. As much as he hated to admit it, they’d probably need Vincent’s strength as well. The more people on their side, the better.
He snaked an arm around Serenity’s waist and pulled her against him. Just the sight of her was enough to stir a part of him that seemed to die whenever he was separated from her. He wanted them to be alone, to lose himself in the sensation of her skin on his, to trace every inch of her body with his fingertips, to cover her mouth with his. He glanced down at her and prayed she still wanted the same. But now was not the time.
Her body stiffened at first and then relaxed. He lowered his face to the top of her head and kissed her hair. He could hardly believe she stood by his side once again; he only wished their reunion had happened in better circumstances. Once again, it seemed too easy to correlate his presence in their lives with them being in some kind of danger. Even though this had nothing to do with him, he was here now with Elizabeth in trouble.
But she’s in danger because of who and what she is, he reminded himself. She was half vampire because of him and they’d never be able to change that. People would always find a way to try to exploit her.
The idea that he might be better off protecting his family if he were near suddenly occurred to Sebastian. Perhaps he was not the most dangerous thing Serenity and Elizabeth could be exposed to.
“Okay,” he said, taking control. “We need to figure out where these people might have taken Elizabeth. How long has she been gone now?” he said, looking down at Serenity with a slight frown as he tried to figure it out.
“I can’t say for sure, but no more than a couple of hours.”
“So she could easily be outside the city by now.”
“What about the storm?” said Vincent. “That’s bound to slow them down.”
“True,” Sebastian agreed. “Unless…” He trailed off.
“Unless, what?” Serenity prompted.
“They’ve used some of her vampire abilities to get away from the city. We don’t know who is with Conner, except his son.”
“Is that likely?” she said in alarm. Her attention moved from Sebastian to Iona.
“I’m not sure, but I have an idea about how we might be able to contact her,” said Iona.
“How?” Serenity asked her. “I’ve tried her cell phone over and over again, but it’s always turned off.”
“I’m not talking about phones. Do you remember when you came to my trailer last time?” Sebastian nodded and he saw Serenity do the same. “Elizabeth contacted me before we’d ever even met. She reached out to me on another level. I’m wondering if I can do the same again to get her to tell us where she is.”
“Do you think that’s possible?” asked Serenity, chewing on her lower lip nervously.
“I think it’s worth a try.”
“What if she doesn’t want to be found,” Sebastian interjected. He turned to Serenity. “You s
aw how angry she was with us. By the fact that she left this house without any of us hearing her, I’m guessing she went of her own free will.”
“I’d never considered that,” said Serenity, her face falling.
Sebastian held her closer. “I’m sure it’s not the case. I just wanted to make sure we were open to all possibilities.”
“You’re just trying to make me feel better,” she sniffed.
“Elizabeth’s smart,” said Iona. “And even if she hadn’t figured out what Conner and his son are up to right away, I’m sure she will have done so by now. You say her vampire abilities are even stronger now, so there’s a chance her other abilities will be too. She’ll realize they’re up to no good soon enough, even if she doesn’t understand exactly what it is they’re trying to do.”
“I hope you’re right,” Serenity said.
Iona reached out and squeezed her arm. “Have a little faith in her.”
Serenity smiled, but the expression seemed forced. “I’m trying.”
Vincent spoke. “I hate to break up the party, but the storm is getting worse and we’re running out of time. We need to get on with this.”
Sebastian nodded. “He’s right. What do we need to do?”
“Can I have something of hers to hold?” asked Iona. “Something personal to her?”
Serenity gave a quick nod and ran up the stairs toward her bedroom. Sebastian let her go, even though he’d be faster. He’d not been in his daughter’s life for the past six years. What might have been personal to Elizabeth six years ago might not be the same thing now. But Serenity reappeared only moments later holding the now threadbare comforter Elizabeth had always used as a child.
“Here,” she said, slightly breathless as she held out the item to Iona. “Try this.”
Iona took it with a small smile. “Thanks.”
The young sorceress knelt on the floor in the middle of the room and closed her eyes.
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