They all were. “Do we all know everyone’s cell numbers and what codes we are to use to keep everyone in sync?” Lots of nods and yeses went around the room. “Good.”
Dominic turned to Anton. “Son, you’re the bait. I hate that! Please be careful. I almost lost you once to Libby; I don’t want to have it happen again. Do you have your little charm Darby gave you?”
“Yes,” Anton said and he patted his pocket and looked lovingly at Darby.
“Okay, we will follow you until we get very near the house. When you have gotten her to follow you and you are clear of the house, hit send on your phone to let me know Darby and I are in the clear to look for Devon.” Anton nodded.
“Okay. Then I will advise Blake that Libby and Anton are on their way to Westport. Right?” Again they all nodded.
“If you can get Libby to take the red car back, per your ruse to see her in the first place, then you will be in the Mercedes and able to send Blake a text when you are within a mile or two of the house for all to get in their places. I will text Blake when we are clear of the house and let him know if we found Devon or not.
“If not, then we go to ‘Plan B’ which is to not use the poison arrows, but the plain yew arrows, which will paralyze her, but allow her to talk. Blake and Dean know what to do to get her to admit to where Devon is. In that case, Darby and I stand by until we know where we are going and then go get him and proceed with the rest of the plan.
“Everyone clear on what’s going to happen?” Dominic said.
Everyone agreed.
“Anton? After you,” Dominic said.
Anton, Darby, and Dominic headed for the garage. Darby stopped Anton for a moment and said, “Please be careful, Anton. I don’t want to come back to find another one of her casualties. Promise me you’ll be careful.”
He kissed the top of her head and said, “How can I fail with your special magic to help?” He patted his pocket and smiled. Dominic watched the two of them, as he stood with the door open to the car. She walked back to the Mercedes where Dominic was standing. Dominic met his son’s eyes and said, “Be careful, Anton. You’re all I have, you know!”
“I know, Dad. I will!” Both cars drove off towards Fairfield, Connecticut.
Dominic and Darby talked in the car, but not about anything serious. Small talk mostly. Dominic was too worried about Anton, and Darby was too worried about Anton and Devon.
“Are you nervous, Dominic?”
“Yes, I guess I am. You?”
“Extremely.”
“It’s silly, I suppose, since we are in the least amount of danger.”
“True, but we don’t know if Devon’s really at the house and most every other person I love and care about is in mortal danger, aside from you,” Darby said.
“You mean I’m on your list of loved ones now?”
“Most definitely,” she smiled.
“I’m honored. Well, think positively. It makes the most sense that he’s here in Fairfield.”
“But what if he isn’t?”
“Plan B. We will find him, Darby. Sit back and relax. You’ve done most of the hard work while we all sat on our butts believing the worst. Let us do our jobs now and worry about you and Devon. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Dominic parked the car one street over from the house in the direction Libby and Anton would not go when they left, just in case she recognized the car. It was much like the stakeout she and Mark had been on just a couple of days ago. Or was it only a day ago? It seemed to all run together now, she couldn’t remember anymore. However, unlike the first, this stakeout had no pizza, but a very nice Italian leather interior instead. Too bad though, a Pepsi and a slice of pizza would be good about now, she thought. Dominic laughed. “I hadn’t thought of food. That would have been a good idea.”
“Stop that. Devon used to do that to me.”
“Well, you are as loud as a megaphone, my sweet girl.”
“That’s what he used to tell me, too. Do you think Anton will be okay after all this is over? She’s destroyed so much of his life, I worry he won’t find love again or even try. She’s done such awful things to his self-esteem.”
“With time, sweetheart, I hope he will be lucky enough to find someone half as wonderful as you.”
She sighed deeply, hoping he was right. Dominic looked at her with such endearment. He, too, wished this for his son. A selfish part of him even hoped that Devon wouldn’t survive. Maybe Anton and Darby would find their way together. He could see his son already was in love with her, but he too, wanted Devon to be alive and Darby to be happy. A father always wants the best for his son and Dominic could see none better than Darby. The good news was that Devon too, was a son to him and Gail would be so pleased he had found someone like Darby to love.
Poor Gail – so much she’s missed with Devon and Blake. He had been blessed with the job of being as much of a father as he could be to her two noble sons. He smiled at this thought and again looked at Darby.
On the next block over, Anton parked his car in front of the driveway, blocking the expensive, flashy red car. He walked up to the door and knocked. The look on Libby’s face when she opened the door was priceless, thought Anton, utter shock at seeing a ghost.
“Anton, love,” she finally squeaked out.
“Libby. You’re looking well, and so is my car.” He turned towards the car in the driveway.
She invited Anton into the house. “Umm, how did you find me? I can’t remember the last time you tried to find me?” She seemed confused and out of sorts.
“I had a P.I. track the car. I figured you’d be with it.”
“So you were looking for me?”
“I was.”
“How sweet. Why? Did you miss me?”
“Of course, Libby. How could I not? By the way, nice house, one of your gentleman’s, I suppose.”
“Oh this, no. I’m renting. No, I don’t see those men anymore, Anton. I’ve really been out of sorts since I saw you last.”
“Hmmm. I’m sorry to hear that. I would have thought you and Devon would have been very happy.”
“Devon? God, no. He’s nothing compared to you.”
“Where is Devon nowadays? Heard from him?”
“No, Anton, I had to send him away after just a couple of weeks. He was so needy and boring. No, I’ve not seen him in months. I suppose he’s gone back to that Debbie or whatever her name is.”
“Huh! That’s odd, because Darby’s been at the house for weeks now. We’ve become quite, umm, close I guess you could say. I found her freezing cold, out of money and half out of her mind in Massachusetts. She never did find Devon, but she doesn’t look anymore, now. Dad loves her. Even Mr. Chow seems to adore her and that cat doesn’t like anyone. I’m finding her quite remarkable myself. I’ve been thinking of taking her to the house in Nantucket soon.”
He could see Libby’s eyes filling with hate. It was working just as they had planned. The charm was working too. He could feel Libby in his head and let her rummage around in there, but it was all him making the big decisions.
“Oh, so she’s staying with you now? Hmmm. Maybe you and I could go someplace for a while? Try to reignite that flame we’ve always had.”
“Really? You’d want to be with me? I’d have figured you were shacked up with some rich guy that couldn’t keep his hands off of you.”
“You used to be that way. That part of our relationship has never changed, Anton. Maybe we should see if we could, I don’t know, find our way back to one another.” She ran her red-tipped finger along the side of his face. “After all, we are still legally married.”
“I don’t know, Libby, I’ve never been able to make you very happy. You’ve always found…others.”
“Not this time, love. I’ve changed. I could be the wife you always wanted me to be if only you’d let me try.”
“You know, Dad never would let us get a divorce. I guess, if you really thought we could make it work, and you were willi
ng to give up your ‘friends.’ I have been missing you,” he said and leaned over and kissed her. She was all over him. She pulled away for a second and he was breathless from her kiss.
“Come home with me, Libby, please. Let’s go now. Dad will be so pleased that we are trying to work things out.”
“Okay. Let me grab some things and we can go.”
“No, I’ll buy you all new things, anything you want or need. Just come home with me. I need you, Libby, like no one else.”
She smiled deviously. “Well, if you insist. I suppose I could use a new wardrobe and...”
“Yes, yes, come now. You drive the red car back and I will drive mine. Last one back has to buy the whipped cream.”
A sparkle in her eyes said to him that he’d hooked her. She hopped up off the couch, grabbed her sunglasses, purse and her keys, and he opened the door for her, not locking it as he shut it behind them. He opened the door for her to the flashy red car, bent down and kissed her deeply. This time she was the one who seemed breathless when they pulled apart. He smiled at her as he closed her door and she started the car.
He ran to the car blocking the driveway, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he sat and started the car. He pushed the send button and took off like a shot, with her right behind him.
Dominic looked at his phone. “That’s the signal. He got her out of the house. Okay, now I call Blake.” He dialed his phone. “Blake? Dominic. They’re on their way towards the house. We are heading in now. Right. I’ll let you know what we find.”
Darby felt like her chest was going to burst open. Dominic looked at her. “Ready, Darby. Let’s go find Devon.” He started the car and put it in drive. In no time they were at the house. Darby knew that Libby wasn’t there, but she was so scared to walk up to the door, Dominic almost had to push her. Dominic turned the door knob, opened the door, and they both entered. Dominic said, “You take the upstairs, I’ll take the down and possibly the cellar. If you find anything, yell.”
“Okay,” she said nervously. She crept up the stairs as if trying to be quiet. She thought to herself how idiotic I am trying to be quiet. First room she came to was a bathroom, nothing exciting in there. Next was the master bedroom, it was huge. She checked the closets, the bathroom, and any other nook and cranny for any evidence of Devon. Nothing. She crept further down the hall and into another bedroom, nothing in the closets or traces of anyone ever being in this room. So further up the hallway she went to another bedroom. She stepped in to find Devon strapped naked and spread eagled to a very heavy metal bed. Huge chains were used with leather cuffs. He had bite marks on both sides of his neck and blood stained the pillows and sheets.
“Dominic!” she screamed as she ran to Devon. “Dear God, Devon, can you hear me? Please, baby, can you hear me?” She cried at seeing him so abused and beat up. Dominic walked in and shook his head in horror.
“Oh my God. Devon, what has she done to you?”
Darby listened for his heartbeat. It was there but it was so faint. She unbuckled his wrist that was closest to her as Dominic made his way around the bed unbuckling him from the other chains.
“We need to get him out of here immediately,” Dominic said as she cried, rocking Devon in her arms. Dominic looked around for any sign of his clothes, finding absolutely nothing. They wrapped him in the sheet that was wadded at the foot of the bed and Dominic carried him out and down the stairs as Darby opened the door to the house and then the backdoor of the car so that they could lay him in the backseat.
Darby ran to the other side of the car and got in the backseat. She lifted his head and laid it delicately on her lap. She shut the door and Dominic peeled out of there like an Indy 500 driver. He pulled his telephone out and started dialing.
“Blake, Dominic. We have him. Not good, not good at all. You wouldn’t recognize him, Blake. Make her pay for this, Blake, I beg of you. You make her pay.” He hung up.
Darby sobbed in the back seat with Devon. She stroked his face. He was so thin and he looked dead. Dominic was right; he didn’t even look like Devon. His cheeks jutted out and his wrists and ankles were black and blue, bloodied, and some injuries even looked infected. She begged him to hang in there. “How far is this place, Dominic? He’s not going to last long. You know what we have to do again?”
“I do, Darby. I don’t like it, but I do know. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Make it five, Dominic. Please make it five.” She could hear him hit the accelerator, and by the way the car lurched forward and whined at a higher pitch, she knew he’d heard her.
They pulled up to a beach house, far away from the other houses in the area. Dominic jumped out of the car, and handed a key to Darby. She ran to the door of the house and Dominic grabbed Devon.
“Gail will never forgive me if you die, son. Don’t die on me, damn it,” he said as he carried him into the one bedroom beach house. He laid him on the bed that Darby had pulled the covers back on.
“Do it, Dominic. Now!” She screamed so loud he jumped. He leaned over and bit her neck and she turned to Devon, lifting his wobbling head to her as Dominic guided his mouth to her open wound.
“Drink, baby, please drink, Devon.” Nothing happened. “Devon. Please. Drink, damn it. It’s not working, Dominic, do something!”
She was screaming at such a pitch that Dominic was sure dogs for miles around could hear her. He didn’t know what to do and instinctively he bellowed, “Devon Michael Bloomington, drink something NOW!” Nothing happened. It was the longest couple of seconds in Darby’s life, then she thought she heard a swallow from Devon and a couple of seconds later, another.
“Drink, Devon. Drink. Baby, please.” Another forced gulp was heard. “Devon, please, sweetie, please, swallow,” she cried as tears poured down her face and she sobbed, rocking with him attached to her neck. He swallowed a few more times. She didn’t have to support his head now. He drew in a large gulp of blood, and a couple of seconds later another large gulp was heard.
“That’s it, Devon, feed, sweetie. Take what you need.” She could feel his lips moving now and the drawing of blood was getting more regular.
“Okay, Darby, pull him away.”
“But he hasn’t had enough.”
“He’ll be better. He can feed a little later. Let’s try and clean him up a bit. Can you go in the kitchen and get a bowl of clean water and some clean towels.”
“Yeah.” She felt a little woozy as she stood up, but was able to hold off the blackness, just a little wave of grayness. She could barely see out of her eyes with all the tears. She couldn’t help sobbing as she found a bowl, filled it with some warm water, and grabbed some towels from the bathroom. Dominic started on one side and Darby the other. They washed all his wounds and bandaged up his wrists and neck after they were thoroughly cleaned.
Darby said, “Is it possible for his wounds to be infected? They look terrible. Why hasn’t he healed? Should we call Dr. Rowe?”
“As soon as your blood starts pulsing through his body, his wounds will heal. It might take a little longer than usual, but they’ll heal. A vampire can’t heal himself if he hasn’t enough blood to keep him alive. She has kept his heart at such a state, I’m amazed he’s alive at all.”
“But he is. He drank. He’ll get better, right?”
“He will, sweetheart, and he has you to thank for his life in many, many ways.” Dominic held her tight and she sobbed uncontrollably for a while.
“She did such terrible things to him. Look at him, Dominic. Will his mind be able to cope with all this?”
“He will, sweetheart. Anton survived and so will Devon.”
“But she didn’t torture Anton like this. I mean, she sucked him dry, but this is horrid what she did.”
“I know, but he will heal. I know he will. His mother was a fighter. God knows I was horrible to Nathaniel, but he was a very strong man, too. Plus he’s got the Larsen stubbornness in him. He will survive this.”
“Shouldn’t we gi
ve him more blood?”
“Give him a little time.” Dominic stood up.
“You’re not leaving are you?”
“Well, I mean, I was.”
“No, Please don’t leave. Not until he’s at least conscious. He’ll need to feed again. I can’t pull him away if it goes too far. I need you.”
“I really should leave though in case she’s gotten away and is looking for us. She’ll find me, my car is easy to trace.”
“There have been no calls that anything has gone wrong. Surely, they would warn you if she got away.”
“I suppose. I’ll stay for a while. But my plan was for you two to leave here before nightfall and not tell anyone where you are headed. That way if she did escape she’d have no way of finding you through us. There is a car in the garage, in your name. Nothing fancy, just something to get you to where you need to go. We’ll send you a text when the coast is clear and the problem is dead and buried.”
“You think she’ll sense the plan and escape.”
“Better to go with the worst case scenario and plan for it, than be sorry in the end.”
“I guess.” She stroked Devon’s face.
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll go to the grocery store and get some snack food and sodas for your road trip and give you two a little alone time.”
“Alone time? He’s not conscious, Dominic.”
“He will be soon.” He smiled. “See. The color is coming back in his face. It’s going to be okay, Darby. You saved my sister’s baby boy. She’ll be so grateful.” She smiled at Dominic as he left the room. Darby lay on the bed next to Devon, stroking his face, brushing the stray hairs off of his forehead.
“Devon, it’s me, Darby. Everything is okay, sweetheart. I found you and you’re safe. No one believed me for so long. I wasn’t sure I believed me, but I found you. We’ll never let her hurt you again, Devon. I love you so much. I’ve missed you so very, very much. You’re going to be okay. You’re safe, sweetie. You’re safe here with me. Please wake up and say something.” But there was no movement. She could barely see the shallow movement of his breathing. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart. It sounded stronger, more rhythmic, and louder than before.
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