by Maggie Walsh
As much as Silas didn’t like it, Jasper did have a point. He was also not intimidating to anyone and wouldn’t be looked at as a threat, and with the threat of his employer, “Mr. Dean” behind him, Jasper could probably get whatever they wanted.
“I don’t like this one bit, but Jasper has a point,” Fabian replied.
The argument continued in hushed whispers for a few more minutes until Jasper just had enough and moved away from them, crossed the room, and disappeared behind the door.
“Damn stubborn fool. I should spank his ass,” Snow hissed under his breath, but Silas heard him. He wondered if there was something going on between his little brother and the snow leopard.
It had to have been a good twenty minutes since they dragged Patrice out and almost ten since Jasper went in the back, yet there was still no sign of Viscardi returning. That bed feeling in Silas’s gut was getting stronger.
“I don’t like this one bit. You never should have allowed him to go back there on his own,” Snow said through clenched teeth, as his gaze focused on the side door that Jasper had gone through.
“Jasper may be smaller than us, but he knows how to take care of himself. Plus, he had two guns hidden in his boots. If he’s in any danger, he’ll start shooting,” Silas said.
“Negative on that, brother,” Kalen’s voice spoke in his ear, and he knew everyone else could hear him too. “That ass fuck, Diego, that took Atticus, just elbowed our brother in the nose, stuck him with some shit, and Jasper was out cold in seconds. He’s dragging him out the back door. Get in there now!” Kalen’s frantic voice came through their earpieces.
Immediately, the Sentinels that were scattered around the room all stood as one and each started shifting. Fabian grabbed Atticus’ arm and helped him stand as he pulled his gun from his holster. He pushed Atticus toward Silas, yelling, “Get him out of here and back to the car! Now, Silas, now!”
“Fabian!” Atty screamed as Silas grabbed his arm and pulled him from the room.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
B.B. didn’t know what to do. It had been nearly a week since Jasper had been taken and he and Diego had just disappeared off the face of the earth. Fabian and the others were going crazy. Fabian hardly left his and Atty’s room, since they returned that night. Fabian had been wrecked thinking Atty had been shot and taken from him, and refused to leave Atty’s side.
Agent Snow wasn’t handling things any better. He quit his job with the FBI and started tearing Clearnight Haven apart. He had finally confessed to Fabian and the others that he and Jasper were mates, which only made the situation worse. Raven Stone and his men were still in town trying everything they could, calling on every resource available to the king of their kind, to help in the search. He and his mates would be leaving very soon, heading back to their home in Italy where all the men from the auction and Patrice, had been taken, to suffer for their crimes. And then there was Silas.
B.B’s mate was angry, depressed, and distraught. Silas felt it was his fault that Jasper had been taken, because he had taken Jasper’s side when his little brother said he could go and talk to the men behind the scenes. He also blamed himself for Atty being put in danger again, and sneaking off behind his back with his gun and almost getting himself killed. It didn’t help that Fabian was also still pissed at Silas and hardly said one word to his brother.
B.B. had tried everything he could to get through to Silas, letting him know that it wasn’t his fault, and that there was no way he could have known what was happening to Jasper, that Atty moved on his own accord and could be a sneaky little shit when he wanted to be, but Silas wouldn’t listen. As the days passed, his mate spent more and more time alone, spending longer hours out of the house searching for Jasper.
B.B. needed to do something to ease his mate and save his new friend at the same time. He just couldn’t sit here doing nothing while Jasper could be in some serious danger, but what could he do? They were all vampires and shifters and he was just a human. Even the bad guys were preternatural creatures and B.B. wouldn’t have a chance against any of them, especially alone.
“If you keep pacing like that you’ll walk a hole right through the floor,” Ciro’s cute voice cut through his thoughts, making him stop.
He looked toward another of his new friends and found Ciro, one of his mates, Jareth, and Atty walking into the room. Atty carried a tray of drinks and food and set it on the coffee table while the others sat cuddled together.
B.B. sighed, then walked across the room to join them and dropped down into one of the chairs. “I thought you all were heading home?” He asked the duo.
Jareth smiled. “We are. Raven just has a few more details to work out with Agent Snow about the work he will be doing for Raven now that he quit his job. We should be leaving in the morning. So, how was visiting your old home last night, Atty?”
A sad look came over his best friend’s face and B.B. couldn’t blame him. Finding out that your own mother was so money hungry that she would kill her own husband, sell her own son as a sex slave, and try to have him declared dead, and all to get her hands on his father's money. Which turned out to be in the double digit millions. Shit, who knew Atty’s dad, and now Atty himself, was so rich? And although it was a horror show for Atty and B.B. felt awful for him, he was happy for his friend to get the marina back. It was a part of his father and Atty needed that.
He had been so lost in his thoughts that he had no idea what the others had said, but hearing his name brought him out of his head. He blinked his eyes a few times and looked to Atticus. “What?”
“I said, what’s up, B? Is Silas still being quiet?” Atty asked, as he twisted open the cap of a bottle of Sprite.
B.B. shot him a duh look, then sighed again. “I’m sorry, Atty, it’s just that I’m really worried about him and Jasper. I wish I wasn’t just a human, so that I could help, you know? I just feel so useless, just like I felt when you went missing and there was nothing I could do about it. Then, when I did by talking with Silas and Fabian, those two fucktards came to visit me and beat the crap out of me. I’m so damn useless,” he hissed, then stood and began pacing again.
“Just because you’re not a paranormal like the rest of us doesn’t mean you’re useless, B.B.,” Jareth argued.
He loved all his new friends, really he did, and Jareth was so damn adorable that just looking at him could give anyone a cavity, but B.B. really wasn’t in the mood for anyone's pep talk right now.
“Jareth’s right, B.B. Just because you’re human doesn’t mean you can’t help. Your mate could really use someone to take care of him right now and to confide in. Sure, it’s not running out into the action like the others, but it is an important part,” Ciro added.
B.B. stopped and thrust his fingers through the top of his hair as he blew out a frustrated breath. “I know. I hear you, and thank you all, but I’m even useless with that seeing as I can’t even get my mate to stop long enough talk to me.”
“He blames himself, which we all know isn’t true. It’s going to take him some time to either realize that too, or still believe, but be able to think clearly. Just be there for him when the moment comes,” Atty said.
He heard what they all were saying, but he just couldn’t listen to them. Jasper was in some serious trouble and his mate was in a lot of pain. He needed to do something, damn it.
“I know that look,” Atty said, giving him a knowing smirk.
“What?” he played innocent.
“You’re listening to us, but you don’t hear us. You’re so lost in your own thoughts that nothing else is getting through, and you're determined to do something to help.”
B.B. walked back to Atty and dropped down on the couch beside him, taking his hands. “There must be something I can do. Something I’m good at. Maybe I could be a decoy or something and help them catch this Diego?”
The three chuckled as they shook their heads. “And you think that will help your mate who is already struggling?” Ciro asked
.
“That’s even if he allows you to do it,” Jareth added.
“Allows me?” B.B. asked indignantly, his brows creasing.
Atty squeezed his hand, drawing his attention. “It’s the mating thing. It’s not whether they allow you or not, it’s just ingrained in them to keep their mates safe at all costs, so there is no way Silas would want you putting yourself in potential danger.”
“But, I could get them information, or something. They know Jasper disappeared by boat, and I know everyone that works down on the docks. I could ask around. See if anyone saw anything. It wouldn’t be suspicious either, because everyone knows me.”
“That’s not a bad idea, but there is no way any of these men will let you go alone, and if anyone actually does know anything, I doubt they would talk to you with any of these guys with you,” Atty argued.
“Gah!” B.B. yelled, as he jumped to his feet and stomped across the room. “I cannot just sit here having fucking tea and scones like we’re in England at high tea. Who knows what Jasper is going through.”
Atty’s eyes darkened and a haunted look filled them. “I know a little of what he may be going through, B., which only makes me side with my mate and the others more. We need to be smart about this, or we may never find Jasper.”
Instantly B.B. shoulders relaxed and all the fight left him when he saw the pain in Atty’s eyes. His best friend had been through hell and had suffered at the hands of these sick fucks already, so if anyone understood what Jasper may be going through, it was Atty.
“I’m sorry, Atty. I didn’t mean―”
Atty waved his hand in the air, brushing his words away, and replied, “I know that, B., and I know you’re just worried about Jasper and Silas. It’s okay. You look like you haven’t slept in days. Why don’t you go lie down for a little while and we’ll wake you for dinner? Or if anything happens,” he added, when B.B. went to interrupt him.
He didn’t want to lie down, but maybe Atty was right. He hadn’t slept in days and he was exhausted. “Fine,” he sighed in defeat. “But, wake me the minute anything – and I mean anything – happens, or comes up.’
“I will. I promise,” Atty replied.
CHAPTER 7
B.B. lay on his and Silas’s bed and tried to get some sleep, but it was impossible. Things just kept going round and round in his head. After an hour of tossing and turning, he decided to stop fighting it and get up.
Stepping in the bathroom to take care of business, B.B. stared at himself in the mirror over the sink as he washed his hands. As he looked into his own eyes, suddenly a thought hit him about those assholes who attacked him. B.B. had no proof, but he was certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were sent by Patrice, Atty’s mother. They were two thugs who hung around at the docks participating in a ton of illegal activity. Even if Patrice hadn’t sicced them on him, which he did not believe, but that was beside the point, those asshats knew about all the illegal crime going on in this town. Surely they could give him some answers.
B.B. quickly finished up, then ran to his room and sat on the edge of the bed. He grabbed his purple Chucks and put them on , but then stopped. How the hell was he going to get them to tell him anything? The last time they had seen him, they were kicking the shit out of him, so there was no way they would give him anything except maybe another beat down.
Fuck! Well, that plan was useless. B.B. sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair. Diego. Where the hell would he find Diego? There was no way the bastard was still in Clearnight Haven, especially with Jasper in tow as his captive. And they had found out from surveillance video that the fuck head had taken off by boat, so he could be anywhere in the world by now.
However, something about the whole thing just didn’t seem right. If this Diego was the personal sub to Viscardi, then why did he ditch the asshole and try to take off without him? You would think as the man's submissive he would have been loyal to his Master. Something was just not adding up here.
When he and Kalen sat helpless and watched on the monitor as Diego punched Jasper, they saw him inject Jasper with something, and Jasper passed out immediately. What was that? What did Diego have that could make someone pass out that fast? Atty. Atty had said that he was sure he had been drugged at the bar when he met Diego, because one minute he was okay, then the next he couldn’t remember anything until he woke up as a prisoner to those beasts. It had to be the same drug.
Did it work on everyone the same way, or just vampires? With Atty and Jasper both being vampires, then it would fit. He needed to go talk to Atty again and maybe stop by and see Kalen to ask him about what they found out about the drug Atty had been given.
B.B. stood and made his way toward the door. The weight of everything hung heavy on him and B.B. really just wanted to turn around and lie back down, but he knew sleep wouldn’t come. Maybe I need a drink? He thought as he headed down the hall. Yeah, a nice Vodka would help relieve some of the stress and hopefully make him tired enough to pass out.
He stopped at the head of the stairs, his eyes going wide. A drink. Atty said he never felt a needle prick his skin, but he did say something about a drink and the bartender. Shit, that’s right, Atty had said he had his suspicions that the bartender was in cahoots with Diego. Crap, that’s where he needed to start.
With a renewed excitement, B.B. ran down the stairs and out the front door. Once outside, he was relieved to find Silas’s car was parked in his spot, but B.B. noticed that his mate’s truck was missing. Silas must have taken that, which worked out better for him, because driving that big machine was a bit intimidating.
B.B. ran for the car and slid his hand under the rear wheel well, his hand searching around for what he was looking for. As he reached toward the back his fingers brushed against the little aluminum box. B.B. detached it from where it sat magnetized to the cars frame, and opened it to find the keys to the car. Silas had told him about it in case he wanted to use the vehicle.
“Thank you mate,” B.B. whispered then went to the driver’s door, unlocked it, then pulled the door open. Once he was inside and the engine purred to life. B.B. put it into gear as he closed the door. He hoped the guy was working tonight.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
B.B. went to park the car in the lot, but a guard posted there waved him on, directing him to a private VIP parking lot nearer to the club. When he pulled in he saw Silas’s name on one of the spots and it dawned on him, Fabian and his brothers now ran the club and this must be a private section just for them.
He pulled into the space, turned off the engine, then climbed from the vehicle. As he locked the door and pushed it closed behind him, B.B. heard a deep voice say, “Welcome, Mr. B. If you’ll follow me, I’ll escort you inside.”
B.B. was a little taken aback by the offer, first shocked to find that the guy knew his name, then by the offer. “How do you know my name? And how did you know to send me to this lot?”
“You’re driving Mr. Valentine’s car, and he has informed us that if you were to ever come to the club, we were to make sure you parked safely, and got into the club without harm.”
That surprised him a little at first, but then again thinking about how his mate always made sure he was taken care of, except for this past week, it all made sense. “Okay, so I guess Silas told you that we’re…” he hedged, unsure if he should say mates, boyfriends, lovers, what?
The big man smiled. “Mates? Yes. And Mr. Atticus is Fabian’s mate, and should also be treated accordingly. Follow me please.”
“Sure thing and thanks.”
B.B. followed the man to a rear entrance and waited as he keyed in a code. The light on the panel changed from red to green and B.B. heard the click of the lock disengage. The man pulled the door open to reveal a lit hallway. “Mr. Silas’s office is the third door to the right and if you follow the hall around to the left, at the end is the private entrance into the club.”
“Thank you…”
“Memphis, sir.”
<
br /> “Thank you, Memphis, and please, it’s B.B., not sir,” he replied, giving Memphis a friendly smile.
Memphis returned the smile and nodded. B.B. entered the building and the door shut behind him. Instantly he heard the lock engage again. B.B slowly walked down the hall until he made it to the end where he found the door Memphis had told him about. He was a bit confused, because he couldn’t hear even a lick of noise coming from the other side. Did he get it wrong, or did Memphis send him to the wrong door?
B.B. grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. Suddenly he was hit like a wave with the pulsing beat of the music as it throbbed through the sound system. Bright lights flashed all different colors, and the sound of people talking made everything even louder. He stepped into the club and closed the door, then looked around for the bar. Once he spotted it, B.B. zigged through the throng of people, making his way to the far side of the club.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
He was bone tired and just wanted to climb into bed and hold his mate close. Silas knew he had been a shit to B.B. all week and he really needed to apologize to his mate, but he had been so worried about Jasper, and the guilt he felt over his disappearance and Atty being hurt weighed him down.
Silas snuck into their darkened room, quietly making his way to the bathroom. Once inside he took care of his needs, then washed his hands and face, then brushed his teeth. Not wanting to make undue noise and possibly wake B.B., Silas stripped and put his clothes in the hamper, then turned out the light.
Tiptoeing to the bed, Silas pulled the blankets back and slid in, then rolled over to get closer to his man, but only found cold sheets. Reaching out further, expecting B.B. to maybe be on the far side of the bed, Silas was a bit shocked and confused when his hand met the edge and found no mate, only a cold, empty bed.
Gods, for so long he had climbed into his lonely bed and hated it, craved for someone to share it with, someone to be there to hold and snuggle with. His life had never been better since his B.B. came along, and for more reasons than just that he had found his mate.