Marked by Destiny

by C.M. Owens

  David butted in. "In fact, this whole mess is starting to look like a bad comedy film. We save someone only to find one of our group taken when we weren't looking. We all came to look for Jared, and now four of our original group are missing."

  "Four?" Jewel turned to look at Cody. "Who else is missing?"

  "My dad, Rhia, Ian and Jacob."

  Tessa frowned. "Except Jacob didn't disappear. He was on the wrong side to begin with."

  "Don't jump to conclusions." Her father’s voice was sharp as he walked around her mom's car.

  "Then form your own opinions." Quickly, she told the others what she'd seen, gratified to see their faces darken with fury. "Exactly."

  "There's no sign another vehicle came through this road." Serus studied the tracks on the ground leading up to the house.

  "Then either she's still here – which is very possible given the timeframe – or they are all fliers and took her with them," David suggested logically.

  "Except Dad and Ian are fliers themselves and would be hard to take away like that." Cody shook his head at the others.

  "They could have forced them to fly on their own. Any kind of leverage – like threatening to harm you – and your dad would have gone easily," David pointed out.

  Cody winced.

  Tessa nodded. "It's possible, but I don't think that’s what happened. I can't see the energy, which would be floating around here if they had. My guess is everyone is still here somewhere."

  "Then find them. Look for the energy. Surely if you can find Cody behind a secret door, you can track your own mother." Serus glared at Tessa.

  Tessa's cheeks flushed at his words. "I'm working on it. If they're here, there has to be an energy trail showing what direction they went."

  She walked a good thirty feet away from the group that stood watching her. But no pressure, of course. A blanket of midnight covered the stars. There was a refreshing stillness to the air, the coolness easing the mugginess from the day's heat. That might help her get a clearer picture. She turned around to face the others. Switching on both visions, she studied the bright lights of the group. Energy flashed and pulsed in a big ball because they stood so close together.

  Because everyone had already wandered across the yard in search of her mother, energy sat low and wide, with new trails layered over older ones. She backed up further, looking for a heavy concentration of energy leading off in one direction. She walked around looking at the various pathways from different angles.

  Damn it. They didn't have time for this. Jared had been missing for way too long already. Who knew how much longer he could survive? Had he even survived this long? She couldn’t let herself think about it. And where were Cody's dad and her own mother? Just the thought of them captive somewhere made her stomach heave.

  She walked toward the others. The bulk of the glowing mass appeared to be white light. It took precious moments to see the different personalities. She could separate Cody's and Jewel's energy easily, as theirs looked slightly different, darker. Something about being fliers, she supposed, which meant if she saw Goran's energy then she might be able to find out where he'd gone.

  Her dad's was heavier, thicker. David's was faster moving and resembled slim ribbon-looking waves. She stopped about ten feet away from them and studied the ground and the energy paths. The last outbuilding in the row had a heavy track of mixed energies. But everyone here had been looking for her mom.

  A flierhadgone in there. That energy had a more masculine look. There was also a feminine energy.

  Her mother’s.

  She crouched lower to the ground and changed the angle so she could see the mist better. And then she knew. She bolted upright and raced to the outbuilding. "She’s gone in here."

  Pounding footsteps followed her. She barely heard them over the thudding of her heart. What she hadn’t said was that her mother hadn’t been alone.

  Arriving at the entrance first, her father wrenched open the double barn doors. The vacant space appeared larger, still empty like the first time she'd checked it.

  Tessa was no longer fooled.

  She stood at the entrance and studied the energy patterns as the others searched the area. Her mother had passed this way and stopped. From the look of the energy trail, she’d have to say her mother went down.

  Where and how?

  "Tessa?" Serus walked up to stand beside her.

  "It looks like the floor again."

  "Really." Her dad crouched down to stare at the plank floor, as if it would give up its answers that way. "Any idea where?"

  Tessa walked forward a few steps. "It's almost like the whole floor moves. I don't get it."

  There was energy everywhere. Yet all of it sat just above the planks. She walked back over to the doorway and searched the walls on either side. There had to be a lever or something here. A weird spot glowed on the left side. She placed the palm of her hand flat on the wall like she had the last time. Nothing. She pushed. Still nothing. Moving her hand slowly, her fingers spread apart, she searched the small area, certain there was something there.

  "What are you looking for?" David spoke by her ear. She started, surprised to find everyone crowding around her.

  "A way to open the floor."

  "Open?"

  "Raise and lower it then. Somehow, the floor moves."

  Cody reached above her and placed his hand flat where hers had been. He pushed hard. Instantly, the sound of gears had them all spinning around. The entire floor descended – with them on it.

  David backed up, only there was no place to go. "Okay, this is beyond weird. Shouldn't someone stay above in case we get locked in down here?"

  Tessa suggested, "I think this time we should all stay together. Every time we split up, we lose someone."

  "Besides," said Cody. "It may take all of us to get everyone out of here safely."

  The floor moved at an incredibly slow pace.

  "I presume this was used to move heavy equipment. That gear system is seriously engineered." Cody studied the large pulley system as the floor descended. "I mean this thing is old."

  "Not that old." Serus crouched down to try to see where they were going. "Makes me realize how damn lucky we've been to not run afoul of more of his inventions." He turned and counted heads, as if reassuring himself that they hadn't lost someone else. "When Moltere was under fire from the rest of the vampire clans, he was rumored to have built a lot of self-defense systems and getaway chambers. I thought the gossip was all rumors."

  The floor came to a gentle rest so slowly that it took a moment for everyone to realize they'd stopped moving.

  Another empty room.

  Tessa headed for the door on the far side, not bothering to explain. She could see the energy wisps, proving she was on the right track. "This way."

  A flat steel door with a short handle faced them.

  "Damn." Tessa fished in her pocket for her dad's credit card again and slid it down the seam to find the locking mechanism. After a few frustrating minutes, she realized she couldn't open this door. "This isn’t working. I can't get it open."

  "Step aside. Maybe I can rip it off its hinges." Her father grasped both sides of the steel door and pulled. The steel didn’t budge. He refused to give up.

  Finally, Tessa tapped him on the shoulder. "It’s not doing anything."

  He glared at her. "Then what do you suggest?"

  "I don't know," she admitted. "It has to open somehow."

  David leaned closer. "Sure, with a special key like sound, electricity, pressure...the options are endless." David studied the lever.

  "Well, we have to figure it out. Mom's behind this door." Tessa's frustration was mounting. Rescue was so close and yet so far.

  "And just how do you suggest we do that?" David’s sarcasm was getting to be a pain in the ass.

  She’d had enough. "I don’t know, David. Feel free to step up to the plate anytime."

  "That’s enough," Serus snapped at them. "Worse case is we hav
e to wait until someone else comes in or out."

  Cody frowned at the steel door in front of them. "Yep, I considered that but was hoping we'd find another way."

  Too tired and confused to make any more decisions, Tessa sat down on the floor and waited for the others to decide. She’d gotten them this far. Someone else would have to get them inside.

  ***

  Jared waited until the nurse left before sitting up. A young, incredibly skinny male somewhere around Jared's age slept in the bed beside him. Jared waited until he saw signs of movement from the kid. "Hey, are you awake?"

  "Yeah, for a little bit, then the drugs will take over." The male yawned. "I’m Bryce."

  "I’m Jared. How long have you been here? Isn’t there any way to get out? Like I don’t want to just be a milking machine for the rest of my life."

  "No one’s ever gotten out of here. Except for the last guy."

  "Who?" Jared could hardly keep his voice down. "How'd he get out? Do you know if he made it?"

  "Nah, he died."

  "What the hell?" Anger surged through Jared. "How can you be so complacent? Don’t you want to escape?" He glared at the open door. "This is brutal. I’m too young to end up like this."

  "Maybe." Bryce was silent for a long moment. "I bet you don’t have much in the way of family and no one is going to care if you don’t come home." He suddenly looked at Jared in the eye. "Am I wrong?"

  Shit.Jared’s uncle would be happy if he never saw him again. He slowly shook his head. "No, you’re probably right. They might wonder when I’ll walk through the door again, but less and less as time goes on."

  "Right. Even if they go to the police, chances are good that you’ll be listed as just another runaway, like so many of the others here."

  Jared paled at the thought that there were more like him out in that horror factory. "That is so wrong."

  "Like they care. Something about being on the top of the food chain." Bryce’s eyes flitted closed.

  Jared rushed to ask another question before he lost Bryce to the drugs. "What about you? Why aren’t you out there?"

  "I overheard them mention that my blood isn’t flowing like they want it to."

  "Oh. How long have you been here?"

  "Damned if I know. What day is it?"

  Jared had to think about it hard. "I think it’s Sunday night – or maybe Monday?"

  "Yeah and what month?"

  "August."

  "Then I’ve been here since around Valentine’s Day."

  Jared fell back on the bed in shock. Dear God, please no.

  "Although I don’t know about the year. But don't tell me that. I don’t want to know."

  Jared bolted upright. "How can you say that? Surely someone will rescue us."

  "Yeah?" Bryce hawked up spit from his throat. "Who?"

  "I don’t know. My friends? I was out with them when I was kidnapped. I’m sure they're worried."

  "Worried maybe, but enough to go to the police? I doubt it. Even if they did, we’re back to that whole scenario of you being a troubled teen who’d had enough and ran away."

  "I can’t believe no one cares."

  "That’s why this has worked for so long. Some of these people have been here for years, decades even."

  Jared gulped. "Decades?" he whispered.

  Bryce looked at him. "Decades," he said. Then he lay back down and pulled the blankets up over his shoulders.

  "I don’t get why you’re so calm."

  "Must be the drugs. Besides, the alternative is death. I think I’ll stay in suspended animation. I don’t have to worry about meals, where I’m going to sleep, or how I’m going to pay for my drugs. They’re all free here." He chuckled at his own words, and before they’d tapered off he started snoring, leaving Jared shell-shocked.

  Could anyone’s life be so bad that this place would be considered an improvement? He pulled back the covers, only to realize that he had a catheter attached to a urine bag and his right arm had an IV connected to a pole. Was it safe to just pull all this stuff out?

  The door opened just then.

  "Whoa, where are you going?"

  Jared pretended to be half asleep. "Water, need water." He pretended to have trouble swallowing.

  "We’ll get that for you. You just lie back down again." Two men came in behind the nurse and helped him back under the covers. The nurse adjusted something on his IV. More drugs, he thought bitterly. He lay down as if ready to sleep, hoping they wouldn’t increase his medication.

  "Thanks," he whispered after his drink and rolled over.

  The nurse covered him up and patted him gently on the back. "Go back to sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning."

  He doubted that. What difference would a night make?

  Two orderlies moved over to Bryce's bed and wheeled it out of the room. Jared wished he knew why. He watched under his almost closed eyes to make sure everyone left. They left the door open. His heart pounded. Why had they done that? To hear if he moved?

  Or had they forgotten about the door because they were moving a captive? The thought of escape tantalized him. Could he get out? He’d rip the damn needles from his body if it meant freedom.

  After ten minutes without feeling any sleepier, he figured the nurse hadn’t increased his drugs. No one came in or out. Maybe they didn't need to be in the room to see him. To monitor him.

  Why hadn’t he considered cameras before? Is that what had brought the nurses into the room? He rolled over as if still asleep. There was a camera at the far end directed toward his neighbor's side of the room. So that’s what had happened. When his buddy started to move around, they’d came running. Could he be out of camera range? Not with the lousy luck he’d had so far.

  Chances were they'd come back and check on him.

  Speaking of which, they had yet to give him his test results. They probably wouldn’t.

  One didn’t discuss outcomes with lab rats.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  "You okay, Tessa?" Her dad crouched down by her side, concern evident on his face. He reached out to stroke her shoulder gently.

  She managed a tiny smile. "I’m fine. Just a little tired and a whole lot worried. I want Mom found safe and sound." She didn’t want to admit the last two days had taken a toll on her. Sitting in the bare room only big enough for the descending floor with only one door in or out hadn't exactly instilled confidence that they'd make it any further.

  "Do we know if there’s another way in? Has that been checked out?" Tessa pulled her knees up to her chin and rested her head. Her mind spun with ideas. "What about knocking? Maybe they’re expecting someone?"

  "Knock?" David laughed sarcastically. "If they can hear knocking, they'd have heard us already. We haven't exactly been quiet."

  Serus stood up and ran his long fingers through his hair, staring down at Tessa.

  Tessa closed her eyes, letting the others talk it out. They’d let her in on the final decision.

  "Tessa?"

  "Yeah, I’m here…just thinking."

  "Sleeping is more like it." Cody scoffed.

  David plunked down beside her. "I know you’re tired, but we can’t give up now. Mom needs us."

  Tessa reared back. "Closing my eyes while you guys think about what to do is not giving up." She hopped to her feet. "Damn it, don’t you think I feel responsible? She’s in trouble because I insisted on searching for Jared."

  "Hey," David stood up, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I didn't mean to upset you." He squeezed her shoulders. "You're not in any way responsible for what happened to her. Don't you ever think that."

  She searched his eyes, wanting to believe him yet having trouble doing so. "We have to get her back. Safe. And now." Tessa strode to the door and pounded hard on the steel surface with her fists.

  "Shit. Tessa, what are you doing?" Jewel hissed as she slammed back against the wall and out of sight in case the door swung open. The others rushed to line up beside her.

  Seru
s placed a calming hand on Tessa’s shoulder. "Move, Tessa. Just in case someone does come. They won't question the presence of an adult as much as they will a teenager."

  "Well, they’d better come. This is ridiculous. I want mom back." She pounded on the door again. Then kicked it several times, belatedly remembering how the stone wall had opened.

  Snick.The door swung open.

  Tessa turned to the others triumphantly. "There. Nothing like a good kick to get the job done."

  Serus stared in astonishment. "What the…?"

  "She did it!" crowed David.

  "Shhh.Let's go." Cody jumped through the opening and disappeared from sight.

  The others entered single file, with Serus bringing up the rear. Another long passageway, again with stone walls all around. Followed by another long set of stairs. Tessa couldn’t believe it. Who built all of this?

  "Unbelievable," she whispered to Jewel as they crept along. "What is this place?"

  "I don’t know. But it's beyond creepy."

  Tessa ran her hands along the smooth walls. "Makes me wonder how long ago this place was built."

  The men stopped in front of them. Tessa tried to see over Cody’s shoulder. Another door.

  "Just kick it."

  David glanced over his shoulder at her then back at the door. His big boot lashed out and he kicked the door in approximately the same place where she had kicked the last one.

  The door opened silently.

  They entered the next room to find computer screens along one wall, with rows of sterile office desks and computers filling the rest. No people – no vampires. Nothing on the desks or floor to say anyone worked there. There were no windows either. Artificial lights hung overhead. Darkness and gloom hung over the room. The only sounds were the ones they made.

  Tessa strode to the screens on the wall. Each monitor showed a small section of some kind of warehouse. She bent her head closer. Her heart thudded in her chest. Shock and horror slammed into her. "Are those people?"

  "Where?" Everyone crowded around her.

  "Oh no!" Jewel’s agonized whisper floated in the air around them. "They’re humans."

  "What are they doing?"

  Serus moved to a different monitor. His face grayed. "They’re not doing anything. They can’t. I think this is another blood farm."

  "A blood farm?" David peered closer, confusion twisting his features. "Then these people aren’t alive?"