Save the Last Vamp for Me (22 page)

––––––––

L
ogan and Alanna lifted me to my feet, while Soames and Gabriel shooed people away to give us room to walk. They took me to the dining room. By the time I was settled into a chair, I’d managed to stop the waterworks. “Sorry. I saw them take Mom.”

And kill Red, but I didn’t want to say it.

Stone, Danielle, and her two cousins had followed us. The dhampyr paused at the buffet to pour a cup of coffee, and brought it to me. “I think you should take a day off, and let us handle searching the remaining areas.”

“No. Just give me a couple of hours. A little time alone, some food, and I’ll be good to go.” The amount of concern pouring from the four shifters—Logan, Alanna, Soames, and even Gabriel—was overwhelming. I didn’t know what I’d done to earn it from them, not really. It wasn’t as though I’d been much of a friend the past month or so, all wrapped up in my own business.

Their concern was offset by Stone’s grim expression, and the bitter tang of Danielle’s jealousy. Was it about Logan, or over how accepting of me some of the clan were? Didn’t know. Wasn’t likely to find out soon.

Stone had said “remaining areas”, which meant we were almost finished with the Barrows. What if we didn’t find Mom? I took too large of a drink and burned my tongue. “Ow. Seriously, let me get my head back in the game.”

The dhampyr nodded. “Very well. I’ll be in the main hall.”

It proved a little harder to talk the rest into going, but at last, I had the dining room to myself. The buffet spread was dinner foods, aside from the coffee. I selected roast beef and a few veggies, ate, and then remembered I had phone calls to make. Not wanting to be interrupted, I teleported out to the gardens and found a little gazebo to sit in.

The first call: Dad.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called before.”

“Mr. Whitehaven’s been keeping me updated,” he said. “How are you holding up, kiddo?”

“I’m scared.” I told him about the retrocog vision. “He told Mom his master wanted to talk to her about me. It is my fault, and I’m worried it’ll happen again.”

Dad sighed. “You can’t let what’s happened or what might happen keep you from living your life. I could walk out the front door and have something that fell off a plane land on my head. Life is full of risks. Everyone makes choices every day. Other people choosing to do evil isn’t your fault.”

He was wrong. Merriven wouldn’t have known Mom existed if it weren’t for me. I’d crossed him twice. “What if she’s dead?”

Dad sucked in his breath and took several seconds before speaking. “Then you put all your energy into taking him down, so no one else loses someone to the bastard. But you do it smart, so that I don’t end up losing you both.”

“I want you to call Ronnie. I’ll p....”

“Already called her. She’s on vacation, but will come to ward both houses as soon as she gets back.”

That gave me a measure of relief. “Good.”

“Love you, honey. Call me when you can.”

“Okay, love you too.”

My next call was to David. He ignored my apology, assured me everyone was “well enough” and that they’d had no problems. He sounded a little disappointed about that. When the call ended, I simply sat there for a bit, breathing in and out, my eyes closed, trying to visualize a positive outcome. My cell phone rang, playing the first bars of “California Dreaming” and I knocked it off the bench in my hurry to answer it.

That was Mom’s ringtone.

Snatching it up off the floor, I hit the accept button. “Mom?”

“She’s here with me, and alive for the moment. Whether she remains so is entirely at your discretion.” Merriven’s voice raised goose bumps on my arms.

He could be lying. “Let me talk to her.”

“Of course. Say hello to your daughter, Sunny dear.”

“Cordi?” The voice was weak, but definitely my mother’s.

“Mom. Are you okay? Has he hurt you?”

She didn’t answer. Merriven had taken the phone away, and chuckled at my questions. “You sound like such a loving child, eager to see your mother safe.”

I wanted to cuss him out for a few hours, but that probably wouldn’t help Mom. “What do you want?”

“Excellent, you’re ready to deal. A simple exchange, you for her, in two hours’ time. We’ll meet in the catacombs.”

Damn it. “We’ve already looked there.”

“Yes, but none of you found the entrance to my private retreat. I made certain it was closed.”

Secret room, or... “Pocket realm?”

“Yes. Once here, you will ascend to the left side second level, and enter the eleventh tomb on the right. Walk past the dead man. The wall is an illusion. Walk through it, and continue walking until you see me. I’ll release your mother then.”

Yeah, right. Not that I said that out loud. “She doesn’t know the Barrows. I need to bring someone to take her home.” I held my breath, waiting for his answer.

“No.”

Crap. With the firmest tone I could muster, I said, “No deal if I don’t have a way to ensure she’s really safe.”

“My word’s not enough?”

“Are you kidding me?”

Merriven growled. “I could drain her right now, while you listen to her beg for her life.”

My hands began to shake. “Do that, and when you do see me, I won’t be alone or only have one person with me. I’ll come with a pack of elf hounds ready to rip you apart. They’ll tear you to shreds, and then I’ll burn every last scrap to ash.”

Complete silence followed. I bit my bottom lip to keep from speaking,
Please don’t hurt her
spinning over and over in my mind.

He finally drew a breath. “I’m going to enjoy drinking from you as slowly as possible.”

“You’re saying I can bring someone.” Dang, I’d won a concession.

“Yes, one person. Not your hound. Make a wise choice for your mother’s sake. You have two hours, and if you don’t appear, she’s dinner.” He ended the call, and I dropped my phone again, shaking too much to keep hold of it.

I had two hours to save Mom, and not a clue where to start.

Or rather, whom to tell.

––––––––

I
wasn’t fool enough to think I could win a fight against a master vamp with centuries of psychic practice. Which meant the person I chose to take Mom clear needed to be someone who wouldn’t turn around and come back to help. Of course, a backup plan that would end in Merriven going down before he killed me wouldn’t be a bad thing to have either.

All of that without endangering anyone else, or Mom even more. I had zero doubt Merriven would kill her if I showed up with a group instead of one person. I had less than two hours to figure it all out too, with not enough sleep and way, way too much stress over the past few days.

No problem.

Yeah, right. I kept drawing blanks on whom to tell. Who could I trust to keep their mouths shut and just follow the plan? Logan would go with me, but he’d want a plan in place so I’d have help once Mom was out of the danger zone. Soames would tell Logan. Leglin was out because I might need him as an emergency ride out.

Kate would stick Mom in a protective circle and come back to help, and might even be able to, but if she or anyone else were hurt, I’d never forgive myself.

Stone? I teleported back to the second floor and leaned on the railing to survey the dhampyr from above. If he kept quiet long enough to bring Mom to Derrick’s estate...but if he didn’t, it would ruin my one real chance of saving her.

That was the real problem: Picking someone who wasn’t invested in my making it out alive in some fashion. Someone who wouldn’t blab or try to talk me out of it.

I needed someone who didn’t give a rat’s behind about me.

Danielle crossed the main hall to speak to Logan. I studied her. She didn’t care, and would probably be pleased if I dropped out of the picture. If I explained things right, she might even decide recovering my mother would gain her points with Logan. Jealousy could make people do anything.

Decision made, I wondered how to get her alone, but didn’t need to. Luck was on my side as she headed for the stairs and began to climb them.

She made no effort to hide her annoyance when she spotted me waiting for her. Her upper lip curled as she vented a low hiss. “What do you want?”

“To ask if you’ll help me get my mom back.”

“I’m here, searching like everyone else.” She walked past me and entered an open door. I followed, stepping into a bedroom done in shades of gray. It was more tastefully decorated than mine had been. Danielle tossed a sneer over her shoulder before entering the bathroom.

Parking myself to one side of the bathroom’s door, I said, “My question wasn’t general. Merriven contacted me a few minutes ago. He says he’ll trade Mom for me, and I need someone who will bring her back here, to safety.”

She didn’t come rushing out to go yell the news. “And you’re asking me. Why?”

“She doesn’t know you. I have to know she’s getting out of the way, and if I ask someone she knows, Mom might try talking them into going back to help me. I can’t ask any of the vampires, not with her having been kidnapped and kept prisoner by one.”

The toilet flushed, and a second later, water began running from a faucet. Danielle’s voice rose over the sound. “You don’t sound like you think you’re going to survive the encounter.”

“He’s had centuries to learn how to control his abilities, and I don’t even know how many he has.” I wasn’t going to tell her about the backup plan. The one I didn’t actually have yet anyway.

“Yet you’re going anyway, to save your mother.” She appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame opposite of where I stood, and studied my face.

“Wouldn’t you, if it was your mother?”

Danielle looked away. “I’ll go with you and bring her back here. When do we leave?”

“Meet me in the garden by that statue of vampire Cupid in an hour. That’ll give us about thirty minutes to reach the meeting place. And thank you.”

Her gaze returned to my face, her expression bland. “If you survive, you can thank me by being less friendly with our Protector.”

“I’ll do my best,” I promised. “But I doubt it’ll be an issue.”

Pushing away from the door frame, she nodded. “The gardens in an hour.”

“Yeah.” I watched her leave and took a minute to savor the minor victory.

Now all I had to do was come up with a backup plan.

––––––––

––––––––

O
ne hour later, I teleported to the gardens and quickly located Danielle by the statue. “We can’t have anyone following us. We’ll have to teleport.”

“All right.” She reluctantly extended her hand, and yanked it free from my grip once we appeared on the floor of the catacombs’ cathedral area. “We searched here.”

“There’s a hidden portal to another pocket realm.” I led the way to the stairs, hoping my backup plan worked. My purse was heavier than normal, and I’d finally hit on whom to ask to be my cavalry. It hadn’t been as hard of a sale as I’d feared, when she’d first come to mind.

Yet I couldn’t see or sense her near. What if she didn’t show? I’d be up a creek without a paddle, that’s what.

Worrying about it wouldn’t do me any good. We’d reached the second level, and I led the way to the correct tunnel. Danielle followed without a word. Probably already anticipating a life free of me.

I counted, and stopped in front of the correct room. “This is it.”

We both peered into the dimness of the tomb. Danielle said, “I don’t see anything but a marble coffin.”

“We have to go behind it to reach the portal. Come on.” I entered the room and passed the coffin, heading for the shadowed wall behind it. She followed, hesitating when I did. The wall looked real. “It’s an illusion.”

I hoped, anyway, as I lifted my hand and pushed at the wall. My hand went through. “See?”

We walked through, finding ourselves in another tunnel. Kept walking until we entered a cavern that looked quite a bit like the catacombs’ cathedral, minus the holey walls and ledges, and not nearly as well-lit.

Danielle stopped, and I followed suit. Merriven’s voice slithered out of the shadows. “At last. Look how well you followed orders.”

“Yeah, now where’s my mom, you blood-sucking creep?”

The dim lighting became sunny brightness and I flinched, closing my eyes. When I opened them, the first thing I saw was Mom. She was on her knees in front of Merriven, gagged, with her hands tied behind her back. There was a dark bruise on her cheek from where she’d been slapped by one of her kidnappers. Otherwise, she appeared unhurt.