The Guest & the Change (5 page)

She drank some more wine and picked up the menu, leaning forward to study it under candle light.

‘What would you like?’ he asked, sliding out of the booth.

‘Tapas.
 
How about we get a selection and share?’

Daniel nodded and walked off to order.

Sarah leant back and closed her eyes, but she suddenly felt uneasy and opened them, looking around.
 
She felt like she was being watched, but couldn’t see anyone looking her way.
 
In fact, she was in there all alone, but could still hear low talking coming from the other room.
 

There were many more booths like the one she was sitting at throughout the room, each with little flickering candles.
 
The doorway they’d entered through was behind her, and there were two windows across the room, each with their curtains drawn.
 
She shivered and sat up a little straighter, still feeling like there were eyes on her.
 
Then she heard Daniel return, light footed and smooth like an animal.
 
He glided back in and regarded her.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.

‘Umm, nothing.
 
I’m just being paranoid.
 
I felt like I was being watched,’ Sarah confided, feeling silly.

Daniel looked around though, looking slightly disconcerted
himself
.
 
He’s probably got a vivid imagination too, thought Sarah, after all he is writing a book about vampires.

He looked back and Sarah caught his eye, she smiled ruefully.
 
He reached out and brushed her hair away from her face, his eyes lingering on her neck.
 
Sarah let herself enjoy his touch and briefly closed her eyes, breathing him in.

She leant back against the seat again and Daniel extended his arm and wrapped it round her shoulders, pulling her tightly to his side.
 
Her whole left side was pressed against his.
 

I wonder if he’s this affectionate with everyone, she thought.
 
I hope not.
 
But her heart
twinged
as Jo’s image entered her mind.
 
To be acting like this at all was bad enough, let alone when he’s missing.
 
Yeah, but he might be with another woman.
 
Or it could be worse.

‘So, where shall we go from here Daniel?’
 
She regretted it after saying it; it may have been open to interpretations she didn’t intend.

He laughed, she looked across at him and he raised his eyebrows, ‘Where do you think?’ And he brushed her cheek again with his finger-tips; they felt cool in the stuffy darkness.
 
She almost gave in and was just starting to lean closer to him when a waiter appeared
with their food.
 
She drew back instead and Daniel laughed, lightening the situation.
 
Oh my, he just exudes sleek masculinity.
 

Sarah inspected the food, it actually looked tempting, better than she’d expected.
 
Daniel had ordered six tapas dishes, some olives and bread.
 
She helped herself to tiger prawns and grilled eggplant, while Daniel took meatballs cooked in tomato sauce and bread.
 
She nibbled on olives, which were delicious and salty, and tucked in, feeling the knots in her stomach begin to loosen.
 
Being hungry always made her more on edge.

‘Well, considering his car is missing, maybe we could go for a drive?
 
We better not get another drink,’ she said tentatively.

‘Yes, that sounds like a plan.
 
Maybe tomorrow, if he still hasn’t turned up, it would be worth asking in garages, seeing if his car’s been picked up anywhere.
 
And maybe check the scrap yard too, just in case,’ he said gently, trying not to upset her.

Sarah ate until she was full.
 
Daniel had already finished, they
both took
the last sips of their drinks, exchanged a glance and prepared to leave.
 

When Sarah was standing Daniel turned to face her, he was standing very close.
 
He touched her jaw with those cool fingers and lifted her chin so her eyes met his.
 
‘You know, you don’t have to do this Sarah.’

‘Do what?’ she asked, confused.

‘Look for Jo.
 
The police are looking for him already, we could just go home.’

‘No.
 
I want to; if I go home I will just feel restless, and angry.’

‘Angry?’

‘It doesn’t matter, we should go,’ she said, looking away.

Sarah led the way outside, and breathed in the cool air.
 
She buttoned up her coat and pulled up her hood, the temperature had decreased while they were inside.
 
She still had that uneasy feeling, like she was being watched.

‘Sarah, it’s ok, why do you feel angry with Jo?’

She didn’t want to tell him, it would seem like an excuse for her
behavior
.
 
But he raised her chin so her eyes met his again.
 
The intensity of his gaze did something to her; it made her open up inside and the truth poured out.

‘He had an affair when I’d just had Bea.
 
I don’t trust him.
 
I’m angry at him for leaving us now.
 
I can’t help thinking he’s just left us without even bothering to leave a letter.’
 
 
 

She breathed out, that was what she thought, but how did he make her confide?
 
What was it about him?
 
He continued to look in her eyes but now it looked as though he was thinking things through.

‘Sarah, that may be a possibility, but I just have this feeling that’s not the case.
 
I’m sorry to say this, but I think something might have happened to him.’
 

Daniel released his hold on her and stepped back, letting her process what he’d said.

‘Why do you think that?’

‘Well, two reasons.
 
One is - why would anyone leave you Sarah?
 
You’re beautiful,’ and he gave her a wicked grin, her response to which was to blush red and avert her gaze.
 
‘And two,’ he said becoming more serious.
 
‘I’ve heard of other people going missing.
 
Here.
 
Recently.
 
I’m worried something is going on.’
 
This time Daniel looked away, his expression reflecting the angst in his words.

‘How do you know other people have gone missing?’ Sarah said accusingly, she didn’t know why she said it like this, it just came out.

‘I’ve read
reports,
there have been articles in the local paper.
 
People talk.’

‘Really?
 
I have to admit I rarely read the paper.
 
Or talk to anyone,’ she looked at him, but he smiled a little, not seemingly surprised by this.

‘Well, as a newcomer to this town I have fresh interest in discovering how things work around here,’ and he raised his eyebrows at her.
 

Sarah laughed, despite the seriousness of the situation she couldn’t stay
somber
long - not around Daniel, with his quirky smile, charm and melting gaze.

***

Sebastian resumed his form of bat and flew towards town.
 
He didn’t usually go out in the daytime but it had started to rain and the sky was dark.
 
It would only
take him minutes to get there as he was a fast flyer.
 
It felt exhilarating flying as a bat.
 
It was definitely his
favorite
animal form, but he could also turn into a cat and a wolf.
 

He would have liked to stay with Jo, keeping an eye on him to make sure he coped with his new situation.
 
However, he desperately wanted to see what Daniel was up to before taking Jo into town tonight.
 

It was typical that Daniel had tracked him this far.
 
How he did it Sebastian didn’t know, but he tended to follow Sebastian and make things hard for him.
 
Once Sebastian reached the outskirts of town he flew into an alley and returned to his own tall self.
 

He was wearing all black to blend into the shadows, but this wasn’t much help in the daytime.
 
However, town was quiet and he was able to quickly pass into the
centre
, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of Daniel.
 
He figured he would be out talking to people, rather than staying alone and sleeping like any normal vampire would during the daytime.
 

He was probably investigating Sebastian.
 
He rolled his eyes at the thought.
 
Daniel wasn’t a serious risk, but he could be a pain.
 
He did have a habit of interfering.
 
And Sebastian didn’t want Daniel to get in the way this time, not with his plans for this town.

Then he spotted him, he was walking
some way
ahead with a girl who looked familiar.
 
Sebastian ducked into a doorway and watched from a distance as they entered a bar.
 
He waited patiently and it wasn’t
long until they reappeared and walked towards another one.
 

So I was right, thought Sebastian, he must be investigating me.
 
That may mean he’s out tonight, I will have to be careful to keep Jo close.
 
 

He watched the couple enter another bar and this time they stayed inside.
 
He won’t have found out anything yet, I haven’t even been to these bars, he thought.
 
 
The bars would be a fun way to introduce Jo to hunting, but when Sebastian was alone he liked to surprise people who were out, or coax them into alleys or the woods.
 
He could use the power of his mind to influence a person to change their plans, take an unplanned route, even without making eye contact.
 
It was the advantage of having taken so many lives, each life he took increased his power in a way merely drinking human blood could not.

Sebastian left his doorway to investigate the bar Daniel was spending so long in.
 
He walked up and leant against the wall by the window.
 
The curtains were drawn so no-one from inside would notice him.
 
He peered through the tiny gap, focusing through the darkness.
 

He could see the young woman who had been accompanying Daniel sitting alone in a booth.
 
She looked very pretty with her flowing long blond hair and silky skin, then Sebastian
realized
with a jolt
who
she was.
 
It was Jo’s wife.
 
What was she doing with Daniel?
 
Ah, they must be looking for Jo.
 

So, Daniel must suspect Sebastian’s involvement in Jo’s disappearance.
 
He probably will be expecting to find us here tonight.

He watched as Daniel returned and sat down next to, what was her name?
 
Oh yes, Sarah.
 
He had seen her in Jo’s mind.
 
In fact they looked quite
cozy
in that booth together.
 
I bet she doesn’t even suspect what Daniel is though.
 

This could be interesting, he smirked, then, making sure no-one was near, he took flight as a bat and swooped up to hang on a gutter, high above the building overlooking the bar.
 
Daniel is unlikely to notice me up here, he thought, and does it really matter if he does?
 
No, it would irk him as he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it in front of his woman.