Vampire in Chaos (3 page)

He hoped Tessa was all right.

Of course she was likely out doing something constructive. Something proactive to stop this nightmare. He was stuck here.

“Hey, Jared.”

He turned to see a new kid he didn’t recognize at his door. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“The manager wants to speak with you. He said go down and grab some dinner then meet him in his office right after.”

His stomach sinking at the thought, Jared kept his face schooled with disinterest and nodded. “Thanks. Will do.”

The kid took off.

And Jared headed down. He might not want to eat, but if he had to take off again tonight, he needed his strength. That meant food.

Then he’d deal with the manager.

*

Serus slipped behind
the wall. His leg still ached from that crazy ass landing. He thought for sure he’d have ended up at the bottom of the stairwell with both legs broken once he realized how deep the stairs went. He’d lived for centuries – how had he not known about this place? Not that he was in this area all that often. Why would he be? It was a hospital – like he needed that. His body was damn good at doing what it was supposed to do – heal itself.

Besides, who’d have thought this vast dungeon existed below?

Somewhere a hundred years back, there’d been an outcry about needing medical facilities. He couldn’t remember the arguments for and against. He’d thought it had been a complete waste, but whatever, if the Council wanted to emulate the humans, so what? He knew Rhia had held the same belief. After Tessa was born, not quite normal but not quite abnormal, Rhia had consulted a few of the older vampires instead of the doctors. Deanna, the oldest of them all, had been one of them. She’d retreated from society soon after.

And always in the background, the hospital had functioned, but more as a developmental place. Or so they thought.

He frowned thinking about that. Developmental? As in researching developments in the vampire genetics? He had to see this for what it was. Likely what it had always been. Was this the original headquarters for the blood farm? Could it be?

It galled him to think that this could have been – no, he had to be honest –
had
been operating under his nose. Because he hadn’t
wanted
to see, he
hadn’t
seen. And now look.

His beloved Rhia was under the influence of drugs. She’d helped ship his oldest son somewhere ‘safe’ where he couldn’t be found, and he was searching this damn mausoleum for his other son. When would this ever end? He should be tucked up in bed, his wife at his side, with all his kids safe and sound.

It was well past time for this shit to be over.

T
essa slipped into
the room, close behind Cody. They skulked in as far as they could away from the footsteps to try and come around from behind and catch the person by surprise.

Where did they go?
she asked.

No idea.

They can’t have gone far.

No. Or they haven’t gone anywhere – they are just waiting for us to show our hand.

She froze.
Oh no. That makes way too much sense.

Shh.
He peered around the doorway.
I think I heard them.

Them? Do you really think it’s more than one person?
Tessa thought about it then replied.
Let me take a look. I should be able to tell if there is more than one person.
Hopefully it would be her father and brother.

Cody stepped back but stayed close, his warm breath sliding down her neck and under her shirt. And despite the worries, despite the circumstances, her missing brother, her father…she was so very grateful to be here with him. Well, maybe not here…but at least with him. They’d been through so much…and had come out so wonderfully well that she found it hard to regret this.

She made a quick movement and peeked around the corner. Cody squeezed her shoulder in warning. She pulled back, her mind processing what she’d seen. She turned to stare into Cody’s questioning gaze.
There are four sets of energy. Dad. David. And two others – I don’t know who.

What? Really?

At her nod and wide grin, he reached out and hugged her.

She laughed silently and stepped back.
The only thing
, she said,
I can’t tell if they were all together or if one is following the other. I need to take another look.

We don’t know where they are, and that’s a problem.

She nodded and studied the energy around the pair of them. She hadn’t seen any odd energy here. So the other two people had arrived from a different direction.
Now what do we do?

There’s really nothing else to do but follow
. He stepped out behind the wall, Tessa’s hand in his.

He turned left.

Tessa tugged him to a halt.
We need to go this way
.

He looked at her. She nodded to the right. He rolled his eyes and turned right.
It’s a little irritating, you know?

What?
But she knew. She tried but couldn’t hold the giggle back. Her voice, light as a feather, whispered ‘
Sorry’
into his mind.

Cody squeezed her hand gently.
Don’t be. It is part of the joy of being with you.

You sure it doesn’t make you feel…I don’t know… maybe insecure?

No.
He shot her a disgusted look.
My self–confidence is not affected by your abilities. I am not that shallow.

That his voice had some gruffness to it made her glance over. Surely he wasn’t really put out by her, was he? She tried to keep her thoughts to herself, but he heard her.

He stopped and turned to face her, a rueful look on his face. He snagged her chin and looked deep into her eyes.
Never hold back that wonderful light inside you because you think it would upset me. I’m a bigger man than that. And even if I would have problem with it, I’d
want
to be that better man.

Ah Lord, he was killing her with his goodness. She was proud to know him. Honored to be with him.

No, you are something.
He shook his head, something special shining in his gaze
. You make me so much more when I am with you.

She smiled. She reached up and kissed him, her lips brushing his with the lightest of touches.
Good. Remember that when you get pissed off at me.

Cody tried to deepen the kiss, but she pulled back with a smirk.
So not the time
.
But hold that thought.
Let’s go after Dad and David.

Right.
He turned her in the right direction
. Lead off.

*

“Where the hell
are they?” Ian muttered to Motre. “Surely David and Serus’s group should be here by now?”

“They most likely are.” Motre pulled his phone out and checked for any texts for what had to be the tenth time in the last ten minutes. “They said David was on his way up here, but look at where we are. We haven’t stopped moving. I’ve given David some rough directions, but it’s not like we have a map of this damn place or kept them in the loop of what level we were operating on.”

Ian nodded, pulling out his cell phone from the pocket of his stolen pants. Map? That he might be able to help with. The phone buzzed in his hand. He read the text out loud. “Hey, this is Tessa. She and Serus have become separated in the basement.”

Motre spun back to face him. “What? Did you say they got separated?” He smacked his hand on the side of his head. “Like what the hell. How do they always end up like that?”

“Easy.” With a grin, Ian answered, “It seems to come naturally to them.”

With a snort, Motre turned and approached the next door. “Come on, then. Let’s get on with it. Before we have to go and rescue the others.”

“Ha,” Ian laughed. “I wouldn’t mind that happening for a change. Usually it’s the other way around and Tessa’s the one riding to the rescue.”

“Too true.” With a shake of his head, Motre reached out to turn the knob on the door.

*

Serus stopped in
place. There was a sound off to his left. Damn it. He felt like he’d been playing hide and go seek with someone. A game. Not for the first time, he had to wonder if it wasn’t his son David. He pulled out his cell phone and sent him a text.

I’m hiding in the basement of the hospital, looking for you. Are you okay?

He stayed in place waiting for an answer, an ear straining to locate the other person. He shifted positions, waiting for his phone to light up. Waiting for something. He heard a noise to his right. He caught his breath and closed his eyes, using all his energy to pick up the stealthy movement.

His phone lit up. David. Then his heart plummeted at David’s message.
I’m being stalked. I’m almost at the stairs again.

Serus spun around. The stairs were on the right.

He grinned.

And stepped out into the open.

“David?”

There was a startled silence, then a hard gasp. “Dad?”

And David stepped out of the shadows.

Serus grinned, stepping forward to slap David on the shoulder. “Glad to see you, son.”

“You too. Where’s Tessa?”

Serus snorted. “She’s supposed to be behind me. I took the fast way down, but I’m sure they are still coming. It’s a long way down.”

“It is.” David frowned and looked around. “But honestly, it doesn’t take that long. She should be here.”

“She’s with Cody. And yeah, it shouldn’t take that long.” And the fact they weren’t here was worrisome. But as he’d been walking forward all the time, it wasn’t likely that they’d have caught up to him yet.

David had his cell phone out. “I’m texting her now.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The voice came from the shadows. “In fact, you need to hand that phone to me.”

And out of the shadows came two old vamps all dressed in black – including black gloves. Serus instinctively shoved his own gloved hand into his pocket, reassured by the feel of the spike he’d refused to hand over at the Council Hall. There were too many assholes roaming around to give that up.

“Who the hell are you?”

“None of your business. You’re trespassing, and we don’t think much of strangers.”