Vampire in Chaos (20 page)

Jewel placed her
ear against the locked door. She heard loud voices outside, but they were far enough away to not identify the tone or the speakers. She shuddered. She’d been curled up on the corner of the bed, wondering, worrying when she’d heard voices.

She glanced around the small room, thinking there couldn’t be anything good about waking up in a small room on her own.

What had happened to the nice big room where there’d been lots of other people to see and feel comforted in knowing she wasn’t alone? She looked around her room once again. There were no windows, just empty shelves as if they’d hastily converted this room for her. Why? She hadn’t done anything to them.

Of course she’d been involved with Tessa and that whole blood farm mess, but waking up isolated like this was the first indication that she’d been in trouble. At least she couldn’t get the concept that she was in trouble out of her head. However now that she’d said something about being isolated, she had to wonder if that was exactly what they’d done. But for a good reason. As in she’d been infected. Or contagious, or they were concerned that she might be.

There was no name on her bed or the wall. No buzzer to contact anyone for help. There was nothing. She sat back down on the corner of her bed and wondered something else. She’d been here for hours – without a bathroom. In her old room, there’d been a large bathroom with a shower. Now… there was nothing.

The only door in and the only door out was the one right in front of her. She didn’t need the bathroom yet, but now that the concept had been brought up, she’d have to go soon. A loud noise outside had her racing to the doorway. Crap. Why couldn’t they speak louder so she could hear what was going on?

“Then again, Jewel, why haven’t you called out or pounded on the door so someone lets you out of here?” she whispered out loud, finding comfort in the sound of her voice.

Because she was afraid. If she was here and forgotten, then she was safe. If she brought attention to herself, then she had no idea who’d open the door.

The voices grew louder. She got up and crept into the corner of the room.

She had no idea who was coming, and she had no weapons but her own brains. However, as she’d found out this last couple of weeks, thanks to Tessa, that was more than enough in most cases. She shrunk into a tiny ball and waited for the person to unlock her door.

This was her ticket to freedom. She’d be damned if she’d waste it.

*

Goran hated to
see them split up.
Are you sure this is a good idea, Serus?

Hell no, it isn’t. But if she thinks Deanna is either dead, dying, or lying in trouble, she’s going to go regardless of what I say. I just want to keep her safe, and the only way to do this is to go with her. I’m hoping we can be done in a half hour. Be back here soon.

Yeah, but I doubt it.

Serus snorted.
I know. Nothing is ever easy
. He hesitated.

Goran’s senses sharpened.
What’s up?

I’m wondering if one of the men from the second to last room wasn’t part of the Nordic clans. He looked familiar, but it’s only as we were walking past that I considered it again. I’m not sure what’s going on here, but it’s bad news.
If there was just the German clan here, then I’d likely think that they got greedy and are once again planning a full takeover of the conclave, but if there are more than one of the clans represented here – well, I’m not so sure.

Damn it. I wondered myself when I saw that guy. He’s like seven feet tall.

Yeah, all the vamps in that corner are. Must be their early Viking beginnings.

Who’d know?

I don’t know
, Serus said.
Our Councilman was supposed to go, but he’s upstairs like you said. If you could wake him up, he’d know. Maybe haul him back down and go room by room with him.
Serus’s tone brightened.
Actually, that’s a hell of a good idea.

Yeah, but David is pretty set on going down another floor and finding Jewel.

I know. But I’m not sure she’s in a ward. Look where they moved Ian. A small dinky room on his own. Check the broom closets, what should have been laundry rooms, etc. She’s more likely in there. I don’t know why they are doing this, but it’s a better scenario with what’s going down so far.

Goran stopped and spun to the opposite end of the hallway. “David, did you check the linen room down the hall?”

David frowned. “It was locked.”

“Exactly.” Goran grinned, striding back the way they’d come, saying, “Ian, didn’t you wake up in a similar type of room?”

“Yes,” Ian said. “It was some kind of supply room.”

“We’ve come across a couple of linen closets in the back of several rooms,” Motre said.

With a shake of his head, Goran said, “And you didn’t think that meant the locked rooms were more valuable?”

“Shit. Ian, come with me, there is another one of those locked rooms at this end. And I think a couple upstairs. As the rooms that were open were so big, the space in the closets so little, it never occurred to me that there’d be anything in there.”

Satisfied that they were at least going to make sure they hadn’t missed anyone and not ready to suggest that they wake up their own dignitary yet, Goran motioned to the locked door he’d just reached with David. David tested the door. It was locked. He pulled out his wallet, removed a credit card, and played with the lock. There was a loud snick.

With Goran standing ready, David opened the door. He did a quick sweep and stopped. Huddled in the far corner was – Jewel.

*

Jared dressed quickly
after his shower. He’d taken a chance on that, not knowing when he’d get an opportunity for another one. As he dressed, he decided to go to see Taz and tell him everything. He couldn’t likely go to Taz’s house as he was married to a vampire, but the idea was one he couldn’t let go of. He felt safer with the vampires he knew at this point.

He wished he was just a few months older. Surely someone couldn’t take his family’s property from him in the meantime. If he was getting either of the places. He deserved them, but then again…that didn’t mean anything. He did wonder about trying to live in one of them on his own right now. His uncle’s house was the best option as his neighbors were already used to seeing him there. He’d lived there since he was just a kid. He just might try it…as long as the house was no longer a crime scene.

After school, he’d run by his uncle’s house and see what paperwork he had lying around. With the body gone, he’d really like a chance to pry into his uncle’s life some more and maybe find the asshole who’d bought his father. Then he could do the same with his aunt’s place. He didn’t know if anyone was allowed in either house, as technically both people had been murdered and he was pretty damn sure there was a process involved in solving such crimes, but it was his home. Maybe. It had been his home before that damn movie night. Surely it would be again. Now all he needed was to be eighteen and he could do what he wanted.

Except if this whole mess didn’t get solved fast, it wouldn’t matter what age he was, the danger would exist regardless. He packed up his stuff, made his bed, and left the room spotless, as if unoccupied. He might be back. He just couldn’t be sure. If there was any other option, he’d take it. He’d have slept on the streets if he thought that was better. But with the vampires hunting, he didn’t have a chance. He’d fall asleep and wake up strung up again. They’d brought down the one blood farm, but he doubted they were all gone.

There was too much money to be made in fresh blood. And it was always a problem with supply and demand. Always. With a last look around his room, he closed the door firmly and walked down to the kitchen. Pretending to stifle a yawn as he walked in, he took his seat beside two other boys and snagged several pieces of toast off a platter in the center of the table. Who knew when his next meal would be?

“Hungry, Jared? Looks like a good night’s sleep woke up the appetite in you.”

Jared smiled at the kid joshing him. “Yeah, no kidding. Kinda feel like I missed a lot of meals lately.”

The cook brought him a plate of pancakes and eggs. He took one look, smiled, and dug in. Perfect.

He looked up, his mouth full, to take a sip of milk from the glass in front of him, and saw the manager leaning against the doorway. Staring at Jared. Jared dropped his gaze and continued to chew as if everything was normal, but it was damn hard. And even harder to swallow the food down. With the glass of milk, he got it down. He stared at his plate and knew he had to eat it. But it was nerve–wracking with the asshole standing there. He glanced over again to see the cook and the manager speaking in low tones. Shit. He couldn’t help but think it was him they were talking about. His backpack at his knees, he wondered how he could sneak a little food and get the hell out of here.

Like a fly knowing he was caught in the spider’s web, Jared couldn’t get rid of the idea that he was about to be pounced on. He forked up another bit of egg, chewed, then repeated it until his meal was gone. He looked casually over to the side and realized both men had left. He relaxed slightly. Now to escape. He stood up, took his plate into the kitchen, grabbed a couple of granola bars and stuffed them into his pocket, snagged two apples and grabbed several muffins, then headed back to the table for his backpack.

With a fake cheery grin, he waved at the other kids, slung his pack over one shoulder, and walked out the kitchen door. Once outside, he raced to the side where the garage was and bolted into the bushes. He stood there out of sight and shaking with nerves. Thank God no one had come after him. He waited a long moment and just as he was about to step out of the trees onto the neighbor’s property, he heard a man call out angrily. “Where the devil did he go? I didn’t take my eyes off him but for a second.”

“In this case, it seems our intrepid Jared only needs half that time to disappear. Something to remember next time.”

Next time? Jared gave a silent snort. Like hell. If he couldn’t stay with friends or Taz, then he’d hide in the bushes until nightfall. There was no way he was returning to that home.

Especially not now that they were looking for him. He checked the view all around, hoping no one was watching from the window, and he slid to the back of the neighboring property and bolted to the far side and around, racing to the street. Safe on the other side, he started off down the road. It was early and there was little traffic.

That was fine with him. He’d had enough of people for a long time.

He didn’t trust any humans at this point. And very few vamps.

*

Rhia stared at
Wendy, then glanced at the phone in Wendy’s hands. It was the lifeline between them and the rest of their friends and family in the hospital. Sian wasn’t here at the moment. She should be resting, but chances were good she was working on the Human Council issue. She didn’t know what to do about that going forward and was very confused as to Tessa’s capabilities that she’d seen while there. She couldn’t believe what her own eyes had seen. It was all too impossible. She understood that much of what she’d seen Tessa do had been the catalyst for Rhia’s actions while under the influence of the drugs and the brainwashing triggers, but she wasn’t clear enough in her own head to work through it all. The brain fog was improved, but not enough to sort through the convoluted mess going on with the humans. She’d let Sian deal with them. She seemed to be so much more patient than Rhia could ever be. Taz must have had a major influence on her.