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Chapter Sixty Four
Two days following Anna's attempt to reach out to Jared Harriet announced that they needed to get back to France.
Jess seemed eager to go, though her eyes held a sadness that was a little concerning, especially since nothing ever affected the girl for longer than a few minutes. She still refused to tell anyone what had happened and Tyros had disappeared, leading everyone to believe that he must have done something he was at the very least afraid of being rebuked for.
Anna had overheard the rest of the males discussing it early that morning, so she knew they had attempted to find him the night before without any luck.
At the moment she was gathered with her friends in the front room of the house getting ready to say their goodbyes.
Anna's eyes stung as Harri pulled her in for a hug.
"We'll be back before we head for home in a few weeks sweetie," she said and squeezed her reassuringly.
Jess hugged her next then handed her a sealed envelope. "Would you give this to him for me when he comes back?"
Anna nodded mutely and put it in her purse. She considered one more attempt at pressing her, but she could tell from her set expression it would be a waste of time.
Jenna grabbed her hand, her brow creased with worry. "If you need us we're only a two hour train ride away."
Anna managed a smile, "I'm sure I'll be fine."
Jenna returned the smile, her eyes flicking to Anna's hair, restored to it's original silvery blonde. "That dye remover is amazing, no one would ever know you'd changed it."
"I know, right?" Her smile turned up a notch as she combed her fingers through it, watching the strands fall onto her shoulder. As fun as the change had been for a moment, she was relieved to have her own color back. She wondered what--
"Hey, you can daydream after we're gone," Jenna teased.
Anna huffed out a laugh, "Okay...so..."
Jenna grabbed her hand again, "Later, 'gator."
She grinned, "While 'dile."
She watched through the window as they climbed into the waiting cab, her thoughts turning to Michael.
She could have learned the truth of what had caused Jess to say those things about him at the bar, but by the time Jess had emerged from the locked room Anna had found herself reluctant to ask. It was possible that Jess had simply picked up on Michael's vibes and extrapolated, or that Tyros had put the idea in her head, and honestly Anna didn't want to think about the alternative. It didn't matter in the long run, she had a plan and the only part Michael would have in it was to help her if he was willing.
The night before she had decided she was going to sit them down and tell them what her feelings were in regards to Jared and enlist their aid in finding him. She was counting on Matthias to be on board...in fact it was probably only Michael who would balk. But she wasn't backing down, so he could either help or stay out of it.
She watched as the car drove out of sight, then headed to the study.
**
No one had noticed the car that was sitting at the end of the street watching the house and when the women climbed into their cab and headed for the train station, they were not aware of being followed.
Paulo lived to fuck the vampire females in London, and there was nothing he wouldn't do to that end. He had kept himself restrained from making the final plunge, from draining a human of life, only to be of use to those he desired.
On the train he sat a car away from the three females, wondering about the daylight female. Her black hair and purple eyes had made him suspicious at the bar, and when she’d asked about Jared he’d known what she was. And shock did not begin to cover what he'd felt when she'd walked out into the sun.
At first when he'd gone to Terrina she had not believed him, stating it was impossible. But after a little digging she'd discovered that Jared had recently left Stokes with a female who had an American accent and she'd had to concede it must be true.
Paulo had tracked down the cab driver through his license plate number and learned where she'd been dropped off. He’d quickly discovered the home was protected and there were a number of males living within, males who did not drink from humans and therefore retained their powers in daylight.
He was given the task of watching the house and delivering the female to Terrina and her companion, for which he would be rewarded immensely. His cock lengthened and hardened just thinking of the things they had promised if he was successful.
He followed the three females at a discreet distance as they exited the train in France. He was curious about the other two who appeared to be human as one looked like no vampire he'd ever seen and the other, though bearing a resemblance to one called Anna, was far too old to be. He puzzled over that resemblance, than dismissed it.
Anna was wearing more form fitting clothes this afternoon, and her curves were delicious. He truly hoped she would choose to turn rather than die, one more female for him to enjoy.
The females climbed into a cab and he followed in another. A short drive later they were pulling up in front of a small cottage. He paid the driver and climbed out, perching himself out of sight down the street, trying to decide his next move. He would have to wait until dark for his abilities to return to him.
When evening finally came Anna and the attractive human girl came out of the house and began walking. They were discussing a place they would go for a late dinner and what they would do afterwards. They settled on catching a cab from the restaurant to a club across town, and his plan came together.
He waited by the restaurant until he saw them exit then hailed a cab and with a friendly smile affected a French accent. "Girls, I have one for you," he opened the door of the taxi and they looked at each other and grinned. They slid into the seat and he slid in next to them.
"Where are you headed?" His handsome face had fooled many an innocent victim, and they were no different--then it struck him. They were both human. He inhaled deeply and pinned the dark haired girl with an intense stare. He had followed the wrong female. He felt anger building, and his expression must've shown it.
"Um, driver, can you let us out at the next.....
He leaned in. "If you finish that statement or alert him in any way to a problem, I will kill him," he whispered.
She shut her mouth.
"Where is Anna?" he demanded.
"Who?" she asked, her voice shaky.
The driver interrupted, "Where is it you're going?"
Paulo managed to smile, "Just drive for a bit, we haven't decided yet."
He turned back to the girls. "She's still at that house in England?" he bit out.
The girls said nothing, but the one with chestnut hair had gripped the other's arm and he could smell her fear climbing.
Paulo sat back, gaining control of his anger and thought about the situation. Perhaps this is fortuitous. He could get information from these two and use them as bait.
He told the driver to take them downtown. When the cab stopped he ordered the girls out, and once on the sidewalk he blurred them to a shady part of the city. He located an empty building and pulled them inside, taking the dark haired one by the throat, then turned to the other who was now exuding terror from her pores. "Answer my questions or your friend dies."
She blinked back tears and nodded.
"Sit." He ordered, and once she'd lowered herself onto the cement floor, Paulo tied the hands of the dark haired girl behind her back. As he drew out a handkerchief to gag her he again cursed the fact that his abilities during the day were no better than a human’s. If not for that he would have seen her more clearly. The one who called herself Anna had much more delicate and childlike features, and her eyes had been a different shade of violet.
When he was finished securing the one he held, he turned to the one staring up at him with wide eyes.
"What are your names?" He was greeted with silence so he made a show of pulling a dagger from his bag and turning it over in his hands. “I don’t. like. repeating myself,” he pronounced the words slowly, in a chillingly quiet voice.
"Jessica and Jenna Richmond," she answered, her voice shaking.
"Sisters?"
She nodded.
"What is your relationship with the vampire female?"
"F..friend."
"You are Americans, yes?"
Another nod.
"From what state?"
"New York."
"How long have you known the female?"
"About s..se...seven years." Tears were beginning to slide down her face and Paulo grimaced.
"What are the names of the males that share the house in London with her?"
She took a shaky breath and spoke barely above a whisper, her eyes on her sister. "Michael, Seth, Matthias, Coderin, and....Tyros."
"Five of them? Are any of these her lover?"
She shook her head.
"Is Jared her lover?"
"J...just once."
"Do any of the five feed from her?"
"No.”
He raised his brows doubtfully.
“She drinks from them…but not the other way around."
He was quiet for a moment wondering about the disgustingly high moral fiber of this group of males, making a note of it. "These males, they are hunters, yes?"
Nod.
"Is she as well?"
"They don't let her, it's too dangerous."
"Does she feed from the two of you?"
She shook her head. He raised a brow, she shook her head again.
"Why does she have you around then?"
"We...we're Faerian."
His eyes widened briefly at this. "Healers?"
"No. We're from the male line."
His brows drew together. "Male line? I've never heard of this. What abilities do you have?"
"We can see the shadow men. And some of us have visions."
"You have visions?"
"No."
"Your sister then?"
She looked at the floor without answering.
He glanced at the one called Jenna. He could think of nothing else to ask at the moment. Time to call his females.
He spoke to Terrina in Italian, explaining the situation and filling her in on the details of his question and answer session.
He pressed end and set about tying the girls securely around the wrists and ankles then placed a gag on the one he’d questioned. Hoisting one over each shoulder he blurred back to London.
Generously created for me by @son-of-satire