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Chapter Sixty Six
Anna was surprised to find herself stopping so soon. She had thought they were headed for France, instead they found themselves in a posh corner of London where gated estates stretched down a long street.
The gate they were standing in front of was made of cast iron and stood ten feet tall. Matthias hissed for them to back away from it, there were security cameras sweeping the sidewalk near to where they stood.
"I would be willing to wager this place is owned by our kind." Michael stated. "The upside is they're likely unable to navigate the daylight, with any strength at least. Unfortunately even if we get past the gates the house is likely protected."
Anna did not think there could be any upsides to her friends being abducted by fallen vampires. Her stomach turned over and over at the thought of what might be done to them.
An SUV turned down the street and Coderin flagged Seth to a stop down the road. He parked and joined them, glaring at the property.
"So what’s our assessment?"
Matthias and Michael looked at Anna, then away.
"I'm guessing that we're all thinking my friends were taken as bait to get to me,” she said quietly.
"Females?" Seth asked.
The others frowned and Anna felt her stomach clench harder. If the captors were male at least there were more things to negotiate and less reason for them to kill anyone. Females.....not good.
"Okay," Matthias said finally, "I'm going to check the perimeter, find a place to get inside the gates without being seen."
Twenty minutes later Matthias returned frowning. “There’s no way in without triggering a silent alarm. They have beams shooting up much farther than any of us can leap.”
“So what now?” Anna asked anxiously.
“Do you have your phone?”
Her eyes widened and she shook her head as she realized she’d left it turned off in her room. “I’ll go get it.”
“I’ll come with you,” Michael stated and instructed the rest of them to stay and watch for any activity. Particularly day walking vampires like the one that must have followed the girls in the first place.
Paulo, an accusing voice whispered in Anna’s mind, him or someone he told about me. And you never told anyone about your attempt to reach Jared, did you? If you had, the males would have been on alert and this would not have happened. She felt tears coming and raced into a blur before anyone could see.
She and Michael reached the house and she leapt up the stairs to her room, grabbing her phone. She turned it on and there were several missed calls from late last night, unknown number, no messages. It was them, she thought miserably, I caused their abduction and didn’t even have my phone on when they needed me.
She spun to race back downstairs and collided with Michael.
“Slow down,” he commanded, “Matthias wanted you to have your phone in case they call, but I believe that call won’t come until near or after sundown. They won’t risk negotiations in the daylight while they’re weak.”
She looked up into his face and her body started shaking. He gathered her into his arms and spoke soothingly. “It’s not your fault, you couldn’t have known.”
She shook her head denying his words. “I put them in danger, they wouldn’t have even been here if not for me, and no one would have known about my existence if I hadn’t taken it upon myself to get those weapons…” not to mention what you don’t know, her mind whispered desolately.
Michael was stroking her hair. “I believe things happen for a reason, you have to trust me on this, guilt will not solve a problem nor will it ever change anything.”
She nodded, swallowing thickly.
He tipped her head up, “Everything will be okay.”
He said it with such confidence that she had to believe him. She smiled gratefully and he smiled back, a dazzling grin that transformed his face. She realized he didn’t smile nearly enough.
His smile receded and a look came into his eyes that Anna recognized all too well, and suddenly she needed to get back to the others. She said as much and pulled free of his grip, dashing out the door and blurring back to the waiting males.
“Where’s Michael?” Coderin asked after she’d told them about the missed calls.
“He should be right behind me.” She felt a pang, but took Michael’s advice and refused to feel guilty. His feelings were not her fault, she had never done anything to encourage them.
He showed up several minutes later and avoided looking at her.
“Fuck, I hate standing around with my thumb up my ass!” Matthias said irritably.
“I agree, but what choice do we have?” Seth looked at the gates again. “If only it wasn’t so likely the house was protected, it wouldn’t matter if they knew we were coming, they wouldn’t be any match for us.”
They decided to take the SUV and find a nearby tavern they could wait in. A few blocks away they found one that suited. The males played pool and Anna watched numbly, trying not to think about what might be happening to her friends.
They’re fine, she told herself, they’re needed to get at me, so they’re fine. She prayed she was right and held tightly to the vague connection she still felt with Jenna.
Shortly before sunset Anna’s phone rang and she stared at the unknown number with dread as she answered.
“Hello?”
“Have you been expecting my call?” The voice on the other line brought up images of Medusa, making her shiver.
She forced anger and strength into her voice. “Where are my friends?”
“We’ll come to that, but first tell me the location of the five males who protect you.”
“Four,” Anna said automatically.
“I was told there were five.”
“There were, but one disappeared a couple of days ago and hasn’t returned.” Why am I telling her this? She winced.
“I see.” There was the sound of a pen scratching on paper and then, “Mm. What’s the missing male’s name?”
“Tyros.”
“Very well, your stories match.”
She asked one of the girls, Anna thought and felt relief course through her.
“So these four, they are with you now?”
“What is the point of this question?” Anna asked.
“Well I’m afraid I can’t have your protectors interfering with our deal, so here is what I propose: the four of them will go to a club called Vassaggo’s at nine pm where they will be watched by some friends of mine, whilst you, my sweet, will come to a bar called Stokes. I believe you are familiar with the place?” Her voice was dripping with acid covered honey. “I will bring your little friend with the bad attitude to that location. Once we’re there she can leave in a cab you’ll have waiting for her while you and I become…acquainted.”
Anna felt her heart being squeezed, “I won’t participate in any deal that doesn’t involve the safety of both of my friends,” she said tightly.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible. The one called Jess is dead.”
Anna’s grip on the phone tightened, her knuckles whitening as the color drained from her face to match them. Then she abruptly released it and put both hands over her mouth tightly, breathing through her fingers and shaking her head in vigorous denial. She dropped to her knees and leaned forward until her head touched the back of a chair, her breath whistling through her fingers in labored heaves.
Matthias retrieved the phone. “YOU BITCH! Do you think you won’t pay for this?” he hissed.
“Careful,” she hissed back, “I may decide to bide my time and wait for another opportunity to make Anna’s acquaintance and just keep this other one as a pet until I tire of her.”
Anna looked at Matthias in terror, shaking her head. She climbed to her feet and held her hand out for the phone with a beseeching look. He handed it over reluctantly, his face mottled with anger.
“Don’t hurt her,” she rasped, “I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Oh how sweet. You care so much for these worthless little humans. Then I suppose I shall see you in Stokes at ten. Don’t be late,” she sang and the line went dead.
Coderin wrapped his arms around Anna, and Seth closed in on her from the other side, putting his face next to her ear. “She may be lying,” he whispered, “she may just want you upset so you’ll act rashly. It makes very little sense for her to kill Jess, it would be wiser for her to have more than one avenue to get at you.”
Anna felt some of her tension ease. She looked up into the wolf man’s eyes and saw they appeared very canine indeed, as if he were about to change. “Do you think so?” she asked shakily.
He nodded, “Don’t lose hope.” Then he turned to the others. “I have reason to believe that she doesn’t know exactly who we are, or more importantly what we look like.”
“What reason is that?” Michael asked.
“Because she called us five males, she didn’t mention Dog, did she?”
Anna looked around and they were all nodding vigorously.
Matthias was growing excited. “No fucking way she wouldn’t have made a scathing remark.”
“So, we get Leo to replace one of us at the bar…
Matthias volunteered automatically. “I’ll grab Jenna when they attempt to leave.”
“Wait! What about Jess? If you do that it will piss them off and she could suffer for it!” Anna looked around feeling panicky all over again.
“You’re right. Damn, I’ll have to grab the bitch instead. Likely whatever fuckheads’ she’s in league with will not want to lose their female slut. We’ll negotiate her for the girls.”
“Why can’t we replace two of you, you know with that other hunter Finn, then you can grab the vampiress and Jenna.”
Seth shook his head, “We may be able to convince them that we have one human in our midst but two would be pushing it.”
Anna bit her lip. Well, it was better than nothing, either way they would have to negotiate for Jess…she hoped. Oh she really hoped.
Generously created for me by @son-of-satire