Immortal Dreams (9 page)

I hang up, and Frankie grips his head.

"How is it you chose this town - one where night stalkers hang out with lycans, night stalkers kill openly, girls keep popping up missing almost daily... I mean, what's wrong with Miami or Palm Springs?"

I release an exasperated, dramatic laugh while dropping to the couch.

"Just my luck, I guess.  Did you call Mom?" I sigh out.

"I tried, but she's apparently enthralled with the ceremonies.  I'm sure she'll call me back when she's free."

"Great.  I'm sure she'll yank me out of here the second she finds out a turf war is at play."

"This is bigger than a turf war.  Last night, the other night stalkers stood by and watched the two lycan females drain the vampire's body of life and blood."

"Did you see them in human form?" I ask curiously.

"No.  I couldn't ever get a look at the night stalkers either.  It was too dark, and obviously, I kept my distance.  I didn't want to be next on the menu."

Swallowing hard, I stand up and head for the wine.  Despite the fact I got entirely too drunk last night, I really need a drink right now.

"I need a drink and a shower.  You sticking around?" I ask curiously while heading to the kitchen.

"Yeah.  I need to make some calls, find out how long your mother is going to be indisposed."

I nod, the feeling of dread cloaking me as I think of how royally pissed my mother is going to be, and then I pour my drink and carry the bottle of wine with me to the bathroom.  One glass isn't going to cut it.

––––––––

C
hapter Six

"Any word from Mom yet?" I ask as I walk out fully dressed and towel-drying my hair.

"No," he sighs.  "I can't get a hold of any of her guards either.  They must be deep under."

I check to make sure my makeup isn't running, and then I head back into the kitchen in search of something to eat.  A knock at the door interrupts my search, and Frankie stands up, ready to pounce.

“Chill, Frankie.  It's probably my neighbor checking up on me."

He doesn't relax though, and as soon as I open the door, I tense up more than him.

"Kane," I murmur before sucking in a sharp breath, and he gives me a devilish smirk while stepping in.

"I decided to skip the phone calls.  I wasn't going to risk you ignoring me again," he murmurs, his breath finding my neck as he pulls me to his body.  "Damn you smell good."

His hands run through my wet hair as he crushes his lips to mine, and then my lips part to invite in his expert tongue.

"Ah hmm," Frankie says with a throat clearing chuckle.

Kane quickly cuts his gaze toward the warlock, and I let an embarrassed grin free.

"Another wolf?" He sighs, and I laugh a little when I see the sheer jealously blossoming in his perfectly green eyes.

"Sorry.  Frankie, Kane.  Kane, Frankie," I quickly introduce.

"Your mother's friend?" Kane muses.  His body relaxes but his eyes continue to study Frankie curiously.

To the untrained eye, Frankie looks young - thirty at the most- but in all reality, Frankie has seen the realm of Author, the rise of the Roman Empire, the Trojan war... He's old as shit to put it bluntly.

"Well, I'd like to consider myself Alyssa's friend too," Frankie snickers.

Kane's grip on me doesn't loosen, but his hand does trail down my back to pull me into him.

"Um, Frankie, will you let me know something when she calls back?" I ask, hinting for him to get the hell out of the house.

"Yeah.  I'm sure she'll want to talk to you soon."

I'm sure she will.

I'm definitely not leaving until I've at least had a chance to be with Kane.  I know it's not possible to stay with a human, but I also want to be with him as long as I can.  It's so ridiculous to have such feelings so early on, but I want him.

Frankie waves as he walks out, and Kane's arms return to pull me to him.

"So what was it this time?" I ask, trying not to sound bitter, but failing slightly.

"Deke needed some help with a... problem, so to speak.  Zee and I went with him."

I back away, heading toward the kitchen once again, and he follows me.

"Is that all I get?" I sigh out, not sure if I even have the right to be prying.

"It's sort of a personal thing that you'd probably never understand.  So, you hungry?" he asks as I pull out a prepackaged salad.

"Very, you?" I ask, checking my fridge for more.

"In more ways than one, but if you've got another salad, that will do," he says far too seductively.  "Or we can go back to my place and I can make you something before you go to work."

I lean back while shaking my head, feeling my damp hair starting to seep through my shirt. 
Crap
.  I really wish I wasn't standing here with wet hair right now.

"Actually, they canceled work.  A girl I work with was snatched from the diner last night just before she closed up.  Wade is pretty upset, and he's not opening the place back up for a few days."

His eyes widen.  "I haven't even heard about that.  Shit.  You've been closing."

"I know.  It freaked me out a little, but I'm just worried about her right now."

"You're sure as hell not closing by yourself anymore.  I don't care if I have to sit in there for your entire shift."

I bite back a smile, wondering how he can care so much when he barely knows me.

Without over thinking it, I drop the salad and jerk his lips to mine, feeling his immediate response trying to burst free from his pants as he moans into my mouth.  Gripping my ass, he picks me up, forcing my legs to rise and straddle his waist as he starts carrying me to the bedroom once again.

I gasp as he drops me to the bed and then falls between my parted legs.  He turns his phone off and then tosses it to the ground while smiling.

"No interruptions this time," he says with a devious grin.

My lower lip slides between my teeth as my anticipation builds, and he slowly runs his finger under the waistband of my pants.

A loud, obnoxious banging rattles us out of our moment, and his head drops to his chest.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he growls.

"Why did you tell your friends where I live?" I huff as he stands to go answer the intruder.

"Because I'm stupid like that," he grumbles on his way to the door.  "I swear I'm not leaving this time."

I flop down, waiting to hear why they have to have him right away, when suddenly Frankie's ashen face is in my room.

"What the hell?" I panic, and Kane quickly follows in behind him.

"Alyssa, come on.  We've got to go.  Your mom is missing."

My heart slaps my chest, my head spins, and I get dizzy and nauseated at once.

"I'll come with you," Kane quickly interjects while scooping up his shoes.

"Sorry, but you can't.  This is family only right now," Frankie vaguely counters.

More like magic only.  Shit.  Mom, where are you?

"Yeah, let me grab my stuff.  I'll meet you outside."

Kane looks so torn about what to do as I rush around to grab some stuff and throw it in a bag.

"Alyssa, please let me come help you out.  I can be there for you when you have to talk to the cops.”

There won't be any cops, just an immortal council.

"I'll call you as soon as I can, but right now I should just go with Frankie.  I'm sorry," I murmur with tears teetering on my lids.

"Don't be sorry.  Let me know if I can do anything.  If you need me, I'll be there."

My heart melts, and if I wasn't in a complete panic over my mom, I'd probably say something really stupid right now.

"Thanks," I squeak out as the first tear finally falls.

He wipes it away, and then he kisses my forehead so sweetly before pulling me into a comforting embrace I don't want to leave.

"Alyssa!" Frankie prompts.

"I'm coming," I whimper out, and Kane follows me to the door as I rush to the car Frankie has apparently swindled from someone.

Kane props up against my porch railing as he watches me disappear into the car with Frankie.  We pull away, and I feel his eyes still on me, wishing he could help me.

"What do they know?" I prompt, trying not to fall apart.

"All they'll tell me is that she's missing.  When there's a blood relative alive, the council won't release the details to anyone else.  When we get there, keep your eyes low.  Some of these council members aren't far from dark users.  They'll consider eye contact an insult, and it won't faze them to strike.  I wouldn't even be letting you doing this if-"

"If you weren't secretly in love with my mother," I interrupt, making his breath catch.  "I wouldn't let you not let me do this.  She's my mother.  She'd already be there if it was me.  I wish you could vaporize me with you and get us there quicker."

"I could, but you'd die," he sighs.  "Just hang on.  This thing looks like a family car, but I've replaced the engine with something a little... faster."

The engine roars as he gasses it, snapping me back against the seat, and I close my eyes as we push forward.

"Thank you for coming out
, Ms. Coldwell.  I'm sorry we're not meeting under better circumstances," the frigid lady sitting near the end murmurs very insincerely.

I swallow the rude, foul thing I want to yell at her, and summon up my best cordial face, remembering to keep my eyes low and my tone humble.

"Thank you for seeing me.  Could you please give me what information you have on my mother so that I may ask for permission to seek her?"

The arched table sits prestigiously in the place that resembles a gallant courtroom, with all of them being judge
and
jury.  The prominent, stuffy asses behind the elongated table show no emotion as a man answers, "Her last whereabouts were in Tibet for the ceremonies, however, we believe it was a dark user she left with.  We don't know if it was a nabbing or a simple disappearing act.  Calypso has run off for decades at a time before, so it wouldn't be the first time.  I suggest starting in Washington, near the Canadian border.  Their roots of power are there, and if you're to find anything out of sorts, that's where she'll be."

I get sick, but I try to keep a straight face.  My mom has been around for a long time.  The longer you live, the harder you are to kill.  They'd need the magic their dark roots have in order to do such a thing, but the council can't acknowledge that, not without telling me they know she was taken and they're not going to do anything about it.

"Calypso Coldwell is indeed very important to the light community.  Without her, the ceremonies will have to stop until we can find someone strong enough to proceed.  However, we cannot send you any means of help other than that of information for fear of sparking too much conflict.  Light users are forbidden to travel around that area, so tread carefully."

Meaning these sorry, stick-up-their-asses cowards aren't going to risk their own necks to save the woman who has saved everyone here at some point and time.

I bite the inside of my jaw so hard the tang of blood strikes me.

"Of course," I murmur through strain, trying my best not to snap.

I bow, showing them respect they don't deserve, and then I walk out quickly to meet up with Frankie who's waiting by the door.

"Have you called for plane tickets yet?" I mutter as we head down the hallway.

"We've got the next flight out."

"It looks like it's just the two of us.  I've basically been forbidden to recruit anyone else."

He scowls.  "I heard.  Don't worry though.  We'll get her out of there."

"We better, or else my estranged father will be getting a phone call."

His eyes grow wide, and then he turns to me.  "You can't be serious.  You know how dangerous he is, Alyssa.  You're mother would-"

"I'm very serious.  My mother would call him if it was me and she had to.  He's dangerous, he's crazy, but he's also very protective of her.  If he finds out, they'll all die, and I'll watch."

––––––––

C
hapter Seven

"I'm glad you called.  I've been worried.  Any word about your mother?" Kane asks.

I pull on my boots while slipping into my jacket, preparing to trudge through the rain, and then I sigh.

"Well, we're in Washington right now.  I think she just got a little crazy and ran off with some friends.  It’s happened before," I lie, using the council's cop out.  "They have a cabin up here, and right now we're trying to see if we can find it in this ridiculous wooded area."

"What section of woods?" he asks curiously.

I consider lying to him, but there's really no point.  It's not like he can stop me from going in there, and I don't want to lie to him more than necessary.

"We're in Fenshaw, it's mostly all woods to be honest.  When I track her down, I'll kick her ass for scaring Frankie and me."

At least I do well to mask my true fear.

"Alyssa, those woods are too dangerous.  Hikers go missing all the time out there."

That's because they don't know what sadistic bastards lurk out here.

The worry in his tone is genuine, and if he knew the truth, he'd never feel the same about the world he lives in.

"Don't worry.  Frankie knows a thing or two about the wilderness.  I'll call you later.  I doubt I'm going to have service once we get in there."

"Alyssa, just wait on me.  I'll come out there and help you."

My heart sizzles in my chest.  Knowing he'd do that makes the butterflies in my stomach ruffle.

"Don't be crazy.  Washington is too far away for you to have to come.  I'll take care of it.  Thanks though."

He exhales loudly, and then he murmurs, "Well, if you need me, you know how to find me."

Something about the way he says it... He almost sounds angry that I won't let him help.

"Thanks.  Really.  I'll talk to you later, Kane."

"Yeah," he murmurs, and then the line goes quiet.

"You ready?" Frankie asks as I pull the battery out of my phone.

"Yeah, you?"

He does the same - pulling the battery out of his own phone - and then he puts the pieces on the table separately.