Chapter Fourteen

            Milo listened to Jeremy’s voicemail. He plugged the address Jeremy gave him into the map on his phone.

            Arthur had been watching him carefully. “What’s going on?”

            “They may have found a lead,” Milo answered. “You guys keep following the trail, I’ll drive ahead to see if Jeremy’s hunch is right.”

            “You’ll need someone with a stronger nose,” Arthur said. 

            “They’ll sniff out a Were or a Shifter if it’s them,” Milo pointed out.

            “People usually don’t find Shifters a threat.”

            One of the Betta family growled. Milo knew it was the boy. Jack.

            Milo chuckled. “I know. Weres and Vampires think they’re the most dangerous.” He studied the Betta family. If they found out Xana was at the address, he needed someone who wouldn’t rush in. Arthur was out because no matter how much he lectured Roxy, he would charge in if he knew Xana was hurt. Mr. and Mrs. Betta would want to help a child. Jack may want to try and prove himself. “Toni, Shift back to Human and put some clothes on. You’ll be my nose.”

            Toni went over to Arthur’s car to do as instructed.

            “Why her?” Arthur questioned.

            “She won’t try to save Xana without a plan. The rest of you may.”

            Toni walked back to Milo. “I think he’s right. I’ll feel bad if she’s there and we don’t do anything, but I have no desire to throw myself into danger.”

            Milo looked at her parents. “You okay with this?” Two dog heads nodded. He turned his eyes to Arthur. “Keep following the trail. I’ll call after we check out the house.”

            Milo and Toni got into Milo’s car. Milo set the route to the house and drove off.

            “Can I ask you a question?” Toni said.

            “Sure.”

            “My parents didn’t tell me how or why she was kidnapped.”

            Kids were always curious. Milo felt there was no reason to not be honest. “James took her to punish Xavier. Xavier killed the Vampire who Turned them both. James wants revenge.”

            Toni nodded a little. “Do you think she’s dead?”

            “It’s a possibility. But Vampires like dramatics. I feel he wouldn’t do something viewed as boring or average.”

            “Vampires are strange creatures.”

            “All people are strange creatures. Do your friends know you’re a Shifter?”

            Toni laughed. “Nope. Need to know only. Shifters don’t Shift randomly if pissed off or something, and we can go out in the sun. Plus we don’t have Clans or Packs, so no weird cult-looking situation. You’re lucky, though. You can blend. Only Hunters can sniff out other Hunters. You smell Human to me.”

            “But you’re forced to make a choice,” Milo told Toni. “Ignore what you are, or do something about it. Then you have to figure out if you want to do the vigilante thing, or uphold Supernatural Law. Either way, you have to juggle two lives.”

            “I guess no life is easy.”

            “Nope.”

            They were silent for the rest of the ride. They reached the house fifteen minutes later. Milo stopped his car across the street. He could hear voices, but wasn’t able to make out the words. And his increased sense of smell failed him at that distance.

            “Two Weres,” Toni said. “Three Vampires, two Humans, and I guess that other scent is Halfie. I’ve never smelled one before.”

            “Can you hear anything?” Milo asked.

            “Moaning and crying. Like someone’s in pain. Sounds like a few people are sleeping. There’s also a conversation going on.” She concentrated for a moment. “They keep mentioning someone, only saying ‘her’ or ‘she.’ They’re talking about what will happen to her when she makes a decision.” She listened more. “A guy just said he hopes she doesn’t take James’ offer tomorrow night. He’s saying what he’ll do to her.” Toni looked upset by what she just heard. “A woman just said, ‘Shut up, Roger.’”

            Milo started the car again, and peeled away. “We have to get back to the Chambers’ house.”

 

 

            Charlie and Roxy slept together in Xana’s bed.

            Charlie had nightmares about her time with Marco. Except this time Xana and Max were there too, being forced to do the things she had to do. She did her best to protect Xana in her dream, but everything and everyone was stopping her. Then Roger made an appearance, taking Xana away. There was terror in Xana’s eyes.

            Charlie woke with a gasp. Roxy had a hand on Charlie’s shoulder, and a worried look on her face. “You okay?”

            Charlie wiped sweat off her forehead. “Just a bad dream.”

            “You have a lot of those.”

            Charlie sat up and winced. “You noticed before?”

            “Xana and I didn’t want to bring it up and make you uncomfortable.”

            “One of the joys of PTSD.”

            Roxy tilted her head. “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?”

            “Yeah. Survivors of sexual assault and abuse are people who have it the most. More often than soldiers, I think Dr. Michaels said.”

            “How does that affect your life?”

            “Random things will remind me of a moment, and I’ll get a flashback. Panic sets in, and everything but the memory goes away. I’ve had to leave class several times. It’s better than when I first moved here. Much better than my time in Maine. I didn’t even realize how bad it was until I started therapy. Unfortunately, the nightmares haven’t calmed down.”

            “That sucks.” Roxy didn’t know what else she could say. “Do you think Xana will have that too?”

            “Probably. Especially if Roger comes through with his threats.”

            “I don’t want any of that to happen to her,” Roxy whispered.

            “Trust me, neither do I. No one should go through that.”

            Roxy nodded, but then hopped out of the bed. “My dad and Milo are back.”

            Roxy dashed away with her Werewolf speed. Charlie had to follow at normal Human speed. Everyone was in the living room when she got downstairs.

            Milo was standing in the center of the room, all the others looking at him expectantly. “She’s alive,” he announced.

            Roxy broke into tears. She never truly knew what relief felt like until then. There was actually hope. She could let herself hope now.

            “You didn’t get her?” Maggie asked.

            “One Hunter against three Vampires and two Weres would not end well,” Milo said. “We need to plan. And from what Toni heard, they’re not going to try to do anything until tomorrow night.”

            “You mean tonight?” Charlie asked. “It’s past three in the morning.”

            “We should move now,” Jeremy said.

            Milo shook his head. “No. We plan.”

            Mr. Betta stood up. “I’m sorry we can’t help. I need to get my family home, and don’t want us connected to a Vampire Clan war.”

            Xavier went to Mr. Betta and shook his hand. “I understand. A Vampire in my Clan lives in your area. I have him watching out for my nieces, and will have him warn you if for some reason anything comes your way.”

            Mr. Betta nodded. “I hope you get your daughter back soon.”

            The Betta family went off.

            “Jeremy,” Milo said, “Call Detectives Martin and Anderson. We’ll need the cops involved so it’ll be legit for the public since this had been all over the news.”

 

 

            Charlie made food and coffee for everyone. She put the food in the middle of the dining room table where they were having their little planning meeting.

            “We’ll try and move during the day,” Milo said to the group. “That way it limits the three Vampires. We’ll only have to worry about the two Weres and the two Humans. Hopefully.”

            “Why would they have Weres?” Roxy asked. “James’ Clan isn’t really known for aligning with Packs.”

            “Packless Weres are sometimes used as hired help. Thugs,” her dad told her.

            “We can’t bring any civilians with us,” Detective Anderson said. It was Charlie’s first time meeting her. She had lovely dark skin with freckles and bouncy curly hair. “So, Mr. Jacobs, you’re out.”

            “But I could be helpful,” Arthur said.

            “If we wanna be able to charge the Humans with something we can’t have anyone else in the way. It may hurt the trial, and we can’t put a civilian in danger. It’s already annoying enough having two PIs around.” Detective Anderson smiled sweetly at Milo.

            Milo rolled his eyes at her with a grin.

            “We’ll get some local Supernatural cops to help,” Detective Martin added. “I know of a few uniforms in that area.”

            “If all this happens during the day, how will Mr. Chambers be able to see Xana?” Charlie questioned. She could see how desperately he wanted to be reunited with his daughter.

            Everyone looked at Xavier. Clearly no one else had thought about that.

            Xavier let out a breath, looking distressed. “I can find a way to cover up maybe. Or… I’ll just wait.”

            “What if we go, like, an hour or two before sunset?” Jeremy suggested. “That way we can inform them we found her officially and once she’s been checked out, it’ll be dark.”

            Xavier shook his head. “Get to her as soon as possible.”

            Milo rubbed his forehead. “They’re not gonna do anything about Xana until night. As long as there’s still sun, we can get to her.”

            “We’ll also need to strategize and update the other officers,” Detective Anderson said.

            “And we have to inform our lieutenant,” Detective Marin added. “And get down there to ask to borrow said officers.”

            “Let’s just not worry about me,” Xavier said. “Bring her home.”