Cruise would never give up, nor would the men tasked with bringing him back. He’d spotted Jason several times, but again his luck won out, and Jason never noticed him. Jason wouldn’t have brought him back to Cruise, he would have just killed him on the spot like he did that man in Cruise’s office. He hadn’t seen Jason in over a month now, but he would never let his guard down.
He wasn’t going to make it to the shelter before dark. He spent too much time dodging a vampire who he thought had recognized him. He’d seen the man with Cruise in the past, and they’d appeared to be friends or at least friendly. Thankfully the guy didn’t pursue, so he must not have recognized him.
He started checking his immediate surroundings for a place to hold up for the night. There was a bar on one side of the street, and a rib joint a block down. He decided on the rib joint for the odors were more pungent. He found a hidden corner around behind the restaurant's dumpster and covered himself with some boxes and food-stained cardboard.
He’d have to be out of there by dawn because trash pickup in the area came early. His stomach groaned as he took in the delicious scents coming from the restaurant. There was a drop-in center not far from where he was where he could get something to eat in the morning. He kept that in mind as he fought to ignore his body’s needs. Gradually he drifted into a light slumber while his senses stayed alert.
He hadn’t been asleep long when something woke him, and he came immediately alert, it was movement and whispers close by. He held his breath and hoped that whoever it was moved on and didn’t notice him. His hopes were dashed as the dumpster was aggressively pulled back, and his cardboard covers fell away.
“Well, what do we have here?” Came the sickening sing-song tone that signaled trouble ahead. There were three of them, and they were on him before he could manage to scramble to his feet. They were human, he’d developed a keen sense and knew the difference between human and paranormal. Perhaps he would survive, he could survive an attack by humans.
As he was being beaten and kicked the arrant thought of, he should have made more of an effort to get to the shelter, flashed through his mind just as everything went dark. For all the terrors he’d survived in the past months, he was going to be done in by three humans. It didn’t seem right.
…
Sergio was out front just before five waiting for Kash. He’d reviewed the investigative file on Keagan Hahn last night and found very little new information. The man had completely disappeared, no signs of life, as he’d stated so callously last night. He found himself referencing the small picture that Kyler had given him many times throughout the night, and even now, he held it in his pocket.
Something about that infectious grin just made him wish for the young man to still be alive. His file from the club indicated no family, but that could simply mean no family relationship. The search team report revealed nothing as far as family, but Keagan may have been on his own for some time and may have altered his name.
The team tasked with locating him hadn’t given up, but their search had become less urgent as the weeks passed. After locating Carlo and learning more details as to the night Keagan disappeared, they seemed to hang up any hope of the young man being found alive.
“Hey,” Kash called to him as he strode out of the garage. Sergio had chosen a basic sedan so they could move about town unnoticed, and it was parked by the curb. “Lando’s beloved Thomas is going to accompany us for the first few stops on our search. He’ll be here shortly.”
“Lando okay with that?” Sergio asked with a smirk as they waited for Thomas to arrive.
“As long as we protect him with our very lives and personally escort him back to the coven when he’s finished.” Kash smiled.
“Are you planning on using him to sniff out something useful at Ruby Light?” Sergio probed further. Kash nodded but added.
“Also, Jason’s apartment. The cleaners have dealt with the place, but Thomas’ skills would still be able to pick up Keagan’s scent if he were ever there, and we’ll have him check out Keagan’s apartment. Obviously, his scent is there, but Thomas will be able to discern if Keagan has been there recently.” Sergio nodded his understanding and turned towards the car when Thomas came out of the garage with Lando by his side.
After a quick possessive kiss for Thomas and a hard stare for both he and Kash Lando released his beloved into their care. Thomas climbed into the back seat while shaking his head but also wore a broad satisfied smile. “He doesn’t like me too far away from him. It makes him edgy.” Thomas explained.
“We’ll keep you safe,” Sergio assured.
“I know you will.” He answered good-naturedly. “So, where are you taking me? I know that it has to do with Keagan Hahn, the dancer from the Ruby Light, because Lando gave me a shirt that the man had worn so I could get a base read on his scent.”
Kash turned around in his seat so as to speak with Thomas directly rather than over his shoulder. Sergio listened as he pulled away from the curb and headed for the Ruby Light.
“We’re
