Twenty-three
“I got your message,” the voice behind him drawled. Gabriel turned and looked at his second in command, Zane. He looked like hell twice warmed over.
“About time,” Gabriel chastised. “I need every man I can get.
Maya’s friend’s been killed and she’s somewhere in the hospital. We need to find her. The rogue is here.”
Gabriel’s cell vibrated. He flipped it open. “Yeah?”
“I’m in the hospital. Which floor are you on?” Amaury asked.
“Seventh.” He disconnected the call without waiting for Amaury to respond.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. Thomas, I want you to try and get close to the murdered doctor and see if you can pick up traces of the vampire who did this.”
Thomas nodded.
“Use whatever means necessary. And check in with Ricky - he said he’d be on this floor. I don’t see him anywhere.” Then he turned to Zane. “Zane, take floors one through four and -“
“Just did those floors – no sign of her,” Amaury’s voice came from the stairs. He strode into view, his broad six and a half foot frame filling the door to the stairway fully.
Gabriel nodded to him, grateful that everyone was showing up to help. “Good. Zane take floors twelve and thirteen.”
“Consider it done,” Zane answered and went to the stairway, greeting Amaury with a slap on his arm in passing.
“Let’s comb the rest of the floors, Amaury.”
Thomas raised his hand in goodbye and walked toward the other end of the corridor to where the sounds from the shocked hospital workers were becoming louder. Gabriel and Amaury went the other way.
“How are you holding up?” Amaury asked.
“It’s killing me not knowing where she is. Whether she’s safe.”
Gabriel gave Amaury a serious look. “And with the stench of bleach in this hospital, I can’t even latch onto her scent.”
“We’ll find her.”
“I’ll take ten and eleven. Nobody’s been to eight and nine yet.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Amaury promised and gave him a wry smile before Gabriel rushed passed and ran up the stairs ahead of him.
On the tenth floor, he stepped out into the corridor and stalked along the floor, his nostrils taking in every scent, but the hospital smells were too prominent. There was no hint of Maya. With every minute, hope faded.
Gabriel ran his hands through his hair. He couldn’t lose her. He’d only just found her. This wasn’t fair. How could life be so cruel to him?
Did he not deserve a little happiness? Was it too much to ask?
Something vibrated against his groin. Gabriel stopped and pulled his cell out of his pocket. He looked at the text message.
Have Maya, Rm 534C. Be careful. Rogue is near.
He heaved a sigh of relief when he recognized the sender’s number: Yvette. With a few clicks on his phone he forwarded the message to his friends as he ran down toward the stairways. Once they were together, the rogue would have no chance defeating them.
Maya let herself rest against the wall of the janitor’s closet. Yvette had closed the door, but they hadn’t put the light on as a precaution.
p. “He’s out there somewhere. I sensed him, I swear,” Maya insisted and stared at Yvette in the dark. She had no difficulty making out the beauty’s features in the dim light that filtered through the bottom of the door.
“I didn’t sense any strange vampire, but with all the bleach in here, I don’t know…” Yvette responded. Yet she didn’t open the door, and she’d complied with Maya’s wishes to send the others a warning by text message. “Gabriel and the others will be here shortly. You’ll be safe.”
Maya reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Thanks. I mean it. I’m sorry I almost killed you.”
Yvette shrugged her shoulders. “I would have done the same in your situation.” She nodded toward the broken broom. “Quick thinking.”
“I’m assuming a stake through the heart will kill a vampire?” Maya hoped she hadn’t been completely off the mark.
“That, and a few other things. Don’t worry, once this is over, Gabriel will give you a crash course in everything you need to know.
You couldn’t have a better teacher. He’s been around for a very long time.”
Maya averted her eyes. “I’d rather somebody else taught me. Maybe Thomas.” Yes, Thomas would be a much safer bet: no danger to her heart.
“I thought you and Gabriel …” Yvette let her voice trail off.
“You thought wrong. He has no interest in me.”
Yvette chuckled softly as if she knew otherwise. “Honey, you wanna tell him that or shall I, because the man is under the impression he’s in love with you. And by the looks of it, I’d say he’s not alone in his feelings.”
Maya snapped her gaze to Yvette.
“Oh, yes, don’t look at me like it’s such a surprise to you. He was ready to bite my head off when he found out I saw you leave and didn’t stop you.” Despite the heated discussion, they both kept their voices to a mere whisper to avoid detection by the rogue if he was still roaming the hospital corridors.
“You’re wrong. He doesn’t love me. He’s got somebody else.”
Maya pushed down her rising tears. It wasn’t fair for Yvette to bait her like this – although maybe Gabriel had her fooled as well.
“Gabriel? Are we talking about the same guy? Mr. Lonesome himself? In all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him with a woman. He’s never dated, and from what I’ve heard from the guys, he doesn’t even go along to any of their fuck fests -“
“Their what?”
“Some of the guys are a little rambunctious and need to let off steam from time to time. They think I don’t know, but trust me, I know. The vampires who’re not bonded, they can get quite wild when they roam the cities and go out looking for pussy. All I’m saying is that Gabriel never participates.”
Maya swallowed back her shock. Yvette’s frank language was unexpected, but why should vampires be any different
