Page 50 of In His Veins

CALLUM

The roads are deserted this late, which means the only life I endanger as I fly through countless red lights is my own. There’s this feeling in my gut. It tells me something’s wrong as I speed toward the address Chase texted. Trying his new number, I’m immediately sent to voicemail before another text comes through a few seconds later.

I’m too close to Kiel to risk answering.

That nagging feeling in my gut persists. So, on impulse, I call Chase’s old number. The line trills for what feels like forever, but right as it’s about to go to voicemail… someone picks up.

“Hello?” His voice is groggy, but it’s unmistakably Chase.

“Fuck!” I yell and make a U-turn in the next intersection.

“Jesus, man, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Chase complains.

“Get in your car right now and go to Ava’s apartment. Something’s wrong.”

“Shit,” Chase curses. I hear rustling blankets and a woman’s voice on the other line. “Do you think she’s in danger?” He asks, making me feel sick at the idea.

“Yeah,” I breathe. “I think Kiel might have gotten to her.”

Chase curses viciously and I hear the sound of car doors slamming. “Okay, I’m going to call Lucas and Jax, too. We’ll meet you over there.” He disconnects the call before I can answer. I’m almost to her apartment, but I know in my gut it’s too late.

I pull into her parking lot and grab my pistol from my glovebox before sprinting to her unit. The door is ajar when I bust inside, gun raised. I comb through all the rooms, but she’s gone. I open her video feed on my phone and increase the playback speed. So much changed in the past 15 minutes. Right after I leave the apartment, Kiel lets himself in, the door unlocked.

Ava’s still half-asleep and she doesn’t stir as Kiel stalks toward her. He observes her naked body before lunging toward her. Her eyes fly open as his skin connects with hers, clawing and biting at him in an attempt to get free. She puts up a fight, but he injects the needle into her neck. She’s unconscious in seconds, and he carries her out of the apartment.

I’ve just finished watching the video when Chase busts into the apartment, Paige hot on his heels. He drops his gun when he sees me. I shake my head.

“I have a few cameras set up just in case. The footage shows him drugging her and carrying her right out.” I feel numb as I recount what I just watched.

“Okay let’s think. Lucas and Jax split up and are combing the area. I’ll send them toward the university campus. I think we should split up too so we can cover more ground.” I nod again, but I can’t find my voice. Chase grips my arm.

“We’re going to find her Cal. We have to.”

“We don’t even know what kind of car we’re looking for, Chase.” My voice is low and rough. Paige is looking around the apartment, her face stricken.

“The Restriction is open tonight. Maybe this guy interacted with some of the other patrons. We could go ask-” She stops in the middle of her sentence. “Okay it might be a long shot, but maybe we should keep an eye out for my car since that’s what he drove away in. It’s very possible he might have dumped it, but at least it’s a starting point.”

“It’s a place to start,” Chase agrees.

“We’re looking for a black BMW, model 230i.” She adds. I nod my head, but I know Kiel has something up his sleeve.

I brush past the two of them and I feel Paige’s eyes on me as I race out the door. If I know Kiel, I bet he told me exactly where he planned to take Ava. I speed toward 45 E 14th St., slowing my car to a crawl as I survey the area.

The entire street is dark and I don’t see any movement. Killing my headlights, I don’t even see any lights inside the warehouses. I worry I made the wrong choice as I pull over and start canvassing the area on foot, peering into windows, kicking open doors, building after building.

I finally find the address Kiel gave me, finding nothing more than a run down shack. I kick down the door and am not surprised to find it empty. I drive my fist into the wall, rest my forehead there while I try to think. I’ve just decided to head back to my car when I get a call from the fake burner phone. I answer it, but don’t say anything.

“Hi there, Callum. It’s been a rather dramatic half hour, hasn’t it? You’re so smart to come to 14th street. You know me well, don’t you? But this is a two way street. I know you, too. And I have something very valuable that you might want back.”

“Is she alive?” My voice sounds like sandpaper and Kiel laughs.

“Of course, she is. Here, let me prove it to you.” I hear his footsteps on cement. “Oh, Ava! Wake up dear.” A sharp crack echoes through the phone, followed by a strangled cry. I don’t want to believe it, but I know it’s Ava.

“Don’t fucking touch her.” I barely recognize my voice as Kiel laughs.

“I don’t think you’re in much of a position to make demands, Callum. In fact, we’re almost to the begging part of the evening. However, I am a reasonable man. If you come alone, I’ll release her. I only want you, after all.”

“You swear?” I ask, even though his word means nothing.

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