Page 36 of The Psychic and the Vampire

“We can check out her house,” Viktor said, “and then we can go to your office straight after.”

“And then we get breakfast,” Ant said. “Because I don't know what's happening with my sister, but I do know I desperately need something to eat. Hmm” - a random thought hit him - “it must have been because of all that energy I expended last night. I'm sure there's a correlation there somewhere.”

“There probably is,” Viktor agreed. “We can discuss that when we find out if everything is all right in Bridget's home. I called an Uber. It should be here in two minutes.”

“Good idea.” Ant shelved his thought for later. Finding Bridget was far more important.

/~/~/~/~/

In Bridget’s house Ant looked around, both with his eyes and sending out his magic “There's nothing here.” He hurried through to the kitchen, going over to the counter and resting his hand against the coffee pot. It hadn’t been turned on. “No, that's not right. If the coffee pot isn't on, then it means she didn’t come home at all last night.”

He looked at Viktor with wide eyes. “The coffee pot. She always flicks it on because it’s one of those automatic things. Bridget always sets it before she goes to bed, so it’s ready for her in the morning. She didn’t come home last night.”

Viktor didn’t seem to look as worried as Ant was, but Ant couldn’t pick up why. “Your sister is a very attractive woman,” Viktor said slowly. “Is it possible that she had a date last night and not said anything…”

“I know I've been caught up with you and the Manzanos and these murders and everything else, but no, I would have distinctly remembered if she'd said something about having a date or going out of town or doing anything else like that. It's not like her. It's not like her to do that at all.” Ant checked the coffee pot again, but no, it hadn’t mysteriously turned on while Ant was freaking out.

“All right. You’re the mage here. Clearly this house isn’t a crime scene, so nothing’s happened here. So if we…”

“Yes. Yes. We’ll got to the office and then if she’s not there, I can at least check through her computer and see whether there’s anything on her calendar – maybe she did just forget to tell me something…”

Ant trailed off. There was no point in him trying to calm his nerves. Every instinct he had was telling him something was desperately wrong. Bridget wasn't the sort of person to just stay out all night without at least texting him and letting him know that she was okay. Logic dictated that could only mean she wasn’t all right.

It was another twenty minutes before they made it to the office. Ant could tell that Viktor was getting annoyed with the Uber driver, but then that was probably because the vampire was used to driving his own vehicle.

Ant didn’t drive, and never had. Bridget had always said he was too easily distracted to learn. Ant was happy to be the passenger and accepted the driver would get him to his destination in the time that it took to get him there.

He didn’t understand why Viktor was clenching his jaw when the driver was checking his phone instead of moving with the traffic at the traffic lights. Ant never cared how long it took someone to navigate an intersection provided it was done safely. He also had no idea why Viktor’s hands fisted when the vehicle turned.Use your damn turn signalcame through their bond loud and clear though. Ant patted Viktor’s hand and tried to send him soothing vibes. For Ant, he just needed to get from point A to point B, and his only concern when ordering a car was making sure the driver allowed animals in the back seat.

As the car pulled up outside the office block, Viktor asked, “What floor are you on?”

“Top floor. Thank you.” Ant gave some money to the driver and got out of the car, looking up at the four story building. “I personally own the building, but Bridget and I lease the whole top floor for my business. The rest of it we lease out to other businesses. Bridget said it made a sound business decision,buying a building as a personal investment, and then being able to lease the top floor back to my consulting company, plus gaining an income from the rest of the businesses who share our space.”

“Hmm, that is smart,” Viktor said, but he still wasn’t happy even though they’d gotten out of the car. Ant got that sense again that Viktor was like Able on one level, always on guard, and that was confirmed when Viktor said, “There's an awful lot of people going in and out of this building.”

“I’m sure they all have business here.” Ant had barely stepped inside the foyer when the receptionist called out to him. “Doctor Channon, sir. There’s a message here for you.”

“Is it from Bridget, I mean Miss Channon?” Ant asked, hurriedly going over to the counter and taking the envelope she was holding out.

“No sir, at least I don’t think so. A police officer left it first thing this morning.”

“I shouldn’t have slept in,” Ant muttered as he nodded his thanks and headed for the stairs. The note he stuffed in his pocket for later. If it wasn’t from Bridget, it could wait.

“You don’t believe in using elevators?” Viktor indicated an open door.

Ant shook his head as he started to climb the stairs. “My magic is tied to my emotive state a lot of the time. I’m worried. I know something’s wrong. If we step in there my magic would probably fry the systems before we got to the second floor, and then we’ll both plummet to our deaths along with anyone else who got in there with us.”

“Noted.” Viktor didn’t seem to have any trouble keeping up with him, and nor did Able, probably thinking Ant was playing agame as they hurried up the stairs. Ant was out of breath by the time he’d gone up eight flights, but he pushed on, leaning on the double swing doors that led to his private reception area. The doors had barely been open a second when Viktor growled, Able barked, and Ant sunk to his knees as a vision hit him hard.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Viktor could smell the blood the moment the doors opened to Ant's office. He wasn't surprised that Ant immediately fell to his knees and was glad that Able had stopped barking, immediately providing support to Ant the way he’d been trained to do. It was clear the dog had been triggered by the scent of blood the same as Viktor had been. But if that blood was Bridget’s and Viktor could only assume it was, they had to move fast.

Keeping a cautious eye on his mate, Viktor zapped around the reception area, searching for the source of the blood he could smell. There was a patch on the carpet. It was so tiny, most normal eyes would miss it. But Viktor knelt down, hoping his presence wasn't distorting Ant's vision.

Reaching out with a single little finger he dabbed on the slightly damp patch, and then raised his finger to his nose. He couldn’t taste it. Now he was claimed, even a drop of somebody else's blood would make him violently ill, and clearly they didn't have time for that nonsense. Besides, Viktor didn't want to take Bridget's blood, he wanted to be able to smell it. If he could smell it, he could track it – that’s what vampires were famous, or infamous for depending on opinion. Regardless that was what he needed to do now.

There was anger and desperation lingering in the air as well. Although Viktor’s ability to be attuned into energies was nowhere near Ant's, it was still a vital skill of his, and he sensed that she had been captured completely unaware. As he straightened up other details came into focus - the discarded briefcase, a high-heeled shoe kicked off to the side of the room, and that patch of blood. None of that boded well for Bridget.

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