Page 107 of Twisted
CHAPTER43
I’ve never been inside a vampire-safe car before.It’s one that has blacked out windows so no sunlight can get through.It’s odd and feels suffocating for some reason, though part of that could be my anxiety.The sun is just now setting and by the time the plane touches down in Charlotte, the sun will be down enough for vampires to roam.
Xavier’s been on the phone, and I know we both feel helpless.We’re almost to the airport and then we’re an hour and a half ride away.It’s really not that long, but it feels like forever, similar to the ride here.But there is more urgency now.I’m on the edge of my seat, waiting for Xavier to get off the phone so I can bombard him with questions.
I’m assuming he’s been talking to Theo or Ezekiel because he’s been talking in Spanish this whole time, so low and fast I can only make out a few words.He finally puts the phone down when we get to the airport.We’ll disembark in a light-tight area and board our private jet safely.
“Did they find her?”I ask, though it’s obvious by his expression that’s not the case.
“No,” he says shortly.
“You, uh, made her,” I start.“Doesn’t that mean you’d be able to feel if she…”
“Yes,” he answers.“I would feel if she died and she did not.”
“Okay, that’s promising.”I gather up my things as the car comes to a stop.I tried doing a locator spell before we left the hotel, but it didn’t work, presumably for two reasons: she’s undead or because I had nothing of hers to use.
Being undead is an interesting complication.The spell found my parents, who are nothing more than bones in the ground.Beingundead is a whole other level of magic, and I’ve never tried to locate a vampire before.Though, more likely, I don’t have anything of Mabels to use.
So now we’re rushing back to Charlotte to try and figure out where the hell Mabel is.
“What about her location?”I ask, knowing she has it shared with everyone.
“Turned off.”
“Has she ever wandered away before?”
“She has, but never during the day.”
I take in a sharp breath.Ezekiel must be panicking.We get out of the car and go into the plane.All the windows are drawn and Xavier and I take our seats.He puts his hand on my thigh and lets his eyes fall closed for a moment, as if he’s trying to sense Mabel.
“I’m sorry you’re here and not there helping,” I blurt, feeling like I did something wrong by having Xavier come to Hamden with me.
“Why are you apologizing?”he asks, leaning back and putting his arm around me.
“I don’t know.I feel bad that we’re not home to help.Or like maybe if we were there then Mabel wouldn’t be missing.”
He cocks an eyebrow.“That doesn’t make sense.”
“I know.”I shrug, not wanting to go into how I’m so used to being a scapegoat, assuming I’ll get blamed just comes naturally for me.“She’s going to be okay.We’ll find her holed up in some old lady’s house because she saw a creepy doll or something that she wanted to invite over for a tea party.”
“Yeah, that sounds like her.”Xavier lets his head rest on top of mine.We stay locked in each other’s embrace while the plane taxis and then get seated for takeoff.
Xavier is texting, typing with impressive speed and is looking more and more concerned as the minutes tick by.
“What is it?”I ask when the flight is about halfway over.It’s tense, and the sense of urgency is making my stomach hurt.I know from experience the longer someone is gone, the less chance you have of finding them alive.Xavier has been rather distracted the last twenty-four hours.Is it possible he missed, well, whatever the hell he would have felt if someone stabbed a wooden stake through her heart?What if she got confused and wanted to see the sun?
Or…what if she couldn’t take life as a vampire anymore and stayed out of the dark on purpose?I blink, pushing those thoughts out of my head.No.She’s okay.She has to be.I didn’t get a best friend just to lose her.
“The vampires at the Velvet Vein,” he starts.“I think they took her and plan to use her as leverage.”
My heart skips a beat in fear.The vampires in that bar are young and dumb.They would do something like that, not realizing the war they’d be starting if they hurt a Malus vampire.Anxiety builds inside me, thinking about Mabel– sweet, innocent, and kinda crazy–getting invited to the bar under false premises.
She has to be so scared right now.If they hurt her, I want to hurt them.
Now that it’s dark, I slide open the shade on one of the windows, staring at the lights beneath us.Each minute feels like hours, and I try to come up with a spell to find a lost vampire but can’t concentrate enough to think straight.
“I’m going to meet Theo and go to the vampire bar,” Xavier tells me as the plane starts to descend.“Henry will pick you up and take you home.”He takes my hand and brings it to his lips.“Stay there so I know you are safe.They know who you are.”
