Page 19 of Vampire

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I SAT ANDwatched Nicolette work, making sure no man got handsy.I didn’t want her working tables anymore, but we would discuss that later. I watched her go toward the back with a small bag of trash. I kept my eye on the hallway, waiting for her to return. After five minutes, I started to get up only to see Poison heading that way. I caught up with him. “What’s going on?”

“The back door alarm is going off. Someone left the door open,” Poison said.

I ran toward the door; I knew she was gone. I rushed outside, seeing a single bag of trash lying there but no Nicolette. “Fuck, they got her,” I snarled, hitting the side of the building with my fist.

“Who got her? What are you talking about?” Poison said as he followed behind me as I raced into my office to the security cameras. Of course, not being a senior member, Poison didn’t know about Nicolette. Lord seeing the activity, pushed into my office as I went to pull up the footage.

“They took Nicolette,” I said to Lord, trying to stay calm and keep my head straight; that was the only way I could help her. I had to be methodical.

“Fuck, man, how?” Lord said, coming to stand behind me as I reviewed the feed.

I watched as Nicolette propped the door open to take the trash out. Why the fuck would she do that, it wasn’t her job. She got to the last bag and stopped staring down the alley. Then, she hurried toward the door only to be caught by a man hiding behind the dumpster. Nicolette struggled against the man; I would kill him slowly for touching her, and then I got a look at the man, not believing my eyes.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing, Vampire?” Lord said from beside me, his body tensing.

“It’s fucking Cross,” I hissed, my face turning crimson with anger. I’m looking at the lesser of two evils, Cross is a punk, and I can take him easy. I just need to figure out where he took her. That could be a problem. I needed to get to the clubhouse and let the brothers know what was happening. Being that it’s Cross, this is also a club problem. “Stay and watch the club,” I said to Poison as Lord and I made our way out of the club. We jumped in my truck, and I broke every speed limit getting to the clubhouse.

God, let me find where they took her before they hurt Nicolette. There wouldn’t be a soul alive who could stop the rage and death I would unleash if even one hair on her beautiful head were harmed.

WE DROVE FORwhat seemed like forever, but in reality,it was probably more like an hour when the van stopped. Cross opened the door, a gun in one hand, taking my arm in the other. “Don’t try anything stupid; as long as you do as I say, you won’t get hurt,” he said, pulling me into the back of a building that looked like some sort of restaurant or bar. Since it was dark, it was hard to say.

Once inside, the other two men headed further down the hallway toward where loud music played. Cross opened a door and pushed me inside. I stumbled, catching myself before I face-planted into the floor. “Careful, you clumsy bitch; part of the stipulation on the bounty is you can’t be hurt when the trade is made,” he snapped at me like it was my fault he pushed me. Jerk.

I looked around the room and was surprised when I saw a pretty young woman sitting quietly on one of the two cots in the room. She didn’t look like she belonged here; she was small, maybe five feet tall, with black hair, wide, deep blue eyes that shined through the blue-rimmed glasses she wore, a small nose and full lips, and she was dressed in a bulky sweater, long pleated skirt, and knee-high boots, she looked like what some would call a nerd. She couldn’t be more than eighteen.

“Until the negotiations are finished, you will stay here. My sister Tildie is here to take care of you and keep the brothers away from you. You’re a hot piece, and I can’t trust them alone with you. But, don’t go thinkin’ Tildie can help you, she knows better, and she’s a mute, can’t hear or speak, and I have a guard outside the door, mainly Mouth, who has a thing for Tildie and won’t bother you as long as you behave,” Cross said, in the light, I could see he looked even meaner if that were possible. He had weird-shaped tattoos all over his exposed areas ending at his chin, which looked like snake scales.

It was hard to believe he was related to Tildie. But the only resemblance was their black hair. Tildie’s expression never changed the whole time Cross spoke. She just sat there with her hands crossed on her lap, her face blank.

“Now, I got shit to take care of, don’t cause any fucking trouble,” Cross growled, turning to walk out. When he turned, I saw his vest said ‘Fire Dragons’ Pennsylvania.

I went over to sit on the cot. Now that I knew they wouldn’t hurt me, I wasn’t as scared; hopefully, Stefan could find me before my father took me back. I looked over at Tildie, and now that her brother was gone, her face transformed into a wide, friendly smile; she came to sit beside me and made some hand gestures that I knew were sign language, but I didn’t understand. I shook my head to say so.

Tildie went over to a suitcase in the corner and took out a notepad and pen coming back. She wrote and then showed me the paper; it said: I can read lips if you talk slower. What is your name?

“My name is Nikki,” I said, speaking slower.

She smiled and wrote: Hi Nikki, I am Matilda, but they call me Tildie. I’m sorry you are here, but you are lucky they can’t hurt you. My brother and his club can be horrible.

“It’s okay; it’s not your fault I’m here. So, Cross is your brother?”

She wrote: Half-brother, we have different mothers. Are you thirsty?

“Yeah, I could use a water,” I said, watching as she got up and went to a cooler by her cot, taking out a water and bringing it to me. Tildie was very sweet. “How old are you, Tildie?”

Writing and then turning the pad toward me: I just turned nineteen two days ago. Do you like to read? I brought books with me, mostly classical romance, but I have some mysteries too. Help yourself; they are under my cot.

I was about to answer when the door opened, and a hulking man stomped in. I felt Tildie stiffen. The man was a mountain, bald head, a long blond beard and mustache, and cold blue eyes, and he was much older than Tildie. His tattooed muscles bunched under his t-shirt as he came over, picked Tildie up like a child, and said, “Time to play, Tildie.” And stomped back out the door with her. Poor Tildie, she was so small compared to that beast. I had no doubt that was Mouth, even though I didn’t get a look at his name on his vest.

I knew what he was doing with her, and I shuddered at what she must be going through. I lay down on my cot and let all my focus go to Stefan, and I needed him to find me fast.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I NEEDED TOfind Nicolette fast. A day had already passed,and no sign of Cross and where he could have taken her. I knew now why Cross had targeted her, the bounty. Kickstand had found the bounty of half a million dollars for the safe return of my butterfly on the dark web. The only saving grace was she had to be unharmed, with no marks on her or the finder forfeits. So I am sitting here in the room we have Church in while Kickstand works his magic. I am also scouring the web for information.

Lord and Stonewall are checking out some leads. Several brothers are riding around trying to spot the black van. Thoughts of how I’m going to torture those responsible are what is keeping me sane. I haven’t slept, I haven’t eaten, and until I have Nicolette back, I won’t.

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