Vampire Lane (16 page)

“This is Blake, and Mindy … she has something to say that you need to hear,” Adrian said immediately upon entering the house. They all sat in the kitchen, at the table.

“So, Mindy, what is it you have to tell me?” Tanek asked.

“I was attacked a few nights ago, taken to an abandoned house. I was bitten and tormented before I was finally able to escape. I know it was a vampire.”

“I think it was someone working with Godfryd. The description didn’t match him, but as old as he is, there may be other children or minions,” Blake added.

Tanek agreed; it had to be related to Godfryd. “I need suggestions on how to track him.”

Adrian looked around, confused. “Tanek, where is Natasha?”

“She snuck out to look for Maureen herself. It is very important I track him down before she does. He is very old, and I know she can’t kill him. The life of my mate depends on it.”

“I know a spell that can help, but I am not good at that sort of thing,” Blake replied.

“Well, I know a Fae that is very good at that sort of thing.”

They both looked at Adrian as he took out his phone and dialed a number. “Gretch, we need Cam to do a spell. Do you think she would help? Great! Thanks, babe.” Adrian hung up the phone. “We just have to wait; we have the help we need.”

Tanek knew everyone was there to help get Maureen back. But, despite everything, he still felt helpless. He wished he could take care of everything on his own, and hated that he couldn’t. “Is there anything I can do to help?” Tanek finally asked.

“I know it’s hard, but all you can do is wait until Cam gets here, and then we will do the spell. It will work. I have seen it,” Adrian assured everyone.

Tanek never liked Adrian much, because he took Gretchen from him. Now that he was there for no other reason but to help in Natasha’s home, however, he knew he wasn’t such a bad guy after all. He hated the way he felt, helpless while his woman was out searching. Even with her aversion to the sun she was out in it, trying to find the bastard. His heart swelled a little with pride for his fiancée. No one could claim her to be innocent, or timid. When it came to someone she loved, she was a kick-ass vampire—
his
kick-ass vampire.

Tanek was about to pace a hole in the carpet when there was a knock at the door. He raced over and answered it. A short, red haired woman with a hooded cape stood there. She pushed the hood off her face. “I am Camilla; I am here to help.”

Tanek stood aside to let the Fae woman inside. “I hope you can help us.”

“Yes, I can. I will be in the kitchen, and I will call you when I need you.”

Tanek watched Camilla go to the kitchen with purpose. He felt better seeing something was finally being done.

***

Natasha woke the next morning. She couldn’t believe what had happened; she had relations with a man. A man that wasn’t her husband or even her fiancé. It was light out, so she sat up and looked around. But Godfryd was nowhere to be seen. She called out his name, but received no response. Now she was really in a pickle. Leaving the mayor’s house alone in the early morning hours would make things very difficult for her, especially as a teacher.

She looked around the room for her intimates and clothes, and she dressed and tried her best to make her hair look presentable.

Natasha put on her stockings and shoes, and walked outside. Godfryd lived on a main road right in town, so there was no way not to be seen. She stepped outside, shutting the door behind her, and as soon as she took one step down the stairs, she heard her name being called from across the road. She looked and saw the mom of one of the children she taught yelling her name and waving and smiling. Natasha knew this would be bad, very bad. She waved back and crossed the road toward her after a horse galloped past her.

“Hello there, Ms. Wasko. It’s so nice to see you this early morning, coming out of the mayor’s home un-escorted.”

Natasha knew that was code for ‘you are a big whore and what do you think you are doing?

“I’m sorry, I can’t remember your name,” Natasha replied, as cheerful as she could muster.

“I’m Ms. Wilkinson, Sarah’s mother. Remember, we met at the beginning of the year open house.”

“I’m sorry, that was a few months ago. Sarah is such a delight in class. She may be able to skip a grade if she continues progressing.”

“That is good news. I can’t help but wonder what you were doing in the mayor’s house?”

Natasha was trying to keep her cool, but nosy women really mad her angry. “Early morning meeting, but he had to cancel.”

“Oh really. I have been out here for an hour waiting for my new bonnet to be finished. Mr. Henry promised me this morning, but here I am, still waiting. I don’t think I saw the mayor at all this morning.”

“Yes, well, he did leave. You must have looked away as he passed.”

“Perhaps,” Ms. Wilkinson, conceded.

“Well, I really must go. I have to get some things ready before school starts.”

“Of course, Ms.Wasko. Have a lovely day.”

Natasha left Mrs. Wilkinson. She couldn’t walk fast enough to get away from the awful woman. This was just great. Now the whole town would know. She walked down the street toward her house to pick up a few things. She would need to figure out how to recover from this. Something like this could be terrible and ruin her reputation.

Chapter 33

Natasha stood in another house on her list. She was doubtful about this one. It was isolated, but too close to a main road. Godfryd would hate that. She walked through the main living room into a small room, some kind of sitting room. The wooden floors seemed to creak with every step. The kitchen was missing appliances and even a sink. It would actually be a very nice house if it was to ever be restored. She walked through all the other rooms, one by one. It was completely empty with no sign of anything living in a very long time.

Natasha sat in her car, crossing another house off her list. She wished she had a way to narrow it down; it was already through half the day and missing her day of vampire sleep was starting to take a toll on her. She punched in the address for the next house in her GPS. It would take her an hour to get to this one. It was one mile from an old graveyard and right near the swamp for an easy exit, exactly the type of place Godfryd would have liked. She felt good about this one, so she started the car and turned on some music.

She started driving toward her destination. The sun was the highest of the day it was so bright. She had to pull the car over and reapply her sunscreen. She smeared a generous amount on her face, neck, hands, and arms.

Natasha looked at her phone as it buzzed, knowing it was Tanek. She wanted to ignore it, but she knew if she answered, at least he would know she was fine.

“Hello?” Natasha answered.

“Natasha! Where are you? You need to come home now!” he shouted over the phone.

“Tanek, you need to calm down. I have leads. I already checked a few. I’m getting close I can feel it.”

“It’s too dangerous. Just come home and you can help us with the plan already in place.”

“No! I will do this my way. He took something from me, and I won’t let him get away with it again, not this time!”

Natasha listened to herself rant. She knew she was becoming unhinged. She knew how to find him, but she had no clue how to actually rescue Maureen and kill him. She could tell she was getting close as there were almost no signs of civilization. Her GPS told her to turn down a dirt road, so she turned and then it was just swamp and woods. She finally arrived at her destination. She could see it was a beautiful old home a long time ago. She parked off the road in the woods, and she had a feeling this was it. She sat in her car and waited. She needed to lay low until she could figure out her next move.

***

Maureen was left alone again. She saw Shane leave her, saying he would be back soon. She had no idea how long she would have. She uncovered her candlestick and began slamming away at the bolt, over and over again. She felt herself getting tired and winded. It had been over twenty-four hours already, and having no food or drink was making her weak. She put it down to take a break. It just wasn’t working. She needed a new plan, but did not know what.

The door opened, but a different man came inside. He was truly a scary looking dude with his black hair and cold gray eyes staring right at her. And what in the world was with the cliché black cape?

He walked over to her, never speaking a word. He sat next to her, and she wanted to get away from him, but with chains, her options were limited. He took her in his arms, and she stiffened when she thought he would bite her. But he inhaled deeply and then looked her in the face. “You smell familiar, my dear.”

Maureen didn’t know what he wanted from her. He continued smelling her and then started running his creepy, slimy tongue on her neck.

“I am Godfryd. You smell like my Natasha. Do you know her?”

“Yes, she’s m....y roommate,” Maureen squawked out. How did he know Tasha? Was she in danger, too?

“You are the roommate my Natasha lives with. I want Natasha back, so eating her human will not be good.” Godfryd walked away, and then turned toward her.

“I can’t just let you go, but don’t fear, you will not be harmed by me. I am sorry my child has taken you. He will be punished.”

Godfryd turned around and was about to leave.

“Wait! Godfryd, please come back.”

He turned around, but didn’t move from the door. “Yes?”

“I could call Natasha, tell her it was a mistake. She could come get me.”

“That would be an excellent idea. Except I don’t own a cell phone.”

“I had one when I was taken. I’m sure it’s around here somewhere.”

He came back inside the living room and walked around then toward the kitchen. He came back out, but this time held her little pink cell phone. Maureen wanted more than anything to get hold of it and call Natasha. He handed her the phone, but when she tried dialing a number, the phone had no cell signal. This couldn’t be. This had to be the worst luck she had ever had. Now what?

“Looks like your phone can’t make any calls,” Godfryd said, stating the obvious.

“Well, you could just take me home, drop me off. I will tell Natasha I went home with a hot guy. She will yell and get over it.”

“You will have to stay here with me for now. Natasha was reluctant to leave her life. Perhaps if I turn you and refuse to release you, she would come with me willingly.”

Maureen could not believe what she was hearing. He wanted Natasha, and would try to use her to get it.

“I won’t let you use me like that. I will stake myself before I let Natasha get trapped by you again, you, you monster.”

Chapter 34

Natasha walked toward Godfryd’s house. He had left a message that he needed to see her. She dressed in her best dress. It was white with pink trim, her favorite. She wore her lace gloves that belonged to her departed mother. She always thought her hair was too long and never easy to deal with, but she managed to pull it up and off her shoulders.

Natasha thought about Godfryd, and she decided if asked, she would accept marriage. Relations with him weren’t entirely unpleasant. Wasn’t nice either, and she did want children of her own, and that meant she needed a husband. It was late, like all their meetings. It was very dark with the moon was hidden, but a cloudy night. She walked along the main road, past the saloon. A few men were standing outside with drinks in hand, so she put her head down and walked quickly, trying not to get their attention. One of them ran over to her and stopped her.

“Hey, teacher lady,” he slurred. “I think you are so pretty.”

She could tell this wasn’t going to be fun, getting away from the drunk man.

“That is kind of you. I have someone I am meeting, so I really must be going.”

Two more men, friends of the drunk man, joined in. One looked at her in lascivious way that made her cringe. All she wanted at that moment was to be able to be on her way to Godfryd’s. “Please, I must be going now.”

“Yeah? I heard about you. Do you know what I heard? I hear you is a whore, except you don’t charge no money. You just give it away free,” one of the men slurred.

They all laughed together then one grabbed her by the arm and started pulling her. Natasha tried to scream, but the man covered her mouth. They dragged her away from town, and she kicked and fought with everything she had, but she was no match for them. They finally uncovered her mouth, but they had dragged her far away from the main road. One of them tore the bodice of her dress. She tried running, but there were too many of them, and they just dragged her back. The men laughed as the other man lifted her dress. Natasha knew what would happen; these men would use her then kill her. She screamed, but no one came, and she knew this would be it. This would be her horrible end.