LITMIR.BIZ

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was an accident. Honestly, it’s fine.” He ran a hand over his injured face. Black eye. Split lip. Silently, the vampire cursed Fieldner for his overdeveloped violent streak.

      Delia didn’t look convinced, but she wanted to be. She said, “We’re fine, too. This guy—he’s been … decent.”

      “That other one wasn’t,” Janie muttered.

      Beck looked at her sharply. “You mean the police chief? Fieldner? Did he hurt you?”

      “No.” Delia put a hand on her brother’s arm and shot Janie a dirty look. “He was gruff and bossy, and he kept us in a—a cell of some kind for a while. But now that we’re here, we’re fine. Honestly, Jay. I don’t want you to worry. We’re okay. Besides, you’re here now. It’s over. We can go home with you.”

      Jason licked his lips.

      “Jay? We can go with you, can’t we? You did come here to take us home….”

      Lowering his head, Beck said, “Not just yet. But it won’t be long.”

      Delia’s face fell, until the vampire thought she would cry. Janie pouted, looking petulant. “What is it the bastard wants you to do?” she asked.

      “What do you mean?” Jason asked, giving nothing away.

      Smart, the vampire thought. The boy didn’t want to upset the girls with any details. He only wanted to protect them and get them out of here safely. He was as intelligent as the vampire had taken him to be, then.

      “He wants something,” Janie said. “He’s holding us to force you to do something or give him something. What is it? Money? Help with some legal problem? You are studying for the bar after all.”

      Delia caught her breath. “I hadn’t thought of that. Jay, don’t do anything that would ruin your chances—your future—”

      “It’s nothing like that. I promise you. I’m going to have you out of here in a day or two. I swear.” He looked back toward where the vampire stood. “He’s given me his word on that.”

      “Indeed,” said the vampire. “And my word is my bond.”

      “Nothing’s going to happen to you,” Jason promised. “You’ll be safe here until this is over.”

      “Time is short. You have that phone call you’re expecting, Mr. Beck,” the vampire said.

      Jason nodded, but Delia snapped her arms around his neck. “He is making you do something. I know he is. What is it, Jay?”

      “It’ll be over soon.” He gently took her arms from his neck. “It’ll be done before you know it, and you’ll be home with me, hon. I promise. You’ve gotta trust me on this.”

      She let him untangle her arms, but her tears were flowing. The vampire found himself actually touched by the obvious affection between the two, the heartbreak this separation was causing them. He felt it, of course. Every bit of it, every emotion, from the fear to the sadness to the stubborn determination on the part of the young man to do whatever it took to save his sister. Whatever it took.

      He almost regretted having to put them through this.

      And yet, he had to see the woman for himself. He had to know …

      “Come, Jason,” he said. “We have to get you back to the mainland now.”

      The young man obeyed, hating to, hating the vampire with everything in him. The only emotion stronger than his hatred was his love for his sister. The vampire was counting on that.

      He took Jason back through the halls of his home and outside into the beauty of the night. But all the way along the paths of his island, he was acutely aware of the soft crying coming from that bedroom, the tearful sobs of those two young girls.

      He could easily kill Fieldner for getting him into this. And yet now that he’d seen that face—he had no choice but to follow through.

      Soon they were back in Beck’s motel room. And he was, at last, on the telephone with the girl-detectives, rather than their answering machine. Fieldner was listening on the other line, but the vampire had no patience for that. He crossed the room, held out a hand, his command unspoken but clearly understood. Fieldner handed him the receiver and backed away, stationing himself near the door without being told.

      The vampire brought the telephone to his ear and closed his eyes in a mingling of hope and despair at the sound of the woman’s voice. It wasn’t the same.

      “Jason, thank God. We’ve been trying to call you for hours.”

      “I had to go out,” he replied. “Sorry about that.”

      The vampire sighed. The voice was not the same, but that didn’t mean he could let this go. He looked at Jason Beck and sent his words directly into the young man’s mind, without ever parting his lips to speak them aloud.

       You will tell them to come here. Immediately.

      Jason Beck’s eyes widened as he stared at the vampire.

       Do it! Need I remind you what will happen to your sister if you disobey?

      Beck closed his eyes slowly, nodded to tell the vampire he understood, and turned his attention to the woman on the telephone.

      By the time Lou joined them in the office, Stormy was hitting the speaker button and setting the receiver down. He found himself a chair and waited, listening to the conversation.

      “Jay? I put you on speakerphone, hon, so we can all get the full scoop. Now, just be calm. We’re here for you. Tell us what the hell is going on.”

      She listened. So did Lou. He came up out of his chair when Jason spoke, because he could have sworn there was a thickness to the other man’s voice. As if his throat were tight, the way it would be if he’d been crying.

      “I don’t know exactly, Storm. But damn, it’s good to hear your voice.”

      “Yours, too.” She sent Max a searching look. “Are you okay, Jason? You sound—”

      “Fine. I’m …” He sniffed. “Is Max with you?”

      “I’m here, Jay,” Maxie called. “And so is Lou. You remember Lou Malone?”

      “Your cop?”

      Lou shot Max a look. Since when had he been considered her cop?

      “Jason, what’s happened to Delia?” Maxie asked quickly.

      “I don’t know. That’s just it. She was on a trip with her best friend, Janie. Headed up the coast to celebrate spring break. Senior year, you know? Then I got this call from her. She sounded terrified, Storm. Said she was in trouble. We got cut off after that. And to be honest, the entire call was broken, full of static, I could barely hear her most of the time. But I’m sure she said the name of a town—Endover, New Hampshire.”

      “And that’s where you are now?” Stormy asked.

      “Yeah. It’s like a freakin’ ghost town here.”

      “You’ve tried to call her back?” Max asked.

      “That was the first thing I did. First through hundredth. No luck. It’s freaking weird, Max.” He sighed, a broken sound. “But I believe she’s here—I think they both are.”

      “When did you get that phone call, Jay?”

      “Earlier today,” he told her.

      “And you haven’t heard from her since?”

      There was the slightest delay before he said, “No. Not a word.”

      Stormy looked up at Max. Lou saw that they’d both heard the hesitation. Jason had started to say something else, then thought better of it.

      “I

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