Bad Taste (Part I) // Colby Brock

162 - Colby

Her trail was nowhere to be found, as if she had just disappeared off the face of the earth. I knew exactly what had happened after she'd somehow been knocked to the floor, but I didn't know what'd led to that point. Vervaine had peculiar effects when it was injected rather than consumed or worn: it made a scent untraceable. So, whoever had taken her; whoever had dared to mess with my girl, had been smart about it. They knew I or whoever else could've followed them.

I was angry, anxious, and, honestly, heartbroken. I just wanted her back. That was all I wanted. I couldn't stand the thought of her being out there alone without anything to protect her, even that gene. Would the gene work against vervaine? Surely, in some strange way, it would make the vervaine more effective—after all, vervaine was a tool against vampires just like she was.

Sam sat down beside me without a word. I was sat at the top of the stairs with my head in my hands, my fingers tangled somewhere in my hair. What was I doing? Trying my damned hardest to control myself. My plan wasn't to revert to my old self just because the love of my life had been taken; my plan was to think this through, find her, then fucking murder whoever had taken her. I needed my head for all of that.

It felt like my whole world was crashing, though.

"You haven't been able to see anything, have you?" Sam asked softly, his hand on my shoulder. I just shook my head. "Do you think it could be the vervaine in her system? Maybe it blocks the... visions."

"That wouldn't make sense," Tara piped up from behind us. "She knew he was in trouble when he'd been poisoned with vervaine."

"But that's because the vervaine was going to harm him. It probably won't harm her," Reggie reasoned as he zipped past us to the basement. I felt my fists try to clench but I controlled them. I wouldn't lose my shit. I wouldn't lose my shit. I wouldn't lose my shit.

Elton huffed. "None of that matters. All that matters is we find her. How do we find her?"

"Good question, Elton," Xepher grumbled miserably. We all went silent. None of us knew what to say and that wasn't even the worst part. We didn't know how to find her. Even if she was taken by Julian, which Angela would probably dispute, we didn't know where he would go with her. We knew the feeding house, sure, but-

"The feeding house," I said suddenly as I looked up right into Sam's eyes. He looked confused. "She went to the feeding house. A ton of vampires had to have caught her scent. We know better than anyone how good she smells."

"I'll second that," Jake offered. I didn't even glare at him for it.

"Are you saying this wasn't Julian?" Sam questioned as he brought his hand back to himself.

"Maybe not."

"Angela has a point," Aryia admitted. "Julian never did anything to their mom or her, so why would he suddenly go after Rebecca? Colby could be right here."

There was a beat of silence that killed me almost as much as this whole situation had. "I'm not waiting for your approval," I decided, standing up in a blur. I went for the door but both Kevin and Mike darted for it first and cut me off. Sam came up behind me, reaching out. I didn't let him touch me. "Now isn't the time."

"Colby, we can't just storm the feeding house. It's nighttime! It's going to be in full blast, feeds and feeders all there. We go there and we're starting shit."

The growl that erupted from my throat made the room shake. "If Rebecca is there, they started shit. You can't seriously think I'm going to let them get away with taking my girl, Sam. No one gets away with that." Sam stared directly into my eyes, but he didn't say anything. "I don't give a shit if you come with me or not, I'm going to get her. You and I both know I can't live without her now."

There was silence, then I heard Kevin and Mike move. I didn't wait for Sam's approval, I just went. Rebecca was not someone I could take chances on.

After running for a few moments, I felt someone start running with me. The scent, the thump of the footsteps, and the determined pace were enough to tell me exactly who it was: Tara, and she'd brought at least Jake with her. I heard several fast-moving vampires coming with me as I moved through the city desperately. Tonight was not the night I would lose my One.

Eventually, Griffin—almost the fastest of us all—reached the front and Sam came up just behind him.

These guys were my family. I didn't tell them that but deep down, we all knew it. I loved them all like brothers and sisters and I trusted them to have my back when I needed them. Right now was one of those times and here they were, running by my side to save a girl who pretends every single day that she doesn't even like any of them.

This was what family was.

I was lucky.

The only way I could get luckier was finding Becks.