Fear and Blood

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

“He's gone!” Cassian cried, having just been told of Ly's escape. His pale face coloured slightly with anger. “How could he be gone? You were meant to be watching him. He's injured and you just let him walk out! No-one knows where he's gone?! How could this happened?”

“We're sorry sir,” Damon said, glancing at his fellow guards. There were about eight of them lined up in Cassian's bedroom, looking downcast as the injured vampire reprimanded them. “But he is a member of the Aleron family. It was unrealistic to think that we would be able to stop him from doing what he wanted. The power of his voice alone...”

“Do you know how much danger he's in?” Cassian said, shifting in his bed. He looked like he wanted to get up, but the wound in his leg still prevented him from doing so. “There may be vampire hunters and after him, not to mention the human police!”

The bedroom door opened and Val was led in by another of the household guards. The young doctor sighed as he took a seat beside the bed, ready for the interrogation that was sure to come, thought at the moment he was too relieved to care. Rome and Ly had made it out of the house without any trouble and no-one but the girl, knew where they were heading.

“Val,” Cassian turned to the blond vampire, a pleading look on his face. “Tell me you found him. Please tell me you at least know where he is.”

“I'm sorry,” Val replied, shaking his head. “There's no trace of him in the house. I can only assume he left just after I did, though how he got out without being seen is a mystery to me. He was in his room when I left, Damon can vouch for that, but, apparently, by the time I got to my car he was gone.”

Cassian looked extremely worried, which didn't surprise Val in the slightest. Ly was the last remaining member of the Aleron family. If he died without an heir the countries vampire community would fall apart.

“I don't believe this,” Cassian said, looking truly distressed. “What would Lord Tristan say if he knew I had left his younger brother unguarded in his condition. He would never forgive me if anything happened to Lord Ly. There has to be something we've missed. We have to know where he's going! We have to find him...wait...Val, someone said you came in with a human. Where is he now?”

“She,” Val said slowly, trying to keep his heart rate regular and the worry off his face. “I sent her back to the blood bank some time ago. She had a lot of work to do and I didn't think it wise she stay in the house for so long. Not with the way things are now.”

“Send someone to the blood bank,” Cassian ordered one of the guards, who bowed and left the room. “We have to find that girl. Maybe Lord Ly managed to get into the car before she left.”

“I'll go and call the blood bank and see if she's still there,” Val said, standing up and heading for the door. To his dismay, Cassian stopped him before he made it that far.

“Val,” he said softly. The tone of his voice made Val very uneasy. “I'm sorry, but I want you with me at all times. I know you're loyal to the Aleron family, but I don't think Lord Ly would have be able to get out of here on his own, and you were the last person to see him.”

Val sighed, trying to sound exasperated rather than worried. “It's a waste of time, but if that's what you want, then I'll stay.” He sat back down slowly, hoping that Rome and Ly were too far away for the other vampires to find. What Ly needed right now was to disappear, which he couldn't do with Cassian watching over him.

* * *

What am I thinking? Am I insane? I must be for having agreed to do this. These were Rome's thoughts as she stopped Ly's car outside The Basement, which she now knew catered specifically for vampires. Being there during the day, instead of late at night, didn't help in the slightest.