Turning by Dawn Kirby

Reaching Out

Carter, Chris’s partner had left for the afternoon, but he hadn’t given up. Chris was determined to find Alana, and now Matt. As far as Chris knew nobody had seen or heard from her since the night that vampire took her away from her crazy ex-boyfriend. Matt hadn’t been seen for a week now. His friends and co-workers were afraid he’d met up with Ben and come out on the losing side. They were sure the police would find his body in a ditch somewhere either beat to a bloody pulp or shot to death.

As for Alana, they were also sure he already had her. The problem was nobody knew where he’d go if he did. It was up to Chris and Carter to get them both back, hopefully alive and well.

“And human,” Chris mumbled. He scanned over Ben’s old case file looking for some clue as to where he would go, but came up empty. He spotted the picture of Alana after Ben’s beating and shook his head. Finding her had become so important to him; he’d spent the night on the sofa in the break room more times than he cared to count. “Where the hell are you?”

Tossing the photo aside, he picked up the file he’d managed to piece together for Nicholas. Only he and Carter knew about it. They both knew better than to try and sell their superiors on one of their witnesses, as well as their main suspect, being vampires. They’d laugh them right out of the station and into a padded room at the mental hospital across town.

As he flipped through the pages he found a phone number. Even though the paper was dated some thirty years before he hoped it would be the break he needed. Not likely, but he picked up the phone anyway. After a deep breath, he tapped in the number and waited.

*****

Alana’s resolve was breaking by the day. The longer she stayed hidden here with Nicholas, the less she cared about what happened outside their little world. She still didn’t know where she was. Anytime she asked him, he’d simply say “safe, love” and whisk her off to bed. She tried to resist him, but in the end he always won her over. Tonight would be no different.

Dread filled her as she looked out the window. The sun was going to set soon. He’d be up and she’d lose another tiny part of herself to him. She sighed, thinking maybe being human wouldn’t be such a bad thing to let go of. She’d be taken care of. Nicholas seemed to have more money than Midas himself. He was a nice enough man; vampire. He loved her. She thought she loved him. She was almost sure of it.

Suddenly her thoughts were shattered by the ringing phone. She hurried to the living room, hoping to hear Matt’s voice on the other line. Hope was dashed the second she heard the man’s voice on the line.

“Alana?” Chris asked, shocked. He hadn’t expected the number to be a working number, much less one that led him straight to her.

“Who is this?” she asked timidly.

“Chris,” he answered. “Carter’s partner. We’ve been looking all over for you. Do you know where Matt is? Is he there with you?”

“No, but I do know he’s okay,” she said, lowering her voice. Maybe, just maybe she could get Matt to safety without Nicholas’s help. “Ben’s got him.”

“Where? We’ve looked everywhere.”

“He’s at the house the vampire who turned him owned.” She peeked out the window. The sun was now bathing the yard with the last bit of light before it disappeared for good. “I don’t know where it is, but I do know it’s there in town somewhere. Just look for the biggest, oldest house there and I’m sure you’ll find him.”

“You’re in the oldest house,” he said quickly checking the papers included in the file. He hadn’t noticed he’d been holding a real estate file all this time.

“I’m still in town?”

“According to these papers you are. You’re quite a few miles out, but I could get there fairly quickly.”

“No!” she cursed herself for losing her cool and tried to remain calm. “He’ll be up soon and I still don’t know that I want to leave him. Look for Matt. Once he’s safe, maybe I can think right.”

“I don’t like that idea,” Chris said coolly. The idea of leaving her there now that he’d found her didn’t sit well. “He could trick you. Kill you.”

“No, he won’t kill me,” she said quietly. Darkness settled outside. “Find Matt. Call me when you have him. But Chris, do it during the day.”