Blood's Fury (Deadly Beauties 1)

There won't be any cops, just an immortal council.

"I'll call you as soon as I can, but right now I should just go with Frankie. I'm sorry," I murmur with tears teetering on my lids.

"Don't be sorry. Let me know if I can do anything. If you need me, I'll be there."

My heart melts, and if I wasn't in a complete panic over my mom, I'd probably say something really stupid right now.

"Thanks," I squeak out as the first tear finally falls.

He wipes it away, and then he kisses my forehead so sweetly before pulling me into a comforting embrace I don't want to leave.

"Alyssa!" Frankie prompts.

"I'm coming," I whimper out, and Kane follows me to the door as I rush to the car Frankie has apparently swindled from someone.

Kane props up against my porch railing as he watches me disappear into the car with Frankie. We pull away, and I feel his eyes still on me, wishing he could help me.

"What do they know?" I prompt, trying not to fall apart.

"All they'll tell me is that she's missing. When there's a blood relative alive, the council won't release the details to anyone else. When we get there, keep your eyes low. Some of these council members aren't far from dark users. They'll consider eye contact an insult, and it won't faze them to strike. I wouldn't even be letting you doing this if-"

"If you weren't secretly in love with my mother," I interrupt, making his breath catch. "I wouldn't let you not let me do this. She's my mother. She'd already be there if it was me. I wish you could vaporize me with you and get us there quicker."

"I could, but you'd die," he sighs. "Just hang on. This thing looks like a family car, but I've replaced the engine with something a little… faster."

The engine roars as he gasses it, snapping me back against the seat, and I close my eyes as we push forward.

"Thank you for coming out, Ms. Coldwell. I'm sorry we're not meeting under better circumstances," the frigid lady sitting near the end murmurs very insincerely.

I swallow the rude, foul thing I want to yell at her, and summon up my best cordial face, remembering to keep my eyes low and my tone humble.

"Thank you for seeing me. Could you please give me what information you have on my mother so that I may ask for permission to seek her?"

The arched table sits prestigiously in the place that resembles a gallant courtroom, with all of them being judge and jury. The prominent, stuffy asses behind the elongated table show no emotion as a man answers, "Her last whereabouts were in Tibet for the ceremonies, however, we believe it was a dark user she left with. We don't know if it was a nabbing or a simple disappearing act. Calypso has run off for decades at a time before, so it wouldn't be the first time. I suggest starting in Washington, near the Canadian border. Their roots of power are there, and if you're to find anything out of sorts, that's where she'll be."

I get sick, but I try to keep a straight face. My mom has been around for a long time. The longer you live, the harder you are to kill. They'd need the magic their dark roots have in order to do such a thing, but the council can't acknowledge that, not without telling me they know she was taken and they're not going to do anything about it.

"Calypso Coldwell is indeed very important to the light community. Without her, the ceremonies will have to stop until we can find someone strong enough to proceed. However, we cannot send you any means of help other than that of information for fear of sparking too much conflict. Light users are forbidden to travel around that area, so tread carefully."

Meaning these sorry, stick-up-their-asses cowards aren't going to risk their own necks to save the woman who has saved everyone here at some point and time.

I bite the inside of my jaw so hard the tang of blood strikes me.

"Of course," I murmur through strain, trying my best not to snap.

I bow, showing them respect they don't deserve, and then I walk out quickly to meet up with Frankie who's waiting by the door.

"Have you called for plane tickets yet?" I mutter as we head down the hallway.

"We've got the next flight out."

"It looks like it's just the two of us. I've basically been forbidden to recruit anyone else."

He scowls. "I heard. Don't worry though. We'll get her out of there."

"We better, or else my estranged father will be getting a phone call."

His eyes grow wide, and then he turns to me. "You can't be serious. You know how dangerous he is, Alyssa. You're mother would-"