Night's Mistress (Children of The Night 5)

“Bowden and the baby are gone.”

“Gone?” Savanah asked. “Gone where?”

“I don’t know.” Rane ran his hand through his still-damp hair. “Neither does Mara. She thinks he’s left her.”

“And he took the baby?” Savanah asked incredulously.

“That’s what Mara thinks.”

“Sounds like a lover’s quarrel to me,” Vince remarked. “So, what are we doing here?”

“I just came from Mara’s place. I didn’t say anything to Mara, didn’t want to worry her more than she was, but I don’t think Bowden left of his own accord.”

“What makes you think that?” Rafe asked.

“I walked around the house. Bowden’s scent disappeared at the gate. I think someone took him. Someone who knew how to mask not only Bowden’s scent, but his own, as well.”

“A handy talent,” Vince muttered. “But if whoever it was masked his scent, how do you know there was anyone else there?”

“It’s hard to explain. It was more a sense of something out of place than anything else. I tried to follow the trail, but it disappeared once I got out of the yard.”

“So, what do we do now?” Rafe asked. “If there’s no trail . . .” He shrugged.

Rane shook his head. “I don’t know. Put the word out on the street, I guess. Ask our people to keep an eye out for Bowden and the baby. Bowden’s car was in the garage. If he intended to leave Mara, and he left under his own power, he wouldn’t have left the car behind.”

“Good point,” Rafe remarked. “Doesn’t make much sense to take off on foot lugging a six-month-old baby.”

“That’s true, but why would anyone kidnap Kyle and Derek?” Savanah asked.

Vince shoved his hands in his pants’ pockets. “If we knew why, we might know who.”

“Maybe we’re worrying for nothing,” Savanah suggested hopefully. “Maybe he just got caught out in the rain and he’ll come home when it stops.”

“Maybe, but Mara said he was gone when you dropped her off. That’s been what, three hours ago?”

Savanah nodded.

“Besides,” Rane added, “if that was true, I’d have been able to track him.”

Rafe raked his hand through his hair. “Maybe we should call the police.”

“Let’s keep that as a last resort,” Vince said, glancing from one son to the other.

Rafe shrugged. “It was just a thought.”

“And not a very good one,” Rane said, punching his brother on the arm. “When have the police ever been on our side?”

“I should go sit with Mara,” Savanah said. “She must be worried sick.”

“Good idea,” Rane said. “You get Abbey. I’ll bring the car around in case you need it while we’re gone.”

“I’ll ride over with you,” Vince said. “I want to have a look around.”

Mara grew more frantic with each passing moment. She tried to tell herself that Kyle would return anytime now, but her mind constantly came up with new and more horrible possibilities—he had taken the baby for a walk and they had been hit by a bus; they had been abducted by aliens from outer space; they had been kidnapped by werewolves, by Gypsies, by a coven of dark witches who wanted to use Derek in some horrible Satanic ritual.

She was on the verge of hysterics when Savanah knocked on the door.

One look at Mara’s face and Savanah set Abbey’s car seat on the floor and took Mara into her arms.

“It’ll be all right,” Savanah said reassuringly. “Our men will find them.”

Mara nodded, then dissolved into tears.

Murmuring words of comfort, Savanah held Mara until her tears ebbed; then, after settling Mara on the sofa, Savanah went into the kitchen to fix two cups of hot chocolate, though she feared this was one instance when all the chocolate in the world wouldn’t be enough.

Mara was drying her eyes when Savanah returned to the living room. Taking a seat on the sofa, she handed one of the cups to Mara.

“Where can they be?” Mara stared into her cup as though she might find the answer to her question inside.

“I don’t know, but I’m sure they’re all right.”

Mara took a deep breath and released it in a long, shuddering sigh. “I’ve made a mess of everything.”

“Stop that! This isn’t your fault.”

“Of course it is.” She looked at Savanah. “I just want my baby back.”

“I know. I know. Rane and the men are out looking for them, even now. I’m sure they’ll find Kyle and Derek. I just know they will.”

Mara nodded. She had to believe it. If she didn’t, she would surely go insane.

Mara paced the floor in front of the fireplace. Each tick of the mantel clock sounded like a death knell to her ears. Where was Kyle? Hours had passed, with no word from Rane or Vince or Rafe.

As the hours passed, she found herself hoping that Kyle had kidnapped Derek. At least then, her son would be safe. That scenario was far better than the ones her imagination continued to spew up in living color, not the worst of which was the very real possibility that Kyle and Derek had been kidnapped by a vampire carrying a grudge and hoping to get even with her by hurting those she loved.

She glanced at Savanah, who was asleep on the sofa, with Abbey cradled in her arms. Looking at Abbey made Mara’s arms ache to hold her son.

She sank down in a chair, only to rise again a few minutes later. She couldn’t rest, couldn’t sleep, until she knew her baby was safe.

Rane appeared in the living room just after dawn.

One look at his face, and Mara knew he hadn’t found anything.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “There’s just no trail to follow.” He kissed Savanah, who had just finished nursing the baby. Sitting on the sofa, he took Abbey in his arms and gave her a hug.

Vince and Cara appeared ten minutes later. Again, there was no good news.

Mara sat on the chair in front of the hearth, her arms crossed under her breasts. Rafe was her last hope.

He arrived a few minutes after seven, along with Kathy. Rafe glanced at his father and his brother, then went to kneel in front of Mara. Taking her hands in his, he said, “It’s like they’ve vanished from the face of the earth, but we won’t stop looking.”

“Maybe we should contact Roshan,” Vince suggested. “He’s the oldest member of the family. Maybe he’ll have some ideas.”