Page 42 of Those That Are Lost (Hidden Vampires #2)

AURORA

W e end up having to wait four days before we can try step one of our plan.

After we’d let him and Henry in on our plans, Antares had gone scouting in the city.

Unfortunately, he’d come back with a hiccup.

The two males from the Froan pack who had been here in the city, had left.

We’d had to wait until word reached us that more had arrived.

The tiny flat, whilst perfectly comfortable and lovely, was starting to feel claustrophobic with all of us squashed into the space. I’d at least found time to read, and Henry’s library was a cornucopia of fantasy, romance, and the latest debate within the historical sphere.

“We’re out of blood again,” Ty informs us as he hands me a glass with a few mouthfuls in it, having already drunk some himself. Cold blood definitely wasn’t as good as having the wolves on tap for weeks, but I drink it gratefully.

Antares comes out of Henry’s room, where he’d been changing into what he’d called his heist outfit, and does a little twirl.

For whom I’m not sure, but I can’t help but look.

He’s wearing skintight shiny leather trousers with army style black boots.

A chunky knit, khaki jumper hangs off his lithe frame, his left collarbone exposed by the wide neckline, and a gold chain visible around his neck.

My hand automatically goes to my clavicles where my dad’s wedding ring used to hang before I lost it at the Froan Pack’s ranch.

Antares has let his hair down, the dreadlocks falling over the right side of his head, reaching just below his shoulder. He’s also adorned his eyes in some smoky black liner. It really is overkill for our venture, but I have to admit he looks good.

Ty slips his long trench coat on and raises the collar. The move makes his curls drop across his forehead, the ringlets still damp from a shower. The black shirt and jeans underneath look tailored to perfection. My body heat rises as I take in the wonder that is my mate’s body.

‘Later, Red.’ His voice purrs through the bond as he flashes me one of his mind melting smiles.

‘I’ll hold you to it.’ I put the drained glass on the worktop as I quickly scoot into our room.

I’m dressed in a cute casual navy dress.

The sleeves and bodice clinging to my curves like silk and the skirt floating out around my thighs.

It's loose enough to not restrict my movement should I need it. Black tights, boots, and a leather jacket finish my ensemble, but I need to pull a glamour up as an extra precaution. We’re going out in public for the first time, a calculated risk we need to take if we want to enact our plan.

Ty’s eyebrows shoot straight up and he chokes on air as I return to the main room. I’ve darkened my skin considerably, shrunk my curves and turned my hair black. I hook some of it back to show the pointed tips of my elongated ears.

“Really?” Ty shakes his head. Over the last few days, I know he’s been warming to Antares, so I may be doing this to mess with him a little.

“What? It provides a cover story,” I say incredulously.

“Well, well. They say imitation is the best form of flattery. I like it.” Antares grins at me before laying an arm around my shoulders. “What d’you think? We look good together, no?”

I know he says it to purposefully wind up my mate, and it works spectacularly. Ty flashes his fangs at the male currently clinging to my side.

“Relax you possessive idiot, she looks more like his twin, not his mate,” Henry says, putting his hand on Ty’s bicep before he can launch at Antares.

“Yeah, that’s what I meant,” Antares voice drips in sarcasm. “What else would you think?” His lips pull into a shit-eating grin.

“You’ll pay for this later, Red,” Ty whispers low in my ear as I pass him to exit Henry’s apartment. It sends shivers down my spine.

“Can’t wait.” I flash him a smile over my shoulder.

“Do it quietly. I’ve heard enough of you two fucking already,” Henry says as he locks up. I shoot a scathing look at Ty. He’d told me Henry’s walls had been reinforced for supernatural hearing. My face flushes, thankful my dark skin will hide the crimson.

‘Oops.’ My mate sends through the bond, looking down at me. I narrow my eyes further and shake my head.

He takes my hand as we descend the stairs, kissing my knuckles. I can’t stay mad at him but tell him sternly that we will be being quieter from now on.

Antares is practically bouncing and Henry stiffens as we hit the street. Ty immediately steps into concentration mode, going on high alert as well, pulling me close.

It takes us a while to navigate the city as we avoid all major routes and stick to the quieter side alleys.

It's already dark out but it's not late, the winter clinging on. The city is a buzz of people finishing work and travelling home, heading to restaurants for dinner, or bars for drinks. There’s also a fair few clad in workout gear, either out for a run on the streets or heading to the gym.

It's chaotic and busy. Ty keeps his hand to the small of my back and I stay glued to his side.

When Antares stops us at a rear entrance to the Plaza Hotel, I look between my companions, confused by the fancy as fuck location.

“Are you sure this is it?” Henry asks, clearly matching my feelings.

“Yes, come on. The doorman takes a sneaky break to bang one of the waitresses around this time every night, we have minutes to get inside.”

“Surely, Adicious wouldn’t spring for this. The ranch was practically falling down.” I know I didn’t see much of it, but I remember taking in the battered walls and scuffed and worn floors.

“He likes to show off in front of others.” Ty’s face is set in a grim line.

We follow Antares through a maze of staff corridors and finally emerge into the back entrance of a bar.

“Okay, we need to split up. Who’s taking watch at the bar and who is heading into the lobby?” Antares looks far too happy about this mission. We’re here to kidnap two of Adicious’s vampires, not out for a night of alcohol induced fun.

“We’ll take the lobby.” Ty gestures to himself and Antares. “You two take the bar. And for the love of the gods be subtle.”

We all agreed to this yesterday. It would be less obvious to anyone that Ty and I were mated if we didn’t sit together on this stake out. We also wanted to test the telepathy, so we had to split up, as much as the idea filled me with nausea.

‘Don’t argue with him please, it’ll draw attention,’ I tell Ty. He wanted Antares with him as he trusted Henry with my safety more. But seeing that Ty and Antares were still likely to piss each other off, I was worried about leaving them alone.

‘I’ll be good, I promise. I’ll just knock him out if he annoys me.’

‘Ty!’

‘Kidding.’ He wasn’t.

Without breaking stride, Henry places his hand on my back and steers me into the bar. We head to the booths on the far side where we can see both entrances. Henry doesn’t take his eyes off me as he approaches the bar and grabs us a couple of drinks. We sip them slowly, talking in low voices.

“Do you see anyone you recognise?” Henry asks.

“No, I don’t think so. I wouldn’t recognise all of the pack though.

” This was another reason Ty and Antares took the lobby.

There would be more traffic through there.

We had no idea if Adicious’s males were in their rooms or not.

We didn’t even know which two it was that had been sent here this time.

Antares had got vague descriptions, and Ty was hopeful one of them was Mitch but couldn’t be sure from the details we had currently.

‘It’s not any of those currently in the bar,’ Ty confirms. ‘I got a decent look as we walked past.’

“Ty says he didn’t recognise anyone either,” I relay to Henry. The bar is relatively quiet currently, about half a dozen people, both male and female. Four are loners, and another couple who are sitting in a booth a few down from ours.

“So, it's any males that arrive we need to keep an eye on,” Henry states. I nod in agreement, taking another sip of the soda he got me. It's the first time we’ve been out in nearly a week and I can’t help but think about sinking my fangs into one of these unsuspecting guests and getting some fresh blood.

Maybe if this goes well, we can visit a club on the way home.

‘All quiet still?’ I check in with Ty. It turns out stake-outs are boring. We’ve been here over an hour and we’ve got nowhere.

‘Nothing to report. Apart from that Antares won’t shut up. He’s prattling on about this high-end bar he worked in after he was turned.’

Ty feeds me some of the conversation and refuses to ask Antares the questions I have on his life, so I store them for later. The bond between us works as clear as it does when we’re less than a foot apart. I wonder if the range is limitless. I hope so.

‘Fuck. Red, get here now!’ Ty shouts through the bond.

I’m immediately up and out of my seat. “Quick, they need us.” I’m pulling Henry by his sleeve. I feel pain through the bond like Ty’s been struck,

‘Ty? Are you okay?’ I fire at him.

‘Just get here.’

Henry and I walk as quickly as we dare without drawing attention. Has Antares finally worn my mate’s patience too thin? Have they run into Adicious’s males? That thought has me scurrying a little quicker.

I’m not prepared for what I hear before we even enter the lobby area.

“How fucking dare you! Have you been hiding out here this entire time?” It's a voice I recognise and one I’m not expecting. My steps nearly falter as recognition hits me.

Bree?

The sight that greets me has me rushing to my mate’s side. Bree lays a slap across his cheek. He takes it without even trying to block her. I know he could if he wanted. He does raise his hands up to try and keep her out of his space but he keeps them palms up. He’s not laying a hand on her at all.

“Where the fuck is she? What did you do with her?” Bree’s tirade gets louder, and I note several people in the lobby looking over.

I barge my way between them.

“Bree.” Saying her name, taking in the fact she’s in front of me. It's surreal. It's been so many months .

Her hair is shorter. Not by much but it hits her chest instead of her waist. She looks radiant, glowing and dressed up in a tight sequinned dress like she’s heading out for the night.

“Who are you? Are you this piece of shit’s girlfriend?” She jabs a finger at the male behind me. Ty places his hands on my waist.

‘She recognised me and started yelling,’ he tells me.

“Bree,” I say again, keeping my voice low. “It’s me.”

She takes a step back and shakes her head.

“No. You couldn’t… not that much.” Her voice barely a whisper as shock crosses her features.

“It’s me,” I repeat, unwilling to say my name aloud when any supernatural could be listening.

Bree takes an inhale and I see her work through the shock, the familiarity, the relief and sadness and anger. She brings her hands together at her face as tears well in her eyes. “Oh gods. It’s really you.”

“It’s really me,” I say a third time.

She responds by dragging me into a bone crushing hug. It takes me by such surprise, she nearly manages to wind me. I feel Ty bristle, but I quickly reassure him and hug my best friend back.

When she finally releases me, she starts up again, firing questions quicker than I can comprehend. Her gaze flicks between me and Ty and the only thing I catch is that she’s figured out that we’re together.

I pause her with a hand to her arm. “Bree, I want to answer you, I do, but…” I gesture around the open lobby. “We need privacy. Are you staying here?”

“Yes… Gods, you don’t know.” She shakes her head. “I got a residency with a ballet company in the southern continent. We’re here for a short week-lo ng run.”

“The southern continent? But you were hoping for the Scotian Company,” I say, confused.

“I er…” She takes a breath. “With everything that happened, I didn’t make the audition.

The Balacian Company took me from my tapes alone.

” From her eyes, I can tell she means that my disappearance caused her life to take a very large pivot.

Crushing guilt floods my system and I lose the ability to speak.

Ty’s hands are back on my waist as I stare at my best friend. I’d thought of her and Claire over the months, of course I had. I hadn’t thought of the ramifications though.

“Claire?” I ask.

“She’s still in Froan. She took the first job she was offered when we graduated but she didn’t seem to be getting anywhere.

She recently got offered to interview at that place she always talked about and is currently putting her portfolio together in preparation for it.

It’ll be a little less money to start, but you know how much she loves their design ethos. ”

Guilt gnaws at my stomach. It feels like both of my best friends have had rocky starts in their careers. The voice in my head snarls that I must’ve been the cause. It could’t have been easy for them to concentrate through finals when I disappeared.

“She’s living back with her parents,” Bree continues. “We call almost everyday. She didn’t want to live alone after… Have you been here this entire time?”

“Do you have a room we can talk in?” I glance at the two other males I’m here with, who have backed away somewhat. Our original mission here has crumpled but they nod and let me know they’ll keep to task.

Bree looks hesitant but says, “Follow me.”