Chapter 31
Rafael paced in his room he hadn’t heard any news about his daughter. He tried not to get overly upset about the fact no one had returned his calls. “Fuck this!” He growled he decided to go look for his daughter alone. Damion and the rest of the family had their own problems. He ghosted himself into the weapon room or that is where he wanted to go, but he ended up in the backroom of Asylum where they kept the backup equipment for the DJ booth and sound systems. He landed in a pile of boxes, cursing he got himself up right. Climbing over a mixing board he headed for the door. Reaching for the door knob, but missed it as the door came open.
“Jesus Christ!” Kell said jumping seeing Rafael in the room. Kell Davidson started at his boss. Kell was a new DJ Rafe had hired a few months ago. “Why in the hell are you lurking in here Boss? Is this some kind of Panther thing?” He asked his boss.
Rafe shook his head at the tall skinny male. Kell was 6’3 with long red hair and bright green eyes. He looked like he was eleven years old, but in reality he was a couple of hundred years old. Kell was swift fox born and raised in small town in Wyoming. Rafe couldn’t remember the name of it. He’d never met another if Kell’s species before. They didn’t get a lot of foxes in Cali. Kell was decent enough. A little wet behind the ears, but Rafe knew in time he’d get the hang of things here. “I didn’t mean to end up in here. Shit is getting weirder by the second.” Rafe said leaving the room.
“You’re telling me. I called home to speak to my father, and he told me that it was snowing.”
“Okay?” Rafe said wondering how that was weird.
“It was only snowing in one spot and the temp was almost hundred.” Kell said.
Rafe was use to the heat living in California, but that was weird. “That is insane.” Rafe said.
Kell nodded and went into the storage room. “Do we have any extra cords for the mixing board in here?” He asked over his shoulder.
“Top shelf green tote. What happened to the other cords?” Rafe asked.
“No one believe me.” Kell said looking for the tote.
“Try me!?” Rafe said.
“I was setting up for my set an hour ago and when I was setting up my laptop and plugging everything the room got super cold and the cords in the back of the board frozen and snapped. When I showed Damion he looked at me like I was looney.”
Rafe arched his brow.
“If I had messed them up I’d cop to it, but I didn’t do anything to them.” Kell said waiting on his boss to flip out.
“I believe you. Ignore my brother he’s old crank. We won’t take it out of your check or anything like that.” Rafe said.
Kell thanked him, watching Rafe leave he went back to looking for the green tote.
Rafe headed for the weapon’s room. Punching in his code when he got to the door of it. The key pad beeped at him. “Access denied!” It said blinking red at him. “What the hell do you mean access denied! I’m the one who put this fucking system in!” He snarled and punched in his code again. “Access denied!” It repeated. “Who the hell changed the codes?” He said like the damn wall computer would answer him.
He spun on his heels and headed for his brother’s office. Damion would know who fucked with Rafe’s access code. Didn’t bother knocking on the door to Damion’s office he just let himself in. Sitting at Damion’s desk was his wife Monica. She was typing away at the laptop on Damion’s desk.
“Whoever it is, come back in two hours.” She said not looking up for the screen.
“Not gonna happen Sister Dear!” Rafe said closing the door behind him.
Monica looked up from the screen her face showed no amusement. “I’m kinda busy Rafael.” She said putting her focus back on the screen.
“Where is Damion?” He asked.
“Honestly I have no idea. He has forgot how to use a damn phone.” She snarled out. Her mate was working on her last nerve. Things were going to hell in a hand basket around her and he was off trying save the world, but not the one that mattered to her.
“Okay, then maybe you can tell me who changed my access code for the red room?” That was their code name for the weapon room in The Asylum.
“I did.” Monica said nonchalantly.
Rafe blinked a minute. “You? Why would you do that? And I’m the one who put the system in.”
Monica looked up at him again. “Because I can’t trust you males not to start going on a fucking killing spree, with all the weird shit happening. What if someone found the room and got inside.”
Rafe was normally calm an located, but he was about to snap on her. “Do I look like my brothers? No! You have no right or authority to change any of my codes. You do what you want with everyone else’s, but mine you leave the hell alone. Give me my code.” Rafe said as his nostrils flared.
Monica stared at her brother in law. His dark hair had been recently cut, but his face had a week of growth on it. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. He looked a little rabid, if she did say so herself. The Mangus males where all deadly in their own right. Her mate didn’t get the nickname The Panther Boogieman for nothing, but Rafael Mangus was the one she scared of most. Most over looked the oldest Mangus brother, but not her. She’d seen him do some pretty horrifying things once upon a time. One being slaughtering his own mate. Monica bared witness to it, and that was secret she kept to herself. She didn’t even think Damion knew what happened to Amber. Here one day and gone the next. Monica never asked Rafael why, mostly out of fear. If he could kill his own mate, then who knows what he was capable of if pushed. His dark eyes glittered with anger at her.
Monica sat back in her chair behind her mate’s desk. Crossing her arms over her chest she looked up at him. “Why do you need it?” She asked knowing she was playing with fire. She could see the annoyance and anger on his face.
“Why I need it is none of your business. I do not answer to you Dear Sister! Give me the fucking code or I’ll rip the fucking computer out of the wall, and we wire it myself.” He said coldly.
“See I also fixed that too. If anyone tried to damage the computer or alarm system they will get a nasty surprise!” She said.
Rafael slammed his hands down on the desk making her jump. “I’m going to ask you one more time Mon for the code and if you don’t give it to me. I’ll be forced to take matters into my own hands. And if that means putting someone’s head throw the door to get to my fucking guns I’ll do it.” He said smiling at her. “May I please my codes!?”
Monica’s face went pale. The look on Rafael’s face terrified her. “The day Amber died or went missing.” She said watching the look on his face. His handsome face twisted into a enraged snarl.
“Is that some kind of sick fucking joke Mon? You think your being cute right?”
Monica shook her head no. “I did it..” She started to speak, and her voice shook. “I did it, because only you and I know the date.”
Rafe stood up straight looking at his sister in law. She could be one cold bitch when she wanted to be. Sometimes he wondered what his brother saw in her. And if had his way she’d be dead for the things she’d done to Serra, but it wasn’t his place to handle any of that. One day though he’d make sure she’d get what she deserved. He kept all that to himself. In front of the rest of the family he played down his feeling of hate for her. He’d learned the best thing to do was let shit go, but she always seemed to know how to rub him the wrong way. “Do not change it again. Are we clear Monica!?” He said in a calm tone.
She nodded.
“I’ll let you get back to work.” He said turning to leave her. As he left the room he could feel her boring a hole in back with her eyes. And he didn’t give a shit. Making his way back to the red room he punched in the code. “Access granted!” The door opened for him. Stepping inside he pulled down his shotgun and put the strap over his head. Grabbing two belts of ammo for it and another small hand gun an a holster. He strapped the hand gun to his leg and the belts of ammo he draped over himself. He decided to try ghosting again to the last place Ashley was.
This time it worked Rafael appeared outside a small bar called Pixie. It was a dance club place and the last place his daughter was. He had heard stories of this place being used sex trafficking and drugs. The rumors also said it was mob owned. The Mangus Prowl had more an one run in with the Cali mob scene. He’d came here once before asking about his daughter and they just through him out on his ass.
This time he’d get answers or he’d take some motherfuckers with him.
He was happy no one was outside when he ghosted in. He went to the door and found it was locked. He growled and pounded on the door.
Someone on the other side of the door yelled “We open at five. “
Rafe growled again. “Open up I want to speak to the owner.”
“Come back at five!” The person yelled.
Rafe loaded the shotgun and opened fired on the door. The shotgun blew a hole on the door. The person on the other side of the door screamed. Rafe put his arm in the hole and unlocked the door. Opening it stepped inside to see a small skinny blond human female. She was shaking with fear.
“Please don’t kill me!” She begged him.
“I’m just here to speak to the owner.” Taking his phone out he found a photo of his daughter. “Have you seen this girl?” He asked the female.
She looked at the photo. “Yes..” She stammered.
“When?” He asked. “A week ago or so. She left at closing with two men.”
Rafe’s heart started to pound. “What did the men look?”
The human thought a moment. “Tall and they looked like kinda crazy. Almost like they were dressed up for some costume contest or something. They had pale skin with red eyes and they were bald, their ears like look bat ears. Freaky looking really.”
Demons Rafe’s mind screamed. “Thank you.” He said to her. “Sorry about the door.” He moved to touch her arm. Using his powers, he knocked her out cold and took the memory of him from her. Rafael left the bar and headed back The Asylum
once he got back to his room without anyone seeing him he called one of Salvation’s Enforcers that was local. Leaving him a voicemail he decided he’d give them a week to get back to him before he went Rogue on this. After what happened with Serra he wouldn’t take any chances upsetting Salvation and Nocona. Taking off all his guns and ammo he sat on his bed wondering the worst about his daughter.