Blood Rites

"Yes, Beta." And then he hastily shut the door.

Sally could feel the anger coming off of Decebel, it was nearly tangible.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

"I'm not really sure at the moment," he answered honestly.

"Well, maybe you should take a time out. Jen's not awake for you to growl at and there's no sense in growling at me now when you're just going to do it again when she wakes up."

"That's probably a very good idea. However, I will warn you Sally, a time out will not cool my temper. If anything it may become worse as I have time to dwell on all the possibilities of Jennifer's little adventure."

"Okay, well, let's just not worry about that right now. I mean, she obviously showed up fully clothed. Skender didn't mention that it looked like she was disheveled or whatever, so you can assume that she didn't let this Matt character de-flower her."

"Sally, you're not helping." Decebel turned away from both girls, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Look, I'm going to check on Fane and see if they've heard anything since I left. Please do not leave this room until I come back. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Okay, Decebel, since you asked so nicely," Sally responded, her voice thick with sarcasm.

Chapter 25

Fane and Vasile were discussing the fact that since Jacquelyn had gotten sick the situation with Dillon had changed when Decebel walked into the waiting area.

"How are Sally and Jen?" Vasile asked his Beta.

Decebel sat down in one of the chairs across from them and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "You're never going to believe what those two got themselves into last night."

"What have the two troublemakers done this time?" Vasile asked.

"They came up with the bright idea to sneak into the ICU to see Jacque, but their plan didn't quite hash out, if you can imagine. Sally ended up unconscious in the elevator with no memory of how it happened and Jennifer was drunk off her ass after having spent the night with some mongrel named Matty." Decebel's voice had gone deathly low at his mention of Jen.

Vasile let out a slow breath before responding, "Are they both in one piece?"

"Yes, Alpha. Jennifer is sleeping off her wild night as we speak and Sally is with her."

Fane looked at Decebel and then his father, his brow furrowed in thought. "Why would Sally be unconscious in the elevator?" Fane got an uneasy feeling and his wolf perked up, something was wrong but he didn't know what it was. Suddenly the urgency to have news on Jacquelyn's well-being overrode his sense of propriety.

Fane stood up and walked towards the ICU door. He began banging on it forcefully, not pretending at politeness. After a few moments the doors opened and a nurse stepped out. "Can I help you?"

"I want to see Jacquelyn Pierce." Fane's tone left no room for argument, but apparently the nurse hadn't got the memo.

"Sir, I know Dr. Steele told you that family and friends are not allowed in the ICU due to the seriousness of the illnesses. It further compromises their immune systems."

Fane noticed that the nurse's heart rate was quickening and she had sheen of perspiration across her brow. Fane looked past the nurse into the room behind her and saw that there seemed to be a sense of urgency from the other staff. Several other nurses were on the phones and there was a doctor pointing towards a room, his face displaying obvious frustration. Fane called on his wolf's hearing to catch what the doctor was saying. "How does a patient just up and disappear? Have you tried to get in touch with Dr. Steele?" That was all Fane needed to hear. He pushed pass the nurse and her weak attempts to stop him. Fane heard his father behind him, and Decebel was only a step behind Vasile.

Fane followed the direction the doctor had been pointing to and stepped into an empty room saturated in his mate's sent. He instinctively reached out to her through their bond, but there was only silence in response. He turned back to the doctor and knew his eyes were glowing based on his expression. Fane grabbed the doctor by the front of his shirt and lifted him effortlessly off the floor. "Where is Jacquelyn Pierce?" he snarled.

"Fane, put him down," he heard his Alpha issue the command but his wolf wasn't listening.

The doctor grabbed onto the wrist of the arm that held him in the air, his mind threatening to shut down from the fear pouring over him.

"I d-d-don't know," he stuttered. "I just got here to do my rounds and when I went to see Ms. Pierce her room was empty. I had the nurses check to see if she had anything scheduled for this morning, but they can't find anything. We can't get a hold of Dr. Steele either."

Fane could tell the doctor told the truth but was reluctant to set him down, not wanting to give up an object to direct his anger upon.

"Fane, set him down now," he heard his Alpha say again and this time he obeyed. He turned and dared to look Vasile in the eyes, earning a growl in warning.

"We need to call Dillon Jacobs," he told his Alpha before he finally relented and dropped his eyes. Turning away from the doctor, he stormed past Vasile and Decebel and back into the waiting area they had just occupied. He didn't look to see if they would follow, he knew they would. Fane watched as his father dialed Dillon Jacobs' number and waited for him to answer. He picked up on the third ring.

"Dillon," Vasiles' voice was low, "have you anything to do with Jacque's disappearance?"

Fane and Decebel had no trouble hearing Dillon's response as he yelled into the phone, "What the hell do you mean she's disappeared!"

Vasile voice never changed in volume nor did it lose the deathly edge. "I mean just what I said, she is not here. They are unable to locate Dr. Steele as well. Are all of your wolves accounted for?"

"All of my wolves are here at the hotel." Dillon paused. "Wait, not all. Logan stayed at the hospital so he could let me know of any changes."

"Then you know that Jacque was in the ICU?"

"No, I haven't heard from Logan. I assumed everything must have been alright. Is she okay?" Dillon's voice was beginning to sound frantic.

"Jacque got sick last night. Dr. Steele thinks that because she received a blood transfusion of human blood her body is attacking the human blood and in turn attacking her body. They took her to the ICU, which was the last time we saw her, and now this morning she is gone."