Blood Rites

Fane was losing patience. He needed action, needed to be doing something to find his mate. As Decebel placed his hand on Fane's shoulder, he told his prince, "We will find her."

"There is no other option," Fane told him.

Fane and Decebel looked at Vasile as he ended his conversation with Dillon. "He is on his way here. He said he would try to get in touch with Logan."

"What do we do until then?" Fane growled in frustration.

"Have you tried to reach out to her?" Vasile asked, referring to the mate bond.

"Yes, she isn't answering. I can't even get a sense of her presence like when she is sleeping."

"She must be unconscious. Dr. Steele probably sedated her to give her some relief from the pain," Vasile said, voicing his thoughts out loud. Then he reached out to his mate through their bond. "Mina, you and Lilly need to come to the hospital. Jacque is missing."

"How is Fane?" Her voice in his mind conveyed all the worry that she was feeling for her son and his mate.

"He is coping for the moment, although I don't know how long that will last. Come to me, meet us in Jen and Jacque's room. I will explain everything once you are here."

"We are on our way, don't let him do anything he will regret,"Alina pleaded with her mate.

"As you say, my Luna, so it shall be done," Vasile answered formally, a vow to his mate to care for their son.

"She's missing? Missing, as in gone?" Sally asked for the third time.

"Yes Sally," Vasile answered for the third time, just as patiently as the first time.

"Crap, crap, crap," Sally snapped as she walked over to where Jen lay. She shook her friend none too gently. "Jen, wake your drunk butt up." When Jen didn't stir Sally headed towards the bathroom. "Desperate measures," Sally mumbled.

"This is going to get ugly," Decebel said, looking at Vasile, not attempting to hide the smirk on his face.

Sally came back into the room carrying a cup of water. She stood over Jen and shook her one more time. "Last chance, Jen. Wake up!" Still she didn't stir. Sally tossed the water right on Jen's face. Jen came to, sputtering and wiping the water from her eyes, trying to figure out where she was. Her eyes landed on Sally and the cup she held in her hand. The feral look that came over Jen's face was all the encouragement Sally needed to jump back just as Jen lunged for her. Decebel moved in a blur of speed, wrapping an arm around Jen's waist to pull her back.

"I'm weighing the pros and cons of beating the crap out of your skinny ass," Jen told Sally, her face still dripping with the water from Sally's cup.

"I'm sorry, Jen but it's important. Jacque's gone," Sally told her, eyes pleading with her friend to hear her.

Jen pulled out of Decebel's arms as she asked, "What do you mean she's gone?" She looked around the room until she found Fane. She noticed his lips tightened and his eyes were glowing a deep blue, which, had he not looked like he wanted to rip someone's head off, would have been beautiful.

"She was not in the ICU this morning," Vasile explained. "I have Sorin, Skender and Boain searching the hospital and questioning the staff. Dillon is on his way and is going to have his wolves help with the search."

"Wait a sec," Jen said, shaking her head. "So you don't think Dillon has anything to do with this?"

It was Vasile who answered. "I won't know for sure until I can ask him face to face, but when I spoke with him on the phone he sounded genuinely caught off guard."

Just as Vasile finished talking, the door to the room opened and Dillon walked in and just behind him were Lilly and Alina.

"What is with werewolves and their lack of ability to knock?" Jen asked. "I mean, seriously, does it have something to do with the energy it takes to lift your hand and bang it against the door? Or is there a general rule that all werewolves are exempt from the common courtesy?"

The whole room stopped and stared at Jen. She looked around and shrugged. "Well, I'm just saying."

Dillon ignored Jen's outburst and turned to Vasile. "I did not have anything to do with this. I am not so low as to take my daughter away from her mother under the cover of darkness like some thief."

Vasile didn't say anything right away, but seemed to be weighing the truth in his words. Finally he nodded. "I believe you." Then he turned to Lilly. "Lilly, how are you?"

"Well, if you want the truth, I'm straddling the fence. One side being-what the hell and the other side- are you freaking serious. I just don't understand why we can't keep her safe. What are we doing wrong?" Lilly asked, on the verge of tears.

Fane walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Îmi pare aşa de rău (I'm so sorry)," he whispered. "I should have demanded to stay with her."

"Fane, it's not your fault. You may be a prince in your world but in mine you're just a teenage boy. Here they don't give special treatment to teenage boys no matter how good looking."

"Regardless, I could have forced Dr. Steele, but I was trying not to disrespect her in her territory. I won't make that mistake again," Fane promised.

Lilly looked at Vasile. "So what do we do now?"

"We need to narrow down the possibilities," Vasile told her. "First, Dillon, did you get a hold of your Beta?"

"No, I've left him several messages but he's not answering nor has he called me back."

"Has he been acting strange lately?" Decebel asked him.

"Not really. I mean, I kind of thought he seemed a little off but I just brushed it off. Logan is my most faithful wolf. I can't imagine him betraying me."

"We've been trying to get in touch with Dr. Steele but she isn't answering her phone either, and none of the doctors or nurses know where she is." Vasile's voice betrayed the frustration that he was trying desperately to keep in check.

"Okay, so what I hear you all saying is that we really don't know jack crap and have no place to start. Am I getting it right?" Jen asked.

"Jennifer." Decebel gave a warning growl.

"Do not growl at me, fur ball," she snarled at him. "I just want to make sure we are all on the same page." She turned and looked at Fane and asked, "Have you not been able to speak to her through your freaky mind voodoo?"