"Where are we?" Chris inquired as he roused from the backseat.

Devon glanced down at the GPS. "Cedarville."

"And where is Cedarville?"

"Upstate New York."

Chris studied the dark woods surrounding them. Moonlight filtered over the skeletal trees and cast shadows across the snow covered hills and mountains. They had been steadily rising in elevation for the past twenty minutes. "So we're in the boonies," Chris muttered.

"Yeah," Devon confirmed as he glanced toward the woods at his side. He hadn't seen Annabelle and Liam in a while, but he knew they were out there somewhere, keeping pace with the slow moving vehicle. Liam was hunting for any animal that may have seen something, and still remembered it. They had been searching New York for over a day now, and Devon was struggling not to give up hope they would find her, but since crossing the border yesterday they'd found no new leads.

His hands gripped the steering wheel as he fought not to rip it free. "Have you heard from them?" Chris asked as he climbed over the middle and slid into the passenger seat. Melissa and Luther were still sleeping in the far back of the Escalade.

"No."

Chris's gaze focused on the dark forest as his forehead furrowed. Devon could tell he was trying to pick up Cassie's presence, and having no luck at it. "Maybe the trail ends here because she's somewhere near here," Chris stated after a few moments.

Devon wished it was that simple, but he didn't believe so. Pulling out his phone, he checked the screen but there were no new messages. He slid it back into his pocket before he shattered it. "Pull over, Devon."

His head snapped toward Chris. "You sense something?"

Chris shook his head. "I have to piss."

"Oh."

Devon pulled over to the side of the road for him. He waited impatiently, his fingers tapping against the steering wheel as Chris disappeared into the night. Devon frowned as he studied the oddly hushed woods. It was too calm out there. Chris appeared by the passenger door again.

"Something's not right in this town," Chris stated. Devon nodded his agreement as he continued to study the forest. "We actually might be in the right area."

Devon tried not to let his expectation's rise, tried not to let his heart soar at the thought, but he couldn't stop the spurt of excitement that shot through him. He turned his attention to the night as he listened for any new sound. "This quiet usually means vampires," he said. "Get back in the car Chris."

"Wait, what?"

"Get in the car!" Devon ordered briskly. He flung his door open and stepped swiftly into the chilly night. He searched the wood for anything out there, but he could only sense Annabelle and Liam moving steadily closer to the vehicle.

The back window opened and Melissa stuck her head out. "What's going on?"

Devon shook his head as he walked to the back of the SUV. He shot Chris a dark look as he appeared on the other end of the vehicle. "I told you to get inside," he growled.

Chris shook his head and chose to ignore him. "I don't sense anything out there," Chris told him. "Absolutely nothing."

Liam and Annabelle appeared at the edge of the woods and rapidly moved forward. Annabelle's gaze darted constantly over her surroundings while Liam's gaze was focused behind them. "What is this place?" Annabelle inquired.

"Cedarville," Chris answered.

Devon glowered at him. "This place is strange. There's something off about it," Annabelle whispered.

"I don't sense any other vampires though," Liam mumbled. "And for the past two miles there have been very few animals. None of them could help us."

Devon's chest clenched at the idea they’d run out of leads. He couldn't concentrate on that thought; he would crack if he did. There was something off about this place, something not right at all, and he had to stay focused on that. "We should go into town."

"For what?" Chris asked in surprise.

"Because we need to find out what is going on here."

"But what about Cassie..." Chris's voice trailed off as his eyes flitted to the forest. "You think she's here?"

Devon managed a brief nod. He didn't know what to think, but this place was strange, and it was where their trail ended. It was the only hope they had. The only hope he had. "Are you going to ride with us, or stick to the woods?" Devon asked Annabelle and Liam.

"I'd like to stay in the woods, see if I can find something," Liam answered. "There has to be some more wildlife out there, somewhere."

Devon nodded as he hurried toward the front of the vehicle. He was eager to get into town and see what it had to offer, and what secrets it was hiding. "What's going on?" Luther inquired the second they were back inside.

"There's something peculiar about this place, we're going to go into town, maybe find some answers," Devon told him.

He pulled back onto the road and hit the gas pedal hard in his eagerness to find the center of town. He glanced at the GPS. A hotel had popped up on the screen about five miles away. A gas station was closer, but there were no other landmarks showing. "Small town," Chris muttered.

"Do you think there are answers here?" Melissa asked.

"There is something here," Chris answered. "And a whole lot of nothing."

"I don't understand," Melissa replied.

"There's nothing out there. No wildlife, no people, just nothing."

Melissa grasped hold of the back of Devon's seat and leaned forward. "Are you saying this is some kind of strange ghost town?"

"I don't know what it is, but it's not normal."

"Do you think Cassie is here somewhere?"

"I don't know what to think," Devon answered when Chris remained silent. "I do know I have never been in a place like this."

He turned his blinker on, but ended up driving past the gas station as none of the lights were on. "It is two o'clock in the morning," Luther reminded him. "We'll be lucky if we can get a room at the motel."

"Hmm," Devon agreed.

"This place is creepy," Melissa muttered as she sat back in her seat. "I keep waiting for zombie's or hill people to come out and attack us."

Devon wasn't going to say he agreed with her, but he couldn't shake the thought of such a thing either. They pulled up to the motel, there were four cars in the parking lot, but the place had a deserted air about it. Devon's senses were on high alert as he stepped from the vehicle.

He didn't hear people moving around inside the building or hear the faint beat of human hearts. He couldn't hear them rustling around in their sleep, breathing, or snoring. "It's so quiet," Melissa breathed.

"There's no one in there," Devon told them.

Melissa and Chris glanced at him, but Luther had retreated back to the SUV in search of something. "Are you certain?" Chris inquired.

"Yes."

"But the cars," Melissa argued.

"This place is empty."

"According to this map Cedarville is twenty-two square miles with a population of two hundred and fifty people. This is the only motel on the GPS and it appears Cedarville mainly consists of dairy farms," Luther announced as he returned from the SUV with a map book in his hands. "Though they do have a small center of town, and a school."

"We should go in there and see if there are any clues about what happened to these people," Devon told them.

"Wait," Chris said and grabbed hold of his arm. "What if you're wrong? What if there are people still in there? We can't just go barging in."

Devon stared at him for a moment before pulling his arm free. "There is no one left in there, and if there was, I would just change their memories." Chris was still hesitant, his eyes doubtful as he gazed back at the motel. "We're wasting time, we have to go."

Devon didn't wait for them as he quickly made his way across the parking lot. Snow crunched under his feet, and the wind whipped around him. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, but he barely noted the chill. He needed answers, and he needed them now. Stepping onto the sidewalk running down the front of the building, he went for the first room he came across.

Grasping hold of the doorknob, he pulled down forcefully and slammed it open. "Devon!" Melissa hissed.

He didn't give her a second thought as he shoved the door open further and flipped on the light switch. The room was in neat order and the bed made. There was no lingering scent of human within, no bags marking this as one of the rooms that had been occupied. He didn't bother to close the door before moving hastily onto the next one.

He went quickly through the next few rooms and found all of them as deserted as the first. Finally he came across a room that had been occupied recently. He stepped into the room, glad to be out of the cold air and howling wind. The comforter on the bed had been turned down, a suitcase sat on a chair beside the bed with its top open to reveal men's clothing.

An old Married with Children episode was running on the TV. Devon barely glanced at it as his attention was riveted on the empty room. There was no sign of a scuffle, but the room was empty and the person seemed to have vanished.

He left the room and hurried down the walkway. He rapidly went through the rest of the rooms, but there were no answers to be found in any of them either. Another man appeared to have been staying in one of them, and a couple in the other. He arrived at the manager's office, frustration and anger boiled through him as he grabbed hold of the knob.

"Wait," Melissa whispered as she seized hold of his arm.

He was surprised by the pallor of her skin, the firm set of her full lips. There was a haunted look about her black eyes that made his blood run cold. The last time he'd seen that look on her face he'd lost the only person he'd ever truly cared about.

"Cassie?" he breathed.

She shuddered as she took an unsteady breath and broke free of the premonition. "No," she moaned as she took a small step back. "No. That room, it's awful, just awful."

Luther took hold of her shoulders as she quickly turned away. His eyes were haunted as they briefly met Devon's. Bracing for whatever it was Melissa had seen, Devon turned the handle and was surprised to find it unlocked. He shoved the door open. The beast in him reared to turbulent life, and hunger sprang forth as the sweet scent of blood assailed him.

He closed his eyes against the demon clamoring at his insides. His fangs had elongated at the smell and bit into his lower lip. "Are you ok?" Chris inquired tremulously.

Fisting his hands, Devon managed a small nod. It still took him a few minutes to regain complete control though. He ground his teeth together as he flipped the switch. Disgust and excitement rolled through him in equal measures when he took in the room. He hated the part of himself becoming excited by the carnage of the room, but he couldn't stop it. He'd caused this, and worse, in his lengthy life.

"My God," Chris breathed.

"This has nothing to do with God," Devon replied crisply.

He cautiously moved into the room, and stepped over the broken bits of chair littering the floor. The customary hotel painting of a serene landscape hung on the wall, completely out of place amidst all of the destruction and mayhem. Papers were scattered about; they mixed with the blood splattered everywhere. A large smear of blood covered the back wall, and it seemed the victim had been lifted to the ceiling and then pulled back down to the floor.

Devon stepped around the desk and the feet of the victim came into view. He shuddered, his hands fisted harder as he fought against the bloodlust threatening to consume him. He braced himself for the mayhem as he stepped completely around the desk.

The manager's body was sprawled across the floor; his arms and legs were twisted at the unnatural angle of a man who’d had his back broken. His neck was turned to the side; his unseeing brown eyes focused upon the ceiling. His stomach was torn open, his intestines were gone, and his throat had been nearly ripped out.

Devon's skin turned to ice as he took in the room. There wasn't enough blood here for the savage gashes. It hadn't been a human attacker who had done this, but it hadn't been a vampire either. No vampire would eat the intestines.

"We have to go!" he barked.

"What is it?" Luther demanded.

Devon's gaze went to the door that most likely led into the manager's apartment. He didn't sense another presence back there, but he wasn't so sure he would. "Chris?" he inquired.

Chris glanced at him and then rapidly surveyed the room before shaking his head. "I don't sense anyone else," he said.

Devon nodded, but it didn't soothe the tension knotting his stomach. "Come on, we must get out of here."

"What's the matter?" Luther asked.

"Halfling," Devon answered as he turned away from the body.

"Wait! What?" Chris sputtered. "One of those monster things? One of those things you were scared Cassie might become?"

"Yes."

Luther paled as he took a step back. Devon pushed them out the door. Melissa was still huddled outside, her cheeks red from the cold, and her eyes shadowed and haunted. Devon studied the dark night, his senses on hyper alert as he watched for any sign of movement. "Come on, we can't stay here."

He hurried them forward, practically shoving Chris toward the car. Throwing open the driver's side door, he slid in, and waited until everyone was settled before he locked the doors and pulled out his cell phone and dialed Annabelle's number. "Where are you guys?" he demanded when she picked up.

"Not far from you," she replied.

"You need to get here."

"What's wrong?" she inquired nervously.

"You have to get here and be careful," Devon told her.

"We'll be there soon."

Devon hung up and gripped the steering wheel as he waited impatiently. The wind shook the vehicle as it buffeted it. "What is going on?" Melissa asked.

"I don't know."

"Do you think Cassie is near?"

He was afraid to acknowledge it may very well have been Cassie who had done this. His Cassie never could have done this, but there was no way to know what had been done to her. He couldn't admit his Cassie might not exist anymore.

"Yes," he admitted.

Annabelle and Liam appeared at the edge of the parking lot and moved rapidly across the snow and asphalt. Devon hit the unlock button and let them into the backseat on a blast of cold air. "What's going on?" Liam asked as soon as he was settled.

Devon quickly filled him in on the condition of the hotel as he pulled out of the parking lot. His headlights splashed over the woods and across the snow. "Where did the people staying in the motel go though?" Annabelle inquired.

Devon had been thinking the same thing as he made his way toward town. "I don't know, but hopefully we'll find some answers soon."