Sacrifice (Book 2)

Chapter 7.1 - Missing and The Clock is Ticking

Author's note: Madison was away from the castle for 51 hours. The events that transpired are given in New York and Umbria time.
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Missing: 18 ½ hours. Time: New York 7:30 p.m. - Umbria 12:30 a.m.

Madison walked out of the Marriott onto West 45th Street with her arms wrapped around her leather jacket. It wasn't the frigid evening temperatures that made her clutch her arms across her chest. Seeing Cole again and having to walk away tore at her heart. What she had learned about him, and what she hadn't said weighed on her. Her breath caught in her throat when she considered what she had nearly done. He'd swept her away again. The catastrophe she could have caused was unfathomable. Bowing her head, she whispered a prayer of thanks that she had stopped before it was too late.

A gust of wind blew down the street, lifting her hair around her. She raised her face towards the dark heavens and felt as empty as the starless sky. She rubbed her temple, massaging the pounding ache, and realized she was suffering from the effects of Cole's blood. If she had any doubt that he was part of their circle, it was gone now. There were but a few reasons for her to suffer this type of malaise. And the vampire venom that coursed through Cole's blood was the most likely cause.

Madison didn't have a phone with her; it was a short trip and she feared it might be used to track her. Not having a cell wasn't an issue, but making sure she was on time was. She headed down the street in the direction of the small deli with a red and white awning. Pushing the glass door open, she scanned the wall behind the white metal and glass counter for a clock. Shaking her head, she stepped back out of the store. There was no way she could make the 8:00 bus. She would have to wait the two hours until the next one came.

Raising a hand, she hailed the taxi that approached. The car pulled over, she opened the door and jumped in. "19 Pike Street, Please."

"Bus Station?" the driver asked.

"Yes," she replied. She stared out the window at the blurred images of people and cars as they passed. Her heart began to pounded wildly. What would she find at the end of the line?

Missing: 19 hours. Time: New York 8:30 p.m. - Umbria 1:30 a.m.

"Don't give me any excuses," Paolo barked into the phone, "Get your ass over to that hotel. I don't care if you have to leave your goddamn car in the middle of the street and run there. He wants this done. Listen Field, you're already two hours late. He's on a rampage and you don't want to piss him off more. Call me in an hour and let me know what's going on."

The line disconnected in Ren's ear. Who the hell did this Paolo guy think he was? Ren fumed over the way he had been spoken to. Erdo's right-hand man could take a flying leap for all he cared. It wasn't Ren's fault San Francisco couldn't find the FBI guy. It was their fuckup. They took too long figuring out where he was. Ren only got the call 30 minutes ago. He wasn't about to have his head ripped off because San Francisco had done things ass-backward.

No one ever gave him any credit. Ren was always on the outside looking in. He didn't fit the new vampire image. He wasn't tall and handsome. People called him 'Weasel," behind his back. He knew where the name came from. His small, dark eyes, extended neck, and potbelly greeted him every evening in the mirror. But he was the Sires first progeny, and deserved respect for that. Erdo had turned him by accident, but that didn't matter, he was still the first of his vein.

Ren flipped his turn signal on and tried to inch his way through the stream of pedestrians in the crosswalk. A man in a custom business suit with a phone to his ear turned and slammed his free hand on the hood of Ren's Mercedes. Ren flipped him off and crawled into the right-hand lane as it came to an abrupt standstill. His fingers began to tighten around the leather-covered steering wheel.