The Midnight Within

Chapter 40

Mia woke up feeling rested. She had not dreamed of the twins, Black, or any of the others. In fact she couldn't remember dreaming at all. She had not slept so well in a while and would have been happy to stay in bed for the day. Yawning she stretched lazily, reaching out her hand to the empty side of the bed. Empty? Her eyes opened as she felt how cold his side was and a glance at the clock told her it was almost noon. Nothing odd about that, he was probably in the bathroom.

Sliding out of bed she padded silently down the hall, expecting to see the boys playing video games. Instead she found Zakk snoring loudly away with her cats still in his lap. He had sworn to her he would stay up and keep watch yet his full coffee was sitting cold and untouched on the kitchen table. A quick search of the bathroom and backyard confirmed her fears. Daniel was gone. Now, had he been taken or left on his own? That was her next question, although she knew he would have had to leave on his own, she would have woken up otherwise.

" You fucking bastard! " She screamed as she swept the mug off the table, waking Zakk with a start. " You swore you would stay awake! " Mia glared down at Zakk.

" Wha? What's going on? I was, I mean I did. " Zakk rubbed at his face wondering what time it was.

Mia had her hands planted on her hips ready to unleash all her frustrations out on the blue haired boy in her recliner.

" Gone? What do you mean gone? " Zakk blinked up at her.

" Gone! As in not here and if he's not here Zakk then where the hell is he? " Her voice rose with each word she spoke. Panic etched across her face as her arms waved wildly. He wanted to laugh, held it and sighed heavily instead.

" Oh crap. I'm sorry Mia. " He had fully intended to stay awake watching movies and peeking out the windows. He suggested smashing some garlic and was laughed at, so he put on his favorite season of Buffy, and had promptly fallen asleep.

" Where is he Zakk? He can't go home! He can't walk out to the farm can he? The car is still here. " She could see it sitting in the sunlight behind her bug.

" I don't know. Maybe he walked down to the store? Maybe he got picked up at the store. I don't know. "

" I still can't believe you went to Chester. " Mia shook her head. Of all the dumb places to hide, yet it was almost perfect.

" Yeah well it was close and Chester was cool with it. "

" It should have been the first place I went. "

Without warning there was a pounding on the door. It sounded urgent and Mia suddenly hoped that it was Daniel back from the store. She ran over, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

" You're in danger. All of you! " Bloody and white as a sheet Kate fainted into Mia's arms.

Kate awoke on Mia's bed. She was immediately surprised by how girli the room actually was compared to the rest of the house. She had cute red curtains and a matching bed spread.

There was a pile of stuffed animals in a white wicker chair and a scattering of perfume bottles on the dresser. From the other room she could hear Mia and Zakk whispering heatedly and hoped she had disrupted something. She could smell blood mixed with Daniel's sweat. It rose up from the sheets under her back. He had been in the exact spot only a few hours ago and it made her hands shake. If she didn't drink her tea soon she would be in real trouble.

She could already feel the panicky almost bi polar feeling that came with the withdrawal. Bending down over the bed she reached out, fingertips barely missing the strap of her purse. How she had remember to bring it with was beyond her. When she pulled on the strap of her purse she pulled out a worn photo album as well and was unable to stop herself from lifting them both up onto the bed.