Teeth

Chapter Twenty-Four

The streets were quiet in this part of town. His footsteps echoed against the walls of the close built rundown buildings. On one corner a woman smoked a cigarette and gave him an appraising look. On another, two men hastily broke apart as both shoved their trade into their pockets. It had been a long time since he'd been here but it was the only place left that he could think of.

He'd tried all the regular haunts, the places he knew Spencer liked to go when he was alone and the clubs he frequented when he craved a little fun. He hadn't been in any of them. He couldn't even find his scent in amongst the crush of people, something he could always find when he needed.

It had been just before dawn when William had found him, explaining that Spencer had packed a bag and gone. At first he'd thought that Spencer was simply worried about the ramifications of helping to turn Paige. He'd tried to talk the worries down and assure William that Spencer would be back when he realised, but he had been corrected. It had not been the siring but August's actions that had driven the young man away. His trickery and manipulation.

He'd wanted to set off then to find Spencer but the sun was coming fast. Confined to the house, there was nothing to do but worry. He knew that Spencer couldn't have gone far. William said that he'd left an hour or so before sunrise and he'd have to seek shelter. Perhaps he'd gone back to Paige's apartment. It was the first and most obvious thought, seeing as he knew there were rooms protected from the sun.

August didn't sleep. He phoned Spencer every hour on the hour but the call was never answered. He left messages in varying degrees of frustration but he didn't get as much as a text in return. Spencer either didn't realise what was going on, that Charles' death had thrown things into turmoil, or on the off chance he did realise, didn't care.

Thomas brought Paige to see him and August passed her training to William, even if just for a few nights. He had too much to deal with. Paige had asked about Spencer and why he couldn't train her like he had for Thomas. August avoided the question but he could see her suspicion. He could feel it, like he could feel the distance from Spencer. They would know more after the full moon, they'd discuss the arrangements again then.

In the middle of a row of dilapidated buildings the green door at the top of the steps was too familiar for comfort. Flaking paint revealed a multitude of different colours hidden beneath, each as battered as the one that had been used to cover it. It creaked open on a single touch, just the way he remembered. Weeds grew along the edges of the cracked steps and something resembling a cat was in the gutter half way through dying. The building reeked of damp laundry and sheets that hadn't been washed for a long time. August turned back to the street, took one last breath of clean—well, cleaner—air and stepped inside. He didn't close the door behind him and he knew from experience that nobody would care. This wasn't the type of place that bothered with security. If you wanted to keep people out, you padlocked the door or shoved furniture in the way. Luckily, it was not the type of security that would keep him out if he put effort into it.

It had been five years and nine months since he had last been here. The scent had been different then. It had been mid-winter and the chill spread throughout the building without difficulty. Vomit had clouded the air. Blood hung in every crevice, drenched in a variety of substances. August hadn't liked coming here and the one he'd sent after him had liked it even less, but it had been a necessity. It had been worth it. He had been worth it.

He could smell him now, in amongst the less desirable scents. There were people tucked into every room and the murmur of chatter filled his head as he made his way to the back of the building. If he wasn't here then he'd been here recently. Perhaps he'd hidden out the daytime in this hovel, one of the few places truly familiar to him.