Falling

Chapter 28: Where is she?

Blake's POV

"Where is she?" I growled at the three vampires in front of me. They were three of my best men, and because of that I had allowed them to take Amelia out with Marietta and the maid. I'd have felt a whole lot better if it was Josh or Harry, but they were both busy with me trying to locate Richard and Phillip.

Either way, I had trusted these warriors with my mate, and they had failed me. They had arrived back with an unconscious maid, Ruby, but no Amelia or Marietta. Both Josh and I were in my office when they arrived back, laying Ruby on my sofa. Josh had leapt out his seat when he saw her, but he stayed where he was, demanding answers from the guards.

"Forgive us, Your Majesty," one of the men, Shane, bowed his head, looking at the floor. "They went inside, erm, Victoria Secrets, and Miss Marietta thought it best that we wait outside."

His words made me clench my fists. "I told you not to leave them alone for a second! To not take your eyes off Amelia!"

Josh stood next to me, silently fuming. He was furious that the girls had been injured, and two of them taken. His eyes kept flickering to the maid on my sofa, his jaw clenching each time.

"But Marietta said—" Shane's eyes widened as he realised his mistake. Although all three warriors were guarding the girls, Shane was the one in charge. It was his responsibility to make decisions, and he knew that the decision to wait outside may cost him his job.

"I don't care what she said! You take orders from me, not her!"

"Yes, Sir."

I nodded, but I still wanted all the details. "What the hell happened?"

"We gave them 20 minutes but they didnt come out. But when we went to find them, only the maid was there, and she was unconscious," he explained. "I could smell your mate's blood in the changing room, but nothing of Marietta."

"FUCK," I roared. I was furious at the warriors for leaving her alone, but I knew this was my fault too. With all the threats directed at her recently, I should have been watching her like a hawk. I shouldn't have even allowed her to leave my sight until this was sorted. But with Marietta and three well trained guards not leaving her side, as well as various other warriors patrolling the area, I figured she would be safe.

Another of the three, Thomas, spoke up, wringing his hands. "We are doing the best we can, Your Majesty. The rest of our team are located in the area she was taken and are trying to track her by scent."

It was clear he was trying to defend himself and his colleagues, nervously acknowledging their mistake and what they had done to solve the problem. It made me feel somewhat guilty. I knew it wasn't fully their fault, but at this point, I couldn't find it in me to apologise. Not until Amelia was safe anyway. On the other hand, the warriors knew that they would have been severely punished if I truly believed that they were at fault, and I wasn't going to do that. I sighed, "Fine. You may go. Prepare yourselves for battle."

Josh hovered in front of my desk as I sat down with my head in my hands. "I've got the security team hacking the shopping centre's cameras as we speak," he informed me, "so we should be able to see who she left the building with. Have you tried connecting with her?"

"I didn't mark her," I grumbled, regretting that statement by the second. Had I marked her, I would have been able to feel everything she felt.