Chapter 33 – Found

I spent an hour talking with the police, though I wasn’t sure I was much help. They asked repeatedly if Chloe had any enemies, anyone who wanted to harm her. She did, but I didn’t tell them that. The enemy Chloe had was no match for the police, and getting them involved in a supernatural feud would only end in their deaths. I didn’t need that on my conscience.

They questioned me about her state of mind, too. Was she happy here? Did she talk about leaving? Did I know any of her friends from Florida? Was it possible she took off and didn’t tell anyone? She may not have been happy when she first arrived here, but I’d like to think she was adjusting, that being with me had made things easier for her. Even Abby adamantly disagreed that Chloe would take off without telling anyone.

Finally, I left, and as soon as I was in my truck, I dialed Jax. I didn’t give him a chance to say anything. “Chloe’s been taken,” I said.

There was a short pause. “What?”

I quickly explained what little I’d learned about her disappearance.

“You think Isach took her?” he asked.

“No one else would have.” I sped down the road, not caring how fast I was going or how many other drivers I pissed off. “He’s crossed the line this time, Jax. I’m going to find him, and as soon as he gives Chloe back, I’m going to kill him.”

“What if our mystery vampire got her?”

I snarled. That thought had briefly crossed my mind, too, but each time the vampire killed, the body was found shortly after. If Chloe had been the vampire’s next victim, someone would’ve found her body by now.

“No. This is Isach. I know it,” I said. I turned into the driveway and killed the engine. “Meet me at home. We need to find Chloe.”

“On my way,” Jax said and ended the call.

I was grateful that he didn’t argue with me or make some snarky joke. Now really wasn’t the time for any of that, and I was sure he heard the panic in my voice. “Dad!” I hollered as I raced into the house.

No answer.

Of course, the one time I needed him more than ever, he wasn’t here. I sent him a quick text to let him know what was going on. Jax arrived moments later. Without a word, we set off on foot toward Chloe’s house.

“The last place she was seen was at her house,” I said as we approached the woods near the Benson house. “So, let’s start there and work our way out.”

Jax nodded. He’d been uncharacteristically quiet, and I wasn’t sure if that was because he was genuinely worried about Chloe, or because he knew one wrong word would set me off. Either way, I didn’t care so long as he helped me find Chloe. Every second that ticked by without her was agonizing.

She’d been missing well over twelve hours by now, and that was a hell of a long time for Isach to hurt her. So help me God if he killed her… A lethal snarl tore from my chest, and I curled my hands into fists.

“Did you find something?” Jax asked.

“No.”

And that was the problem. There was absolutely no trace of her, not even a hint of her scent in her yard. How was that possible? Someone—Isach—had used magic to cloak her, which meant finding her, even with heightened senses, would be next to impossible.

Hopelessness filled me, and I nearly collapsed to the ground. How could I have let this happen? I’d promised Chloe I’d keep her safe, that I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her. And I’d failed her.

I let out a guttural scream and punched a nearby tree. The trunk cracked like thunder, splintering and tipping to the ground with a deafening thud. I shook out my hand and aimed for another tree, but Jax grabbed my fist before I could make contact.

“Let go of me. Now,” I snapped, my vision darkening as my pupils turned black.

“Beating up trees isn’t helping,” he said calmly. “And it will only draw attention to us.”

I scowled, hating that he was right. “We’re never going to find her.”

“Yes, we are. Even if we have to beat it from Isach.” Jax released my hand. “You know where he lives, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s go make him tell us where Chloe is.”

With a nod, Jax and I took off for Isach’s house. Beating on him would certainly be a lot more cathartic than beating on tree trunks. I flexed my fingers, eager to take my rage out on the witch. Messing with me and my family was one thing, but taking Chloe was going too far, even for a Zoya. Isach had to know that.

When we arrived at Isach’s house, the place was dark and silent. I stormed onto the porch and kicked open the front door. The entire place was empty, devoid of furniture and all other signs that anyone had ever lived there. Fresh fear and desperation clawed at my insides.

If Isach’s place was cleared out like this, then he must have left town already, which meant I wasn’t any closer to finding Chloe. Rage burned through my veins, and I screamed obscenities and I tore through the house for any sort of clue as to where Chloe might be.

But she wasn’t here.

“If he killed her…” I stomped outside and stood on the porch, glancing around helplessly. Where the hell could she be? What had Isach done to her?

“If she were dead, you’d know it.” Jax stood beside me. “She’s your soulmate, Trent. You’d feel it if she were gone.”

I took little comfort in Jax’s words. Nothing would make me feel better, except seeing Chloe alive and well with my own two eyes. To hold her in my arms and know that she was okay.

“What the hell am I supposed to do now?” I asked, defeat threatening to overtake me completely.

***

For five excruciatingly long days, Jax and I searched round the clock for Chloe. Sean helped, too, when he wasn’t following up other leads. He’d put the word out to all of his vampire contacts, but he hadn’t managed to get any useful information from any of them.

Abby created a missing person’s flyer and posted them all over town. I wasn’t sure they did much good but doing so made Abby feel better. The entire town came out in support, and multiple search parties were formed.

But day after day, we came up empty. Chloe was nowhere to be found, and with each passing day that I couldn’t find her, I lost more and more hope. If I thought finding my soulmate and not knowing if she’d choose me was bad, that was nothing compared to finding her and then losing her like this. Not knowing where she was, if she were okay. A piece of me was missing without her, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could function.

On the morning of the sixth day, Jax and I started by visiting Isach’s house again. The place was still barren, and it hadn’t looked like anyone had been here but us, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Isach was close. He had to be.

I stood on the porch, exhausted and angry and unsure what to do now. And then Isach strolled up the driveway. He looked exhausted, and his expression was wary.

My eyes widened, and I lunged at him. Hand around his throat, I lifted him from the ground. “Where is she?”

Isach gasped for breath.

“Tell me!” I tightened my hold on his throat, my fingers digging into his flesh. “What did you do to her?”

“He can’t talk if you kill him,” Jax said.

I growled, loosened my hold on Isach’s throat, and eased him back onto his feet.

Isach rubbed at his throat. “She’s that way.” He pointed to his right. “I dropped the magic, so you can find her, but you’d better hurry.”

As much as I wanted to kill him right then and there, getting to Chloe was more important. I took off in a flash, moving faster than I ever had in my life. Trees whizzed by in a blur, and I operated on pure instinct and adrenaline. The farther I ran, the stronger Chloe’s scent became. So did the smell of her blood. She was hurt.

I picked up my pace, pushing my body harder and faster. Jax was keeping up with me, and within seconds, a massive, stone structure came into view. Cracks splintered the sides of the building, and grass and weeds grew chest high around the exterior, making it nearly invisible to the naked eye.

I sniffed, and the smell of Chloe hit me hard. A metal door was hidden on the side, and I yanked it open. A spiral, stone staircase led straight down into darkness, and I didn’t hesitate to race down the steps. Jax was right behind me as I came to a skidding stop in a circular dungeon.

Hannah held Chloe’s limp body, her fangs embedded into Chloe’s neck. I blinked, stunned. Hannah was alive? How?

“What the fuck?” Jax muttered, horrified.

At the sound of his voice, Hannah’s head snapped up. Her lips were red with Chloe’s blood, and Hannah’s eyes were black with evil. She looked exactly like she had the day I thought I’d killed her in that orphanage. Deranged with bloodlust.

I could hear Chloe’s faint heartbeat, and that sound was enough to spur me into action. I ripped Chloe from Hannah’s arms, and Chloe gasped for breath. Hearing that gave me hope that she might survive this.

Sinking to my knees, I cradled Chloe in my arms. Her face was pale, bordering on lifeless, and her eyes were closed. God, please don’t let her die.

“Chloe. Oh, God, Chloe.” My voice was frantic. “I’m so sorry.” I caressed the side of her face, my touch tender so as not to hurt her any more than she already was.

She didn’t react. At all. Not so much as an eyelid flutter. My stomach sank.

“Don’t you dare die on me.” I brushed my lips over hers. “Please, Chloe. Don’t die.” Tears spilled down my cheeks, but I refused to release her even for the second it would take to wipe them away.

I glanced up to find Jax facing off with Hannah, who was giggling gleefully, as if this was the best moment of her life. I snarled. If Jax didn’t kill her, I would. And this time, I’d make sure she was dead.

“How are you alive, Hannah?” Jax asked, his gaze never wavering from her.

“No thanks to you two idiots,” she snapped, her fangs bared. “Isach saved me.”

My heart hammered against my ribs. Isach saved her? Why? Better yet, how? “You’ve been the one killing all those kids,” I said.

Hannah giggled again. “A girl’s gotta eat.”

Jax narrowed his eyes. “You know we can’t let you keep killing innocent people.”

“Like you’re going to stop me.” She wiped blood from the corner of her mouth, then licked it off her finger. “You’re still hopelessly, pathetically in love with me.” She sauntered toward Jax and trailed her finger down his chest. “You won’t hurt me.” Her smile was devious.

Things were going to get ugly fast. One way or another, Hannah was not leaving this room.

“Get her out of here,” Jax shouted. “Now!”

“Hang on. I’m going to get you some help,” I whispered to Chloe as I got to my feet, still holding her steady in my arms.

Her eyelids fluttered open a crack, just enough to let me know she was alive and alert. Thank God!

“Trent, watch out,” Jax shouted.

Hannah grabbed me from behind, and I lost my hold on Chloe. She fell to the floor with a whack. She cried out in pain, and I spun around on Hannah, ready to end this—and her—for good. But she managed to slip around me and yank Chloe to her feet by her hair.

“If you want her, you’ll have to kill me first.” Hannah laughed.

Jax and I stood facing Hannah. My fangs protruded, and my eyes darkened. Red hot fury pulsed through me, and in a matter of several heartbeats, I imagined every painful way I could kill Hannah. How dare she harm Chloe!

“Stop,” Chloe whispered, but the word was raspy and barely audible. Her head slumped forward, and her eyes drooped closed.

She needed medical attention. Now. Or she wouldn’t last much longer.

“Let her go, Hannah,” I said. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“She has everything to do with this!” Hannah jerked Chloe’s body, causing her head to snap back.

I half expected to hear Chloe’s neck snap, but thankfully, it didn’t. But then Hannah sank her fangs sank into Chloe’s neck again. Oh, hell no! Jax and I moved simultaneously. He grabbed the back of Hannah’s neck and squeezed so hard she squealed in pain, but that was enough to get her to release Chloe. I tried to catch her before she hit the floor again, but Hannah kicked me across the room.

Sharp pain radiated across my ribs, which only served to piss me off even more. Snarling and growling, I lunged at her. She twisted out of Jax’s hold and moved toward me, but I was faster. I grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her back. Jax retrieved the stake he’d slipped into his waistband earlier in the day and plunged it into Hannah’s heart. She shrieked. I shoved her away, and she fell to the floor beside Chloe, who was still motionless but breathing. Barely.

“We should burn her body, just to be sure,” I said.

“Get her to a damn hospital.” Jax nodded at Chloe. “I’ll make sure Hannah’s taken care of.”

I didn’t waste another second before scooping Chloe into my arms and rushing from her torture chamber, whispering with each step that she was going to be okay, that I was sorry she’d been hurt because of me. How could I ever expect her to forgive me after this?