20. Chapter 20

20

Chapter 20

Darick

I scan the crowded lounge, my senses straining for something…anything…that could give a clue to where she might be. Rowan's scent lingers, but she's nowhere to be seen. The bond between us feels…wrong. Empty. My chest tightens with an unfamiliar anxiety.

Marcus hovers at my side, peering around, too. "What do you—?"

"She's not here," I growl, cutting off Marcus mid-sentence.

He frowns, skeptical. "Are you sure? Perhaps she's just left."

I shake my head, fighting to keep my composure. "No, it's more than that. I told you: I can't sense her at all."

Marcus's expression shifts from doubt to concern. He knows me well enough to recognize when something's truly amiss. "What do you mean you can't sense her?"

I struggle to contain my annoyance at his repetitive questions. "The bond, Marcus. It's…silent. Like it's been cut off."

My second-in-command's eyes narrow slightly. He understands the implications. A blood bond isn't easily severed; a blood match is permanent. Unless-

Don't think that way, dammit. She's not dead.

"Could she be blocking you somehow?" he asks, but I can tell he doesn't believe it himself.

"No," I snap. "This is different. Something's happened to her."

I turn, ready to tear the lounge apart for any clue of Rowan's whereabouts. The thought of her in danger, possibly because of me, ignites a rage I haven't felt in centuries.

Marcus grabs my arm, his grip firm. "Darick, wait. We need to think this through. Rushing in blindly won't help her."

I growl, but he's right. I force myself to take a deep breath, to think like the strategist I am. "Fine. But we move fast. Every second counts."

In one last ditch effort, I close my eyes, reaching out with my vampiric senses, searching for any trace of Rowan's presence. Nothing. Just…emptiness, that sense of aloneness that had been my normal until she came into it. My eyes snap open, and I make a decision.

"Lock it down," I order Marcus. "No one leaves the club until we find her."

Without waiting for a response, I stride to the DJ booth and cut the music. The sudden silence draws all eyes to me.

"The Nocturne Lounge is now closed," I announce, my voice carrying easily across the room. "Everyone remain where you are until further notice."

Confused murmurs ripple through the crowd, but I ignore them. I gesture to the security team, who immediately move to secure the exits. The panic in my chest threatens to overwhelm me, but I force it down. I have to find her. I don't care how.

I turn to see Selene and Elias approaching, their faces colored with concern.

"Darick, what's happening?" Selene asks, her eyes ranging over the turbulent scene.

"Rowan's missing," I say brusquely. "The blood bond's gone silent. We need to find her. Now."

Elias's brow furrows. "Gone silent? That's…unusual."

I resist the urge to snarl at him. "Yes, I'm aware. That's why we're locking this place down."

Without waiting for their response, I stride toward a group of patrons seated near the alcove I'd been in with Rowan earlier. My eyes lock onto a young vampire, barely a century old. "You!"

He jerks as if I slapped him. "My lord?"

"There was a female here. A witch. Red hair. Black outfit. Beautiful. Where did she go?"

I let my power flow, compelling him to answer truthfully. His eyes glaze over slightly as he responds, "I- I never saw anyone like that, my lord."

For fuck's sake!

I turn to the others in his group. "Anyone? Did any of you see anything? It would have been about thirty minutes ago."

Thirty minutes too long, goddammit.

They all shake their heads, looking bemused.

Frustrated, I move on to the next group. From the corner of my eye, I see Marcus heading toward the VIP section while Selene makes her way to the bar. Elias lingers near the entrance, questioning those closest to the door.

I approach a witch sitting alone at a table. She flinches as I near her, but I don't care. "There was a red-haired witch…" I run through the description yet again, already feeling like this is a waste of time.

The witch's eyes widen in alarm. "I- I saw her leave through the back. She looked upset."

"When?" I press, my voice low and dangerous.

"Not long. Maybe…maybe twenty minutes?" she stammers. "That way." She points to a passage on the other side of the dancefloor.

Twenty minutes. I feel my nostrils flare as I exhale. So much could have happened in that time.

I'm half-jogging in that direction when Marcus appears at my side. "Any luck?" I ask over my shoulder, already knowing the answer. He shakes his head, confirming my suspicions. We reach the hallway only to find it empty. Although when I shut my eyes, I feel a faint energy in the air.

"She was here," I say, just as Selene and Elias join us. "Any news from out there?"

Elias shakes his head, but Selene nods down the hall. "Bartender says she headed this way," she corroborates what I've learned. I don't wait to hear more; I stride down the empty hallway until I reach the end. There's an exit there – likely the one Arabella would have used to enter and leave the Lounge undetected. I shove it open and peer into another elevator. Without waiting for the others, I push the button and wait for the doors to swish open.

"She was here. I know it," I say under my breath.

"Do you really think you're going to find her?" Selene steps into the elevator beside me, along with the others.

I shoot a look at her that could melt steel.

She pulls a wry face. "I know. Of course, you're going to try. It's just that there isn't much to go on."

I grit my teeth, feeling as if my blood is bubbling. "I'll do whatever it takes to find her. Whatever it takes."

We exit the elevator, emerging onto the isolated street. The night air carries no trace of Rowan's scent. The trail has gone cold, leaving us at a dead end.

"Fuck it!" I snarl. "This is Marlowe. I'm going to kill that motherfucker, I swear it!" I feel my rage gathering, driving me.

"You can't just confront him," Marcus says, making me want to punch him in the mouth.

"Why the fuck not?" I turn on him.

"Because if he has her – and let's face it, he probably does," he quickly acknowledges, "he'll move her the minute he knows you're onto him. You can't go in there unprepared."

I pause, knowing he's right. "We need to reach out to our contacts. Now."

Marcus nods, already pulling out his phone. "I'll tap into my network, see if anyone's heard anything."

"Good," I say, my mind racing. "Selene, Elias, can you connect with your clan intelligence?"

They both nod, Selene already moving away to make a call.

"What about you?" Marcus asks, probably worried I'll go off half-cocked. His instincts wouldn't be wrong. I've never felt such an overwhelming need to protect what's mine.

Mine?

Yes, for fuck's sake! She's my match.

I hesitate for a moment, knowing what needs to be done but dreading it all the same. "We need to contact Rowan's family."

Marcus looks at me sharply. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"We don't have a choice," I retort. "Her grandmother, Evelyn, she's the most level-headed and magically powerful. She might be able to sense Rowan or at least point us in the right direction."

Elias frowns. "The witches might not take kindly to vampire involvement."

"I don't care," I growl. "Evelyn has access to ancient magical knowledge. If anyone can help track Rowan, it's her."

After a moment of tense silence, Marcus nods. "Alright. We'll split up. Selene and Elias, work your contacts. I'll do the same. Darick…"

"I'm going to Evelyn," I finish for him. "Keep me updated on anything you find."

As they disperse, I take a deep breath, readying myself for the confrontation to come. Whatever it takes, I think again. Whatever it takes to bring Rowan home.

I'm still thinking these thoughts minutes later as I stand at the threshold of Evelyn Blackwood's door. It swings open without me knocking, and I find myself staring into eyes that are so familiar that my pulse stutters. She's a carbon copy – although more mature – of her granddaughter.

"What's happened?" Evelyn's voice is sharp.

"It's Rowan. She's been taken," I reply without ceremony.

She squeezes her eyes shut for a moment, then moves aside. "You'd better come in."

I step into her house; the interior is warm compared to the chill I feel in my bones.

"Tell me everything," Evelyn demands, leading me to a cozy sitting room and gesturing to a chair. Once I'm sitting, she takes a seat across from me, perched on the edge, her hands on her knees. She's laser-focused; her eyes bore into me, her face a mask of barely contained emotion.

Skirting mention of the encounter in the alcove, I recount the events at the Nocturne Lounge, my voice tight with frustration and worry. Finally, I add, "What worries me most is the bond…it's gone silent. I can't sense her anymore."

Exhaling a sharp breath, Evelyn's eyes flash with anger. "I knew this would happen. I warned her about behaving rashly. Getting involved with your kind always brings trouble."

I bristle at her words but force myself to remain calm. "We don't have time for this, Madame Blackwood. Rowan needs our help."

She takes a deep breath, visibly trying to compose herself. "You're right. We need to focus on finding her."

"What do you suggest?" I ask, knowing that I'm grasping at straws. Short of turning the world upside down in a fruitless search or tearing Marlowe's empire apart, I don't have a lot of options.

Evelyn rises suddenly, her movements deliberate as she approaches an ancient, ornate cabinet set in the corner of the room. The wood is dark with age, its surface etched with symbols I don't recognize. She retrieves a small, intricately carved box, its design similar to the cabinet.

"There might be a way," she says thoughtfully. "An ancient spell, bound to our bloodline for as long as the curse that divides our kinds."

My interest piques at the mention of the curse. "You know about the Bloodbane?"

Evelyn's eyes meet mine, sharp and knowing. "We Blackwoods have carried this knowledge for generations, Darick. The curse, the Bloodbane, the blood bonds – they're all connected in ways few understand."

She opens the box, revealing a delicate gold pendant. Its design is intricate, with intertwining symbols that seem to shift as I look at them. "This heirloom has been in our family for a millennium. It's said to have the power to strengthen the connection between blood-bonded individuals, even across great distances or through magical barriers."

I reach for the pendant, but Evelyn pulls it back, her expression grave. "Before I entrust you with this, I need to know. Are you truly committed to finding her? To protecting her? This bond between you and Rowan – it's more significant than either of you realize."

I meet her gaze, unflinching. "I would do anything to bring her back safely. Anything." I wish there was a way to show her how deeply I mean what I just said. I guess my actions will have to speak for themselves.

"Anything?" She tilts her head. "Because there may be sacrifices you're not prepared to make."

"I don't care," I say firmly. The emptiness in me that Rowan is supposed to fill is becoming intolerable. "I'll do what it takes."

"You're sure about that?"

"Dead sure." I lock eyes with her, unflinching.

Evelyn studies me as if weighing the truth of my words against some ancient standard. "You must understand, Darick. This isn't just about Rowan. The Blackwoods have long played a role in maintaining the balance between vampires and witches. Rowan's connection to you, I believe it's part of something larger, something that could change everything."

She places the pendant in my hand. It's surprisingly warm to the touch, almost alive. "Use this wisely. It may guide you to Rowan, but it will also reveal truths you might not be prepared to face. About yourself, about Rowan, about the very nature of the bond you share."

As I clasp the pendant, I feel a surge of energy, a deepening of the sensation that I've come to recognize as my connection to Rowan. With it comes a sense of foreboding, as if I'm stepping onto a path that will irrevocably change my existence.

"Thank you," I say, my voice rough with emotion. "I won't let you down. I won't let Rowan down."

Evelyn nods, her eyes shimmering. I sense there are tears lurking in those wise depths "Then find her. But remember, Darick – in saving Rowan, you may be setting in motion events that have been prophesied for centuries. Be careful, and be brave."

I rise from my seat and stand, looking down at her. I don't know what I'm about to walk into, but I have a feeling that after this, there'll be no turning back.