By The Moon (Live By Night #3)

Chapter Eleven

L ouis stood outside Skylar’s home, noticing how dark it was. No one was home, or if they were they were keeping the lights off. Kelvin stood to his right, Gray to his left, and it was Gray who spoke. “Gives the impression no one is home, but we don’t need lights on to see.”

Kelvin walked up the short path and knocked on the door. Louis scanned the area, seeing other homes with lights on, cars in the driveway. It was a predominantly human neighborhood, and not one where most vampires lived. Vampires tended to live close together, formed their own community. It kept them safe, being close to their own kind.

Kelvin knocked again and looked at Louis and Gray. Gray nodded then disappeared and Louis knew he was searching the rear of the property. When no one answered again, Kelvin checked the street then worked his magic to open the front door.

Louis followed him inside, closing the door behind him, and paused. He listened to the house, hearing nothing. No creaks, or steps, no rustling of covers. The house was silent.

Gray murmured, “Clear,” from somewhere towards the back and Kelvin responded that their area was clear as well. They split up when they reached the stairs, Louis moving toward Gray as Kelvin carefully made his way upstairs. It didn’t take long for Gray and Louis to check all the rooms downstairs, finding no Skylar or Jerome.

“Clear,” Gray murmured again, knowing Kelvin would hear him.

“Clear up here too.”

“Let’s search and see what we can find.”

“I still can’t believe Skylar took him. I’ve known Skylar for years. I invited him to our party.” Louis shook his head as he opened drawers in the kitchen, searching through the junk drawer everyone had.

“Me too. Hard to think that someone we know would do something like this. Why now? Why Jerome? It doesn’t make sense. He knows Henry and Key. He’s had plenty of opportunity to take one of them.”

“I think it’s not the human he’s after but the vampire.” Kelvin stood in the doorway. “It’s you.”

Louis shrugged as he continued to search. “I have never been interested in Skylar. He’s a friend and nothing more.”

“Maybe he wanted to be more and when you announced your mate, he knew he couldn’t have you.”

Gray pushed past Kelvin and into the living area. “Doesn’t matter why he did it. All that matters is he did do it. Jerome could be in danger. What we find here could lead us to Jerome’s location.”

Kelvin rummaged through the shelves, pulling out books and flipping through them before dropping them to the floor. “We’ll find him, and if not, Louis can deal with Skylar.”

Louis grunted. “I’ll be dealing with him either way.” He walked into a room that appeared to be a study and went through all the drawers, pulling out paperwork, checking pictures. Bills and more bills. Pictures of all of them together, pictures of vacations Skylar had taken. Once he’d cleared the room, he shouted to Gray. “There’s a computer in here. Can you access it?”

As Gray walked into the room, Louis heard Kelvin going up the stairs. “If I can’t I know a human who can.” Gray switched it on and Louis waited. Gray had his phone to his ear and as soon as it was answered said, “I have Skylar’s home computer. Getting you access now.”

Louis had no idea how it was done, but before he knew it, Key had control. Gray put him on loudspeaker then said, “He isn’t here and it looks like he hasn’t been for a number of days. He has another location which we have yet to find paperwork on. Search the computer while we carry on here.”

“On it.”

Gray stood and nodded to the filing cabinet. “Has that been searched?”

“Not yet. I’ve done the drawers so far. They were next.”

“I’ll do them now. Key?”

“Nothing interesting yet. There is something…”

“What?”

“A hidden file. Not that well-hidden for us. Password protected and encrypted. Interesting.”

Gray grunted and carried on searching the cabinet, pulling files out and checking them before dropping them to the floor. “Keep searching.”

“The house you’re in is the only one he owns?”

Louis paused. “That we know of.”

“Hmm. Okay. Let me follow this and see where it leads.”

Gray glanced at the computer then his phone then Louis. “A second location. Makes sense.”

“It does, and shows this has been thought out.”

“Before he knew Jerome existed unless he followed you and you never noticed.”

“Could be.” Louis shook his head. “Why would I bother checking if someone was following me around? I would never suspect a fellow vampire.”

“I think he might have been interested in you for some time and you finding your mate made him act.”

“And we have a second location. Just a name so far, which is fairly common, so I’m going deeper.”

“What’s the name?” Louis stopped searching completely and focused on Key.

“Victoria Lane, of which there are eight in this city alone and we all know how far you guys can travel. Give me a few more minutes to narrow it down. He’s good at hiding his tracks, but not that good.”

“Keep searching, Louis. We might find something useful here.”

Louis watched Gray for a few seconds, then tried to contact Jerome. Jerome? Where are you? Is Skylar with you? When he got no response, his shoulders sagged. “Shit.”

“We’ll find him. There is nowhere Skylar could have taken him that we won’t find.”

“I’ve narrowed it down to three potential locations. That’s the best I can do. Two aren’t on Victoria Lane but are close to it and that’s why I think it’s this Victoria Lane and not any of the others. These two streets are mentioned as well.”

“Three locations to scope and access. Got it. Send the info to our phones and we’ll go there now.”

Louis’ phone pinged and he quickly read the message. Victoria Lane, Sandy Lane, and Cromwell Lane. All three were close together. “Should we check Victoria Lane out first?”

“I’m getting more people involved. We’ll hit all three at the same time in case he owns more than one and has them rigged. Last thing we want to do is trigger an alarm and he grabs Jerome and disappears.”

“I never thought of that.”

“He has your mate. Your focus is on getting him back.” Gray stared at his phone then nodded. “We jump in five.” He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “Always wanted to say that.”

“Gray. Please.” Louis closed his eyes. His mate had been kidnapped and Gray was doing this?

“We’ll find Jerome and bring him back to you.”

Kelvin walked in and pulled his shoulders back, rolling his head from side to side. “We’re all going to Victoria Lane?”

“We are and I have teams ready to hit the other two locations now. Ready to go?”

Louis checked the pictures Key had sent. “I’ll go in through the front.”

“I’ll take the rear.” Kelvin shoved his phone in his pocket. “Let’s go.”

Louis appeared outside the front of a rundown one story house on Victoria Lane. The porch was sagging, the paint hanging in strips in several places. Gray appeared in front of him and nodded. They moved toward the house, Gray hopping up onto the porch and searching it, before opening the door. He glanced back at Louis when the door opened easily. “Eyes and ears open.”

Louis followed him inside, gun in his hand, and scanned the living area they stepped into. There was furniture, but it clearly had seen better days. Dust covered everything; cobwebs hung all over. The rug on the hardwood floor was dirty and Louis was certain he’d seen things jumping in it when he’d stepped on it.

Grimacing, he carried on forward, trailing Gray, keeping an eye out behind them to ensure no one sneaked up on them. The place was dark, but not dark enough that Louis couldn’t see. The street light outside did little to help. The curtains had been drawn and Louis didn’t want to touch them considering how bad they looked. The place had been empty and left this way for some time.

“Why this place?” he whispered.

“Not sure. It clearly isn’t being lived in. Decoy?”

Kelvin entered the room. “All clear here.”

Gray pulled his phone out and checked it, frowning as he read the messages. “Nothing in the two other locations.”

“Key doesn’t make mistakes.”

“I know, so Jerome must be around here somewhere. Tell your mate to keep searching.”

Kelvin nodded and stared off for a few seconds. “He’s on it.”

“There’s no way us accessing his computer tripped something that told him we were in his house?” Louis watched Gray who shook his head. “Are you sure?”

“Positive, and look as this place. No one has lived here for months, if not years. Why buy it and then leave it?”

“Key’s found purchase documents. Skylar bought this fifteen years ago.” Kelvin frowned. “Paid cash too.”

“Cash?” Gray stood with his hands on his hips. “It doesn’t look like he’s ever lived here. If he’d bought the place to go to when he needed a break, then I could understand, but look at this dump. Why buy a house then do nothing with it?”

“Like you said. Decoy.”

“Louis, he bought this dump fifteen years ago and has done nothing with it.” Kelvin went over to a bookcase and ran his finger along one of the empty shelves. Lifting his finger up, Louis could see the dust covering it. “Why buy a house and leave it to rot?”

“Again. Decoy.” Gray pinched his lips together at the two vampires.

“Or there is something here we’re not seeing.” Louis glanced around the room.

Gray snarled, flashing his fangs. “Is there a basement?” He looked at Kelvin, who answered a couple of seconds later.

“No, but he’s pulling up aerial of this location now. The rear garden is large and there are a couple of sheds out there. Possible locations.”

“Let’s go and be ready. If he is there then he may know we’re here. Just because we’ve been quiet doesn’t mean he doesn’t have eyes on this location. Ask Key if the other locations have basements or outbuildings.”

“One does but the other doesn’t. They’re being searched now. He’ll update us when he knows.”

Louis followed Kelvin through the kitchen and out into the rear garden. He could see the shed a few meters ahead and a path that lead to it. The garden was overgrown, more like a jungle than a garden, and he pushed his way through the tall grass and small trees to reach the path. The flagstones were loose, with weeds all over them, and Louis shook his head.

“This doesn’t look like it’s seen any use in some time. Not that he’d need to actually use it.”

“If this is the place then it’s the perfect cover. No human would think someone was here.” Gray pulled a knife free and hacked at a bramble that had caught in his jeans.

Kelvin reached the door to the shed and waited. “Try to contact Jerome again.”

Louis nodded. Jerome. Where are you? Why aren’t you answering me? He waited but there was no response. Shaking his head, he stared at the door and noticed the shiny new locks. “Seen the locks?”

“Yep. Interesting.” Gray checked the gun in his hand and nodded. “Let’s do this.”