Chapter 32
Ivan pulled into a parking space outside the library. “Here we are.”
“I can’t wait until I leave this place,” Jamie replied, unbuckling his seat belt.
“Well, not long now.”
They both got out of the car, Ivan collecting his bag from the backseat.
“Honey, you don’t need to stay and work here this morning. If Derrick wanted to hurt me, he would have done that yesterday.”
Ivan walked to his side. “I know, but no one knows where he is.”
“He might have died, you realise that, right?”
“Until I see his dead body, I’m taking no chances.”
Jamie took Ivan’s hand as they walked to the library. “Okay, honey. I know it will make you feel better.”
“It really will. I can’t believe we can’t find anything on any of the cameras from after your attack showing what happened to either him or your father.”
“Vampires and your super speed,” Jamie replied, playfully shaking his head.
“But Derrick isn’t a vampire, remember?”
They walked into the library. “Oh no,” Jamie suddenly said, stopping in the middle of the library.
“What? What’s wrong?” Ivan asked in concern.
“It’s WI day today.”
Ivan looked confused.
“Mean old ladies,” Max said from behind them.
They turned round, and Max pulled Jamie into a hug.
“Davy told me what happened to you yesterday. I’m glad that man saved you, and Adrian healed you.”
“Me too,” Jamie said, hugging him back.
They pulled apart, and Max looked at Ivan. “Are you staying?”
Ivan nodded. “I am, just in case Derrick comes back,” he paused. “You look remarkably happy.”
“Bert and I are off out for our first dinner date tonight.”
“Any idea where you’re going?” Ivan asked.
Max shook his head. “No, but I’m sure wherever he takes me, it will be lovely.”
Jamie looked behind Max and his eyes went wide. “The mean WI ladies are here. I need to open up quickly.”
He rushed off to the coffee shop and Ivan smirked. “So, he can move fast when he needs to.”
“So can I. See you later,” and with that, Max dashed off in the opposite direction.
Ivan shook his head, laughing and walked over to a coffee shop table and sat down, pulling his laptop out of his bag and was about to start work when he saw some of the ladies walk up to the counter.
“You’re late, Jamie, this is unacceptable,” the leader of the mean ladies said. She looked like Mrs Claus, but that’s where the similarities ended. This lady was mean and complained about everything.
“I am late opening this morning. It’s that pesky thing called real life that sometimes make people late,” Jamie replied. “If you give me your orders, I can bring them over to you when the machine is fully awake.”
The woman tutted. “I expected more from you, young man.”
Jamie internally sighed. This group complained about everything. “Well, you never disappoint, no matter what anyone does, you get annoyed with them. Nothing is ever good enough for you. I’m honestly surprised you leave the house, considering how much you disapprove of literally everything.”
Ivan snorted out a laugh, which made the ladies turn around and glare at him. He ignored them and carried on laughing.
The lady turned back to look at Jamie, her cheeks red with anger. “Well, really. Be assured, a complaint about your attitude will be made.”
Jamie shrugged. “What else is new? You’ve complained about everyone else that works in the library, and I was honestly feeling left out. Now what can I get you to drink, to give you something else to moan about?”
“Well, really?” another of the women exclaimed.
“I’m ordering nothing today, young man,” the original mean lady said.
“Fair enough,” Jamie said, taking a step back, leaning against the back counter and crossing his arms over his chest.
“Come, ladies,” she demanded, stomping away, expecting the others to follow her.
One lady stayed behind, grinning at Jamie.
“Morning, Cheryl,” Jamie greets, uncrossing his arms and stepping forward. “What can I get you?”
“More of this morning entertainment,” she replied, grinning. Unlike the mean lady’s clique group, Cheryl was lovely.
Jamie laughed. “I really was feeling left out. I mean, she’s complained about all the others at least three or four times.”
Cheryl laughed. “I can complain about you as well, if you want?”
“I’ll leave that up to you to decide.”
“Cheryl,” the mean lady called.
“Coming,” she called back. “Can I have a large black coffee, please, Jamie?”
“You can,” he replied, turning back to the machine and making her coffee. He turned back and put her drink on the counter and rang up her payment.
Cheryl tapped her card and paid, smiling as she picked up her drink. “Thanks, Jamie.”
“Enjoy,” Jamie said as she walked away.
He turned back to the machine and made a drink for Ivan, taking it over to him when it was ready.
“Here, honey,” he said, putting it on the table in front of him.
Ivan grinned. “Thanks, sweetheart. I see what you meant about the mean ladies.”
“It’s a shame as some of them are really nice.”
“So that was fun,” Max said, joining them. “Has she really never put in a complaint about you before?”
Jamie shook his head. “No, but that’s about to change.”
“It’s a shame the BSL group has stopped for a while; they were nice,” Max commented. “But then teaching sign language with a broken arm would be hard.”
“I can imagine,” Ivan said.
Just then, Jamie’s phone pinged. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at his message. “I’d forgotten about that,” he muttered.
“What?” Ivan asked.
“That I needed to collect the rest of my things. Apparently, everyone has left, and the landlord wants my things gone by tomorrow evening at the latest.”
“We can pick the rest up tonight,” Ivan said.
“Thanks, honey.” Jamie looked at the library counter. “You have a customer, Max.”
He turned to look. ‘Thanks, back in a bit.”
“You know what I don’t understand?” Jamie said, pulling a chair out and sitting down.
“What’s that, sweetheart?”
“I’m sure someone mentioned that Seth had people following Derrick. Why can’t they tell us where Derrick is, and how come they didn’t follow Derrick yesterday?”
“Crap,” Ivan said, looking troubled and pulling his phone out of his pocket and hitting a number. “Seth,” he said when the phone was answered. “Do you know where Creed and Bailey are. They were supposed to be following Derrick?”
“Now you mention it, no. Leave it with me.”
“Thanks, Seth,” he said, hanging up. “Seth is on the case.” He nodded to the counter. “You have customers.”
“Thanks, honey,” Jamie said, jumping up and rushing over to serve them.
Seth hung up and tried ringing Creed, then Bailey, but got no answer from either, and got a horrible feeling. He rushed out of his office looking for Gio. He found him training, with some of his guards, Jessamy and Rickon with him.
“Gio,” Seth called, rushing over.
Gio spun around just as Seth reached his side. “What’s wrong, my Seth?”
“Have any of you heard from Creed or Bailey?” he asked quickly.
“Not since he went off to follow Derrick,” Gio replied, pulling his phone out and looking to make sure.
“We’ve not heard from them either,” both Jessamy and Rickon added.
“What’s wrong?” Gio asked.
Seth explained Ivan’s phone call. “I need to phone Kevin.”
“Do it now, then if needed we can go and find them,” Gio suggested.
“I’ll phone him, can you message David for me?”
Gio nodded.
Seth dialled Kevin.
“Hey, vamp, what’s new?” Kevin said on answering.
“Kevin, have you heard from Creed lately?”
“No, why?” Kevin practically demanded.
“We’ve not heard from him since his last phone call, yesterday morning.”
“That’s when I last heard from him. He was following Derrick.”
“He was. A few of us are going over to Derrick’s last location…”
Kevin didn’t let Seth finish the sentence. “Text me the address, I’ll meet you there.”
“See you in a bit,” Seth said, hanging up and calling Olly - as soon as Olly answered, Seth asked for the address.
“It’s on its way. Want me to come? You should probably call Ivan as well,” he suggested.
“Call him and send him the address; he can meet us there.”
“Will do.”
He had just hung up when David rushed out and joined them. Cairo and Troy with him.
“Kevin will meet us at Derrick’s rental place.”
“Is Adrian back?” Gio queried.
David shook his head. “Not yet. I’ll message him and warn him he might be needed.”
“Maybe call Gabe and Mathis as well,” Rickon suggested.
“I’ll call on the way. Let’s go,” David said.
Kevin hung up from Seth and phoned Creed. He got no answer.
“What’s wrong?” Ian asked, walking over to him.
“Creed is missing. Gather the pack, we’re going to find him. The vampires are sending me the address.”
“On it,” Ian replied, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
“We’ll come with you,” Bert said, having just joined them, Drake at his side.
Kevin nodded. “Thanks, let’s go.”
“On my way,” Ivan said, hanging up from Olly. He closed his laptop and put it back in his bag, stood up and walked over to Jamie.
“What’s wrong?” Jamie asked. “Did something happen to the vampire guards?”
Ivan nodded. “Yeah, we’re going to look for them. I’ll message Owen to come and pick you up when you’re finished. Text him when you’re ready to leave.”
Jamie nodded. “Will do. Stay safe, honey.”
Ivan leant over the counter and kissed Jamie. “See you later.”