Chapter 35
Ivan hurried out of the office towards the coffee shop. He saw who must have been Sarah serving drinks and ignoring the customer, and rushed to the counter.
“Did Jamie leave? How long ago?”
“Excuse me,” the customer said in irritation.
Ivan glared at him, but didn’t say anything, before looking back at Sarah.
“Yeah, about ten or so minutes ago.”
Ivan nodded. “Thanks,” he said, looking at the others and walked back to them. “Jamie’s left. I told him to ring Owen for a lift.”
“Owen’s just walked in,” Mathis said, nodding to the entrance.
Ivan rushed over to him. “Where’s Jamie?”
Owen shook his head. “I’ve just arrived to pick him up. I told him to wait inside for me.”
“Derrick,” Ivan spat out, pulling his phone out of his pocket and hitting a few buttons. “I can track Jamie’s phone; hopefully, the phone is still with him.”
As Ivan was looking, Gio, Olly and Jessamy arrived.
“Silchester,” Ivan told them.
“What’s at Silchester?” Gio asked, looking confused.
“Hopefully Jamie is.”
“Does it say whereabouts in Silchester?” Kevin asked.
“The old amphitheatre,” Ivan replied, looking at the map.
“The old Roman ruins?” Gabe queried.
Ivan nodded.
“Let’s go,” Gabe said, walking back towards the manager’s office.
“Gio, Jessamy, Olly, head back home. The house is in lockdown,” David ordered.
“Yeah, no,” Gio said. “Jessamy and Olly can go back, but as head of your personnel guards, I’m coming with you.”
David sighed.
“Bad luck, bossman,” Seth chuckled, patting his arm.
Gio grinned at his mate.
“Can we go rescue Jamie now, or shall we leave you guys behind?” Ivan asked in frustration.
“We’re coming,” Seth said, replying for the others, grabbing Gio and David’s arms and pulling them along with him.
“And that’s why I sent Creed off with the car,” Kevin said, grinning, following Ian into the office.
“And that will be why you’re probably sleeping on the sofa tonight,” Ian pointed out.
“Creed loves me. He wouldn’t do that.”
“Good luck with that, wolfie,” Gabe said, swirling his hand and opening a portal. “Everyone through.”
“This place is amazing,” Gio said, looking around. “Any idea where Jamie could be?”
“That way,” Gabe said, pointing.
“Ian, you and I will shift and circle behind him,” Kevin ordered, as they both shifted and ran off.
“Owen and I will circle that way,” Seth said, nodding to Owen, as they both rushed off.
“I’ll stick with you guys,” Gio said, drawing his sword.
“Let’s do this. I need my mate safe,” Ivan said, walking quickly towards the centre of the amphitheatre.
There were ruins and mounds here and there, but no one really took any notice of their surroundings, too intent on finding Jamie.
They heard shouting and followed the voice.
Ivan smiled to himself. Jamie was swearing his head off and threatening Derrick with anything he could think of.
“Shut up,” Derrick shouted, sounding frustrated, just as they came into view.
Jamie was bound to a large dead tree. Derrick stood close by, tossing a knife between his hands.
Jamie was glaring at Derrick and hadn’t noticed their arrival yet. “I won’t shut up. If anything bad has happened to my Ivan, I’ll find a way to do you an injury.”
“I’d stop there if I were you. Unless you want me to kill this precious human,” Derrick demanded, looking at the vampires.
Jamie’s head shot round, and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Ivan, thank goodness,” Jamie said, before looking back at Derrick. “You’re dead now, you complete freak of nature. If they don’t kill you, old age will. I’ll be surprised if you live beyond the next hour.”
“Would you shut up?” Derrick screamed.
“Not in this lifetime, freakoid. Did you know your hair is falling out and you have a bald spot showing on the back of your head?”
Derrick screamed and turned to move towards Jamie.
“Derrick, wait,” Ivan called, moving closer, one hand out. “What happened to keeping him alive?”
Derrick turned and looked at Ivan. “That was the plan, yes.”
“But now you’ve changed your mind and decided to eat me? Gah. To be killed and eaten by a wannabe vampire. Just Gah.”
“Sweetheart,” Ivan said, trying not to laugh. “Maybe don’t piss off the killer with a knife.”
“Please, any of you can kill him before he moves an inch towards me. That’s not saying I take any of you for granted, because I don’t, but you know what I mean. Hey, do you think I can talk Derrick to death?”
“Will you just shut up?” Derrick said, starting to hunch over.
“Not in this lifetime and probably not the next either, jerk face,” Jamie countered.
Derrick’s knees suddenly gave out, and he fell to the ground. “What’s happening to me?
“You’re getting old and dying, idiot,” Jamie shot out.
Ivan stepped closer.
“That’s not possible,” Derrick whispered.
“Did the demon help you capture the others?” Ivan asked, standing over him.
Derrick looked up. “I’ve not seen the demon since I sold him my soul.”
Ivan saw Kevin creeping up behind Derrick and turned away, moving towards Jamie.
Derrick managed to stand up and got ready to throw his knife at Jamie, when Kevin growled and jumped him from behind.
With a cry of pain, Derrick went crashing to the ground, the knife falling out of his hand and sliding over the ground away from him. Kevin howled into his ear, then ripped his throat out.
Jamie slammed his eyes shut and gagged. “I think I’m gonna throw up.”
“Just don’t look, sweetheart,” Ivan said as he untied Jamie and pulled him into a hug, turning them around so Jamie’s back was to the bloody mess.
Jamie kept his eyes closed and wrapped his arms around Ivan and kissed his neck. He felt Ivan drop a kiss on his head.
“Throat ripping?” Gio commented. “You could have used my sword.”
Kevin shifted back. “He messed with my mate, no one does that and gets away with it,” Kevin replied with a growl.
Gabe clicked his fingers, and Derrick vanished, along with any evidence that he had been killed there. He clicked his fingers again and clothed Kevin and Ian.
“Thanks, Gabe,” Kevin said.
“Yep, thanks, witch,” Ian agreed.
“Sweetheart, you can look now; any evidence of Derrick has gone,” Ivan told him, kissing the side of his head.
“Really, because I really will throw up if I have to see that again.”
“I promise, sweetheart.”
“Okay,” Jamie said, pulling away and opening his eyes, pleased to see that the mess and Derrick had actually gone. He looked around. “Thank you all for coming to rescue me.”
Seth walked into view. “Jamie, I didn’t know you could talk that much.”
Jamie grinned. “Neither did I, but once I realised my talking annoyed him, I just carried on.”
“What did you mean about him eating you?” David asked, stepping closer.
“He said he had eaten people before and was planning to eat my dad. Derrick killed him.”
“We found his body, sweetheart. One of the wolves was going to bury his body in an unmarked grave somewhere.”
“Good. Kitty and Karl are safe from him now.”
“Don’t forget you’re now safe as well,” Owen added.
Jamie grinned. “I really am, but can we go? I’m sure this place is lovely, but I need to leave here.”
“We can do that,” David answered for everyone. “Gabe, can you send us all home?”
Gabriel nodded, and swirling his hand, a portal opened.
“Gabe, can you send us home?” Kevin asked.
He nodded and opened another one.
“So cool,” Jamie commented, smiling at Gabe.
Gabe grinned. “Right?”
“Thanks,” Kevin said. “See you all soon.”
“Laters, peeps,” Ian said, walking through the portal. Once Kevin was through, the portal closed.
“Gabe, Mathis, are you joining us for dinner?”
“Not tonight,” Mathis said. “Gabe and I are off out to a little Italian restaurant I know.”
“Really?” Gabe asked, smiling happily.
Mathis nodded. “And before you ask, I had already made the reservation before Troy tried to guilt everyone into taking better care of their mates.”
“Thank you, vampy,” Gabe opened another portal for them. “See you soon.” He held his hand out to Mathis, who happily took it as they both walked through the portal and with a final wave, the portal closed.
“Come on, I need to check on Karl and Kitty, and tell them about dad,” Jamie said, taking Ivan’s hand.
“Then let’s go and see them.”