30. Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Killian
“ H e has her.” He has basically told us by the writing on the wall. I’ve never felt so helpless. “How the hell are we going to track him now? That was our only hope in protecting Zel from this lunatic.” I need to find her. My whole body is ready to fight and get the girl I’ve been lusting over.
The forensic investigators come in with their cameras strapped around their necks. Rhett, Agent Cooper, Agent Rodriguez, and I move to the side so they can take pictures of the scene. I look around the room to see if there’s anything that I can find that can help me, but the room is completely empty. He knew we were coming and was prepared for it.
“We’re going to talk to the neighbors.” Another agent comes in, squeezing between Rhett and me to get to Agent Cooper. “To see if they have any information on Zack.”
“Ask if they have any cameras we can check. Maybe their security camera got a feed we can use to help with our investigation,” Agent Rodriguez says as she pulls her notepad out and reads her notes.
I need to get out of this house before I get the idea to trash it. I walk outside for some air. Rhett is right on my heels. We’ve attracted a crowd. People are out in their pjs holding their sweaters closed tightly with their phones out, wondering what’s going on. The FBI and the supe cops are telling people to stay back.
Rhett and I lean on the barbed wire fence just before exiting the property. I look around for anything out of the ordinary but know that I won’t find anything. He’s cleared out everything of importance. He most likely kept an eye on Agent Cooper’s house and learned Zel’s patterns. I overhear a conversation between another agent and an elderly woman.
“He looked to be in his mid-sixties, but over the last three weeks, he’s been looking younger and younger. I don’t know what he’s been drinking, but I want some of that.” She chuckles, making the agent chuckle as well.
That definitely sounds like a demon giving him powers.
“He’s never brought anyone home and always keeps to himself. He’s quiet and a good renter.”
Rhett snorts. “It’s always the ones who look innocent that cause the most trouble,” Rhett whispers in my ear, and I have to agree.
I tune out of the conversation. These people had no idea they had a killer living in their pristine neighborhood. We aren’t going to find any leads of importance here. The only way to find something is if Zel calls out and lets us know where she is.
After reading the writing on the wall, I have no doubt that she was captured by Zack. She was probably taken when she went to the bathroom. If only we had made it there a few minutes earlier. If maybe we hadn’t had that drink at the pool house or started watching a movie. I know I’m going to hate myself for not being at the club sooner if something happens to her.
“Zel’s phone just turned on,” Cooper shouts as he exits Zack’s house. “I’m having it tracked now.” My blood rushes to my head, making me feel lightheaded. This is the best news we’ve gotten all night.
He’s on the phone as he’s relaying the information to us. “She’s on the move.”
“Could it be a trap? Why would she all of a sudden turn the phone on?” Agent Rodriguez asks, walking up to us.
“I don’t know, and I don’t care. I’m going to find out,” Rhett replies. Even if it’s somehow a trap, that human is no match for us, or even any other supernatural. Zel doesn’t have any of her shifter abilities, she could be as weak as a human.
“The phone is still in motion. Once we have a set destination, we’ll start moving.” We wait on pins and needles for a location.
Rhett, Agent Cooper, and I pace around, not really doing anything. Our nerves are the only things working overtime. We don’t have to wait too long before Agent Cooper shouts, “We got an address.”
“It’s on, baby,” Rhett says with a smile. We’re determined to find her before the killer gets his claws in her.
Rhett races to the car and gets in on the passenger side. That means I’m driving, which is completely fine. It’ll give me something to do.
“I’ve sent you the address,” Cooper shouts as he gets into his car in front of us, while Agent Rodriguez slides into the passenger side.
If Zack laid a hand on her, Agent Cooper is going to have a hard time prying my hands off of his neck. I’m on a mission to kill him. I know the FBI wants him alive to question him, still, I know I won’t be able to hold back if he’s done any harm to Zel.
Rhett’s phone dings with a message.
“It’s the agent.” He looks down before he inputs the address into the navigator. “We’re forty minutes away.” That’s a long way. I hope Agent Cooper can get us there faster. “Fuck!”
“What?” I ask as he glares at his phone.
“It looks like it’s a house.” Rhett gives me a worried look, and I try hard not to panic.
“Son of a bitch,” I say as he steps on the gas to keep up with the agent. He’s got his lights on, but it’s so early in the morning there are hardly any cars out.
Rhett’s phone rings. I look over at him as he picks it up. I’m hoping it’s Zel, and that maybe she was able to make a phone call, but it’s quickly confirmed who it is.
“Agent Cooper,” Rhett says as soon as he puts the phone close to his ear. He scrunches his brows in confusion. I wait for him to finish so he can relay the information over to me.
As soon as he hangs up, I ask, “What happened?”
“The house belongs to a Mitch Johnson. He’s human.” He looks at his phone, reading other messages. “It could be that he found an empty house and took her there.”
“Yeah, my thoughts exactly.”
There’s one killing a week, so maybe he’s saving this one for next week. I don’t voice that out loud because it’ll get Rhett riled up, and I need him to remain at least semi-calm. When we get to the house, it’s in a shady neighborhood. Agent Cooper’s vehicle and ours are the only ones that pulled up. No one else came; they all stayed at the scene. This had to be Agent Cooper’s doing. I would’ve thought half of the crew would have come along with us.
We get out of the car and look at each other. The house lights are flickering. “A demon is being summoned,” Rhett points out. A second later, the horrible smell of black magic hits us.
I run to the door, trying to shake it open, but it’s locked. I twist the handle, but it doesn’t budge.
There’s a loud crack, and I look over to my left. Rhett has broken the window and is climbing in.
Agent Cooper and Agent Rodriguez follow Rhett in, and I go in last. We race to the set of stairs. The wind pushes us back, but we persist in climbing. The whole house shakes and Agent Rodriguez’s foot slips. She tumbles backward, but I’m there to catch her.
“Thanks,” she says, and I nod my head.
The closer we get, the harder we’re pushed back.
“I can’t open the door,” Rhett yells out. Agent Cooper walks next to him kicking the door, but it won’t budge.
“We need more force,” Agent Cooper yells.
“It’s a big enough door, we can use our momentum to push it back,” I shout. I walk to the top of the stairs, and we all get in a line, three steps back.
“On the count of three, we go,” Cooper shouts. “One, two, three.”
At the end of his count, we all rush to the door, the impact with the wood sending us backward. I stand up quickly, only to see that the door hasn’t budged.
“Fuck!” I shout. We only made it dent.
“We’re coming, Zel,” I whisper, knowing that she won’t be able to hear us.
“More force this time,” Agent Cooper yells out, we take three steps back , and this time, when he counts to three, we run faster and harder, but before we make an impact, the door swings wide open
“What the hell!” Agent Rodriguez shouts as a black hole tries to suck us in.