STRANGE MOON (Werewolf Romance)

Just a little further Part 8

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Chapter 8

'Just a little further'

"This is her apartment," Sansia said inhaling a deep breath and releasing it slowly. She hoped desperately that Anara would be there. But why wouldn't she have answered her phone? Maybe she was hurt?

Raydon picked the lock without much ado and hurried inside, Sansia followed. Anara's apartment was modest, everything situated in one room with a pull out sofa for a bed. It wasn't that she wasn't earning enough money to afford better but thriftiness was not a word Anara was familiar with.

"She's not here," Sansia pointed out sadly.

"Search her drawers and see if you find contact numbers for any of her friends," Raydon suggested. "I'd like to be back at the den before nightfall."

Sansia didn't argue, she liked that Raydon seemed to be taking control of the situation, her confidence in finding Anara had completely disappeared at the sight of the empty room.

They rummaged through drawers and bags for what seemed like hours before Raydon said, "I think I have something."

"What?"

Sansia hurried over her heart racing with excitement. Was it excitement on learning that there might be some news of Anara or the excitement that she always seemed to feel when she was in close proximity to Raydon.

"A little black book," Raydon said. "Has in your numbers as well."

"You know my numbers?" Sansia asked. Had Raydon been checking up on her?

"It has your name next to it," Raydon pointed out.

"Oh." Sansia blushed with embarrassment. He must think that she was searching for opportunities to suggest that he was somehow interested in her.

"Paul Wright, have you ever heard Anara speak of him?" Raydon asked flipping through the pages.

"No," Sansia responded. It was a sad reflection on her own life how little she knew of the only person she actually considered a friend. "Give me the book. Maybe I might recognize a name or something."

Sansia flipped through the pages hurriedly.

"Rick Thorn." Sansia's voice held an element of relief. "That was Anara's latest flame. He would definitely have known where she was going."

Sansia hurried over to the phone and dialed Rick's number.

"Nothing, there's no response."

Raydon pulled the book from her hand.

"They're two numbers here, one's the cell and the other's his land line."

"He won't be home or..."

Raydon took the phone from Sansia's hand and dialed the land line. It rang three times and then a man answered.

"Rick...Rick...is that you?"

"No, this is a friend of Anara's, I'm trying to find her. We haven't heard her since all this madness with the moon," Raydon explained.

"I haven't heard from Rick either. They went to see everything close up along the edge of the city at Highway 3."

"Thanks," Raydon said.

"I'd go and check on him but..." the man hesitated. He was scared and didn't care to be on the outside in times like these.

"We'll let you know if we see Rick," Raydon offered.

"Thanks man," the guy said and then hung up.

"What?" Sansia asked feeling as if she had been holding her breath throughout the entire conversation.

"Highway 3 on the edge of the city is where they went."

At the disappointed look on Sansia's face he added.

"I know it's just taking us a little further but at least we have a real lead on Anara now."

Sansia nodded. She couldn't help feeling that the best hope of finding Anara alive was if Anara had somehow managed to make it safely back to her apartment.

"Don't worry," Raydon said resting a hand gently on her shoulder and causing her heart to race faster. "We're not going home until we find Anara."

Home? Was that what the office was now? Home? Perhaps it would be until they could figure out what was going on and stop it.

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