Invisible ties that bind us - Book 1

Chapter 26

Andrew POV

As I utter my question, I feel that the room has shifted and there is a strange, chilling energy now. None answer and I am to the point to repeating myself but to my surprise, Michael answers from the other side of the world.

- When Ryan called us about what happened and to your presumed "matting madness" I thought, to my shame, which is due to the fact you haven't found her yet. But then I talked to father who informed me of the reality.

- And due to the risks of complication, I asked him to help us track her down so we can bring her back. Ryan adds.

- Then why is she not here? I ask fearing their reply.

- That night I went to the club around ten but didn't saw her there even if I could smell a faint scent of her in the back rooms. I assume that is normal since she is working every two days bur her colleagues told me never saw her that night even if she never missed a shift before. In fact, she even took additional ones when needed.

- So, you looked for her at home? She might have been there! For once in your life, Ryan, take the charge when needed! I almost scream at my cousin and I gain a reproachful look from my father and my uncle, both the same time.

Apparently, Ryan is the mature one in the room for the moment since he ignores my outburst and continues.

- Since she was an employee of my club, I had access to her personal details so I went to look for her at her apartment. But she was nowhere to be found. Neither her or her sister were there and a bulky guy that I could smell it was a rune child told me that he didn't see Diana for two days already. He even looked surprised and disquiet when I asked for her. So, I assume he is a friend of hers and now he will be worried as well. At least he will be on the look for her for that matter, I am sure.

- Anything else? I ask dissatisfied even if they did what they could give the short amount of period and the fact they had their hands all occupied with my "madness". Goddess, how I would like to choke the living soul of Amelia at this point!

- I have already sent my Chasers. Their plane landed about 20 minutes or so. Michael adds to my surprise.

I would have never taken my baby brother to have such interest into helping me. Mostly due to the shitty way I have treated him all throughout his adolescence and early years when I couldn't stand that I wasn't anymore my parents' youngest offspring.

- There is something else you need to know, my Liege. Sylvia adds and all heads turn to her. If your mate is the same Diana I think of, she is underage.

- What?!? Did a minor serve alcohol in my club?Ryan asks and all blood seems to have left his face. Do you realise the extend of investigation from humans and what could do to us, rune children, for that matter?

- How could she, when I asked her, she said she was 19!I add rapidly.

- She is a major, or better said she managed to get emancipated to be more specific. And she was, if, and only if we are talking about the same person, my patient at my therapy clinic for abused children. Sylvia replies swiftly.

The whole room stands still and for different reasons from what I can feel. Ryan is probably thinking of the legal implications and if that could get our kin in trouble with the police due to him, the one who is supposed to protect them on this side of the shores. My mother probably thinks about the implications for Diana if she is underage and maybe, to my luck, a rune child. And me? All I could think of first is how to find her but then reality struck me. I thought that much that she might be a virgin from the way she behaved but underage? What the fuck, man! I am not a pedophile! And to think of all the things I have said to her and, or Goddess, what I imagined doing to her!

For a moment I feel sick as I remember Alice's face, her eyes wide opened when she was killed. When I was holding her limp body, I could see how life was slipping away off her small frame and I remember she had the same brown doe-like eyes Diana has. What is the matter with me that I manage to treat all good women in my life as an absolute arsehole? My reminiscing is cut short as Sylvia continues:

- In short, her life was sprinkled with a lot of bad things that even she doesn't realise how bad they were due to her elder sister, Maria. When she finally came to the centre, we have managed to declare her emancipated at the age of 16 years old and about a month? Or something like that since we aren't sure of her DOB. Then she managed to get a job at your club, she says turning towards Ryan, so from legal point of view I think you are out of the woods. At this point she would be around 17 and a half, Andrew. She completes turning towards me probably knowing what I was thinking seconds ago.

But what she said doesn't help me very much. From the short time I was around her I could see the fragility of Diana and the fact that she had a horrendous childhood doesn't help on the matter. Then it's the fact that she is Goddess knows where and out of the reach of all her friends and her sister. Not to mention the way I treated her that doesn't make me a gentleman whatsoever in this matter. Bot to my surprise, Sylvia has still to add some things:

- Just so you know even if at his point this might be irrelevant, I am fairly sure Maria is a Lost Child even if she never confirmed it and probably Diana is the same but as she didn't turned yet 18 I cannot tell for sure.

I can hear my mother's gasp and I know for sure what she is thinking of. But that is not important at this moment since, if I cannot get Diana back, her genealogy is irrelevant. Even if my Diana is a Lost Child, she has a few months before first powers show themselves, so she is as harmless as any 17 years old human girl. Before I can add anything, Harold enters the room after a short knock on the door and announces:

- The Chasers are here. He says distinctively guarding his gaze so he doesn't look my way and I cannot blame him.

- Good, father says. Then, let's invite them in and start planning to retrieve your mate.