Rampage [BK#1 in Dark Creatures]

Tricked by Blood

     He had been calling for hours, alternating each one between Amelia and Bex. He was standing in the living room, listening to Amelia's dial tone for what had to be the millionth time.

    Hey! It's Mia! Leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

    Xander slammed his fist, barely noticing when his hand broke through the drywall. "Amelia," he growled into the recording, "I'm going to kill you. Very, very slowly." He pressed his thumb against the red end button, burying the phone in his jeans. He had already torn the whole room apart in the hopes that maybe Bex had left a note or a clue as to where they were headed. But, as he surveyed the room one last time, he knew there was nothing. They had left. The first sign of danger and they'd split, leaving him all alone. Again.

    He decided that his best bet was to go back to the house, see if Amelia had taken them there to stock up. Maybe he'd get lucky and find them all on his couch, watching old westerns and eating popcorn.

    But when he searched the whole house and found nothing, he felt even more dejected than before. Amelia had run off with the one thing in his life that made him feel whole again and he had no idea how to get her back. 

    Xander called Vicky, intending to let her know that he was home. He'd probably stay for a few days, figure out what to do. 

    He sat up when she told him that Amelia had just left that morning.

    "What?" he demanded. "How long was she here?"

    "Only for a few minutes. I just finished checking the security system to make sure everything was okay, and I saw your sister entering the house and leaving a few minutes later. I was just about to call you."

    "Was anyone with her?" He held his breath.

    "Yeah, actually. Just a guy with a bunch of tattoos." She paused. "I hate to say this, but maybe she just needed a place to, um... You know..."

    Xander blanched at her suggestion. "No. She was here for a specific reason. There's something here that she wanted."

   "Okay, well... Do you want me to come over? I can help see if anything's missing. I probably know more about that house than you do, anyway," she joked, and Xander cracked a smile, despite himself. 

    "No, that's alright," he said, going into Amelia's old bedroom. "I can manage. It was untouched, surprisingly. Vicky had said that Amelia was only inside for a few minutes. Whatever she'd come for, she had known exactly where to look.

     Xander suddenly scolded himself for not installing an indoor security system. Then he'd know exactly what she'd taken.

     He searched every room, hoping and praying that he'd find what was missing. He counted all the photo albums, the heirlooms, the money, even. But everything was exactly how he'd left it: touched only by Vicky's feather duster. 

     He wished Grandfather were here. He would know what to do. Grandfather always had a plan, always knew what to expect. He never hesitated. Xander could remember the countless times his grandfather had swooped in to save the day. Xander sighed, weariness washing over him. Grandfather always had the answers. 

     Xander's head instantly snapped upward, an idea popping in his head. He pushed into the library, wondering the entire time if what he was about to do was right. Grandfather had always been very strict about his journals. No one was to ever read them, to ever touch them. But Xander could still hear Bex's voice all those months ago when he'd caught her with one of the forbidden journals open in her hands--

     But they're full of answers, she'd said.

      Full of answers. Xander took a deep breath, running his fingers over the worn spines that lined the shelves. He'd memorized each one's cover down to the last detail. He'd spent years in this room, resisting the urge to crack open his grandfather's soul and relive his memories. Xander smiled sadly as he named them off in his head before his eyes even landed on them:

    1944... 1945... 1946... 1947... 1949...

     He froze, backpedaling. He counted again, just to be sure. Then again, and again. 

    No. Impossible.

    He grabbed 1947 and 1949 off the shelves so he could look between them as if the journal had simply shrunk. But, no, it was gone. In its place was a white sheet of paper with something written on it. Xander picked up and began to read:

    So, big brother, it looks like you finally discovered the missing journal. Kudos to you! Anyway, I guess there's really no telling when you've found it. It could be the week after I write this, or the year, or maybe you never find it at all. The whole journal thing was supposed to be a secret. That's why we didn't tell you much about Witch Country. But, well, now that you know the journal is gone, there's really no point in keeping it a secret anymore. 

     In return for turning Bex into a "Superdemon," Agatha wanted the 1948 journal. She didn't say why. I didn't have a choice, Xander. I know you're probably throwing something across the room right now because you're so mad, but I really need you to trust me. And, in case you found this a little after I wrote it, then I probably still have Bex. I just want you to know that she's safe, and I won't let anything happen to her. I'm taking her somewhere that I know Grandmother won't look for her. And before you get all excited: no, I'm not including our location in this letter. 

    With love,

 Amelia

      I whipped out my phone and dialed my sister, despite the logic telling me she wouldn't answer. When she didn't, I dialed again. I'd just called her for the fourteenth time when her voice suddenly rang through.

     "What?" she snapped, obviously irritated. "I'm a little busy right now."

     I growled. "I found your letter."

     Silence. "Xander--"

     "What were you thinking?" I interrupted. "Are you insane? I just finished talking with Grandmother. It wasn't a setup, okay? You were wrong. And I don't know what was going through that stupid little head of yours when you decided to steal Grandfather's journal. I'm going to get it back, do you hear me? And, while I'm at it, I'm getting her back too." I was breathing hard, my chest rising and falling spasmodically. 

     "Xander?"

     I froze, my blood instantly cooling at her soft, sweet voice. "Bex?" I clutched the phone and I had to force myself not to shatter it. "Hey... Hey, where are you? I came back to the hotel room and you were gone. Are you okay?"

    "I'm fine, Xander," she said. I closed my eyes, some of the tension releasing itself. "I can't tell you where I am, though. I'm safe. I promise."

    My eyes flew open. "Bex," I said slowly, trying not to get angry, "Where... Are... You?"

    I heard her sigh on the other end. "Do you trust me?" she asked abruptly.

   "Of course," I said instantly.

   "Then I need you to stop looking for me. Stay with Victoria. Make sure she doesn't come looking either."

   I felt like I'd been slapped. She didn't want me with her. "If you don't tell me, I'm going to find out myself."

   I was met with silence as she hesitated. She knew I would. "I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice breaking. "I hate doing this. I really, really do."

   That's when I heard it. It was faint, so soft that any regular human ear wouldn't have picked up on the slight shift in the frequencies. It was background noise and based on how it was being transmitted, I knew that the walls were high, the room incredibly large. 

    I feigned submission. "Fine," I said. "I'll call if there's any news." I hung up, not wanting to hear her reply. It would've driven the knife in my back twice as deep. Besides, I already knew where they were. 

    And, lucky for me, Witch Country was in the same direction.