The Vampire’s Servant
Chapter 47

After I finished telling them what I had, Marius stormed out of the house. He was, understandably, frustrated. I sat in one of the chairs. I couldn't follow him, the sun was still out.

Talia came and stood next to me. She pulled me over to rest my head on her chest and held me there. Vampires found a lot of solace in their sires. It was comforting to me to have her there.

"We'll find her. This wasn't a failure on the part of anyone. I know you want to blame yourself, but you need to blame the rogues who took her. This feeling will just distract you from what you need to do to find Echo." She murmured. "Marius is going to take her, isn't he?" I asked.

"I wish I could tell you he won't, but he's not easily predictable. I can tell him to leave her here or others will find out their connection. He may be past caring. I want to be there for you on this, Victor, but she's his childe, not mine." Talia said in a soothing tone. "I think I travelled the other day. I was in my bed and I could feel and sense everything as if it were real, but it wasn't." I told her.

"We'll test your abilities when you're not as stressed. Is that why you think she's your Solus Amor?"

"She was there. I made love to her. It felt right. It felt like it was what everything was building to." I sighed. "Maybe it was a fantasy."

"I don't think you would confuse a fantasy with travelling. You've never been a fanciful man, Victor. Even when you came back, you were always like you are. Stern, strict, protective, and solidly planted in reality. If you think this was your abilities growing, then I'm sure it was." She assured me.

I wrapped my arms around her little waist and held her. Talia stroked my hair and hummed. It was the comfort I needed to get me out of the emotional hole I was working myself into.

She pulled away and kissed the top of my head before letting me go. I released her and stood, righting myself. Talia smiled.

"I will go see where Marius went. He was probably trying to pick up the scent of the rogues. He doesn't realize how much harder motor vehicles have made tracking through scent. You stay here until it's dark and then come find us." She said.

"Yes, Talia. I'll reach out to Trent and see if he has anything else. Thank you for coming quickly and for helping me calm down. I'm of no use to Echo if I can't think straight." I replied.

Talia nodded and left. I was alone in the house. Being alone had never bothered me before, but I found myself feeling desperately lonely.

I headed to my office and called Trent again. He didn't have anything new. I figured he wouldn't, but I wanted to check. I turned my chair so I could watch the light fading from the pale windows.

A few minutes later, a familiar scent made me steel myself. The pup was in my house. It grew stronger as he neared my office.

The door opened and I turned to see him in the doorway. Grayson looked as bad as I felt. There was a desperate air around him.

For all that he was a thorn in my side, I could tell he truly cared for Echo. I shouldn't have been cruel to him earlier. He was a child. If Echo was my Solus Amor, I'd have her eventually. She was his mate. Someone for him to spend this lifetime with.

He could probably use some mentoring to be the man Echo deserved. I'd have to set aside my own jealousy to train him right. My Echo deserved the best.

"Sit down for a bit, Grayson. I need to stay in until the sun is down. We can work on other things until then."

"How can you think of anything else when she's missing? Some f*****g mutt punched her and carried her away. She's probably terrified." He growled.

"How will focusing on things I can't do help her? How will spiraling into my own feelings get Echo home faster? Who will it help? Instead, I'm going to look at a map and think of the places a person could go to hide her. Then, I'll call my supports to start organizing vampires to help with the search. My sire and Master Marius are already out there doing what they can. It's been hours, Grayson. We've lost a lot of time because of the sun. They were organized. They knew the best time to try for her was daylight so I couldn't track them immediately." I said.

"I couldn't do anything. I was at the pack house pouting about not getting to spend the morning with her when they took her. Val's going nuts. He blames himself for not sticking around and making sure she got into the house. What if we don't find her?" Grayson's voice quivered.

How could I have seen him as a rival? He was just a boy in love. One who'd never experienced any hardship or true loss.

"I tracked Paul Springer for fifteen years. I gave up my territory and traveled the world looking for him. That was only for a small slight. I will hunt for Echo until the stars grow cold, and you'll be there with me. We're going to find her, then you'll be competing against me, remember?" I smirked. "Seriously?" He scoffed.

"Yes, though, I have to say, it won't be much of a competition. You're selfish, entitled, childish, and annoying. You'll really have to change if you have any hope of winning Echo from me."

He growled again and sat in the chair across from me. I wouldn't use my abilities this time. I would let him meet my eye.

"Echo needs someone who's capable of feeling things. You're too cold for her." Grayson said.

"Then you won't be needing me to teach you how to actually be competition? You're absolutely certain that the mate bond is enough to keep her? She's not as simple as an animal giving into urges that are forced on her. You should have realized that when she didn't fall into your arms at your first meeting. If you really want a chance, you'll accept my offer. You stay with me and I'll teach you how to be the man Echo needs." I offered.

Grayson looked doubtful. This was killing me. I would do anything to see my Echo happy. If I couldn't have her in this life, I'd make sure that Grayson was what she deserved. She wasn't a prize, she was a gift.

"Stay with you? Like what I suggested, or is it just until we find Echo?" He asked.

"Until Echo makes a decision. You stay here as a personal guard to my house. I will teach you how to be a real man instead of a greedy child. Agreed?" I raised my eyebrow. "Agreed. I'll let my Alpha know."

"Good. The sun has set. Let's go find our girl and get her safely home in time for school tomorrow." I said.

"You think we'll find her that soon?"

"I have to believe that we'll find her before any other terrible thing can happen to her. Having faith in your ability is key. No matter how long it takes, I will find her." I vowed.

"And I'll be right beside you when you do. Echo is the most important thing in the world to me. I'll never give up."

I nodded. "I know you won't. You haven't yet."

I put my hand out and he took it. We shook hands firmly. A new alliance in the name of our shared love.

-

It was nearing dawn. I'd gotten some of Echo's clothes from her bag and her pillow cases to use for scent for anyone who didn't know her smell. The wolves could discern her scent from a vampire, because, they said, she smelled more like fresh blood and we smelled more like old blood.

I had a dozen vampires searching for her. Bits of her scent were picked up all over town. We would call the locations in to Trent and he would put them on a map. We excluded places she went to often, the grocery store she liked, and the school.

Drew was on the pack lands working with the wolves to pick out places he'd taken her in the past weeks. Her scent was faint in those places, but moving in a vehicle could cause a faint scent as well.

I was impressed by the tracking ability of the wolves even after so many hours had passed. Grayson was exhausted, but still by my side, focusing on Echo and trying to pick up the slightest hint of her mate scent.

"We need to head back to the house." He muttered.

"You need sleep as well. Are you okay with missing school?" I asked.

"Yeah. Trent's calling me in sick until I find Echo. My parents understand. They would do the same if their mate was missing. I have good enough grades and, if I have to, I'll take the GED. Nothing is more important than finding Echo." Grayson said, turning to me. "Try to keep up with me, pup." I told him as I began running toward the house.

We weren't so far that it was a concern. I knew we could both run it and be back before the sunlight crested into the valley. We were both fast enough.

I reached the house and left the door open while I stood in the entry and waited for him to arrive. Wolves were much faster than humans, but not faster than vampires of my age. I knew he couldn't keep up with me.

I was met in the entryway by Talia, Marius, and three werewolves. Two of them definitely smelled like pack wolves. The third one made me take a step back.

The scent of rogue was in my house, mingled with the scent of pack. I knew she was a rogue Queen, but I didn't realize how much of a physical reaction I would have. She didn't look imposing, but the power radiating off of her was immense.

She was only a few inches taller than Talia, with oddly colored hair that looked like bronze with slivers of red. Her eyes were a warm brown and her figure modest in the jeans and t-shirt she wore. She looked like a child.

Behind her were two males who were about the same height as me. One was blond and thin with green eyes. The other had hair nearly the same copper color as Talia's, with eyes like the Queen's and a thicker, warrior's build. They all looked tired. I walked over to the kitchen and, in the butler's pantry, found the journal where Echo wrote down her plans for the house and her schedule. She'd written down the rooms for each of our guests.

I reentered the entry just as Grayson came puffing in. He was suddenly on alert. I knew this was his first time meeting the other wolves, but, as soon as he saw the Queen, he bowed as deeply as I had when I'd seen Marius a few hours ago. "Queen Bellamy. I heard you were coming. My name is Grayson Padua. I'm the youngest brother of Alpha Trent Padua. Thank you for visiting our territory." He said in a strong, formal manner.

It was the first time I'd seen him truly act like a man and not a child. I was impressed. That meant he could be taught.

"Please stop bowing. Call me Luna Bellamy or just Bellamy. It's easier on pack wolves." The Queen said in a sweet voice.

"I apologize for my rudeness and lack of introduction. I realized how tired you all were and thought Echo would want me to use her plan for sleeping arrangements. I didn't want to throw her off when we get her home. This is her plan for what rooms people will be assigned to. Grayson, I'll have you in the room next to mine for the time being."

"We're not offended... at least, most of us aren't offended. Marius is always offended. That's just how he is." She snickered.

"Shall we stick to the matter at hand?" Master Marius grumbled.

"Right. The wolves of Hallowed Moon will continue their search while I sleep. We've cleared a lot of the city, but scents will get muddled as humans wake for the day. We have Valor working with the witches still. The hope is that whatever is blocking her will fade soon and we can get a location that way." I said.

"Show everyone to their rooms, get cleaned up, and rest. You do nothing, but feed, sleep, and find Echo." Marius growled before turning and going to his room.

I looked at Talia. She shrugged slightly. I guided them up the stairs and to their rooms.

Before I turned to take Grayson to his room, Talia reached out and squeezed my arm reassuringly. We'd find her. We had to. I gave her a slight smile and went to settle the wolf. I needed rest if I was going to be useful.