“Maybe,” I agree, but I scarcely believe it.
Finn starts up the engine and pulls away from the house. I glance up at the window of my old bedroom. I wish I could just go in and sit there for a while. Obviously the new owners might find that a little weird though.
“Do you want to go get something to eat? We’ve got a long drive ahead of us back to the city.” Finn asks, interrupting my thoughts.
I look to him. “There’s a fast food drive-through on the outskirts of town, we can go there, that way we’ll lose less time.”
“Good idea,” says Finn.
We get burgers and cokes and sit in the car to eat them. All the while I can barely even think of what the food tastes like, I just keep imagining all the horrific things that might have happened to my dad. All because of me.
“Are you sure you can handle the drive back to Tribane?” I ask Finn. “You’ve barely slept a wink since we left Manchester.”
“I’m used to it. Training to become a vampire slayer with the DOH taught me how to go without much sleep for long periods. A lot of night time stake outs are involved.” He smiles wryly.
“I can imagine.”
I sense Finn watching me out of the corner of his eye. I finish my food and take the rubbish outside, dumping it in the bin.
When I get back in the car he asks, “So, do you have any idea how you’re going to get back in touch with Cristescu?”
I yawn. “I’ll probably just go to Crimson to look for him, I’m sure he’ll be around somewhere.”
“Funny you should say that,” Finn replies after a moment of silence. “They’re throwing this big exclusive event for Christmas at the club tomorrow night. All the most powerful vamps in the city are going to be there, it would be the perfect time for you to gather information about Rebecca.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I smile reluctantly, my stomach has a hundred butterflies flitting around inside of it. Tomorrow night. That’s so close. I’m going to see Ethan tomorrow night. The prospect has me both excited and apprehensive.
We drive back to Tribane, listening to the radio and chatting at intervals. Then I fall asleep and I try not to feel guilty that Finn has to stay awake to drive the car. It’s about one o’clock
in the morning when we get to Finn’s house. I remember the last time I was here and he’d told me about the other slayer who owned the house, Noel. I ask Finn about him as we go inside, but he just shakes his head tells me that Noel died in one of the battles with the vampires. I tell him I’m sorry.
Finn’s dog, Wolf, is barking out in the back garden. Finn lets him in and he comes prowling into the kitchen. I still haven’t lost my fear of big dogs, so I stand as far away from Wolf as I can. He eyes me suspiciously, and I think I see him sniff the air ever so slightly before he does the doggy version of a shrug and sits down on the floor. Finn’s outside getting our luggage from the boot of the car. He laughs when he comes back into the kitchen to find me staring at Wolf nervously.
“He’s a teddy bear Tegan, honestly, you’ve nothing to be worried about.”
“Who took care of him while you were away?” I ask.
“The next door neighbour,” Finn replies. He takes a bottle of water out of the fridge for himself and offers one to me, I take it and swallow a long gulp. The drive has me dehydrated.
“So, where’s my room?” I ask tiredly.
Finn’s blue eyes watch me for a moment. “You can stay in my bed, if you like.”
“What were those conditions I set down before coming here again?” I say, reprimanding him for what was very obviously a come on.
“But I’ve got you here now so…” Finn drifts off, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
“I’ll walk straight out that door Finn, just because I’m here it doesn’t mean I have to stay.”
He sighs. “God, you’re no fun. Come on then, I’ll show you to the guest room.”
The room Finn brings me to is clean and sparse, with only a bed and a wardrobe for furniture. He puts my suitcase at the end of the bed and tells me he’ll see me in the morning. I strip off and get under the covers. But it takes me hours to fall asleep. I can’t stop worrying about my dad. I may have come back to help rescue Rebecca, but things have just gotten about a hundred times more complicated.
I’m not just going to the vampires to try and find information about the little girl any more, now I’ve got to find out what happened to my father as well. And so help me, if they’ve done anything to hurt him I will find some way to make each and every one of them pay.
In the morning I wake up at about nine o’clock. I go downstairs in search of breakfast and find that Finn’s already up and dressed. He tells me I’ve got an hour to get ready and then we’ve to go to meet up with Governor Pamphrock. Apparently he wants to see me before he entrusts me with the task of saving his daughter.
Before having breakfast, I take my phone and shut myself in the living room. I dial the number of the school where my dad used to work. A friendly secretary answers and when I ask her about my dad she puts me on hold while she goes to ask the principal if he knows anything about where he went. She returns about five minutes later, tells me she’s sorry but Martin Stolle never left any forwarding information. I hang up and try to call Nicky, her phone rings several times but nobody answers. I try again but still there’s no answer. I throw my phone hard onto the couch in frustration.