Henry was exiting Vicki's office when Detective Celluci arrived.
"Great," Mike muttered and started past Henry.
"She's not here," Henry called to him. Mike stopped and turned, staring the vampire down.
"Where is she?" Mike asked.
"Off to save the day, how should I know detective? When your officer arrived, apparently, she left," Henry started toward his car.
"That woman," Mike growled.
"My thoughts exactly," Henry agreed.
"Where are you going?" Mike asked.
"For a drive," Henry replied.
Mike threw up his hands and laughed, "Do you think this is the time for a drive Fitzroy? Vicki is missing, I'm more than sure she hasn't gone very..." Henry cut Mike off. His eyes bled black and he stared into the night, in the direction Vicki had taken originally when leaving her office.
"What is it? Why are you doing your vamp thing?" Mike asked cautiously, his hand on his gun and his eyes scanning the area Henry was staring at.
"Vicki...she's bleeding," Henry hissed.
"And you know this how?" Mike asked with a grimace.
"There," Henry pointed about twenty feet from where they were standing. Mike squinted but saw nothing.
"I don't..see..." Mike stared harder but still saw nothing. Henry could smell her blood, that sweet, intoxicating smell that was Vicki's alone.
"I can smell her, trust me, she's bleeding or she was. She was attacked in close proximity, come on," Henry motioned for Mike to get in the car with him.
Mike put his hands up, "No thanks, I'll follow in my own car."
"Don't be ridiculous detective, I don't bite..." Henry paused and added a with a smile, "hard."
"Exactly," Mike snorted. Just then, Coreen came out of the front doors, the officer and Charlie close behind.
"Mike, Henry," Coreen huffed and then caught her breath, "she called."
"Who called? Vicki?" Mike asked.
"No, Fatima, she has Vicki," Coreen told them. Henry's face washed with anger, Mike's with worry and Charlie's with guilt.
"This is all my fault," Charlie said.
"Yes it is," Mike and Henry said in unison, looked at each other and then back at them.
"This is no time for blame, sheesh," Coreen huffed, "we've got an address and besides, she said we all have to come."
"Why?" Mike asked.
"I don't know," Coreen shrugged.
"You should not go, not in your condition, Coreen," Henry said firmly.
"Aww..ain't that sweet, vampire daddy, so worried," Mike teased.
"Jealous?" Henry shot back.
"Boys! Stop it! Vicki's life is in danger, and this chick said something else I think you both should know."
"What?" Henry asked. Coreen looked between the two of them wondering how this next bit of information would affect them.
Coreen took a metered breath and said softly, "She says Vicki is.." she paused before adding, "pregnant."
Mike blinked several times while Henry said and did nothing. The silence was defeaning, the air so thick you could cut it with a knife.
"Well?" Coreen prodded.
"Well what?" Mike asked.
"Who's the father?"
"How do we know this woman is telling the truth? She's crazy and how does she know? Does she just happen to carry a pregnancy test around before killing people or what?" Mike's voice seemed to raise an octave while talking.
"It can't be mine," Henry offered, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Coreen smiled broadly, "I think it can, Henry."
"What do you mean?" Mike narrowed his eyes at Coreen.
"Well, remember that chocolate I gave you on your first date with Vicki?"
Henry nodded, remembering how wonderful that session was, their first and most memorable time. It took very ounce of willpower he possessed not to openly shudder and sigh.
"I put something special in it," Coreen grinned.
Mike's mouth fell open.
"You had sex with Vicki on your first date?"
"That's none of your concern, Mike," Henry shot back. It was not his royal heritage that kept him silent but his love and respect for Vicki.
"But she just said.." Mike pointed to Coreen.
"That does not mean I used it that night and that's impossible anyway, that doesn't work. Besides, this could be a trap, Fatima's home was a den of evil, nothing would surprise me." Henry told them.
"Oh," was Mike's response. He was jealous, Vicki had dated him quite some time before letting him make love to her. The thought of the vampire having her the first night was almost too much. Why should he care? He wasn't with Vicki anymore but still, it upset him.
"While you two are fighting about who did what, we need to go to Vicki don't you think? And if she is or isn't pregnant, it doesn't matter, at least maybe Fatima will keep her alive until we get there," Coreen reminded them.
"She's right, give me the address," Mike held his hand out.
Henry said nothing as he got into his vehicle.
"Henry," Coreen bent to his window, "are you okay?"
Henry, looking straight ahead, said, "If it's not mine, then who's is it?"
The look of hurt in his eyes was too much for Coreen...