Thanks much to my reviewers...Remember, I LOVE the cliffhanger. Not afraid to use it, either, as you've seen... :)
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Chapter Ten
Darkness Falls was bouncing with its usual clientele when Lindsay entered. The music was just as loud, the place just as dark. She didn't spot any faces that were familiar. She moved out to the dance floor, searching for Mariah.
Was that her? No, just another young blonde, shimmying it with some guy that looked old enough to be her dad. Lindsay was worried. She had a really bad feeling that something bad had happened to the teen. Moving toward the seating area in the back, she finally spotted a familiar face, the girl with the spiky black hair from a few nights ago. She slid into the booth. "Where's your friend?" she asked, trying to seem nonchalant.
Spike shrugged. "Got a lot of those. Which one you talking about?"
"Mariah. The blonde that was here the other night with you?"
"Haven't seen her in a while." Spike turned lazily to the dance floor and watched the action, totally ignoring the CSI. Lindsay knew she wasn't going to get anything out of the girl. Sliding out of the booth, she mumbled a fast "thanks" and then resumed searching.
Maybe Danny found something, she thought as she headed for the door. Just as she was about to step outside, someone grabbed her arm. Whoever it was had a strong grip, and Lindsay couldn't throw him off. The person leaned in close. Lindsay nearly gagged at the strong smell emanating from him. He smelled awful. The phrase that came to mind was Death warmed over twice.
"You made a mistake comin' back," he growled in a low voice. Keeping his tight grip on her arm, he walked her to the right, opened a door, and pushed her down a set of steps.
Lindsay descended into the basement of Darkness Falls. As the sound of the bass grew softer, she got a good look at the room she'd stepped into. In the center of the room was a deep black marble altar, draped in red cloth. A few men were standing there; Lindsay recognized one as Grayson North, who had killed Gennifer Holland. He'd been the person who'd attacked Mariah- Lindsay remembered his eyes. He seemed to recognize her as well. "You!"
"You killed Gennifer Holland," Lindsay accused.
All eyes turned to Grayson North. "You did what?" one man growled. He sounded as if this was new to him, something that he didn't know.
North screwed up, Lindsay thought. Maybe if I can keep them talking...
Grayson held his hands up. "Hey, I didn't do anything. This chick's got no clue what she's talking about."
"Sure, I do," Lindsay insisted. "We pulled your DNA from under her fingers. That explains those nice scratches you've got on your arm."
One of the men came over and yanked up Grayson's sleeves. On his right arm, several deep scratches could be seen. "You said she escaped," he hissed.
Grayson held up a hand. "This isn't what it looks like," he said.
"Sure it is," said a new voice. All eyes looked to the stairs, where the owner of the club, Dalon Gareth, was standing, leaning against the railing. "You got cocky, got greedy," he told Grayson. "You thought immortality would protect you."
Grayson stumbled against the wall. "I-I didn't!" he protested.
Two men descended upon him. Lindsay heard Grayson scream, and then the two men stepped away.
Grayson North had pulled another disappearing act. The pile of dust particles on the floor were the only testimony that he'd ever existed.
Dalon Gareth turned to Lindsay. "Thank you for ratting out our mole," he said. "Someone was mucking up the plan- I had my suspicions, but you confirmed them."
"Not thanks enough. I'm not leaving, right?" Lindsay threw back at him.
He grinned. "Sorry. But, really, I'm thankful. As a result, you get to be the final piece of the bigger puzzle. It's an honor."
"Pass," Lindsay said. The man holding her slapped her across the face.
"Cyrus!" Dalon yelled. "Keep her in good condition," he said. "Don't spill any of her blood- we'll need it."
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The alley was worthless. Frustrated, Danny turned around and headed back to the club. He had taken a few steps when pain ripped through his head. It dropped him to his knees, and he cried out in surprise and collapsed to the pavement.
Black and red everywhere. Chanting. Ten people. Nine men and a girl. All with the same glowing eyes as the suspect from the other night. They were gathered around something. A woman, lying unconscious on a table. Next to her, two big bowls of a thick red liquid. One man has a needle…slides it into her arm.
The woman's face comes into focus.
Lindsay Monroe.
The vision left him almost as fast as it had come on, leaving Danny writhing in pain on the sidewalk. He grabbed his head and tried to climb to his feet, only making it as far as his knees.
Someone came up behind him. "Danny?"
He knew that voice. "Mac?" The person pulled him up, keeping a tight grip on his arm. The person's face swam into focus. "Mac. What are you doing here?"
Mac Taylor had a deathgrip on Danny's arm. Don Flack appeared, holding him up by the other. "Danny, are you okay?"
"No. Mac, they got Lindsay. They're at the club." Mac saw terror in Danny's eyes. "We have to go get her."
"Bullets won't do anything," said a voice. "So ya can't go in guns blazing."
Mac, Flack and Danny turned to see the two brothers, Dean and Sam Winchester. "How in the hell-" Flack demanded.
Dean tossed him his cuffs. "Lockpick," he admitted, grinning at the look on the annoyed detective's face. "You guys need help."
"I saw some kind of ceremony," Danny said.
"Black altar, bowls of blood?" Sam asked him.
Danny looked up, surprised. "Yeah. How did-"
"We have something in common," Sam replied. "Lucky we got here when we did."
"Why?" Danny demanded.
"Because in my dream, you're the one that does her in," Sam replied matter-of-factly. "You can't go in that building."
"The hell I can't," Danny spat, but Mac held up a hand.
"You're not going in there," he stated. His tone made it clear it was not negotiable.
Danny tried anyway. "Mac. It's Lindsay. I can't just stay out here and do nothing," he pleaded.
Mac shook his head. "Not gonna happen," he said. "Call Stella, have her bring a team and meet us here."
"You guys ever fought vampires before?" Dean Winchester spoke up.
"What?" Don Flack barked at him, annoyed at the interruption.
Dean held up his hands. "Hey, if this is a bad time, I can come back. You guys want to actually get something accomplished before the world ends tonight?"
There was a pause. Mac, Danny, and Flack all stared at him blankly.
"Did I forget to mention that little detail?" Dean asked innocently.
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Like it, love it, hate it, doesn't matter. Let's try this again- someone once told me if you hit that little button down there, magical things happen...do you dare?
