Part 8

So much for being discreet, Bellona thought rather sourly. The first thing she and Camilla had decided to do once they arrived in Caledonia was to check the place out and look around, see what it was like.

The town itself wasn't very big. There was a handful of houses, an apartment complex, a small shopping centre, an elementary school, a high school and a university a few miles out of town.

"Now if we were Viola and we were running away from a nasty vampire where would we hide?" Camilla asked after she and Bellona had walked around town.

"She's not old enough to pass off humanity for university," Bellona said, frowning. "My guess is she'll be at the high school. It's easier for her to hide amongst the vermin."

Camilla sighed. She didn't know why Aubrey wanted to bother with bringing Viola back. He would only torture her and lock her up again. She'd be even more driven to escape.

If they could just kill her, then they could find someone *else* for Aubrey, someone who *wanted* to be changed.

It must be some sort of break period when they went to check out the high school. Vermin were dotted all over the grounds. ~Someone needs to call the exterminator~ Camilla thought sourly.

She kept herself calm and cool, not wanting to arouse suspicion. She could see several appreciative glances in their directions.

As they walked over the grassy area outside, Bellona caught her arm. "There she is," she muttered.

Camilla causally glanced over her shoulder to see a group of stunning people, one was a Harman witch, the pale gold hair and violet eyes gave her away, the other girl wore a black iris on her necklace. She was lamia. One boy was blatantly human. He must be one of the girl's toys. There was a second boy, huge and muscular, sitting next to Viola.

"So much for escaping from Night People," Camilla muttered in a low voice.

At that moment Viola looked up and saw them. A few seconds later she gathered her things and ran. She was gone before either she or Bellona could do anything.

"Shit," Bellona muttered. She paused then, turning to Camilla, her expression one of mild curiosity.

It was a few minutes before Camilla realised what she was doing. They had to act natural, they didn't know what was going on anymore than anyone else did.

"*Now* what?" Camilla hissed at her.

Bellona shrugged. "Don't ask me."

She was looking back at the group of Night People. The human boy had walked off as well. The Harman witch looked jealous. When she and her friends stood up Bellona grabbed Camilla's arm, pulling her along.

"What the hell - "

"You'll see."

The Harman witch turned around, seeing them coming. "You guys new too?"

"Yes," Bellona said before Camilla could speak. "I'm Bellona, that's Camilla."

The witch's friends had disappeared, apparently gone to their next class or something.

"Nerissa Harman," she answered, eyeing them suspiciously.

"How much do you know about Viola Redfern?" Bellona asked.

Nerissa made a face. "I know I don't like her."

Bellona smiled. "We're going to be good friends."

* * *

Aubrey frowned, annoyed and sick of being annoyed.

He was also tired of pacing and trying to figure out how Viola had escaped.

She had been gone for over a week now, and she was still driving him crazy.

Bellona and Camilla should have *found* her by now. His anger was increasing dangerously by the minute.

He really felt like slaughtering someone.

He entertained himself by visions of things to do to Viola when Bellona and Camilla actually *did* get off their lazy asses and bring her home.

He would torture her.

Make her realise who was boss. She would beg him for forgiveness.
Aubrey scowled when the phone rang, bringing him out of his daydream.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

If the didn't have something good for him his torture list was going to increase by two.

"We've found her," Bellona told him. "She's in a small town in Northern Kentucky, called Caledonia."

Aubrey smirked. Stupid girl, he thought. "Keep an eye on her."

He'd changed his mind. He wasn't going to wait for them to bring Viola to him.

"Don't let her out of your sight. I'm coming down there." He slammed the phone down.

If he had his way, Viola would be chained up and bleeding within twenty four hours.

* * *