Later that day, I was sitting in my office, expecting an appointment, when the phone rang. It was Daryl, to my great surprise.
"Mick. Have you heard from Carrie?"
"No. Why?" If he didn't want to talk about my siring him, I didn't either.
"Because she's gone, Mick. Right after Beth left the bar last night, she disappeared."
"No message?"
"No. I thought she might have tried to talk to you after what happened uh, last night."
I knew it was hard for him to ask me for anything right now. I could hear the strain in his voice. He was worried about his wife, and I guess he would do anything—even talk to me—to find her.
"Beth talked to her after she left the bar. Did you know that?"
Silence. Then: "No. Any idea what they could have talked about?"
My turn for a pregnant pause. "Yeah. Beth told Carrie the full story about your turning, from my point of view. Carrie did tell Beth something neither of us knew: Carrie had contacted Coraline right after Carrie found you. Coraline denied knowing about you, but I know she did. Coraline was with me when I—when it happened."
"Knowing Carrie, I have a pretty good idea where she's gone. You told us Coraline was taken by her brother, Lance. Likely back to France, is that right?" Lance. I certainly owed him for another time I'd been beaten up. I really should work out more.
"That's my guess. You really think Carrie went after her?"
"Yeah. I do. She's pretty protective of me, though I certainly can take care of myself." A vision of my friend—my former friend, body like a linebacker, flashed in my mind. Yeah, not many vamps would mess with Daryl.
"I've seen how she can be. I'm surprised she wasn't the one to kick my ass last night." I couldn't prevent the smile coming into my voice, although maybe my attempt at humor was a little too soon. By the silence from his end, I guess it was. I missed Daryl's friendship already.
"Can you narrow down the possible locations in France? Lots of territory there."
"I'm sorry. No. But I know someone who might. Josef has known Coraline a long time. I'll call him for you, if you want. But Daryl, Lance is pretty dangerous. Old and powerful. If he has Coraline, Carrie may be walking into something she won't be able to get out of. The same goes for Coraline, herself. If those two met in a fight, I don't know who would walk away."
"Dammit! Carrie tends to go with her gut rather than her head sometimes."
"I know what you mean. I've got a girlfriend just like that." It was so easy to talk to him. So easy to fall into the habit of sharing my thoughts. Pain washed over me anew, and I suddenly couldn't bear it.
"Listen, Daryl, I want to apologize again. Had I known—"
"Let me know what Josef says." He cut me off. "Or, better yet, ask him if he'd call me himself. Uh…thanks." And the phone went silent. It took all my self-control not to throw the phone against the wall. But I'd gotten myself into this mess; I had to accept the consequences. But maybe I could still do something to try to make it up to him. I called Josef.
"Hey, Mick. You're still alive, so you must not have told Daryl your big revelation."
"I told him alright, and I've got the scars to prove it." I didn't mean physically, of course.
"Beat the hell out of you, did he? Can't say I'm surprised. But I will say I told you—"
"Thanks for the support, Josef. Yeah, he wasn't too happy. I guess I can cross him off the Christmas card list. But I didn't call to get a verbal beating from you. I'm calling as a favor to Daryl. It's the least I can do since I'm partly responsible. Carrie's gone missing, and we both think she went after Coraline."
"Coraline? What does Madame Medusa have to do with this?" I took a minute to update him on the recent turn of events.
"So, I'm hoping you know where we can start looking in France."
"Bad idea, Mick. Lance is bad news, as you well know. "
"Well, Carrie is already likely on her way. She's not gonna get out of there on her own. Daryl might at least be able to buy some time if he knew where to look."
The line was quiet a minute. "Okay, against my better judgment, last I heard her family home was in Versailles. That's where I'd start."
"Would you mind calling Daryl and telling him yourself? I got the distinct impression he didn't want to have to talk to me again."
"Sure. I can say good-bye, because that's probably the last time any of us will be talking to him."
"I'm afraid of that myself," I said. "Thanks, Josef."
"I'm running the tab…"he replied, then hung up.
Ten minutes later, Josef called me. "That guy is going on a suicide mission. While it goes against every molecule of self-preservation in my four-hundred-year-old body, I've offered my private jet. And I don't want to hear anything about my developing a conscience, or empathy, or any other touchy-feely crap. Dust off your passport."
"I don't really think he'd want me on a long plane ride with him. But that was nice of you to offer to go with him."
"Mick, get your ass to the airport in an hour. He's more your friend than mine, and this is your chance to get back in his good graces. Save his wife, and you'll be sipping free Scotch at his bar like nothing ever happened. Besides, you're a daddy now. Time to take responsibility for your offspring. Trust me on this. For once."
I sighed. Josef was right so often it scared me. But that was something I'd never admit to him in a million years, because for sure I'd be hearing about it for a million years. "Okay. I'll be there. Don't tell him though, or he might refuse help from both of us."
"Good. See you soon."
I called to cancel my impending appointment. Work sure had been suffering lately. Then, I called Beth to tell her my plans. She was not happy.
"Mick, you don't owe Daryl your life, despite how guilty you feel."
"Yes, Beth, I literally do. I can't just let him go into this by himself. Two days ago, he would have done the same for me. My feelings of friendship haven't changed, even if his have. I just called to let you know I'll be going. I don't know when I'll be back."
"Please, Mick. Be careful. I couldn't stand it if something happened to you."
"I'll be fine," I said, having really no earthly idea if I would be. "Try not to worry. And remember how much I love you. I've got a lot to lose here, so I'll be especially careful."
" I wish I could go with you."
"Don't even think about it." She didn't reply, and I could just hear the wheels turning. "I mean it, Beth."
"Hurry home. I love you, Mick." Click. I had a very bad feeling about that abrupt disconnect, but there was nothing I could do about my headstrong blonde. I went to my room to pack and find my passport.
An hour later, I was sitting on Josef's plush private jet, in uncomfortable silence across from Daryl. The jet was up to Josef's usual high standards, specially equipped with built-in freezers, and well-stocked with blood and booze. Josef tried to make light of everything, as usual. Daryl wasn't biting—if you'll pardon the pun.
"So, let's make plans," said Josef brightly.
"We land in Paris, rent a car and head to Versailles," said Daryl. "I should be able to track her once we get there." Daryl, a man on a mission, seemed to be comforting himself with the details. I would do the same, in his shoes. "What should I know about Coraline's brother?"
I guess that was my territory. "He's lethal. Not just because he is old. He can do the unexplainable—like not burn like a vampire does. Part of that is likely from the cure Coraline showed me. I can only guess that when taken over time, you can have both human and vampire qualities at once. When he took Coraline, she mentioned someone else she would have to answer to. Someone she was really afraid of. That's what Carrie is walking into." My comments were met with another awkward silence.
"Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine?" said Josef sarcastically. "On the bright side, Daryl, you have us to help you, rather than going it alone. And I know my way around Paris and Versailles like the back of my hand, so you have nothing to worry about."
"How long since you've been to Paris, Josef?"
"About a hundred years. But how much could it have changed?" Daryl and I groaned aloud at the same time. Any other time, we would have laughed at that. I seriously hated this.
Fortunately, we were interrupted by the captain announcing our departure, instructing us to buckle up. The lift-off was smooth and uneventful, and once airborne, I gladly accepted the glass of blood Josef's scantily clad flight attendant offered me. Daryl and Josef began a game of chess, and I flipped restlessly through a magazine. I don't know why it surprised me when Beth walked out of the cockpit a few minutes later. I don't know how I missed her fragrance, except I assumed I still could smell her from our earlier dalliance. Well, I could certainly smell her now. I looked from her to Josef in extreme annoyance.
"Josef, I'm going to kill you for letting her come with us. Then, I'll kill you again if anything happens to her."
"Now, Mick, don't get your boxers in a bunch. It's a long flight. I figured you wouldn't partake of Felicity here," Josef said, indicating the attendant, "so Beth is certainly the next best thing."
"Gee, thanks Josef. And here I thought you needed my help. I didn't expect to be part of the refreshments." Now Beth was annoyed. Good. Served her right.
I turned to her as she sat down on the couch beside me. "As for you, I distinctly remember telling you you weren't invited. You might have gotten a free trip to Paris, but there's no way in hell I'm letting you get off the plane." She reached out, running a rose-colored fingernail softly just under the collar of my shirt. Josef and Daryl politely turned away. She smiled sexily and leaned in to nibble at my ear. I shivered in automatic anticipation. "I have a long time to try to change your mind," she whispered.
Of course, Josef and Daryl's vamp hearing picked up every word. I saw Josef smirk. Well, I wasn't about to give him a show. I unbuckled my seatbelt and pulled Beth to her feet, then led her purposefully to the restroom, which was much bigger than those in a commercial plane. I let her pick up where we left off on the couch, with Beth trying to convince me. While I didn't give in in that regard, by the time we landed for refueling in New York, well, let's just say all was forgiven.