Page 51 of Made

“Where is everybody?” John David interjected, looking a little lost.

Kagan continued, intent on conveying the emergency to Keir. “I DON’T KNOW WHO TOOK HER! I DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY TOOK HER!”

“Alright.”

When Keir turned toward me for help. I shook my head to let him know I couldn’t add anything useful. He reached out to touch Kagan’s shoulder, but Kagan shrugged him off and grabbed fistfuls of his own hair at the temples.

“I don’t know what to do.” Kagan’s tone had suddenly fallen from shout to whisper.

Again, Keir said, “Keep your wits about you. We’re going to sort this out.”

“What’s going on?” John David asked. “Jarvis?” he called.

“Sir?” Jarvis was there in an instant.

“I don’t hear music.”

“The band departed, sir.”

“Departed?”

“Along with most of the guests.”

“How did I miss that?”

“Do you remember being in Bulgaria?” I asked.

“Bulgaria?” he repeated dumbly. “I think I spent time there before the First World War.”

That was not what I meant. “I think you need a hot bath.”

“Why? Am I…?” A look of horror stole over the vampire’s face as he wondered if someone was suggesting body odor.

“No. It’s not that,” I reassured him. “It’s a story that shouldn’t be rushed, and we have a situation right now that needs attention. Esme’s been abducted.”

John David looked around. “Abducted?” He sounded like that was simply not a possibility and that somebody, namely me, was either lying or attempting a payback prank. He looked around as if to confirm that he was where he thought he was. “From here?!?”

“Yes. Hard as it may be for all of us to accept, we need to focus our attention on a course of action.”

“I see,” our host said thoughtfully. “How can I help?”

“Coffee?” I ventured.

“Jarvis!” he said.

“Yes, sir.” Jarvis was still standing a few steps away in the foyer.

“Bring a full coffee and tea service to the drawing room.”

“Yes, sir.”

I thought I’d catalogued all my husband’s looks, but Keir deposited a new one into my spousal registry.

He took out his phone. “I’m calling Killian.”

With a nod, I said, “Sure. He’ll want to know what’s happened and that Kagan is, um, in a state.”

“What did they look like?” John David asked.

---