44

44

Ian’s POV

I watched as Jenny paced round the living room, her hand running through her hair tiredly. I could understand her worry. If it was Mike or Jacob that was missing, I’d probably be doing worse than she was.

I looked at Jacob, whose eyes was on her in a predatory manner. The same way his first instinct was to kill Sophia after she heard our conversation, his first instinct was to wipe Jenny’s memories so she wouldn’t be here. But something was compelling me to trust Jenny. That I could trust her with everything that was going on, although I didn’t know how I was going to drop everything on her that Sophia had left after finding out I was a vampire. It wasn’t something I could just dump on her like that.

I ran my hands through my hair in frustration.

My heart wouldn’t stop beating so fast. I feared that Sophia was already harmed. And I didn’t understand why the men who had been shadowing Sophia hadn’t reported back. They should have seen when she was kidnapped. How come they didn’t know that? How come I hadn’t heard from them?

I ran my hands through my hair in frustration one more time. I hated being in a state like this. It was in times like this that I always acted in a rash manner, behaving without thinking. And before I take any decision right now, I needed to be in the perfect state of mind. I needed to be thinking clearly before I did anything.

“I just don’t understand,” Jenny began as she stopped her pacing and then looked at me. “I don’t understand…Sophia wouldn’t go anywhere without telling me. She texted that she was coming back home but…she never got back and that’s fishy. She wouldn’t go somewhere without telling me. I think something bad must have happened to her, Ian.”

“She’s fine,” I assured here even though I knew she wasn’t. I knew something was wrong. I could feel it. I knew Sophia was in grave danger, but I couldn’t just place it. And I couldn’t trace her. “She probably just went somewhere to clear her head.”

“What exactly happened bed, Ian?” Jenny asked as she crossed her arms and gave me her best glare. “Why did Sophia leave and go somewhere to clear her head instead of coming straight home?”

“We…we had a misunderstanding,” I answered flatly. “I already told you that.”

“Yes, you already did but honestly I’m not interested in your half truths. I want to know what exactly happened, Ian. I want to know why my best friend is missing and why she just left without reaching out to me!” She snapped. “If she stays missing for another day I swear to God I’m going to have to bring her father involved and you know who he is,” she threatened. “You’ll sleep in the prison until you can finally tell us what really happened.”

Jacob started to get up from the bar stool he was sitting on but I pinned him with a stare, silently passing the message that he should remain seated and let me handle it.

“I told you we had a misunderstanding and she insisted she wanted to leave. But I’m afraid whatever happens between Sophia and I remains between us,” I told her flatly. She had no choice but to understand that. If not I might be the one breaking her neck or compelling her to forget that Sophia ever came here and go back to her dorm. Now that was seeming like the better idea.

“Excuse me,” I added, narrowing my eyes at her and then pinning my brother with a stare before turning around and going to my room. I removed my phone from my pocket and dialed Mike’s number instantly.

He picked up on the third ring. “I’m busy right now,” he growled into the phone. I ignored his tone and words and went straight to the point. I didn’t have time to parabulate.

“You told me you had your best men watching her,” I snapped back.

“Yes, of course I do,” he answered, immediately understanding who I was taking about.

“Well she’s missing,” I snapped.

“Missing?” He repeated. I could hear the shock in his voice. “Missing? Since when?”

“Just yesterday,” I answered.

“What exactly happened?” he demanded.

“She overheard Jacob’s and I conversation and she confronted me. I explained and she left. Only for her roommate to come her today and tell me that Sophia hadn’t been home since yesterday. And I’m scared, Mike, I’m scared that someone has hurt her. Why haven’t your men reported back to you?” I asked, my voice straining as I tried hard to keep myself calm.

“I’ll get back to you on that, Ian. But you fucked up. You should have told me the moment that happened. Why did you wakttil now to tell me?” He demanded. “Let me get in touch with my guys,” he added and then ended the call.

I ran my hands through my hair in frustration before putting my phone back in my pocket and going down the stairs. I didn’t trust Jacob to be patient with Jenny’s questions. I didn’t trust him not to break her neck if she disturbed him too much.

I got downstairs just the same time the doors to my home opened and two guys stepped in, their eyes instantly meeting mine. I knew instantly that these were some of the guys that were shadowing Sophia.

“Boss, she has been kidnapped,” one of them said instantly, not caring that there was another woman in the room. I looked around instantly, but then Jenny wasn’t here. She must have gone somewhere, or left.

I relaxed. “Go on.”

“It was Miss Freya who did it,” the other said. “She was the one who kidnapped her, and she killed two of our guys while ago it. We managed to hide so she didn’t see us, and then we were able to track her back to the warehouse where she has Miss Sophia.”

“And you both came back without Sophia?” I asked, gritting my teeth.

“We’re sorry about that, Mr Grant. But we can’t take on Miss Freya. If we did and she tried to kill us then there is no one who would come give you information about Miss Sophia,” the first one explained.

“Who is killing who and what information about Sophia?”

I turned around instantly. Jenny was standing on the stairs, her eyes wide as she stared down at us. Before I could move, Jacob had already used his vamp speed and He was now behind her, one hand on her neck and the other on her jaw.

“Jacob don’t!” I yelled, stretching one hand as a gesture for him to halt but I doubt he was listening to me now.

“Jacob do not hurt her!” I repeated. When it seemed like he wasn’t going to listen to me, I shook my head in annoyance and then used my vamp speed to get to them and whisk Jenny away from his grasp.

“What the fuck?” She gasped, pushing me away from herself and running to the kitchen. She grabbed a knife and pointed it at me, then at Jacob. “What is going on here? Who are you guys? What are you and what have you done to Sophia?”

I looked at the two men and sighed. “Thank you, and get out.”

The vamped out of my house instantly. I gulped as I looked back at Jenny who was trembling in fear. I trusted her.

“I have a lot to tell you,” I answered her with a sigh.

“Ian, you shouldn’t,” Jacob warned.

“Don’t interfere,” I snapped.

“Ian-“ he protested but I shot him a glare that made him shut his mouth instantly.

I signed as I looked back at Jenny who was still shaking, pointing the knife at me. I took a step forward and she took two back. “Don’t you dare. I swear I’ll kill you.”

“You won’t,” I said and sighed again, trying to keep my patience. “But if it makes you feel better, I’m going to do the explanation from here.”

“Good.” She gritted her teeth as she glared at me.

I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. When I opened it, my vision was red and my fangs were bared out for her.

She gasped, her eyes widening in horror and the knife dropping from her hand. “You’re a—a—” she stuttered as if she couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

“A vampire. Yes, I am. I’m the king of the vampire underworld. My brother here is a vampire. Those two men are vampires too. And I’m afraid I might have done something that put Sophia in danger that first day we met,” I explained calmly.

“What did you do?” She asked.

“I marked her,” I answered calmly. “I marked her, and that made a lot of people put their eyes on her. Including my betrothed, Freya.”

“And it’s Freya who wants to kill her now?” She demanded.

“I’m afraid so,” I answered.

“Then what are we still doing here?! We need to find her! Your fiance might have killed her and we’re still here talking!” She yelled.

“Trust me, if she were dead, Ian would currently be feeling it,” Jacob murmured flatly.

Jenny instantly shot him a glare. “Shut the fuck up, you sick bastard! I’m talking to your brother and not you.”

“Careful there. The only reason why you’re still living right now is because of him. And it wouldn’t take me anything to kill you,” Jacob warned.

“The both of you should just shut it please,” I snapped. “We should be figuring out how to find Sophia. But first, I need you to promise something,” I said, looking at Jenny.

“What?” She asked.

“You won’t tell anyone about what you just saw,” I told her.

“I won’t. If Sophia comes back alive,” she answered flatly. “Now, can we go and find my best friend?”

“Yes. But you’re not coming with,” I answered flatly before signaling for Jacob to follow me.

“You’re joking right?” She asked with a scoff, starting after us.

“Unfortunately not,” I answered, giving her a grim smile before stalking out of the house with Jacob. I locked her in.