“Right,” she snapped. “So I’ll just wait around and see, shall I?”
She looked out of the side window. The tinted glass made her feel a little better, knowing nothing could see her, but there appeared nothing strange going on. No gunfire, no screams, and soon they were away from the building and driving through the evening traffic toward Hampstead.
She pulled her mobile out of her bag and tried Jamie again. There was still no answer.
Tara couldn’t seem to rid herself of the feeling of dread as they pulled up in front of her apartment building. She didn’t know what would be better—for Christian to find something, or for there to be no trace of anything bad. Where would they go next if they found no trace of Chloe here?
“Can we go look at your friend’s apartment first?” Christian asked as she let them into the building.
“I don’t have keys,” she said.
“It’s not a problem.”
Tara led the way to Chloe’s apartment. She rang the bell in case Chloe had returned but wasn’t surprised when there was no answer. Christian examined the lock for a moment. He put his hand against it and pressed. It took no apparent effort, and the lock broke with a sharp crack. He pushed and the door swung open.
Chloe’s bag lay on a small table in the hall. Tara picked it up with trembling fingers. Chloe would never go anywhere without it. She peered inside. Everything was there, Chloe’s purse, her cell phone. Tara put the bag back while Christian opened all the doors that led from the hallway, peered in the rooms.
After a few minutes, he returned. “There’s no sign of anything here. Let’s try your place.”
As he pulled the door closed behind them, Tara pointed to the shattered lock.
“Should we leave it like this?” she asked.
Christian shot her a surprised glance, and considering all that was going on, a broken lock did seem a little low down on the priority list. “I’ll send someone over to fix it,” he said.
Tara led them upstairs and unlocked the door to her apartment.
“Why don’t you go pack a bag,” Christian said, “while I take a look around.”
“Why do I need to pack a bag?”
He turned to her, and she saw the grim resolution in his face. “You are not staying here.”
“Where am I supposed to stay?”
“With me. Now go pack a bag. This is not negotiable.”
“I can’t go. I have to look after Smokey.”
“Take the damn cat with you, whatever, but you are not staying here.”
Tara thought about arguing for all of about ten seconds. Then the fight oozed out of her, and she realized how afraid she’d been at the thought of coming back here, staying alone. The certainty had been growing in her since she’d seen Chloe’s bag in her apartment. Something had taken Chloe while she’d been here feeding Smokey.
Her mind flashed back to those things that had attacked her in the alley. Had something similar taken Chloe? Piers’s words echoed in her head, They’ll play with you and then eat you.
Chloe had been gone for four days. If the demons had taken her, maybe Tara should be hoping her friend was already dead.
A wave of nausea washed over her. Running for the bathroom, she slammed the door, fell to her knees, and threw up in the toilet. Her stomach was almost empty, but she wretched and wretched until nothing remained.
After flushing, she stood shakily and caught sight of herself in the mirror. Nothing had changed; she looked the same as always. She poured a glass of water and drank it, then brushed her teeth.
Anything to put off going outside and facing Christian.
She was terrified of what he’d discover about her friend. Her skin was clammy, her knees weak and she sank down onto the edge of the bath. Her head ached and she pressed her fingers to her eyes to relieve the pressure.
Maybe there was still a chance. Maybe the demons would use Chloe as a hostage and wouldn’t actually hurt her. Taking a deep breath, she got to her feet.
Christian lounged against the doorway into the kitchen. He straightened as he saw her emerge and gestured into the kitchen. She went through and found he had made her coffee. Sinking into a chair, she cupped the hot mug in her hands.
“Tell me,” she said.
“You haven’t taken off the talisman here?”
She shook her head.
“Then I’m pretty sure demons have her. I can sense their presence, faint, but it’s here.”
A shaft of pain stabbed her. She bit her lip, not trusting herself to speak until she was under control.
“Why would they take her?”
“Maybe they came for you and found her instead. She may still be alive, Tara. If they’ve taken her to get to you, they might not harm her too much.”
“So they might be willing to do a swap. Me for her?”
Christian’s face closed up. “That is not an option.”
“I think that’s for me to decide.”