A sense of panic grew in Toni as the minutes ticked by. Carlos asked mundane questions like what they'd eaten for supper. Toni was finding it hard to even breathe.
"Would you like to have this picture?" Bri asked as she finished coloring.
"Yes." Toni forced a smile.
Nurse Bradley strode toward them. "Visiting hours are over," he announced.
"Tomorrow we're making Christmas stockings and putting up a tree." Bri handed the picture to Toni. "Can you come back?"
"Of course. I mean, I'll try." Toni was afraid Uncle Joe would deny her access once he saw her name on the visitor sign-in sheet.
"Let's go." Bradley motioned impatiently.
The couple in the corner separated. The husband headed down the hall. The woman sank into her chair and silently began to cry.
"This way, please." Bradley glared at them.
Toni hugged her friend, then quickly walked away before Bri could see the tears in her eyes. She followed Carlos back into the foyer and winced when the heavy metal door shut with a final click.
They slowly put on their coats and gathered their belongings, so the visiting husband would leave before them. A few minutes after he exited, they started across the courtyard.
The cold air slapped Toni's face, bringing her a sense of urgency. "We have to get her out," she whispered.
"I know," Carlos replied. "I've been trying to come up with a plan all evening."
"Her uncle will never release her." Toni's voice rose in panic. "We'll have to—"
"Shhh," Carlos warned her. He motioned to the oak tree and its massive branch that extended over the wall. "I could try to get her up that tree, but there's still the problem of getting her out of the ward. The damned place is locked up tighter than a nun in a chastity belt."
"We have to do something."
"I can't see a way out of here."
She grabbed Carlos's arm. "Don't say that! There's got to be a way." They just needed to get past the guards and the locked doors. "Oh my gosh, I know how to do it."
"How?" Carlos asked.
"We teleport her out."
"We can't do that."
"But we know someone who can."
"You're going to ask that vampire, Ian?" Carlos asked. "Are you sure he can be trusted?"
"I think so. I hope so." He'd offered to help her. And the more Toni thought about it, the more she knew it was the only way.
Toni insisted Carlos drive her straight back to Romatech. It was dark by the time they arrived. The guard at the entrance gate recognized her and waved them through.
Carlos stopped the car by the front door. "I know you want to talk to Ian alone, but leave me in the loop. This will require some planning."
"Okay." She pulled her knit cap off and fluffed up her hair. She wanted to look decent for her talk with Ian.
"Once Bri is out, we'll need a safe place to keep her. We can't just take her back to her apartment."
"Why not?" Toni snapped her eyeglasses into their case, then dropped them in her handbag. Her eyesight was a little fuzzy from a distance, but it would be fine for a close-up conversation. She pulled the visor down to check herself in the mirror.
"Toni, her uncle might suspect we're behind her disappearance and charge us with kidnapping."
That made her pause. She flipped the visor back up. "But Bri would come willingly with us."
"Are you sure? After all she's been through, do you expect her to trust the next vampire who comes along?"
"Well, I did." Toni winced. "But I had strong motivation. I was trying to help Bri." Tears threatened her once again. "We have to get her out of there."
"I agree. I don't like what those meds are doing to her. She's lost all her fight. She's not herself anymore."
"I know." Toni dragged in a shaky breath. She was barely retaining control over her emotions.
Carlos patted her arm. "It'll be all right, menina." He glanced in the rearview mirror. "What the hell is that?"
Toni glanced over her shoulder. The parking lot was well lit, and she spotted a short man, bundled up against the cold, trudging toward the front door of Romatech. He had a large black garbage bag slung over one shoulder. "He's carrying something kinda bulky."
"He?" Carlos glanced back, then shifted his gaze back to the mirror. "He doesn't show up in the mirror. All I see is a bag floating along in the air."
"Really?" Toni snapped down the visor to look in the mirror. Sure enough, the garbage bag was moving on its own. "That looks so weird. He must be a Vamp."
They sat in the car and watched the short man go through the front door.
"I wonder what he's got in the bag," Toni murmured.
Carlos snorted. "A dead body?"
Toni swatted him. "These Vamps aren't like that."
"You've known them for a week, Toni. How can you be sure what they're capable of?"
"They saved me when I was in trouble. Let's just hope they can save Sabrina." She opened the car door to get out. "I'll call you tomorrow."
Carlos waved, then drove back to the entrance gate.
Toni entered the large foyer with its gleaming marble floors and huge potted plants that concealed surveillance cameras and metal detectors. She turned down the hallway on the left, headed for the MacKay security office.
The short Vamp with the stuffed garbage bag was halfway down the hall. He stopped at a door and punched in a number on the keypad.
The door across the hall opened, and Shanna hurried out. She stopped. "Laszlo! How good to see you."
"Mrs. Draganesti." The short man bowed slightly. "How do you do?"
"I'm fine." She moved closer to him. "What did you bring?"
He opened his bag, and she peered inside.
"Laszlo, these are wonderful! Thank you!"
He blushed. "I'd better get them inside." He scurried inside the door with his mysterious bag.
What the hell was going on? "What's up?" Toni motioned toward the locked door.
"Toni!" Shanna gave her a hug. "Have you seen my office yet?" She pointed at the dental office across the hall.
"No." Toni suspected Shanna was trying to change the subject.
"You need to make an appointment," Shanna continued. "All the MacKay employees get two free checkups every year. Well, actually, not free. Angus pays for it. Have you met Angus?"
Definitely trying to change the subject. "No, I haven't."
"Hi, Mommy! Hi, Toni!" Constantine called out.
Toni spotted him hovering about four feet off the floor in the room next to Shanna's office. This had to be his nursery. The doorway was partially closed off by the bottom half of a door. The top half was open, and Constantine had levitated so he could see them in the hallway.
"Hi, Constantine." Toni peered into his playroom. It was full of toys, books, stuffed animals, a twin bed, and some comfy chairs. "Wow, you have a lot of stuff."
"You can say that again," Radinka muttered as she returned some books to a bookcase. "You two had better hurry up, or you'll be late for Mass."
"Okay." Shanna leaned over the door to hug her son. "I'll see you afterward, sweetie." She started down the hall, then stopped when Toni didn't join her. "Aren't you coming?"
"I'm sorry, but I need to talk to Ian." Toni gestured toward the security office.
"Howard's the only one there right now." Shanna moved closer. "All the Vamp guys are at the chapel, making sure it's safe. They're worried the Malcontents will try something tonight."
"Like what?"
Shanna sighed. "They blew up our chapel last summer. Luckily, no one was there at the time."
Toni winced. "That's terrible."
"Yeah." Shanna glanced toward the nursery and lowered her voice. "That's why I'm leaving Tino in the nursery with Radinka. Just in case. Come on. You need to meet Father Andrew. He's wonderful."
Toni followed her down the hall and into the main foyer. "I don't know if I should go. I wasn't raised Catholic."