Jesse

11

I laid in bed, feeling sore over something, getting up I moved my arms and could feel the pain of healing. I looked down, at my arms, seeing dried blood. I reached back, feeling the pain of something healing still and as I pulled my hand back out I saw the fresh blood smearing across my fingers. 

I ran my clean hand around my head, wondering how I got here. As it was I was in a bedroom that I sort of recognized, something from years ago. Something from the last time I lived in San Francisco. The last thing I could remember was going on a. Drive after dinner with my sons and Immy, and that ... other guy.

I couldn't even remember his name. "Immy!" I shouted hoping beyond anything that she wouldn't be here, but hoping that if she was we would get out. "Eli?" I called out again, hoping the same.

Nothing came, so I was relieved, then I got to the door, noticing as my eyes focused that it was just a really good painting against the wall. I took a few deep breaths, getting my eye sight to stop blurring because of whatever they gave me. Or hit me with.

I closed my eyes, inhaling, trying to find a good vent to try and catch a scent. I focused, trying to listen as well, but all I could smell was salt water, I could hear nothing else, and it was a deafening silence. I touched over the walls, getting to the end of the small part that did feel different.  I pushed on it, feeling it bend easily. I cursed and reared my hand back before pushing through the sheet metal and getting my hand all messed up but finding a big enough vent for me to see through. I saw some wires, as well as light. It was letting in more air, and I could smell something else, it was a familiar scent but I had no idea why it was familiar.

I groaned and pushed me way deeper into he sheet metal, making me bleed some more, and I didn’t care. I got the wall broke down enough for me to force my body through the walls, and as I got out... all I saw was the sea. I wasn’t sure where I was, East Coast, West Coast, England... my head hurt, I was healing and as I looked back, I saw that I had been in a metal box, the boards that I had felt were probably ply would very well decorated. I got to the end of the dock and looked back up, seeing some signs, some old fashioned boats, and as I got close to humans I heard an accent.

“Sorry, I think I am all turned around, which way to New Orleans?” I asked the men and they started to tell me that we weren’t that far, we weren’t more than 20 miles from the famous French quarter. “thanks.”

As soon I was out of sight from the men I started to speed through he darkness, I was getting close, I could find some one I knew, maybe Zanders place. It took me two minutes speeding around to find a blood club. I got inside, found someone I knew, and they took me down into the basement, he told me that Zander was actually in town with his mate, that they were at a bar he owned and then the man gave me a tunnel map that looked like it was a Disneyland ride outline.

The kid had traced it like I was a mouse looking for cheese and he told me if I got lost there would be some signs on the wall and that the tunnels had names. Zander had lost some people so he had taken precautions about it. I sped through them, clam down each moment I was going the right way. I pushed open the door I saw was marked with the same name of the bar, and as I pushed it, it opened up behind a bar.

“Hi, can I help you?” I heard someone behind me and I turned and smiled at the guy.

“Here for Zander-“

“You’re Jesse?” He asked me and I nodded. He looked up and down and I returned the look. He was wearing long pants but his foot was still bare... or rather his lack of foot was bare. There was just a peg leg.

“And you are?” I asked as he noticed me looking too long at it and he did a jig to get my attention back up to his face.

“Brian.” He held out his hand and I shook it. “He’s in the back, lurking.” He told me and nodded to something behind me, as I turned I saw him leaning forward in a booth and I nodded before heading to him. I had seen him a few months ago in Texas, he had a mate, well, someone he was hoping to make his mate and I smiled as I got closer thinking about the lovely Vivian.

“Why are you sitting in the shadows?”

“Waiting for someone to show up.” He told me and I noticed there was no sign of Vivian anywhere. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were in town?”

“Wasn’t my choice. I don’t remember what happened but I just woke up in a metal box by the swamp.” I told him and worked my jaw before hearing him laugh lightly.

“Hunters?” He asked me, his entire body had gone rigid and I just shook my head before shrugging.

“I would have been dead. The last thing I remember was being at a dinner... I don’t know how long ago.” I told him and he looked worried. “It was on a Friday, the dinner.” I told him and he sighed.

“Welcome to Wednesday.” He raised his hand, getting the bartenders attention and I watched as the man made his way over. I knew there were humans in the club so as he got closer,  I took my time to really look at him. “I need a phone for the lost vampire. I am sure his best friend is worried sick.”

“More like wife and sons.” I muttered and hoped they were there to even answer the phone.

“Married still?” I heard Brian ask with a laugh and I noticed some of his little ticks, some things that I do... to appear normal.

“Well when I turned, my tendencies went more the male way than her way, and she wanted to make sure she had someone to always hold onto... so yes, still married.” I told him and smiled as he seemed impressed with my openness.

“Yes yes, my two gay friends have finally met... can we focus on why you have been missing for 5 days?” Zander waved his hand and I saw Brian turn and head away, but I kept my eye on him as he seemed to head behind the bar again to get the phone he asked for. “Where did you wake up? The ocean?”

“A giant metal box near the sea. I was still bleeding so whatever they did to me lasted until an hour before I woke up.” I told him as I saw Brian coming back with the bar phone.

“So a witch could have wiped your memory?”

“Probably. I got one scent from the box that I recognized but can’t remember where I recognized it from. Just like the room I was in, painted to look like one I used to have in New York... or was it Portland? I can’t remember now.” I whispered and moved my hands up to rub my eyes. I really couldn’t remember what room it was, or rather, where it was.

And that was probably a clue.

“Fuck.” I groaned out and moved to crack my neck before I got to the phone Brian was waiting for me to take and I smiled as a thank you and starred to dial. It only rang three times before someone answered. “Immy?”

“It’s him! Jesse! Oh my god where are you! It says Zander 504 on the caller ID.” I let her rant and I pulled the phone away as she said I had taken a drive to the store and never came back. Apparently they found my car on the side of the road, no radio, no tires, no phone or keys anymore.

“Imogene, I am in New Orleans. With my friend Zander. I woke up here, I didn’t even know it was Wednesday.” I told her and she cried and then I heard the phone moving like it was changing hands and I could hear Aaron, I could hear Jr. and Eli and it was like they were all talking about who should talk to me. “Put me on speaker.” I called out loudly and then I heard a few clicks before I heard Jr asking me where I was, if I was safe, if I knew where I was when I had been gone.

“Let him talk.” I heard Eli shout and I took a breath.

“I don’t know where I was, when I was taken, who took me.... None of it. I was in a box near the sea 20 miles away from a friends place. I am here now, safe. I don’t think he would want to kidnap me when he looks like he’s been at the bottom of a bottle for a few days.” I said really looking over Zander and wondering where his mate had run off to and why he was a mess.

“You know what Jess.... the bottle of barrel is where I deserve to be.” He made no sense but he looked at Brian and the man nodded before heading away as I focused back on the phone.

“Either come and get me in a car, on a plane... something I don’t have an ID, no Debit or credit card... nothing to get me back up there.” I told them and I heard a throat clear and Zander waved his wallet at me and then keys and I just knew that even if I did take his things... he needed help right now too.

“Got it... I will drive down and get you don’t worry. Mum and Eli will hold the fort down here and I will watch my back the whole way down.” Jr. told me and I just nodded knowing he couldn’t see me but knowing that that sounded like a good idea.

“Ok, you do that, bring the car that isn’t all stolen and messed up.” I told him and he laughed before saying he would go and get ready to head out as soon as possible. “Eli.... your boss still there?”

“He is.” I heard the familiar voice and I still couldn’t remember his name... and I was hoping that was another clue.

“Look into the lists of people I have written down, find the connection. As it is, I still can’t remember your name.” I told the man and he grunted and I heard Immy calling out to me, asking if I was hurt, why I couldn’t remember him. “I am fine,w hat isn’t fine is not remembering anything past the dinner we had Friday and where I have been.”

“A witch.” I heard Brian call out like he was adding his mind set and I nodded before hearing Aaron say that she could get the Ames sisters to look me over when I got back. “Hope they’re good witches.” He told me and I nodded slowly, telling him that they were.

“I am safe, I am going to get cleaned up and feed.” I added and when I saw it I couldn’t help but look right to Brian, as if he was going to be my source... but he was like me, and he was not going to let me feed from him. I pushed the feeling down, knowing that it was a weird push.

“Call me when you are ok. I want to know more-“

“Aaron, I don’t know more. I knew that I am in New Orleans. I know that I woke up 20 miles away and had to find my way here, I know the place I woke up in was a metal box I had to punch my way out and the interior looked like an old apartment but I can’t remember where I was living when I had it like that... that’s what I know.”

“That’s something. Maybe you and Mr. McCoy here lived in the same city, had a mutual friend or lover or something.”

“I don’t have male lovers.”

“I think she meant that whoever did this could have been a woman lover of yours and a friend of mine, or vice versa.” I called out knowing that he might have underlying issues with being mistaken as gay.

“Maybe. I will look into it.”

“I never made a list of just women so you can go through the men, see if you recognize any of them, see if they are any of you’re friends or were or whatever... and watch your back, they might be after you next since they wiped my memories of just meeting you.” I told him so that he would be careful, so that if this was going to happen to more than just me he had a heads up.

“I am carrying at all times. No one is going to take me in without losing some of their followers or the group loses their heavy muscles.” He told me and I just rolled my eyes. He really was a mans man... ready to throw down.

“You do that... bye.” I hung up , instantly feeling relaxed until I saw a shot and a fresh bottle hit the table. I hadn’t even seen Brian go and come back, and now he was shaking his head as Zander waved his hand at him. Brian took off and started to make more drinks. I kept my eyes on him and made sure that Zander was two more shots in before I asked. “Where is she?”

“Gone... I thought she was dead.” He told me and I felt confused. “I left her... then I went back and saw that everyone there was dead... and then I heard she was here... in my favorite city...”

“Have you seen her?”

“Not yet.”

“Looking to find courage?” I asked him and he sighed before taking the bottle and just raising it to his lips instead of making a shot.

“Looking to forget. She got away, she is alive and she didn’t come to me.”

“You just said that you left her.” I told him wondering where he was getting his logic.

“She had to have been in trouble... she still could have come to me.” He told me and I swear even a good man like Zander wouldn’t understand a woman if I had written a handbook on them.

“So you left her, she almost died, she was hurt enough to stay away from you, and you are upset that she has tried to move on?” I didn’t understand for about 3 seconds why he broke the half empty bottle until I heard it in my own voice. “is she dating another man?”

“I’ll kill him if she is.” He growled out, his eyes were turning red, his hands were in fists and he looked ready to tear through the city in search for his answers.

“If she isn’t maybe she is just worried you don’t want her. Go get her.” I tapped the table and moved to stand. “I am going to go and find a place to change, clean up... maybe take this...” I took the card he had offered and moved to leave, but before I did that... I headed to Brian. “You might want to find Ms. Vivian before he drinks himself into a stupor of tracking her down himself while blazed.... know any places with good clothes?”

“I can take you and tell you a bit more about what happened between them if you want to stay another 20 minutes.” He told me as he looked over to Zander and I just nodded in agreement. “Good. Let me get him another bottle before he starts pushing the party boys around.” He nodded and he left me at the bar and I started to fidget. I had Vivians number in my phone... I could have called her seen where and how she was... and brought her here to fix it right now... but apparently fate wasn’t allowing that.