Vampire High Sophomore Year - By Douglas Rees Page 0,54

was going on now. She was too tough for that. She’d left because it looked like the center was going to happen after all. And because Gregor loved her and she loved him. None of that went with her misunderstood artist pose. So she’d driven off, and left me tied up in the tree house again. I wanted to kill her.

“We can’t even file a missing persons report for twenty-four hours,” Dad was saying. “By that time, she could be a thousand miles from here in any direction. I know a private detective who does good work. He can probably track her down. That way, we can keep tabs on her, at least. I don’t know about bringing her back. She’s sixteen. There are states where she could declare herself an emancipated minor. It’s not like we hold a lot of high cards.”

“I’m not sure she should come back,” Mom said.

I left the room. Right then, the last thing I wanted was to know where Turk was. I got ready for school, and just before I left the house I stuck Turk’s note in my pocket. I was sure to see Gregor, and when I did, I didn’t want to spend a lot of time answering questions.

Since I didn’t have Turk to take me to school, I waited for the limo. My ride to Vlad was even more luxurious than usual. The car was empty except for me.

When I got to school, the parking lot was almost empty. The campus seemed almost deserted. There seemed to be a knot of people coming and going around the student center, so I went that way.

There was a burned-out oak fire beside the entrance, and an elaborate red, purple, and gold banner flying over the door. The design looked ancient, medieval, maybe. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it seemed to be a bloodred dragon outlined in gold.

Inside, Gregor had turned the place into a command post and was running his forces from it. It wasn’t just kids standing around talking in small groups and pointing at laptop screens. There were adults there, dangerous-looking Burgundian jenti who seemed to be waiting for orders. And they were all wearing swords. Some of them were carrying crossbows.

Clearly, Mrs. Antonescu’s meeting with the Mercians hadn’t gone well.

“Duke Gregor is busy,” Ilie said as I came in the door.

“My old buddy,” I said. “I always knew he’d make good.”

“It is his war rank,” Ilie said stiffly. “Among us, dukes assume their titles only in times like these.”

“Don’t you have any grown-ups you could take orders from?” I asked.

“Gregor’s father is in Europe,” Ilie said. “Gregor is the next in the chain of command.”

“Well, congratulations on conquering the student center,” I said. “What’s your next move, an attack on the library?”

“The duke will secure a base of operations,” Ilie said. “Then we will advance as directed. You should go now. You are not one of us.”

“Right. When you get a chance, give this to Duke Gregor,” I said, handing Ilie the note, and I left.

I went toward the classics building across the empty campus. Vlad had the feel of a Crossfield mill. Something was dying.

“Elliot, wait!” a voice behind me called.

I turned and saw Gregor walking toward me with quick steps. He had the note in his hand.

“What does bogus mean in this context?” he said, catching up to me. “I know the word, but it does not seem to fit.”

“For God’s sake, Gregor,” I said. “All it means is that Turk’s taken off the way she always does. Her note’s an excuse, not an explanation. Deal with it.”

“Deal with it? I have nothing to deal with,” Gregor said. He crumpled up the note and threw it away. “For the first time, Cody Elliot, I feel sorry for you, having such a person in your family.”

“Thanks, Gregor, old pal. That means a lot,” I said.

Three jenti suddenly swooped out of a cloud and flew low over our heads. Then they angled away toward Crossfield.

“Gregor,” I said, “tell a dumb gadje what’s really going on.”

“I tell you again, I do not know everything that is going on,” Gregor said. “I know only that it is so important to the Mercians that the stupid arts center not open that they are prepared to risk everything in New Sodom to prevent it from doing so. That makes it precious to the Burgundians. To me and my men, at least. So the center will open on Halloween. Then we will see what