They all looked at each other blankly, and shook their heads.
“If I did I’d tell you,” Becca said. “But that guy, he’s like a mystery man. No one ever sees him for more than a second.”
Scarlet’s heart fell. She had so been hoping that one of her friends had seen or heard something. It was the best bet that she had, since they were her eyes and ears inside the high school. She was crestfallen, and felt like crying inside. Maybe he really had left.
“Maria’s got a new man,” Jasmine said, smiling, changing the subject.
Scarlet smiled at Maria, happy for her, and Maria blushed.
“Good for you, Maria,” Scarlet said. “Who is he?”
“Only the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen,” she said. “He’s like a man, not a boy. He drives this awesome Maserati, and he wears the most expensive clothes. He said this week he would take me out to the city. Can you imagine?”
Scarlet looked at her, wondering who this person could be. It sounded too good to be true.
“Just be careful,” Scarlet warned.
Maria’s expression darkened.
“What do I need to be careful about? He’s perfect.”
Scarlet held up a palm.
“I’m just saying.”
“There you are,” came a voice.
Scarlet turned, and her stomach dropped as she saw Blake standing opposite her, smiling, wearing a plaid shirt, hands in the front pockets of his jeans. His hair was tousled, and he was a bit unshaven. He looked down at her as if he was really close to her.
“You’re like the hardest person to find these days,” he said. “Did you get any of my texts?”
Scarlet stared at him blankly, not having a clue what he was talking about.
“Which text?”
“I’ve been texting you off the hook.”
“Sorry, my phone broke,” she said.
He shrugged.
“Anyway here you are. You coming with us tonight? To Bannerman’s?”
Scarlet looked at the others, unsure, and they all nodded vigorously back at her.
“You have to come,” Maria said, stepping forward, linking arms with her.
“Of course she’s coming,” Maria volunteered to Blake. “She wouldn’t miss it.”
“Awesome,” Blake said. “We’ll ride out on the same boat.”
Scarlet went with the others to the couch and sat down, staring, thinking, and did not take the drink they offered to her. All the others drank as they turned up the music, laughing and having fun with each other, and in their joy, not one of them noticed that Scarlet was sitting there, despondent, wanting to be anywhere but here, not knowing what to do, and wishing the world would end.
Chapter Eleven
Caitlin walked quickly with Caleb up the endless steps on the Columbia University campus, their footsteps echoing as they hurried across the imposing building that held Aiden’s office. It felt surreal for Caitlin to be back here, this place she had spent so many years of her life, and her heart was pounding as she headed for the building, fearing what Aiden might say. Caitlin took assurance in having Caleb at her side, both of them desperate to see Aiden again and also dreading it. The last time she had been here he had advised her to kill her own daughter. She had vowed to never return.
But now she found herself in a desperate situation, and she realized now, ironically, that Aiden was the only person left she could turn to. She only prayed that the outcome would be different this time, that he would have something to tell her that could help Scarlet. There was no one else who had more scholarship on the subject than he, and if there was anyone in the world who would know how to guide her, it would be him.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Caleb asked. “How can some old professor help us get our daughter back?”
They walked quickly, Caitlin out of breath as she spoke.
“Not just a professor,” she said, “he’s a genius and a scholar. He holds the entire university library in his head. If anyone knows where to look, it will be Aiden.”
“But look for what? How will that help us find Scarlet?”
Caitlin shook her head.
“You don’t understand. It’s not just Scarlet we’re looking for; it’s the motivation behind where she might be. We need to know what’s driving her. What’s overcome her. Unless we have that understanding, we can’t know where to look. And most of all, we need a cure. Aiden could shed light on all of this.”
Caleb shook his head.
“I think we are wasting time here. I don’t have your mind for all this scholarly stuff. I never have. But I respect you. If you think this is the way, so be it.”
“We have to try,” she said. “Please don’t be so skeptical. You were skeptical once, and you were wrong. Remember?”
He looked at her, and he nodded, and finally, she could see that he was humbled.
“I’m ready to listen,” he conceded. “After what I’ve seen, I’m ready to hear anything.”
They reached the top of the stairs, and as Caitlin looked up, she was surprised to see Aiden standing outside the door of the building, eagerly awaiting them. His face was lined with concern, and he rushed forward and greeted her, placing a reassuring hand around her shoulder and guiding them in.
“I’m so, so sorry,” he said, his voice gravely concerned, and she could see the compassion on his face. She realized she was wrong about him; he had never intended anything but the best for her, and had said what he had said out of concern.
“Thank you for seeing us,” Caitlin said.
“Have you been followed?” he asked.
Caitlin’s heart pounded as she considered the notion for the first time; she turned and looked behind her, as did Caleb, and she shook her head.
“Come with me,” he said quickly. “I don’t want anyone to hear our conversation.”
Aiden looked all about nervously, then turned and opened the door, and they followed him up several flights of stairs, down a hall, and finally to his office.
They crowded into the tiny room, and Caitlin and Caleb sat side-by-side in the two small student chairs, as Aiden shut the door firmly behind them and took a seat opposite them. Aiden leaned forward on his desk, elbows on it, hands beneath his chin, one of his eyes twitching nervously.
Caitlin could see the toll that all this had taken on him, too, and she could see that he was a good man, and had never really wanted any harm to come to Scarlet.
“I’m sorry it has come to this,” he said. “I am sure you know I only wanted the best for all of you. I said what I said because I also didn’t want any harm to befall humanity. This is an unfortunate turn of events. Most unfortunate.”
Caitlin fidgeted in her chair, and before she could speak, Caleb leaned forward, anxious, and said: “Can you tell us where our daughter is?”
Aiden leaned back, sighed, and shook his head sadly.
“I’m afraid I cannot,” he said. “But I might be able to help you in other ways. Perhaps I can help you get to the bottom of what is motivating her. And what you can expect.”
“What do you mean, what to expect?” Caleb demanded.
Aiden leaned back in his chair, which creaked as he did.
“Vampirism existed for thousands of years,” he explained. “Your daughter was the last one. Now that she has fed on someone else, I’m afraid the plague is no longer contained. We don’t know how many others she’s infected, or how many others her victim has, too. It is too late for containment. Now we must find the solution.”
“A solution?” Caitlin asked tentatively. “Is there one?”
Aiden closed his eyes, looking pained.
“That is a question that has plagued scholars, historians, victims, the afflicted, the church, and even witch-hunters for thousands of years. Does a solution to vampirism exist? One would think yes. After all, your daughter was the last remaining vampire on earth. But you see, the problem is that the cure – if it exists – has been hidden. No one knows by whom, or when, or why. This is not knowledge that is freely shared, as you can imagine, but I will tell you that scholars and historians and others have searched for centuries. There have been many promising leads, even rumors of discovery. But no one has ever produced concrete proof. In many ways, we are knights in the search for the Holy Grail, for the Lost Ark. There are so many theories, it’s hard to know whom to believe. I myself have never seen evidence.”