Chapter Sixteen

CHRIS

"Let me go, Chris, there's nothing wrong with me."

Ricky struggles against the restraints keeping him tied to the chair failing to break free. Even if this was our Ricky talking right now he could turn and become manipulated on a dime which would be bad for everyone in the house.

"Until we kill the puppet master you're staying down here Ricky."

Ricky's eyes meet mine wide-eyed, doing his best puppy dog eyes. I shake my head and close the basement door blocking out Ricky's shouts and protests. We needed Ricky back to his old self, and Rose needed him more than anyone right now.

Walking back upstairs I notice everyone was up trying to keep themselves busy despite what we had in the basement. We needed a plan. Angelo catches my eye breaking off his conversation with Lauri, turns out Ricky getting controlled ended rivalries since we all had a common goal.

"Angelo, Ville, and Lauri can I meet you in the office?"

The three older vampires nod and get up before following behind me to my office. I shut the door behind Lauri and make my way over to the desk.

"We need to find out who is controlling Ricky and take care of them? Any suggestions?"

Angelo stays silent as does Lauri, who glances at Ville who was the oldest of us all so had seen more shit go down than any of us. Ville strokes his chin and leans against one of the many bookcases glancing over the spins lazily. Last time he made a suggestion he persuaded Rose to talk to the dead, so I was open but going to take things he said with a pinch of salt.

"A tracking spell, potentially whoever's controlling Ricky has to be keeping the other students somewhere just as they did with the four deceased students. If we could get something connecting the victims we might be able to find the puppet master."

That sounded like a good plan, a very good plan indeed. There was only one problem; we didn't have anything belonging to the missing students. The office door bursts open and Rose comes stumbling in, luckily Lauri was nearby to catch her before she could face plant the carpet.

"You are really clumsy Rose. What do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

Rose holds a mobile in her hands looking very proud of herself.

"I found this in Ricky's room, it belongs to Vic. Maybe it could be used for something."

Ville speeds to her side taking the phone from her, this worked very much in our favour at what we wanted to do.

"We can use this phone to track our puppet master Rose, thank you."

"How long will it take Ville?"

He locks eyes with me and shrugs his shoulders, "I haven't done one in a very long time. Do we know anyone with magic abilities?"

In the corner of my eye, I see Angelo sigh and shuffle forwards slowly raising his hand.

"I've dabbled in magic over the years, maybe I can assist you Ville."

That had to be hard for Angelo to say. He hated Ville with a passion, but today we had to put all differences aside and work together. Ville nods twirling the phone between his hands.

"I think we can do this together Angelo."

"Chris I'm going to head into town to meet Oli. I need some time away from the house."

Rose looks up from her own phone, I understood she needed to get out of the house but I felt like something bad would happen if I let her out of my sight.

"You can go as long as you keep your phone on at all times."

She laughs, "Thanks, dad. See you guys later."

I go to make a comment about how she should be taking her safety more seriously when Angelo shoots me down with a single stern look.

ROSE

Okay, so I kind of lied when I told Chris I was meeting Oli in town. We were meeting at a warehouse, which we'd found when we were twelve and had claimed it as our own special place. This place was our little secret, and I hadn't been here in quite a long time.

Pushing open one of the side doors I step inside the decaying warehouse and spot Oli leaning against one of the metal beams holding the ceiling up. However, a funky smell hits my nostrils.

"What's what smell Oli? Love what you've done with the place."

He turns around grinning, "I saw some builders in here the other day. I think they might knock this place down soon. Oh god, what happened to your cheek, are you okay?" his grin turning into instant concern.

I bring my hand to my cheek touching the bandage closing the space between us. Oli was a good friend; I could tell him, couldn't I?

"Err Ricky did it by accident."

Oli growls, "Why would he lay a hand on such a beautiful face? Now let's go explore, I have something to show you that I think you will like very much Rose."

Oli puts his hand on my back and guides me further into the warehouse sounding kind of giddy and excited. What could he possibly have to show me that I hadn't already seen before?

We walk deeper into the warehouse which had a rather large underground section with weaving tunnels and many rooms you could easily get lost in. As we walked down the third flight of stairs a strong feeling of unease washes over me, and suddenly I didn't feel like I wanted to be left alone with Oli.

"What do you have to show me Oli?"

"Cover your eyes. It's on the other side of this door."

With reluctance I cover my eyes and flinch upon hearing a metal door squeak open, having rusted over the years of abandonment.

"Open your eyes love; I did this all for you."

I take my hands away from my eyes and gasp in horror at the sight in front of me. The small room was splattered with blood across the four walls, and in the centre tied up and gagged were Vic, Mike, Perrie, and Jesy looking beaten up, bloody and near death. Turning to face Oli scary realisation dawns on me and instinctively I take a step back out of the room and into the corridor.

"What the hell is going on here Oli?"

Oli laughs manically, "How naive are you, Rose? I know what you can do, and with my necromantic abilities together we could be unstoppable and bring pain to all those who wrong us. Remember when we were younger and we talked about killing, I was just waiting for you to tap into your natural death sense power. Come on you killed your sister."

I shake my head, "We were young and stupid Oli back then. My sister's death left me distraught and guilty, and I wanted to leave town to learn how to control my powers so I wouldn't ever hurt anyone close to me again. That day in the coffee shop when I tried to see how the eight of them died it was you that blocked me, and here I was thinking I was going crazy."

He snorts, "And you ran straight into the arms of a loner vampire and stuck around because he promised to help you control your powers. But what good has he done so far? Can you control them yet? Besides, I sensed you got a rush at the morgue talking to the dead. Don't deny that a small part of you is excited by the prospect of death."

"You're the sick bastard controlling Ricky. Just because you're jealous that I chose him over you, and will always choose him over you."

Oli's smirk falters for a second and I realise my stupidity in hitting a nerve, he was obsessed with the idea of loving me and me returning the feelings. But that would never happen. I had to get out of here and call Chris before it was too late.

CHRIS

Myself, Ville, Josh, Vinny and Ghost return from feeding to allow the others to get a good meal before we put the tracking plan into action. However, when we stepped onto the porch I noticed the front door was hanging off its hinges and Ville curses loudly next to me before speeding into the house.

"Josh and Ghost come with me to the basement, and Vinny follows Ville before he does something stupid."

We split off, myself, Josh and Ghost speeding to the basement where the room once holding Ricky was empty.

"This can't be good guys," Josh sighs loudly.

Ghost snorts, "No shit Sherlock. We should see where the others are Chris."

The three of us speed back up the stairs and for the first time, I glance the fact that the lounge had been turned upside down with broken furniture and glass everywhere. Whatever had happened in here had been violent.

"Angelo!"

"Ashley!"

Josh and Ghost shout in unison before rushing across the room to where Angelo, Ashley, Ryan, and Lauri were lying prone and unconscious with stakes sticking out of their chests. Had Ricky done this himself? If so whoever was controlling him was pissed off which put Rose in danger.