The Golden Lily (Bloodlines, #2)(89)

It hadn't seemed like that much of a loss of control, but what did I know? And I wondered if maybe a small loss of control wasn't such a bad thing. Wasn't that kind of the basis of passion?

I didn't know that either. The only thing I knew for sure was that this kiss had been a lot like the last one. Nice, but it didn't blow me away. My heart sank. There was something wrong with me. Everyone was always going on about how socially inept I was. Did it extend to romance as well? Was I so cold that I'd spend my life never feeling anything?

I think Brayden misread my dismay and assumed I was upset with him. He stood up and held out his hand. "Hey, let's go walk to that tea shop one block over. They've got this local painter's art on display that I think you'll like. Besides, no calories in tea, right? Better than dessert."

"Right," I said. Thinking of the gelato didn't cheer me up any. The Italian place had had pomegranate, which kind of sounded like the best thing ever. As I stood up, my cell phone rang and startled both of us. "Hello?"

"Sage? It's me."

I had no reason to be mad at Adrian, not after what he'd done for me, but somehow I felt irritated by the interruption. I was trying to make the most of this night with Brayden, and Adrian unsettled everything.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Are you still downtown? You need to come over right now."

"You know I'm out with Brayden," I said. This was pushy, even for Adrian. "I can't just drop everything and entertain you."

"It's not about me." It was then that I noticed how hard and serious his voice was.

Something tightened in my chest. "It's about Sonya. She's missing." The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel




"SHE WAS LEAVING TOWN," I reminded him.

"Not until tomorrow."

He was right, I realized. When we'd spoken to Sonya last night, she'd said two days. "Are you sure she's really disappeared?" I asked. "Maybe she's just... out."

"Belikov's here, and he's freaked out. He says she never came home last night." I nearly dropped the phone. Last night? Sonya had been gone that long? That was nearly twenty-four hours ago. "How did no one notice until now?" I demanded.

"I don't know," said Adrian. "Can you just come over? Please, Sydney?" I was powerless when he used my first name. It always took everything to an extra level of seriousness - not that this situation needed any particular help. Sonya. Gone for twenty-four hours. For all we knew, she wasn't even alive if those sword-wielding freaks had caught her.

Brayden's face was a mix of incredulity and disappointment when I told him I had to leave.

"But you just... I mean..." It was a rare moment of speechlessness for him.

"I'm sorry," I said earnestly. "Especially after being late and ruining the museum. But it's a family emergency."

"Your family has an awful lot of emergencies."

You have no idea, I thought. Instead of saying that, I simply apologized again. "I really am sorry. I..." I nearly said I'd make it up to him, but that was what I'd said when I left the Halloween dance early. Tonight was supposed to have been the makeup date. "I'm just sorry." ADRIAN'S PLACE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH that I could've reasonably walked, but Brayden insisted on driving me, since dusk was falling. I had no problem accepting.

"Whoa," said Brayden, when we pulled up to the building. "Nice Mustang."

"Yeah. It's a 1967 C-code," I said automatically. "Great engine. My brother's. He's moved it again! I hope he wasn't out driving anywhere he wasn't supposed to - whoa. What's that?" Brayden looked at where I was staring. "A Jaguar?"

"Obviously." The sleek, black car was parked just in front of Adrian's Mustang. "Where'd it come from?"

Brayden had no answer, of course. After more apologies and a promise to get in touch, I left him. There was no pretense of a kiss, not when he was so disappointed in the evening's outcome and I was too anxious about Sonya. In fact, I forgot all about Brayden as I walked up to the building. I had bigger concerns.

"It's Clarence's," said Adrian, as soon as he answered the door.

"Huh?" I asked.

"The Jag. I figured you'd want to know. He let Belikov drive it over since Sonya left with the rental." He stepped aside as I entered and shook his head in dismay. "Can you believe it was locked away in his garage the whole time I lived with him? He said he forgot he owned it!

And there I was, stuck with the bus."

I would've laughed under almost any other circumstances. But when I saw Dimitri's face, all humor left me. He was pacing the living room like a trapped animal, radiating frustration and concern.

"I'm an idiot," he muttered. It was unclear if he was talking to himself or us. "I didn't realize she was gone last night, and then I spent half the day thinking she was out gardening!"

"Did you try calling her cell?" I knew it was a foolish question, but I had to begin logically.

"Yes," Dimitri said. "No answer. Then I double-checked to make sure her flight hadn't changed, and then I talked to Mikhail to see if he knew anything. He didn't. All I succeeded at doing there was making him worry."