| Chapter 3 Alexis gasped at the words that Luke read out loud “The Game Remains the Same. Hide and Seek” Her heart fluttered in fear. She swallowed harshly, wondering if this was a nightmare that would go away if she just closed her eyes and blinked. When she opened them again, Luke was staring at her in confusion. “Natasha?” He queried. “You look a little faint. Do you know anything about this?” Indeed, Alexis’ face had turned white. Luke thought she might faint, but she was a Cassidine after all. She was too strong to faint, wasn’t she? “Do I know anything? About as much as you do, Luke Spencer. I suspect that adds up to a big fat Zero!” Alexis spat out indignantly. “Okay, okay!” Luke replied, impressed by the veraciousness of her reply. “Had to ask. So if you’re out of the running and I’m out of the running, who’s left to play games with?” He sat down on the sofa, examining the picture. He stared intently at Lucky and Emily. There had to be something, some clue. “That’s a loaded question, Luke,” Alexis replied. “How many enemies do you have?” “Too many to count or none at all depending on who you are thinking of. Question is, who likes to play hide and seek? Besides, who says they’re after me, Darlin? They could be after you!” “Me?” “Come on, Alexis,” Luke reminded her. “You’ve got as much of a stake in this as I do.” Alexis averted her gaze from Luke. She knew what he was referring to. She gave in gracefully. “Okay, maybe they are after me. Maybe they’re after both of us.” “If someone so much as touches the Cowboy,” Luke ranted. He slammed the photo down on the table, finally getting over the shock of the picture, and the message. Alexis jumped, hardly surprised by Luke’s reaction. If she could, she would have reacted the same way. “I have to find him, and Emily right now.” “I won’t argue with you there,” Alexis conceded. She sat down on the sofa, her hand touching Luke’s leg. “We have to remain calm though. If we don’t, whoever sent this will have the upper hand.” “I’ve lost so much in this world, Natasha,” Luke admitted, falling apart for just a minute. “If we don’t find my son…I don’t know what I’ll do.” Alexis touched Luke’s cheek, then hugged him to her. They allowed themselves a moment to deal with their mutual pain. Pulling apart, Alexis took Luke’s chin in her hand and made him look at her. “I know what you would do. You’d drink yourself to death and act like an idiot,” Alexis replied. “Just like you did when Lucky was gone before…I don’t think I want you to go through that again.” Luke suddenly picked up the picture. He scanned it with his eyes again, every centimeter of the glossy photo. “What?” Alexis asked. “There’s only one place to start,” Luke said. “The Grille. That’s where they were going.” “Luke…” Alexis warned him. “You know they won’t be there.” “No, they won’t, but maybe somebody will have seen something. Hurry up before they close.” Luke stood up, checking his back pocket for his wallet, picking up his car keys from the living room table. Alexis went over to a chair by the dining room table and got her purse. As Luke opened the door, she touched his hand gently. “We’re in this together, right?” She asked. “Until we find them?” “and long after,” Luke assured his ladylove. He bent down, kissing Alexis full on the lips. Alexis sighed as Luke’s kiss found a warm spot in her chilled heart, the heart that knew they were walking into a game they might not be able to control, a game that could very well cost them the highest price of all, Lucky and Emily. * * * * * Gia stared with disdain at Celine Cassidine. Nikolas tried to keep himself upright as he digested his third shock for the night. First Lucky and Emily disappeared. Then he realized he was just as merciless as Helena. If it wasn’t for Gia, he would happily have killed Andreas. Now Stefan was married to…to this Greek upstart? She might be beautiful, but she had no rights in his life, not as far as he was concerned. “So? So, you’re my uncle’s wife. I really don’t care,” Nikolas snapped arrogantly, finding his princely bearings while Gia stood proudly next to him. “I demand to see Stefan now.” “He’s sleeping,” Celine lied smoothly. “I don’t want him disturbed. We had a long flight from Greece. Surely he knew he was out of the country?” “Of course I did. Stefan keeps me informed of his whereabouts,” Nikolas retorted. “What I have to say to my uncle is none of your concern. You have ten minutes to produce him, or I will wake him myself. I’ve grown up in this house. There’s no where Stefan can hide from me.” “I am hardly hiding, Nikolas,” Stefan intervened coming down the stairs. Nikolas’ eyes widened at the sight of his uncle in a loose Blue Silk robe of his own that covered his tall, muscular body. “I was busy when you arrived. Celine and I are on our honeymoon after all.” He stood at the bottom of the stairs, his arm easily sliding around Celine’s waist pulling her to him. Celine smiled victoriously as she felt Stefan’s embrace. Nikolas almost shivered at the sight of her gray eyes gleaming with superiority. Gia laughed. “Something funny, Miss Campbell?” Stefan wondered dryly. “Your nephew is in the middle of a crisis and you are worried about your honeymoon? I do find that to be amusing,” Gia admitted. Nikolas wondered at her daring, but for once didn’t mind it. Stefan was much too calm for his liking. “A crisis? Nikolas?” “Stefan, you don’t need to bother yourself,” Celine started. “We were just getting ready for bed.” Her mouth turned into a pout as Stefan smiled, taking her perfect oval face in his strong hands. “Douchenka,” He said using a pet name for her. “Nikolas is my nephew. If he has a problem, I must assist him.” “A problem,” Gia laughed again. “I think this is a little more important than a problem.” “Gia,” Nikolas finally said. “Uncle, we must speak. In private.” “Whatever you have to say to me, Nikolas, you may say in front of Celine. She is your aunt now.” Celine made a face that neither Nikolas nor Gia missed. She clearly took that comment more as an insult than anything else. “I don’t think so,” Nikolas returned. “I don’t know Celine, and frankly I have no reason to trust her. If you don’t want to help me, I have only one question for you.” “Nikolas, of course I want to help you. Just now is not a good time,” Stefan went on. “I see that. Fine. I want to know if you have seen Lucky or Emily Quartermaine tonight?” Stefan’s expression immediately turned to confusion. Nikolas could see the man hadn’t a clue. Celine turned away from Gia and Nikolas towards Stefan, but not before Gia had seen her reaction to the question, a question about people the woman probably shouldn’t even know existed, unless Stefan had a big mouth, which Gia personally doubted. “I haven’t seen either of them, Nikolas. I swear. What happened?” “Not now. You’re busy. You answered my question. Good night, Uncle.” Nikolas turned to leave. “Nikolas, please keep me informed,” Stefan invited as Nikolas left. “In your dreams,” Gia shot back as she looked back at them while following Nikolas. Her brown eyes met Celine’s in a knowing gaze for just an instant. Then she turned, flouncing out the door, slamming it behind her. Stefan stared at the door in shock. What was going on with Nikolas, Lucky and Emily? “Stefan,” Celine’s voice whispered. Her fingers touched his lips, her kiss licking his neck, her face burying itself into his chest. Stefan didn’t respond at first. He was genuinely concerned for his nephew. “Maybe I should go after him. He seemed very upset,” the man said. “Lucky is his brother. If he’s missing…” “Nikolas will find him, certainly. It’s our honeymoon, Stef. I don’t want to worry about people I don’t know. I want to be with you.” Stefan looked down at Celine’s angelic face. His hand brushed back her luxuriously silky long hair which made him shiver in anticipation. In one full swoop, he picked her up, brushing Nikolas from his mind. It wasn’t as if Nikolas was missing. Nikolas was safe. “Have I told you lately how much I love you, Douchenka?” Stefan told her as he carried her up the stairs. Celine put her arms around Stefan’s neck, kissing him seductively, filling his soul with her passionate longing. He disappeared into his bedroom as she nibbled at his ear. “Today? Yesterday? Tomorrow? I never grow tired of hearing it, Stef. Because I love you more than you can imagine.” Stefan’s delight at her words knew no bounds. He shut the bedroom door behind him, Nikolas only a nagging thought at the back of his mind as he deposited Celine’s statuesque body on their bed, then proceeded to let her know just how much he did love her…at least while they made love. * * * * * Helena stood at the railing of her yacht. It was the middle of the night, but she wasn’t tired. She was recounting the events of the evening. All in all it hadn’t been a total loss, though having Andreas nearly choked to death by her own grandson was definitely not in her plans. Nikolas’ reaction to Lucky and Emily’s disappearance was a true shock. Her grandson was turning out to be more like his grandfather every day, wildly impetuous, wildly unpredictable. A true Cassidine in every way. She should have been more careful. “Madame? You are still up?” Andreas asked coming out on deck. Helena turned, leaning her impeccable body against the railing. Andreas stood in front of his mistress. Her hand touched the red marks on the man’s neck. “You shouldn’t be worried about me, Andreas. You should be getting some rest,” Helena scolded. “I’m fine. I hope you’re not angry I didn’t go to the hospital. It wasn’t necessary.” “You could have died thanks to Nikolas’ impulsiveness.” “But I didn’t.” “I need you, Andreas.” Helena purred seductively. Her hands went around his waist, drawing him close. “I ache for you.” “Madame,” Andreas breathed as he kissed Helena’s neck. “We must keep in mind, Andreas,” Helena returned softly. “We did succeed tonight. Nikolas may suspect us, but there is no evidence, nothing to connect us to Lucky’s disappearance.” “Does anyone ever connect you, Madame,” Andreas whispered. Helena had a self-complacent look on her face as she followed Andreas back into her stateroom. She smiled demonically. “Of course not. My dear Andreas, I am far ahead of them. Let the game begin, but they will never catch us.” * * * * * In the ornate bedroom, Lucky Spencer felt a light hand on his back. In the darkness of his foggy mind, he tried to awaken. Moaning slightly, he tried to turn over. Instead, his head remained buried in the pillow, his eyes glued shut. He was barely conscious as he tried to figure out what had happened. Clear thought did not come through to him. His hand reached to his side. He felt a soft, slender hip, clothed in a silky garment lying next to him. Emily? He wanted to see. He had to see. Fighting against the concrete that kept him from moving, Lucky finally opened his eyes. He turned his head to see Emily lying on her side next to him. Her hand was what he felt on his back. Emily. Thank God she was safe. He had been so worried… “Emily?” He managed to inquire softly. His hand reached out to touch her face, to make sure she was alive. He touched her hair, then moved a little as his body cried out in protest. Fighting every inch of the way, Lucky started to sit up. “Don’t move,” came a male voice that Lucky didn’t recognize. Lucky continued his attempt to get up. For his trouble, he was pushed down on the bed, his face back in the pillow. “You don’t listen very well, do you?” the voice asked. “I told you not to move.” Lucky gasped as the pillow filled his nostrils and his mouth. He could barely breath. The man’s hand was strong, pushing his head further into the pillow so that the young man wasn’t breathing at all. “You want to die, Lucky? Is that what you want?” the voice hissed. “I can make it happen this easily.” Lucky struggled, his heart pounding in abject terror. He tried to get air, a breath, anything. The feeling of suffocation was overwhelming. “Well, Lucky? You need to answer me. One finger for yes, two for no. Do you understand me now?” Lucky’s hand shot up with one finger. The pressure on his neck was relieved enough for him to gasp for air. His chest heaved up and down in a tight race to live. Lucky had never felt so close to death that it whispered in his ear. As the air came back to his oxygen starved lungs, he felt his captor move. “Good man. You see? We’re going to get along fine. Remember to warn your friend that she must listen without question or I can snuff the life out of you in an instant. Comprende?” Lucky still couldn’t talk. He was barely breathing. His head was forced into the pillow again and he put his second finger up in the air again. Once more the pressure was lifted. Lucky’s mind was clear for a minute as his heart started to beat more normally. The man’s hand lifted off his neck. Lucky started to turn. “Don’t move,” The voice said again. Lucky froze. His arm was pinched. Lucky couldn’t help jumping as a needle was inserted under his skin. The sharpness of the needle was frightening when he realized he was being drugged. The liquid was released into his system subcutaneously. Lucky started to move again, trying in vain to get up. His arm was pulled back harshly. He gave a yelp of pain. “You’ll never learn, Spencer. Just relax. We’re having a good time, aren’t we?” Next to Lucky, he could feel Emily starting to awaken. His other arm and hand was under the blanket. He wished he could keep her still. His mind was getting foggy again, his body limp. He didn’t lose consciousness, but felt the man’s hand finally release him as the medication took full effect. Lying on the bed with no ability to do anything but feel the world flying away, his eyes closed in black release, Lucky’s mind only registered a final movement next to him as Emily regained consciousness. He felt her legs move, her body sit up. The man got off the bed. Emily’s hand touched Lucky’s neck. She shook him. “Lucky?” her voice cried. “Oh my God, Lucky! Lucky!” but Lucky never answered her. |