AllFreeNovel
Share Us
If they had her alone, they could drag her back to the depths of hell where they came from.
Guilt tore through her. She should’ve done a better job of protecting her houseguest.
Rita would never forgive her if anything happened to her.
This was exactly why her friend had been so adamant that Bella stay away from the party.
Ariana should’ve gone along with her friend’s wishes.
Now it was too late.
ChapterTwenty-Four
Ariana turned to Damon, but he’d disappeared with his camera. There wasn’t time to find him.
She had to get to Bella.
Groups were gathered all throughout the first floor of the house, but Bella wasn’t among them. No gray flowing dress, no Day of the Dead mask in sight.
The house seemed to shrink around her as she raced from room to room, not finding her young friend anywhere.
Maybe they’d taken her outside.
Cold air blasted her as she opened the door. Wind whipped raindrops and leaves through the air, and the nearest streetlight flickered like it was about to go out.
The only people in sight were groups of trick or treaters, running and laughing, all unaware of the potential danger not far away. Most homes were empty because of the party, but there were buckets of candy on the porches of the homes where nobody waited to hand out treats.
Ariana raced into the yard and checked the fencing on either side of the house. Both gates were closed.
Were the men still inside? Was Bella?
She marched to the sidewalk. Looked up and down the street for anything unusual. Listened for any signs of distress or struggle.
Shrieks and giggles sounded, but nothing out of the ordinary for a Halloween night.
“I love your costume!” a girl dressed as a firefighter called to Ariana as she raced by, chasing a boy dressed as a Dalmatian.
Ariana tried to say thanks but couldn’t get her voice to cooperate. The girl was already out of sight anyway.
Bella must not have gone outside. That was just as well. Ariana needed to let her friends know what was going on with the two men watching Bella.
Slam!
She whipped around to look at her front door. It was still open.
The noise had come from somewhere else.
Ariana oriented herself and crept down the street to where some overhead branches blocked her view of the road.
A white van sat running at the corner of the street. Its back doors were open.
Her heart sank. That vehicle may as well have ‘kidnap mobile’ painted on the side.
It was even more suspicious than the two men she was looking for.
There was no other choice.
She bolted toward it.
