Free Blood Moon by T. Lynne Tolles Page B

two.”
    “Could he be under some kind of spell?” Devon asked.
    “It’s possible, I suppose, but maybe this is just his way of dealing with what happened. I mean he was pretty torn up about Rowan the other day. And besides us, who would be casting spells?” Darby answered.
    “I don’t know!” Devon said and looked at Dean for some insight. Dean shrugged his shoulders. “Well, maybe we should just wait and see what happens when he gets home.”
     

     
    Three days went by and there was no sign of Blake.   He wouldn’t return his calls, texts, or emails.   Darby, Devon, and Dean were starting to worry.   It wasn’t like him to just take off without returning a call.   Devon and Blake had always had a pact that they were to touch base with each other every 48 hours.   This had been a necessity when Paine was after them. Changing it now that Paine wasn’t in the picture had never come up and the pact was still in place as far as Devon knew.   Now, however, Devon was getting worried. He and Dean went looking for Blake.   They had driven up and down streets of neighboring towns and all through Oljone for over an hour before heading back to the house, only to find Blake’s car at Paddy’s just a couple of blocks away. Devon and Dean got out of the car to find Blake at the bar talking to Kyle.   Blake was sitting by himself, but the barstool next to him was pulled out and there was a glass of white wine on a napkin waiting for someone.  
    Devon walked up to Blake, nodding at Kyle as he put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Blake!” he said.  
    “Devon, what’s up?” Blake answered.
    “We were going to ask you the same thing.”
    “Yeah? Not much! Having a drink. Talking with Kyle. Waiting for Sally.”
    “Sally’s here, then?”
    “Yeah, why?” he asked possessively.
    “It’s just you’ve never mentioned her before. You’ve been gone for three days and no one has heard a word from you.”
    “What, are you my mother now?”
    “No, I’m your brother and we had an agreement that we would check in every 48 hours.”  
    “Yeah, when Paine was around, but I took care of him so why do I need to check in? I’m not twelve.”
    “No, you’re not, but you were not really acting like yourself when you left and we were all worried about you.”
    “Geez, guys. Get a life.   I’ve been with Sally. Do I have to ask permission for that too?”
    “Okay, fine. You’re right! Sorry! Mind if we join you for a beer? Love to meet this new someone!” Devon looked at Kyle and said, “Can we get two RedHooks?”
    “We were just leaving anyway. She was just going to use the ladies’ room, so you can do whatever you want.”
    “Great,” Devon said as Kyle set down two pints of beer.   They sat there for about ten minutes in silence, all three of them drinking their beers. Dean broke the silence with, “So what’s Sally like?”
    Blake didn’t say anything. He took a swig of his beer and looked towards the ladies’ room and then at his watch.  
    Devon said, “Look, Blake, I didn’t mean to make you mad. I freaked a little when I hadn’t heard from you and I’m sorry.   You’re right, you don’t need to check in with me. We’d just done it for so long…well…I got worried. Let me buy you a beer and forget it.”
    Blake saw the sincerity in his eyes and heard it in his thoughts. “Yeah. I guess,” he said, and then, “Do all girls take that long in the bathroom?”
    “It seems a little excessive. Why don’t you go knock and see if she’s okay?” Devon said.
    “Yeah, right! That’s not going to happen,” Blake answered.
    Dean said, “I know. Kyle, is there a barmaid or another woman that works here that would go knock on the door? That way it would just seem like someone else wanted to use the bathroom.”
    “Good thinking,” said Blake.
    “Yeah,” Kyle said. “I’ll have Kate check.” Kyle left for a minute and came back with Kate right behind him.   Kyle headed