011 Adrenalin Rush

"What are you talking about?"

Edmund dragged Buster a bit further from the ward door as he hissed under his breath.

The last thing he needed right now was for Lilith to think that she was abducted!

"Sir, before we stop the investigation on her," Buster started with the safest sentence he could find, "We found out that she's currently living with her friend, Emma."

"I know, it was in the report."

With a shred of frustration in his voice, Edmund hissed under his breath with his eyes fixed on the ward door.

He gave her a command to stay put, yet he was still guarding the room like a little boy hovering over his new toy.

"Yes, and by the way, it was also this woman, Emma Brown's car that Miss Hayes was driving when she crashed it." Buster continued hastily, seeing Edmund's impatience growing.

"And?" Edmund closed his eyes with a deep frowning, trying to keep his temper in control.

"And..." Buster hesitated and that lit Edmund up.

"Buster," Said Edmund with a very slow yet dangerous tone, "Are you trying to tell me that you are still investigating?!"

"Well, yes..." Buster flinched and quickly out with everything he had, "Only a few investigations were still on and we stopped completely soon after you gave your command, sir! But before that, we found that Emma was hurt at her house, and taken away on the same night of the crash!"

Silence filled the hallway.

Edmund eyed the quiet ward door one last time before he dragged Buster on the arm into a room across Lilith's ward.

"Tell me everything." Said Edmund briefly after he shut the door behind him, "And keep your voice low."

"Yes, sir!" Buster let out a relieved breath, "We visited her house when we got the address and no one was there. There was a pool of blood right outside the front door though, so we decided to look into it."

Edmund nodded at Buster impatiently which made Buster speak at an even faster speed.

"We found out from a neighbor that some woman shot her on that same night, and then Miss Brown was taken away by a man." Words spilled out like beans.

"She was shot?! Who's the shooter?" Edmund rose his eyebrow in surprise.

"Well, that's the thing." Buster took a deep breath, "The neighbor saw it from across the street. He saw Emma fall as the shooter rose her hand, but he didn't hear the gunshot actually."

Edmund frowned at the confusing clues: "He was close enough to see, but couldn't hear the gunshot? So the shooter used a silencer, but choose to take the shot on the street?"

"Sir, we don't think it was a gunshot." Buster said hesitantly, "We think..."

"You are thinking magic." Edmund nodded slowly, thinking about the mystery at hand, "Why?"

"Well, you remember the witch at the crash scene?"

Edmund frowned, searching his memory. He really needed some sleep now.

"We got her number from the emergency call, and it's registered under a girl named--"

"Ann." Edmund finished Buster's sentence, "Ann...Beryl?"

"Yes, boss." Buster nodded, "She's from a Mage family with both her parents being high level in a coven. In fact, she might just be the most powerful witch at her age in town."

"Was there any grudge between her and Lilith or Emma?"

"Well, not that we know of." Buster shook his head, "But the neighbor heard the man who took Emma yell at the shooter. He yelled, 'Ann, don't you hurt Lilith'."

Edmund shot his head up in shock: "What?!"

"It would be a hell of a coincidence if they are not the same person." Buster nodded, confirming Edmund's assumption.

"You are right. She cannot go home. It's too dangerous." Edmund sighed as he rubbed his temples in distress, "Where's Emma now?"

"We are still looking for her." Buster bowed a bit, "I just thought maybe we should keep that from Miss Hayes for now. It won't do anything good to her health I'm afraid."

"You are absolutely right." Edmund nodded with a surprised look, "Thank you for being so considerate."

"Boss..." Buster hesitated, "You know we don't have anything against Miss Hayes--"

"I know." Edmund opened the door, "But you need to warm up to the idea of her being around. The sooner the better."

"Yes, boss." Buster followed Edmund out, "But, boss, we cannot just keep her here without any good reason. I mean, she--"

"I know." Edmund sighed, "Of course she's scared. I'll think of something. Just go and find Emma as soon as possible."

"Yes, boss."

"And get everything you can on this Ann Beryl, no method is off-limit." Edmund said with a sullen look.

"Boss--" Buster froze in shock as if he didn't hear Edmund when he opened Lilith's ward.

She was gone.

"Lock down the building now! She shouldn't be able to resist my command!" Edmund glanced at the sealed window before he stormed out, "Someone took her. Get on the roof too in case they left from the window."

"Boss, we are at the 12th floor--"

"And the enemy uses magic." Edmund turned and headed towards the elevator, "Find her."

Buster ran upstairs without another word.

"Please, don't do this!"

Edmund heard Sarla's panicked voice even before he got out of the elevator. He rushed out and ran towards her direction, only to freeze right where he was when he saw the scene in front of his eyes--

Sarla stood in front of Lilith with her arms open, trying to stop Lilith from leaving the building.

There was no one else.

"What's going on here?" Edmund approached slowly, trying to ease the tension between the two girls.

"Found your little one wandering around and was about to get out when I got here." Sarla was so relieved when she saw Edmund.

Lilith frowned when she heard Sarla call her "your little one", but she stopped herself from protesting.

She turned around, facing Edmund with no fear written on her face: "I thought you said I could leave, Mr. Gaumond."

"How are you feeling?" Edmund realized that he had underestimated this girl, "Headache?"

"I'm okay, thanks." Lilith gave the gauze around her forehead a slight rub, "May I leave now?"

"You don't seem too afraid of me." Edmund ignored her question, but there was definitely pride in his smile at his little mate.

"Should I be?" Asked Lilith with a polite smile.

Edmund put away his smile as he demanded in his low alpha voice: "Tell me how you left the ward."

"And if I don't?!" A rush of adrenalin washed through Lilith hearing Edmund's rude tone, and there was now a shade of anger hidden in her's voice.

Edmund burst into laughter while Sarla stared at Lilith with her mouth wide open, shocked--

She had never seen ANYONE who could confront Edmund directly like that!

Did she just yell at Edmund when he was giving a direct command?!