Blood on Bourbon

3. The Disappearance

Title: Blood on Bourbon

Chapter 3: The Disappearance

Narrator

By Saturday afternoon, the trip was already a blur of neon lights and sticky floors for the others. Erin had slipped away each morning—visiting St. Louis Cathedral, sketching the gnarled oaks of City Park, and losing herself in the vampire lore at a small museum off Jackson Square. The city’s history sang to her, all blood and mystery beneath its pretty facade.

That night, though, something shifted. Mia didn’t come back to the loft. They had a dinner reservation at 6 p.m., and she hadn’t returned to get ready with her friends. As the clock ticked past 6:30 p.m. the sun hung low, a molten orange sliver kissing the rooftops before sinking into the Mississippi. Shadows stretched long across the loft's wooden floor, where Mia's friends sat, their voices tight with worry. They had missed their dinner reservation- she would never get to wear the light blue dress she loved or try the lobster bisque she was looking forward to. Now, as the last gasp of daylight bled into the humid twilight, the distant hum of jazz and the clatter of revelers below seemed to mock their growing unease, the air thick with unanswered questions.

“Maybe she hooked up with that bartender from Lafitte’s,” Jade said, nursing a hangover with a Bloody Mary.

"How could you say that? "She is supposed to be getting married!" Erin scowled.

"Let's just focus on finding Mia and not turn on each other, guys," Lexi suggested.

They all called Mia’s phone, but it went straight to voicemail each time. They decided to start looking for her. Erin found her glittery veil crumpled in an alley next to their loft. Dread settled in. Mia was obsessed with that veil, she wouldn't just toss it off. The girls rallied, splitting up to check bars and clubs, but their blurry memories and pounding headaches made them useless.

Erin, clear-headed and sharp, took charge. She retraced their steps from the night before, starting at the alley. The veil wasn’t the only clue—a faint smear of red stained the brick wall, too dark to be lipstick. Her stomach twisted. She remembered the museum’s exhibit: Vampires of the French Quarter—Myth or Murder? New Orleans had a history of unexplained vanishings, bodies drained dry, whispers of creatures in the shadows.

Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, Erin and the others went to each bar and spoke with the bartenders from the night before. They showed them pictures of Mia and pleaded for help, but it was useless. Mia had vanished into thin air.

As the group headed to their loft in defeat, Erin spotted a familiar face across the street. It wasn't the man who had bought her drinks the first night, but the other, more stern, black-haired man. Out of pure desperation, she decided to approach him. "Hey! "Hey, you!" She shouted at him as she jogged across the cobbled stone road.

"I don't believe we know each other, ma'am," the gentlemen said curtly.

"I know. "I just need to ask you a couple of questions, please," Erin begged.

"What is your name?" he asked as he raised one eyebrow at her.

"I'm Erin Scott, and these are my friends. We were traveling with one more, and she has gone missing! We haven't seen her since last night. I know your friends with that other guy who owns the bar down the street. I saw you on Wednesday evening when we got here talking together."

"Interesting..." He slowly stated, racking her body over with his steel dark gray eyes. Erin gulped down a bubble of air before continuing. "I was hoping you or your friend would be able to help us find my friend. It's not like her to just disappear. She has long blonde hair, down to her back. Tan skin and light blue eyes. "We found her veil in the alley just over there." The words tumbled out of Erin's mouth.

"Veil?" He c****d his head. "Was she to be married?"

"Well, yeah, she is supposed to get married next week. "We are on a girls' trip to celebrate," Erin said, beginning to get annoyed with the man. His perfectly sharp jawline flexed. "So, she is to be married, but not yet married, correct?"

"No, she isn't married yet. "Look, we just need to find her. "Can you help us or at least call your friend so he can help us?" She tosses her hands to her sides in frustration.

"Mmmm... "No." He responds flatly.

"What, why not?"

"Your friend was to be married but is not married. She traveled a long distance to revel in her single status and engage in behavior that would be unflattering to a promised lady. It is probable that she simply did not want to get married and has run off either alone to escape her future ball-and-chain lifestyle or has already found a new lover. No sense searching for a human that doesn't want to be found." The man states with no emotion.

"She does want to be found! It's not like her to do this! I think she is in danger! Please help us, please!" Erin begs.

"Why do you think she is in danger?"

"I just know. "I can feel it. "She needs help." Erin squares her shoulders confidently. The man stares at her for a good thirty seconds before responding. "Meet me at Calum's bar at midnight."

"Calum?" Erin asked

"Yes, the man you are referring to, that I was speaking with the night you arrived. His name is Calum, and, although you haven't asked, my name is Duncan."

"Oh- Sorry! Nice to meet you, Duncan. "I'll be there! "Thank you so much!" April spills out and turns to her group of friends, telling them the good news.

"Duncan and Calum are going to help us find Mia!" She exclaims, then turns back to thank Duncan again. But to her surprise, he was gone. He had vanished into thin air. She twisted around the sidewalk searching for him, but he was lost to the crowd. It was Saturday evening, the city was pulsing to life. It was going to become impossible to find anyone soon.

"Let's get back to the loft before we lose anyone else. "Maybe Mia came back," Erin said hopefully.