Page 2

CHAPTER 2

BAELEN

H ow are these humans finding us? And with all the chaos we caused, how have they regrouped so quickly? For what purpose?

Having created many portals and fought a dragon, we were the most depleted of energy and therefore waited for instructions from the leaders on how and when to intervene.

But the sounds of battle made me twitchy. I was not the type to sit and wait. I ensured my enemy died, even if I endangered myself to do it, but I couldn’t take such risks anymore, not when three other souls lived or died by my actions.

When another explosion shook the trees and lit the night’s sky with fire, I exchanged a glance with my soul mate. His golden hands and jaw clenched, and I knew he was also ready to act. We moved as one and jogged back toward the cars. The small team of witches, Arabella, Alcor, Isaac, Daithi, Savida, and Elizabeth followed close behind.

Shards of bark hit my face, and I stopped in my tracks. What?—?

My ears caught the faint whistle of something slicing through the air, but my eyes couldn’t catch it. I flinched when it hit the tree only inches from my face. I turned to see a small projectile buried so deep into the trunk I could barely see it. Only the smell of smoke and the small hole proved it ever existed.

These weren’t the same weapons used against us when the hunters came to capture supernaturals from the island. No, these weapons would kill.

As I heard another whistle, I moved instinctively, pushing Zaide out of the way and behind another, larger tree, pressing him against it in the hope I could shield his giant frame from harm. His arms came around me as the surrounding trees and bushes rippled from the small projectiles spraying the landscape.

Peeking behind me, I noted our companions had also taken cover from the danger. If I looked with my titan power, I could see the blood threads of their bodies hiding, as we were, behind trees and bushes. Between the spray of bullets, I could hear the mutterings of plans forming. Fighting against such weapons was their expertise.

I peered around the tree, and my soul mate, only to attract another spray, the loud sound making my ears ring. Zaide’s hands tightened around me as he pulled me firmly against his chest and glared.

“Patience,” he whispered.

My eyebrow raised. Does he have a plan?

Instead of another spray, a strange clicking noise sounded, and Zaide grabbed me as we stormed out from the trees and toward the hunters. From behind us, others roared as they charged with us.

The heat of flames warmed my skin as we battled our way in the direction of the vehicles, and the light burned like a sigil on the road, beckoning us closer.

“This place is cursed,” Zaide whispered.

A hunter threw his weapon to the ground and looked up at us. His eyes were the only thing visible, and his hatred for us seemed to burn inside them. He charged at us with a yell, and Zaide, with a single punch, stopped him in his tracks.

“Are you still hungry?” he asked, and I looked balefully at the unconscious human.

“They don’t taste like sunlight.”

“They will increase your strength. You still seem off.”

I knew I caused him concern after I’d attempted to revive the protector. He didn’t understand why it caused me to lose myself, and neither did I, but having feasted on the blood of the humans earlier, I was feeling much improved.

I’ll explain once we are safe…

The rest of the group chased the hunters to retreat to their own vehicles and drove off.

“They’ll be back as soon as they’ve regrouped. Status report, quickly!” Danica, the vampire task team leader, shouted.

“They’ve destroyed two of our cars,” Robert, the demon-kin leader, called out. “We’ll need another way out of here.”

“The tech?” Isaac asked.

“In the last car.”

Isaac let out a sigh of relief.

Robert added, “My team needs to get to safety. They’ve taken a big hit. So have the shifters.”

“All teams leave. Robert and Danica will lead in our stead. We’ll distract the hunters enough for you to get away.” Arabella announced, deciding for everyone and then addressed her witches. “Take a car, lead them on a chase until you are certain they’ve lost you, and head to the safe house.”

Isaac added, “Check the cars for bugs when you stop. They are following us somehow.”

In a flurry of movement, the teams did as instructed, and within seconds, the doors of the cars slammed closed, the headlights lit up the forest, and some cars pulled off and raced away.

“You guys will be okay?” Robert asked, his body half in the driver’s seat of the car. His gaze wandered over to Elizabeth.

“I’m fine. I will see my son when he returns.”

I raised my eyebrow at her words but said nothing. A squeal of tires made everyone jump to attention. The hunters’ cars headed straight toward us.

As we darted toward the trees to avoid the car, I shouted, “I have the strength to make a portal, but I have nowhere safe in the human realm, other than the shadow portal, to take us to.”

I caught Daithi’s eye. He held out his hand, and a glowing blue swirl appeared in front of us, growing larger by the second. But not fast enough. I threw my own power at it, urging it to complete. With Arabella, Isaac, Elizabeth, Alcor following behind us, we rushed through the portal just as the car engine screamed toward us, hitting a tree. The portal closed behind us with a bloom of leaves that scattered over the surroundings of … a home?

“Where are we?” I asked quietly. Despite the darkness, I could clearly see the furniture and decorations of a lived-in dwelling. I glanced at the stairs to see whether someone would rush down to protect their home from invaders.

My soul mate looked down at me, his scars illuminating the room, and replied, “Charlie’s home.”

Zaide told the leaders, “The home next door was Clawdia’s first witch’s. Winnie has passed on, but I’m uncertain if the authorities know. It may be a more comfortable place for you to stay as we won’t all fit here.”

Arabella nodded. “Ah. Good idea. I’ll head over and look around.”

Alcor and Isaac followed her automatically, and I stifled a chuckle at their predicament. Alcor with no memory of what the witch did to him, and Isaac pretending not to be in love with her to spare the demon’s feelings.

It was a mess of complicated emotion I’d gleaned through the tension between them and the things unsaid. I was sure it would work itself out once everything settled down.

“It feels strange to be back here.” Savida said quietly as he bounced on the cushion of the sofa. “Especially without Charlie and his furry companion.”

“If you are uncomfortable—” Daithi hovered protectively over his lover with a scowl on his face. If his lover weren’t a giant, winged demon, it might have looked sweet, but instead, Savida simply shook his head.

“I’m well, beloved.” He looked around with a smile. “This house holds memories of joy, not fear.”

Zaide patted his shoulder. “You are strong, Savida.”

“If you change your mind, we can get the witches to place us in other accommodations,” Daithi whispered.

“Why would Savida be afraid of Charlie’s home?” I asked Zaide quietly.

“Clawdia’s witch took his fire in the garden next door.”

I nodded my understanding.

“Forgive me for not explaining sooner. It’s hard to remember a time when you weren’t here with us.”

His sweet words and tender smile made my stomach flip and heat rise into my cheeks.

Elizabeth stood next to me, tears glistening in her eyes as she surveyed her son’s home. “There are no pictures,” she muttered.

“There is a picture! On his desk.” Savida cheered and dragged her along to the office, his wings flapping with excitement.

With nothing else to do for the moment, I followed them into the room featuring a desk and computer with a sofa along the wall.

“See,” Savida said as he picked up a framed image and presented it to Elizabeth. “It’s him and Clawdia.”

I peered over her shoulder to see the image of them was with her as a cat lying on his chest, and a laugh escaped me. I’d never considered that he spent years with Clawdia before he knew she wasn’t just a cat. I knew how much Clawdia probably enjoyed having the upper hand and tormenting Charlie with her catlike behavior.

Elizabeth continued staring as she gripped the frame. “He’s been alone.”

“Charlie?” Savida continued without waiting for a response. “We noticed he was lonely until we arrived, but we adopted him as a brother for Zaide, which has worked out well. They already share as though they’ve done it their whole life.”

I covered a smirk as Zaide rolled his eyes. “You are hilarious, demon.”

“Why does it surprise you he was alone? He told you of his situation, correct?” I asked.

“It’s different to see it,” she replied quietly, her eyes still glued to the photo.

“Charlie has worked hard to live well despite his circumstances. Don’t mourn his life. He wouldn’t thank you for it. Instead, be proud he survived and thrived even without the support of a family,” Zaide told her firmly, and something flashed across her face. An emotion too quick to catch.

From my own fractured relationship with my parents, I knew Zaide was right. Charlie wouldn’t want her sympathy nor her support, having been without it for so long, just as I wouldn’t want that from my mother.

But I had known my mother. I was her ally, her student, her companion, and despite my fury that she’d left me, I missed her. I wouldn’t want her to come back treating me like the child I had been when she left, but I did want a relationship with her. I imagined Charlie wanted a similar thing with his birth mother.

Elizabeth eyed us. “I’m glad he has a family now.”

The front door opened with a creek, and soon, Arabella and Isaac crowded into the office space too.

Arabella turned to Zaide. “The house is untouched, and no one has been there since you left. We should be safe there for the night until we can figure out our next move.”

Elizabeth put the frame down and strode from the room without a word to anyone while Isaac wandered wide-eyed around the desk with twitching fingers. “This setup is?—”

He was interrupted as Arabella said, “Come on, Isaac. Let’s get some rest.” She turned back to Zaide. “We’ll be over in the morning.” She checked her watch. “Which isn’t far away.”

As they left and goodbyes were exchanged, I noticed another image flat on the desk and picked it up. It didn’t have the color of the framed picture, and the clothing worn by the people didn’t resemble what I’d witnessed the humans wearing.

“That little girl is Clawdia.” Zadie told me in a low voice. I re-examined the image, looking deeply into the colorless eyes of my love. Although she was a child, her small smile caused a bubble of affection to warm me.

Her bond glowed in my center, so I knew she was alive, but I couldn’t feel her emotions. Not because she had shut us out like before, but because they were dulled … as though she was asleep.

“Where are you, Sunlight?” I called through our bond, but it didn’t seem to rouse her.

Once we get to bed, I’ll reach out to her in the dreamscape and make sure they are safe.

My anger at her recklessness didn’t stop me from worrying about her.

Zaide’s finger drew my attention back to the picture as he pointed at the people behind her. “The adults are her parents. They abused her and later sold her to Fafnir. Knowing what I know now, it’s understandable that she couldn’t stand to look at the image.”

My gaze flicked over them. Fury enveloped me, and my fangs dropped.

They hurt her, caused her so much suffering she preferred death. She preferred her familiar form.

But if things hadn’t unfolded as they had, I would never have met her, and if I had, I wouldn’t have realized what she was to me.

If things hadn’t unfolded as they had … and what were the chances of that?

The thought niggled at me.

“Where did this picture come from? Did Charlie find this?” I asked as I waved it.

Zaide shook his head. “It’s the vision Daithi had of her, which led us to look for her here. Charlie used the building in the background to date it.”

“We thought Margaret would be a tiny, shriveled, old female. Instead, she was a cat.” Savida chuckled at the memory.

My heart raced as I turned to Daithi. “The vision. Have you ever seen something from the past before?”

He frowned and hesitated before replying. “No. It was very different from what I’d seen before. That’s why I was so certain she really was Zaide’s soul pair.”

“And what exactly made you believe that?”

“There was a voice. It said ‘Margaret’ and ‘Zaide.’”

“Was it a female voice?” I asked.

Could it be…?

“Where are you going with this?” Zaide asked quietly, but I ignored him, my gaze fixed on Daithi.

Daithi nodded once. “It was a female voice.”

“But not Clawdia’s?”

“No.”

I knew it…

“You think it might have been your mother?” Zaide asked, following my train of thought.

I nodded. “Yes. And I think she gave you the vision in the dreamscape. Especially because you’ve never seen the past before.”

Of course my mother had orchestrated the entire event. She’s not supposed to get involved, but she’s used her power to manipulate my future before. But why? And how? It shouldn’t be possible.

Many times since my mother left, I’d longed to see her, to ask her questions. It was just another in a long list of previous events. I sighed and rubbed my head as I leaned against the desk.

Daithi seemed distressed to hear my theory when I thought it was good news. “If the vision was given to me by another seer, then…”

“Everything I told you is still true.” Zaide replied, but I didn’t know what he was talking about.

“You have still controlled the visions.” Savida stroked the arm of his love soothingly.

My brow furrowed, but I pushed on. “If my mother gave you the vision, then it means your power has not changed.”

“You mean my curse has not deteriorated?”

I said nothing in reply. Daithi and I had similar minds about visions, I saw the effects they had on my parents, on me, and he lived through the torment of knowing too much. It was a curse.

He nodded somberly before turning his green eyes to Savida. “It’s time for bed. Come along, beloved.”

Savida hesitated, his eyes flicking to Zaide and me. “What about Clawdia and Charlie? Shouldn’t we find them before we rest? They may still be in danger from the dragon.”

Daithi took his demon by the hand and tugged as he replied, “We are no use to them tired. We will find them in the morning.” But Savida didn’t move. His wings twitched, and he stared at us.

I smiled softly. “They are alive, and Clawdia seems to be asleep. We will try to contact them and get them here in the morning.”

“They are safe?” Savida asked, his brow furrowed with worry.

“From what we can tell. We wouldn’t be here if they weren’t,” Zaide told him, but his hand twitched. He was as worried about them as I was. But there was nothing we could do for them while we were so drained and Clawdia was asleep.

Savida didn’t notice Zaide’s tell. I was coming to know my soul mate more than his oldest friend and warmth bloomed in my center with a kind of smugness.

“I look forward to seeing them in the morning.” He smiled brightly, nodded his head, and then fluttered out of the office, pulling Daithi along with him. When the door upstairs shut and all we could hear was the quiet rustling as they readied themselves for sleep, I sighed.

“Charlie’s room is upstairs. I—we—It’s not a large bed; however, we could—but if you don’t want to, I could sleep on the floor as I did before, or perhaps you’d rather sleep here.” He waved his hands toward the sofa bed, a blush turning his skin rose gold.

I reached for his hand and squeezed. “Where would you like me?”

He swallowed thickly, his pupils dilated, and I hid a smile at his reaction. “I’d feel better if you were close.”

His smile was soft, and his shoulders relaxed. “Then let’s go to bed.”

With his hand resting on my back, he guided me up the stairs into a bedroom and closed the door behind us. I wasted no time undressing as the weariness set into my bones.

Zaide frowned from the end of the bed as he watched me throw back the sheets and crawl into bed. “Are you well?”

I closed my eyes as I replied quietly, “I’m tired. I’m worried for Charlie and Clawdia and don’t like that I failed to revive the protector. Our lives will be much more difficult now.”

I listened to the sound of Zaide shucking his clothes and the squeak of the mattress as he joined me. “Clawdia and Charlie will be fine. We will find them soon. As for the protector, you did your best. Attempting to defy the laws of nature would not be easy. You were trying so hard to hold on to him even though it pained you, even though your power wasn’t cooperating, even though you were in danger. It was?—”

When he stopped, I opened my eyes and leaned over so I hovered above him. “Go on.”

He hesitated, his scars glowing in the darkness and offering a purple tinge to his nervous expression. “I was concerned. I’ve never seen you like that. It was as though you weren’t aware of the danger; you were so focused. Absent.”

I could read what he meant by the words. “You believed me to be possessed again.”

“I didn’t know what to think. It was … disturbing,” he confessed in a whisper.

I sighed and stroked his cheek, brushing the glowing scar under his eye. “I’m sorry I worried you. I was focused on my role to save the protector at any cost, and although I knew there was danger, I also knew you would protect me. You did.”

His cheek warmed under my touch, but his brow furrowed. “The protector meant nothing to you, so why were you determined to save him at the cost of your life? Our life? Is that not what you are frustrated with Clawdia for?”

I sighed and rolled onto my back and closed my eyes again. “He means nothing to me, but he meant something to them and to you and Clawdia. I will always try to please you if I am able. I’m often frustrated with Clawdia because she rushes into danger without communicating. She doesn’t have faith in us to keep her safe, but I had faith in your ability to keep me safe, which is different.” From the corner of my eye, I could see him thinking about that, so I continued, “The most frustrating part is that I’m sure I could have revived the protector, but my power just felt so weak. My control over blood is unparalleled, but it didn’t work. I worry my power was otherwise occupied.”

Zaide rolled to his side and frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, Clawdia asked me how to use my power only moments before a dragon attacked and she flew off with Charlie. You don’t think that is suspicious?”

“She couldn’t have known that?—”

I raised my eyebrow, which silenced him. “She was acting strangely. Pale, shaken, ill. She wanted you and me to get some rest, which left her and Charlie on the roof. She knew something.”

“You think your mother showed her something in a dream?”

“I do. It’s happened before. Mother has visited her many times, shown her things. If something terrible were going to happen, if I were going to die, maybe my mother would show Clawdia and tell her how to change the outcome.”

His lips twisted. “It would explain her behavior.”

The sun was rising in the sky outside. Its rays peered through the gaps in the curtains, and I closed my eyes wearily. “We will not solve it tonight, but don’t be surprised if I organize another punishment session when we find them.”

Zaide chuckled. “I don’t think she thinks it’s much of a punishment to be touched by her men.”

I must have drifted off, because when I heard her voice in my mind, I jolted upright and noted the sun was far higher than before.

“Baelen, Zaide? Where are you?”