Page 12

CHAPTER 12

T he northern fae complex was a sprawling community about two miles from Parsons Woods. The houses were of the cookie cutter variety, and the complex would have looked like any other typical suburban neighbourhood if not for the thick metal fencing topped with barbed wire and security cameras that surrounded the entire place.

Jonah stopped at the complex entrance. Three more cameras lined the front gate, and as he stepped out of his car, they tracked his movements with slow precision.

He stopped beside a small black speaker mounted to a steel pole embedded in the ground just outside the gate and pushed the speaker's silver button.

A voice crackled out from the speaker. “No soliciting allowed.”

“I’m here for Caleb,” Jonah said.

The silence went on for so long that Jonah almost pushed the button again in case the connection had been lost.

“There’s no Caleb here,” the disembodied voice finally said.

“Tell him his brother wants to speak to him.”

“Told ya, there’s no Caleb here. Get lost, shapeshifter.”

Surprise rippled through him, but he kept it from his face with practiced ease. The only way they could know he was a shapeshifter is if Caleb had told them, and Caleb would never have willingly told anyone what Jonah really was. He knew how dangerous it was for him.

Caleb was obviously under the fae’s influence, and it took everything in Jonah not to shift into an animal form that was small enough to squeeze through the fencing so he could rescue his brother.

Just shift to a bird and fly over it.

Unease immediately rippled through him, and bile burned his throat. Yeah, that was a big fucking no to bird shifting. He’d had enough of flying to last him a goddamn lifetime.

“If you know who I am, then you know the fencing won’t stop me from entering,” he said evenly. “I’m not leaving until I speak to Caleb.”

After nearly a minute of silence, he was getting ready to shift when the voice said, “Leave the car.”

The gate clicked and swung open with a rusty squeal that made his teeth vibrate. He stepped inside the complex, the gate closing behind him with another brain aching squeal.

He didn’t even have to wait a minute before two fae marched down the street toward him. One had dark hair, and the other was blond, but they were both roughly the size of tanks, and their bodies were thick with muscle. They wore matching outfits - green track pants and grey t-shirts with a “Fantasy Gym” graphic on the front. Neither wore jackets despite the cold weather.

They stopped in front of him, their dark eyes assessing and finding him lacking.

“You aren’t welcome here, shapeshifter.” The slightly bigger blond one grunted.

“Let me speak to my brother, and then I’ll leave,” Jonah said.

The blond glanced at the brunette, who rolled his eyes but nodded. “Come with us.”

Jonah followed them down the quiet street. The sun had set, but the street lights cast a warm glow. The crunch of snow beneath their feet was the only sound. Light glowed from the houses they passed, and he saw a few curtains and blinds twitching, but there were no fae on the street.

They turned a corner and stopped in front of a building with a modest sized parking lot. A large sign out front indicated it was the Westbrook Community Hall and that Thursday night’s Bingo would be at six instead of seven.

His lips twitched at the idea of the fae gathering to play Bingo, and the brunette gave him a sharp look. “What’s so fucking funny?”

“Nothing,” he said. “Where’s my brother?”

The fae just grunted and headed toward the building. Jonah followed them across the parking lot and into the building, the warmth a welcome relief from the cold.

The fae led him into a room that held three more fae - two men and a woman. Although shorter than the four men, the woman was just as muscular, and she gave Jonah a cool look as she folded her arms across her torso.

“You’re the shapeshifter?” She looked him up and down. “I expected… more.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” he said. “Where’s my brother?”

“What do you want with him?” she asked.

“That’s none of your business,” Jonah said.

Her upper lip curled, but she raised her hand when the man to her left started toward Jonah. “Be still, Dairem.”

She glanced at the man to her right, who nodded and disappeared out a side door. They stood in thick silence for nearly two minutes before he returned.

Relief swept through Jonah when his brother followed the fae into the room. “Caleb.”

He hurried toward him, pulling him into his embrace for a rough hug. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Caleb said.

He wore his umber-coloured hair in a natural afro style now, rather than braids, and the facial acne that had plagued him for most of his life had disappeared, but otherwise, he looked the same. His usual outfit of a favourite band t-shirt with ragged jeans was gone, replaced by an open-collared white shirt and jeans that looked brand new. Multiple beaded bracelets around both wrists were a pop of colour against his brown skin.

He studied Jonah, and his dark brown eyes held a coolness that sent tendrils of worry slithering down Jonah’s spine.

“What are you doing here?” Caleb asked.

“I’m here to take you home,” Jonah said.

Caleb’s laugh held a tinge of bitterness. “Why? So you can disappear on me again for a few years?”

“I’m sorry,” Jonah said. “I didn’t want -”

“Save it,” Caleb held up his hand, cutting off his words. “I’m not leaving with you. This is my home now.”

Jonah gripped his shoulders. “Buddy, no, it isn’t. You’re under a fae’s spell, that’s all.”

“No, I’m not,” Caleb said.

“You are, and as soon as you leave this place and are away from their influence, you’ll realize that -”

“I’m not!” Caleb tore away from his grip. “Christ, Jonah, I am not a child, okay? Stop treating me like one.”

“I’m not.” Jonah tried to keep his tone even, tried to keep the annoyance starting to bubble under his skin from being evident. “But the fae are not your friends or your… your family. They stole you because of your music. They don’t care about you, Caleb.”

“Oh, and you do? You’ve been gone three fucking years, Jonah. Not a single phone call or text or fucking postcard. Just dropped off the face of the earth, and now you’re back expecting me to welcome you with open arms.”

Jonah stared at him in shock. His fun-loving, easygoing brother had disappeared, replaced by the cold and angry stranger in front of him.

“A witch’s spell had me trapped,” Jonah said. “I couldn’t contact you because I -”

“Just stop, okay? I don’t want to hear your excuses anymore. We both know that even if you could have contacted me, you wouldn’t have.”

“That isn’t true,” Jonah said. “You’re my brother, and I love you, Caleb.”

Caleb scoffed. “You bring out the brother thing only when it’s convenient for you.”

“I don’t,” Jonah snapped. “Look, I get that you’re confused, and the fae have filled your head with lies and garbage, but it’s me, Caleb. Jonah. I maybe haven’t been the best brother, but I’m trying and I -”

“No, you’re not! You don’t try, Jonah!” Caleb shouted. “For the first time since Dad died, I have someone in my life who truly loves me, listens to me, respects me and doesn’t just keep me around for the times when she’s feeling lonely or bored.”

“She?” Jonah said.

Caleb gave him a defiant look. “Her name is Nimera, and we’re in love.”

“You’re in love with a fucking fae?” Jonah glanced at the fae in the room. They were watching in silence, but the smug looks on their faces made him want to punch something.

“Yes,” Caleb said.

Jonah sighed deeply. “Caleb, you are not in love with her. She’s using her magic to make you think you are, that’s all.”

Caleb’s face went red. “Sometimes you’re such a condescending asshole, Jonah. You need to leave.”

Shock and an overwhelming helplessness rocketed through Jonah. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do,” Caleb said. “I’m glad you’re safe and that you’re home again, but my life is different now. This is where I want to be, where I belong.”

“If this is where you want to be, why is all of your shit still at my house?” Jonah snapped, his worry getting the better of him.

Caleb’s lips flattened. “I’ll arrange to have it removed from your house.”

“Caleb, no, that isn’t -”

“Goodbye, Jonah.” Caleb turned away, and with more of that unfamiliar panic soaring through him, Jonah grabbed his arm.

“You’re not staying here, Caleb. You’re coming home with me and- ”

Caleb yanked his arm free. “I am not a child. You can’t force me to leave.”

“Like fuck I can’t,” Jonah growled, reaching for Caleb’s arm again. “I am not leaving you here.”

Caleb’s eyes widened a fraction of a second before something hard and heavy smashed into the back of Jonah’s skull. He dropped to his knees, his ears ringing, and immediately disoriented.

“Wait, no! Don’t do that.” Caleb’s voice was muted, as if he spoke through thick glass.

Jonah groggily raised his hand, touching the back of his skull and staring dumbly at the blood that coated his fingers. His head was already starting to pound, and his thoughts drifted through his brain like dandelion seeds in the wind, impossible to catch.

“Why did you do that?” Anxiety was etched into Caleb’s voice, and Jonah squinted at him.

Fuck, now there were two Caleb’s wavering in and out of his vision.

“I had it handled,” Caleb said.

Jonah reached for his brother, the blood dripping from his fingers and blackness curling at the edge of his vision as he slurred, “Caleb, s’okay, don’t -”

The darkness swallowed him.