by Wendy Cole
I felt his head move against me as he nodded. “I know, and I will,” he paused, “for you.” He leaned back. “You don’t have to be afraid of me, Sweetheart. You have me completely at your disposal. Trust me.” He gripped my hand in his. “I’ve tried to be selfish. I really have. I just can’t.” He kissed me one last time, deeper than the others, and a thousand watts of that electric current cycled through my system.
A satisfied sound left my chest, and Brady pulled away. “That’s why I’m taking you back now.”
“What?” I couldn’t hide my disappointment. I should have been happy. I should have been relieved, but I didn’t want to go, not yet anyway.
“If I don’t take you back now,” he started, those glowing blue orbs fixed with mine. “I can’t promise we won’t be bonded by morning, and as much as I want that, crave it, I’ll wait.” His hand lifted, caressing my cheek in a touch so soft, my heart lurched. “It’s the only thing I can think to do that would make me even slightly deserve you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
It took a long time after Brady left for me to be okay with it. A separation anxiety unlike I’d ever felt followed his departure. Whatever I’d done by kissing him had changed things, or, maybe, he’d changed them.
He wasn’t what I’d thought he was.
In just a short amount of time, Brady had rewritten everything I thought I’d known about him. No longer was he the monster, but the savior. No longer was he trying to pressure me into commitment. He’d taken my tortured childhood and, in a way, repaired it. I didn’t have to worry about people knowing, about them judging or mocking. To them, I was nobody, not even a thought.
But now that I actually wanted to be around him, he’d disappeared. Well, not entirely. It’d only been a day, but still, I expected to see him the next morning. I definitely didn’t anticipate waking up to a questioning Red, getting ready for school, and going about my day like a normal fucking person.
I’d wanted normal. I’d dreamed of it, but now…
Despite the number of students filling the hallways on campus, they felt barren without him popping up to surprise me. Throughout the day, I searched each face, every corner. It seemed strange to me, considering he’d been so adamant that my life was in danger. Perhaps, he was just hiding, giving me the illusion of normalcy, but all the while keeping close.
I hoped so because although my soul felt lonely, I’d never actually felt alone. I had the deepest sensation of being watched. So much so, when classes finally ended, I opted to stay with the crowd in an attempt to squash some of the vulnerability.
The sidewalks filled up as the college emptied. Some students headed towards the dorms, but the majority moved towards the little strip where Red had taken me to eat. I chose to follow the larger crowd.
The last time I’d made the walk this side of campus, it’d been nearing night, and with Red to lead me, I hadn’t paid much attention. I hadn’t noticed the other shops and little restaurants that surrounded Big Al’s. There was at least a dozen. Small boutiques, a spa, even a Hibachi Grill. I slowly walked amongst the other students, occasionally stopping to peek inside one of the many windows.
When I noticed most of the people entering a door at the end, I decided to follow and found a bookstore. Shelves stretched from wall to wall and floor to ceiling, all packed with books of all sizes and every genre. A small coffee shop was positioned in the center and murmured conversations echoed out from the many tables surrounding it.
I fell in love with the quiet setting, the antique furniture, and the general peacefulness I felt by just being there. I selected a book from one of the featured displays, not even bothering to read the title before taking a seat at the nearest table. It’d been so long since I’d taken a moment to breathe, to lose myself in something so simple.
I should have known it wouldn’t last. I barely made it through the first chapter when someone tapped my shoulder. “Amelia?”
My eyes widened. His accent made it impossible not to know exactly who it was, and my words caught in my throat as I looked over to find him standing over me.
Owen smiled. To his left, another man stood just behind him. His appearance was jarring to say the least. Piercings filled each ear, his nose, his lip. His head was cleanly shaved and covered in tribal tattoos. They ran all the way down his neck, disappearing beneath his shirt line. “This is Doogal,” Owen continued, giving a name to the new face. “He’s the friend I was telling you about. It’s been hard to track you down. I’m sorry to pop up like this, but I’ve been trying to call, and your lack of response made me worry.” His voice lowered to almost a whisper, and his eyes darted about the room. “Do you have the stones?”
My palms grew sweaty as I suddenly felt like an ant under a microscope. The stones. He’d come back to finish it, to get rid of Brady. My heart lurched in my chest at the thought. I couldn’t let that happen. “He left,” I said, sounding like a cat whose tail had just been yanked.
Owen’s brow furrowed, and he glanced at his friend for a long drawn out moment. “He left? What do you mean?”
“Yeah, uh, I guess he gave up.” I shrugged my shoulders, but the looks I received told me I was failing miserably at my attempt to lie. “Thanks so much for helping me.”
Owen took a seat across from me, but his friend remained in place. He hadn’t said a word, and his presence combined with his intense scrutiny set me on edge.
Owen clasped my hand from across the table. “Do you have the stones?”
I swallowed hard, then glanced between the two men, before finally shaking my head. “I didn’t need them anymore.” It was the truth, but they didn’t know the real reason why.
The man named Doogal shifted, and I watched his eyes slice across the room like a hawk looking for prey. They landed on Owen, serious as a grave and sharp.
Owen nodded his head. “Amelia, you don’t have to lie. We can feel the magic surrounding you as we speak. He’s got a hold on you. It’s not safe here.” He looked around the same way his friend had. “You should come with us.”
“What?” Every fiber of my being rebelled against the statement. The pull between Brady and I seemed to disagree as well. It tightened my skin and made me jerk my hand away. “I can’t. I’m fine. Really. I’m sorry I wasted your time.”
The pair once again stared at each other, and a heavy silence stretched by as I waited for them to respond. They needed to leave. I needed them to go away. Just the thought of something happening to Brady, all because of me, sent my heart into overdrive.
“We understand.” It was Doogal who spoke, and the sudden deep roughness of his voice made me jump. “If you need help, please don’t hesitate to give Owen a call. It’s never too late.”
Owen seemed torn, but he too eventually nodded. “Please consider it,” he murmured before pushing himself up from the table. Our eyes locked one last time, before he turned away to follow an already retreating Doogal.
Guilt gnawed at my stomach. They’d come all the way here to help, only to have me turn them away. Still, it didn’t matter. There was nothing I could do. Things had changed.
The book felt pointless after the confrontation. There was no way I’d be able to read it. I decided to head back to the dorm, hoping Brady would be waiting for me. I needed to see him. To warn him. To just know that he was okay.
I placed it on the shelf and exited back onto the sidewalk. The crowds had cleared, with only a few solitary students up and down in either direction. I retraced my steps, head held down and mind lost in thought.
Owen said he could feel the magic on me. What did that even mean? That Brady had a hold on me? Could they feel the bond, or was it something else, something I’d failed to take into consideration?
I shook my head. I couldn’t go back to that. I couldn’t doubt him. Brady had been so great. We had an agreement. I couldn’t demonize him. I needed to treat him like a normal—
My thoughts were cut short as a pair of large arms wrapped around me from beh
ind. A hand covered my mouth. I tried to scream, to cry out, to break free, but the grip was too strong. My voice was too muffled. A deep rough tone murmured words I couldn’t understand into my ear, and I was turned towards a white truck parked along the curve. My body suddenly felt heavy, and my eyes drifted shut. I fought to keep them open, to kick and twist my way free, but each attempt became weaker as the murmured words continued.
I noticed Owen behind the driver’s seat. His sad eyes met mine just before the world faded to black.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“Amelia.”
My eyelids felt glued shut, far too heavy to lift but the insistent voice wouldn’t stop.
“Amelia, wake up.”
I slowly returned to consciousness, and when I finally managed to open my eyes, the first face I saw was Owen’s. He had the nerve to smile at me.
I studied the room. Dark wood beams, stone walls, a fireplace. The brown leather sofa felt cool against my skin. “Where have you taken me?” I rasped. My skull felt full of a liquid that sloshed back and forth each time I moved and increased the dizziness.
“You don’t have to worry. This is my place here. It’s safe.”
“You kidnapped me,” I snapped, then gripped my head at the pain the tone caused. “What did you do to me?” I glared at him, wishing for a moment that I had magic of my own. As it stood, I was helpless. I couldn’t defend myself. I didn’t have any powers, no skills apart from attracting trouble.
Owen tried to lay a hand on my shoulder, and I immediately shook it away. “Don’t touch me!”
He leaned back and heaved a sigh. “Your head will feel normal soon. It’s just the lingering effects of the magic Doogal used to subdue you.”
“Why subdue me?” I tried to stand, but my limbs were too heavy, and I barely made it into a sitting position before flopping back down. Panic set in. “I want to go home.” I needed Brady. Why hadn’t he helped me? Did he know I was missing?
“I’m sorry.” It was Doogal who spoke, and I watched as he stepped into view beside Owen. He loomed over me, taller and larger than the smaller man to his right. “You were being manipulated,” he explained, like a doctor delivering a diagnosis. “He brainwashed you. This was the only thing we could think to do to save your life.”
While my heart immediately denied his claim, somewhere in the back of my mind, a whisper of doubt spread. I’d been so eager, so ready to believe. Had it all been a spell? Was this so-called mate bond just a ruse to disguise magic being used against me? A pain hit my chest and spread, stealing my breath away. My eyes stung. I blinked hard, then left them closed as I sucked in a deep shuddering breath.
“I know you won’t believe us now, but we need to keep you here until the magic fades. When it does, you’ll be able to think clearly again.” His expression was serious, his tone even. I watched his face, hoping for signs of deceit, but Doogal held none. “Owen went through the same thing.”
I looked at Owen, and he nodded softly, his eyes full of understanding. White noise filled my ears, and the events of the past couple of days played out in my mind’s eye. Brady’s smile, his laugh, the way it felt when he’d held me. It had been a dream come true.
It had been too good to be true.
“He told me we were soul mates,” I whispered, my voice barely loud enough for even me to hear.
The two men studied each other, then it was Owen’s turn to speak. “It was a lie, Amelia. I’m sorry. It’s what they do. Once they attach themselves to you, they’ll do anything to keep control.”
Something inside me seemed to darken and shrink—my heart. It deflated, and a pain I’d never felt before made my stomach turn.
Owen patted my hand. “I have a room you can use if you want to be alone for a while.”
I nodded, no longer caring about the fact that I’d been kidnapped. My mind was numb, but my logical brain returned at full strength. This made sense. More sense than me suddenly being blessed with a magical being that would live and die for me. It made more sense than me suddenly believing Brady’s story. I’d folded so easily. I’d accepted it so readily. It didn’t make sense. How could I have? Years of torment and I just give in within a day?
The electric current, his neon blue; of course, it was magic. I’d been an idiot to believe him. I imagined him laughing to himself at my readiness.
Owen helped me to my feet, then supported me as he led the way up a set of stairs. The room he guided me to was large and nicely decorated, with a king size bed and every amenity, including an en-suite bathroom.
“How long will I have to stay here?” I asked, my voice detached and barely recognizable.
Concern filled his eyes. “I’m not sure. He’s strong. It could be a couple of weeks.” He took a step closer, his hand out in an offering of comfort should I choose to take it. “Are you okay? Is there something I can do to make this easier on you?”
I ignored his hand. Nothing could make this easier. “Red,” I spoke.
I needed Red. I needed a friend that I could talk to, someone familiar to help me through this. Isn’t that what girls did when their hearts were broken? Their friends would come to watch them cry, and feed them ice cream. Ice cream didn’t seem enough to soothe the pain within my chest, but it sounded better than being in a strange place alone.
“Red?” Owen tilted his head and waited for me to elaborate.
“My friend. I’d like to see her.”
He seemed to think for a moment but eventually nodded his head. “Okay. Do you have her number? Your cell phone was with your things. I can get it for you.”
“Please.” I turned away. Something about looking at him made it worse, made it real. I’d contacted him. I’d asked him to help me, and so far, he’d done nothing but try to do that.
But I’d allowed the monster to get too close. I’d fallen into his trap, and now Owen’s face was nothing but a reminder of what I couldn’t have.
He left without another word, and I heard the door click softly shut behind him. I sucked in another breath and blew it out slowly. The pain didn’t fade, but I wouldn’t allow myself to break. I’d managed to live this long without letting it win, I’d be damned if I’d give in now.
A moment later a soft knock came, and the door slowly opened. Owen didn’t speak. He leaned inside just enough to lay my phone onto the dresser then retreated once again.
I slowly walked over and took the device in my hand. He’d included a paper beneath it. An address was scribbled in messy black ink, and I could only assume it was where we were. His willingness to grant my request only hurt more. It confirmed his claims. If he’d been lying, surely he wouldn’t allow me a phone, let alone a company. My chest tightened even more. This was real.
Red’s number was one of only two contacts, the other being my mother. I pressed the dial number and waited for her to answer.
“Yo, bitch!” she greeted in her usual fashion.
The moment I heard her voice, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Red?” Her name came out broken, and the line fell silent.
“What’s wrong?” I’d never heard her so serious, and when I was too emotional to respond, the tone increased. “Amelia?” Her seriousness turned to panic. “What’s wrong? Are you there?”
“I’m here.” I took a breath. “I’m at,” I paused, my heart lurching. “A friend’s house. Can you come here?”
“Where? Fuck it! I’m on my way, just text me the address.” She hung up, and I stared down at the phone. Despite the pain, my heart swelled at her quick and genuine concern. Perhaps, I’d judged her too harshly. Maybe I really had found a true friend. At least, I could say that much good had happened to me. I texted the address and sat on the edge of the bed.
I was about to lie down, to force myself to fade away until she arrived when my phone vibrated in my hand.
A new text message filled my screen, the number not one I recognized.
I’m coming, Sweetheart.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
&nbs
p; “What happened?” Red asked the moment she burst through the bedroom door. I watched her scan the surroundings as she continued to rush towards me.
My throat swelled, and a fresh wave of pain hit my chest. “I’m an idiot,” I rasped. “Brady used his magic to make me,” I paused, “want him.”
Red’s brows furrowed. “He needed magic?” Her hand hit her chin, and her eyes drifted past me in thought. “You must have the willpower of a saint.”
I gave her a flat look. “Yes. He needed magic. He used it to convince me that we were soul mates, and like an idiot, I believed him. If it wasn’t for Owen—”
“Who, speaking of, is also very fucking hot. And his friend. He’s hot too. Didn’t talk much but he looks like a spanker.” Her smile widened. “Mommy likes.”
“You’re getting away from the point, Red.” I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t be mad. This was what I needed. I needed to get away from the point, and if anyone could bring distraction, it was Red. “He said I was his soul mate, and I believed him.”
“How do you know he’s lying? That’s what happened in the sexy demon book. Trust me, if I had that big magical mother fucker tell me I was his soul mate, I wouldn’t give a shit if he was lying. Lie to me, baby. I don’t care. Lie all you freaking want.”
I tried to be serious, but it was hard with her. Before I knew it, my lips began to curve. Red was being dead serious, and the fact only made it more entertaining. “Thanks, Red.”
She tilted her head. “You’re welcome. Now, this is a pretty nice place, but why do I feel like I’ve joined a cult? There’s a fence outside that’s at least twenty feet tall, and it took me a gallon of gas just to get up the driveway.”
“Owen and Doogal—”
“Doogal? What kind of a fucking name is that?”
I ignored her comment. “They know a lot about jinn, and they said it’s safe here.”
“I’m calling him Doo Doo.”
