by Vera Sparks
“Wow, there’s so much I could learn from you. How do you know all this? I work with shifters who know what I am, but they’ve never known either. Would they know about faeries?” I asked as the cabin came into view. A number of pickup trucks and one van were spread out around it, and I could see that Deon had been chained up with iron cuffs. One of the few things that could restrain a vampire.
“Shifters aren’t considered pure enough of blood to know about faeries. Faeries mostly only mingle with their own kind and some rare werewolves. We’re one of the only kinds who know of their existence really. Others may have heard whispers, but we actually know they’re around.”
“Why werewolves?” I asked, but I had a feeling I knew the answer. Because they were of ancient bloodlines. Pure lines mostly.
“Our bloodlines are pure and extremely old. We are one of the original supernatural lines. We may not be as strong as vampires, but we aren’t a threat to the fae,” Gene stated.
“Could you help me meet one? See if they can help me?” I dared to ask.
“I’ll see what I can do, but first, we have this mess to deal with,” Gene sighed as we halted before the trucks.
Alex was shoving Deon into the back of the van for safekeeping, while Lachlan and a group of other weres’ I vaguely recognized from the gathering loaded the shifters into the back of the trucks.
“Ivy!”
I hurried over to the van at Alex’s shout, and scowled as I climbed in beside him. Deon lay on the floor with his face down, his hands cuffed behind and his legs chained.
“Look what we have here? Sick fuck keeps them on him,” Alex growled.
My jaw dropped in horror at the bundle of bagged hair Alex held up for me to see. Snips of hair in a variety of colors, and each one of them vacuum-sealed and labeled.
I expected to see dates maybe, but my stomach dropped as I realized they were marked with names.
Millie’s name stood out in the soft glow of the van’s interior light. I reached out to tenderly take the bag, my throat tightening in disgust and anger.
“You killed her,” I said through gritted teeth.
“That’s what all this is about? You’re out for revenge?” Deon laughed, but it was muffled due to the fact that his face was flat on the floor.
“You murdered a little girl!” I snarled, and I felt the burn tingling in my hands. Focus, I didn’t need to have some fire meltdown. I willed the heat away as I drew in short breaths, anger still boiling in my chest.
“What’s it got to do with you?” Deon muttered, and I could hear that putrid smirk in his voice.
“Why?” Alex nudged me gently to check that I was okay. Probably hoping I didn’t light us all up.
“Why? What kind of question is that?” Deon mumbled into the floor.
“Bastard,” I growled as I flipped him over. His disgusting smirk made me want to set the prick on fire.
“I killed her because children taste sweet,” Deon grinned, his fangs elongating.
What an absolute psychopathic creep.
“What about the ‘wolves? You’ve been tranq’ing them,” Alex prodded, trying to move between Deon and I. It was probably the smart thing to do. I was so tempted to light his ass up like a Mongolian barbecue.
“For the fights. We’ve got a good business going on here, the shifters get children to blackmail the moms, I trade in a few wolves each month, and the money comes flowing in. There’s good money in the fights,” Deon attempted to shrug but his cuffed hands made that difficult.
I wanted to bash that bald skull of his into the van floor repeatedly, to wipe that smug look off his face. He didn’t care.
“Who orchestrated this whole thing?” Alex pushed.
“Probably the same guy who runs the fights, I’m just a worker, I take the job and get paid, I don’t ask questions,” Deon’s eyes dragged past us and I glanced back at the crowd of pissed ‘wolves gathering at the back of the van. They looked about ready to climb through the open doors and tear him to pieces.
“That’s a shame, if you’d asked questions, you might’ve been useful alive,” Alex’s deadly smile made me gulp. And yet I wanted it. Wanted him to do whatever he was planning.
“Isn’t it up to the Council to decide what happens to me? A trial and shit?” Deon’s British accent was pissing me off even more.
“No, because I’m sure you’ve got some friends in high places. And they’ll understand. A wolf pack defending their own, that’s not against our laws,” Alex stepped backwards and climbed out of the van. The ‘wolves parted to allow him through before crowding around again. Lachlan’s yellow eyes were only one of the many pairs shining in.
“I’ll be sure to let those who cared about Millie know,” I said sweetly as I backed out of the van. My heart thumped faster than normal, almost at your standard mortal rate, and I trembled as one of the larger ‘wolves grabbed Deon by the leg and dragged him back out onto the ground.
“You can’t do this! I have rights to Council!” Deon shouted.
“He’s all yours,” Alex flicked his hand at Gene, who simply nodded at his deadly pack mates.
I turned away as Deon’s screams pierced the air with the snarls and growls. I felt sick, knowing what was happening right behind me. But I was also glad. What he’d done to Millie, he deserved this. I doubted death by tooth and claw was quick if they chose to drag it out.
I was grateful Percy was leaning against one of the trucks. I didn’t know if I could’ve ever looked at him the same if he’d been part of that.
I tried to ignore that I knew both Lachlan and Scott were.
“You realize they’ll all die. The shifters will too. Their crimes are penalized by death no matter what pack they end up at,” Alex had to lean in close to be heard over the snarls and ripping flesh behind us.
I shivered at the sound but didn’t walk away. This was not normal, but it also wasn’t wrong. Not in my book.
I stared at Percy, at his taunt face and tense body as he glared at the ground. I wanted to go over, to try to talk to him, explain everything. But now wasn’t the time. I needed to give him space. I knew that, even though it made me feel like my chest was breaking.
“It’ll be dawn in a few hours, I need to head back. Would you like to come with me?” Alex offered, and I nodded. There was no need for me to hang around here anymore.
I glanced down at the bag of assorted hair, and I focused on Millie’s name. It was time to release her from this world. But I wanted to say my goodbyes first.
“Thank you.”
I jumped as Alex broke the long silence. We’d been driving for at least fifteen minutes in dead silence.
“For what?”
“Saving my life. Deon and… Benji, I think that’s what he called him, they were obviously older and stronger than me. If you hadn’t done… whatever it was you did, I’d probably be dead,” Alex said slowly.
I glanced at him and he managed a soft smile.
“Properly dead, I mean.”
“It’s fine,” I mumbled as I slumped against the door of the car.
“I owe you for that, I owe you my life,” Alex said as he focused back on the road.
I didn’t say anything as the scene played out in my head again. Benji and Deon pinning Alex against the tree, Benji lifting him up by his neck.
“I couldn’t lose you,” I said the words out loud, surprising both of us.
I could feel his soft smile on me, but I fought the urge to look over at him. Too much had happened tonight. I was torn between him and Percy, I’d set a vampire on fire, I’d gone to some weird ass ghost place, I’d seen the pack tear a vampire to shreds. Well, heard them.
“What happened to you?” Alex finally asked. I’d been waiting for that. Waiting to share it with someone. If he hadn’t have asked, I was planning on calling Maria. Maybe even Rosaline.
“I went somewhere,” I frowned, trying to figure out the best way to explain it. “A place not in the ghost realm or this one. Some
kind of middle realm. I met a woman there, she said her name was Jasmine Whitehall,” I managed to bring forth the name she’d said. “She said it was an elemental institute, that I was an elemental. And that that particular institute was a recreation. That she was there for the same reason I was, she’d died but not really, like me.”
“Wow,” Alex breathed.
I finally turned to him, anxious to see his face. Did this mean anything to him? Did he know anything about any of this?
His expression gave me nothing but being unsettled.
“That’s all you’ve got to say?” I stared at him. Seriously? This was all crazy and extremely unreal to me. And yet he didn’t seem overly fazed.
“I’ve heard of elementals, they’re extremely rare beings. All the other stuff, the middle realm and Jasmine and the institute, that’s nothing to me. I have no idea what it even means,” Alex gave me a sad look.
“Great,” I crossed my arms.
“But, in saying that, I may know of an elemental. Right here in Portland. You could ask them,” Alex offered.
My shoulders dropped and I breathed in relief. This was perfect; finally, maybe I could get some answers. Someone from this world. I could return to Jasmine, but she was… strange. That was one word for it.
“That would be really good,” I said, trying to hide my strange excitement. Was that what it was? Not really, but I did need to know what was going on with me. And maybe this elemental could explain my ghostliness too. That would be one hell of thing to find out about.
“I’ll get on it when we get back,” Alex said, and he caught my eyes. The delight I saw there at his feeling useful made me smile. I was glad he was around, despite our history.
9
Alex dropped me back at work so I could pick up my car, making sure to let me know he was once again grateful for what I did. And making sure that I was feeling okay with everything that happened. I’d burned the bag of hair with him while there, keeping Millie’s separate. I wanted to free any other children who were trapped. I needed to talk to Millie first.
I waved Alex off before climbing in my car and heading to my next destination. It was time to help Millie.
I drove through the quiet streets, the odd car, and walking pedestrian was all I saw in this morning hour. Dawn would be here in an hour or so, but I enjoyed the quiet streets of Portland. I got lucky with the traffic lights most of the way to the mall, and the parking lot was deserted as expected. The light from the scattered street-lamps was all that lit up the area here, the moon having disappeared so close to dawn.
The park was dark and quiet as I trudged over, searching for the small form.
“Millie, are you here?”
I smiled as I sensed her, and watched as her form became visible on the swing.
“We found the bad man,” I stated as I walked towards her.
“Really?” she gave me a distressed look and I pursed my lips as I knelt down in front of her.
“We found him, he’s going to be in a lot of trouble for what he did, he’s going to get punished,” I chose my words carefully. I didn’t think it was right to tell her the truth. That he’d been ripped apart by a pack of angry werewolves.
“Good, I hope he goes to jail,” Millie stuck her chin out.
“He definitely will,” I lied.
“So will I see my mom and dad now?” Millie asked.
“I believe so,” I said as I pulled the bag from my pocket and handed to her. I was pretty sure this would work.
“That’s my hair,” Millie frowned as she accepted the vacuum sealed bag. She seemed surprised that she could hold it, but relief washed over me. That meant that my plan could potentially work.
“Would you like to go home first?” I asked carefully, I had an idea, but with Deon’s death, I wasn’t sure if it would work, so I didn’t want to get her hopes up.
“Home? Where my teddy’s are?” Millie’s eyes lit up.
“Yeah, home,” I said gently. “If you have your hair, we should be able to go to your home,” I said carefully. I wasn’t positive about this, but surely it would work.
Millie nodded enthusiastically and I took her hand. We walked back to my car and I helped her into the passenger seat. I didn’t bother strapping her in, it probably wouldn’t have worked anyway.
“Will my parents be there?” she asked eagerly.
“I don’t know,” I answered truthfully.
I hoped though.
I relaxed after a few tense minutes of flicking my eyes back to Millie to make sure she was still in the car beside me. She stayed, and I could only assume my theory had been correct, that her hair was her anchor here, and with Deon dead, she could go with her hair now if she possessed it.
She grinned and pointed out the window excitedly as we drove, and I enjoyed her joy at being able to finally leave the park.
“That’s where Dad took me to get my pet goldfish, he died though, a long time ago,” Millie pointed at a small pet shop as we drove past. “And that’s where Mom took me for haircuts!”
She took delight in driving through her old neighborhood, but she grew silent as we pulled up to her home.
“Is that your swing?” I pointed at the swing hanging from the old oak tree.
“Yeah,” Millie fiddled with her bag of hair.
“Do you want to go inside?” I asked gently.
“Will you come?” Millie asked after a moment.
“Of course.”
“Okay,” Millie then nodded.
I exited the car and went around to let her out, but she was already standing before the path leading up to the house.
The first whisper of dawn was here, the sky was flooded with a soft grey and the dewdrops glistened on the overgrown lawn.
“Let’s go?” I suggested as I took her small hand in mine.
She nodded hesitantly, and a flicker of movement in a window made the corner of my mouth curve.
We stepped over the grass and weeds that broke through the cracks of the path, and stepped up to the front door slowly.
I pulled Millie through the front door, shuddering as we passed through the wood.
“Why’s there plastic everywhere?” Millie pouted.
“To protect the furniture,” I said.
“Millie?”
The voice brought a smile to my face as Millie whipped around, her face lighting up like Christmas.
“Daddy!” she hurtled across to the hall and flew into his arms, and my heart soared at the sight.
“Oh, baby girl,” Her dad’s voice broke as he held her tight.
I’d hoped Deon’s death hadn’t been the end for his time here. I had a nagging feeling he wouldn’t depart until Millie did.
“I missed you,” Millie mumbled into his shirt.
“I missed you too,” Mr Cowan squeezed her tighter and gave me a grateful look with tears in his eyes.
“They got the monster Dad, he’s going to jail,” Millie pulled back and he set her back down on the floor and knelt down before her.
“Really? Well he definitely deserves that,” he gave me a curious look. I’d explain properly when I had the chance.
“Is Mom here too?” Millie looked around excitedly.
“No, she’s not,” he sighed. “But we’ll see her soon.”
Millie’s face turned to disappointment momentarily, but then she leaned forward to hug her dad once more.
“I just really missed you guys. I had no friends at the park until this nice lady,” Millie turned and gave me a sweet smile.
“I’m glad she found you,” Mr Cowan nodded at me.
“She even got this back for me,” Millie held out the bag and I bit my lip.
“What is it?” Mr Cowan took the bag and frowned. I could see the fury and anger seething inside him.
“It’s my hair. I think that’s why I could come see you,” Millie said absently, oblivious to her father’s upset.
“I see,” he managed to say, but his voice was laced with fury.
“Millie, can you go grab me your favorite toy? I’d love to meet them,” I asked as I carefully stepped forward. I wasn’t sure if she could actually pick them up, but it’d get her away for a moment.
“Okay!” Millie grinned as she turned and rushed off down the hall.
“What is this?” Mr Cowan hissed as he stood and stepped towards me, holding the bag out angrily.
“It’s why Millie was trapped here, he took… trophies,” I hesitated to say the word. It tasted like ash in my mouth, and the disgusted and horrified look Mr Cowan gave me only made it worse.
“He should pay for this,” Mr Cowan growled.
“He has. He paid with his life, Millie doesn’t know. He was torn to pieces by an angry pack of werewolves. A painful death I’d imagine,” I stated softly, not wanting Millie to hear if she returned. I dare not tell him of the collection of hair Deon had on his person.
“Good, he deserved nothing less,” Mr Cowan’s rage subsided as he looked down at the bag. “This is all that’s holding her here now?” he murmured.
“Yes, and I believe she’s what’s holding you here,” I said.
“I would imagine so. I can’t leave without her,” he gave me a small smile.
“Ivy!” Millie came darting down the hall, dropping the odd teddy and picking it up again.
“I said your favorite silly,” I giggled at the mountain of toys she was bringing out.
“They’re all my favorites!” she declared as she dumped them on the floor before me.
“This is Mr Fox,” she held up a fox toy. How ironic. “And this is Penny, she would sleep on my bed with me,” she raised the doll toy up. “And this is Teddy, I’ve had him since I was baby.”
I smiled and caught Mr Cowan’s eyes as she rattled off all her toys names and even how she came about some of them. At the end she gave an impressed nod of approval at her collection.
