Bloodlines

by Trisha Lynn

Chapter Forty-Seven

  When she came to, she realized that Saibol was holding her arm tightly and staring at her with a confused and concerned expression. She shook her head, and focused on Saibol's worried face. She looked around to see the other girls had left, leaving only the two of them in their little circle; dancers bumping, swaying and grinding close by.

  “Are you okay, Princess?”

  Saibol's voice pulled her out further, and she focused on the woman's beautiful features, big emerald eyes, subtle dotting of freckles across her nose and arms, and shining dark chestnut hair. Focusing on her, Adeila pulled herself completely from the vision.

  A bit shakily, Adeila finally responded. “Ah, yeah, I'm fine. Where did everyone go?”

  Saibol continued to scrutinize her, obviously not falling for it. “To get a drink. Are you sure? Your eyes had glazed over, and I yelled to you numerous times, even gripped your arm pretty roughly, but you just continued to stare off.”

  Adeila only nodded, and tried her best to smile at Saibol but it came out more of a grimace. “Yeah, I'm good. Maybe I just need to sit down?”

  Saibol only shrugged and led the way to their table, but it was still clear in the air around them that she didn't believe Adeila, entirely. This was fine with her; good in fact, because something was certainly not okay. She was clearly seeing things. Visions. Whether past, present or future she had absolutely no clue. Some of them the same as she'd been seeing for a while, but some, like the cages and the guy with the green eyes, were new. New and frightening.

  When they reached the table it was hard not to miss Loki's look of concern, or the silent plea in his eyes to tell him what was going on, but she ignored him and steered herself past him to grab her ice water, giving herself a moment to collect her thoughts and push away the strange visions from her present mind. Something to mull over once this night had come to a close and she was locked in her bedroom. Alone. Away – well, maybe not completely away, but at least mostly away - from probing Faerie eyes.

  She continued to avoid eye contact with Loki, instead opting, yet again, to include herself in the conversation around her. After a moment she felt him trying to catch her eye, but continued to ignore him, until his fingers brushed her bare arm. Her eyes went to his tanned, capable fingers before letting them flit to up to his. The sensations running along her arm and down her spine, from his touch, caused confusion and strange emotions into her mind and across her body. He nodded his head towards the door, seemingly unaffected by the skin on skin contact. After the initial shock his touch caused, she followed his gaze towards the front door, where Erik, Danny, Brad, Chris and a few other football players stood, hands getting stamped.

  Adeila could only let out a small sigh, she knew this was coming. Her eyes drifted to Loki's again, the golden gaze was guarded but she could see the concern and rigid set of his muscled body. She gave him a nonchalant shrug, but she was thankful for his heads up. The fact that he had taken the time to give her a moment to prepare for the awkwardness of this confrontation lent her his support

  Denise waved and brought the attention of the boys to their tables. She watched Amber and Becky's looks that flitted between her and Marissa and then to Erik and the rest of the boys. Clearly they could sense the awkwardness this situation could present. Marissa refused to look at neither Erik or her, so Adeila decided to occupy herself by making a show of refilling her water with the pitcher on the table, and smoothing the white filmy quarter sleeve layered shirt she was wearing that showed a very tiny hint of her tanned midriff, along with dark denim skinny jeans and her white ballet flats. She ran a hand through her long hair; she'd taken a few minutes after her shower to put it into loose curls, now it fell in perfect glossy waves.

  She was fiddling with her phone when Erik and his crew made their way to them. She felt his gaze raking over her, but refused to even look up. She'd really taken the time with her appearance tonight, and she knew she looked good. She'd never been the overly confident type, but she'd always known she was pretty, now with the Fae influence she knew if she tried she could look otherworldly beautiful. On a daily basis she tried her best to blend in and hide it, but tonight she had let loose and vamped up her looks and complimented her physique by skin hugging clothing.

  She almost jumped when Marissa touched her arm and asked if she wanted to do a bathroom run with her. She nodded, and looked to Saibol whose keen Fae hearing instantly had her getting up from her seat. Adeila sought Loki, and met his eyes with a silent plea to play nice. He gave her a small nod and quick flash of a grin, as if reading her mind. She couldn't help the tiny smile her mouth gave, to match his. A small part of her hoped he didn't play too nice.

  As they wove their way across the room towards the bathroom, hands groping at them as they passed, and pushing against them, Adeila couldn't help but feel the distinct and creepy feeling that she was being watched. She looked about the cramped and dim lit space, but saw no one in particular. She passed it off as some overly obnoxious guys ogling at them.

  Once inside the bathroom, they were hit with the wave of cheap perfume and hairspray. Several girls sat or stood at the counter; applying mascara, chatting, fixing wardrobe malfunctions.

  They made their way to the unoccupied stalls. Marissa whispered to her from the stall next to her. “Are you going to be okay with Erik here?”

  Adeila shrugged but then realized that Marissa obviously couldn't see it. “Ah, yeah, sure.”

  Adeila was met with silence. They got out and each girl washed their hands. Marissa looked at Adeila, her eyes downcast. “I- Adi, there's something -”

  She was interrupted when the restroom door banged open, causing Adeila and Marissa to jump. Saibol just merely glanced over, and then her body went rigid and alert. Her gaze never wavering from the redheaded girl that waltzed inside. She was tall, her eyes an odd shade of amber, her brilliant red hair short and spiked, her skin was pale, her lips a slightly darker shade of red then her hair, her body was compact and well-muscled. She wore skinny black jeans, chunky black motorcycle boots, a green shirt, mostly covered by a fitted black leather jacket.

  The girl looked them all over, but her eyes rested on her. Causing Adeila an involuntary shiver. The girls lips moved into a strange and twisted smirk.

  Marissa's eyes narrowed and she gripped Adeila's arm. “Ah, let's go.” But it was Saibol who stood rooted. A look of confusion on her features, her body alert. Adeila looked between the red head, and the Fae warrioress, but was yanked out by Marissa. The red head watched her go, not even giving Saibol a glance.

  Once they were out of the restroom, Saibol came out moments after them.

  “What a wacko.” Marissa said it, while giving the restroom door a dirty look, as if the girl would see.

  When they began walking back, Adeila allowed Marissa a head start and turned her attention to Saibol.

  Catching on, Saibol whispered to her, “I can't get any kind of read on that redhead. It was so strange. Usually humans do not know enough to hide their energy like that.”

  Adeila nodded, Loki had explained as much to her.

  “She almost gave off an aura of Fae, but not. It's...Well, I'll mention it to Loki. It's a little disconcerting, since she was staring right at you. Like... I don't know. Like she knows who you are.”

  Adeila's gut twisted and she turned her eyes back through the people hovering behind them, to the bathroom doorway. To her complete shock the red headed girl was standing there. Staring back at them, a sinister grin twisted her features. Adeila stopped, getting ready to draw Saibol's attention to the redhead again when Marissa's exhilarated cry of excitement drew her attention.

  “Jake!”

  Her eyes twisted to the length of the bar, as Marissa pushed her way over to a tall, dark blonde haired guy. Adeila turned back to the bathroom, but the redhead was gone.

  Feeling the simmer of discomfort throughout all of her limbs, she tried to swallow and resist the urge to panic and give in to the feeling of dr
ead that coursed through her.

  Marissa motioned them over. Adeila got a better look at the Jake guy; she assumed the same one from the lake house that Marissa had slept with. He was even taller then he appeared from afar, as tall as Loki. With sinewy, lanky muscle. His eyes were dark mahogany, his hair on the long and disarrayed side, his jaw was rugged with stubble, his nose crooked from being broken at one point and never healing correctly, his lips were full and generous, with a smile that was almost predatory. He was incredibly attractive, in a dangerous, almost frightening way.

  She felt Saibol go still beside her, her guard defenses on high alert. Adeila instantly felt the tremble of energy in the air. The shiver of something. Something both exciting and downright scary. She looked around them, but she saw nothing but flashing lights and bodies everywhere, but she could sense something. It hung heavy in the air around her.

  Marissa grabbed her arm, and dragged her closer. She resisted a moment, before giving in. So close that she had to look up into those deep red brown eyes, that predatory face. He was strikingly handsome the closer she was, but his eyes were gleaming with mischief. With trouble. She was almost sure that it was not the innocent kind.

  A jolt passed through her body. Recognition. This man had been in her dreams. Or at least, it was entirely possible. She hadn't been able to focus on either man in her dreams, but on one she remembered long blond hair, tall, lanky, muscular frame and leather jacket. It added up to this. A shiver or trepidation worked its way along her spine.

  “This is my friend, Adeila. The one I was telling you about. My best friend.”

  Marissa smiled brightly and fluttered her lashes. Adeila looked between the two of them, and then turned her attention back to Saibol who was standing very close to her other side. Her eyes trained on Jake, her expression very similar to the one that she wore when assessing the redhead from the bathroom.

  Adeila gritted her teeth against the rising panic. She decided to take that moment to push out her own energy and see if she could sense anything from him. It was hard to concentrate on him specifically with so much sinful, hormonal and chaotic energy coursing around her. She just wasn't sure if it was a sense of ill intent or curiosity or what. She did feel some dark energy there; she just had no idea if she should act on it, or a coincidental dream.

  She extended her hand, figuring the touch would only boost her venture into his being. Maybe let her concentrate on him alone.

  He grinned, toothily, and it only heightened the animal like nature that he portrayed. When his palm met hers, she felt a jolt of energy. She smelled wet earth after a rain storm, and the feel of warm, wet animal fur. An odd feeling, but she could get no further read on him. She took her hand back from his, and his grin intensified.

  She could not feel whether his intent was good, bad, neutral. Nothing. But she already knew. Deep in her soul, she knew. Had known all along. Her dreams were something like visions. Maybe even warnings.

  Marissa broke the moment. “What are you doing here, Jake? Why didn't you text me and let me know you were in town?”

  Jake didn't even glance in Marissa's direction. His eyes never left Adeila's, as he just shrugged at the question. Adeila finally looked away; she moved her ring closer to her wrist. Getting ready to touch them to each other. To call Loki to her.

  Marissa stood, hands on her hips. Adeila stepped away from them and closer to Saibol. Just about to say good bye to them to head back to the table, when his next words chilled her to her core.

  “I am only here for one thing.” She felt his eyes still trained on her, and his voice deepened. “A Princess.”

  Before she could even react, he was on her. He had her heaved over his shoulder in moments, before she could even move a muscle or contemplate escape. She heard nothing but a rushing in her ears, Marissa's high scream and Saibol's viscous battle yell.

  He was fast and strong, he pushed through bodies in his haste to the closest exit. She lifted her head enough to see the redhead and Saibol in an all-out wrestling match, Loki running towards her, only to be barreled into by the bald guy she'd seen at the gas station and cafe. The one with the wide, creepy grin and dark soul-less black eyes. The one she now suspected, after learning about the Fae, was a Goblin.

  She could smell the leather of Jake's jacket; his body was unusually warm where her stomach rested on his shoulder, her chest on his back, his hands gripping her thighs. She tried to fight, to kick, to hit him with her arms but he was so strong. His grip did not lessen at her attempts.

  She tried to go back to her training, to remember everything that Saibol and Sorryn had told and taught her. She tried to fidget with her fingertips to find the sensitive parts in his neck, as he pushed through the fire exit and into a back alley. She flailed harder, until he spun her around, and dropped her to her feet just long enough to produce a rope. He tossed it quickly around her wrists. She thought fast, adrenaline and fear coursing through her, and she brought her knee up to his groin. She knew it was probably not the brightest idea, but she had no other option, she needed to at least bide time before Loki could overpower someone and get to her. Because she knew he would, or die trying, just like his oath had announced.

  Her knee punched up, but he twisted his body slightly, as if reading her mind and her knee went into his muscled thigh. Deeming her attack useless.

  His features twisted into a mocking grin, as he yanked the rope tight, and grabbed at her waist.

  “Fighting only makes things harder, Princess. And excites me further.” His deep voice carried an edge. And again she was reminded of a predator. Unfortunately, she was the prey.

  She twisted away from him, and kicked out with her legs again. Without the balance of her arms, their grappling pushed her to the ground. She felt the harsh, wet pavement beneath her back, and felt the back of her skull scrape along it's gritty texture. She tried frantically to lift herself without the aid of her hands, but it was no use. Jake was on her, dragging her up and over his shoulder in one fluid motion, like she weighed nothing.

  She let out a scream then, and she looked up as Loki dashed out of the door, his eyes finding hers instantly. He rushed to them. Ahern on his heels. She felt her captor stop abruptly. She could sense that it was not because he was willingly handing her over, she had a feeling he was surrounded in the dark, poorly lit, alley way. She didn't have to twist around to know that more of her Fae stood in front of him.

  Her eyes remained on Loki's, as he stepped closer. Calm. He wasn't even out of breath, although she saw rips in his clothing, and a bruise on his left cheekbone, that she knew would heal and be tanned, smooth skin again in less than an hour. She saw blood dripping from his right arm, and she felt sick with the sight. Not because the sight made her nauseous but the thought that he was hurt because of her. Because of her stupidity.

  She watched as Sorryn burst out of the door, as well, allowing the sound of yells and chaos inside to slip out for a brief moment. He had a rip in his shirt, across his stomach. There was a gash beneath the torn fabric, red and bleeding across his muscled abdomen. Drops of blood splattered the pavement. A light flickered above them.

  “You are outnumbered, wolf! Hand over the girl.” Loki's deep timbre barely concealed the rage.

  Wolf? She thought his name was Jake, or was that a fake name he'd given to Marissa?

  “And why would I do that?” Jake turned abruptly, so that he was now facing Loki, and she was facing Rembly, Devrin and Payson. So it was these three that were on the other end of the alley. So six against one were the odds. Pretty good, she hoped any way.

  Devrin she'd seen numerous times around the Faerie's rental house, and he'd even been dragged in to help with some self-defense stuff. Payson was part of Loki's team she'd met at her little birthday party, he was their information, societal, and tech guy. And Loki had said he was also fantastic with a bow and arrow. Sadly, she saw no weapons on him now. And Rembly was her father's guard, like Ahern, and she knew him quite adept with a broadsword. B
ut none had weapons, as far as she could see, she hoped that they would magically appear at any moment.

  “Because, as I said you are outnumbered. What is your name, and whom is it you work for?” Loki's voice was even, but rough. She felt his patience wearing thin.

  Jake, or wolf, or whatever, had the audacity to laugh. She felt the movement through her thighs and stomach.

  “Good try, but no. You, I know though, don't I? You must be the King's right hand. The wrangler of naughty Faeries. Loki, is it?”

  She could not see Loki's movements, but she heard nothing from him to confirm or deny Jake's question. She watched in fascination as Ahern began to move closer, slowly. Switching places with Rembly, while Jake's attentions were on Loki and Sorryn, whom he obviously considered the highest threat. Payson switched from foot to foot. She saw the anxiousness in his warm, brown eyes. His eyes gave away no fear, just anxiousness. She wasn't sure if it was anxiousness to fight, or to get this situation diffused so they could move on. Devrin looked upon them with utter interest and focus, but his body was held in tenseness, a muscle ticked in his jaw. They were all tensed, and ready for action.

  Ahern, on the other hand, had a very meticulous set to his features. A face she had come to find so kind and compassionate, was set in that of a highly skilled and trained warrior. The one Guardian, which her father had hand selected to watch out for her. The others had been chosen by Loki. She saw it then, the reason. The passion. The promise. The oath. All the training, the trust, the brotherhood and silent communication that was drilled into these men. She would have to tip her hat off to both her father and Klyne for their exceptionable education, training and loyalty instilled in these fine warriors.

  Her captor spun slightly, facing in a direction where he could see both parties out of the corner of his eyes. He must have sensed the movements of the men before him. She knew he was defeated. He had to know as well. What was he going to do? He had nowhere to run, nor any backup coming that they could see.

  Where was Saibol, though? And Marissa, where were the other kids from her school? She allowed her senses to come back to her, away from the situation and her own blood pounding in her ears. She heard oncoming sirens, the high pitched wailing of a smoke alarm. People would be pouring out of these doors any moment, and would distract either her captor or her rescuers enough for this to go one or the other way. The others heard it too because the tension increased tenfold.

  Suddenly, there was a sheathed sword at Loki's hip, and then just as instantaneously and silently it was in his capable hands. She had to check twice to make sure the glint of steel was actually there in the dim light.

  Where the heck did that come from? Could he seriously just materialize shit out of thin air, like Sorryn switching his sword to daggers for her? Now her mind wondered, because he had given her those daggers. So there was no way that the sword had been replaced by the daggers, right?

  Her mind was blown by all of this. So many questions still floated in her head. She still knew so little about this Faerie world and it's rules. Had Loki's sword always been there just hidden away by cloaking glamour?

  It was not the time to dwell on things she still didn't know of the Fae. She watched Loki take a step closer. The sword balanced in his hands. Razor sharp and deadly edge pointed towards her captors side.

  “Let the girl go, and maybe I won't cut off your head, wolf!”

  A moment later she watched Ahern, Devrin, Rembly and Sorryn materialize sheathed swords, and as they pull them out, not as gracefully as Loki, they make the ringing sound of the blades scrapping against the scabbards. It's dramatic effects, that sound, resonating the alley. She had no idea if it was meant to dramatize or not, but it certainly made the situation seem more real. More of a medieval battle, versus, Loki's quiet stealth. Payson stood with a sleek, deadly looking black crossbow trained at Jake's knees, bolt nocked and ready.

  Of course they all had access to weapons, what kind of bodyguards don't? She wasn't sure how she'd ever doubted them.

  Just then the door burst open, she felt her captor's knees buckle, and she was being thrown down. Before she even felt the grit of pavement again, hard, warm hands were wrapped around her. She looked up into golden eyes that were dusky with gray and silver. His hidden rage. She felt his hard muscles circling her.

  He carried her away from the commotion and chaos behind them. The people streaming through, Jake on the ground from Payson's well placed bolt, the Guardian's ensuring they are not followed, and keeping Jake in their sights. Sorryn at their heels.

  All she could focus on were Loki's eyes, however. Nothing else touched her thoughts. How they slowly began to gather their color back, the gray being chased away by honey gold and softer green rings.

  Her heart beat frantically. From the situation they were just in, or the one she was facing now, she's wasn't sure. The situation now being the one where she is in his arms. His face so close to hers. The pressure of his strong arms around her thighs and back. His earthy, pine musk coming off of him and filling her senses.

  Instead of resisting, like she should, she puts her arm around his shoulder, making the process easier but putting her closer to him still. She can feel his heart beat against her rib cage and breast, as she's molded to him.

  She could hear shouting, and running behind them as Loki's meticulous, quick and careful strides bring them to the end of the alley. The screech of tires pulls her attention forward, and a long black SUV stops before them. Sorryn opens the back door quickly, and Loki carefully lifts her inside.

  Adeila's eyes go to the driver. She recognizes Saibol's long chestnut hair, and is instantly thankful that the girl is safe. Sorryn and Devrin jump into the back with her. She almost protests where Payson, Rembly and Ahern are, but Loki gets into the front passenger and motions for Saibol to drive. Which she did with force, and speed. Break neck speed. Adeila can't wrap her mind around anything in particular, but she doesn't have to as Sorryn's voice envelopes her.

  “What the fuck were the wolves doing there? And with a fucking Goblin?”

  Loki's calm voice drifts towards her. “I have no idea. That Goblin is one of Geneside's men, I'm almost positive. I've seen him before. A few years ago.”

  Sorryn hisses between his teeth. “Geneside? I thought he was dead?”

  Loki turns his attention to the front again. “Maybe all is not what it seems any longer.”

  With that cryptic message, they drove in silence. Adeila's adrenaline crashes, her skull hurts and her body aches. Shaking, she leans heavily on Sorryn beside her. He puts his strong, friendly arms around her and she soaks up the much needed comfort. She fills her senses with his warmth, and his smell of sunshine and autumn leaves.