Enthrall

by Sandra R Neeley

  Destroy was unsure what she meant. “Why, what?”

  “Why do you search for him? What do you plan to do with him?”

  Destroy wasn’t sure. He’d not planned that far ahead. He took a deep breath. “Honestly? I’m not sure yet. We lost him. He was there, on the porch. Then this morning when we woke, he wasn’t. So, now I’m searching for him.”

  “In the rain.”

  “What?”

  “In the rain. On the porch. Cold. Alone,” Aubreigne elaborated.

  And now Destroy knew where the missing Windigo/human was. “Yes. You’re right. Perhaps it wasn’t the best of conditions to leave him in.”

  “No, it was not.”

  “Do you know what he is, or was?” Destroy asked.

  “I do.”

  “Is he here, Aubreigne?”

  Aubreigne regarded Destroy for a tense moment. Then raised her chin, “He is. And he will remain here, until he chooses to go elsewhere.”

  “Now it is my turn to ask why,” Destroy said.

  Aubreigne took a moment to watch Deaumanique' where she played in the wild flowers in front of their home. “He was alone and unable to care for himself. I brought him here. I will nurse him back to health. I will shelter him until he can shelter himself.” Her eyes flashed to Destroy’s. “I will protect him if necessary.”

  “He could still be very dangerous, Aubreigne. We don’t know for sure.”

  “He is not. Your mate has seen to that. I watched. I know what took place.”

  “Still, you should let me take him with me until we are sure.”

  Aubreigne shook her head sadly. “He’s been ostracized for much too long, simply because he couldn’t change what he was. He deserves some compassion. He’s fine. We’re fine. You need look no further.”

  Just when he was prepared to open his mouth again, Aubreigne said, “I take responsibility for anything that occurs as a result. You have my word, all is well.”

  Destroy thought about it for a moment. Thought of how he felt when he himself was ostracized, how he felt when Enthrall insisted that Carolena be sent back to her people and he couldn’t stop it, how he felt when others wanted to harm his Rowan simply because she was gifted. He nodded. “I have to keep this community safe, Aubreigne. But I will trust you. I will give him the benefit of the doubt. If, however, it looks like Whispers is in any way put in jeopardy by his presence here, or his intentions, I will end him. Do you understand?”

  Aubreigne nodded. “I do. And I agree. Do not forget my daughter lives here as well. If I thought he wasn’t safe, I would end him myself.”

  “You will call for me if you have any doubts?”

  “I will.”

  “I’ll leave you to it then.” Destroy turned, setting foot on the path that would lead away from Aubreigne’s cottage.

  Aubreigne waited to be sure that Destroy was convinced of her promises, then went back inside her home. She walked into the bedroom and stood over the man lying peacefully in her bed. He was tan skinned, with long hair, black as hers. He was not a huge man — rather he was lean, yet muscular, and looked to be a few inches taller than she was. He had high cheekbones with chiseled features and pouty lips. He had long, dark lashes that were more straight than curled and rested against his cheekbones as he slept. He was resting easy now, but that had not been the case during the night.

  Aubreigne gazed at him as her mind remembered what had brought him to be in her home.

  She’d been lured outside by the storms the night before. There was an edge of electricity to them, of magic, that usually wasn’t there. And they didn’t move as storms did, they were rooted to one place. She’d made sure that Deaumanique’ was tucked safely in bed then hurried to the place the storm was concentrated, right over Enthrall’s home. She’d arrived in time to see Destroy’s mate call down the lightning into the Windigo. She’d seen the look on his face welcoming the cleansing of the light. Seen the excruciating pain on his face coupled with the relief he willingly accepted. She’d stood in the shadows and watched as Rowan had warned Destroy against harming the Windigo, or the man that he now was again. And she watched as Rowan had warned Lore not to eat him, either. She’d waited until all was quiet, and all had left him lying in the cold rain pelting down on him. Then she’d gone to his aid. She’d looked down on him and some unknown part of her had stirred to life. She’d knelt beside him, reaching her hand out to touch his neck, feeling for a pulse. Then she’d pulled him upright and struggled to lift him, leaning his weight against her. She pulled his arm over her shoulder in an attempt to lift his upper body over her shoulders and back and froze when she realized she was not alone. She stood stock still, staring unblinkingly into the yellow eyes staring into her own. Then the owner of those eyes had stepped toward her and taken the man from her. He’d lifted him up with no effort at all, then said, “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “If he is not cured, I will kill him.”

  “I know,” she’d answered.

  “Lead on, then.”

  After they’d gotten him back to her home and settled in bed, she offered her unexpected helper food and drink.

  “No, thank you. You’ve got enough to tend to. But I’ll be checking back. As long as he is truly human, all is well.”

  Aubreigne nodded, “He is. Thank you, Murder, for helping me tonight.”

  “You are welcome, Aubreigne. You know I always watch over you. Call for me if needed.”

  Aubreigne smiled and reached out a hand to cup his face. “We watch over each other.”

  Murder inclined his head in agreement and cupped his own hand over hers before patting it affectionately, then taking his leave.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Enthrall climbed back in the carriage beside Felicity. They’d spent the day going from place to place, dropping off information about their women’s shelter to any who may have reason to come into contact with anyone who may need them. It was clear that Felicity was tiring more quickly than she should, but valiantly putting on a strong front.

  “Perhaps we should call it a day. We’ve made many contacts today, and I feel we made progress.”

  “But there are more we could visit.”

  “There are. But you still have other things to do.”

  She looked at Enthrall, one eyebrow raised. “Oh, I do, do I?”

  Enthrall grinned. “Yes, you do. You have to set up your office in the house. Or if you choose, we need to locate office space for you elsewhere. Have you thought about that and what you’d rather do?”

  “I can see the benefits of both. But, I think for now, I’d rather stay closer to home. That way I can be there if anyone should need me. And you won’t have to shuttle the women to me if they need legal council — I’ll already be right there.”

  “I think it’s the best plan. I’d rather keep you closer anyway, Lici.”

  Felicity whipped her head around to meet his eyes.

  “What? Did I say something wrong?” Enthrall asked.

  Felicity shook her head. “I’m just surprised that you'd want to keep me close.”

  “Why does that surprise you?” Enthrall asked, a slight flirtatiousness behind his words.

  She shrugged and shook her head. “I just thought, I don’t know, I’m surprised that you’d even notice me.”

  Enthrall turned fully in his seat so that he could face her directly where she sat beside him. He reached out, taking her hand in his, then laid his other hand on top of hers. “I’ve noticed, Lici. Every movement you make, every word you say, every smile you give — I notice.”

  Felicity’s eyes grew wide and her heart started pounding. She looked up into his eyes and lost herself.

  “Is that okay with you?” he asked, rubbing his thumb over the soft skin of her hand.

  She didn’t answer. She was drowning in the blue of his eyes, the fullness of his lips, the soft repetition of his thumb stroking across the back of her hand.

  “Lici?”

&nbs
p; “Hmm? Oh, yes! It’s okay!”

  “And that I call you Lici? Is that okay?”

  Her face softened and she smiled. “Yes. I like it.”

  “Good.” Enthrall raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it while keeping his eyes trained on hers. Then he sat back in his seat and faced ahead once more. He did not let go of her hand. He kept it clasped in his and rested it on his thigh.

  “Perhaps one more stop before we call it a day,” he said, bowing to her wishes.

  “Yes, please,” she answered.

  Felicity returned to observing everything they passed outside the carriage, but her smile was constant and bright as she held Enthrall’s hand as tightly as he held hers.

  Chapter 3

  Enthrall was speaking with the owner of a boarding house that obviously catered to the less fortunate. Felicity had started the conversation but it quickly became clear that he was less than impressed with any woman who was not barefoot and pregnant, so Enthrall had taken over.

  Felicity had gradually wandered away, taking in the conditions those who lived here were forced to struggle under. She smiled at everyone she encountered, some smiled back, others scowled at her and shoved their way past, as though resentful of the fact that she was not in their situation as well.

  She gave pennies to a few of the children who’d gathered to ask her questions as children always did. What was her name, how old was she, how did she buy such a pretty dress? She was enjoying speaking with them when the sound of a slap caught her attention. She stopped talking and cocked her head, waiting for another, but there wasn’t one, so she continued speaking with the children surrounding her.

  A few moments longer and she heard a crash, then a scream. A child started calling out for someone to stop, and a baby was crying. She followed her ears, the sounds now clearly coming from the floor beneath her. She hurried down the stairs and found herself in front of a closed door, the sounds of flesh hitting flesh interspersed with curses and crying on the other side. While she stood there, trying to decide what to do, she heard the sound of another punch being landed.

  “Selfish bitch! I told you to give me the money!”

  “I don’t have any more! I had to buy food for the kids.”

  “If you’d stop spreading your legs, you wouldn’t have the worthless brats to feed!”

  “They’re your kids, too!”

  Another slap and a scream in response.

  “I didn’t ask for them! They’re your problem, not mine. Now, give me the rest of the damn money! I have plans tonight, and I’m not about to let you or them muck it up!”

  A woman sobbed, then answered. “There isn’t any more. You’ve taken it all.”

  Heavy footsteps stomped across the floor inside the apartment, a shriek sounded and a child begged for Daddy to stop. Then the door opened. The woman was shoved out of it while the man holding her by the back of the neck shouted, “Then get your lazy ass out, spread your damned legs again and bring me some money!”

  The woman was shoved through the door, off balance and falling. Felicity caught her at the same time the man realized he had an audience.

  “What do you want?!” he bellowed.

  Felicity, still holding onto the woman, raised her eyes to his. “The children. I want the children.”

  “Take the little bastards! Less for me to take care of!” he said, grabbing a boy of about five years old and shoving him toward Felicity as well.

  Somewhere in the apartment, Felicity could hear an infant crying. “I want the baby, too.”

  The man, a brute of a man and reeking of alcohol, sneered at her then looked her up and down. “And what will you give me for it?”

  “I won’t call the police, isn’t that enough?” Felicity shot back at him.

  “Call ‘em. See if I care.” He made to slam the door closed, but Felicity stepped into the doorway, blocking it with her forearms and her boot.

  “Get out of my home!” he bellowed, turning on her.

  “Give me the other child.”

  His face slipped into an evil expression and he grinned. “You want it?” He laughed wickedly as he turned and stalked toward a crib in the corner.

  The woman huddling in the hallway with the boy holding onto her legs said, “Don’t let him hurt her!”

  Felicity didn’t realize she was inside the apartment until she found herself standing just behind him as he reached down and grabbed the infant by the old, dingy night shirt she wore and lifted it with one fist. He seemed startled when he turned to brandish the child at Felicity, whom he expected to still be in the doorway, and found her instead right beside him.

  Felicity took advantage of his surprise and reached out, snatching the baby from his grip. “Give her to me! You have no right to have a child, any child.”

  “Who the hell are you to tell me what I can and can’t have?! You’re nothing more than a high-bred tramp. No better than any other tramp.”

  Then he made the worst mistake of his life. He reached out and shoved her.

  Felicity stumbled backwards several steps, but managed to catch herself.

  “Who’s all high and mighty now?” he taunted, shoving her backwards two more times as he stalked her drunkenly across the room.

  “Stop it! Do not touch me again, or you will be sorry.”

  “Really? And who’s going to make me sorry? You?” He laughed, evilly. “I doubt it, but maybe you can make me a little happier.” He reached out and wrapped his hand in her hair, yanking it back as hard as he could to force her to turn her face up. He leaned down and dragged his tongue up her neck to her chin.

  Felicity had the baby held tightly against her chest and clawed desperately with her free hand at the arm holding her steadily in place for this man’s assault.

  Then just as quickly as it began, it ended, with a menacing growl. “You will die for touching what’s mine.”

  Enthrall was just ending his conversation with the owner of the boarding house. It seemed it was most used by immigrants, some of which were honest and hard working. Others had fallen to the seedier side of life to try to make a living. He heard the voice of a young boy and several sets of footsteps running toward him.

  “He’s up here, I saw them come up earlier!”

  “Hurry up! We got to save her!”

  Enthrall turned in time to see three children running down the hall and toward him. The oldest child, a boy of about eleven years old, said, “Mister, you gotta come quickly, he’s gonna hurt your wife!”

  Enthrall didn’t hesitate, “Show me!” he snarled.

  He ran behind the boys down the stairs to the second floor and down the hallway to an open door with a sobbing woman and a cowering child standing in the hall opposite the doorway. It took Enthrall less than a moment to realize the woman inside the apartment, sheltering a crying baby from the man who had now turned his attention to her instead, was Felicity. His Felicity. He rushed into the room, gripping the man by his hair with one hand and the neck with the other. He didn’t even try to hold back his snarl as he said, “You will die for touching what’s mine.”

  Felicity realized she was free at the same time she realized a barely recognizable Enthrall now had the situation well in hand.

  She rushed around him and to the woman and kids in the hallway. She paused there, not wanting to leave Enthrall alone, but knowing she’d be no help to him.

  “Enthrall?” she called nervously.

  “Close the door, Lici. Close the door and get them to the carriage. I’ll be there shortly.”

  “But…”

  “Now!” Enthrall shouted.

  “Come with me. We have a place you and your kids can stay. It’s a womens’ shelter. You’ll be safe there.”

  “I have no money. I can’t afford that!” the woman now cradling her baby and cupping the back of her little boy’s head to her leg replied.

  “It costs nothing. And you can’t stay here. Who will save you next time? These children deserve more. Y
ou deserve more.”

  The woman looked at the door, then back at Felicity.

  “I promise, there is no ulterior motive here. We’ll help you. We have a full staff. It’s why we were here, to let people know we are there and ready to help.”

  The woman nodded and whispered, “Okay.” Then she allowed Felicity to guide her out of the building and into a waiting carriage.

  The woman began crying quietly as she sat there rocking back and forth, trying to shush the still crying baby. The little boy watched Felicity wide-eyed.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Felicity assured him.

  The little boy didn’t answer her; he just snuggled up against his mother’s side as closely as he could.

  Enthrall pressed on the man’s vocal chords to prevent him from making any sound until he heard Felicity and the woman with her leave the hallway. Once he was sure they were gone, he allowed his eyes to glow with the rage he felt, and whispered in the man’s ear, “You touched mine.” Then he turned the man to face him, fully letting him go to fight if he chose to.

  The man snarled a very human snarl and raised his hands as he turned in preparation of hitting whoever it was who was stupid enough to intrude uninvited into his life.

  Only once he got a good look at Enthrall — hollowed, sunken, red-glowing eyes, fangs so long he couldn’t have closed his mouth if he wanted to, angular bones poking from the skin of his face, blue veins running through the flesh of his face and hands, razor sharp claws on the tips of his fingers where his nails had once been — he cowered away rather than advance on him.

  Enthrall said, “Not such a big man now that it’s not a woman you’re facing, are you?”

  “Leave me! Begone, monster!” the man shouted, crossing himself.

  Enthrall laughed sardonically. “I can’t be shooed away that easily. I thought we might spend a little time together.”

  “Leave my home! You are not welcome here. I’ve not crossed you in any way,” then he started fumbling about, trying to remember long forgotten prayers. Before shouting, “I’ll tell them all about you. You won’t be able to hide anywhere in the city. We will flush you out, Demon!”