Unraveled i-2

by Gena Showalter

  “Better,” Marie said. “And thank you.”

  Again, Brendal shrugged, but her gaze snagged on Aden and she quirked a brow. “I’m beautiful, yes, but there’s no reason to stare at me.”

  “Uh, sorry.” Aden cast his gaze to his feet. He wore sandals under his robe and his toenails were painted neon green. What the— Oh, yeah. He was in Jennifer’s body.

  Marie nudged his shoulder, and he glanced up. She was frowning at him, a what’s-with-you glare in her eyes.

  “So what do you plan to do about the tug?” Brendal asked, returning them to the only topic that mattered.

  “Tell us your plans first,” Marie said.

  Brendal gave another of those casual shrugs. “Very well. We must first discover the source of the allure. Is it human? Something man-made? Something just found beneath the earth?” She closed her eyes for a moment, inhaled deeply. Her step never faltered. “We are close to it, whatever it is. I can feel it more strongly than ever.”

  Aden tried not to cringe.

  “Me, too,” Marie said.

  “Me, too,” Aden echoed, just to blend in. “What do you plan to do with it when you find it?”

  “Dispose of it, of course,” the fairy said.

  “Maybe we should keep it instead,” Marie suggested.

  Brendal blinked in confusion. “Why would we want to?”

  At Aden’s left, branches and leaves rattled together. Then several goblins sprinted out, their short legs moving faster than Aden would have thought possible. They were grinning evilly, grins that said this was all a game, blood dripping from the corners of their mouths. Two wolves burst after them, leaping through the air and slamming into their backs, sending them hurtling to the ground face-first.

  A second later, high-pitched screams, growls, snarls and pleas erupted, then silence reigned. As Brendal had promised, neither the goblins nor the wolves noticed the trio.

  Aden watched, horrified. He didn’t recognize the wolves, and he knew what they were doing was for the best, for the protection of the people, but…all that violence.

  Brendal and Marie continued walking, unconcerned. When they realized Aden had fallen behind, watching the action, they turned. Frowning again, Marie motioned him over with a wave of her hand. He hurried to catch up, and they kicked back into gear as a group.

  “This is a rare opportunity,” Marie went on as if they’d never been interrupted. “Let’s assume the tug comes from a human rather than an inanimate object, which I believe it does because we’re being pulled in different directions all the time, usually at the same time each day. The power required to do something like that must be tremendous. And therein lies the opportunity. Because not only were we summoned, but the vampires and their furry friends were, too.

  “If we capture this human, we can harness its strange power for ourselves and lead our enemies into a trap. I mean, think about it. If we slaughter the vampires and the wolves, we’ll no longer have to worry about being used as a blood bank or medicine chest, and you’ll have protected your precious humans from the giant ticks we so abhor.”

  Ticks. Aden’s hands fisted at his sides. Victoria was not a tick.

  “Neither of our people is known for sharing, Marie. This you know,” Brendal said. “How would we share this human? If we are indeed looking for a human.”

  “We’ll work out a custody plan. Anything is better than destroying someone—thing—so powerful.”

  So. She didn’t want to destroy him. That was good to know, and finally something he could use.

  “Unless that something powerful can be used against us,” the fairy said.

  Marie sighed. “True.”

  “Well, we’ll continue to search for it and reconvene when we’ve found it. Meanwhile, we must keep each other informed of our progress. Agreed?” Brendal asked.

  “Agreed.”

  Silence. Expectant silence, at that.

  Brendal flicked Aden a glance. “Your apprentice is quiet. Have you no thoughts, girl?”

  Once again, Aden found himself pulling back. He couldn’t think of an answer to give the fairy, and didn’t want to alter the future too much, so he imagined himself back inside Jennifer’s head. This time, when he settled into his shadowed corner, he realized the TV screens were no longer floating about and the boxes had returned.

  Why? Had he given himself away? Or had he altered the future?

  With a sigh, Aden stepped from the shadows.

  Who’s there? Jennifer immediately demanded.

  Without replying, Aden reached an arm out of her body, then the other, then a leg, then the other, until he was standing in front of her, sweating, panting. His knees gave out and he dropped, putting himself at eye-level with her. Or more accurately, blindfold-level. Body-possessing always weakened him, but the act had never done so this quickly. He must have stayed there too long.

  “What did you do to me?” Jennifer shouted. “You’re the reason for my blackouts, aren’t you? Because it just happened again. Answer me!”

  Blackouts. That’s how she saw the times he’d gone back. He’d changed the future, then. Made her weary and wonder what had been done to her.

  She’s alive and she’s healthy, Caleb said with relief. Good job, Team Aden.

  “Thank God,” Victoria breathed, suddenly behind him, arms wrapping around him, body heat seeping into him, strengthening him. “We didn’t think you would ever emerge.”

  “How much time passed?”

  “About six hours.”

  His eyes widened. That long? The day was wasting away, a mere blink of time left. “Help me up,” he said, urgent.

  She stood and dragged him with her, stronger than a girl who looked so delicate should be. With her arm around his waist, they left the room and the still-shouting witch. Down the hall and into another room they stumbled. There was a couch and a chair, both empty.

  “Where’s Riley?” Aden asked as he plopped on the couch.

  “He and Mary Ann went to get something to eat.” Victoria settled beside him. “Did you learn anything?”

  “Nothing that helps us with the meeting.”

  Her shoulders drooped with disappointment. “Then what did you learn?”

  “I learned I have worse luck than I thought. Not only did Dr. Hennessy hypnotize and ward me, but it turns out he is really a she, and she is really a fairy. Nice, huh? She and the witches are working together, planning to use me to draw the vampires and wolves into a trap so both races can be slaughtered.”

  “Okay, that’s a lot to absorb.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry to throw it at you like this. But why haven’t they just snatched me up? Both the fairies and the witches now know I’m the one pulling at them, and they’ve had the opportunity.”

  “Because you were protected by the vampires and the weres, maybe?”

  “Maybe.”

  “So…what are we going to do about that meeting?”

  I have an amazing idea, Caleb said. The best you’ll ever hear, if I do say so myself.

  Elijah groaned. I know what you’re going to say. Don’t listen to him, Aden.

  Now I’m nervous, Julian piped up.

  Caleb outlined his plan. Afterward, Aden was the one to groan. Of course Caleb thought his plan was a gold-star idea, because he liked those witches, but he wasn’t using his brain, merely his hormones. Still, Aden could think of nothing else to free his friends from their curse.

  “I’m going to give myself up,” he said flatly, and Caleb patted himself on the back.

  Told you it was the best.

  Victoria gasped, shook her head, strands of black hair hitting her cheeks. “No. That’s dangerous and foolish and—”

  “The only way. I’m the only one who has to make the meeting. If we pretend to set Jennifer free, she can—”

  “Jennifer?” Victoria interjected with a twinge of anger. “Who’s Jennifer?”

  “Our delightful hostage.” He motioned to the doorway with a tilt of his chin.
“Anyway, if we let her go, she’ll likely want to capture me and take me to her friends. I’ll be with them. They’ll ask me questions. That counts as a meeting, right?”

  Victoria chewed on her bottom lip. “They could decide to destroy you, despite your origins.”

  That was a chance he was willing to take. For her. For the others. He reached out and cupped her jaw. As always, she was hot, so hot, and utterly soft. “We’ve run out of time.”

  And the idea is made of awesome, but whatever.

  She leaned into the touch. “Well, I’m not willing to risk your life. I’ll let her capture me, too, and that way—”

  He shook his head before she could finish. “Witches and vampires are a bad mix, as you know. I’m sorry to say this, but they’re more likely to take me if you’re not there. And we need to do this before Riley returns.” As protective as the wolf was of his king, he, too, would insist on going with Aden. If he “allowed” Aden to go at all, that is.

  But most of all, Aden recalled the conversation that had just taken place. The witches and the fairies wanted to destroy the vamps and the weres. He wasn’t going to let Victoria and Riley become their first victims.

  “You’re king,” Victoria said, fisting his shirt, “so I can’t stop you if you insist on doing this, but you have to—”

  “I’m not your king,” he said. “I’m your boyfriend.”

  Her gaze pleaded with him to understand. “And I want my boyfriend to stay alive.”

  He softened, inside and out. “I’m going to die soon. We both know that.” He pried her fingers from his shirt and slid her palms underneath, above the scabs on the right side of his ribs. He’d possessed scars in the vision Elijah had shown him. Soon, these scabs would become scars. Soon after that, he would die.

  No fear, though. He wouldn’t let her see his fear at the thought of being stabbed in the heart again. Only his willingness to do what was necessary to protect his friends.

  “There’s a difference between knowing you might soon die and courting danger,” she cried.

  “Listen. These are scabs, not scars. Not yet. I’ve still got a little time. Which means the witches won’t kill me.” A lie. They could keep him for weeks, months, enough time to turn the scabs to scars, and then kill him. But he didn’t want Victoria to worry the entire time he was gone.

  A sigh left her as she absorbed his words, and he knew the exact second she accepted his claim; hope brightened her irises, making them glow like twin sunrises over the ocean. “If you do this, you need more wards,” she said, scooting closer. “That is nonnegotiable.”

  “If by nonnegotiable, you mean we should negotiate, then yes. I agree. There isn’t time for more wards, sweetheart.”

  She scowled. “So I’m just supposed to let you leave with the witch and hope everything turns out okay?”

  Yes, but he didn’t say it aloud. “Will you make sure no one misses me at the ranch?”

  Her scowl deepened, but she nodded.

  “Thank you. And just in case you’ve forgotten, I love you.” He kissed her then, tasting her, deep and thorough, as if this was the last time they’d ever be able to do this.

  Maybe it was.

  Her hands tangled in his hair, and she angled his head for even deeper contact. At some point, he thought he tasted blood—perhaps he’d accidentally swiped his tongue on her fangs—but even that didn’t slow him. In fact, they stayed like that, locked together, kissing, the souls quiet, until the front door creaked open and footsteps pounded.

  They sprang apart, and Aden noticed Riley’s brothers standing a few feet away, grinning.

  “Okay, well,” Aden said, and popped to his feet. He wavered, still weak, but didn’t fall.

  Victoria stood beside him and smoothed her pink shirt. “Hello, boys.”

  “I never thought I’d see the day Victoria got her tonsils cleaned, did you?” Maxwell asked Nathan.

  Nathan barked out a laugh. “That wasn’t a cleaning. That was a full-on surgery.”

  Aden’s cheeks heated. “Enough.” He turned to Victoria, pulling her close for a final hug. “Distract them,” he whispered in her ear, “and I’ll take off with Jennifer.”

  She kissed the side of his face before drawing away, her hand remaining on his arm as long as possible. When she was positioned in front of the wolves, who were still grinning like loons, she looked at Maxwell. “Take my hand.”

  “What? You want to perform another surgery? Sure, I’m game.” He clasped her outstretched fingers.

  They disappeared a second later. Nathan spun, frowning. Then Victoria reappeared, alone, and grabbed his arm before he could stop her. They, too, disappeared, this time leaving Aden alone.

  Now! Caleb commanded. You have to act now.

  Aden, Elijah began. Think about this.

  “Thinking time’s over. I’m doing it, and that’s that.” Chin high, he stalked back down the hall to the witch’s door, drew in a breath and turned the knob.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  MARY ANN CHEWED ON her bottom lip as she peered up at Riley. A fuming, steam-coming-out-of-his-nostrils Riley. She was once again in his bedroom at the vampire mansion, perched at the edge of his very soft bed, the door closed, footsteps echoing beyond it. She doubted anyone would barge in—even if she screamed, which she wouldn’t, he wouldn’t hurt her, but company would have been nice just then. Riley paced in front of her, an intimidating sight.

  “Let me get this straight,” he said, each word measured. “Tucker was in the woods. Outside the cabin. You saw him. He waved you over. And you. Actually. Went.” The last was uttered with disbelief.

  “Correct.”

  “You talked to him.”

  “Yes.”

  “You were within striking distance of him.”

  “He wouldn’t hurt me. Not that way,” she added before Riley could remind her of the mental anguish Tucker had caused and the tears she had shed.

  “You don’t know what he’s capable of, Mary Ann. He’s a demon.”

  “Part demon.” And the father of her best friend’s baby. If he decided to help Penny and be a part of the baby’s life, then he was going to be a part of Mary Ann’s life, as well, because she planned to be there for her friend. Riley needed to learn that now. “And he’s calm around me. You know that.”

  “Then,” Riley continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “you waited a few hours to tell me what had happened.”

  “Yes, again.” She’d given Tucker time to get away. Riley was a wolf, an expert tracker, and easily could have found him. They would have fought. There wasn’t time for a fight. So, once she was sure enough time had elapsed, she’d made an excuse to Victoria about being hungry and dragged Riley out of the cabin to fill him in. He should have thanked her for telling him anything at all. Instead, he’d brought her here to yell at her.

  Riley scrubbed a hand down his face. “Why do I bother protecting you, if you’re just going to throw yourself into dangerous situations?”

  “Because you like me.” Until this mess with the witches was over. Then they had some major issues to work out. Or not. She still planned to leave him. A knot formed in her throat.

  He stopped, sighed, the anger seeping from him. “You’re right. I do like you. Even though at times likes these, I’m not sure I like that I like you. So tell me again what Tucker said about Vlad.”

  That, she could do. “He mentioned the former vampire king is alive and well and living in an underground crypt behind this house. That said former vampire king ordered him to watch us and report his findings. And that said former vampire king is mad as hell that someone else is commanding his people.”

  “Yes, Vlad would be, but he couldn’t have survived total body je la nune poisoning. No one could have.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I’ve seen others die that way.”

  Was that…guilt darkening his green eyes? Had he killed others that way? The fact that she wasn’t disturbed by the possibility proved just how
immersed she was becoming in this otherworld. “Maybe he healed. You once told me Vlad was the strongest among you, and that his people hoped he would somehow recover. I mean, seriously. That’s why Aden hasn’t been crowned officially.”

  “First, if Vlad was alive, he would have come to us.” Riley’s head tilted to the side. “Unless he was too weak, but then…no. No. He wouldn’t have sent a kid to spy. Second, Vlad was also staked. Maybe he could have healed from one injury, but not both. Not in such a weakened condition.” A heartbeat later, he added, “God, I can’t believe I’m talking about this with a human. Vlad killed for less.”

  “Well, there’s a new guy in charge and I have a very good feeling he’d tell you to tell me what I want to know. So, backtracking. I thought vampire skin couldn’t be penetrated. How was Vlad staked?”

  Riley frowned, hesitated, but eventually said, “Did you hear me tell Aden that when we tattoo wards on the vampires, we have to prep the needle with a little je la nune first? That’s what allows the ink to penetrate. It’s the same principle with a staking. You cover a blade in je la nune and stab the heart. The poison melts the skin and infects the organ.”

  “Maybe he heals faster and from more severe injuries than anyone else.”

  Head tilting to the side, Riley stood there for a long while, silent, pensive, grim. Finally, he sighed and held out his hand. “There’s one way to verify this.”

  She shook her head, already knowing what he planned. “Feel free to go alone.”

  “No way. Let’s go check the crypt.”

  Her eyes widened. “A very much alive, very hungry, very angry dethroned vampire king might be down there. That’s dangerous, and I’m not supposed to place myself in danger. Remember?”

  “You’re my very capable backup. Now, come on.” He waved his fingers. “Afterward, we’ll go back to the cabin, find out whether Aden has left the witch’s body and whether he learned anything.”

  And if he hadn’t? she wanted to ask, but didn’t. Time was ticking away, no solution in sight. She was trying not to let nerves overwhelm her, wasn’t letting herself think about how significant tomorrow was. What better way to distract herself than to pay a visit to old Vlad? A man who’d once enjoyed removing human heads and displaying them on pikes.