by Maggie Walsh
Anthony let his eyes roam over the man’s body and when their gazes met he saw that the man was looking at him with a knowing smirk on his face and a glint in his eye. He sat on the edge of the bed and placed the tray over Anthony’s lap. That’s when he met Francis Von Cleef.
A shudder or fear raced through Sage as he thought about Francis. He needed to get as much money as he could and get the hell out of here. If his ex-lover and master found him, his life would be over.
* * * *
“What did he say, Dante?” Raith asked as Sage disappeared from the beach.
“Take me to the place that’s safe, so I can find the wealth I seek,” Dante answered.
“What the hell does that mean?” Raith asked in frustration.
“Anthony has many hiding spots. And from what I do know about him, it seems he has a lot of money hidden away as well,” Slade said.
“Why? What kind of life did he have before Evan found him?” Maddy asked.
“It’s a long story and I’ll tell you along the way,” Slade said, then turned to Raith. “Right now I think your mate needs to keep trying to track him.”
Raith turned his attention to Rory who was standing a few feet from him, holding one of Sage’s shoes. His eyes were closed and his face was scrunched up like he was concentrating really hard. “Anything, baby boy?” Raith asked softly and placed a hand on Rory’s lower back.
Rory opened his eyes and shook his head. “No. I’m not getting anything. Maybe he cast a spell to stop me from tracking him.”
“You can do it, baby. Just try again,” Raith encouraged.
“I’m not getting a damn thing, Raith. I thought I had this witchcraft thing down, but maybe I need more of Demi’s help,” Rory said in defeat.
“What about your Grimoire? Would that help?” Josh asked.
“Probably, but I didn’t bring it with me.”
Raith pulled his cell phone from his pocket and began to dial. “What are you doing, Raith?” Rory asked.
“I’m giving Micah a call and asking him to get your Grimoire and have Jesse or one of the fae guards bring it here.”
“They won’t be able to touch it. I have guarding spells on it. Adam, Demi, Marcus, and Zane can touch it and open it, but only I can see all the spells within it.”
“So we’ll have one of them bring it here,” Raith said and hit the Send button. Once he reached Micah, he explained what was going on and asked him to have one of the others bring the Grimoire. Raith stayed on the phone with Micah for a few minutes, then hung up and turned back toward their group. “He’ll have it sent right away. In the meantime, he had Papa Angel go back to Sage’s room and grab something that belongs to him so that Micah can try to track him.”
Just then a bright light flashed under the pier and they all turned to see who it was. Adam walked through a portal holding Rory’s Grimoire and he had Colby with him. The portal closed and they met Adam halfway.
“Adam, thank you for bringing this for me,” Rory said as he held out his hands for the book. Adam handed it to him with a smile.
“Viktor said I could help you with whatever you need. So what are we looking for?”
“What were the words Sage used again, Dante?” Rory asked.
“Take me to the place that’s safe so I can find the wealth I seek.”
“And he said this in Latin?” Adam asked and Dante nodded. “Look for the incantation on locating non-relatives. I want you to say that incantation as I repeat Sage’s words. Maybe it will take us right to him.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Rory said and opened the book. He and Adam started searching for what they needed.
Maddy walked closer to Slade and met his gaze. “What can you tell me about my brother?”
“I would think you would already know a great deal about him seeing as you have been living with him for over a year.”
“Well you thought wrong. Sage never shared much about his past with anyone. You said he’s in danger. So who’s after him and what can we expect if we come across this person?”
“You’re definitely a lot like your father,” Slade said with a slight smirk and looked to Raith.
“What can you tell us, Slade?” Raith asked as he stepped closer.
“Anthony is running from a man named Francis Von Cleef. They were lovers for a short time.” Slade said that part through gritted teeth. “Then Von Cleef started drugging Anthony and forced him into a life he didn’t want.”
“You’re telling me that this sick fuck had sex with my underage son?” Raith seethed.
“I’m not sure how old Anthony was when their relationship started. I believe he was eighteen at the time. From everything I found it points to Von Cleef drugging Anthony and forcing him. Anthony was with Von Cleef for a little over a year before he got away. Von Cleef made a mistake and Anthony escaped. Von Cleef has been trying to find him since. One reason he has said is that Anthony stole a large sum of money from him before he left. As I tracked Anthony I could never find one piece of evidence that Anthony had taken anything, but now I am thinking maybe he had.”
“And why is that?” Dante asked.
“Because of the words he used. A safe place for the wealth I seek. I am thinking that Von Cleef’s accusations are true. What I do know about Anthony is that he isn’t stupid. I know he set up safe places in a few areas where he could hide from Von Cleef. What if he spread out this fortune in these safe places in case he would need it someday?”
“That sounds like the smart thing to do. Hell, that sounds like something I would do,” Raith said with a laugh.
“Or something you have already done,” Slade said with a smirk.
“You can never be too careful in our world.” Raith smirked back.
Just then Raith’s phone rang. He dug it out of his pocket and slid his thumb across the screen. He placed it to his ear. “Raith.”
“It’s me,” Micah answered.
“You have anything for me?”
“You said you were in Santa Monica, right?” Micah asked.
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“That’s a hell of a distance from Albuquerque.”
“Are you telling me Sage is in Albuquerque?”
“Yup. I tracked him to a storage facility there. Evan worked his magic on the computer and found the address and storage unit number. The box is registered to Charles Xavier,” Micah said in amusement with a little chuckle.
Raith laughed. “You’re shitting me?”
“Nope. I had no idea Sage was such a big X-Men fan. I’ll text the info to you.”
“Me either. Thanks for the info, buddy. We’ll keep in touch. How’s Aaron?”
“Pissed off. But he understands. He said to find your son and get your asses home. He misses you both already.”
“Tell him we miss him, too, and I’ll call him later.”
“Will do. All of you be careful and take care of each other,” Micah said.
“We will. Talk to you soon.” Raith hung up and looked at Dante and Slade’s amused faces.
“We heard,” Dante said.
“Baby boy, we’re headed to Albuquerque,” Raith said as he turned back to Rory.
“I can take you there,” Colby offered.
“Thanks, Colby, but I think your portal light might draw the attention of the humans,” Rory said and pointed up to the crowded pier above.
“Dante and I can get us all there. Everyone grab on,” Slade said as he placed a hand on Dante’s shoulder. They all came closer and grabbed hold. Colby groaned and Dante smiled at him. He knew the fae hated to travel this way. Once they were all connected they disseminated.
* * * *
“Sleep. I just need to get a little sleep first, then I’ll leave,” Sage said to the empty room as he stretched out on the sofa and covered himself with a blanket. He closed his eyes and a picture of the gorgeous vampire that appeared in Micah’s kitchen with King Dante came to him. Damn, the vamp was the hottest thing he had ever seen. Those ey
es that seemed to look right through him were so beautiful, Sage just wanted to stare into them all day. But who was he? He had said he was able to track Anthony…well, him. So did that mean the man knew everything about him? Did he know about how he had lived and what he had done? And he came with Dante. Did that mean that they all knew by now? Dante had said that he was looking for Anthony. No, they all were. But why were the alpha and vampire king looking for him? How did they even know about him?
Sage was getting a headache from all these questions and needed to get some rest. He needed a plan and had more important things to think about right now. Like where the hell he was going to go, and how to stay off Francis’s radar. Sage’s eyes snapped open at a thought that forced its way into his thinking. They had followed him. How had they followed him and why?
Sage threw the blanket off and sat up. He ran a hand down his face and sighed. Why were they looking for him? Why were they looking for Anthony? Everyone looked shocked as hell when they found out he was Anthony. Maddy even looked…Maddy looked not only shocked but…happy. Why? Then there was Raith. He had the same look in his eye as Maddy. And why did they find his grandmother and bring her to Sanctuary? They had no idea who he was and that Anthony was among them until the sexy vamp announced it, so why was she there?
Sage jumped up and started pacing. None of this made any sense. Then a memory hit him like a bullet to the brain, causing Sage to freeze.
“So has the alpha and your father been able to find out anything about your twin yet?” Evan asked as he and Maddy set the table.
“No. Nothing. Uncle Micah, Uncle Jesse, me, Milo, and Josh are flying out tomorrow to meet the grandmother so hopefully she’ll be able to tell us something,” Maddy explained.
“I just wish that tornado hadn’t stopped your last visit so that you could have gotten the information sooner.”
“Me, too. Who knows if she’ll even tell us anything. This is her grandson, and her loyalties lie with him. I’m sure she’ll want to do whatever she can to protect him. And a bunch of stranger’s showing up on her doorstep asking questions may freak her out. We’ll have to figure out a way to convince her that I’m his twin and mean him no harm.”
Sage stood in the mudroom taking off his snow boots as he listened to their conversation. He hung his coat on a peg and opened the kitchen door.
“You’re right. She may not be too willing to tell you anything about Anth…dinner’s almost ready, Sage. Why don’t you go wash up?” Evan said.
“Holy motherfucking shitballs. Am I Maddy’s twin?” Sage stood frozen as his mind started to race, trying to remember any conversations he had overheard or had with anyone about Maddy’s twin. He couldn’t remember any single conversation and now wanted to kick his own ass for always being so wrapped up in his own shit that he never paid too much attention to anyone else’s lives. Damn, he was a selfish prick. But then again, Maddy had been such an asshole that Sage had stayed away from him most of the time, and when he did have to be near him, Sage usually blocked out what he was saying. Then after Maddy returned he found out he was older than he thought. He mated Josh and Milo, and was a different person and Sage liked who he was now, but Maddy was so busy with his mates and his new life training to be an enforcer and getting to know his father…Sage’s eyes went wide again at that thought. Raith is Maddy’s father. He had at least paid that much attention to know that. And the witch, Alison, had been Maddy’s mother. They had killed the evil bitch in a battle. No, that demigod, what was his name? “Shit, Sage, why are you always so involved with yourself that you miss important shit? Malachi! That’s it. Malachi had killed her and that’s when Raith had found out he had a child and then found out that Maddy was his son.”
Sage sat back on the couch as his mind continued to race and make connections. Then Evan found out that Maddy actually had a twin, but they couldn’t find him. “I was born a twin. Mom had never hidden that I had been adopted. She had always told me that she had adopted me. She couldn’t have children and wanted one desperately. She said that when she saw me she had fallen in love instantly and knew I belonged with her. She used to say how she only wished she would have been able to adopt my twin brother, too. When I asked her why she hadn’t, she said that someone else had taken his twin before she had found me. I always assumed that meant someone else adopted my twin brother. But that isn’t true. Maddy was raised by his mother. A witch. And I am a witch. So that means the bitch had taken Maddy and left me behind. She didn’t want me. My own birth mother hadn’t wanted me.
“But from what I do remember from things Maddy had said, that was a blessing. He always said his mother was an evil bitch and he was grateful that he had gotten away from her. So if Maddy is my brother, my twin, and Alison is my birth mother, which is why I am a witch, then Raith Angel is…my father, and that’s why I’m a wolf. Shit! Raith Angel is my father!
“That means he can help you, Sage. He is the best kill enforcer in the paranormal world. He can get Francis off your trail and make him disappear. You have a new family now, Sage, and not just Evan and the others but a real family. A blood family. Maybe I should go back? Maybe I need to return to Sanctuary? But then I would have to tell them everything. Then they would find out what I had done. Maddy already gave me enough shit about wanting to be a stripper. What would he think of me if he knew what I already was? He wouldn’t want me as his brother then. And Raith probably wouldn’t want a whore as a son either.”
The excitement and hope over having a family again was short-lived with that thought. There was no way they would want him when they found out who he really was. Sage’s eyes filled with tears as he thought about losing the family he now had and the one he could have with Maddy and Raith. Sage lay down on the couch and curled into a ball as thoughts of all hope being lost entered his mind.
A scraping noise came from outside the metal storage locker he was hiding in. Sage sat up quickly and listened. The noise was coming from the door. Someone was trying to get in. Shit, he needed to get out of here. Sage stood and ran to the far corner. He pulled the large recliner that sat there, away from the wall and found the spot he was looking for. He grabbed the hanger that sat nearby and worked the metal tip into the small hole in the wall, then pulled. A panel loosened from the wall and popped free. Sage dropped the hanger and moved the panel away. Then he grabbed a duffel bag that sat on the chair. Reaching into the hole he moved his hand to the left and grabbed the contents hidden within. Pulling his arm back, he looked at the stack of hundreds.
This stack held five thousand dollars, but he would need more. Sage reached back into the hole and retrieved another three stacks of cash. He placed the four stacks in the duffel, then quickly replaced the panel, making sure it was just right so it was seamless and unnoticed. He placed the hanger back on the chair and moved the chair back into place. Sage went to the dresser and opened the bottom drawer, then pulled out some clothes. He stuffed those into the duffel and closed the drawer. Shoes. He needed shoes. He had left his on the beach back in Santa Monica. Sage ran to a chest by the door and quietly opened the top. He grabbed two pairs of sneakers and shoved those in the bag. Grabbing up a pair of flip-flops he dropped them on the floor and carefully closed the lid of the chest.
The door clicked and Sage jumped, spinning to face it. He watched in horror as the large rolling door began to lift. Sage shoved his feet into the flip-flops and chanted quietly, then disappeared.
Chapter 2
They walked silently through the rows of metal storage containers as they searched for the right one. Maddy had found a row that was marked numbers 100 through 150. They turned down that row and looked at the numbers as they passed. Number 146 came into view and they all stopped in front of it.
“This is the one,” Maddy whispered.
“It’s padlocked,” Josh added.
“Step back,” Colby said as he stepped closer. He wrapped his hand around the lock and chanted softly. The lock made a small clicking sound and he pulled it
down, then turned it and pulled the lock from the door. He turned to Raith. “Now it’s not.”
“Always good to travel with different types of paranormals,” Raith said with a chuckle. He leaned down and grabbed the bottom of the gate, then began to lift it. Slowly it rose until the door slid all the way up, revealing what looked like a living room.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting that,” Rory said.
“Let’s get in quick before someone sees us,” Raith ordered.
Everyone stepped into the storage unit and Raith quietly closed the door behind them. Colby opened his hand and chanted. Suddenly a small light appeared in his palm, lighting up the room. They all stood there and looked around.
“I can smell him,” Josh said.
“Me, too. The scent is strong, which tells me he was just here. So what did he do while he was here?” Raith asked absently as his gaze ran over the area.
“What’s that?” Milo asked and pointed toward a recliner.
“Um…a chair,” Maddy answered with a laugh.
Milo grabbed his mate around the waist and hauled him against his chest, a big smile on his face. “Yes, I know it’s a chair, you smart ass. I meant the floor around the chair.”
Once he said that, everyone’s gaze zeroed in on the spot. Raith moved closer and knelt down. “You’re right, Milo. This scrape left behind is new. The dust has been disturbed, which tells me this chair was recently moved.” Raith stood and pulled the chair away from the wall. Raith looked behind it, but only found a bare wall. He huffed and looked back at everyone. “Nothing.”
Adam stepped closer and studied the wall. He leaned down to get a better look. “What about this?” Dante asked. Everyone looked to where Dante was. “The dust has been moved here as well.” Dante pointed to a drawer in the dresser across the room.
