Broken Melody (Luna's Children)

by Melissa Kay Clarke

  She felt an immense surge of relief followed by “Yes! It's really me. Where are you, sweetie?” We have been looking for you for so long.

  She sobbed and spoke out loud but the words were garbled by the gag so she concentrated and spoke into her mind instead. “I don't know. It's a small dark room with no windows and a locked door. I don't see any light when he comes unless he turns on the one overhead. There's a concrete floor and bare walls. I'm sorry, I don't know where it is because I was unconscious when they brought me here.” She hesitated a moment then realizing she would probably never see them again she added, “Please tell Cayson I love him very much and I wish that I could have been his mate. Tell him I'm sorry for leaving like I did and I'm so sorry for hurting him.”

  “He knows, honey, he love you too so much! He hasn't given up on you - he's been searching for you since you left. You just hang in there.” She felt a wave of pure joy and knew at once it was her mate. Somehow, some way, he was sharing this strange link with her. The warmth washed over her in such a soothing way that she almost forgot about her injuries. Shifting in her binds was a harsh reminder. “Carson you have to stay away. There's a man, he was my alpha where I used to live. He's evil and he'll hurt people if he knows you can talk to me. I have a family and they need to be safe. Please don't let him hurt anyone like he has me.”

  “What has he done? Zandria? Talk to me, honey. What has Simon done?”

  “That doesn't matter. Just please don't let him hurt the people I love.”

  “You listen to me. I need to know when was the last time you saw Simon? It's important that we know how close to you he is. We know where he is right now so if you can tell us when you last saw him, we can maybe figure out where you are.”

  “He was here, I think, just an hour or two ago, but I'm not sure because I passed out when he left.” She listened “Carson? Are you still there?”

  There was no answer. She hung her head down and wondered if it was her own mind playing tricks or if she truly had been heard.

  ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♬ ♪♩ ♪•*¨*•.¸¸

  Carson opened her eyes and breathed deeply. Reaching her hand up she wiped at her wet cheeks. Chase gathered her up in his arms. “It's ok, love, you tried that's all that mattered.”

  She shook her head. “No, it worked. I was able to communicate with her. She's nearby.” She looked around until she saw Simon sitting calmly to the side. All the other eyes in the room were on her. “He knows where. She told me he was just there an hour or two ago.”

  Simon laughed. “Surely you don't think I would possibly believe this nonsense. I supposed that I should be afraid and confess some great heinous crime now? I told you before, I don't know where the girl is. I've been searching for her for months but never found her. You're ploy isn't going to work because I am innocent in this.”

  Carson stood up and glared at him. She took several steps forward. “She's being held in a small room, bare walls and concrete floor. There is a single light overhead and a door that locks. Does that sound familiar, Alpha Winstead?” She stopped a few feet away. “You've beat her, just before you arrived here today. She wouldn't tell me what all you did but I could feel it. See, one of the things that people fail to understand about dreaming is that the dreamer experiences everything the subject does. I could feel her broken nose, the swelling in her face. I could feel the bruised lungs from being kicked and I could feel the broken right pinky finger.” She took another step forward. "Does that sound familiar?"

  Simon's face had gotten redder and redder the more she had talked until it had developed a nice shade of purple. He jumped up. “I have no idea what you are talking about.” He waved his hands around excitedly.

  He was interrupted by Chase. “I see some abrasions on your right knuckles. Looks suspiciously like you have been fighting.”

  Obediah stood up and marched around the table. Grabbing Simon's hand he studied it a few minutes then dropped it. “I'd say you were right. Those are definitely fighting marks and fresh ones. He hasn't shifted since the fight so they are still raw.” He took a step back.

  Carl gave him a scathing look. “I also remind you, Simon Winstead, the penalties for lying to the Council during an official hearing. Care to change your testimony? Or shall we have a dreamer have a go at it? Perhaps dreaming your recent past will shed some light on these allegations.”

  “If you like,” Manna's voice sounded from behind them, “I would be quite happy to do that, Elder.” She took a step forward and held her hand out towards him.

  He took a step back and thought for a moment. A plan suddenly came to him and he straightened himself up, smoothing over his jacket with a now calm hand. “Ok. Yes, I know where the girl is, she is... safe. But she's not a wolf, and, yes, I should have turned her over to the police, but I didn't because the human justice system is not like ours. She would have slipped through the cracks and I couldn't let it happen.”

  Cayson leaped to his feet, snarling. “Where is she?” He roared.

  Simon took a step back and looked to the council. Carl stood slowly. “You will take us to her so that we question her regarding the claims by both Sapphire Lake and Leeco packs. If you stand in the way of this Council in its duties, you will face the consequences and I can promise you, it will not be pleasant!” He narrowed his eyes at Simon. “As or her possibly being a were, you do realize that should she be found to be one, your actions will be addressed in a different manner.” He motioned for the Enforcers that were standing in the back of the room. “Take Alpha Winstead into custody so that he doesn't get lost on his way back to Leeco. We will reconvene after the girl is presented to us. This council is adjourned.”

  The Enforcers came forward. Simon nodded and holding his head up high, walked from the room. Carson watched him march out and narrowed her eyes. He was up to something. Just then, her thoughts were interrupted by Manna hugging her gently. “That was something that I've never done before, using a bonding link to dream a secondary subject. I think after this is over, you and I need to have a long talk about how you came up with this idea and what other type of things you can do.”

  “It was originally Rachel's idea, but of course, just let me know when.”

  Chase took her hand in his. “You go up to the room and rest. We'll meet tonight after this is over.”

  She shook her head. “No way. I'm going there too and you may as well forget trying to talk me out of it.” She looked over to where her father and brother were talking with the Empath Tehetsége. “I'm so glad this is almost over, but I think Cayson is going to need me, going to need all of us if she's in as bad a shape as I think she is.”

  Rachel came up and put a hand on Carson's elbow. “I have one question. Did anyone else see Mr. Ferret-face McBling slip out of the room when all hell broke loose or was it just me?”

  EIGHTEEN

  ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♬ ♪♩ ♪•*¨*•.¸¸

  Laura was still pissed by the time they got back to the car parallel parked on main street in front of the hardware store. Artfully painted guitars sat at intervals along the street proclaiming to any that may have missed the fact it was the birthplace of Elvis Presley. Marching around to the back of the car, Laura jammed her key into the lock, opened the trunk and threw her purchases inside. Slamming the door she whirled around and snarled at Zandria.

  “I brought you because my father asked me to. He thought you should have a friend. What you really need is someone to take you out behind a building and put you out of everyone's misery. Nobody can stand you, did you know that? Everyone hates you, even your own sister has said she wishes she was still back at your old pack. They all blame you.” She took a step towards Zandria, “I brought you here and you embarrassed me in front of Bryant! Not only that, but you actually tried to take him for yourself? Who would want a fat cow cur when they can have me? Nobody! But thanks to you, now he'll never ask me out. Poor little Zandria. So pitiful and pathetic. But you don't fool me, I know it's all an act.” She rea
ched out and grabbed Zandria's arm, pinching it painfully. “I'll show them all how manipulative you really are.”

  She had reached her limit. It wasn't her fault that Bryant had shown her something other than pity or hatred. Yanking her arm out of Laura's hand, she took a step back onto the sidewalk. “Don't worry Laura, I'll find a way home by myself.” She growled though she had no idea how. Anything was better than taking any more of her crap.

  Laura blinked in shock that Zandria had actually stood up for herself. Bereft of the other girl's arm, she took a step back to stabilize herself and felt her heel drop into the grate of a storm drain. Momentum carried her into traffic. The cab never saw her until her body flew through the air and landed on the asphalt several feet away. Zandria stood in shock, her hand over her mouth and shaking her head.

  Diana looked at her in horror. “You did that. You pushed her!”

  ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♬ ♪♩ ♪•*¨*•.¸¸

  The click of the lock turning brought her back out of the exhausted sleep. Shaking the cobwebs from her mind she blinked as the light flickered to life overhead. It wasn't her imagination, her vision was better. Maybe she should have asked to be beaten senseless before now. She could see that Bobby stood in the room, his eyes locked on hers. She drew back against the wall and groaned behind the gag and winced when the movement aggravated her injuries. He took several steps into the room, drew his hand back and slammed it into her already bruised face. She slumped to the ground, as stars danced before her eyes and the smell of blood again assaulted her nostrils.

  “I've got to get her out of here,” he mumbled then reaching down, he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. Though she had lost some weight in recent weeks, she was not small and he grunted when her weight hit his shoulder. Walking out of the door, he climbed a steep ramp, groaning with every step until they reached the top. He dropped her to the floor and leaned against the wall panting. He glared at her and kicked her thigh with his booted foot. “Why you have to be so damned fat?”

  Leaning down, he picked her back up and wrapped his arm around her thighs. From her upside down position, she could see the hole that they had just come up from and the bare walls of a small building with no windows. It was about 10 feet square and the hole up took up most of the floor space. A wooden door lay propped against the far wall. That must have covered the entry down to the room.

  He repositioned her on his shoulder, jostling her again eliciting a groan of pain from her. “Shut up!,” he hissed at her, then quickly moved out the door.

  At first the brightness of the daylight blinded her but her one good eye finally adjusted and she realized she was behind Alpha Winstead's house. Too bad she couldn't reach the phantom Carson that had visited her earlier. Now she knew where they had held her, but it really didn't matter anyway. Carson was just a figment of her exhausted imagination, like the voices. He stopped and looked around then turned to the woods and started to work his way through the trees. Neither of them saw the young werewolf push himself away from the house edge and follow behind.

  Gabe had a feeling that there was something strange about that new shed sitting behind Simon's house. He and Dakota had been taking care of the repairs in the pack since they first arrive at Leeco; well tried to that is, as they had almost nothing to work with. They often used their own money earned at a job working construction in Tupelo to buy materials but the demand far outweighed the supply. To find a new structure where he knew there wasn't one just a few months ago was very strange. The longer he thought about it the stranger it became until he knew he wouldn't rest until he had checked it out. It hadn't taken long to make his way to the back corner of the pack lands where the alpha had a home. He had just rounded the corner when he saw Bobby unlock the door on the shed and go inside. Maybe this was the chance he needed to find out what was inside. He started towards the open door but stopped when he realized it would probably be smart to wait and watch for a bit before proceeding. So, he backed up downwind of the little shed, disappearing into the shadows that painted the corner of the house in darkness where he was now waiting somewhat patiently for movement. It was just a few minutes before he heard Bobby grunting and talking to... someone. He rose up on his feet and kept his eyes glued on the doorway.

  Bobby walked out carrying something slung over his shoulder. Gabe squinted trying to figure out what it was – maybe an old sack or a rolled up rug. He was perplexed. Maybe the little shed held antiques or...

  The bundle moved and he realized it was a body. He was so shocked, had his feet not been rooted to the ground, he would have fallen on his butt. Could that be the little sister of his brother's mate? Bobby disappeared around the back of the shed, moving towards the forest. Kicking himself into gear, he ran to the edge of the trees but they had already disappeared.

  Indecision tore at him for a moment. Should he go get help or follow them? Bobby was bigger and he was their beta, but Gabe would never forgive himself and neither would Kota if it was her and he hadn't helped. In the blink of an eye, he jumped towards the forest, landing on four feet, sensitive nose already sniffing for the trail as a rain of fabric fluttered to the ground behind him.

  ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♬ ♪♩ ♪•*¨*•.¸¸

  It had taken all of Willow's abilities to talk Dakota into letting her accompany him and the others back to Leeco. She wouldn't even consider going back if her sister and mother weren't safely tucked in the suite upstairs with several burly Council Enforcers staged nearby. She had begged and pleaded, even breaking out the forbidden tears and in the end, they had worked. Even though Grandpa and Daddy were going, she needed to as well. She desperately needed to see for herself if Zandria was really there. The past year had been so hard on them all. She, like Zandria, never really fit in there. They were two of a kind in that matter – it was very hard for either of them to make friends, so she spent most of her time helping her mother with things around the house. Valarie was just the opposite, being very much the extrovert, and took as much time away from home as she could. They all loved Tigger with a passion, but Willow felt just a little more closer to her than she did Valarie.

  She looked over at Dakota and found his light brown eyes locked on her, a lopsided grin on his features. She returned the smile and he squeezed her hand. When her entire family had been put under house arrest, Dakota and his brother, Gabe, were among the various wolves charged with watching them. She had taken them some sweet tea one day and with only one look into his eyes, she was helplessly captured. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered that day and the searing heat that instantly overcame her with that first perfect kiss. She didn't need to see the matching marks to know they had found their mates. It was obvious to everyone, even though they had been denied a proper ceremony. She sighed and laid her head over on his shoulder. No matter, the one Grandpa had performed for them just a few days later was all they truly wanted. They were mated in their own hearts and the small white bite mark scars on their shoulders was all the proof she needed. She was shaken from her memories as they pulled into pack grounds and parked.

  “Ready?” Dakota gave her another smile. “You don't have to you know. We can stay here.”

  She shook her head. “Nobody has seen her in almost a year, I have to be here.”

  He leaned over and kissed her gently then got out of the old jeep, going around to her side and waited for her. Taking her hand again they moved over to where the others were standing. Stopping behind her sister's mate, she hesitated a moment then reached out and touched his arm. She gasped and drew her hand back, shaking it. Beside her, Kota bristled as Cayson turned around

  “Oh, I'm sorry, Willow. I didn't have my shields up. I didn't mean to zap you.”

  “Zap me? What does that mean?” Kota pulled her back behind him protectively. She sighed. It was going to take some getting used to having him be so protective all the time.

  “I'm an empath, which means I can detect emotions, manipulate them but also I can push my own out. I normall
y keep myself shielded but I have been so worried, I didn't think about it. You got a healthy dose of how I'm feeling. Again, I'm sorry.”

  She nodded and reached her hand out again and touched his arm. “It's ok. I know you are worried about her. We have been too. I'm sure she is missing you just as much as you are missing her.”

  He nodded tightly then turned back when Elder Abernathy appeared. “Alright now, where is the girl?”

  If anything, Simon seemed to be even more confident then he had been when they left the room earlier. Willow didn't trust it; he was up to something.

  “This way,” he nodded towards the back of the commons. “There's a shed behind my house. She's in there.”

  Cayson took off at a run. “Cay wait!” both his father and sister scream at the same time. “You don't know what's back there!,” added Chase, but he was already gone. Two of the Enforcers along with his father sprinted after him. After a moment's hesitation, Dakota grabbed her hand and they too, ran after.

  The door to the little shed was open when they arrived at the back of the house. There was an anguished growl and then Cayson emerged from the doorway. Fury was burning in his face as he stalked up to Simon. “Where is she?” He roared and reached for the man's throat.

  Two of the Enforcers pulled Simon back while two more grabbed the snarling half changed wolf and began to wrest him to the ground. “Cayson! Pull your wolf back now!” His father demanded. It took all three of them to force him to the ground and several moments before he was able to look at them through eyes that had returned to their customary deep green.

  “I got it. Let me up.” His voice had lost a great deal of the former anger though there still was an underlying harshness.

  He looked at the Elder who seemed to be enjoying the scene; a smile was stretched across his face. “Still can't control your own children, Hennison?” He smirked.

  Jeff took three steps and stood toe to toe with the Elder Abernathy. “The problems between us is just that, Carl. They are between us and don't involve my children. Cay has his wolf under control so please tell your Enforcers to let him go.”