Elusion (Facets of Feyrie Book 1)

by Zoe Parker

  “Miss Black, are you well?” Harvard asks in concern.

  I clear my throat.

  “Yes, I’m fine. There was a big, fat fly buzzing around my head.”

  “Oh, we can get an exterminator up there immediately!” The concern in Harvard’s voice strikes me as funny.

  “You’re just adorable, Mr. Harvard the Hotel Manager.”

  “Miss Black, I have worked here for 30 years, and you are by far my favorite client.”

  “You say that now.”

  He chuckles. “There is a tablet on the desk in the office, you can email me anything you require to save yourself the hassle of a phone call.”

  “Maybe I like hearing your voice, Harvard.”

  He chuckles again. I hear someone talking to him in the background.

  “Room service will be arriving soon. It will take multiple trips, is this acceptable?”

  “Yeah. You’re awesome. Talk to you tomorrow.”

  Saying good-bye, Harvard disconnects the call. I’m sure he has a lot to do being the new manager.

  “Look, Iza! Bubbles!” Knox says excitedly. I look up and immediately laugh. The bubbles are higher than he is tall and he’s standing in the bathtub.

  Well, if it makes him happy.

  For twenty minutes we play around, and I help him wash a bit at a time. Leaving his important parts for him to wash, I start washing his hair, it’s so soft and fine. Like silk thread.

  Now it smells good too.

  A knock on the door, I go into the living room to answer.

  It’s the friendly bellhop again, with the three robes on hangers neatly lain over his arm. He smiles as he hands them to me. I go to tip him again but he shakes his head and walks away.

  I’ll make sure to tell Harvard to give the guy a tip from me tomorrow.

  Taking the robe to Knox, I leave him with a big fluffy towel on the toilet and go find my own clean clothes for my shower. Well, a bra and some panties. I plan on wearing that fluffy-ass robe.

  We can all sit around in our robes and stuff our faces and watch movies.

  I think it’s a great plan.

  Fifty-Eight

  Iza

  All of us, clean and scrubbed, are piled onto the massive sofa. Earlier, we found slippers just inside the door. Compliments of Harvard, I’m sure.

  So, there we sit; three pairs of feet on the fancy glass coffee table and one smaller pair on my knees. Knox tried to reach but he ended up hanging most of the way off the cushion.

  Turning the massive TV on—I bet the sucker is 100 inches—I scroll through the pay-per-view menu for something all of us can watch.

  “That one!” Knox exclaims, pointing at the TV.

  “You want to watch a movie about the Matrix guy killing people?” Nodding at my words, he settles in beside of me, grasping my upper arm between his small warm hands.

  No way can I tell him no.

  It’s not like I’ve got to worry about him sticking to PG content. Besides, he’s a shifter. He eats raw meat. A knock at the door brings me to my feet. Food is here!

  After two steaks, two bowls of ice-cream, and half of the movie, Knox falls back asleep. As carefully as I can, I carry him into my room and tuck him into the bed. That soft-ass hair beckons and I can’t help but rub a hand over it. It slides through my fingers like silk.

  God, this kid pulls at my heart. All three of them do.

  Drawn to the lights coming in from the balcony door, I cross the room on silent feet and quietly slide the door open. The air is slightly chilly but I can smell summer in the night air. Shutting the door behind me I lean on the balcony railing and stare up at the stars that are surprisingly brilliant.

  The street lights aren’t bright this high up.

  The first hot tear landing on my hand surprises me, the rest of them don’t. These tears aren’t for me. They’re for the child sleeping in my room. For the other two playfully arguing over the last piece of cheesecake in the living room.

  For the children, I won’t make it to in time. For the ones…I’ve already missed.

  “Listen here, you asshole in the sky…this is just as much your fault as mine. You stuck me in that place, you’re the reason I am who I am. You’re the reason I’m going to fuck this all up.” I choke on the words and feel a warm presence behind me. The smell of my Dad wraps me in the same feeling as when I was a child, crying with a boo-boo.

  He doesn’t touch me, and right now I don’t want him to. But I do want his presence. It’s enough.

  “You know I helped entrap…Phobe.” He muses in the darkness. My shoulders tense. What? “He was crazy with power and trying to save the world, so he said. I was young, foolish. I listened to others that I shouldn’t have. By then, it was too late to free him, but it didn’t stop me from trying.”

  “Why are you telling me this?” I’m not angry at him, disappointed maybe, but then again, Phobe was not the Phobe I know back then. Right?

  “When the stone was given to the Schoth, All-Father sent me a dream. In that dream, he told me that one day that creature of nightmares would save the most important thing in the world to me. Then he gave me the edited version of the prophecy.” Oh.

  “I believed him initially, I worshipped the ground he walked on. I was even teaching you how to use your Magiks with the fucking thing in mind. Then you were taken, and Nisha was murdered—I felt like He failed me completely, too.” Clearing his throat, he steps a little closer. “I hated—no, I hate the All-Father.”

  I can hear emotion choking his voice. Smell the salt of his tears joining mine. My Dad is crying with me.

  “I am going to fuck this up, Dad. I am going to fuck this up so bad that I’m afraid what will happen to the kids…like the adorable fuckers I have in there.” I point at the door.

  I sniffle, my nose thick with tear goop. A tissue appears in Dad’s hand next to my face. Blowing my nose loudly, I hand the tissue back to him. The look on his face makes me laugh out loud.

  Holding it by the very edge he tosses it in the garbage can next to the door. The look of disgust on his face is replaced by one of concern.

  “You’re going to fuck up, Iza. I’m not going to lie to you. But you will do a lot more right than you will fuck up, do you understand?” He grabs my shoulders and shakes me gently as he speaks.

  “You are definitely not a pep talker.”

  He laughs and pulls me in for a quick hug. How did he know I am ready for one of those? Goddamn mind readers.

  Fifty-Nine

  Iza

  Sitting with my legs dangling between the bars of the walkway, facing the empty parking lot, I look at the night sky. We’ve been driving—sometimes in circles, so sue me—for almost 2 weeks and are almost at our destination.

  Jittery inside, I swing my legs faster. I’m nervous. Afraid that this place will reject me and discover that everyone who believes in me—even me, to some degree—is wrong.

  That I’m still a no one. But…it’s not about me. It’s about them. The children. The innocent people suffering because of the Magiks side they were born from.

  Knox is slowly starting to open up, as much as a child who has experienced what he has can. He’ll heal. And maybe he can still find some of that childhood left. I will, at least, try to give that to him.

  That first night, I let him pour enough bubbles in his bath to coat the entire bathroom, helped him dress in a brand-new fancy black robe, and slept with him on the most glorious hotel bed in existence. Well, he slept. I laid there rubbing his baby soft hair and tried to figure out how the hell I was going to pull this off. That’s after I stood out on the balcony and cried all over the place. Really, truly, cried for how many children I haven’t saved, or won’t be able to save.

  But I’ve got to try.

  When this shit all started I didn’t want it. Part of me still doesn’t. Yet, I know in my heart— what’s left of it—that someone’s gotta do it. And for some reason, fate threw me in that position. I’m starting to wonder a
bout Fate’s intelligence. Maybe she’s so old, she’s senile?

  I’m not a people person, for so freaking long it was only about me. Then Phobe. Letting myself care about another person, opened a doorway that I can’t, and don’t, want to close anymore. I no longer believe it’s a weakness to care. In fact, it appears to make me stronger. Better. A believer. That is the biggest surprise of all. Belief. Something I haven’t felt since I was a child, before being taken.

  Saving one at a time is better than saving none.

  A giggle draws my gaze through the open hotel door. Knox is sitting on the bed with Ruthie and Michael on either side of him, playing a video game. It’s Knox that giggled.

  My eyes burn as I look away. Smiling, I look back up into the night sky. I can’t really see the stars but I know they’re there. Which for now is enough.

  Maybe this fate thing won’t be so bad, after all.

  Butterflies fill my stomach. Every night when I look up into the sky I wonder where Phobe is. Looking for him in the darkness, hoping he’s coming. That feeling—the hope—makes me edgy. Things are different now. We’re no longer locked in a cage together.

  What will happen if we stand face to face again?

  “Who do you look for?” The quiet voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

  A smile automatically appears on my face as I turn to Knox.

  “What makes you think I’m looking for someone?”

  He sits down close beside me, looping his arm through mine.

  “I dunno. Just feels that way.” Perceptive kid. I chuckle.

  “A friend.”

  Knox smiles and leans his head against my shoulder, his soft hair tickling my jaw.

  “He’s your boyfriend.”

  I laugh in surprise at this observation. “Why in the world do you think that?”

  Knox giggles at my reaction. A sound that always lifts my heart.

  “Your eyes get all mooshie.”

  I kiss the top of his head. Maybe they do.

  “Would he fight the bad guys?” Knox would ask a question like that.

  Slipping my arm around his waist I pull him closer. Leaning down close to whisper conspiratorially.

  “Totally. He’s like that Ninja you like on your video game so much,” I whisper loudly.

  “Really? That’s freaking cool. You think he will teach me some Kung-Fu?”

  He sounds so excited about it, I really hope I can find him someone to teach him Kung-Fu.

  “He taught me some wax on-wax off, I bet he would teach you, too.”

  Sorry, Phobe, totally volunteering you.

  “Can he use a sword? And make throwing stars flame and go invisible?” Knox’s questions shoot out one after the other.

  The smile broadens on my face. Seeing him animated about something is nice. Really nice.

  “He’s so strong he can throw cars. And his eyes catch on fire. Does that count?”

  Knox giggles again. I’m on a roll today.

  “Eyes can’t catch on fire, silly,” he manages to get out between giggles. “That’s only in the movies.”

  Won’t Knox be shocked if he sees it happen because I’ll totally talk Phobe into showing him; that and the throwing the cars part. Who doesn’t like seeing someone throw cars?

  “Come on, let’s get you some food, knucklehead.” I climb to my feet and pull Knox to his feet. I really have to fatten this kid up, air weighs more than he does.

  “I get dibs on the TV next!” Knox calls, out running into the room.

  A shiver racks through me, and I pause in the doorway, turning slowly to look over my shoulder at the empty parking lot. I see nothing out of the ordinary. But there is something I can’t quite put my finger on.

  The Fiends around me see nothing either. Deciding it’s me being paranoid, I go into the room and shut the door.

  Sixty

  Phobe

  I release the neck of the Schoth I am holding off the ground by several inches. He falls into the darkness gathering on the ground below him. Quickly, it crawls across the man’s skin, devouring him.

  This is not my Magiks. Not this time.

  Iza freeing me freed everything connected to me, including the bigger versions of the Fiends that guard Iza so rabidly; Fiends that did not come from her Father’s realm like she believes. The day she was born, the females separated from the males, my Fiends, to journey to her. To guard her.

  Like me, they are all ravenous.

  I turn to the Schoth’s companion. A Blood Lock who cowers on the ground at my feet, her red, murky eyes looking up from the weak Magiks lighting them. They can hurt Iza if enough are loosed on her.

  If. I squat in front of her.

  “How many more are there?” As I ask, my shadows force their way into the Lock’s mind. By the time I get my answers there is nothing left inside of it but meat. They burnt her mind to a crisp.

  As Iza would so eloquently say, woops.

  There are three others stationed around the hotel Iza is holed up in with her trio of children. Children she will die to protect. Something I am not going to allow. Iza is strong and getting stronger every day. Physically, she can take all of them on and more. But her weakness is Light and the unnatural Blood Magiks. This many of them can succeed and get the bounty they seek her out for.

  That is if I wasn’t here.

  I touch a claw to the comatose Lock’s skin and pull on the life force that still resides inside. Pulling until the darkness gorges on every drop. I stand and look back to the closed door of her room.

  Feeling her so close I can almost touch her.

  When I first found her here I stood and watched her. Watched her smile at the child she held close to her. It, quite simply, made me ache. I want to go to her, to touch her and make sure she is real. To bury my face in her hair and breathe in the cinnamon smell that…brings me comfort.

  Shame holds me back.

  I have only been gone for months of her time, but years passed where I traveled. Decades. Iza was in my thoughts every single minute of them. I should not have left her. I did not expect to feel her absence so keenly.

  Being gone from her for so long has given me a new appreciation of the tangle of feelings she rouses me. Not clarification, just appreciation.

  My eyes want to see her again.

  Even at the distance between us, I heard their earlier conversation. I am like a Ninja? Lucky for her that I know what a ninja is. Also, throwing cars and fiery eyes are easy things to accomplish.

  Shaking myself from frivolous thoughts, knowing that soon I will stand face to face with her again, I disappear into the darkness to seek out the other Schoth.

  I am famished.

  Acknowledgements

  I want to thank so many people, so in no particular order:

  Jason, my Love Muffin (Yeah, you hate that term, eh?) for putting up with late nights, incoherent babble and tears of frustration. I waited my whole life for you and finally, you were unlucky enough to run into me, lol.

  My children, all of you. I love you, I think about you every day! Keep reaching for those dreams, keep working hard. And no matter what life throws at you, look up at the stars. Once, someone dreamed of going there and did. So, don’t let anything stop you! You are very loved.

  Vicky, you are one of my biggest supporters. Always giving me words of encouragement and telling me when something sucked, lol. You are fantastic! And I want you to keep being passionate and funny and love life! Love you my grown baby!

  Zachy Doodle, you’re my good little egg. Keep that imagination going bud. Keep dreaming. And we can still make up stories at bed time about tigers. Alright?

  Felicia, babe you favor me the most when it comes to books. Don’t lose that. Be safe, be happy. Love you.

  Isaac, Katie, Jacob you are always in my thoughts. I love you.

  Christina, Melissa, Ashley, Weez (Anne-Louise), Nikki, Nicole, Ruthie, Rae, Aleah, Soobee, Jenifer. Too many to name all of you at PENNED IN INK! My super Beta readers too
, but your names are already up there!

  B.L! Anita! Cece! Auryn! You ladies were indispensable, thank you for the support and the guidance. You all rock!

  Katie, you started this, lol. Save me some of that wine!

  Sarah, you didn’t think I’d forget you, did you? Sarah, you’ve been there for 12 years. Thank you for putting up with all the crap that is the whirlwind of me, lol. Love you. You too, the other wonder twin, Megan! Love you!

  Devin W, you taught me very young that I could be stronger. It was watching you go through one of the hardest moments of your life that made me want to be a better person. Thank you for being so strong, it was life-changing for me. You are one of the biggest reasons I became something more than what I was. I will never forget.

  You crazy Canucks, too many of you to name! lol Dev, Kirk, I’ll point out you two! Thanks for being there!

  My sister Patty—you used to read the stories I wrote, lol. Have you read this one yet? It’s a lot different than Fred the Talking Frog. Find that dream again, kiddo. Stay happy, love you.

  Jon, keep having those adventures! Always be true to yourself.

  Mom…we didn’t see eye to eye on well, anything. Know, when I look up at the sky, some nights, I think of you because in my mind—that’s where you are.

  About Zoe Parker

  Writing has always been a dream and a curse of mine. It seems I've spent more time living in my head than sky-diving or climbing mountains. But really, I was, and am, happier writing stories of saving Dragons in Distress and defeating the Evil Knights bent on killing them. With a toilet plunger as my sword and a pot lid as my shield! The Monsters in my world are the Heroes, won’t you come dream them with me?

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