The Changer Complete Box Set
Page 4
When I’m about half-way down, I hear someone approach. “Ah, you’re up. Excellent!” says a female voice. I turn around and see a senior woman of about 70 staring back at me. She is short and round with graying curly hair. She looks like the typical grandma who is into Bingo and teddy bears. This explains the decor.
“Who are you, and where am I?” I say, a little annoyed, because fuck this lady, I have no idea what’s going on. I continue slowly making my way towards the bottom of the stairs.
“My name is Greta, and you are home, dear. We are happy to host you here and make you as comfortable as possible,” she says wistfully, like this is something she has been dreaming about.
“Uh, listen lady. I don’t know what you smoked this morning, but this isn’t my home, and I am not staying here. Now tell me what the fuck is going on before I start flipping out.”
“Oh my, such language. We will be having none of that in this house, young lady.” She looks offended. Like I broke a cardinal rule. But before I can begin to argue my way out of this, the guy from last night makes his presence known in the doorway. I am still standing on the last step of the stairs, so the door is just within reach, but I know if I try to make a run for it, he will stop me. Fuck!
“Look who it is. The scumbag who put something into my water and dragged me to gods know where. What the actual fuck dude?” I ask him, with all the venom I can muster. My head is still killing me, and he is still hot, even the next morning. I stare a bit longer than polite. This makes him smirk at me, and I scowl in response.
“Scumbag? That’s taking it a bit far, don’t you think? I simply brought you to where you belong, Fae.” He says the last world with almost a growl. What is his problem? I’m the one that is supposed to be pissed here.
“Fae? Are you fucking crazy?” I’m not a fairy, nor am I some mythical creature who turns into one.
“Yes, Fae. You used your powers last night. That’s when I realized what you are, and I brought you here to the Light Court so that you can be reunited with your real family,” he says. Then, he turns and points to the little old lady. “This is Greta Long, and her husband Harry is in the kitchen making breakfast. They are your new hosts, and this is your new home.
“This is so not my home. I have a home, and this is not it.”
“You were given up when you were a baby. It’s not my place to go into, but let’s say the human you replaced was put to good use here. You are Fae, and the Earth realm has never been your true home.”
I stare at him because what the hell else is there to do? What he said isn’t true. I can feel it. I don’t belong here, and he knows it. So why would he say all that? Why bring me to this house - to Greta and Harry Long?
“What’s your name?” I ask, because if I am going to punch someone in the face, I want to know what to call them after.
“Greyson,” he deadpans. No emotion, no sorrow just facts.
“Well Grey, I hate to break this to you, but I know that I don’t belong here. I am going to walk out of that door and go home. No harm, no foul. If you try to stop me, I will take action. I know some self-defense and am pretty good with a kick to the dick, if you know what I mean. Move out of the way and let me go,” I spew out like word vomit, because I am so nervous that he is going to try to stop me. This is insanity! I start looking around, expecting Noli and a camera crew to jump out and tell me I’m on some prank show. I make a move for the door, and the steps directly in front of me.
“Listen, Sabrael. You’re not leaving.”
“Who the fuck is Sabrael? My name is Azra!” I yell at him. He is starting to make my blood boil. I start to get the same feeling I got at Pete’s before I froze time.
“That is the name your parents gave you at birth. You have no choice, and absolutely no chance, in getting out of here. This is your new reality. If I were you, I’d get with the program real fast, march your cute little ass into that kitchen, and behave like the good girl I know you can be.”
I take a breath, because if I don’t, I am definitely going to dick-kick him. “First of all, my ass is not little. It’s a big voluptuous ass, and it deserves to be recognized as such. Secondly, fuck you! I will not be behaving like some mindless drone and going anywhere with the likes of you ever again!” I am screaming at this point. My arms are shaking, and my face feels like it’s on fire. I am starting to vibrate with energy and before I know it, my hands raise of their own volition again. I expect for time to stop again, but instead, everything around me is blown across the room in a violent gush of force. Both Greyson and Greta go flying into the walls opposite of where I am. It’s like I took all the energy in the room and pushed it away from me, causing them to be thrown. I don’t question it because it’s pretty kickass.
I run for the door. It’s not locked, which is lucky, because where would I even find a key? Throwing the door open, I am greeted by more sun. This place is like a freaking movie set with all the lighting. I look around quickly and notice we are in some neighborhood. The air is colder here, so we aren’t in Virginia anymore. I run as fast as I can, hoping that I don’t run into anyone. This town is deserted. There isn’t another soul out here. I keep running. There has to be an exit somewhere, even if everything looks the same. I notice a tree line in the distance and figure it’s the best place to try and take cover to figure out my next move. As I break through the trees, I hear shouting from a whole bunch of people behind me. I steal a glance around and notice they haven’t seen me yet. I run faster. I come to an abrupt halt when the forest suddenly ends. There is a bubble of some sort preventing me from moving on. This really must be some kind of movie set or something. Crap! What am I going to do now? I look around and see a bunch of bushes tightly grouped together. There is just enough room for me to squeeze in and hide. Just as I am fixing the branches to look normal again, I hear voices. It’s Greyson and someone else.
“Where could she have gone? It’s not like there is more than one exit,” Greyson says. Fuck! That’s terrible news.
“I don’t know. Maybe she hid in one of the empty houses? We are going to have to search through them one by one. The King is going to be pissed!” the other voice says. It’s a male, but I can’t make out his face. I can only see his shoes, and they are huge — tactical boots and black cargo pants. They must have brought the big guns out if this guy is anything to go by. I’m starting to get a bit scared.
Night comes about 4 hours later, or so I am guessing. My ass is numb from sitting cramped in between these bushes, and my legs are on fire. Pins and needles are the worst. I slowly peek out and look around. I haven’t heard anything in ages, and I think that the coast should be clear. I get up into a standing position and stretch. My body is killing me, and a headache from this afternoon’s energy blast is still there. I need a shower and to change out of these clothes. I smell, and my hair is a tangled mess.
It’s super quiet. A little too quiet. There are no animal sounds or the rustling of leaves. This not-forest is creepy as fuck. I need to get out of here. Heading in the direction I came, I make it to the tree line in about 5 minutes. Again, there is no one on the street. The houses are silent, and there are only a couple of street lamps on. This place looks like something out of a Halloween horror movie. I start walking, keeping to the shadows to avoid detection.
Down the next block, I notice there are cars in the driveway. This must be the area that is inhabited. I have to figure a way out. None of the cars I see look like they would make a good getaway vehicle until I stumble across one that happens to be fully electric. Electric cars are quiet as fuck. They sound more like a moped than an actual vehicle. Now, to see if it is unlocked. I slink over to the back of the car and drop down. Crawling on the side, I reach up and try the handle. Unlocked! At least something is going right. I get in the car and close the door lightly. I have no idea how to hotwire a car, especially a car like this, but since this is a push button start, if the keys are located by the front of the house, the car should start.
There must be about 15 of those security people, and the rest are the...uh... villagers? I notice Greta standing next to a man that must be Harry. She has a blank look on her face like she is hypnotized. They all look like that, well, except the guards. I’m just staring at them, and they are doing the same. What the fuck am I going to do now? Ugh! This is just getting more messed up. It seems like I only have two choices: get out of the car and give up or put this fucking car into drive and speed up. Does it make me a horrible person for considering mowing these people down? Probably. But this is my life, and I am going to fight to my dying breath. I will not give up and give in.
As I take my foot off the brake and press it to the gas pedal, a man steps out from the crowd and stands in the middle with his arms outstretched. He looks…evil. The car goes from moving forward to suddenly dying. It shuts off and is not going anywhere. He makes quick work of walking over to me. His face is contorted in rage. His 6’2” height is intimidating, his jaw is set in a grimace, and his eyes are penetrating me through the windshield. I’m in a shitload of trouble. He walks over to the car and opens the door even though it’s locked. He stands there staring at me and says two words, “Get out,” then walks away. I start looking at his back, unsure what to do. I don’t have to contemplate too long because two massive guards come and collect me. They have to easily be over six and a half feet with shoulders the size of monsters. There is no way they can be human. I try to struggle out of their grips making it difficult for them to hold me, but they adjust their positions and hold me face down looking at the concrete like I’m a picnic table they are moving to a different spot in the yard.
“LET ME GO YOU BIG MUTHAFUCKERS!” I scream, and try to wiggle out, but their grips are iron tight. There is zero chance I am getting free. I start to feel my face flush again. My arms begin to vibrate. I’m hoping the blowback thing happens again, even if I land flat on my face, but it gets cut off before I can even get there.
“Enough! You can’t use your powers in front of me, so there is no point in trying,” a voice says above me. I can’t see anything except really nice black dress shoes. They look leather and very expensive.
“Well, if you tell the muscle twins to let me go, I wouldn’t have to,” I say in a snarky tone, because really, who the hell does this guy think he is?
“Will you behave?” he asks.
There is that fucking word again. Behave. What is this, kindergarten? How dare he talk to me like I’m some irrational child. I take a breath because the blood is starting to rush to my head. I need to be standing straight again.
“For your information, I am behaving like any normal person would in this situation. I don’t know if you are up to speed with this whole dilemma, but I have been kidnapped and brought to this place without my consent. And in case you didn’t know, because it seems most of the people here are delusional in some way, that is extremely illegal.”
“I am aware of the human laws, but in the Light, they do not pertain. Here, I am The Law, The Truth, and the only person you need to worry about pleasing,” he says in a baritone voice, that almost sounds like thunder could come out of it.
“Well then, turn me right side up so that I can look into the face of The Law.” I say the last word with a growl. I guess he gives the go ahead because I am suddenly vertical again. All the blood rushes out of my head, and I get dizzy. The giant twins hold me steady while I get my bearings. I gaze at his face for the first time. He is handsome in an older father figure kind of way. He has light blond hair with a bit of graying on the sides. His eyes are intense and the color of a storm just before it breaks. His suit is crisp and expensive. This guy is dripping with power. It’s rolling off of him in waves. Even if I didn’t believe it, I can feel it. He makes me want to run away screaming. He is one scary dude.
“Now that we have that settled, let’s get inside and we can discuss your future here at the Light,” he states, while walking toward a massive mansion, or more like a palace. It’s a giant marble building with massive columns supporting the front of the structure. There is a grand staircase leading up to the front door and on either side are more guards dressed in dark grey. He walks right up to the stairs with us trailing behind. His head is held high, and the arrogance surrounding him is palpable. The columns are an entryway to two colossal mahogany doors. One has an iron knocker in the shape of a lion with wings. The Law walks into the entrance and starts yelling for someone. I can’t make out the name, as his booming voice is so loud it hurts my ears. Two young maids and a young boy come running to his attention. He is too far away from me to hear, but the expression on the maids’ faces say he isn’t too pleased. Must be because of me. Oh well.
The boy takes a step back from him. He looks terrified that The Law is going to hurt him in some way. The Law stalks over to me and gets right up in my face. He bends down slightly because he is so much taller than my 5’6” frame. “You are staying here now. You have one more chance. After that, I stop playing nice and put you with the others who don’t follow the rules.”
With that, he turns on his heels and walks away. One of the maids speaks up and says to the guards, “Take her to the Pearl room and secure it. One of you must be outside at all times, as per the King’s request.” Oh, so that is the king Greyson was talking about. He must be the leader of this merry band of misfits.
She then turns to the boy and says, “Get a tray from the kitchen and bring it to her room.” She then walks away with the other maid. Not too friendly, that one. I guess I wouldn’t be either if I had to live here.
The guards make for the first corridor located on the right of the entryway. I have to try to find a way out of this. As soon as they put me in that room I know, I’m stuck here. Maybe they will listen to reason.
“Listen, I know you work for that guy or whatever, but I am here against my will. I was kidnapped from my hometown, and now I don’t know where I am, or what is going on. Can you please just let me go? I promise not to say anything. We can make it look like you got knocked out or something. I have powers now, so I could try.”
The left guard chuckles, “You could not overpower us, little Fae. You are too untrained to do such a thing. We will not let you go, so just stop talking.” With that, he turns his head, and they continue to walk.
I can feel the anxiety creeping up my face. This is bad. Really bad. They are going to lock me in some room and never let me out. Noli must be so worried about me. I don’t even know if she knows I was taken. What if she thinks I just left her?
We get to a door at the far end of the hall. It is another huge wooden door with a pearl in the center. There is an ancient looking lock above the knob, and it appears to be extremely complicated. The guard takes out a key and places it into the lock. He then hovers his hand over it, and a grey light emits from his palm. The pins turn and the lock clicks. They waste no time walking me into the room and placing me in a large wingback white chair. The room is done in all white, varying from the purest white to the stunning blue-white that is on the inside of an oyster shell. All of the sconces and hardware have mother of pearl inlay. It is a beautiful cage.
“Sit and stay like a good girl. If you move, I am going to be forced to knock you o
ut, and I don’t think that you want that,” left guard says. He seems like he means business, but I have to try anyway. Making a break for the door, I almost reach him before he slams it in my face. I am officially a prisoner.
Chapter 5
Meeting the Family
Azra
I must have fallen asleep at some point. The morning sun is shining through the windows and right into my face. The bed is enormous and has a big fluffy comforter that I sank into once I sat down after my earlier failed escape. I haven’t cried yet, but I figure it’s only a matter of time. I am still in my dirty outfit, and I am starving. I notice a tray on one of the side tables. I scoot over the bed until I can reach the plate. There is a soup of some kind and nice crusty looking bread. A glass of water stands beside the bowl, and a peach is sliced into perfect portions. The soup is freezing, but I don’t care. I need something to fill my belly. The bread is also hard, so I dip it into the cold soup and eat the whole thing. I drain the water and look around this gilded cage for the first time. There is a bed, two side tables, a fireplace with two chairs in front of it, and a door on the far side of the wall. I assume that is a bathroom or closet of some sort.
A knock sounds on the door, and one of the maids from yesterday walks in. She is holding a pile of clothes in her hands. She smiles at me and says, “The King is requesting an audience with you at breakfast. I have brought you some appropriate attire to wear. You only have 20 minutes to shower and change.”
“Oh really? And what makes you think I want to eat breakfast with my captor?” I sneer.
“You don’t have a choice. You can go in clean and dressed, or you can go in like that and suffer the consequences. If I were you, I’d choose the former. You don’t want to find out what happens if you don’t listen,” she says with a straight face, as if she didn’t threaten me with bodily harm.