He was shaking his head, and then suddenly, the door opened.
“Hey! You can’t be in here,” a man’s voice said. Shit, we were out of time.
“Aria, we need to go.” I felt Inarus’s hand brush my shoulder and I jerked away from him.
“No, the boy first.” I wouldn’t leave him behind.
Inarus reached into the cage, but the boy refused to come closer. Dammit.
“He won’t let me touch him. We need to go,” he said, his tone urgent.
A man dressed in a white lab coat was marching our way, anger evident in his every step. He looked murderous as he passed the half dozen empty cages.
“What have you done? Where are they?” he bellowed.
I stood up, fire coming to me once more without conscious thought. I let the flames coat my hands, crawling up the length of my arms to cover my shoulders. He didn’t stop. With a swift motion of his hand, tables flew across the room, giving him a clear path to me.
Shit! He was a TK. If he was as strong as Inarus, my fire wouldn’t do a damn bit of good against him. I pushed my fire into the shape of a ball anyway and threw the flames his way. He stopped for only a second, an invisible shield forming before him that my flames pressed against. They gained no ground, though. Yep, he was just as strong as Inarus, possibly even stronger. This wasn’t going to be good.
“Force him to you then and get him out of here,” I yelled.
Chancing a glance behind me, I found Inarus and the boy gone. I heaved a sigh of relief. He was safe; all of the children were safe.
My thoughts changed the next second when I felt myself thrown back, my spine hitting the metal bars of a containment cell. I heard a pop and felt a sharp pain in my left shoulder. Before I could recover, I was yanked to my feet by an unseen force, the furious man standing before me as I hung suspended in the air. I clawed at the invisible hand holding me by my throat but found no purchase. My eyes began to bulge and I struggled for every breath.
“Where did you take them?” he asked. His face was molten in rage, spittle flying from his lips.
My legs furiously kicked out, but it was useless. I scraped at the air, desperate to escape. I couldn’t breathe.
“Tell me and I will make this quick. There are many fates worse than death.” His eyes held a manic gleam in their depths. I struggled harder, dark spots filling my vision. My head began to swim and my vision blurred, but before I lost consciousness, I felt the tug that told me I was being teleported.
I woke surrounded. Small children covered my bed, each one curled up and leaning against me. The smallest, the four-year-old girl, was tucked beneath my chin, a small purr coming from her chest. I roamed my eyes around the room, recognizing the pale, cream walls and olive-colored comforter. We were in my apartment. They were all safe, but Inarus was nowhere to be seen. I heard a creak to my right and turned to see the teenage boy staring at me through the eyes of a predator. His metallic copper gaze locked on me. I held his gaze, refusing to look away. He needed to know that I was in charge. I was the more dominant of the two of us.
After less than a minute, he looked away. I exhaled a relieved breath and pushed myself into a sitting position, doing my best not to disturb the smaller children.
“How long was I out?” I asked.
“Less than an hour.”
“And the man who was with me?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “He left without a word after laying you down.”
“Did he say anything?”
The boy shook his head.
Okay, he was gone. But where to? I pulled my cell from my back pocket and dialed a number that had my heartrate picking up. My stomach churned as I listened to the dial tone, waiting for him to answer. A small part of me hoping that he wouldn’t.
“Aria?” I heard him say into the receiver, his voice filled with relief. The sound of his voice caused goosebumps to break out across my arms. That one word, my name, was filled with so many things unspoken. My heart clenched. I felt his pain through the mate bond and rubbed the ache in my chest in an effort to make it go away.
“Hi,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. He didn’t respond for several seconds, and I felt my eyes fill with moisture. God, what had I been thinking?
“I…umm…” I faltered. “I need…”
“Anything, Aria, just ask. I’ll give you anything.”
“I need someone to pick me up. I have children with me, eight of them. Can you come and get us?”
“Where are you?”
“My old apartment,” I told him.
“Brock is in the area, he can be there in five minutes. I’ll be there shortly after.”
“Okay,” I said. Silence hung between us, so many words unsaid, but neither of us was willing to voice them. Not yet. I listened to the sound of his breathing, taking comfort in that one small thing. I’d missed him. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t realized that fact before.
After a moment, I said goodbye and hung up the phone. The lack of connection made my chest hurt even more.
“That was my Alpha,” the boy in front of me said. It was a statement, not a question. Damn that shifter hearing.
“You carry his scent.” How was I supposed to respond to that?
“You’re my Alpha’s mate?”
I nodded.
He kneeled before me, his eyes wide but directed towards the floor. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have disobeyed. I didn’t know. I shouldn’t—”
“It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay now. We’re going home.” I touched his shoulder and it seemed to settle him. “What’s your name?”
“Caden.”
I nodded and pulled the children around me closer, taking comfort in their presence. “Well, Caden, all of us are going home.”
True to Declan’s word, Brock arrived five minutes later. He didn’t ask any questions, just surveyed the room and then asked what he could do to help.
“Glad to see you’ve made a full recovery,” I commented. He flashed me a smile full of fang, his cognac eyes bright as his lion came to the surface.
“I’m harder to kill than you’d think.”
I nodded with a smile. That was good to hear. I put him to work in the kitchen, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for all of the children while we waited for the rest of the cavalry to arrive.
Brock dutifully completed his task and then seated himself on the floor with two of the children on his lap. I’d learned all of their names in the time that we’d been waiting, making sure each one knew they were safe. One of the cubs in Brock’s lap was Jacob. He was still in his wolf form—he had yet to shift back to human—but Caden had told us his name and that he was three years old. The other was Penny, a lynx shifter. Her leg still concerned me, twisted at a wrong angle, but Brock was gentle with her and assured me that she’d be taken care of when we returned to the Compound. I knew her leg would have to be re-broken to correct the damage; I just hoped that they’d be able to put her under so she didn’t feel any pain. She’d been through so much already.
Thirty minutes after Brock’s arrival, James came barreling through my door. He didn’t even knock. The sound of splitting wood reached my ears and the door banged loudly against the wall, but none of the children started, and Brock looked as relaxed as ever when I glanced his way. They’d likely heard James coming before he ever reached staircase leading to my third floor apartment.
“Hi,” I said to James, placing my coffee on the countertop.
“Hi?” James echoed, his expression stony. “Hi is all you have to say to me. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? How worried Declan has been?” He took an aggravated step forward. A growl came from behind him as Caden stood up. James gave him an unconcerned glare, dismissing him altogether. I tried to smile at him, to reassure him it was alright, that James wouldn’t hurt me, but he didn’t seem convinced.
“What the hell were you thinking?” James yelled.
Caden’s growl grew louder. “Don
’t talk to her like that,” he bit out.
“I’ll talk to her however I see fit.”
By now, Caden was shaking, his skin showing small tremors beneath the surface. He was going to shift. I walked towards him, smacking James upside the head along the way.
“What the hell is your problem? They’ve been through enough as it is without you coming in and being a jackass.” I put my hand on Caden’s shoulder, my touch seeming to calm him down to some degree. Brock chuckled beneath his breath, and James shot him a warning glare.
“James is just a hothead,” I said to Caden. “Ignore him.”
“He shouldn’t talk to you like that. You’re the Alpha’s mate. He is disrespecting you.”
“He’s my best friend,” I told him. “It’s okay from time to time if he comes across disrespectful. It’s just how our relationship works.”
Caden seemed to consider my words, finally nodding his head and reclaiming his seat. I turned back to James and placed a hand on my hip as I gave him a hard stare.
“Do you want to say what is really on your mind instead of all of this anger?” I tapped my foot impatiently, waiting for him to spill. As though a dam had just burst, his words flooded out in a torrent, and a mounting sense of guilt came over me with each one he spoke.
“You could have been hurt. You could have been killed. Hell, Aria, it has been killing me inside not knowing where you are or if you’re okay. Something could have happened and I’ve no way of knowing it, no way of coming to help. Declan felt your fear before you called us. We knew something was wrong. Do you have any idea what that has done to me?”
I didn’t, not really. But I could imagine what he’d put himself through. A part of me wanted to lash out, to tell him that I could take care of myself, but after today’s incident, I knew better.
I needed him. I needed the support, and while I’d been off running away from my problems, he’d been left behind. God, I felt like a crappy friend.
“I’m sorry,” I said aloud. What else could I say at this point? He scowled but when he realized I meant it, he rushed forward and crushed me in his embrace. I heard Caden growl once more, but Brock gave him a warning that ended the growl as quickly as it had begun. I leaned into James’s hold, thankful to have him in my life. He nuzzled my neck in an endearing gesture and I allowed him to. We both needed the comfort.
When another growl sounded behind him, though, this one filled with menace, we both froze. James pulled his head back, his steely gaze looking into mine as his eyes filled with liquid silver, his wolf sensing a threat. I bit my lip and waited in anticipation as James slowly released me, making sure not to look over his shoulder as he did so. He took measured steps away from me in a non-threatening manner until he stood against the far wall. The entire room seemed to have gone eerily silent, and when my eyes moved to the figure now standing in my doorway, I knew why.
Dressed in worn jeans and a faded green shirt, Declan would have looked almost casual if it weren’t for the predatory stare he directed my way. My body was motionless, unable to move under his scrutiny. His eyes gleamed in the light, drawing my attention to his face. I’d expected him be upset, but what I hadn’t expected was for him to look so worn. Beneath the mask of fierce anger, he looked tired, like he hadn’t slept in days. His white-blond hair was an unruly mess. His eyes, while glittering in the light, had dark circles beneath them, and his cheekbones seemed sharper than usual. As Declan and I stared at one another, the pit in my chest grew into a chasm so wide it seemed endless. I felt the physical ache inside of me as I looked at him, and I had to fight the urge to rub the wound that felt so raw.
Minutes ticked by in silence as neither of us said a word. Everyone else in the room was trying desperately to look at anything but the two of us. What was there to say? Where did I even begin? I wasn’t sure where Declan and I stood. I still hadn’t forgiven him for forcing this mate bond on me, but a part of me knew he’d never meant to hurt me, had never intended to force this upon me. I wasn’t entirely sure how I knew, I just did. I felt the truth deep down in the marrow of my bones.
He took a step forward when I remained quiet, and, startled, I took a small step back. His eyes filled with hurt and a part of me wanted to throw myself into his arms, wanted to take the pain and hurt away, but I wasn’t ready for that. Hell, he probably wasn’t, either. So instead I turned and picked up a Patrick, a five-year-old boy with red hair we’d taken from the lab. I pulled him into my chest before looking back towards Declan. I watched as his eyes settled on me once more, and the cub now in my arms.
“We’re ready to go home,” I said.
He shook his head slightly as though he was unsure of my words. “You want to go home?” he asked.
My gaze wandered through my apartment. I’d hung onto it for so long now, but deep down I knew it wasn’t where I belonged, not anymore.
Turning back to face Declan, I nodded. “Yes, I’m ready to go home.”
So much hope filled Declan’s expression with those words, and while he didn’t reach out to me, I knew he was tempted to. He clenched his hands into tight fists but remained immobile, the only change being that of his expression. A small smile crept across his face, so slight that I could barely make out the tilt of his lips. Directing his attention to the rest of the room, he moved aside to clear the doorway and said, “Let’s all go home, then.”
I snuck away from the Compound in the middle of the night, knowing that Declan and James would stop me if they knew where I was going. I had a few loose ends I needed to tie up. The night air was cool and crisp, the snow crunching softly beneath my boots. I made my way to the Cove, the Coven’s nest, in no time at all. Climbing the steps to the front door, I wasn’t surprised when I was denied entry by a boyish vampire. I’d made no appointment, and Rebecka was not one who accepted visitors unannounced. Not that something like that would stop me.
On the north side of the building, there was an ivy-covered trellis that was perfect for climbing. I wrapped my hands around the wooden slats and made my ascent as quickly and quietly as I could to the second floor. Pulling myself up onto the ledge, I admired the stained-glass window, right before I slammed my glove-covered fist through it. It was almost too easy. That’s what you get when you’re a centuries-old vampire that thinks no one would dare attack your home base.
Glass shattered and I punched the window again, making the hole bigger before slamming my booted foot through. I created just enough room to slide my body the rest of the way. I was greeted by three very angry-looking vampires. Each wore the same shocked expression, likely at my nerve for trespassing. Why hello boys, aren’t you happy to see me?
“What do you think you’re doing?” one shouted, his eyes crimson red as he advanced on me. Guess not. I pulled the gloves from my hands and tossed them aside as I called forth my fire, letting a small ball of flame rest in the palm of each hand. All three vampires froze, now eyeing me with varying degrees of apprehension.
“I need you to take me to Rebecka, it’s very important.”
“We’re not taking you anyway near her.”
Before I could respond, the woman in question walked in. “It’s quite alright, Micah, I’ll speak with her.” Not like I was giving her much of a choice though all of this would have gone much smoother had she answered my damn calls.
Micah glanced behind him, giving Rebecka a slight nod before retreating farther back. His other two companions did the same, but none left the room. They seemed uncertain about leaving their leader alone with me. They didn’t have anything to worry about.
“I’m not going to attack her,” I told him. “You can relax.” How stupid did they think I was? Then again, I did just break in. Instead of doing what I’d said, the idiot hissed at me like a damn cat. I rolled my eyes.
Rebecka sighed before walking farther into the room and taking a seat on a linen-covered chaise lounge. “So, Miss Naveed, to what do I owe the unexpected pleasure?” The words were said with so much ice that I
could feel a slight chill up my spine. She wasn’t happy to see me.
I called my fire back with a concentrated effort.
“Trouble, dear?” she asked when it took several seconds for the flames to recede.
A wide grin spread across my face. “None at all. Though I believe you are having some.”
She raised an elegant brow, a mocking smile tinging her lips. “And what troubles do you believe me to be having?”
“Where’s Irina? I would have expected to see her here as well,” I said. “Isn’t she always by your side?”
Her eyes narrowed. Yep, there was trouble in paradise.
“What is your interest with her?” There was an edge to her voice, as sharp as the blades I carried by my sides.
“Is she missing?” I asked, keeping my voice even.
“She hasn’t returned for over a week’s time. Do I have you to thank for that?” Her eyes flashed red, and I knew we were entering into troubled waters if I didn’t set her straight, and quickly. I shook my head. I wasn’t taking the blame for her disappearance, at least not yet.
“I ran into her a week ago. She had a friend of hers bash my head in with a two-by-four, intending for me to die.” I tapped my temple.
“You don’t seem dead to me,” she said. I gave her a mocking smile.
“No, I’m not. I had some help, no thanks to Irina. Though if I do come across her again, I will be the reason she goes missing, and it won’t be pretty.”
“You obviously have more to say. My time is very limited, Miss Naveed.”
“Did you know that she was behind the attack on the shifter boy back in October? That she’d been the one to kill him?”
Rebecka scoffed. “She did no such thing.”
“She did. She admitted it before having me attacked, and it was confirmed when I overheard a conversation between two Human Alliance Corporation members.”
Everything about her demeanor stood on end when I mentioned the HAC, and she became instantly alert.
blood and magic 02 - kissed by fire Page 14
