The rain starts to come down harder. I dive under the trees, hoping they will block most of the rain. Stopping under a cedar bush, I shake my wings hoping to rid myself of as much water as possible.
I continue searching under the cover of the trees, also keeping my eyes out for the Shape-shifters too. Just when my hope is at its end, I spot the SUV.
But instead of joy and relief, my stomach knots. All the doors are open, the motor is still running, and the wipers are still on. Fear grips me. I fly closer to the car and land on the hood. There’s no trace of anyone, anywhere.
The creatures. They must have attacked and took them all. But that doesn’t make sense. There’s no sign of a struggle, no broken glass, no blood, nothing! I would think there would be some blood from a fight. I don’t really see even Ethan going down without killing something first, or at least injuring it.
I look around and not seeing anything or anyone around, I shift. Naked, I hurry and get in the vehicle. My clothes are lying on the console. Danika must have kept them handy. I quickly put them on and begin looking for any clue as to what might have happened, but there’s nothing. It’s as if they simply got out of the car and walked off. I exit the car, and with the rain finally letting up, I make a large circle around it, hoping to find a trail of blood, foot prints, anything that might give me a clue.
Not finding anything, I walk back to the car, cutting the engine so I can hear better. Silence. There’s nothing but complete and utter silence. The only noises I hear are the drops of rain that splatter on the surfaces below.
I shut the car door, and happen to spot a drop of purple liquid on the mirror. Looking closely, I walk around the car and spot a trail that leads off into the woods. Not knowing what it is, but not having any other clues to go on, I follow it. The drops are so small and with the rain quickly washing them away, I move as fast as I can.
I walk through the forest, slipping on rocks and splashing through the wet earth. The purple liquid starts thinning due to the rain. Although the rain has all but stopped, the drainage is still causing a problem. Suddenly the liquid stops, and at the end of its trail lays a small bug. No, not a bug. It’s a Fairy
Well that explains the purple liquid. I should have realized that the instant I saw the trail. The one thing that made Fairies unique from all other beings was their purple blood. But why would a Fairy be here? And why was his blood on our car?
I start to reach down to pick the Fairy up but I’m met with an arrow pointed in my face. An angry Fairy scowls at me from the other end of the arrow. “Don’t touch him.” The voice is small but full of fury.
Humans can’t hear Fairies at all. When a Fairy is close to a human, all they might hear is a light humming noise that they shrug off. Shadows, however, can hear them as if they were full-grown people.
The Fairy flies closer to me, his arrow aimed and ready. Why I should fear him, eludes me. How can I possible be afraid of something as small as a toothpick? I chuckle, and suddenly I’m surrounded by hundreds of these little arrows. The Fairies holding the arrows are stern and soldier-like.
“Come with us,” says the one who told me not to touch the lifeless Fairy.
I can’t help but sputter a laugh. “You may want to call on a few more of your buzzing friends because I’m not going anywhere with you.”
The Fairy doesn’t budge. “You will come with us or you will die.”
“Oh yeah? And who is going to kill me, you and your twigs?” I laugh again. Does he honestly think he can take me? “Look little guy, I have some people to find. So unless you’re going to have a growth spurt within the next two seconds, I suggest you buzz off.”
The Fairy looks at me in confusion, his eyebrows furrowed. “You’re Racquel, are you not?”
“Yes,” I say slowly, a little unhinged that he knows my name.
“Then you do know that I am a Fae, correct?”
“Well, if the purple blood oozing from your friend there wasn’t a clue, I would say the wings and angry gleam in your eye tipped the scale.”
“Then why do you not fear me?”
I let out another amused laugh. Do these little guys really think they can scare me? What are they going to do? Poke me to death?
“Why would I be? With a swat of my hand you’ll be bug guts.”
This enrages the Fairy even more. He swoops up into my face, the arrow almost nicking my skin. “Take a close look, you naïve idiot. The arrows that are pointed at you are curare-tipped. If you’re pierced by just one, you will not utter another insulting word, ever.”
A tinge of nervousness takes up the space where a laugh was just a few moments before. Poison! Were these guys serious? I look at the arrow, which now seems to be gleaming a death-bringing red. It’s probably just a trick of the mind but still effective.
“What do you want?” A part of me is wondering if it would help to hold my hands up in surrender.
“The queen is waiting. Follow me.” The little jerk turns and starts flying off while the others swarm around me, arrows held high. I’m almost afraid to take a step. Worried if I walk too fast or trip and fall, one of their poison arrows will drain me dead.
Then a thought occurs. Would their arrows really kill me? I’ve never done much research about Fairies and definitely didn’t know about their poisonous arrows. I’m pretty sure they could take down a shifter or Witch but can they kill Vampires? And how about Lycans, who usually bounce back pretty quick?
The angry Fairy looks back over his shoulder. “Come along. We haven’t all day.”
I decide against trying out my immunity theory and take a tentative step in his direction. “Easy for you to say,” I mutter as I follow Mr. Pissy Pants through the forest.
We soon come to an opening by a lake, rimmed with ice and snow. The funky weather Canada has been experiencing, like the rest of the world, has caused the lake to freeze, thaw, refreeze, and thaw again.
In the distance is a mountain range, with snowy peaks that disappear in the fog. In the middle of the lake sits an island covered in evergreen trees. It’s an amazingly peaceful scene, one that would leave most speechless. I’d probably feel that way if I wasn’t being held hostage. The death-threatening twigs being pointed at me ruin the peace and calm.
Sitting close to the lake is a young woman. From her looks I would say she’s around my age. She’s very beautiful, with long, fire-red hair that reaches the ground in beautiful waves. Her clothing is a bit on the unusual side. She has on—what appears to be—animal hide made into a suit, with white fur trimming along the cuffs. On her feet are old-fashioned Indian moccasins. The cloak she has wrapped around her seems to be made of a thick moss. Good thing the rain let up. I figure the downpour earlier would have left her drenched, and the cloak sopping and heavy.
She’s looking across the lake, gazing out as if seeking something. Then her gaze falls upon me. Her bright emerald eyes are intense and enthralling. The closer I look at her beautiful green eyes, outlined with a beautiful purple, the more my mind becomes muddled. A slight dizziness overcomes me and I feel drawn to be near her.
Shaking my head, I look away from the girl and around the clearing. In the far corner of the tree line, I see my group all huddled together. Although I can’t see for sure, I imagine Fairies are holding them at death’s point.
The smartass Fairy, who seems to be in charge of the others, flies over to the girl. I tune into the conversation as the Fairy soldier tells the girl who I am. She inclines her head in acknowledgement. “Thank you Nolan.” Nolan then turns to his soldiers, gesturing for them to bring me over.
“Ah, Racquel, it’s so nice to meet you finally.” The girl’s voice is sweet and alluring. Like her eyes, her voice draws me in. My first instinct is to look her in the eye. I’m not sure if that’s from the lure or not, but it takes every ounce of my will to avert my eyes from her face to focus on her hair. Her head is buzzing with little girl Fairies braiding and twisting her hair.
“It’s amazing isn’t
it? The way this lake is frozen almost year round, with the animals beneath the ice, trapped there, a part of this world but separated all the same.”
Although that’s true, even if put in a weird cryptic way, the message really doesn’t hold enough importance for kidnapping and poisonous arrows to be used. I’m thinking we’re here for other reasons, so instead of indulging her nonsense, I get to the point.
“Are you the Fairy queen?”
“Yes. You may call me Queen Kaya.” Her tone is soft and sweet, like a love song.
Well this is quite the treat. The Fae Queen hardly ever appears to other Shadows. She, along with most of her Fairies, keep to themselves. I must admit, she’s not what I had expected.
“You’re… human sized.”
I had assumed that all Fairies were little with wings. I recall reading something about the queen being individually unique compared to all other Fairies. But when I read that, I was thinking about powers or influence, not about her size.
“It is true then, what they say about you. That you have great power, but little knowledge.” She looks away from me and back out over the lake. Without giving me a chance to answer, she finishes her thoughts. “What a shame.”
Anger engulfs me at her comment about my ignorance. It doesn’t seem that Fairies are as lovely as they are portrayed. So far they seep nothing but insult and danger. “What do you want with me?”
Queen Kaya turns. Her gaze is no longer lovely and sweet. Her eyes seem to be glowing now, her mouth drawn tight. If looks could kill, I would be dead a thousand times over. “I want what is mine.”
Vines emerge from the ground, wrapping themselves around my legs. They start working their way up around my torso and up to my neck. I try fighting them off but they quickly tighten around me.
“You will bring me back what is mine or it will be the death to all those who betray me, starting with you.”
I try speaking, to argue against whatever she thinks I have done. The vines make that impossible. They clench around my throat so tight I can barely gasp in tiny breaths.
“You have until sunset tomorrow to bring those that were taken from me. If you do not, I will seek vengeance against every being on this wretched planet.”
I see commotion in the background. Coy is trying to fight his way through the swarm of angry Fairies holding them. I can hear him scream my name. Thankfully, Ethan pulls him back and holds him.
I turn back to the queen, gesturing to my neck. The vines loosen enough for me to speak. “I am trying to find them. My sister, who’s a Witch, was taken also. We have been looking for days.”
“Then you are not looking hard enough. Unlike you heartless creatures, the Fae stay true to their kind. We do not take the death of one of our own lightly.”
“Look lady—” My words are cut off as the vines around my neck tighten once more.
Nolan comes and gets in my face once more. His arrow is close and true to my neck. “You will address her majesty as Queen Kaya.” I nod my head in understanding as the vines loosen once more.
Gasping in another breath, while stopping myself from speaking out like I normally would, I try again.
“Queen Kaya, we’ve been seeking out the originals, trying to find information on the missing. We are currently trying to find the shifters so we might learn where their members went missing.”
“I know. I have been watching you. However, you are not thinking clearly. You are too concerned with what others perceive you as, instead of finding those in need. I have heard rumors in the vines about your meeting with the Shadow leaders. You do seek information on those missing but the conversation always comes back to you and your abilities. Now how is that helping?”
“I don’t seek answers about me. They are the ones who are curious. It was the first time any of them met with me.”
“Could such meetings about who you are not be held another time?” The queen’s anger seems to be slipping a bit as her tone slightly dims.
“Yes. Trust me, finding my sister and the others is the most important thing in this world for me.” Taking a breath and hoping I don’t offend her or the vines, I take a chance. “You say you care for the ones who were taken? Correct?”
“Yes, of course.” Her luminous eyes are back to their awe-inspiring beautiful draw. I avert my eyes once again as I forge on. “You want them back safely, right?” The queen nods her head. “Then how much are you willing to help me?”
“What is it that you need?”
It would seem that I have drawn the queen’s attention.
“I want to know everything you know. Do you know who’s attacking us? What do you know about the creatures? And where were your Fae taken?”
With the Fairies unable to tell lies—a major perk if I do say so myself—I know she will have to answer my questions. Usually Fairies will avoid letting you ask questions, but the queen seemed all willing to be helpful.
“I do not know the Vampire working with Cerelia. Nor do I know their location.”
I perk up at the mention of a Vampire. That’s new information.
“As for the location of my Fae, that information has already been provided to you.” I start to interrupt Queen Kaya but she holds her hand up. “Back in your vehicle, on the map you were using there will be purple dots indicating where my Fae were taken. As for the Chimera—”
Knowing I might be strangled to death for interrupting but unable to stop myself, I ask, “The what?”
Queen Kaya gives me a glacial stare. “The Chimera. It’s a name I have come to associate with those monstrosities. It comes from the Greek mythology of a monstrous, fire-breathing female creature made of multiple animal parts, just as those fathomless creatures are. They are monsters created by Cerelia.”
The queen stands, turning to give a signal to her drones across the field. Her signal frees the others, bringing our conversation to an end. Danika and the rest of them head toward me.
“I do mean what I said. I will bring my wrath down come sunset tomorrow. It may be someone you care about here in your little hunting group, or someone you know not at all. Either way, their heads will be on your conscience.”
The vines unravel around me and I stand. I get up the will to face down Kaya and her enrapturing eyes. “How can you do that to us? You know we’re looking for them, but we may not succeed by then.”
“I have found that more can be accomplished with a little pressure. One way or the other, it is on you.”
I ball my fists up at my side. The soldier Fairies start circling me once again, but I don’t care.
“You’re wrong. I’m not the one behaving like a blithering idiot. That would be you.”
“It will still hurt you all the same. As for the shifters, open your eyes, Racquel. You are looking but you are not seeing.” She turns to leave, a strange purple mist gathering around her.
Danika and the others are almost to me. I turn to meet them but one last warning comes from the queen before she leaves. “Beware. The one you seek will be the one to cause you the most pain.” With that, she becomes nothing more than Fairy dust that is whisked away by the spiraling wind.
I’m grabbed from behind and whirled into a tight embrace. Coy has a grip on me that’s just as tight as the one the vines had. He pulls back, running his hand over my shoulders, down my arms and back up again, searching frantically for injuries.
“Are you okay? That stupid wench, she almost—”
“She almost nothing. Those vines couldn’t have killed me. It was more uncomfortable than anything.” I shake loose of his grip, taking a step back. His closeness is still a little uncomfortable, especially in front of the others. My mind has enough time to ask “is that normal?” before going back into strategic mode.
I turn toward the others. “So what happened with you guys? Why did you leave the car like that?”
“We didn’t have a choice,” Ethans snaps, his jaw clenched. Ethan is obviously pissed about being taken captive by Fairies. With his ma
cho attitude, I’m surprised he’s still breathing. “They came through the air vents, trapping us. I swatted one of them and the rest got all killer bee-like on us.”
“What did the queen say?” Danika, back to her all-knowing calm self, looks at me intently, wanting every word.
“Oh you know. She wanted to chat it up. Tell me what a great job we’re doing. How if we needed any help, the Fairies would be there to back us up.”
All of them look at me, peeved. “Are you serious? Then why all the dramatics?” Ethan asks, obviously pissed.
“Well of course I’m not serious,” I say, throwing my hands in the air, as I walk in circles, thinking about the queen’s threat. “She wants her Fae back and she wants them back now. She gave me a deadline. Can you believe it? A freaking deadline.”
“When?” Danika asks, holding her breathe.
“Tomorrow at sunset. She said people work better under pressure.” Like we don’t have enough pressure as it is.
“What will happen if we don’t meet the deadline?” Coy asks.
“Death.” The way Jared says the word, calm yet creepy, silences the group. He must have overheard the conversation. I meet Danika’s eyes, both of us grasping how much more serious this is now.
“Death? Whose death?” Coy asks, looking at each of us. He’s probably thinking the threat is only limited to us, like we don’t have enough of that already.
“Anyone,” I answer. “Could be me, you, or some total stranger we’ve never met before. All I know is that she’s serious. Even after she told me what she knew and I agreed to keep the search going until we found them. After all that, she still wouldn’t change the deadline.”
Danika stares into the distance. “The Queen does not threaten lightly. She has to keep her court safe. She feels every emotion that they experience. Losing a Fae is extremely hard on her, not only because she loves them but because she feels the loss that each of her Fae feels. She will make her threat a reality for us.”
Uniquely Unwelcome (The Shadow World, #1) Page 24
