Uniquely Unwelcome (The Shadow World, #1)

by Brandy Nacole

  Danika lets out a soft sigh. A small smile is displayed across her face, but with no real humor behind it. Poor girl, she really is exhausted.

  “Legend has it that the Fairy Queen was made to be human size to better protect the Fae. She’s able to become as small as the other Fae but only when she is in immense danger. It’s a power that is bestowed upon her once she becomes queen. The other Fairies get this privilege too, but only for a short period of time.”

  Interesting. “Why?”

  “That will have to wait for another time. I’m too tired and there is no Cliffs Notes version for that conversation.”

  Danika retreats to the back in the private room. Ethan and the boys are all passed out in the chairs. I choose a couch and finally let sleep take me under.

  ~

  I can feel it happening again. I’m being pulled under into a dream that I don’t want to face. No matter how hard I try, I keep getting pulled and tugged until the darkness fades and I am back in the dungeon. Panic takes over. Not just in the dream sense either. I can feel my heart racing in my real body. I can feel myself jerking, trying to get out of this nightmare.

  I do notice this dream is different. This time I’m alone in the dungeon. The others are nowhere in sight. The room is so quiet my ears ring.

  Then I hear it, the dreadful steps of someone coming closer to the door, the sound of the bolt sliding open. My heart slams harder and harder. My body starts trembling with dread. Last time I was here, I could feel the pain of the blade sliding through my body. This time could be worse. He may be successful in killing me.

  The Vampire opens the doorway, shaking his head under the cloak. “I told you to stop, Racquel. Why didn’t you listen?” Then he brings his hands up to his hood. He’s going to do it. He’s going to reveal his face before killing me.

  Just as his hood’s about to come off, I’m ripped from the dream. I open my eyes, gasping like I had been held under water too long.

  Coy stands over me, pale with worry. He kneels down beside me, holding my hand. “Are you okay?”

  His touch reassures me that I’m okay, and back to reality. As my body calms, I become aware of a painful throb in my cheek.

  “What happened?” I ask, rubbing my cheek to get rid of the pain radiating through it. The sting momentarily takes my mind off what could have happened if I hadn’t woke up.

  Coy looks at me, ashamed. “I’m so sorry, Racquel. It was the only thing I could think of to wake you up.” He reaches down to caress my cheek. When he does, I notice the back of his hand is red.

  Understanding hits me.

  “It’s okay. You probably actually saved my life. Although it would have been nice if you could have waited two seconds.”

  “Why, what happened?”

  I recap the whole dream. How I couldn’t escape even though I could still feel my body. How it was just me this time. Coy went still when I told him about the near-unveiling.

  “If I had known, I would have waited. It would’ve been nice to know more about who we are dealing with. But on the bright side I’m glad I woke you up. I don’t think him unveiling himself is a good sign.”

  “Me neither. I’m pretty sure my death was a few taunts away.”

  Coy agrees but doesn’t say anything. His worried expression returns, although he tries hiding it. By this point I’m sitting up, allowing him to move off the floor. I want nothing else but to lay my head on his chest and feel his strong arms wrap around me.

  It’s funny how I can find comfort and safety from a human. The one with the least power and in more danger than the rest of us.

  Seeming to have picked up on my need for comforting, Coy brings me to him. He wraps both arms around me tightly. Nothing is said, just a feeling of comfort and peace. I want to cry. Never wanting to feel alone or abandoned again. After having let myself open up to him and him accepting me, I don’t want to let him go.

  Sadness grips me at the same time. I know he doesn’t want this life, to be stuck in the Shadow world. It’s selfish of me to keep dragging this out. Selfish to keep him just so I don’t have to be alone. Then there’s the whole dying issue. Even if I keep him now, one day he will grow old and die. And I will go on.

  I push all those thoughts away, putting them on the back burner until after this mess is over and I have Addie back in my life. Once I have her back maybe it won’t be so hard to let him go. To let him and his brother live the life they never had but always wanted.

  Coy tilts my head up to look me in the eyes. He leans down, asking permission before bringing our lips together in a soft, sweet kiss. His lips softly brush over mine.

  The kiss slowly becomes more passionate. His lips push hard and swiftly against mine, intoxicating me. He places his hands around my waist, pulling me onto his lap. Now I’m cradled over him, my lips working and moving passionately against his. His hands wander up and down my back, down my legs, over my arms. He keeps pulling me closer like he can’t get enough of me.

  I run my hands under his shirt, feeling his skin burn against my palms. I want to rip his shirt off. Go where I never thought I would. The desire to feel alive and wanted overwhelms me. His touch brings my loneliness to the surface. A part of me tries showing reason, reminding me that this is fast, that he could hurt me in a matter of seconds. The other part of me lashes out at my reasoning. I could be dead in a few hours, and if not, I still want him, still want his touch.

  My silent banter is interrupted when Coy breaks away from me. He cups my face, looking me intently in the eye. “Bite me.”

  My emotional train switches tracks from raging hormones to an agitated confusion. “What?”

  “Bite me.” Coy starts lifting his shirt to take it off—to keep blood off of it I’m sure. But why now? Why does he want me to bite him? Has he become some sort of junkie? Living in the lair might have turned him into a bite addict.

  As if sensing my doubts, he stops lifting his shirt and starts rubbing soothing circles on my arms. “I’m worried about you. I know what we are heading into. I just want to make sure you’re at full strength.”

  “I’m fine. I’m a little run-down, but aren’t we all?” I go to move off his lap, the moment gone. He quickly stops me, placing his hands on my hips and firmly holding me in place.

  “Listen, I was talking to Jared and he said he was going to need a boost when we landed. Here’s something I didn’t know about Vampires, which is funny considering I lived with them my whole life. He said that Vampires can get run down faster when fighting or injured. He said back in the old days when there were more wars, Vampires would have a big festival, which was probably more of a massacre, to gear up for the fight. I just don’t want you getting run down and weak.”

  I already knew this, from past experience, but I’ve never geared up like he’s suggesting before a fight. I’ve never been given the opportunity. But what if it doesn’t work? What if no matter how much I drink, I still get run down? I’m not full Vampire; I’m a mixture of them all. What if I run out faster because I’m different?

  “What if I don’t need it? All I will be doing is weakening you.” I shake my head violently. “I can’t.” I start moving again but his grip tightens once more. Does he not realize I could remove his hands if I wanted to? Then why don’t I?

  “I’ll be fine,” he says. “We still have a few hours until we land. I can get some rest, stock up on some sugar. It’s worth it to me if it means you will be full and sustained.”

  I don’t know where to carry the argument from here, so I simply say, “No.” But do I believe myself?

  “Racquel. Please.” He starts kissing me again, ever so softly. He gently trails down my neck, pulling me to him once more.

  My hands grip his shirt tight, his grip mine, and together we pull each other’s shirts off. My heart is racing so hard it feels out of control as his lips come to mine. I can feel his doing the same under my palm.

  I pull away from the kiss and trail down his neck. God he smells good,
a mix of sweat, soap, and blood. Intoxicating to me. Now that he’s put the idea in my head, it’s hard not to think about. I travel from his neck, down to his chest, then up again. I stop once more at his neck.

  He kneads his fingers into my back, pushing me up against him. One hand slides up to my head, his finger intertwining with my hair. He softly whispers, “Go ahead.”

  I have a moment’s hesitation before I give in and bite. His blood fills my mouth while a slight moan leaves his. My body becomes lighter and the need for him fills me even more. I can feel his hands. Still feel his heart beating wildly in his chest. The ecstasy of his blood and the passion from his touch thrills me.

  Once I release him, I’m at a loss. Not from just letting him go but not knowing what to do next. I don’t want to gross him out by kissing him with the taste of blood on my lips. Yet I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to move from this moment of pure blissfulness.

  The decision is made for me as Coy lays me down on the couch and puts his full weight on top of me. His lips meet mine with no hesitation. The blood plays no factor in his need for me.

  I forget everything, I only feel and want him. His warm body pressed up against mine as my legs wrap around his waist. He goes to undo the button on my pants but I grab his hand. I feel like someone just dumped cold, Wake-Up Racquel, water on me.

  What am I doing? I’m doing exactly what I swore I would never do. I am going down a road that would complicate my life even more. The pain of my family’s tortured history runs through my head as I push Coy off of me.

  Of course he’s stunned. But before he can ask me about my sudden change of heart, the captain’s voice rings out through the cabin. “This is your captain speaking. We’re coming up on some turbulence. It may get rough for a while. Please fasten your seat belts until the seat belt sign is off.”

  I pull my shirt back over my head and buckle in. Coy sits beside me but doesn’t say anything. I look over at him. Did I honestly care about him like that or was I just hung up on his acceptance of me? I like Coy, I really do. But is it real?

  Coy looks over at me and gives me a shy smile. “I’m sorry if I was taking things too far. I just got wrapped up in the moment.”

  I hadn’t even considered that. Wow, that makes me sound like a slut doesn’t it? I run with the idea for now. “It’s okay. You just surprised me.”

  He takes my hand in his as we ride through the turbulence. The plane shakes, the way my emotions do, side to side, up and down, just trying to ride out the storm.

  Chapter Twenty One

  My stomach knots as we descend into Greenland. My doubt and fear rear up as we come closer to the upheaval below. The landing approach feels more like a quick plunge on a rollercoaster than a slow descent through the clouds.

  Danika walks out of her private room, a sense of forced calm emanating from her, and masking her face. I’m sure she’s feeling the same as I am, wondering what’s to come. Victory or death?

  Sitting beside me, Danika puts on her seat belt. Ethan looks a little hurt that Danika doesn’t sit in the seat next to him. He’s staring at her with a blank expression but I can see the hurt in his eyes, the worry in his tight hands. I bet he is aching to hold her, to reassure her once again. She, on the other hand, won’t look at him. In fact, I notice her looking everywhere but at him. Weird.

  “The Elders called. They’re waiting for us at the airport,” Danika says hollowly.

  “What’s the plan?” I ask.

  “I’m not sure. I guess the first plan of action would be to find where Cerelia and the Vampire may be hiding.” She starts to look in Ethan’s direction but stops.

  I give her my best ‘oh yeah that will be easy’ look. “Do you remember what happened in Canada?”

  I don’t think that’s what we want to happen in this situation. I would rather find them rather having them find us.

  As we exit the plane, Ethan gets behind Danika. I eavesdrop, noticing the tension between the two. “Hey are you okay?” Ethan asks.

  Danika plasters on a fake smile and nods her head way too enthusiastically.

  “Are you sure? You won’t even look at me.” True. Even though they are talking, she still hasn’t looked at him. She casts a quick glance to the side before meeting his gaze. “I’m just trying to focus right now,” she says dismissively, quickly exiting the plane, leaving Ethan to watch her go.

  Danika walks to a second airplane not far from us that looks identical to our own. The rest of us follow suit. The weather’s just as bitterly cold here as it was in Canada. I pull my jacket closer to me with a shiver. My body may not get as cold as a human’s but it gets cold enough.

  Once aboard the new plane, a sense of déjà vu hits. The furnishings and layout of the plane are the exact same as the other Coven plane.

  Sitting on one of the side couches are the three women Elders. I wonder where Mr. Elder is.

  “Please have a seat,” Eldrida says, motioning to the chairs in the middle of the floor. Instead of facing front, they face the side.

  Ethan goes to stand by Danika but she’s quick to move away, casting a fearful glance at the Elders. Ah-ha. That’s why she’s acting weird. She doesn’t want the Elders to get suspicious.

  I sit in one of the front chairs facing the Elders, with Danika sitting beside me. Coy sits behind me while Ethan takes the seat behind Danika, his jaw clenched. Danika rejecting him like that had to hurt. Jared just stands behind everyone, choosing to stand.

  “You must be Jared. Danika told me about you joining the group,” Eldrida says.

  Jared says nothing. I’m hoping he at least has the decency to acknowledge her. Eldrida smiles kindly and then turns to Coy. “You must be the human. Coy is it?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” A boy with manners, there’s a plus. Maybe we should sit him and Jared in a room together. Have Coy teach him a thing or two about being polite.

  “Well it’s nice meeting the both of you. As you know we have a big task upon our hands, with no knowledge of how it will end. Not knowing how the outcome will be, are you two still prepared to keep going, even if it means your death?”

  Without skipping a beat Coy replies once more with “Yes, Ma’am.” Jared is still silent but he must have acknowledged Eldrida’s question. She nods with a pleased smile.

  “Alright then. We believe the Vampire in question is hiding here in Greenland. A strong force kept our amulet from making contact with the map. The thing we don’t know is where exactly. Did any of you find anything that might lead us to a start?”

  The Elders sit and listen intently as Danika gives them the run-down of our meetings. I watch each one as they listen to Danika’s story, listening for anything that might be a clue. That’s what it takes to be a good leader: being a good listener.

  Speaking of leaders… “Where is Witten?” I know it isn’t vital information but I’m still curious as to why he didn’t think it was important to be here.

  The Elders all look at me as if this should be the least of my worries. Which it should be and if I ever catch that curious cat of mine, I’ll teach her a lesson. Until then, everyone’s just going to have to deal with her popping up and asking unnecessary questions.

  “Witten had to stay behind with the Coven. We needed an Elder who was capable of running things and starting over in case something was to happen,” Hanalei says, none too kindly. She doesn’t come across as friendly like Eldrida. Maybe it has something to do with becoming older and wiser, and not letting silly things get the better of you.

  The conversation moves on, my odd question forgotten. We discuss possible locations over a map of Greenland. All the destinations we think may be possible still lead us to an open ending. Just because these places look good and plausible, doesn’t mean any are a sure thing. It would take too much time plotting out each individual location that may or may not be the hiding place.

  In the end, Eldrida thinks it is more reasonable to split into teams. Coy, Jared, and Hanalei will go north of Nuu
k. Ethan and Laveda will find transportation to go farther north to the regions around Daneborg and the National Park. Danika and Eldrida will head southeast to the tip of Greenland.

  I’m heading to the skies again. But first…. “I don’t know about you guys but I need some food. Flying takes a lot of energy. I need to fuel up first.” Granted I just had a hefty snack from Coy but my stomach is still grumbling for something solid. The last thing I remember any of us eating was a sandwich when we first arrived at Wrigley.

  The boys all eagerly agree.

  We exit the plane and make our way through the airport. As we walk through the terminal, I come to an abrupt halt, throwing out my hands to stop the others. I spot Chimera, well cloaked, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. I can’t imagine the humans’ reaction if they find out all the spooks of the night are real, let alone there are even more frightening creatures that are combined from all those spooky nightmares. Let’s just say chaos wouldn’t even begin to describe the panic that would bestow this place.

  I point out our visitors to the others. We steer away from the Chimera, hoping that they didn’t see us. Eldrida pulls us into a small smoking room. Once inside I can barely breathe. The room is so full of smoke from the cigarettes and cigars, I can barely see. Hasn’t this airport ever heard of ventilation?

  “Are those the creatures you spoke about?” Eldrida asks, looking out the window. The Chimera slowly walk past the smoking area.

  “Yes,” Danika whispers. “How did they know we’re here?” She’s standing by Eldrida, also watching the Chimera closely, as if she doesn’t believe what she is seeing. After what happened to Ethan, I’m sure her fear of them has grown.

  I turn to see Ethan’s reaction. If I had almost been killed by hideous creatures that seem to pop up out of nowhere, I would probably steer clear of dark corners for the rest of my life. But Ethan appears perfectly calm, though I can see his body preparing for a fight.

  His body is tense. His eyes have a slight glow in this darker room. It’s a warning to others that he’s ready to change, becoming everybody’s worst nightmare. His face, however, is relaxed, focused and protective.