The Watchers (Twisted Sisters #1)

by Lacy LeRoch

  I can’t stand straight as I keep slipping back down on the carpet. I reach behind me to grab hold of something to help me stand, I need to get away from this thing. My hand pats blindly behind me in search of something I can use. Nothing, there’s nothing for me to grab onto. My hand brushes over the hard callused hand of my father. Thank the Lord for small miracles. Dad’s signet ring cuts into my fingers as I try and link my fingers with his.

  “Thank God, Daddy. Help me, please,” I pant, keeping my eyes on the beast in front of me.

  Silence is the only answer I get in response. The creature stalks toward me, grinning like the cat who ate a canary.

  “Daddy, please. I need your help. What are you waiting for?”

  Still nothing. Oh, screw this.

  I start panicking at my father’s silence, maybe he’s gagged or knocked unconscious.

  “Nooo, God, nooo,” I scream at the top of my lungs.

  This can’t be happening.

  Fuck, the creature.

  Fuck, everything right now.

  I crawl up onto the bed and onto my father’s lifeless body and start shaking his shoulders violently, hoping he’ll wake up and open his eyes.

  “Daddy, please. No, no, no, please wake up. Why won’t you wake up?”

  Everything feels so surreal. I feel as though I’m going to wake up and realize that this was all just some bad nightmare. I’m not thinking clearly. I want my daddy. I just want him to wake up.

  Nothing in this house matters right now. I’d give up everything to have my daddy back, to hold me and tell me he loves me, and that he’s proud. I sob my heart out and keep shaking his shoulders in vain, hoping and praying that he will wake up.

  “Daddy, please. Please, Daddy. Please, wake up.”

  With every shake of his body, I feel myself slipping into a heat of anger and emptiness. Into the darkness that lives inside of me. I feel myself starting to change, I feel different like something has snapped inside of me, and I’m now two halves of a whole.

  My skin begins to smoke, the blood in my veins heats up. I can see a haze developing around the outside of my vision. I thought I’d be ecstatic when I first heard my Phoenix. I’ve craved this moment for months now. But I don’t feel anything, nothing but a dark emptiness that creeps into my heart and soul.

  “It’s about time you opened up to me. I’ve been trying to get you to hear me for years.”

  That’s not Bevan’s voice vibrating in my head, but a male voice still the same.

  “I’m not a Watcher, Lacy. If I were, I would not have allowed you to come to any harm. You may call me Brad. I like that name. I’m your Phoenix.”

  My what? I thought all female Phoenix shifters got a female Phoenix. I feel a slight vibration jump around inside me, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear that Brad just laughed at me.

  “No time to talk about this now. You will get used to me as I will get used to you. Now do as I say and think of heat and fire… think of being inside an inferno. That you’re the one with the flames. I can help you if you allow it.”

  I lower my head and give my father one last kiss the top of his head. “I love you, you may have been my father, but you were also a warrior. May your wings fly straight, may your love burn bright, and may Goddess Lylian take hold of your soul and hold it tight.”

  I don’t know where the words come from, it was like I knew it was the right thing to say. The beast of a male stands in front of me staring. He’s about to learn a lesson while I may look broken beyond compare, I’m just about to become the very thing that will haunt his dreams. He thinks he’s won, but I’m about to prove him wrong.

  Well, so I thought, anyway.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The problem with having a male Phoenix is that they think they can do anything they want. That everything they do is right the first time around.

  “Aww, what’s wrong, little Phoenix? Now that you worked out that Daddy is gone, you to seem to know you are well and truly screwed. Such a shame that Daddy isn’t here to help you,” the beast, taunts.

  The grunting outside reaches an all-time high. Most of the noises are coming from Bevan as he attempts to fight off my mom. God, I hope he’s all right. I need to get out there and help in any way that I can.

  “And would you look at that, the almighty Watcher is being taken down by a Phoenix, and an elder Phoenix at that.” The creature laughs, darting his gaze from me out the door to the fight taking place.

  I want to wipe the smug look off his face. He’s taking pleasure in letting me know that we’re going to lose this fight. This guy is seriously getting on my nerves, I want to grab him by the throat and rip it clean open. Deadly thoughts start flowing into my mind. I’m not that creative on my own, it must be Brad sharing what he would like to do as well.

  “Too damn right it is, Lacy. I’m happy you have evil thoughts toward him, but I can promise you no matter what you come up with, mine will be worse. This is where I’ll come in handy,” Brad says confidently.

  I do believe that Brad has a huge ego. Not to mention, the more he shares with me, the more I realize that I was probably better off without the Phoenix guardian.

  Egotistical, cocky males… who needs them? Between him and Bevan, I think I might be screwed.

  “Shut your mouth,” I growl at the creature.

  Not my best comeback, but it will have to do. I’m sitting on a bed where my father is lying with his throat slit. I finally have hold of my Phoenix guardian, and it’s male. Yeah, that’s a new one. And the best comeback for the creature who taunts me is, “Shut your mouth.” I really have lost the plot. If I wasn’t a basket case before, I am now, that’s for sure. I glance over my shoulder and see the beast staring at me with his head tilted to the side.

  “Focus shifter, focus. Who did I make mad to be stuck in the body of a whining female?” Brad snaps with a hint of anger.

  Fantastic, now even that said guardian is giving you a hard time. The groaning that fills my head lets me know that Brad isn’t happy with my train of thought. Right, I must focus.

  “Oh, fucking hell. Why I got stuck with you, I will never ever know. Think fire, dumbass. Think heat.”

  Oops, I think I pissed him off. This could be fun if I weren't in danger.

  “Too fucking right you have. Now do as I say, because if I have to come forward without you being focused, I will burn more than your ass, love.”

  Why you arrogant son of a…

  “Focus,” Brad growls sending a hot blast of heat through my body.

  Bugger me… that really hurt.

  “Focus Lacy or I will make it burn a lot more than that.”

  Right, focus. Yes, I can do that. Heat, right heat is hot. Fire, yes, yes. Think fire, red hot flames roaring away. I try to picture that I’m sitting in the fires of hell. No matter how much I try to focus, no matter how clear I make the picture in my mind, I can’t turn my brain off.

  Lucy, I need Lucy.

  “Why do you want Lucy, when your mate is fighting for his life outside this room, right now?” Brad’s voice echoes in my head.

  Wait, why am I wanting my sister when I have Bevan? We’re almost bonded, I should be craving him more than Lucy right now. No time to think about that. I need to get out of here and find my sister. I feel a coarse hand brush down the side of my face, snapping me out of my trance.

  “You really are a beautiful Phoenix, I’m so glad the Mistress has made you mine. I’m going to have so much fun with you.” The beast clenches my hair in his fist and lifts me effortlessly off the bed with one arm. He’s strong, I don’t know how I’m going to fight him off.

  “We are strong, as well,” Brad huffs, defiantly.

  I send a mental image to Brad of us playing possum, and I hope that I’m doing it right. I know he got the thought when I hear his growl.

  “You doubt me. I am a Phoenix… your Phoenix, I might add. I am strong. I can take him,” Brad huffs.

  “Brad, listen to me.
I have no idea how to use my powers. The plan is that we need to play possum, go along with him.”

  When he responds with a grunt, I know he’s heard me loud and clear. Good, all I have to do is think of what I want to say and he hears it.

  “It’s not rocket science, girly,” Brad chastises me.

  “Are you kidding me right now, Brad. We’re going to die and you are giving me a hard time? How about you stop fucking talking to me, so I can think clearly.”

  He harrumphs again in disagreement. Stupid guardian. I wonder if I can give him away, change him for another guardian? I feel Brad chuckle, so I close my eyes and try to clear my head. Don’t think about the danger, Lace. Don’t think about the fact that you are standing next to your dead father. Don’t think about the fact that once again some asshole has you in his grimy hands.

  Shit, I can’t do this.

  “Hmm, pretty girl. I’m going to have so much fun playing with you.” The male leans down and licks at my neck, his tongue drags down painfully slow. He takes my earlobe in-between his teeth and pulls hard, moaning.

  I try to move away from him, but I can’t. So I attempt to lift my arms, and I’m surprised to find that they won’t budge. My head starts to droop, I’ve lost control of my body. I start to feel my legs turn to jelly. He hauls me up over his shoulder, laughing. I open my mouth, ready to blast him a new asshole, but nothing comes out. I will my body to move, to kick, wiggle, anything, but nothing comes of it. Memories of the last time I felt this way flash into my mind.

  “What’s the matter, Phoenix? You feeling a little weak?” The male laughs, uncontrollably. He starts to walk over to the door with me slung over his shoulder. “Oh, didn’t you know, if one of my kind…” he points to himself, “…gets to kiss or lick one of you…” he shakes me up and down laughing, “…you can’t move. There’s something a little special in our saliva that paralyzes you, and baby I can think of a lot of places I want to lick you right now. The best part of all is that you can’t do or say a thing to stop me. As long as I keep licking you…” he chuckles, “…you will be trapped in your own body.”

  Dear God. Since when did men come with super spit? I don’t know if I could handle being taken against my will again. The first time broke me for a long time, the only thing that held me together was finding Bevan and traveling to our dreamscape world.

  “Brad, can you hear me?”

  I need to know at least he’s with me, even though his smart mouth annoys me.

  “I’m here, little one, but you need to try and stay calm. While you lost the plot and went a little cray-cray earlier, he was able to get to us.”

  Why that stubborn piece of…

  “Temper, temper, little one.”

  My body shudders with Brad’s laughing. I’m not sure if Brad is doing this to try to get my mind off what is to come, or whether he’s doing this to make me mad. Either way, I’m glad I have him. Even if I do fear about my mental state.

  My body jolts around as we step out into the hallway. The man carrying me has no concern for my comfort as my face bounces around near his ass.

  Eeek, this is so gross.

  “Stop complaining,” Brad growls.

  I can’t scream or move. Too bad the spit has no effect on Brad, it would come in handy to keep him quiet. My whole world comes to a screeching halt when I see Bevan.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Do you think this is all fun and games, Watcher?” The evil bitch Sarah looks over at me and has the hide to snicker loudly.

  What the fuck is wrong with this woman?

  I run at her again, reaching out at the last minute and take hold of her waist tackling her to the ground. We roll over and over together in a mass of arms and legs. Each one of us trying in vain to get our hands on the other. I can’t get a good grip on her, and she fucking knows it. She spins out of my grasp and elbows me in the ribs, knocking the wind out of my lungs. Fuck, lucky blow.

  I kick my feet out, arch my back, and spring myself to my feet. I widen my stance and get ready to charge at her a second time, but she springs off the floor and flies toward me like a missile.

  “What the fuck?” I growl.

  I never knew a Phoenix could physically fly. The heat from Sarah’s Phoenix fills the room like a furnace. This isn’t good. If her Phoenix comes to the surface fully, I’ll be fucked in more ways than one.

  “This isn’t a game to me, Sarah. How the fuck could you do this to your family?” I scream, throwing out my fist and landing a solid blow to her chin. I smirk triumphantly when her head falls back, and she groans in pain.

  Spit flies from her mouth when she growls, “Family. What family, Bevan? This isn’t my family. This was my ticket to becoming a leader of men.”

  I’m sick of hearing her gloat, so I throw my feet up and kick her as hard as I can. She retaliates by raising her hand and blasting me with a fireball.

  “Fuck me, Sarah, knock this off already,” I grunt, swatting at the burning hairs on my arms and legs. The smell of singed hair fills my nostrils.

  I must be an idiot to think she might actually listen to me. I can only say that my mind isn’t in the right state at the moment. I’m not thinking too clearly.

  “Now why would I do that, Watcher? This is the most fun I’ve had in years.” Sarah throws another fireball at me. It wallops me in the chest, sending me flying over the staircase railing. My back hits the coffee table with a thud. The impact shatters the table, sending shards of wood flying in every direction, a large piece is embedded deep in the calf of my leg. I grab hold of the wooden stake, take a deep breath, and scream out in agony as I pull with all my might to dislodge the foreign object sticking out of my flesh.

  “Oh no. Does the Watcher have a boo-boo? Poor Bevy-wevy,” Sarah taunts, smiling from ear to ear, impressed with herself.

  “Bitch, when I get up, I’m going to kill you,” I snap, attempting to get up.

  It takes me a second or two to get out of the hole that was left by my body. I stretch my wings out as I stand and spring my wings out beside me to take flight. My left side does as it’s told but the right one hangs useless and limp at my side.

  Fan-fucking-tastic. I need to get to Lacy, she needs me. Think stupid, think. I glance over to the left and notice the broken coffee table still within my reach. That will do just fine. I reach over and pick up the biggest piece I can find, throwing it with all of my strength at Sarah. She sidesteps at the last minute, the wood hits the wall behind her and I curse.

  Oh, come on. Why can’t I catch a break?

  I try to summon the other Watchers by sending out a distress call. We can send out a telepathic call that echoes to every Watcher. It causes our wings to burn and change color. This won’t go down in history as one of my finer moments, but even I know when I need help. I have no choice.

  I’m not as strong as my brothers, and being that I’m up against a turned Watcher, and an ancient Phoenix shifter, I need all the help I can get right now. My wings start to vibrate with the call out. I run through this a couple of times then wait. I’d normally get a vibration back by now. Owen is tuned into me, and he knows my every move. I’m actually surprised that he isn’t here already.

  In my three hundred years of life, I’ve never heard of a call not being returned. We have a code that we stand by, no Warrior or Watcher will ever get left behind or ignored. It is our brotherhood, our bonds.

  They wouldn’t have left me here to fight this on my own, would they? Why won’t my brothers come to my aid? I’m normally so much stronger than this. I may not be a level one Watcher, but we all have the strength to call on one another for help. I should be able to take Sarah down, but for some reason I can’t draw upon my strength. My mind is going into complete overload with all the what ifs. There’s only one thing I can think of that would stop them from feeling the call, only a powerful spell could halt the call from being transmitted.

  My blood runs cold when I hear the blood-curdling scream Lacy let’s free. Th
at’s enough of an incentive to get my shit together and get to her. I dodge and leap over debris as I race up the stairs. Sarah stands at the very top, hands on her hip laughing at me.

  Are you fucking kidding me?

  “Why the fuck are you laughing, bitch?” I throw my left hand out and hit her with a sonic blast hoping it will be enough to knock the cow off her feet. I’m so sick to death of this woman laughing. I don’t know how she was able to hide the fact that she’s insane for so long.

  “Why wouldn’t I laugh, Watcher? I played you right from the start,” she gloats, pulling herself from the wall.

  I don’t give her any time to react, throwing my arm out and hitting her with another blast.

  “What do you mean played me, Sarah?”

  She falls back with a scream, reaching for me as she falls backward. I spread my legs apart further to get a good stance and duck at the last minute. Her hands let go of my shirt, and she hits the ground with a hard thud.

  “Why the fuck won’t you die, bitch?” I blast her again and again.

  I can kill a full grown Watcher with my sonic blasts, I can’t work out why she isn’t dead yet. The confusion on my face must amuse her and she starts laughing again. This woman is really starting to piss me off. Normally hitting a person, or shifter for that matter, with one blast will kill them instantly.

  Unless… no… that can’t be possible. Dear Goddess Lylian, I hope I’m wrong.

  “Have you worked it out yet?” She sweeps her left leg out taking me down to the ground. “Did you seriously think that I wouldn’t have planned all of this out? As I said, Watcher, I’ve been playing you right from the start.”

  I swing my arm out hoping to hit the bitch in the process. She lets loose a foul string of words, followed by a scream as I roll over and hit her.

  “Hand it over, bitch, I know you have it somewhere,” I growl while searching her body after each hit.