Grounded

by Constance Sharper

  Mason didn’t lift his head to look at her. He didn’t answer right away either. The atmosphere thickened with agonizing awkwardness. After a full minute, Mason answered softly.

  “You can’t possibly understand.”

  That one hurt. Avery tried desperately to control her emotions and go for the rational approach. Despite what Mason wanted to believe, Avery was involved now and Adalyn in the picture very much affected her.

  “Try me. I’d rather know what I’m dealing with.”

  He groaned before answering.

  “I do love her. It’s not a choice of mine, Avery. And despite what I continue to do, I continue having to deal with her again and again.” He looked up and held both hands out in a helpless gesture.

  Mason’s emotions, though usually guarded, played over the shadows in his face. Avery bit her lip.

  “So I did interpret that kiss the wrong way then. If you’re not ready to move on, then don’t. I’d rather not get stuck in the middle of this if you can’t pick one of us.” She pled through a whisper.

  Mason pushed back into his seat

  “It’s not like that. I’m not trying to be with Adalyn. It’s not about me choosing. I already did that when I stayed with you. But until I can break it off with Adalyn for good, you and I are just a side note. She was here first and I have to do what’s right by her. And then by us.”

  Avery couldn’t have asked for much more of an answer, pleasant to hear or not, so she accepted it with a tiny nod. If he broke it off with Avery again, she wasn’t sure how low her heart could sink into her stomach. She let the conversation die. It wasn’t hard when Mason had lapsed into a deep thought.

  Avery jumped when her pocket rattled and the unfamiliar cell phone jingle rang loudly. She scrambled to jimmy the phone from her pocket and hit the silence key. Since Patrick had destroyed her phone, she had to buy a contract free replacement to recover her number and finally receive the missed voicemails. Mason hadn’t agreed with her on the importance of such a thing, but he also didn’t understand the human world. If she went missing again, the police would be called. Or worse, her brother Chase might find out. Chase, the single most over protective guy in the world, would be hunting Mason down with a gun if he thought she might be in danger. He’d already threatened Mason more than once. Unwilling to risk the trouble, she’d gotten the phone and was still getting used to it.

  The screen lit up blue displaying a text message from an Alaskan area code and she clicked read. In blocky blue digits, the text said one line: “Where r u??” Avery’s eyes flickered to the number only now recognizing it. The text was from Leela.

  “Alright, I gotta go.” Mason suddenly said and stood from the table, drawing Avery’s eyes up to meet him.

  Shoving the phone back into her jacket pocket, she stood to walk him out. The coffee in her hand had already gone cold but she clasped it anyways.

  “Have fun on your date.” She said but her mind had already gone elsewhere.

  Mason gave her another sharp look.

  “Don’t be like that. You’re worse than a harpie sometimes.”

  Knowing she had to amend herself Avery shrugged and tried for a carefree tone.

  “For the record, your race can’t have dibs on being bitchy. But do what you got to and don’t get caught.”

  Mason finally smiled slyly and actually reached down to hug her. The embrace was quick but the reluctant flicker of elation in Avery’s chest jumped up anyways.

  “You shouldn’t lecture me on attracting trouble. Anyways, go straight back to the hotel.”

  He gestured toward the glass entrance doors across the street. Unable to stall much longer, Avery gave him another nod and headed off. He trekked down the street the other way and she headed inside. Once she knew that she was alone, she pulled the silver phone from her pocket and stared at the text message from Leela again.

  The message brought up more questions than Avery was willing to consider but she did think about one fact. Leela hadn’t known about Patrick and hadn’t known why Avery disappeared. Also considering she didn’t even know Avery was on to her, the question was probably innocent probing.

  Avery’s fingers hovered around the keys for a full moment. After an agonizing mental debate she texted back, “Family emergency. Had 2 skip town but will b back.” The yellow envelope icon disappeared before Avery could regret sending it. Part of her knew that she wasn’t ready to treat Leela like an enemy but she knew Mason would consider this dangerous and stupid.

  Slipping by the front desk, she made her way for the room in the back. The phone buzzed again and Avery clicked the message open.

  “Omg! R Chase and ur mom ok? I tried calling u yesterday but ur phone was out of service 4 some reason.”

  “Yea we’re all fine.” Avery had been so focused on her phone, she almost missed her room. Jingling the knob with her free hand, the door gave surprisingly easy and Avery never broke her focus from the phone screen. Walking in, she only looked up when she heard the sharp female voice speak up.

  “She would be dumb enough to book a room under her name.”

  Avery backpedaled but her feet got tangled and Avery smashed into the door hard. Before her sat both Adalyn and Patrick splayed out on the bed. The damage done to Patrick during their early encounter was painfully obvious. His left wing didn’t stand up all of the way and the feathers were frayed and torn. Bruises marred his face and his lip had been split leaving a bloody reminder. He held himself up right but Avery could tell that he wouldn’t put all his weight down on his legs. His black eyes stared straight through her.

  Adalyn sat next to him, her long legs folded and her curly blonde hair expertly tied up behind her head. She looked just like Avery remembered with the body tight black and white clothing, stiletto heels, and hot red lips. Though Adalyn had the looks of a movie star, the danger never quite escaped her features. She tapped her deadly sharp talons on the bed side. She watched Avery like a predator watching its prey.

  “How’d you know to look for me?” They’d only just arrived in Portland meaning Patrick or Adalyn had to be following them from minute one. Adalyn corrected the theory when she coolly said, “I figured you’d come down here to find Mason. So we waited for you to show up. Called the nearby hotels and when the clerk confirmed you were booked, we showed up.”

  Avery’s mind spun and she looked between the two. They thought that she was here to find Mason and that Mason hadn’t ever picked her up. Though they were on the wrong up take, Avery didn’t correct them. She kept her eyes forward but her hand slipped behind her for the knob.

  “He already knows that Patrick tried to kill me. If I show up dead, he’ll know.” Avery attempted to distract them as she struggled to find the knob.

  It didn’t work. Suddenly Patrick stood and crossed the room in a flash of movement. Avery sprung to avoid him but only successfully put herself farther away from the door. Patrick spread out against the wooden exit and gave her a lazy smile.

  Heart pounding now, Avery’s mind went to her phone. She could call Mason but she’d never get the chance to explain. Her luck would be better set with utilizing the magic in her body as a weapon but that was a long shot too.

  “Well if he’s already going to be mad at me then I might as well get something out of it. Double jeopardy. Besides, dead girls tell no tales.” Adalyn said coldly and stood up.

  The room was barely ten by ten making Avery confined close to the two harpies. Her eyes slid between the two when they advanced a step forward. She clenched her right hand, willing the magic to stir in her chest. A cold wash of fear slipped through her when the attempts continued to fail and Avery backed against the night stand.

  Adalyn offered a show of her brilliantly white teeth.

  “Patrick,” She called out to her companion. “Be a dear and make this problem go away.”

  Patrick suddenly kicked into motion. Launching himself forward, he swung for Avery. A scream ripped out from her throat and she jumped backw
ards. Tripping over the desk behind her, her body lurched backwards and she dropped into a ball. Patrick came around the side of the desk and Avery wildly kicked at him. Harpies didn’t have strong bone density and usually could be taken off their feet, but a few kicks didn’t do that. Patrick grabbed her ankle and dragged her out to the center of the room.

  Avery rolled to her feet but he caught her just before she stood. Long arm roping around her neck, he yanked her back into his hard chest. Squeezing the arm around her neck, he managed to cut off her air.

  Avery’s world became fuzzy around the edges and she clawed at the arms that held her. Patrick was stronger than most harpies, built more like a man than a bird, and his grip never loosened. He pressed his free hand up against her back until she could feel the distinctive sharpness of talons behind her spine.

  “Sorry girlie, but this will be quick.” He almost sounded sorry when he whispered into her ear.

  Avery swung her body, desperately clinging to her remaining energy, and managed to get a gulp of air. In the moment of absolute panic, she finally felt the spark of magic in her chest. Forcing it out through her hands, the energy escaped her body and gave Patrick an electric shock.

  He stumbled back, but the magic hadn’t done enough damage. Before he could charge at her again, she held both hands up.

  “Wait! Wait! You can’t kill me. Mason’s life is depending on what I know.” The plea went out to Adalyn but Patrick scoffed it off.

  “Come here.” He hissed and launched at Avery again. In the second before he made contact, Adalyn’s hand swung out and intercepted the blow.

  “Wait!” She shouted at Patrick before her blue eyes slid back to Avery. “Let me hear what she has to say.”

  “She’s just stalling.” Patrick complained but obediently backed up a step.

  Avery took in a grateful breath and curled her arms back around herself. Adalyn’s piercing gaze still on her, Avery sputtered out an explanation.

  “You know Mikhail is out to kill Mason, right? After we got Mikhail arrested and all that?”

  Adalyn cracked a humorless smile.

  “If I remember correctly, it was you that got Mikhail arrested.”

  Patrick stiffened again.

  “Fine, can I kill her now?” His body shook with readiness and his talons came out.

  “Stop, just stop! You know Mikhail is out to get Mason even if he didn’t have much of a part in it.” Avery’s words were a jumble of hysteria but somehow both harpies seemed to understand.

  Adalyn’s facial expression rapidly changed from boredom to sharp interest.

  “You mean you put my fiancé in grave danger.” She growled. “What do you know? What’s the plan?”

  Earning more time, Avery took a breath and readied the most critical explanation she’d ever have to give in her life.

  “He’s after the book. Jericho’s book that detailed how to create the amulet of Willow. If he gets it and recreates it, all of the Willow magic in Mason’s body wouldn’t be able to fight him off. And then when Mikhail kills Mason, the magic will jump from Mason’s body to Mikhail’s and only make him stronger.”

  “Imagine the shame that neither of you girls could have Mason.” Patrick piped in but his sarcastic whine went ignored.

  Adalyn’s brow pinched together and she drew back, no longer ready to lash out.

  “Jericho’s book is in my father’s library.” She said slowly.

  Taking a breath, Avery mustered as much confidence as she could manage. In two words, she implanted the doubt in Adalyn’s head.

  “Is it?” She asked.

  Adalyn’s brow pinched tighter and then Avery added, “They are called the Band of Thieves for a reason.”

  The female harpie’s face couldn’t have possibly grown pinker. She clasped her fists together and glowered. Her blue eyes left Avery and she glared at Patrick.

  “Patrick, pick her up and take her with us. We’re going to my house.”

  Avery didn’t even have time to process the words when Patrick made a grab for her. He caught her waist and threw her over his shoulder like a weightless doll. She struggled but couldn’t break free. She was trapped again.

  Nine

  The short flight to their destination was more uncomfortable than anything Avery had ever experienced. The harpies had taken to an unusual flight pattern, specifically soaring through the cloud coverage, which left the wet and smoggy taste of puffy fog in Avery’s mouth.

  “Ease up girlie.” Patrick purred in her ear reminding Avery of how uncomfortably close he held her. “I’ve got you.” He said. She swatted at him when his hand glided over her backside.

  Despite the proximity, she wouldn’t fight when they were in the air. He’d propped her over his shoulder and facing down, she watched the sight of the distant green ground speeding by. She’d dug her fingers into his shirt until her knuckles turned white. The combination of anxiety and pressure on her stomach had left her ragingly queasy.

  Face hot, she sputtered an appropriate gripe seconds before he dropped them and her stomach jumped back into her chest. They finally began to descend with a rapid change in altitude until the ground approached in a hurry. Patrick slammed into the ground with a jolt that left Avery rattling. In a swift motion, he rolled her off his shoulder and set her on the muddy ground.

  She straightened herself up quickly and her eyes darted to take in the area. Avery wasn’t sure what she was looking at. The building in front of her didn’t resemble the Harpie Island she’d seen last summer when visiting Samuel. Where that island had praised green garden life, wide spaces, and open blue skies, this dull place had tightly blocked off quarters and boarded up windows.

  High walls surrounded the compound where Adalyn and Patrick had touched down. The grey walls blocked them off from the rest of the world, which made sense, but also gave a touch of claustrophobia. Three stories tall, the building looked like an abandoned factory and still warded off visitors by the looks of the desolate place.

  “This is it?” She asked, mildly disbelieving.

  “No, this is where we kill and bury you. Of course this is it.” Patrick said, arm snaking out and grabbing Avery’s elbow. She let him, not planning on running. Mason had left for Samuel’s place over an hour ago and that would put him in the immediate area. All she had to do, Avery reasoned, was wait.

  Patrick’s grip tightened until his talons pinched her and brought her back to reality. He dragged her forward and they tromped over the bare ground, wet from recent rain, and slid around the side of the building. Bright red warning signs had been posted up on the door to halt entrance but Adalyn yanked the heavy metal door open anyways. Motion detector lights flickered on overhead illuminating the surprisingly chic hallway. Polished hard wood made up the floors and a thick layer of crème colored paint covered the drywall. Framed paintings of miscellaneous classy scenes lined the walls and soft music floated through ceiling stereos. The harpies in Portland may have been living in secrecy but they apparently were still living in style.

  The door shut behind them and Avery stole a last quick glance outside. She’d buy as much time as possible but with no sight of Mason just yet, Avery was playing with fire.

  “There’s no security here. What’s to keep the Band out?”

  “You act like we’re not used to dealing with them.” Adalyn said sourly, tilting her head up. She did well to convey assurance with her overconfident tone but the mere fact that they’d come indicated some shadow of doubt.

  “Patrick, keep her here. I can’t let my father see her.” Adalyn added.

  Patrick’s sudden posture change indicated a change from boredom to alertness. Wide eyes glinting, he clarified. “You’re leaving me alone with her?”

  “Whoa, wait up.” Avery interrupted when the implications hit her too. Adalyn just arched an eyebrow, spun on the heel of her white boots, and walked off.

  Patrick abruptly gave Avery a tug that sent her back into the wall. Looking directly up at him, she
had to tilt her head back. The height difference was obvious, even worse than with Avery and Mason. Patrick not only hit six foot ten but his wings arched up more radically as well.

  “Maybe we got off on the wrong foot. I’d like to clarify some of the bad things that have happened over the past few days.”

  “You mean trying to kill me, me hitting you with a car, and then you trying to kill me again?” She said but it wasn’t funny.

  He rolled his eyes.

  “I have to do what Adalyn asks me. I owe her big time. And I would have killed you quickly, though you may not have appreciated it. I wasn’t kidding when I said I was interested before.”

  Avery grit her teeth, keeping her defiant resolve despite his intimidating posture.

  “Did you miss it when I said not interested the first time?”

  “Don’t be like that girlie, it’s a good thing.” His hand slithered out and propped her chin up with an index finger. A playboy worthy smile crossed his face with the single arched, inviting eyebrow. He’d leaned over, arching his body until their faces hovered mere inches away from each other.

  “Go away.” Avery growled but couldn’t muster the appropriate force behind her response. Her heart hammered making her voice wane and her hands shake. He kept pressing closer. Too close. But then Patrick’s body disappeared. The moment happened so fast, Avery barely realized why.

  In an explosion of movement, Mason had come from the hallway and lunged for Patrick. The two collided with a deafening pop. They smashed into the dry wall and broke through it with a hurricane of dust. Thrashing, they hit the floor and rolled.

  Avery dove backwards, clear of the fight but another arm snaked around her neck. Recognizing the female harpie, Avery fought back. The surprise worked on Adalyn’s side but Avery, a human built stockier and studier, cut off the choking movement prematurely. Stopping Adalyn from moving her back, she twisted around and kicked. Her foot met Adalyn’s abdomen and the harpie gasped. Grip broken, Adalyn fell backwards and Avery sprung back into a crouch.