by Jane West
Then suddenly an epiphany struck. At that very moment, clarity rang louder than the Liberty Bell. I understood my true purpose. The Family never intended for me to create a new world. They wanted to create an army of supernatural soldiers—for a better word, assassins—large numbers of souped-up warriors taking the world by storm, ridding the earth of innocent people, they deemed as weak. This was their abominable plan from the beginning—the New World Order—a world of perfect people just like them, vile and evil, unholy immortals with everlasting life. Wow! That was taking ambition to a whole different level, and I hated it.
I looked over at the woman claiming to be my blood. I saw pure fear in her eyes. I smiled with joy, knowing I was about to carry out my threat. Then with no thought given, I went into action. In only a matter of seconds, both guards were faced down in a puddle of blood with no sign of life from either one.
My neck snapped in the direction of my sister. Frozen, she glared at me like a frightened pig before the slaughter. As I turned to her, I felt my essence surge forth, and before I knew it, in the blink of an eye, I had my arm grasped around her throat, tight, with my dagger pressed against her jugular.
“Tell me where they are!” I hissed in a deadly whisper. The blonde tried to wiggle loose, but her efforts were futile. “I’ll say this just one more time before I end your pathetic life. Where are they?” I demanded, desperate and determined. She started to speak but stopped as something hard struck the back of my head. Pain shot through my mind, and in the next breath, everything went black.
Lost and Found
When I came to, it took a moment for me to gather my senses. Soon the harsh memory of how I’d gotten here flooded my foggy mind. A sharp pain shot from the back of my head, confirmed I’d been shanghaied. Go figure! I sat up with difficulty, wincing. By the throbbing ache in my right side, I most likely had a few broken ribs. My left eye was swollen shut, gnawing like something fierce. I winched when I sighed. Such cowards to beat me while I was out cold. No doubt, this was the work of my lovely sister and her goons. Good thing I’ve had practice getting my ass kicked. I laughed, flinching.
As my one good eye adjusted to the dimness, I realized my holding cell wasn’t much more than a few sprigs of hay scattered over a cold, dirty floor and iron bars. Oddly, it was as though I’d fallen through time, it was primeval in every sense, dark and musky. No bedding, no pot to piss in, not even a chair to rest my wary bones, just a dirty floor. Animals got better treatment than this.
I eased myself against the wall, drawing my knees to my chest, trying to focus on anything but my claustrophobia. Since Haven, solitary confinement became my own living hell. The staff loved tormenting me by forcing me inside a ten by ten box, with no provisions; only the confinements of a crunched up metal box. If the authorities had ever caught them, the hospital would’ve been shut down immediately.
I pushed up off the floor, bracing myself against the stone wall. The blow to my head must’ve been a humdinger, judging by my dizziness. My headache was blinding. I managed to limp over to the bars. With the one good eye, I tried to see if a guard might be on watch. Nothing, but my vision was hindered. I called out, “Hey!” I bellowed. “Anyone out there!” The echo of my voice was the sole reply. No sign of a living soul, only a faint trickle of water vibrated off the wall, down the corridor. Funny, I remembered that eerie drip from Aidan’s secret chamber. It was like déjà vu, though, I shrugged it off. I had enough on my plate to worry about than some stupid flash back.
I grasped a bar in each hand and gave it a good tug. Pain shot through my entire body as I flinched. Regardless of how superhuman I might be those bars weren’t budging. I slid down to the floor, leaning against the wall in a corner by the bars. I wanted to watch for anyone coming. I couldn’t see much, but I still had my hearing.
I dragged in a torn breath, regretting my haste decision. How stupid could I’d been? I shouldn’t have lost my temper. If I hadn’t let my hardheadedness get the best of me, Aidan and Dawn would be safe, free from Helen and that vile family. Damn it!
I laid my face in my hands and began sobbing. I yearned for my child. She deserved to have her mother. “Is there something wrong with wanting to hold your own child?” I choked through the tears. The tears streamed down my cheeks and stung like hell from the cuts on my face. I didn’t care. I welcomed the pain.
I wiped the tears from my face with the back of my hand. It still wasn’t too late. I had to pull myself together. If I wanted to save Dawn and Aidan, I had to draw strength from my inner powers. I sensed the Essence earlier. Somewhere in the depth of my core, it patiently waited.
***
I must’ve dozed off when I heard the jingle of keys and footfalls approaching. Alerted, I pulled myself to my feet, thankful my pain had eased slightly. I privately thanked my angel genetics for that. In my world, fast healing was a welcomed thing. I leaned against the wall to balance my wobbly legs. I stilled, barely breathing, staying calm as I listened. Whoever was coming, I braced myself, expecting the worst.
Suddenly I remembered my necklace. I reached for it. It was gone! I dropped to my knees on the floor, scurrying for it, hoping it had fallen, but with no light and hindered vision, I came up empty-handed. My worst fear was that someone took it. “Shit! I’m screwed!” I murmured to myself as I rose to my feet.
When the footfalls halted, there stood my loving sister.
“I hope you are enjoying your stay?” Even through the faint light, her smug face shined like a beacon.
“I’d diffidently recommend this spot. The bed’s soft as a feather.” I was coy.
“We pride ourselves on our Southern hospitality.” She smiled, harboring a wicked glint behind her sooty lashes.
Time was closing in. I had to reason with this woman. “Let’s make a truce, Helen. Free Aidan and my daughter, and I’ll do anything you want!” To beg for myself was out of the question, but to plead for my child and her father, there was nothing I wouldn’t do for their safety.
“Why should I do you any favors?” Helen snarled.
“Don’t do it for me, do it for the sake of an innocent child. For fuck’s sake, do it for your brother!” I wailed.
“Tsk, tsk! Where’s your inside voice?”
“I left it at the cemetery with my patience.” If I could’ve shot fire from my eyes, I would’ve smacked her right between the eyes.
Helen arched a brow. It surprised me with all that Botox. “I read in the Bible once that patience is a virtue.
I snorted a laugh. “Bible school! You didn’t combust?” I goaded.
“My, my, aren’t we cranky when we wake up from our nap.”
I didn’t bother with a retort. We could do this till she grew a wart on her nose and flew off on her broomstick. Rather, I’d preferred saving my energy for things more productive, like snapping her neck.
“I hope your guest will put you in a better mood.” A nefarious glitter tainted Helen’s blues. I knew my sweet sister had some scheme up her sleeve. I cautioned myself.
I heard high heels approaching and getting closer. When the heavy clanking stopped as my eyes landed on the visitor, I blacked out with rage. In half a blink, I reached the bars, grabbing a fistful of hair. I intended on snapping that bitch’s neck, and damn near did, until Helen shot me with some sort of souped-up TASER that knocked me off my feet, throwing me back onto the hard floor. The stun gun prevented me from killing the visitor, but it didn’t stop me from taking a fistful of hair.
Simultaneously, screams belted forth. And a vindicated grin played upon my swollen lips. Despite the discomfort from my backside, I found delight in her agonized face. I called to her, “lucky for you I’m on this side of the bars.” I snarled at the visitor with murder in my eyes. “No goddamn stunner will stop me from killing you Sally!” pushing past the twinge, I pulled myself to my feet with newfound strength.
“I can’t believe you ripped my hair out!” Sally bellowed, grasping the crown of her head. “I have a bloody
bald spot now!” Tears gathered in her eyes.
“Come a little closer,” I taunted her. “I’ll gladly give you a matching one.”
“You’re an animal!” Sally roared like a hyena.
“I guess I am.” I spoke calmly. I could feel the rumble of my powers trying to surface. “Where have you been all these years, Sally?”
“Raising your bratty child.” She shot me a smothering look. “That child’s insufferable just like her mother.”
“You can always give her back, since you stole her from me in the first place.” I felt for my knife in a hidden spot, which I shalt reveal. I had the knife’s hilt in my hand, hidden behind my back. I had only one shot. There were two targets. Hard decision, I thought, until I saw the keys dangling on Helen’s hip. If I take Helen down, with any luck, she’d fall close enough to the bars where I could snatch the keys from her body. If I decided to take down Sally, who’s killing was, frankly, long overdue, my chances in getting the keys would be slim to none. Helen wouldn’t run. She’d call the guards to punish me once more after they dispose of Sally’s body. But if I took Helen out first, Sally would take flight and run. She’d be more worried about saving her ass than alerting the guards. With any luck, I’d have enough time to get the keys, free myself, and snatch up Sally before she alerted the watchmen.
So I niggled Helen. I wanted to ruffle her feathers. Once she grabbed the bars, I’d make my move. With my angelic talents, I was speedier than the average creature, even a druid. Well, at least I hoped.
I made sure I stood back far enough. If I kept the distance between us, she might feel brave enough to step up to the bars, in my reach. Thus I began baiting her.
“Helen, rumor has it that Val dumped you. How did he put it?” I tapped my finger on my throbbing lip. “Oh, I remember he referred to you as entertainment.” I snickered. Then my eyes took on a hunted look. “You realize the only reason he spent one minute with you, it was for me? During all that time he was whispering sweet nothings into your ear, he was getting information for me.” I paused, hoping my tease would kick-up some dirt. “I think he’s more into younger women. You’re starting to show your age. I hear Botox works well.” I laughed, driving the taunt into the center of her black heart as if it was my dagger. I was quite enthralled, watching the steam roll off my sister’s back.
“Careful what you say, angel! The little imp is still alive,” she hissed. Right then and there, I began to seethe. I almost blew my plan. If I let her goad me, then I’d lost the fight and my daughter’s life.
I smiled sweetly. “I think if you were going to kill her, you would’ve by now.”
“What makes you think we haven’t?” Helen’s eyes turned icy.
“Because I’m still standing here, alive.” I hit the target right on the mark. I could see it in Helen’s burning eyes. “You don’t have any power in this family, Helen. Both you and Sally are puppets on a string. I bet you can’t wipe your ass without permission.” I smiled. “I may be locked up and possibly lose my life, but at least I’m free. Bet you can’t say the same.”
It worked! Helen had fallen right into my hands, figuratively speaking. The next chain of events toppled like the domino effect. I went into Zop mode. Just like I’d hoped, the blonde stepped up to the bars, I heaved my dagger, piercing her heart. With a look of disbelief, the blonde collapsed to her knees. I dashed to her side before she’d hit the floor, snatching the key off her belt. Swiftly I jammed the key into the keyhole, click, the door gave, and I was out of the cell in flight for Sally as I glimpsed at her fat legs running down the corridor just as I’d expected.
Unexpectedly, I was stopped in my tracks by the gentle grasp of a hand. Startled, my eyes fell upon Helen laying in a puddle of her own blood. It was only a matter of minutes before death took its claim. “Wait, Stevie!” the malevolence in her voice had vanished.
I kneeled beside her withering body. Her face had drained of color. She spoke with difficulty. “Yes?” I whispered.
“I just want to know,” she swallowed, “how do you do it?”
“How do I do what?” My eyes were drawn to a thin line of blood that trailed down her delicate chin.
“How do you get two men to fall in love with you at the same time?” her eyes were waning. “Aidan and Val are in love with you. I don’t know how you have captured both their hearts when I can’t hold one.” In the next breath, the life in Helen’s eyes smothered as her body went limp.
Suddenly I was swooned with guilt. If we had been in another life, another world, we might’ve been close like real sisters, but in this life, we were mortal enemies by default. Yet my heart ached for her loss. I’d have to sort this out later. Right now I had to catch Sally. Swiftly, I grabbed the hilt of my dagger still lodged in Helen’s chest. I turned my one good eye away and pulled the blade out. I cringed feeling the bloody knife slide from her limp body. She was dead, but it didn’t make me feel any better. I’d never enjoyed taking the life of another.
Time was ticking away. So, I sprinted down the dark corridor, not sure which way to go. I stretched my ears for any sounds. Right away, echoes of feet tromping were in the near distance. The footfalls were heavy, and the runner’s breathing appeared stressed, panting. It had to be my mistrusted friend, Sally. I darted up the stairs, following the dust trail. When I spotted my dear old chum, I didn’t hesitate, I lunged, tackling her from behind. We both went spiraling down the flight of stairs, and with each blow, my body felt a new pain. By the time we crashed at the bottom, my agony had past and fire had taken its place.
Dragging Sally to her feet, I seized control, holding her hostage by my knife pressed against her throat. Through clenched teeth, I demanded, “take me to your husband, now! And don’t fucking tell me you don’t know where he’s at!” I threatened, pressing the cold steel of my knife tighter.
“Okay, okay! Don’t hurt me. It’s that way.” She raised her hand, pointing.
Then she started this nervous rambling. “I didn’t want to betray you. They made me lie. Aidan and I were never married. He hardly knows I exist.”
After all these years, I was finally getting answers to the questions that haunted me since that day I was taken. “Who put you up to framing me?” I hissed, still keeping the knife pressed against her throat.
“It was Dr. Van Dunn, Aidan’s uncle and Helen. Aidan had no idea of his sister’s scheming. Van forced me to join their crusade. He said since I failed the Family’s expectations, I had no other choice. It was that or death.” I got the feeling Sally was trying to excuse her misdeeds.
“Shut up!” I snapped. “Who helped you that day at the cottage?”
“It was Van!” she rambled, flinching from the prick of the blade. “He was the one who drugged you.”
“What happened to Aidan?”
“When Aidan returned to the castle, he walked into an ambush, ordered by his uncle, Van. I lied about him taking part in your abduction. That’s all I know! I swear!”
My face felt flushed with indignation. “Cough it up, Sally!” I pressed tighter. “Who killed my mother and her boyfriends?”
“All right! All right!” Sally squawked, her eyes wide with fear. “It was Helen who killed your mother. She blamed Sara for her mother’s death. When Helen overheard your conversation about the angel dust with Aidan, she followed him to your house that night. When the two of you left, Helen found the angel dust on the ground by Aidan’s car. He must’ve dropped it when he shifted. Helen took the dust and well you get what happened next.
As for the boyfriends, by Van’s orders, Zak, killed the owner of the grocery store. I can’t remember his name.”
“Charlie! Charlie was his name.” I growled.
“Sorry! My mind is a bit cloudy on some details.” Sally dragged in a sharp breath and continued. “It was explained to me that since Zak was dead, Nim, Zak’s brother, also a man in black finished off Francis.”
“Why did the MIB take their life? They weren’t a threat to the Family
.”
“The Family concerned themselves with Sara marrying the grocery store owner that she might skip out on the contract. I understand Charles had a nice nest egg set aside. He also planned to make Sara the beneficiary of his life insurance policy. It was well over a million. Sadly for Sara, Charles never made it to his private attorney’s office that morning. He was murdered in his front yard.
Taken aback much! “Did Sara know what Charlie was doing?”
Sally paused as if she was deciding whether or not to tell me, then she spilled the beans. “To my understanding, Sara refused to marry him without the policy.” Why would I be shocked? Sara was very resourceful. Of course, she’d marry Charlie and take his riches. I felt like I didn’t even know my own mother.
My teeth gritted, furiously. It all made sense now. “Go on! Finish!”
“The last one, Francis, he was a liability. He was a loose cannon and was wanted for armed robbery in Texas.”
“What?” I gagged on the word.
“Francis was a small time thug, though, a bit ambitious. He knew about Sara’s arrangement with the Family. After he and your mother gambled their entire fortune away, Francis set out to blackmail Van for more money. Or else he’d go public and expose the Family’s dark secrets. Apparently, he was good at snooping.”
I cringed inwardly. Francis was creepy and slightly deviant, but I had no idea of the level he’d stoop too.
Sally furthered her story, “Francis had to be dealt with. The Family had planned on killing Sara anyhow, so they decided to take out the boyfriend first.”
“How did the Family find evidence against me?”
Sally gave way to an awkward sigh. “You should know the answer to that. They used magick on the prosecutor, the judge, your lawyer, and even the kitchen sink. Don’t you know by now our family has every sort of reach there is possible?”
“They’re not my family!” I clarified.
“Yeah, they are! Your father and mine are brothers. We’re cousins.”
