I tapped Joey on the shoulder. “Hey. What’s up?”
He looked back at me, recognizing my voice. “Oh. Hey, Aidan. We came to train but everything is locked up. It’s been like this for a few days. Mr. Cole never leaves everything locked up. He would at least hand the keys off to Trey.”
Trey was nineteen and probably the most responsible kid in the neighborhood. He’d been coming to the gym since Cole opened it and was a mentor to a lot of the younger kids, who otherwise would have been hoodlums. He stood near the corner of the building, and once he caught my eye, gestured me over with a quick flick of his chin toward the back alley.
I gave Bethany a look and she started chatting up the boys. They were all around thirteen, and the attention of an older, pretty girl had them distracted in seconds. She caught my eye and gave me a look telling me to get on with it already, so I jogged around the corner.
“What’s up, man?” I gave Trey the customary handshake, half-hug and stepped back.
Trey was a little squirmy. He paced back and forth just a few steps at a time before I finally reached a hand out and stopped him. With my palm on his chest, Trey looked up at me, his fear apparent. “Hey,” I said. “Dude, you can tell me. Where’s Cole? What do you know?”
“You’re not going to believe me. No one will ever believe me. Aidan, these people have been coming around.” Trey stopped, looking left and then right again. I couldn’t help but notice the way he’d said “people,” like he wasn’t sure whether it was the right word. Immediately, I was on alert.
“Cole hasn’t been around much and I’ve been pretty much taking care of the shop,” he continued. “But these guys…they’ve been coming in almost every day and asking about him. They came five days straight last week. And then Cole finally showed back up. I tried to tell him, but he acted like it was no big deal.”
Trey’s eyes grew round, his pupils dilating and the color draining from his face. I softened my tone and took a step back. “Hey, man. It’s okay. Just tell me what happened.”
He nodded, the motions jerky. “I know. I know. They came back last night, after Cole was gone, and they yelled at me, wanting to know where he lived. I didn’t want to tell them. I tried not to, Aidan, you have to believe me. But they…no way, you won’t believe me.” Trey turned and started quickly walking away, his strides close to running and his hands shaking. I ran after him, matching his stride. As we got to the end of the alley, I stopped him, wrapping my hand around his bicep and turning him to me.
“Trey,” I warned, “if something happened, I have to know what. I can’t help Cole without the facts. I don’t give two shits whether you think I’ll believe you. There is more going on here than you’ll ever understand, so you just need to be out with it. Now.” Those last words came out more like a growl. I stayed calm and kept my voice level, but I did not let him look away, making it clear this was not a negotiation.
He must have gathered as much because he immediately started talking. And crying. “Oh, man,” he said, collapsing against the wall behind him. “Man, they just wouldn’t stop coming at me. I tried to kick them out, but one of the guys grabbed me and when he put his face close to mine, he…” Trey looked around again and his voice dropped to barely a whisper, “he wasn’t human, man. His eyes looked like a cat’s and they were blue—like, blue on fire. They hadn’t been blue before. And he growled at me. Growled. Like…like an animal, man. I had to tell him. I didn’t have a choice. You know?”
It was a sucker punch to the gut. He could have been describing me over the last week. Right now, it was clear Cole was in more danger than Trey.
I crouched down next to him. “Trey. Hey, man, look at me.” When Trey’s eyes met mine, they were filled with unshed tears. Guilt and fear radiated from him. “It’s not your fault, Trey. You did what you had to do. And Cole can take care of himself. I’m going to go now and check on him. It’s going to be fine, alright?” Trey just kept staring at me, not acknowledging a word.
I held out a hand and nodded to him, encouraging him to take it. He finally did and I pulled him to standing. Still holding his grip, I looked Trey dead in the eyes and said, “Understand this, Trey. I’ll deal with Cole, but there’s a group of kids out there who need you. I know Cole trusted you with the extra set of keys, even though you don’t use them, but you need to now. Let the kids in. Open the gym. You saw what’s out there right now and these kids don’t need any part of that. Okay?”
I watched as the change I needed came over Trey. He stood taller, his eyes sharpening as he cleared his throat and gripped my hand in return. “Yeah, man. I’ve got this. Don’t worry. You just gotta make sure Cole’s alright.”
I nodded once more and we turned back toward the front of the building. It was all I could do to maintain a steady pace when everything inside me was screaming we needed to get to Cole—fast.
It took a few minutes to disengage Bethany from the kids. She smiled and laughed as they tried to play tough and one up each other. It was the positive attention they needed, but we needed to get out of there. Finally, I cut Joey off mid-sentence, telling him we had to go. I grabbed Bethany by the arm and started to walk away, but I should have known better. She let me get about three steps before she stopped, hauled off, and punched me in the shoulder.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” she hissed as I let go of her arm to rub my own. Damn if someone didn’t teach that girl exactly how to deliver a right cross. I turned to look behind me, making sure the boys weren’t watching. They were too busy jumping up and down while Trey unlocked the front doors. He turned and gave me a tentative smile. He would take care of the gym, I had no doubt.
“Calm down, princess,” I started.
Bethany cut right in. “Don’t call me that. Cole calls me that and I hate it,” she said, sounding insolent and more childish than normal.
I quirked a brow but decided to let it go. More than likely, it wasn’t in my best interests to ask questions.
“According to Trey, a group of guys have been coming around looking for Cole,” I explained. “Guys, um, like me. After he resurfaced, but wasn’t actually at the gym, one of them roughed up Trey and gave themselves away. Eyes changing, growling…pretty much everything but the fur.” We were already walking fast in the direction I assumed Cole’s place was, but Bethany picked up the pace even further.
“Dammit. Just…DAMMIT ALL TO FREAKING HELL!” she yelled, clenching her fists as she charged forward. I don’t think she was talking to me necessarily, but she kept talking all the same. “I’ve had it. Had. It. If Elias and his damn monkeys touched Cole, I’m going to skin every single one of their disgusting hides and let my daddy hang them on his cabin wall. Elias told us they would control themselves, that he would control them.” She huffed, our speed and her outburst catching up to her.
We turned a corner and I started to ask more about Elias when Bethany gasped. I followed her line of sight and looked up at an apartment with nothing but windows facing the water. Every light was on and we could see the room inside was destroyed. We both took off running at the same time.
“Which unit?” I yelled over my shoulder.
“203,” she yelled back.
Normally, I would have tried to slow to her pace but this wasn’t about Bethany, this was about Amelia’s brother. I had her by thirty yards as I pushed my way into the building, sprinted up the steps, shoved the unlocked door open mid-stride, and burst into the room, ready to battle.
The adrenaline had unleashed the beast and I was instantly more aware of everything. My skin felt too tight and the lights in the room had me squinting against their brightness. I could smell everything. Sweat. Fur. Blood. And something…off. There was a smell I recognized, but couldn’t name, and it sat heavy in my nose. I prowled through the room, a low growl escaping every now and then as I fought off the change but tried to embrace the senses it gave me. The main living area was wrecked.
I was pushing through broken dishes, upended lamps, and over
turned furniture when Bethany finally made it into the apartment. “It’s clear. No one’s here,” I called. I didn’t search out the blood, not wanting to worry her since we wouldn’t know whose it was. She didn’t respond and I turned to find her standing in the center of the entryway, staring. Her head moved all the way left and then right. I took a few steps toward her when she suddenly jumped.
“Oh my god! Charlie. CHARLIE! CHARLIE!” Bethany started screaming out the name and it took a moment for me to remember who Charlie was. The dog. The giant Great Dane who had been with Amelia on the beach. The one who had known what I was before I even really knew what I was, and well before Amelia did. Bethany tore through the apartment, wrenching open doors and screaming his name, but he was nowhere to be found.
“No. No. No. He has to be here. He would have never let someone take Cole. And no one would take him, either. He has to be here. Amelia will kill me if anything happens to him,” Bethany muttered as she reopened the same four doors she’d already looked inside. Then I heard it. A deep woof so faint, there was no way she was hearing it.
“Wait! Listen!” I commanded. I stood still. So still, I thought my heart stopped beating. Bethany stopped moving as well. There it was again. I could hear him. Bethany looked around, hopelessly. “Outside! He has to be outside!” Before I could move, Bethany was tearing down the staircase, screaming Charlie’s name again.
I took the steps down two at a time behind her and we ran back around the building to the beach. The baying got louder and I could smell him. I scanned the lower level and finally found what I was looking for. Under Cole’s apartment building was some type of storage area barricaded by a huge wooden door. I could hear Charlie scratching and howling from behind it. I took off around Bethany and dove for the door. It was padlocked. Without a second thought, I grabbed the padlock and pulled it from the old wood. The rusty latch didn’t give without a fight, but beast strength was on my side. I stepped back just in time. The door flew open and out came a very irate Great Dane.
Charlie dove out from the storage area, taking off for the apartment. There was nothing we could do but follow. I couldn’t even keep up with how fast his four huge legs moved him. When Bethany and I finally pushed back inside, we found Charlie whimpering and sitting next to the blood I’d smelled. Looking at Charlie, there was no question it was Cole’s.
Chapter 6
I stood, staring at the closed door smugly, until Micah whipped me around, his face just centimeters from mine.
“Are you absolutely insane? Do you understand what you have done? You could have just played along. You could have at least given her time to get to know you. You did not have to force this already. Damn it, Amelia.”
Micah continued to berate me, his perfect English and proper accent becoming increasingly annoying. Finally, I yanked my hand from his and stepped back, crossing my arms over my chest. “Did you hear her? Consummate our marriage? What in the hell is she talking about?”
Guilt and frustration came from Micah in equal measures as he dragged a hand through his hair. “We are betrothed, Amelia. What exactly did you think she expected?” He rolled his eyes, his shoulders dropping as his body deflated of anger and settled into frustration. “And you could have at least afforded her the respect of being my mother—of being the Queen. Would that have been so terrible?”
I narrowed my eyes, questioning how he could possibly be an ally when he was clearly delusional. We stood in stalemate for another moment, until he finally exhaled loudly, yanked his hair back into a low ponytail, and held out his hand. I looked down, wrinkling my nose.
Clenching his jaw, Micah’s eyes narrowed as he snatched my hand up again and pulled me to him, whispering, “Now, more than ever, fiancée, you’re going to have to play the part. Because I am the only protection you have. So, you will stay by me at all times and I will try to keep you from getting yourself killed. Understood?” What had been frustration melted into a silent plea as his eyes softened.
He wasn’t just angry; there was a hint of fear that unnerved me more than it should have. I still didn’t understand, but I slowly nodded anyway, uncomfortable with the expression Micah wore. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, nodded, and led me into the house. As we crossed the threshold, his whole demeanor changed. To help me acclimate or as part of the show, I wasn’t certain. I had a hard time hearing him, though. All I could think was how beautiful this house of terrors was.
I turned my head from side to side, trying to take in the entryway filled with marble so polished, I could see my reflection, huge pieces of art depicting people I had to assume were royals, and a ceiling so high, I almost fell over trying to look to the top. I forced myself to look past the Hunters, who were everywhere. There were male and female Hunters and it occurred to me not all of them were dressed like those who served Julia in her guard. Black trench coats on the men were replaced with a servant uniform on the women.
“Are there anything but Hunters here? Who works here?” Micah had been pointing and explaining something, but I wasn’t listening to at all. He frowned at my interruption.
“No, there aren’t. My mother has ultimate control of the Hunters via the collars they wear, so they are the only ones she surrounds herself with.” His face held a look of disgust he couldn’t mask, but as another Hunter strode through the entryway, holding a covered tray, Micah quickly grabbed my elbow and turned me toward a painting.
“Watch what you say here, Amelia. They are always listening.” His words were barely audible and I had to bite my tongue from telling him he sounded just like my father. Then again, my father had been right, and likely so was Micah.
Still gripping my elbow, Micah turned me toward one of the long corridors jetting off from the entryway. As we entered the hallway, Baleon appeared behind us. I hadn’t heard his footsteps and jumped a little as his shadow fell over me.
Like the entryway, the hallway was all marble floors and high ceilings. The light fixtures emitting a soft glow were medieval-looking sconces spaced every five or six feet. Micah spoke quickly, his head whipping between me and the things he was pointing out. He smiled as he explained the architecture and decor to me. He pointed out pieces along the corridors that came from the Fertile Crescent—items sculpted by his ancestors or painted by famous Mages from our history books. I was particularly drawn to the paintings and struggled to keep up as Micah kept walking, wanting to study each one to see what our homeland actually looked like.
Baleon followed just behind us, but each hallway we passed held another Hunter. As I looked back at the Hunters, they all stared me directly in the eyes. Their orange eyes swirled, looking far too much like a close-up of the sun as it spat solar flares into the universe. Their eyes would narrow as our gazes met and I could see the animosity coming from them. They made it perfectly clear they’d rather have me buried out back than walking their halls.
I was lost in my own thoughts as Micah finally slowed and stopped in front of a room. He didn’t speak for a moment and I was afraid of what would come next.
“We aren’t sharing a room!” The words were out before I could stop them and both of my hands flew to my mouth. I looked around to make sure no one else had heard my outburst.
Micah actually chuckled, a low reverberation reminding me far too much of Aidan and the sound he would make as he laughed. “No, Amelia. We will not be sharing a room. We are betrothed, not married—much to my mother’s dismay. This is your room and mine is directly across the hall. I paused because I was in the midst of making a decision.”
Micah turned away from me to face Baleon. “Bale, from now until the wedding, I am assigning you to protect Amelia. You will protect her with the same vows you swore to protect me. Understood?”
Baleon did not look thrilled. “Yes, Prince Mikail. As you wish.” Bale took up the position next to my door, never even acknowledging his new charge standing right in front of him.
“You’re joking, right? I mean, Micah, we both know I was right.
Your mother needs me. She wants something from me she can’t get if I’m—”
Before I could finish, Micah shoved me into my room and kicked the door shut.
“Will you stop?” he whisper-yelled. “Listen very carefully to me, Amelia.” He pointed his finger at me and waited until I nodded, looking up into his eyes.
“Every single person in this home works for my mother. Trust no one, no one but me and Baleon. He is my man, of that I am certain. And you misunderstand your position. Yes, you have something my mother wants, but she is playing a game I don’t even understand yet. Yes, there’s the prophecy, but she doesn’t seem anywhere near as concerned with it as she is with this wedding. It’s all she’s talked about. It’s the reason we flew alone. She wants us to spend time together. She wants you to…” He trailed off and looked past me.
“She wants me to fall in love with you? Are you joking?” Instantly, I knew I’d hurt his feelings and the laughter in my voice fell away to silence.
“Yes, that’s what she wants. And while I understand I’m not Aidan, we also have something bigger to deal with here. We have priorities. People’s lives are at stake, Amelia. And I don’t want or need you to love me, I just need you to stay alive and help me. Which means you have to stop pissing her off.”
I thought he was going to stop, but Micah stood back and crossed his arms over his chest, a cold look transforming his features. “You don’t understand what my mother has been through or how her mind works. I do. Believe me when I say you are not safe. You are not protected. You are a prisoner and I am your only lifeline. So, you stay by me. You listen to me. And you keep your damn mouth shut. Do you understand?”
For this moment, I had to disregard his patronizing tone and focus on the dots slowly connecting in my head. “Is that why you become someone else in front of her? Why you wear this mask of fear and intimidation around her and no one else? Because I don’t get you, Micah. One minute, you’re ordering me around, sneaking me out into the night, and the next, you’re cowering in your chair, acting like she just might turn you into a toad.” I stood a little taller, feeling good about finally calling him out on all his crap.
Bound by Spells (Bound Series Book 2) Page 4
