by Bea Biddle
"I can't help you," she repeated.
Cef put on his coat and marched to the door, tearing it open he cast one last glance at Karen who had been quiet this whole time, wringing her cloth in her hands. They had Sylvester. She could feel her lip quivering, she could feel the cold sweat making its way down her back. ”I'll find him," he said to her.
She knew he meant it reassuringly, she knew he was trying to comfort her. But all it did was send those horrible pangs of guilt through her. She couldn't tell him, she would only put him in more danger than he was already in. His eyes dug into her for a reply. Did he know she knew as well? Did he know her that well already? "Please be careful," she managed to say. Cef nodded before slamming the door shut and leaving.
"Demons are such hotheads, don't you think?" Alyssa asked with a humorless cackle. "You did the right thing. Cef would surely die if he went after them alone."
"Lying to him doesn't feel like the right thing," Karen muttered, wringing the cloth tighter. ”None of this feels right. Alyssa, they have Sly. We have to do something. We have to tell Cef.”
”He would die.” Alyssa shrugged. ”Is that what you would prefer?”
”I would prefer he knew the truth,” Karen exasperated, slapping the wet cloth onto the table top. "They have Sly!" she yelled. ”There must be something we can do.”
"The Witches will be here soon. My hands are tied." Alyssa pressed her lips together, standing calm and still, her hands were in her pockets, but Karen could tell they shook. ”Sevenskins is an old Vamp, he can handle himself."
"You don't mean that," Karen whispered in desperation, her shoulders sagging. ”Don't you care?"
"Of course, I care," Alyssa snapped, a pained expression crossed her features but it was gone in less than a second. ”As I said, my hands are tied until The Witches get here. I cannot go against their orders. Karen, we have rules. We all have rules.”
Karen wanted to pull out her hair out of frustration and sneered at her words. "Rules, rules, always rules. Everything comes down to rules. One more ridiculously stupid than the other. This world," she growled, shaking her head, "This world is ridiculous. I wish I had never become part of it." She picked up the rag, slapping it down on the table again for emphasis. "I have had it." With that, she darted past Alyssa. The Witch made no move to stop her, in fact, she stepped out of the way, letting her pass.
Karen burst through the front door. If she was lucky, she could just catch Cef. She was going to tell him, going to tell him everything. The street was shrouded in deep, dark shadows, early morning mist and frost made the bricks glitter and shine. No Cef. Snow landed on her nose, she blew it away and she ran. Ran past the dumpster, the overflowing trash cans, the streetlight that never worked properly, ran past the parked van.
And then she could run no more. Her vision went black. A sack had been pulled over her head and she was plucked from the sidewalk, her hands and arms held tightly to her chest as she was pressed against someone.
Before she could struggle against the grip, the person whispered harshly in her ear. "Do you recognize this voice?" Karen swallowed hard. She nodded. She also recognized the stench of alcohol and the metallic smell of raw meat. She wanted to gag but found she couldn't. Garth. "Good. Then you know it's transformation week and you don't want to upset me, do you, princess?" His fingernails dug into her arm and she tried her hardest not to wince at the pain. "Good girl." Garth breathed in her ear.
The van's side door slid open. And Karen was thrown inside.
twenty.
The snow wasn't melting anymore. It fell quietly to the ground, stayed there, waited for the next flake to pile on and cover the ground in the soft white blanket. Cef's boots trudged through them as he made his way down the street, not giving the flakes a chance to gather on the sidewalks. He had wasted the day walking the streets and now the sun had set. No sign of Demons, yet their scent lingering in the air all over midtown, confusing him, leading him astray. He had been wandering too long.
The Demons had been thorough where they had been, streets were still crowded with people that had been cleaning up all day. Darkness had settled. Grunting in annoyance he turned down a narrow street which was thankfully emptier, that was when a new scent assaulted his nose. Wet dog.
"John," Cef greeted the man in the shadows, recognizing his stance instantly.
John stepped towards him, his cigarette a bright red dot in the darkness as he took a long drag. Smoke rose through the snowflakes. "Good evening, Ceftion," he greeted, his tone too cheerful for the scowl on his face. "I was so hoping to run into you, we've been out looking for you all day."
"Lucky me," Cef murmured with a grunt, his words drenched in sarcasm. He had no patience for Weres that night, no patience for anything. He was going back to his apartment, he wanted to see Karen, needed to see her, hoping he could catch her before she left for the diner.
John stomped out the cigarette on the sidewalk and grinned a toothy grin at the taller Demon. "I bring a message,” he announced, throwing his hands in the air in submission but his smirk made Cef's suspicion flare up. He shook it off, refusing to deal with Were issues at that time.
"Whatever Garth wants, it can damn well wait. I have more pressing matters,” he growled at the man, ”He can wait until after transformation week if he wants to talk to me." Garth had a knack for always choosing the worst possible moment for one of his endless complaints about the lockdown situation. He was tired of arguing with him. Cef pushed past John, continuing down the street, but when John called out after him, he stopped.
"It's about your little human girlfriend, Demon."
Cef turned slowly to face him and John's face lit up in a bright smile when he saw he had his full attention. "What about her?" Cef demanded.
"Let's just say the unwanted visitors, the very ones you've been hiding from these last many days, well, they were very interested to know that you've-" John waved his hand in the air, making a grand show of coming up with words even though they were lining up to jump out of his mouth. "- come together with a human in such a way. You might even say they were very amused."
Cef curled his fists around John's jacket and lifted him off the ground, slamming him against the wall at his back. Snarling in his face, ignoring the cigarette stench that filled his nostrils. Cef had moved too fast for John, he had been taken off guard, dangled in his grip shocked and could barely get a word out. He began kicking out furiously, trying to get his feet back on the ground in a panic. But Cef didn't let him, he pressed him closer to the wall with a threatening shake. "You better keep talking, dog," Cef roared at him. "What has Garth done?"
"Well, as we both know, they have the Vamp, and as we also both know, Vamps have no blood to spill. So, of course, another offering will have to be made," John coughed out, trying hard to regain some of his earlier confidence. But it was impossible while his legs were still in the air and the Demon in front of him was so close. "Your old friends thought you would probably appreciate it if your human offered herself, making way for all of them to come join you here, in this magical new world as they put it."
"How long has Garth been in Tamas' pocket? How long?" Cef shook John violently. His self-control was slipping, he could feel it. It was getting harder and harder not to crush his skull between his hands. It was all starting to fall into place in his head. Of course, it had been Garth. Garth would have told them about Sylvester, about all of them. He would have known Alyssa's employees knew where the stones were hidden. Garth would have told them everything they needed to know. Because it obviously hadn't only been Cef they had wanted. It had been any of them, all of them. Sylvester just happened to be the first one they got their hands on.
"I don't know," John choked out. His hands clawed at Cef's wrists, trying to get the Demon to drop him on the ground. His confidence had finally left him, and what was left was a whimpering, sniveling little Were barely fit to be considered a pack member. An errand boy for the Alpha. "I swear, Garth hasn't said anythin
g, he never said when he began talking to them. I just do what I'm told, I swear."
"They have Karen?" Cef pressed. John nodded vigorously. "Well then spill!" Cef roared at him, "Where? Where are they? Where are they holding her?"
"Ask your Witch," John wheezed. His breathing started coming in short gasps. Cef knew if he pressed him any further, he'd have a wolf on his hands, in the middle of midtown, he couldn't risk it. Damn transformation week, it was Johns only savior. He dropped the panting Were on the cold pavement, wet with fresh snow. He ran, pushing himself between people on the street. His vision blurry, fury taking over, he was seeing red, seeing searing white. Anger. Anger consumed him. They had taken Karen. They had taken her. They could not know about the nature of his bond with her, Tamas couldn't possibly know. Something else took root inside of him, that nagging feeling of fear was spreading through him. And fast.
The diner soon appeared. It hadn't opened yet, the door was locked. That didn't stop him. Barging through, destroying both lock and frame in the process, he charged in. Alyssa emerged from her office in the short time it took Zac to drop a glass on the floor. "Ceftion, what do you think you're doing?"
"You know where the rift is," he stated, his demeanor dangerously calm even though he was breathing heavily, his open coat and clothes soaked with dirt and snow. "I had an inkling earlier. I would have let you keep your secret because I knew The Witches were involved somehow. And I trusted you. But things have changed, and you need to tell me right now." Alyssa's stone hard face gave nothing away, but Cef knew her better than that. He advanced on her, thundering footsteps and squared shoulders, his hands clenched at his side. Anyone else would have cowered, but not her, not Alyssa. She knew him as well and she expected it. He stopped just short of her, towering over her, his glare severe. "Alyssa, tell me now before I do something we'll both regret.”
”Cef,” she breathed. She didn't back down, she didn't dare. ”I have orders.”
”They have Karen.”
Her expression wavered, uncertainty flashed in her eyes before she closed them, taking a deep breath. "I was afraid of that."
"Tell me," Cef pressed.
"It might already be too late. Cef, please.”
"They wouldn't bait me if it was too late. No." Cef shook his head. "No, they want me to come after her. They want me."
"So don't you think it's a bad idea giving them just that," Alyssa pointed out, "You would be playing right into their hands."
Cef wanted to punch the wall, wanted to knock over the tables, throw the chairs. Keeping himself calm was almost impossible. "It's Karen," he forced out through gritted teeth. "I have to do something, I can't just sit by and wait."
"The Witches are coming, Cef," Alyssa said. She placed a hand on his arm, but he shrugged it off. "Don't do anything rash. I don't want to lose you."
"You don't understand,” Cef growled. ”I can't lose her. We've- I've- It's Karen,” he finally breathed out. He didn't expect her to understand. He barely understood himself at this point, but there was nothing to be done about that.
Alyssa bit her lip, narrowing her eyes at him. ”Cef?” she asked, “Have you... Are you bonded?” He didn't answer. She watched the hulking Demon try to regain control of himself, she watched as his jaw tightened with every ragged breath, she could almost feel his accelerated heartbeat. Cef had never explained it fully, there had never been any reason to. That part of Demon nature was not something they expected to worry about. Yet there it was. And even Cef himself didn't seem to fully comprehend it. ”Are you sure? Is that possible?”
“I am-” He hesitated. “Uncertain. She is human,” he breathed in way of explanation. This could wait, this was not the conversation he was supposed to have at that moment. “Alyssa,” he pressed again, “Please. Where is she?”
She had never planned for this, never wanted for Cef to care so deeply for her. Certainly not to that extent. And she inwardly cursed this development, cursed his attachment. "Upper East Side, the abandoned shipwright among the warehouses. You know the place," Alyssa spat out and then sighed in frustration. She was going to lose him either way.
"Thank you." Cef spun, ready to run.
"No, no you can't!" Zac ran to him, blocking his way. "Don't do it, Cef please, it's too dangerous."
"Get out of my way, Zac," Cef growled at the Ghost, he waved him away with a hand and proceeded to walk forward, not actually giving Zac the chance to get out of his way, walking straight through him.
"Cef, please listen to me. The opening of a rift is an immensely powerful act, you can't stop it once it's begun," Zac continued. He ran after the Demon out through the door. "Wait for The Witches, only they can." Cef ignored him and stomped on down the street, continuously waving his hand through Zac to silence him. But the Ghost was determined and jumped in front of him. "Stop, Cef, you can't do this on your own. You'll get yourself killed, and then Karen will get killed, and Sly will get killed. Don't do this. Please, just wait." Cef continued, walking through him again. Zac began leaning on the brick wall for support. They were moving too far away, the familiar pain started creeping up in him. He clutched at his stomach, doubled over on the sidewalk. "Please," he breathed in a final effort to make Cef listen to him.
"It's Karen," Cef growled and sped up. "I can't leave her with Tamas."
Zac groaning. The pull in his stomach was forcing him to stop. "I can't watch you do that," he said in between gasps and his ghostly presence faded into the snow-filled air.
✽✽✽
Someone was groaning. Loudly. Karen shut her eyes tighter and mentally yelled at whoever it was, wanting them to stop, she was trying to sleep. Then she realized it was herself, whimpering and groaning. And then the dull ache at the back of her skull pushed her out of sleep completely with a painful throb. She had been knocked out, she had been hit on the head.
Her eyes shot open and she scrambled to her feet. But the pain made her dizzy, her body fought her, and she fell back down instantly with another groan. Shutting her eyes tightly, she breathed slowly until she could open them again. A heavy jacket she didn't recognize had fallen from her frame and piled on the unsteady ground she was on, then the cold, icy air hit her. Wherever she was, it was damp and smelled of rot. A small window up high let the moon shine in, it was the only source of light, and it had to fight its way in through grimy, thick glass and... bars? There were bars on the window. That was not a good sign.
Her eyes began adjusting to the darkness. She could make out bare brick walls, all around her, the room was small but the ceiling high. The unsteady ground she was on turned out to be a mattress, a lumpy, old mattress that smelled of mold. She quickly crawled off it, backing up against the cold wall in the corner. It was covered in hair, short coarse hair that she frantically tried brushing off her jeans. She shivered, pressed her palm to her forehead, tried to think, tried to remember. But she couldn't.
The jacket was still on the floor. She snatched it up and wrapped it around herself. She didn't know who it belonged to, but it was warm and a small comfort. Gingerly she brushed the back of her head with her fingertips, then winced at the pain, and grimaced at the dried, sticky blood she found there.
Creaking hinges pierced the silence, a large, metal door she hadn't noticed slammed open. Pressing against the wall in shock, she suppressed a scream. “Ah, you're awake, princess," Garth greeted her calmly. Flicking on a switch on the side of the wall, the lightbulb in the ceiling hummed and spluttered on, a few flies circled it. The sudden light made her wish she was still in darkness. The room was still damp and gross and the floor grimy, but before that had only been a suspicion, now it was a fact.
"What, uhm, what happened?" Karen managed to force out of her mouth, her brain was foggy, but it was slowly returning. She had run after Cef. And then there had been Garth's stinky breath. "You kidnapped me," she accused him. "What the fuck for?"
"Does it matter?" Garth laughed, he walked into the room and crouched next to her on the floor. There was
blood on his face, it dripped off his chin, and a slab of meat in his hand. The stench was almost unbearable, overpowering the already vile smell in the room. He tore a piece of the meat off with his teeth and chewed audibly, mouth wide open. Karen wanted to gag, turning her face away in disgust. Blood splattered on the floor. "Now, where are my manners? Would you like some?" he offered. Without even having to look at him she knew he had a wide, bloody grin etched on his face.
"That's alright," she coughed out, "I've suddenly become a vegetarian."
"You know what, I heard that happens when you work at the diner." He shrugged. "I can't figure out why."
"Yeah, it's a great mystery." Karen swallowed hard, keeping nausea at bay.
"Did you sleep well?" Garth eyed the heavy jacket she was wearing and snorted in disdain. "Damn that softhearted Beta. Too soft, that's what I always tell him. That's why Jake will never be Alpha, never." He scoffed venomously before returning to the gruesome act of swallowing chunks of raw meat. "Not that it'll make a difference in the long run. Cold or not, it won't matter one bit."
"Where am I?" Karen asked.
Garth stood up, wiping his mouth on his sleeve, an action that only served to wipe the blood around his face even more. His wide grin took on an eerie quality. "Welcome to lockdown, princess," he announced happily.
"Lockdown? As in where you guys change?" She looked around her once more, seeing the room in a new light, the old mattress covered in hair, the dried blood on the walls and floors, the few bones discarded in the corners, the thick bars on the windows. It did look like a cage for a large animal. Garth nodded enthusiastically. Karen shot a glance out the window towards the moon in the sky, almost there, full moon would only be a day or so away. "Why don't you guys just stay at home during full moon, wouldn't that be more comfortable?" she heard herself ask even though she already knew the answer.
