by Tara Brown
Aleks couldn’t imagine how desperate he felt, "Why didn’t you ever try to explain it all to her?"
He sighed laughing at himself and sniffling, "She didn’t grow up knowing what she was. She was a regular girl. I wanted it to be natural for her. I didn’t want to just march up and lay my claim on her heart. I am an idiot. I never should have listened to her father. He wanted her left alone. No one from our world was allowed near her." His eyes turned dark and frightening the way Dorian's did, "I will get her back."
Aleks heaved a sigh, "I know. Right now we have to go back to formulate a plan. A proper one."
Sam growled looking at the castle once more before going home.
Chapter Fifty-Two: Mother Lover
Hanna
His lips were dragging up her throat.
"Hanna I need you to want me again."
She felt the disgusted look cross her face, "It isn’t in my control. Sam is where my heart is."
He grabbed her waist, "I don’t need your heart."
She groaned, "Please Marcus just let me go."
"Never. I'm going to kill your little boy toy and then you'll be free to love again."
She looked at him haunted, "Marcus I will never love you if you harm a hair on his head."
"What will you do Hanna? Fight me everyday on the matter? Kill yourself like your mother did?"
She gasped, "What?"
He nodded, "Yeah, she wouldn’t admit her love for me. She swore her heart belonged to your father. I threatened to kill him and she committed suicide. It was cruel and selfish. She left you and I both."
She felt a disgusted feeling creeping up her stomach, "You loved my mother after you took the potion? You made her commit suicide?"
"Hanna I never took the potion. Who would want to end the love of a Siren? Nothing is more amazing than being with a woman like you."
"You said you took it and stopped loving my mother. You let me believe she died in a car accident." She had to keep him talking, she didn’t want his hands on her again. He had loved her mother, she felt like retching.
"I lied. I've loved several women and with each I find they say they want to know about my past until I've told them. Then they wish they never knew. I spared you the agony of knowing. I've lived long enough to know what you need to hear from me Hanna. I made you love me once. I can do it again."
"Marcus." Her lips trembled at the sight of the coldness in his eyes.
"Hanna you cannot imagine the effort that has gone into this plan. It's been in the works since you were seven. They always say you can't plan for every detail but I did, every detail but Sam." He paced the room.
"What have you done?"
He turned angrily, "I did what I had to Hanna. I tested your blood, nothing would change you but death."
Her stomach sank, "You made my aunt murder me and my friend?"
He laughed, "Your friend was an accident Hanna, you have to believe that. Cecile was an idiot. I told her about the money but she didn’t care. She loved you. So I made her feel like it was all her idea."
"What about the houses?"
"What do you think?"
She felt sick, "I think you compelled her into betraying me so I would change. My death would trigger the changes. You knew I was a Siren, you knew I would attract other men. You needed me to be dangerous so I would only feel safe with you. Every moment we have spent has been a lie."
He sat on her bed, "No it wasn’t. Hanna I am cursed, I feel nothing. I have no heart. Henry cursed me. Don't you see it's why I stole his soul? He stole my heart." He looked at her, pleading with her, "Don’t you see. You make me feel again. Your feelings are so strong even I feel something."
She refused to hear him, her mind was reeling at the events that had taken place. He had betrayed her father in every way, he had been the reason her mother died, he set up her aunt and uncle and then made them murder her best friend. He forced her to be reliant on him, he had been her savior. She looked back, seeing every step she'd taken had been planned out by him. She had slept with him. She fought back the urge to throw up.
"Let me die Marcus." She was empty.
"Hanna you will see this is better. When I kill Sam I will make Henry erase your memories of him. And this conversation." He walked to the door leaving her alone in the room.
She walked to her bed to cry herself to sleep.
****
She woke to the sound of water being poured.
She opened her eyes to see Marcus smiling at her.
"Bath time Hanna."
She shivered, "Marcus please just let me have a shower like a human not a sponge bath like an animal."
He watched her and nodded, "Fine but I will wait outside the bathroom."
She sighed, "Thank you." She hated the idea of him touching her. Her only saving grace had been that he was disgusted by her love for another man. She'd managed to avoid any serious touching. She knew it would be short lived. He would eventually want her in his bed again. She would follow her mother and take her own life before she ever did that again.
He took out a key and opened the latch on the manacle. She almost cried as it slipped off her foot. Her skin had gotten raw where it touched.
He grabbed her arm, dragging her to the bathroom.
He stood in front of the door to the bathroom with his arms crossed.
His smug look explained how it would be going. She slipped the stupid nightdress he'd given her off. She was completely naked standing in the cold bathroom. She started the hot water and jumped in before it was even lukewarm.
The water heated quickly making her feel better. She rinsed his kisses and licks from her throat and arms. She washed her face repeatedly. She imagined Sam touching her. She saw his lips dragging along her throat, his fingers soon became the water.
She opened her eyes ensuring he wasn’t there for real.
But then she heard his voce, "Hanna?"
She looked all around. She could hear him. She poked her head out the side of the wall to see Marcus looking at his phone. She slipped back into the water.
"Hanna?" She jerked to the left and right not wanting to whisper, Marcus had incredible hearing.
"Hanna if you can hear me, be ready. We will be there at high noon."
She nodded wondering if Sam could see her in the shower. She used her thoughts to speak to him, "Sam?"
Nothing happened. She wondered if Lydia was able to somehow make their voices come out of the shower.
"Okay love, wrap it up."
She looked out at Marcus, "Why?"
He frowned, "I'm getting annoyed standing here. I want to go back to your room and tie you up." He grinned, "Now that you're clean."
She frowned, "What time is it?"
"Why?"
"Curiosity."
"Eleven thirty."
"I'm hungry."
"I don’t care."
She poked her head out of the shower again and stuck her lip out, "Please."
He laughed, "Fine. I'll tell Henry to bring you lunch."
She felt disgusted but smiled at him, "Thanks."
He rolled his eyes, "If your trying to butter me up it won't work. You're staying."
She nodded, "I'm fine with it as long as you stop treating me like your possession. It’s the only problem we've ever had Marcus."
She stepped out. He wrapped her in a huge white terry towel robe. It smelled like him. It was a scent she resented more than anything in the world.
He rubbed his hands along her arms.
She put her hand through his.
He raised an eyebrow, "What are you doing?"
She frowned, "What?" He lifted their joined hands.
She looked at his big hands and imagined them on her body, she needed to feel turned on. She remembered the feel of his fingers. She needed to make him believe. "If I'm here I want it to be fun Marcus. I don’t hate you. I never have. I know everything you did was because you love me."
She smiled at him as they walked
back to her room.
He kissed her cheek. She knew he wasn’t fooled but he was hopeful. She thought about having another shower to wash the kiss from her cheek.
He tightened the manacle around her ankle again grinning, "Hanna do you want to have dinner with me?"
"Like untied and in a normal pair of pants and a t-shirt at a table?"
"Yes."
She pretended to be thinking, "Uhm okay. I guess."
He stood ensuring the chain was still attached to the wall, "I will have lunch brought to you now."
He left the room. She ran to the window and looked out the frosted glass. She tried opening the window but it had been nailed shut. She panicked, glancing around the room wondering how they would be able to free her with Henry in the house.
Chapter Fifty-Three: Alaska
Aleksander
He looked down at the window she stood at. He pointed to it. Sam nodded.
"I know."
They dropped from the tree to the ground with a loud thud.
Lorri looked at them, "The minute we get her we head for Hanna." She was reassuring Sam.
He didn’t look reassured.
Lorri held a tight grip on Aimee, "We need to check the perimeter before I just let you run loose. You maintain your composure."
Aimee nodded but her blank stare at the house said otherwise.
Aleks hadn’t seen Alise in a while, but even through a window across several acres, he could tell she looked rough. Her thin frame was nearly skin and bone. Her once long silky hair was cropped to her shoulders and dull looking. She paced inside of the window of the huge estate house. He didn’t see Blake or Daniel anywhere.
Sam flashed himself forward to the property line. As he walked across it Aleks waited for their guards to react.
Sam looked back but nothing happened.
Lorri released her hold on Aimee and the seven of them crossed into the property together. Aimee winked Ari and the wolves, Lorri moved with incredible speed while Aleks and Sam flashed themselves ahead.
They fanned out in groups without speaking. Lorri and Aimee went to the right, Aleks and Sam to the left and Ari and the wolves went to the huge out buildings to investigate.
Sam followed Aleks to a back door. They both flashed inside.
The house was incredible. The back door was a laundry room and yet it still had a beautiful Mediterranean feel to it.
He walked slowly, watching for anyone and anything. There were no cameras as far as he could see, no people.
The rooms were empty of any sign of life.
Aleks frowned wondering what kind of set up it was. If the home was where they were doing their research there should at least be guards. Aleks looked at Sam whose face was full of doubt as well.
"Trap?" Sam whispered.
Aleks shrugged and pointed to a set of stairs. They climbed meeting Ari and the Lucas at the top of the staircase, on the main floor at the grand entryway.
Ari looked at Aleks, "What's going on?"
He shook his head. They waited for Lorri and Aimee to climb the stairs to the main floor.
They cleared the main floor finding nothing but expensive furniture. They climbed to the second floor together again fanning out. It was the floor they'd seen Alise in the window pacing back and forth nervously.
The bedrooms on the top floor were extravagant, as one would expect in such a home. It was full of furniture but minus people and lab equipment.
Alise still paced back and forth in the room alone, at least a projection of her did. It was below the window and with the room being dark enough she was completely visible from the street. Inside the room she appeared as Annabelle did. Her worried face slightly visible to Aleks. Aimee never cried when she walked into the large bedroom. She looked at the thin girl pacing back and forth and nodded.
She looked down at the bed and dropped to her hands and knees. Ari and Lucas walked into the room as she fished around under the bed.
Aleks watched as she pulled a dark blue t-shirt out. It had an atom on it. On the back it had writing in lipstick.
Aimee turned it over gently and laid it out on the hardwood floor.
In bright red lipstick it read, 'TRAP! BOMB! RUN! ALASKA!'
Everyone dove into a circle, touching as Aimee winked them to the street still clutching the dark blue shirt.
As their feet touched the ground Ari screamed, "WHERE'S BEN?"
Aleks looked not seeing him.
He flashed into the house again, to the room with the bomb, "Ben, Ben."
He called into the home.
He ran down along the whole floor flashing ahead.
"BEN!"
He ran down the stairs to the main floor. As he opened the front door he felt a shock wave hit him. He felt heat tearing at his back but he flashed himself forward to escape it.
He dropped to the ground at Lorri's feet and collapsed on the gravel of the road.
He heard the low hum of voices and Lorri speaking softly, "Oh my god it's a hellfire bomb. How?"
His back burned. He heard himself crying out in pain. His hands slid along the gravel in agony, gripping the rocks and squeezing them tightly. Fresh blood dripped onto the rocks as smoke filled his lungs and everything went black.
****
He woke to Lydia's voice, "There is no saving him. He's not you Lorri, he wont live through the poison of the hellfire. He has an hour tops."
He felt sweat pouring from his face.
He looked up from being facedown on a mattress. Something cool soothed his back.
"Lydia." His voice croaked.
Her face lower to his, tears filled her eyes, "Aleksander. I'm so sorry honey."
"Ben?"
She shook her head, "He was still inside. They found him. He was caught by a snare, a magical one."
Aleks couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The loss and betrayal of Andy Cromwell had been unbearable to their group but, Ben would be devastating. His heart ached for Lucas.
"I have an hour before the poison takes me?" His words left him feeling broken.
She sniffled and nodded, "Yes."
He took a deep breath and pushed himself up off the bed.
"Stay still Aleks."
He shook his head, "I need to get to Hanna. I need to finish the deal I started with Henry."
Lydia looked confused.
Sam's eyes were filled with fear, "You think he will help you?"
He nodded, "I made this deal with him years ago. We have to hurry. I need something to cover my injuries."
Lydia left the room and came back in with bandages and a sweater.
Aleks held his breath trying not to scream as sage cream and bandages were placed over his seared flesh. He pulled the sweater on unable to avoid the tears in his eyes.
Dorian appeared at the doorway. His face fought to show his concern, "Lorri messaged me."
Aleks nodded, "You coming?"
He furrowed his brow, "Where we going?"
"Final hurrah."
Dorian's stare went blank as he mastered his emotions, "Lets do it."
The three of them flashed from the room instantly.
Aleks stepped onto the lawn at the bottom of the driveway and threw up.
"The poison is going to end you brother. What's the plan?"
He smirked at Dorian, "Free Hanna and kill Marcus."
Sam laughed, "I like the plan but I think we need more than that. My mother spoke of Henry a lot. He's old and powerful and he will protect Marcus."
Aleks laughed, "I made him a deal once. You see I helped steal the soul. I'm as much to blame as Marcus is. When Henry finds his soul he will kill Marcus and me. I made a deal that if I find the soul and return it he will allow me to live."
Dorian looked confused, "You don’t know where the soul is though."
Aleks nodded, "I think I do. I think it's always been right in front of Henrys face."
"His ridiculous bowler hat?"
Aleks grinned, "Marcus's chest.
"
Dorian raised an eyebrow, "Oh that is smart. Even if it's not there maybe he will kill Marcus looking for it."
The three of them walked up to the door. Henry came out as always.
He grinned.
"I know where it is."
His grin faded, his dark eyes narrowed in disbelief.
"I know where he's kept it all along."
Henry crossed his arms, he never spoke. He never needed to.
Dorian smiled, "Hello Henry."
Henry nodded at him never taking his eyes off Aleks.
"To what do we owe such an honor? Dorian, my brother it's been too long." Marcus strolled from the house.
Dorian grinned, "It has been a long time. I felt it was an adequate amount of time though."
Aleks could see Sam was on edge, he was ready to lose it.
Marcus grinned directly at Sam, "This makes my life easier. Dorian really you shouldn’t have brought such a gift. I have nothing for you. Maybe when young Sam here is dead I'll let you have your turn with dear Hanna."
Aleks put an arm out grabbing Sam's, "Sam."
Dorian chuckled, "I think I'd rather a bit of that scotch you keep for special occasions."
Marcus's eyes slanted, "What is the occasion?"
Aleks ignored him and looked at Henry. He didn’t need to speak aloud to Henry. He could just think what he wanted and Henry would hear him.
'His chest Henry. It's in his chest.'
Henry's eyes opened wide.
Marcus looked at Aleks and then Henry, "What?"
Aleks grinned, "How's the heart?"
Marcus's smile faded, "What heart?"
"Yours?"
Henry's arm shot out ripping Marcus's chest open. A small blue light sat inside of him in between his ribs. It was encased in glass like an orb that was covered in blood.
Marcus's face paled as Henry pulled it from him.
Marcus laughed as blood dripped from his lips, "Henry, lets chat about this. I've always obeyed the rules, I've never mistreated you. I was a child Henry. FOR GOD SAKE I WAS YOUNG AND FOOLISH. You took my heart."
