by C C Solomon
“Don’t threaten me, bitch,” said a foolish pack member holding one of Felix’s arms.
Faith kneed the male were in the crotch and the man bent forward. She leaned down and grabbed him roughly by the hair. “I will do what I want to do, you piece of shit,” she said in a tight voice.
The man looked up at her with pained eyes and then paled as he looked at the fire burning in her own. Faith let the man go and then backed away with her hands up in surrender as a couple of other pack members inched towards her.
The man recovered and went back to Felix, walking him towards the door…with a limp.
“Where are they taking him?” Lisa asked, eyes full of tears.
“To the police station,” Erik answered. “There’s a cell.”
“Amina,” Phillip began, suddenly appearing beside me. I jumped slightly and backed into Erik, who balanced me. I hadn’t seen Phillip move through the crowd. “You’ve been holding out on me, corazon. Mind control?”
“I didn’t know I could.”
He gave me a smile that failed to reach his eyes. “Really? And I take it you don’t respond to my monthly messages either.”
I didn’t say anything.
“What do you want, Phillip?” Erik growled, moving between Phillip and me.
Phillip chuckled and walked around him. “Amina, you have some very strong gifts that I just can’t ignore. Most likely, you are the same as me. But you see, what makes this town so successful is order. You have shown here tonight that you are willing to break any rules or processes we have and that you have the strength to do it.”
I frowned. “I haven’t caused any problems here.”
“I think you just did.” Phillip gave a dramatic sigh. “I hate to do this, but I need to confine you for now. Until I decide how to handle you. I hate to say this but you’re a threat, mi corazon.”
“To who? You?”
“To everything. If you’d picked me over…” He looked to Erik with disdain. “This would not be a problem. But as it is, I can’t trust you. I’m sorry.”
“What? So, you’re putting me under house arrest?” I continued.
“Confinement. I will put you in another apartment.” Phillip quickly reached out and grabbed my hand. “Time to go.” And then we vanished. Teleporting away from the bar and Erik.
Chapter 28
My confinement turned out to be a studio apartment in Phillip’s building that I believe was previously owned by a woman. This particular woman loved bright colors because I was staring at a yellow wall, behind a sofa bed, probably meant to be energizing. The sofa bed was forest green, with bright-yellow pillows covering it. I’d been in lesser lockups.
I sighed and sat back down with a book I’d found in the bookcase next to the bed. Some cheesy-looking romance novel. It had been almost a week in confinement and I was nearing rage. Since Phillip had stuck me in there, he hadn’t bothered to visit me and I couldn’t find a way out; the place was warded beyond my powers or my understanding, so I couldn’t break it. Some stranger came to drop off food, toiletries and a change of clothes. There was no laptop or computer to watch streaming movies or surf the limited internet. The TV worked and I found a few old DVDs to watch but that excitement ended quickly, since the former owner really didn’t have many.
The apartment didn’t have a balcony so I stared out of the window like a nosey cat for most of the day. I read, I ate, I did some exercises, I prayed, and I slept. Rinse and repeat. Days passed. There were no visits from Erik, Charles or the others. I could assume Phillip was preventing them from seeing me. No one visited me, except to give me food. And that delivery person didn’t say one word to me, even when I tried to talk to them. I had no clue what was going on in the town. I didn’t know if Felix was still locked up or if there’d been a trial. Phillip was trying to break me.
My door opened and I expected it to be a food delivery person but it was Phillip. I remained on the sofa bed, book in my hand, motionless. He walked in with a container of what I assumed was food and headed to the dining area. He placed it on the table and sat down.
“Sorry, it’s been so long since I could come. As you can imagine, it’s been a busy week,” Phillip said, looking at me with sad eyes.
I snapped my book shut, jumped up, and slapped him across the face. He had left me there for a week in solitary confinement. I had no clue how anyone I cared about was doing. I didn’t know if he had kicked the others out, or convinced Seth to change his mind and kill Felix.
Phillip froze momentarily. His eyes grew wide, his shoulders raised but then he relaxed; seemingly unaffected. That only angered me more so I slapped him again. He didn’t do anything. He just took it. He gave me no words and made no face of anger or apology. He just gave me neutral eyes. I lifted my hand to slap him again but stopped in mid-motion. Hitting him was no longer satisfying.
“I fucking hate you,” I spat, forcing back tears of anger. I spun around and sat back down on the sofa bed, resting my tightly balled fist on my thighs.
“It pains me to hear that, mi corazon. I certainly don’t hate you. I know you don’t understand why I’m doing this but you will one day.” He sighed. “Felix is fine. He’s still in lock up. We’re going to have the trial in a week. Mae will defend him and Tyler, one of my other top advisors, will prosecute.” He looked at me, expecting a response I assume, since I was the one who was supposed to defend Felix. “And Lisa is fine. She didn’t catch anything from Luke’s bite. Apparently, fairies are immune. And your students miss you. Looks like you made a good impression already. Or it could be your mind control.” He grinned slightly.
“I want out of here,” I replied in a tight voice.
“I know, but keeping you here is for your own safety. People got scared off by what you did back at the restaurant. Keeping you here makes you under my protection. No one will touch you.”
“You won’t even let me see my friends or my brother.”
Phillip nodded. “Amina, this situation is serious. The pack is…challenging. They aren’t going to believe a new comer over someone who has been a part of their family. They want blood. Keeping Felix in lock up is only proper. It’s what the police would do a decade ago…if they weren’t crooked. And keeping you here keeps people from thinking you’ll try anything.”
“So, you’re helping me?” I asked with a sarcastic tone.
“That’s part of it. The other part is that I have to keep control here and understand what you are. Which seems to be a lot like me.”
“So, you don’t really care about me?” I said it more as a statement than a question.
Phillip frowned. “Of course, I do. I would love for you to be by my side in all of this. It’s you who stopped caring about me.”
I didn’t respond, just looked away.
Phillip walked closer to me and I took a step back. “I am but one man. We can’t work as some fluffy, happy, day camp. This world doesn’t allow for that, it never did. It’s rule or be ruled. Demand respect or be overrun. Weapons don’t work in a town like this. Jails only work for so long on people with power. People will only follow you nowadays if they think they can’t beat you. And I wouldn’t want to do anything like what happened at that prison. We need as many people as we can get to rebuild society. Judge all you want, but what I say makes sense.”
I turned to him and glared. “I don’t like your style and I think it’s harmful.”
Phillip nodded his head slowly. He looked out of the window in the living space, face in thought. He sighed. “I would do just about anything for you, corazon, but it won’t matter if we lose control here. I’ve been helpless. I’ve seen when those who shouldn’t have power exert control. I can’t allow for that again. I can’t keep someone like Seth in check without making some allowances.”
“You’re trying to make yourself sound innocent but I’m not buying it. You find us a threat. We could have worked together but you want things done your way instead. Did you kill the former leader, Thomas?”<
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Phillip looked at me. “You think I’m the devil, don’t you? Everything bad that’s happened, you blame me.”
“I’ve been in isolation for a week. I had a lot of down-time to figure things out.”
“If I said no to everything you just accused me of, would you believe me?”
I shrugged. I didn’t know. Some part of me still wanted Phillip to be good. Still wanted him to be the man that I remembered from my dreams.
“Amina, we’re not meant to be enemies,” Phillip said in a quiet voice. “I’m a good guy. We got a lead on the other two prisons. We’re still working with Hagerstown and we’re going to check the towns out.”
I perked up. “I can help.”
Phillip frowned. “Not locked up you can’t, and I can’t let you out.”
“Look, I won’t get in your way, Phillip. Just let me out. I can help free the other paranormals. Let me see my friends. We can leave, or they can leave, if you want me to stay.”
Phillip chuckled “Always sacrificing yourself, Amina. You’re more than that. But you’re right. You can’t stay here.”
“Thank you.” I got up.
“You can stay with me.”
“Say what now?”
Phillip smiled and walked over to me. “You’ll stay with me.”
I backed away. “Uh, I already have a place.”
“Not anymore.”
“Excuse me?” I placed my hands on my hips.
“I’m not saying I don’t trust you. Buuut, I don’t trust you. You don’t want to get in my way. Fine. Prove it. Let me keep an eye on you. I have a guest room.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes. “I’ll stay here.”
“I just want to make things better, Amina. You may not agree with my methods but it works. I don’t know why you fight this connection we have. You know we’re meant to be together. We have become better people because of each other.” He reached out and touched my cheek.
I could have pulled away but I didn’t think fighting with him would get me out of there. I just needed to get away, free Felix, and then we’d all leave.
“Plus, if you stay here, you won’t get to leave this apartment. With me you can come and go as you please. So, what do you say? Roomies?” He smiled.
I smiled at him in return. “No.” David had kept me in solitary confinement. I wasn’t new to this, sadly.
Phillip sighed again. “You are a tough one, mi corazon. I hope you change your mind,” he stated before leaving.
I could handle this. At least until the trial. Even if it meant I wouldn’t see the others. I was as strong as Phillip assumed. Maybe stronger.
I woke up in the middle of the night to a scratching at my window. Had this been the Pre-world, I would have ignored it. In this new, scary world, a scratching in the middle of the night was actually something terrifying. I once woke up to a vampire staring at me through the window. He was clawing at the glass trying to get in but, due to the ward, was unsuccessful. I screamed and slept in the windowless bathroom the rest of the night. Moments like those made me super hate this world.
So, when I heard the scratching this time, my imagination went straight to scary baddie at my window. I’d closed my blinds, so I hoped the scary monster couldn’t see inside. I pulled the covers up to my eyes, foolishly hoping the fabric would shield me.
“Amina!” came a familiar male voice. “Amina, open up! It’s Charles.”
“Charles?” I cried, jumping out of bed. I paused at the window. It could be a trickster. There were many creatures that could imitate someone else, even beyond the shapeshifter.
“Dude, it’s me. Open up,” My brother called.
I peeked through the blinds. My brother was at the window, hovering in the air. “How? How are you floating and how are you able to touch the ward without getting zapped?” I asked, eyes wide.
Charles gave me a cocky smile. “Fairy dust, sis. Lisa threw some on me and I’m flying like freaking Peter Pan. And she was finally able to break the ward with her magic. She’s on lookout below. Open the window and let’s get out of here. It’s my turn to help you escape now.”
I nodded, drew up the blinds, and opened the window. I pushed the screen out with my magic, Charles gave it to me. I put it on the floor before backing away. “Let me at least put on some tennis,” I stated before bending down to put on my shoes. I had on only some stretch pants and a large T-shirt but I didn’t need anything here.
“Okay, hurry up,” Charles grumbles.
As I tied my shoe laces, a wave of cold air blew over me. It was summer, and the evenings were beginning to be just as hot as the days. This was not a gust of cold air from the air conditioner. This was something else, something bone chilling.
“Amina,” said a raspy voice from behind me.
My insides turned to ice.
David.
I looked up towards Charles, who had been half perched on the windowsill. His eyes were wide with shock.
I slowly rose, keeping my eyes on Charles who was still staring at David.
“Stay the fuck away from her,” Charles spat.
I heard the shuffling of feet behind me. I took a step towards Charles and the footsteps behind me quickened.
I spun around. “How the hell are you back?” I said through gritted teeth.
He was alive and he looked like he had clawed his way from hell to return. He was covered in dirt and caked blood from head to toe. His clothes were tattered and his eyes were bloodshot. Cuts and bruises ran across his face and body.
If he’d been to hell, how did he get out?
“You’re supposed to be in hell,” Charles growled.
David let out a snort. “Seems I have friends in high places,” David replied.
“Like who?” I asked.
David shrugged. “I don’t know, but when I find out, I’d like to thank them. They brought me right to your door.”
Who would do that? What kind of enemies did I have that would help him? I instantly thought of Phillip. No, I didn’t believe he was that powerful or conniving. He already had me where he wanted me. Someone from the pack? No, they weren’t powerful enough to break someone out of hell.
I frowned at David. He was free now, but he was still human. I couldn’t imagine he had enough magic serum left in his system to be a match for me.
“The prisons are gone now, and we have your scientists. The few who survived. You were better off turning around and leaving.”
David looked at me with hatred in his eyes. “You are an abomination.” He continued moving towards me. “You are not humans. The world is safer without your kind. I can make it great again…with you gone.”
David lunched towards me and before I could react, Charles leaped from the window and flew towards David. Charles wrestled David to the ground and the pair tussled on the carpet floor for a few moments as I looked on, trying to figure out how to stop the fight without hurting Charles. I threw out my hands and flung David’s body across the room and away from Charles. His head banged hard against the wall, knocking him unconscious.
I stomped towards David, intending to end this once and for all.
“Amina?” Charles croaked.
He didn’t sound good. I turned to my right and gasped.
Charles lay on the ground, a hand covering his bloody stomach area. Charles coughed, and blood trickled down his chin. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and a pool of blood began to gather around his torso. He looked at me, his eyes full of fear.
I ran to my brother. “No, no, no,” I cried.
How had I not seen a weapon in David’s hand?
I hovered my hands over his wounds, pouring healing magic in him but nothing changed. He wasn’t getting better.
“Lisa!” I cried.
She didn’t come, she hadn’t heard me. I reluctantly got up.
“Don’t leave me,” Charles whispered. “I don’t feel good. It’s burning.” He writhed in apparent agony.
I felt his forehead. It
was cold and clammy. “I need Lisa’s help. It’s going to be okay, Charles. I promise.” I raced for the window. “Lisa!” I shouted.
She looked up from the street.
“I need you. Charles is hurt!” I shouted and then ran back to my brother.
One second later, Lisa was in the room. She cried out upon seeing Charles and ran to him.
“What happened?” She cried.
“David stabbed him. I didn’t know. He’s not healing from the stab wounds.”
Lisa hovered her hands over Charles and I joined her again. We poured our magic into him but nothing changed. I looked to Charles’ face, but he wasn’t moving anymore. His skin was already ashy, lips dry.
“Charles?” Lisa called. “Baby?”
Charles’ eyes were seemingly fixated on the ceiling and his chest did not rise and fall. I touched his neck; no pulse. “Shit, no.”
I put my hands over his wounds, willing my magic into him. I stared at his face again; nothing. I continued, straining my magic.
“What’s going on? Why won’t he wake up? Why can’t we heal him?” Lisa cried.
I shook my head, my mind growing numb. He wasn’t dead. He was hurt. We could fix him.
“Supernatural poison that I brought with me from hell. They pump it in us. Kills us, but of course, in hell they bring us back just to do it all over again. One of many tortures,” I heard David explain behind me.
Lisa sobbed but continued to pour her magic. I lowered my hands.
“Keep going, Mina. Don’t stop!” Lisa shouted.
“You’re monsters. And you all deserve to die,” David spat. I heard him rise up.
David, although still human, was the real monster here. I wanted him dead. I wanted him gone with no trace of his existence left. I wanted him erased away, even if it killed me. I would give the last of my power and life to make David disappear.
I turned to him with rage in my eyes. I raised my right hand to the ceiling, outstretched, and pictured him disappearing from this world. As if he never existed. My power tore through me and searing pain brushed every nerve in my body, causing me to cry out and bend backwards.
