by V L Peters
‘’I agree with the councilman, but I’d like to know why if they are witches, they just decided to reveal themselves?’’ Jax questions.
‘’Archer, did you know about these witches?’’ demands Jacobs mate, her question directed to the head of the angels,her haughty voice seemingly to echo around the room.
‘’Marguerite my love, no-one’s even admitted that they are even witches,’’ I responded to my mates question, laying my hand on her forearm, before tenderly taking her hand into my larger one and rising it to my hard month. After all appearances can be deceiving. ‘’though I the same as you would like to hear the answer. Archer?’’ I ask.
‘’You all know we do not interfere,’’ I tell the whole room. Even if we know the truth about something or someone, we are not allowed to interfere. It’s forbidden and anyone who crosses that line are punished. The Humans and Naturals sitting in this room know this.
‘’So, do we take that as a yes then’’ I mutter, making sure that it was a loud enough for everyone to hear me, I slowly took my hand out of Jacobs. Turning my gaze to the group of women sitting at the table across from us. I know one of them as well as I did Jacob. She had hardly changed since the last time I had set eyes on my old …. Friend, except for the tattoos on her arms and the way she was dressed. She appeared harder than she had been all those years ago. I knew she must be the woman who we have heard about. It been a shock to see her sitting there. I had felt the start of surprise run though Jacobs mind upon seeing her. Mellissa hadn’t shown once ounce of reaction, it was as if we were strangers to her. After what I had done …. Oh well. I had ended up with what I wanted and that had been the Alfa sitting next to me. I hadn’t felt sorry for the girl all those years ago who classed me as friend, nor do I now.
‘’Are you witches?’’ the question was thrown out, who by no one knew but it seems to come from one the women standing behind Gil-Galad.
I turn towards my female guards standing directly behind me. Searching for the person who had dared speak. They knew not to talk out of turn unless I gave permission. I searched their faces, my gaze meeting theirs until I notice the guilty look that crosses Constants face.
I link our minds, `report to my chambers once we return home, ` I feel the wince from her as I turn away. She will have to face the consequences and ramification of her outburst.
‘’Are you all witless?’’ I screech, my anger raising, shaking off the hand Lucien had placed on my arm ‘’stop asking stupid questions,’’
‘’Aria calm the fuck down,’’ Lucien tells me, is he for real? I know he wants those witches for himself.
Really does he think that’s going to stop me. So, they don’t believe me. Well I will show them. I raise my hand chest high, turning my body slightly until I am facing Scarlett. The bolt of yellow, red and blue energy flies from the palm of my hand soaring through the air heading towards Scarlett. I hear shouting all around me. Lucien’s cursing, running around the table pushing the guards to one side trying to get to Scarlett in time.
Does he think I will let him try to save her?
I order my men to attack.
Six months later
Scarlett
I sat there, looking over the ocean while waiting for the sun to rise, I still could not believe how he had played me I had been such a fool believing him. What was the saying, fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me, well never again, I hated him.
Could you hate and love someone at the same time? I know they say love and hate are meant to be one and the same. Now I had more than just myself to think of. He would eventually find me; it wouldn’t be straight away and knowing this I knew I had enough time to plan my next move.
‘’Scarlett its time,’’ Pamela calls out to me as the sun rises.
I rise from the seat and slowly waddle my way over to my waiting siblings.
The end for now
ESPILOGUE
Date and Place unknown
Megan & Nathan
A chill breeze played with the tendrils of my hair. I frowned in confusion. Had I forgotten to close my bedroom window? I remember that I had gone out the night before, meeting up with a group of friends. Strange, I couldn't remember getting home. An unknown scent enveloped me. I tried my hardest to work out the refreshing woody smell that reminded me of the ocean.
With a sign, I forced myself to open my eyes. I stilled, what the hell, blackness surrounded me. It was apparent I wasn't in my own bed. The first thought that came to me was why it is so dark. I knew if I put my hand in front of my nose, I wouldn't be able to see it. The second was where the heck was I?
I could tell I was lying on a bed of some sort, the mattress underneath me was bloody uncomfortable, and the springs were digging into my body. I reached out to one side to see if my hand hit off a wall, I sighed when my fingertips felt cold stone. I pulled myself up into a sitting position, resting my back against the wall I had just touched. With that one movement, I felt the cold steel of the chain around my wrist. What the fuck was going on? As I tugged at it, I could hear the jiggly of the metal filling the silence in the room. To say I was frightened was an understatement, but panicking wouldn't do me any good. I knew my sisters would be looking for me, as would my extended family.
They would not give up until they found me. I wondered how long I had been here if it was hours, days, or months; it was frustrating that I didn't know and who the hell had taken me and the reason why. I needed light need to see where I was.
"So, you're finally awake,"
The voice came out of nowhere, making my heartbeat ten times more than it should be causing me to jump, the sound was deep and rough coming somewhere from the right of me. Oh my god, I thought, trying to see the person I now knew was in the room with me.
"I didn't think you were ever going to wake up," came out of the darkness in front of her. The voice had moved. Whoever he was, was now standing somewhere in front of me.
"You could have given me some kind of warning," I told him trying to keep the tremor out of my voice placing it with fake bravo trying to make it sound like a demand "that you were here in this room with me,"
"And pray tell how was I meant to do that?" came back at me.
I huffed, knowing whoever the hell he was, was being logical. Of course, there hadn't been any way to tell me while I'd been asleep, but the thought of someone else being here in this room staring at me without me knowing gave me the creeps. I ignored his question deciding it didn't merit an answer.
I decided to throw a barrel of questions to him, hoping he'd know the answer to at least one of them.
"How long have I been here? Where is here exactly, and how the hell did I get here?"
I hear a deep laugh come from that same mouth; it wasn't a happy laugh; it sounded ……. Well, Angry and pissed off.
"If I could tell you that little girl, then well, I wouldn't be here."
I let the little girl comment go for now, "can you tell me anything?"
"Of course, though you won't like the answer," he warned me the voice ever closer. Fuck, what did he mean by that? Did I press him on it or leave it alone? I wasn't one to not ask questions. Blinking heck, I needed to know whether I would like the reply or not.
"Still need to know," I told him, deciding knowing was better than not.
"You're in some sort of holding cell. From what I have seen, there's about twenty on this level. On the other levels, I'm not sure about…."
"Do you know why they're holding us, and who are they?" I interrupted.
"Oh yea, I've seen who's holding us. As you will in time."
I didn't like the sound of this holding cell business. What the fuck was going on here, and why were they taking people? What were they doing to them? I realised that I'd said my thoughts aloud when I heard.
"Oh, they want Naturals and Humans alike. You're the fourth …" It was as if I could listen to the clogs going around in his head thinking of what he was going to say, "Person to be put
in here with me,"
I did not want to ask, but I couldn't help myself, I had a bad feeling, and I didn't like where this conversation was going. I cleared my throat, "what happened to the other three," I dared myself to ask.
"Oh, they took them away when I had …. Finally finished with them," he told me.
A shiver went down my spine at his words. I thought it was fear, but it didn't seem like I was afraid his voice; it was like silk and velvet rolled into one. Running through my body, sending shivers down my spine. Finish with them, those words reverberated through my mind, shit, shit, shit. I didn't like the way this conversation was going. I bent my knees, pulling my legs up towards my chest. Did I think this would help me, no, but for some reason it made me feel a hell lot better and why did I get a feeling that I was in a holding cell with a Natural and a Dangerous one? Why couldn't it be a human or another bloody witch, but no, fate wasn't that unbiased.
My thoughts turned to the person who was in the room with me. I wondered what kind of Natural he was and prayed he was something harmless. I knew that wouldn't be my luck. I had an awful feeling that he was one of the deadliest Naturals we had been told about. When we were just children before we had taken our first steps out into the surrounding community. I remembered when, along with the rest of my family, we were told about that day. That the world had to wake up to the fact humans weren't alone and never had been. They had been one of the first to make their presence known all those years ago along with the Shapeshifters and Fae, and I had a bad feeling that he was Vampire. I just hoped to god I was wrong, but I knew I was kidding myself deep down.
If he was a vampire, I was complexly screwed and not in the right way. Who was crazy enough to take a vampire? They were so strong that even the more powerful Naturals didn't cross them, plus there was that little thing about blood. They loved it, craved it. They were not to be trusted entirely; they could turn on you before you even blinked.
I didn't know much about them, only what we had been told and what I had personally learned over the years. Was it all true I wasn't a hundred percent sure, but I didn't want to take that chance. Many humans and other Naturals liked the thrill of being their plaything and gave their blood freely. There were even certain places …. Clubs to go to if that's was your kink. A place that I had stupidly ended up in.
Cleaning my throat, I couldn't help but ask which was stupid of me, I know, "Finished with, what do you mean by that?"
"What do you think I mean, little girl?" the voice was closer. His breath smelt like fresh mint, it became a whisper against my ear, and I'm sure I felt his lips brush up against my skin, making me tremble uncontrollably.
I thought I was in trouble now I knew it without a doubt.
I was neck-deep in trouble, and there was no way out.
I was totally screwed.
Acknowledgement
Naoise and Daire love you & thank you for checking any mistakes if there is any still there its down to me.
Lisa Dooher from the bottom of my heart I thank you for your help and putting me right.
Dez Purington/pretty in ink creations A very talented and wonderful lady. Thank you.
About The Author
V L Peters
V L Peters lives in the uk with her husband and son.
King of the underworld
Earth Bound Series
is her first adventure into the publishing world.
There are plans to write more for this series.
