Vowed

by N R Tucker

  “Oh, thank god,” Destin breathed a sigh of relief.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Both of you stay here. I’ll be right back.” Ryan walked quickly out of the room.

  Destin turned to Parker. “I need to know everything you know about your brother.”

  “I told you his name. That’s pretty much it. We don’t keep in touch. I have no info on his current whereabouts or who his friends are. He’s three years older than me. Even as a child, he was a predator. You know the kind I mean. We had a dog when we were young. Something happened. Our parents never allowed another pet in the house. I was a lot older before I figured out why. His only friend followed him around, and they bullied everyone they could.”

  “Is there no way for you to get in touch with him?”

  “If anyone knows how it would be Uncle Jess. He’s a predator too.” Parker leaned back as Ryan entered the room, “So what did Clay do?”

  Destin shrugged.

  Ryan opened a file. “We’re still tracking him, but it looks like Clay is living in rural West Virginia.”

  “Okay. I’ll ask again. What did Clay do?”

  “He has something that doesn’t belong to him. I need to return it to its rightful owner.”

  Parker scoffed, “Good luck. He’s tricky and mean. Don’t trust anything he says.” He cut his eyes toward Ryan and asked, “How fired am I?”

  Ryan paged through the file. “We asked for full disclosure when we approached you about this job. You left out a militant brother and uncle. Both are members of the IGI, and it looks like your brother still works for the AIB. They aren’t as defunct as the news reports have indicated. What do you think we should do with you?”

  Parker sighed, “Don’t you have at least one family member that you don’t claim in public?”

  Destin barked a laugh.

  “A couple, as a matter of fact.” Ryan grinned.

  “Look, this is a great job. I have access to exceptional technology and work with the best people. The work is challenging and worthwhile. I’m sorry I didn’t mention Clay or Jess, but I haven’t spoken to either since the funeral for my parents, five years ago, and that conversation was a fight.”

  Ryan tapped the file, “Yeah, a loud one. The funeral director was appalled. Said it was the worst family fight he had seen in thirty years in the business.”

  “We’re overachievers.”

  Destin leaned forward, “You got that information awfully fast.”

  “Yeah, well, we already had it. The person doing the background check didn’t interview or research his brother and uncle, believing they were out of Parker’s life. I’ll be addressing that oversight.” Ryan turned back to Parker, “For now, you’re on lockdown. No project work and you’re staying in a holding area. If everything works out, you’ll get to keep your job.”

  “No joke?” Parker looked up hopefully.

  “No joke, but your activities are severely restricted for now.”

  “If there’s a chance I can keep my job, I’m good with that.” Keeping his focus on Ryan, Parker added, “I’ll have to tell Elaine, my girlfriend. She’ll go nuts and call the cops if I don’t show up tonight.”

  “You can call, but I’ll have to listen in.”

  “Understood.” One phone call later Parker turned to Ryan, “Where am I staying?”

  “Right here. A cot will be rolled into this room, and we’ll bring you books to read. No computer, no TV, no phone. Sorry.”

  Parker nodded, “One request.”

  Ryan raised an eyebrow.

  “If Clay figures out I’m helping you, Elaine and her daughter are in danger.”

  “Don’t worry, I already assigned guards to them.”

  “Thanks.”

  Adam, one of the guards that the humans saw frequently, walked in with a cot, followed by a young woman. “Parker, this is my daughter, Willow.”

  “Hello, give me your reading and food preferences.” Willow looked over at Ryan, “Could he have a DVD player?”

  Ryan shook his head. “No remotes of any kind, but we can put one of the screensavers up on the screen in this room. Let Willow know your preference.” The screensavers – as everyone called them – were external camera views, new stations, or other public camera views throughout the world.

  “We could run DVDs from another room into the screen. I’ll volunteer to keep the movies coming.” Destin commented. “How about a marathon? Star Wars. Lord of the Rings. James Bond. Anime.” Destined snapped his fingers together and grinned. “I know, rom-coms. You name it, and I’ll bet someone has it on DVD.”

  “How about Harry Potter? Elaine’s daughter loves the books and the movies. I’ve never watched them. Seems like a good time for me to learn a little about her favorite movies.”

  “That’s sweet,” Willow smiled.

  “Might want to make a list. I’m not sure how long this will take,” Ryan said as he walked out of the room.

  Chapter 29

  Ryan ghosted through the pasture. He had flown around in his bird form for hours, but there had been no movement in or around the farm. According to procedure, Ryan should have called for backup and should have set a shield. But, come on, he was chasing humans for cripes sake. No reason to waste the energy or the manpower. Ryan had already lost enough time. It took nearly two days to track down Clay Lee. Clay might be a bully, but he was a smart one. Paid for everything in cash, lived off the grid. If good old Uncle Jess hadn’t been bragging in a bar, owned by a witch who wasn’t out, about something from the fae that would propel his nephew to greatness, Ryan would still be searching. Lucky for him, the witch called the High Wizard Coven, and the high wizard told the rest of the Tetrad. Sage had called with the news.

  He approached the tidy lawn around the farmhouse. Ryan had expected to find a rundown farm. No such thing. The farmhouse had solar panels, so did the barn. An impressive, and expensive, water collection system was also in place. It looked like a lot of the homes owned by preternaturals who could no longer trust the government to provide such services. The animals were well tended, as was the vegetable garden. Heck, pretty flowers hung from pots on the front porch. The land was owned outright, and taxes were paid by a corporate account.

  Ryan took human form as he hit the last step to the porch of the back door. He took a deep breath and cursed. Ryan turned just in time to catch the bat with the side of his head.

  *****

  Ryan shook his head and immediately regretted it. Pain exploded behind his eyes. The rest of his body was immobile. Tied up again.

  “What do we do with him? He’s too strong to be trapped here for long.” A voice Ryan didn’t recognize carried through the door.

  “Don’t worry about him. As long as those cuffs are on his wrists and ankles, he has all the power of a normal human.”

  That voice Ryan did recognize, and it confirmed what his nose had sensed earlier. It also explained why the farmhouse was so green. The fae liked green technology.

  Ryan groaned and tried to roll over on his back, but his hands were cuffed above his head with the chain running around a bed pole, and his feet were cuffed in such a way that he was forced to remain on his stomach. At least he was on a bed, a vast improvement over the dungeon from his last capture. Unfortunately, that was the good news. The bad news was he couldn’t move at all. If the alphas found out about this, he would never live it down.

  Might as well get it over with. Ryan pitched his voice to be heard outside the door, “Hey Spruce, I know you’re here. How about you take these cuffs off, and we go for it, one-on-one?”

  “He knows who you are?” The unknown male squeaked.

  “Shut up!” Spruce hissed before he opened the door. “Awake at last. You will regret interfering.”

  “Is that the best you’ve got?” Ryan turned his head to face the door. Spruce stood a bit in front of his human companion. At least Ryan had visual confirmation that Clay and Parker looked alike.

  “Brave talk
considering your magic is bound. Do you even know why you’re here? You stand in the presence of greatness.” Spruce smiled.

  Ryan twisted to eye Spruce as best he could, “Don’t you mean veracity?”

  “Aha, so you do know. I’m surprised you came here knowing what can happen.”

  “And I’m not surprised you don’t know what the sword truly does.” Ryan bunched his muscles and released the tension in hopes of relaxing his shoulders. It didn’t work. “When I get out of here, you’re a dead man. How’s that for truth?” Ryan turned to Clay. “You know, Spruce here is a preternatural, right?”

  Clay grinned, “Of course I know. He’s fae, but we have the same goal, remove all aberrants from my world. Earth is for humans only.”

  “You’re a fool.” Spruce kicked Ryan in the knee and walked out with Clay on his heels.

  Ryan sucked back a grunt. He would not be walking on that knee anytime soon. Ryan tried to meditate and push the pain away to no avail. His knee was still throbbing in time to the pounding in his head.

  Glass, either a window or door, shattered downstairs. Based on the amount of glass that continued to break, Ryan bet whoever it was started the brawl in the kitchen.

  “Fool,” Spruce yelled. “You thought to defeat me?” Spruce lowered his voice, and Ryan strained to hear the rest. “The only question is, once I kill you, do I notify Star or let her worry? I’ll have to think about that and decide which will serve me best. But there’s no need for you to worry about your children. I’ll raise your sons as my own. I don’t blame them for their father’s arrogance.”

  Ryan heard Joey’s voice, but it was too soft to make out the words. Joey must have said something Spruce didn’t like. The next sound was a gunshot.

  Even encumbered, Ryan tried to use magic and move. The cuffs shocked him, and his knee rejected all movement by adding explosions of shooting pain to the ever-present throbbing. Ryan passed out from either the cuffs or the knee, perhaps both. When he woke, again, Ryan heard ragged breathing. He turned his head and saw Joey, still bleeding from a gunshot wound to the leg. “Hey man, how you doing?”

  “Been better. We came to help, but I think I made it worse.” Joey sucked in a deep breath as if answering the question took all his reserves.

  “Don’t tell me Star used her ring to find me? She’s not with you, right?”

  “What? No! Well, she used her ring to find you, but we sent her home as soon as we found the farmhouse. Kaleb came with me. I don’t know what happened to him.” Joey tried to tighten the makeshift bandage he had created from his t-shirt. The flow of blood slowed but didn’t stop.

  “How long before more people show up?” At this rate, everyone would know he was captured by that dweeb Spruce, for the second time no less.

  “Don’t know. Sage was reluctant to send anyone. Something about an artifact that no one should hold.”

  “Yeah. So far I’m doing great on my first solo mission.”

  “At least you weren’t shot,” Joey retorted.

  “Did you look at my knee?”

  “Yeah, it doesn’t look so good.”

  Kaleb walked into the room. “I’ve iced down just about everyone. That fae…”

  “Spruce.” Joey supplied.

  “Aha, that explains it. Spruce took off running, and I decided to help you rather than chase him down.”

  “Good call. Get Joey to safety.” Ryan pulled on the wrist cuffs, still unable to move.

  “But...”

  “No buts. Joey’s shot and I can’t use magic as long as these cuffs are on, so I’m useless. Don’t suppose Spruce left the keys?” A peck at the window caught Ryan’s attention. He tried to turn toward the sound but only managed to strain his shoulder. “What’s at the window?”

  “A golden eagle.” Kaleb opened the window and punched out the screen. The eagle flew in and shifted. “Hey Phoenix, excellent timing. Can you do anything about Ryan’s jewelry?”

  Ryan groaned. Phoenix would tell everyone. He would never live this down.

  “Not sure. Let’s see if the cuffs run from my awesome null powers.” Phoenix touched the cuffs. Nothing happened for a few seconds. Finally, they vibrated and fell away. Ryan sighed in relief. When he started to roll over Phoenix stopped him. “Don’t move. That knee needs to be braced.”

  “Whatever.” Ryan tried to move, but Phoenix held him down. He would have pushed Phoenix away, but his knee upped the shooting pain. It appeared the knee was in charge at the moment.

  “Stay still. Hang on a minute,” Phoenix disappeared down the hallway but returned quickly with a board and twine. “Kaleb, can you set his knee?”

  Kaleb snorted, “Wrong twin. Blake’s the medic, and he’s in Texas now.”

  “Fine.” Phoenix set the board at the back of the offending knee and tied it in place with the twine. He looked over his handiwork and grimaced. “Sorry man, but it’s gonna hurt when we move you. Can you open an earth side gate to one of our medical facilities?”

  “Yes, but if I pass out, it will close on us.”

  “Oh goodie,” Phoenix responded with all due sarcasm. Where the traveler ended up, or what happened inside a collapsed gate, was anyone’s guess. No one had ever been seen again after such an event, and no remains were ever found. “Open the gate to Calabozo, Joey and Kaleb will go through before I help you stand.”

  “Good plan,” Ryan muttered, but he opened a gate.

  Before they could complain, Phoenix pointed them toward the swirling mass. “Go, we’re right behind you.”

  Joey hobbled through the gate on his good leg, leaning heavily on Kaleb. Phoenix turned back to Ryan. “Close it. They would never have left if they thought we weren’t going with them.”

  Ryan still hadn’t moved, but he breathed a sigh of relief, “Thanks, man. So, what, you gonna do, carry me?” Ryan didn’t sound hopeful. He was taller and outweighed Phoenix by at least thirty pounds, and they were a long way from any town.

  “No alpha, you’re both going to die.”

  Ryan turned and snarled at the humans wearing AIB patches. Phoenix faded to shadow as Ryan set his shield, then let loose his magic. Now that the cuffs were gone, he was ready for some payback. Using wind, he tossed the AIB, one at a time, through the still open window. They landed in the pond.

  “Did that feel good?” Phoenix reappeared next to Ryan.

  “As a matter of fact, it did.” Ryan slowly slid his injured leg over the side of the bed. It didn’t hurt too badly. Phoenix’s wrapping helped. Ryan stood, and pain coursed through his leg.

  Phoenix caught him before he fell back on the bed. “Think of me as your left leg until we get to my car. I stashed Lea at a hotel about three miles up the road. She’s not pleased that I made her wait there.”

  Ryan’s groan was weak as he tried to put weight on his injured leg.

  Phoenix growled at his nephew. “Lean on me. I won’t break. Don’t put weight on that thing until after Lea heals it.” As they slowly descended down the stairs, Phoenix asked, “What do you want me to do with the AIB?”

  “Leave them,” grunt, “It’s our fault for opening a gate they could track. I’ll talk to Star about that.” A few minutes later, they finally made it to the car. Ryan muttered curse words trying to twist his leg into the sports car. Sweat dripped into his eyes. “You know, there’s nothing wrong with an SUV.”

  “Yes, yes there is.” Phoenix started the engine and flew down the road.

  Ryan wiped the sweat off his forehead, hoping he didn’t look as weak as he felt. Injured as he was, it might be hard to get in and out of, but the sports car moved fast. Lea had waited for them at a rundown hotel. She healed Ryan’s knee, ribs, and head, and he took a little nap. After a shower he joined his aunt and uncle at the table.

  “Take care for a couple of hours yet,” Lea said between bites.

  “I know the drill,” Ryan replied. Healing left the healed shifter vulnerable to further injury for a few hours. He sat down and joined the feast o
f pizza and soda. Once they finished eating, he turned to his aunt and uncle, “Thanks.”

  Lea clicked her tongue. “You’re welcome. Next time follow procedures and call for backup. Phoenix, give me your keys. I’m ready to return home.”

  “Take care of my baby.” Phoenix tossed her the keys, and she left.

  Ryan narrowed his eyes at Phoenix. “How are you getting back to Tennessee, New York, PAC HQ or wherever you’re going?”

  “I’m not. I’m going with you.”

  Ryan gritted his teeth at the one shifter who didn’t have to obey orders from anyone. “No, you’re going back to your job as the public face of the shifters.”

  “Right, ’cause going solo worked so well for you the last time. Besides, you’re tracking some dangerous magical artifact, right?” Ryan nodded, and Phoenix added, “And I’m immune to magic, right?”

  “Yeah, but…”

  “But what?” Phoenix leaned on the door and asked into the silence.

  “Give me a second. I’m trying to think of a suitable response,” Ryan muttered.

  Phoenix grinned. “How about, gee uncle, you’re right. You’re exactly who I need on this mission.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s not what I was thinking.” Ryan frowned before he sighed and admitted, “But you could be useful. Let’s go get a rental car and continue the search.”

  Phoenix pulled another set of keys out of his pocket. “Done. I thought my car might be a little too obvious.”

  Barely noticing his knee at all, Ryan grinned, and followed his uncle out the door. Lea did good work. He hoped to reach her level of healing one day. Of course, for that to happen, he would have to study medicine. Ryan planned to put that off as long as possible.

  Chapter 30

  “Direction?”

  “Back to the farmhouse.” Ryan glared at Phoenix. His most irritating uncle wouldn’t back down. Ryan had been reduced to passenger status.

  Phoenix kept his expression bland and pulled out of the hotel, heading back the way they had come, proving he could occasionally be gracious about a war-of-wills win. “Tell me about this mission.” After Ryan finished the update, Phoenix sighed, “So, we’re looking for a sword that can remake reality, hopefully, to destroy it?”