by V L Friends
“So this explained why Louis seemed so stressed out earlier and told me there are new developments,” I said.
“He doesn’t like sharing his trophies,” Tee stated.
“Why does the Polar Bear King want me?” I asked.
“I don’t know; this is highly unusual, as it is not the practice of the King to get involved in taking sides. He always remains neutral and looks at every situation as a business investment; however, for some reason, for the first time he has changed his tone. There is another new development, however, that is happening simultaneously. Julian and your uncle have demanded to see you today, so they will be at this meeting as well. This is a recipe for disaster,” Tee said.
As we stood in the bathroom, he added the last touches to my hair and straightened my collar, then stood back a bit and gave me an approving nod.
“Why do you say that?” I asked as I began to move out of the bathroom now. Well, I hopped out anyway. I was still not able to walk on my leg, which was in a cast and still healing from the arrow Louis shot in me.
“Every meeting with Julian has the danger element. Louis does not know the general like I do. He is ruthless and calculating. He likely has something up his sleeve and is only pretending to be compliant. I must warn you, once I take my leave, you are safest to stick close to the Polar Bear King. He is scary but will protect a human fiercely. He has an entire colony of humans at his kingdom in the North. He is known for protecting what is his with even his life. Make no mistake, that polar bear is dangerous. If you ask me, he is obsessed with humans. It’s almost creepy, his devotion, and even weirder how they seem to be devoted to him as well,” Tee said as he grabbed my elbow and helped me to sit on the bed.
To listen to Tee talk about Julian this way was difficult. It reminded me how much I still didn’t understand about the man who called himself my father.
“I am going to miss you. Are you sure you must do this today?” I said.
He nodded.
“If I am going to make this work I must do it now that I have Kwong sedated. I may never get a chance to escape this slavery I am under with Louis if I don’t. The two of them are close.”
“I just don’t know if you are mean enough to pretend to be Kwong,” I said, scrunching up my face in detest at the idea of Tee being anything like his brother. Suddenly I was dying to have a question answered.
“How is he your brother, anyway. I don’t mean to be insensitive or anything, but normally when someone has another personality coming forth from the same body it is called multiple personality disorder,” I asked.
Tee snorted.
“Well, my dear, I assure you it is not a disorder. We are what you call a human shifter. We are supernatural. Just like you have seen an animal shifter, well, we are actually two separate beings sharing the same form.”
“Huh, I see,” I said, but truthfully I was not sure I did.
“Time to go,” he said as he picked me up in his arms.
“I will miss you,” I whispered as our eyes met. My nervousness was evident.
“Relax, follow my lead, and look intimidated by me,” he said.
I heard the men talking in the dining room before we got there.
“What is taking them?” one of them said.
Then I heard Louis retort, “You know women; they are always making us wait.”
Kwong (really Tee) flung open the door to the dining room with one swift kick as I was situated in his arms.
He said nothing but put on a scowl and set me down next to a chair.
At the sight of my Uncle Caleb I wanted to run into his arms. I felt tears threatening to flow from my eyes. The two of them sprang to their feet at the sight of me. Julian and Caleb sat at Louis’s right, with him at the head facing us. Kwong sat at the other head nearest the door, and the last person I saw was directly to our right, the Polar Bear King.
The very large blond man who snuck up on me at the theater! He was the King?
Kwong had a hand on my lower back possessively as I stood and he sat. I heard a low growl coming from our right. The intimidating seven-foot-tall blond man, dressed in white, shot to his feet.
“Who is responsible for her condition and why do I smell blood?” the King snarled, giving Kwong a death glare.
Kwong (Tee) gave me a tug and I was in his lap. He now wore a wicked half grin that was so right on for impersonating his brother. I shivered.
“You should thank me for breaking our little sweetness for you. Of course, I cannot say what she will be with you but she is much tamer now, aren’t you, my pet?” As Kwong spoke he ran a hand through my hair, petting me to emphasize his point, and I just played my part as the scared submissive, keeping my eyes to the ground.
Out of the corner of my eye I could see my uncle and Julian both standing, their fists clenched. I tried to send soothing thoughts to Caleb, letting him know that I was fine and this was mostly an act and to just wait. I saw him relax and nudge Julian as he whispered something to him briefly.
“Why are you provoking our guest, Kwong?” Louis was visibly distressed. “What are you doing with her? I ordered you to stay away from her!”
Kwong turned to address the King, ignoring Louis.
“The blood you smell is from her wounded leg. It was actually Louis here who shot her in the leg with his bow and arrow.”
“What?!” growled the King, flashing his eyes at Louis.
“I couldn’t allow her to escape!” Louis defended. “She broke away from Kwong during one of his punishments and was determined to get away,” Louis said.
“What punishment?” Caleb asked.
“I merely gave her a spanking,” Kwong said, patting my upper thigh.
Julian slammed his hand on the table.
“Enough! Don’t think I don’t know what you do to your subjects! You will die a slow death tonight at my hands.” Julian turned to Louis to continue but Kwong interrupted.
“I will speak with you in a moment about that, but for now it is Louis I am addressing.”
“Louis, my brother and I are done serving you. We grow tired of your weak selfish ways and are bored. Our time together is at an end and unless you want a blood bath right here starting with this little one, you will say the spell to release us from your contract and my brother and I will leave in peace.”
“Kwong! How could you do such a thing at a time like this? We have been together for decades. We are a team!” Louis was clearly in shock.
“Do it!” Kwong pulled out a wicked knife and put it at my throat. I heard gasps and growls all over the room.
“Even if he releases you, you will not get far before one of us or our men gets to you,” Julian said.
“Ah! Now I will address you, General Julian. Well take a look at her jaw, here.” Kwong grabbed my jaw and lifted it at a better angle for Julian to see. “The small mark on her jaw is actually a spell, tying her life to mine. If anyone harms me, the same will happen to her and vice versa. You see… so you are at the disadvantage.” He turned back to Louis. “What is the holdup, Louis? Say the words.”
Louis sighed. “Fine.” He spoke some unknown chant.
Kwong let out a deep sigh, sheathed his weapon, lifted me from his lap, and stood. He then turned to me and winked, then closed the distance and hugged me, giving me a kiss on the forehead and whispered, “Thank you. Don’t worry, our spell binding us will wear off when I am enough distance away. Remember what I said. Stay with the King.” With that, he was gone out the door.
I would miss Tee.
“Wait, was that Tee the whole time?” Louis asked.
When I looked up, he was asking me the question and I just shrugged with a look of guilt.
Louis let out a curse.
Caleb snickered.
Julian straightened and it was then that I noticed some sort of horn hanging from a clip on his belt. It was made out of some kind of bone. I wasn’t the only one who noticed because when I looked at the Polar Bear King, he seemed to have a l
ook on his face of fear as his eyes discovered the horn. He began to move towards the giant windows filling the entire wall.
“Come here, little one,” the King gestured for me to come to his side.
“Well, back to the matter at hand. Gentlemen, why don’t you have a seat?” Louis’s voice rang out.
I hobbled into a chair and the King picked me up, chair and all, and went back to the large windows and sat me down near him.
Jeez! I guess he is protective.
“I will stand, if it is all the same to you,” the King said as his eyes now scanned the landscape outside.
“Allow me to introduce you, Julian and Caleb, to Lyre, the Polar Bear King.” Louis waved in the King’s direction and the other two just nodded.
“It is my decision, for Anaya’s safety and to keep you, Julian, on task, that she be placed into the temporary custody of King Lyre. I assure you that she will be well protected at an undisclosed location and well taken care of,” Louis said boldly.
Julian’s face was expressionless and that is when I knew all hell was about to break loose any minute.
“So, how much did he agree to pay you for her, Louis?” Julian spoke, sounding cold and detached.
“That is our business,” Louis said with a sneer. “You will show me respect. Do not forget that I am your leader!”
Julian chuckled.
Then to all our surprise, in a motion that was but a blur to me, he threw a knife that landed in Louis’ chest. Louis grasped the blade protruding from his chest in horror.
“That was for the arrow you put in my daughter,” Julian bit out in disgust.
It was in that second the King whipped out a small whistle and a piercing sound hit the air. I bent in agony as I cupped my ears and shriveled to the ground with a scream. The King lifted me into his arms.
That is when I glanced up to see the exchange.
Julian nodded at the giant blond King as if to give his approval to take me, then he unhooked the bone horn from his belt and blew it.
Within seconds the sound of shattering glass was heard and with it came a giant silver-winged creature through the window with its claws going straight for the King. As if he expected it, the King turned his back to the creature and clutched me tight to him. Before I could scream, we were being pulled out of the building into the sky with King Lyre firmly in the giant winged monster’s claws.
“What’s happening?” I managed to choke out between the gulps of air I was taking in while in flight.
As Louis’s estate got small in the distance, I noticed an army of angels descending on the compound.
“That horn is one that summons the angel armies. They will flatten that place,” the King said.
“Julian blew the horn!” I said with confusion.
Were the angel army and Julian working together? This made no sense.
We landed high on a ridge with the estate far down below. I shivered, but not sure if it was because of the cold, or the sound of war cries from Louis’s dark army, that could be heard in the distance and made me shudder.
“What now?” I asked, trying not to be terrified of the giant birdlike creature that landed just feet from me, after setting its master gently on the ground.
“Now,” the King said between deep breaths, “We get you somewhere far away from here.”
“We can’t just leave them! That is my family down there!” I said, so full of angst I could not think.
The King brushed back a lock of his wavy blond locks and chuckled lightly.
“Trust me; they can take care of themselves.”
He walked over to the creature and patted it affectionately while whispering in its ear. The next instant the creature was barking, or something like it, and leaping into the air.
“What is that thing?” I asked.
“She is called a Griffin. We are friends, so mind yourself and do not call her a thing.” Lyre scowled as he petted the creature with affection.
“I thought we needed to get away. Why is he leaving?” I said, watching as the Griffin crouched and spread its wings before leaping into the air.
“She is leaving. Her name is Mira. You squirm too much for her to carry the both of us safely.” He turned his back and began to walk toward some trees. “Hurry, we need to get out of sight, out of this clearing. We have to hike a little on foot to the road that leads to my chopper.” He signaled for me to follow him.
I heard another wolf howl and this time it sounded closer. With that Lyre’s head snapped in the direction of the howl and I caught the look in his eye that told me we may be in trouble.
“What’s going on?” I asked, trying to find the explanation for his look of terror.
“The wolves have caught your scent. I didn’t know who they were and what they were here for exactly until now. We must run! When I shift, jump on my back!”
“Who…?” Before I could finish, the King was shaking and forming into a giant white bear.
Shock froze me until he let out a roar and I snapped to attention and jumped on his back. He immediately sprang into action as I clung for dear life.
He ran for what seemed like an hour until the helicopter was in sight. Darkness was closing in but there were dim lights around the impressive machine and as we got closer we could see a figure waiting for us.
“Caleb!” I was so relieved to see my uncle. As the bear slowed I jumped off and ran to the figure.
Caleb held me in a tight hug. “Thank God you are okay,” he breathed in my ear.
“Hurry and say your goodbyes; the wolves are closing in.” Lyre’s voice was now behind me, obviously having shifted back.
“I am afraid we will be taking her from here, griz.” Julian stepped out of the shadows.
“Was that an attempt to insult me?” The King’s obvious irritation was evident. Julian had a way of demeaning even royalty.
“You are making a mistake if you think by keeping her here and close to you she will be out of danger. Obviously, you could not protect her even from Louis. The one who is coming for her is far worse!”
I turned to face the King, only to realize that a giant naked man that resembled Thor now towered over me and my face reddened as I quickly averted my eyes. No one seemed to notice.
“Do you mean Leland?” I asked the naked King.
“That is one of his names,” the King nodded.
“What?” Julian said with surprise and asked me. “How did you know he was here?”
“I met him in the woods while he was in the form of a wolf just before Louis’ men captured me,” I said.
“We are running out of time. Tell her the plan, Julian!” Caleb sounded impatient.
“She is coming with me!” shouted the King as he now slid open the door to his chopper and began pulling out clothes from a duffle bag.
Julian’s sword seemed to appear out of nowhere as he glared at the King in warning.
“Get in the chopper and wait for our signal. Under no circumstances will you interfere,” said Julian with a demanding tone that made even me want to comply with everything he demanded.
“Nothing personal, but kings do not take orders from generals.” The king was calm but furrowed his brow at Julian.
“Today you do because I don’t have the time to hold your hand and talk you through the details. Now if you will excuse us, I need to speak to my daughter alone,” Julian said as he took me by the elbow and led me away.
Just then a howl sounded from the woods.
“That sounded like they are about a half a mile away. Look, I don’t have time but you have to trust me.” Julian held out a syringe. “I will inject you with this and at the right moment I will hold a knife to you and when I whisper now, I will stab you… I mean pretend to.”
I listened to Julian’s instructions and a knot formed in my stomach. He said it was made to look real but I had to wonder if he might believe that it would be better for him, his kind, and even for me if he did kill me.
“What’s in
the syringe?” I asked.
“Something that will make you sleep very deeply,” he said and I could not help but notice that he could not make eye contact with me.
Tears stung my eyes at the thought of these being my last moments with my father.
“Julian?” I choked out. “I am sorry,” was all I could say.