by CY Jones
“What?” I shriek.
“I don’t know where he’s finding this shite or who he’s dealing with, but yeah, this collar has complicated things. It’s also outfitted with a tracking device, so if we were to get away--.”
"O'Donnell will still be able to find us,” I say, finishing his sentence for him. “Fuck this is all my fault,” I groan.
Rising from his seat, Silas crouches on the floor in front of me, and tilts my gaze to his with his thumb.
“This isn’t your fault. If not that day, it would have been another. O’Donnell always planned on placing that damn collar around your neck, so stop feeling bad over what’s already done.”
“I know, you’re right,” I say, inching forward and kissing him gently.
“We will get through this,” he murmurs against my lips, and I embrace him, holding him tight, as his lavender and rain scent comforts me.
Eleven
Balance
Atlas
I did not get the rest that I needed on the jet. Thoughts of Remy plagued me all the way to LA. I want to know how she is and if that sham of a father is taking care of her. It will be stupid of him to do her any harm to her if he plans on me taking her off his hands, but if he does indeed plan on selling her to the Senator then I doubt he cares about the condition she’s in, just as long as he has her. I saw the look his son gave her. Clearly the fool is already in love, and that pisses me the fuck off. When the hell did he meet her? Remy is, and always will be mine, and I don’t do sharing.
My cousin’s company has not changed since I was here last. A twisting, steel tower to the clouds, one of the tallest buildings in the world, and unknowingly to the humans, the most impenetrable. The human’s God himself couldn’t knock this building down with all the protection spells cast upon it. Entering the building, I take the elevator to the twenty-third floor. Once I exit the elevator, I walk straight past his secretary's desk not bothering to check in, and see myself to the back. She doesn’t even bother to stop me, undoubtedly notified by my cousin of my arrival.
He doesn’t move when I enter, or even acknowledge my presence. Behind the desk with his hands folded with a regal air surrounding him sits my cousin. Lucas Kane DelaCorte of House Storm, heir to the throne, and the rightful King of Elyeria.
“Cousin,” I say in greeting, as I take a seat across him.
“Why are you here, Atlas? What could have happened to bring you here after all these years?” He questions.
I get the cold greeting. I swore to him years ago I would never speak to him again. Not after everything that happened to bring us fleeing here from the other side of the vail.
“I found my soul bound mate, but attaining her will be problematic at best,” I answer.
“Go on,” he says leaning forward with interest.
“Who she is affects us both. I‘ve made it no secret that I don’t get in the middle of supernatural and human affairs, but she’s smack dead in the center of it, and now I find I don’t have a choice.”
"Well don’t leave me in suspense. Who is the girl that has my cousin tied in knots?” He asks dryly.
“Her name is Remy, and she’s currently being held by Patrick O’Donnell, an enemy we both now have in common.”
I hear his intake of breath, and I swear he mutters, I should have known, which only succeeds to put me further on edge. The hairs on my arms stand, and a tingling sensation runs down my back.
“What do you know of her?” I ask suspiciously.
”She came here for information seeking her brother about two years ago. Right before O’Donnell found, and captured her. I’m the one that informed her she has five soul bound mates. I did not know at the time that you were one of them. When she came here, she had already located four of them.
“Five fucking mates. Bullshit,” I yell.
This is un-fucking-believable. He has to be wrong, but I know with the look on his face he isn’t. Fuck didn’t we just go through that I don’t share, ever. That sharing is caring bullshit can go take a hike. I’m the happy only child. The kid that hoards their toys, like dragons hoard jewels.
“Are you sure?” I ask just to be sure.
“Quite, I tasted it in her blood.”
“You had her blood,” I growl.
“Don’t get you panties in a twist, she made a deal with me, one marked in blood.”
“What kind of deal?” I question.
Nothing is worse or more offensive than another vampire drinking the blood of someone else's mate. I have killed for less.
“That’s between me and her. Maybe she will tell you once you free her. That is the reason why you’re here isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I answer through gritted teeth.
“Then cousin, you will be right where you don’t want to be. You’re the balance of both worlds. Your father is gone, it is about time you start living up to your legacy, and stop skipping out on your responsibilities,” he lectures.
"You’re the reason why my father is dead,” I yell. “So don’t lecture me about choices, Lucas. I’m here now, aren’t I? I’m prepared to do whatever I need to do to free Remy from that monster. Even if it means dealing with you, or becoming whoever the Gods deemed me to be. If I have to accept my birth right to free her, then so be it.”
No sooner than the words leave my mouth, the walls to the building start to shake something fierce, and an abrupt sensation takes over my body, and forces me to my knees. A burning like no other takes over as the marking of what I am is branded to my wrist. Looking down at my arms the symbol for balance circles them, and I can feel the power of my birthright taking hold. For her, I’ve become the person I’ve been running from. A birthright I never wanted to have.
“The Fates have heard your plea, and given you your request,” Lucas says, bringing my attention back to him.
“How exactly can this extra power help? O’Donnell still has Remy, and what he wants in exchange will tip the balance to the human side. To his side, and we both know nothing good comes from the sort of things he’s involved in. He will hunt down every last supernatural, killing the weaker ones, and forcing the stronger ones to do his bidding. He will turn this world upside down, and destroy it.”
“Let me guess. He wants in on your businesses.”
I don’t bother to respond, I just nod as I continue to stare down at my wrists. I have not seen these symbols since my father. A great man who wore them well. A man who did not run from his responsibilities. I am not my father.
“You cannot give him what he wants,” Lucas says, stating the obvious.
“Don’t you think I already know that? I may not participate in your little tiff with the humans, but I do make sure to stay well informed. The shit O’Donnell deals in, I want no part of anywhere near my businesses,” I say flustered, running my hands through my hair.
“What is stopping you from just taking her?” Lucas aks, rubbing his chin.
“O’Donnell has somehow been able to obtain a couple of magical items. One being a shock collar that's been stored away in the palace of Elyeria for many centuries until now.”
“That’s impossible,” he gasps.
“I assure you it’s not. Your past has caught up to you, aligning itself with that psychopath, so you see cousin, this is your fight as well as mine.”
“It would seem so. The False Queen has made her move, and O’Donnell is nothing but a pawn in this long drawn out game,” he says speaking in riddles.
“What does that even mean?” I ask exasperated.
“It means, I need to look into this more. As for Remy, I can get you in contact with some people that can help you,” he answers.
“You mean her other mates,” I growl. My possessive side stirring.
“And her dads,” he replies raising his brow. “Look, I know you’re not the sharing type, but with Remy having four other mates you’re going to have to get over it.”
“Fine, I’ll contact them,” I mumble through clenched teeth.
Remy
My dreams are different tonight. For one Cody isn’t here. My power deciding whatever I’m going to see, I need to see it alone. I hope it’s nothing horrible. I’m starting to get tired of reliving these nightmares of my past, but I was also starting to realize each dream serves a purpose. That maybe my dream walking ability is different because of the prophet blood I received from my mother. My brother’s gift gives him visions, mine come through dreams.
This time I’m high up on a cliff. The same exact cliff I pushed Hunter off of to save him. As if my thoughts alone conjure him, he appears across from me. One of the men that I love more than life itself. My wolf, my Hunter. He’s staring back at me in awe with the same love and devotion that I hold for him, shining in his own emerald jewels for eyes. For a second I feel like he’s really here, thinking I pulled him in my dreams like I do with Cody, but with each step I take forward, he takes one back, until he’s on the very edge of the cliff a step away from falling off.
“Hunter,” I yell, and a glass partition forms in between us.
Pounding on the glass, I continue to scream out his name in my urgency to get to him. To hold him in my arms, and tell him how sorry I am, and how much I love him.
“Hunter,” I scream again, hitting the glass hard enough for it to crack.
Looking me straight in the eyes, Hunter takes the final step falling backwards off the edge into the churning abyss below. Not wasting a second I bang hard on the glass until it breaks, and this time instead of letting him go, I jump off the cliff with him.
The fall is long, and I hit the water hard. I try to surface, but I cannot move. None of my limbs respond to my commands. I just float there in the middle of the sea, and a few feet in front of me is Hunter. At the same time we both reach out for each other. Whatever hold this dream has on my limbs breaking, giving me the capability to move my arm, but he’s still too far, and our fingertips barely touch. I want to close the distance, but with my feet still locked, I cannot.
“Hunter,” I cry out in defeat, and he disappears like a figment of my imagination. The sad look in his green eyes is the last thing I see, as he leaves me alone to the brutal unforgiving sea. Movement to my left has me turning my head, and Cody appears by my side. Grabbing my hand he kisses my wrist, right above the tiny crown dangling from the bracelet he gave me. Taking a step back, he floats out and away from my reach before vanishing into thin air, and another one of my loves takes his place. Silas this time, and then Maddie, Rowen, Conner, Caleb. It goes on and on. Each person I care anything about, circling me like a pattern well out of my reach until I’m alone again, floating by myself.
It feels like I’ve been left alone here forever, lost to my dark thoughts when it’s probably just been seconds when I start to feel that familiar feeling of losing breath. I’m drowning, and this time when I tap into my power it does nothing to help. Frantic, I try to move, to swim up for air, but again my limbs are locked to whatever hold this dream has over me. Suddenly twin golden globes appear above me like the rising sun, and I cling to them like a life raft. A pair of eyes so beautiful that they grab a hold of me, pulling me to the surface.
A pale hand grabs ahold of mine, and pulls me the rest of the way to shore saving me.
I wake clutching my heart as I think about almost dying in my dreams. No need to ask anyone to interpret the message behind it. All of this is fates fucked up way of telling me that I need my fifth mate if I plan on surviving. My family, my mates, the world all depends on me, and I depend on him. A man I can never be with, because of who he chooses to associate with. How sick are you to willingly do business with a man that kills your own people, a man who sells people like toys, and steals children from their parents and raise them to be killers. No I can never love such a man, so fate is wasting its time pairing us together.
I can’t sleep. My mind plagued with unanswered questions brought on from that terrible dream. What will happen to me if I can’t get back to my loved ones? I’m grateful to have Maddie and Silas here with me, but I’m greedy. It’s not enough. I need them all. I miss my cheeky Fae Prince and my arsehole wolf dearly. I miss my dads, and more than anything, I miss my brother. I just got him back, only to lose him again.
“Good, you’re awake. O’Donnell wants you to pay someone a visit,” Hangman says barging into my room.
“At 11 o'clock at night?” I respond, looking over at the clock on my nightstand.
“It doesn't matter the time. What O’Donnell wants, he gets. Now get dressed,” he orders, looking over at my t-shirt clad body with more interest than I’m comfortable with. It’s one of Maddie’s, and falls about mid-thigh.
“Fine," I grumble, marching off to the dresser and pulling clothes out. Whoever I’m seeing better be fucking ok with me wearing a t-shirt and jeans. If not, well that’s their problem, because I’m not changing.
“Happy now,” I retort when I step out the bathroom.
“It’ll do,” he says, grabbing my hand, and I immediately shrug it off.
“I’m perfectly capable of following you. There's no need for you to touch me.”
Frowning, he walks to the door, and I follow, glad he doesn’t attempt to put his hands on me again. It’s too soon since my dream. If it were Silas or Maddie, I wouldn’t question it, but something about Hangman has me on edge. He’s been acting odd since I got here. It’s more than him wanting to fuck me. It’s kinda like he actually cares, which is crazy, right? Or maybe it’s because he suspects something is going on with my powers, and I don’t need him ratting me out to O’Donnell, because at the end of the day, Hangman is nothing but the perfect brainwashed soldier.
We take a series of twists and turns down many different halls. This place is huge, and if it’s Hangman’s intention is to confuse me, then he needs to try better than that. The arse forgets just who he’s dealing with. In my head I’ve marked each and every detail. Like the dead bug in the light in this hall, or the scuff mark on the wall in the hall previous to this one. The stairs leading to this hallway are a lot steeper than the ones leading to my room, and the smell of being newly renovated is stronger in this area as if this hall is barely traveled. Yes, I’m no rookie, or an idiot, so his little evasive field trip is pointless, but I don’t say anything. It’s better to let him think it’s working.
Finally we stop in front of an all black door. Hangman knocks, and then enters without waiting for an invitation, so I follow. Inside the room is Gabriel, shirtless, and in a pair of joggers hanging low on his hips. The man is ripped with all lean muscle, and well defined abs. He’s the perfect specimen of yumminess, too fucking hot for his own good, but still he doesn’t do it for me. I’m only interested in my four mates.
“You can go now,” Gabriel orders Hangman.
“I don’t know, I might stay to watch,” Hangman replies back.
“Unless you want to watch, bella here ride my dick, get out. I don’t share my toys."
Giving Gabriel a parting glare, Hangman leaves me alone with the vampire.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so comfortable. Being a kept vampire is going well for you,” I say, filling the silence.
“Take your clothes off, bella.”
“Excuse me,” I growl, staring the arse down.
Using his vampire speed, he’s in front of me before I know it. Pulling me to him, and leaning in my ear he whispers “I do not have a lock on my door. Anyone can barge in, and they expect to see you naked and in my bed, because that is what you’re here for, now take your clothes off or I will, and trust me if I do it, you will only have scraps left to put back on.”
“Fine,” I hiss, stepping back. Looking him straight in the eyes, I kick my shoes off, and pull my shirt over my head. Next I wiggle out my jeans, and kick them away across the floor.
>
“Happy now?” I question, standing in front of him in nothing but my bra and panties.
“Take the rest off, bella.”
Grinding my teeth, I do as he says, practically ripping my bra and panties from my body until I’m completely naked.
His excuse makes sense, but I can tell he’s enjoying this. His lusty gaze takes in my naked body, and the bulge in his pants proves just how affected he is, and I’m sure he’s hoping this visit doesn’t have to be entirely professional.
“Go lie down on the bed,” he orders in a gruff voice.
If the order came from one of my mates, I would find this whole thing hot, but since it’s Gabriel, I’m irritated, and want to rip his eyes out his sockets for looking at me. Stomping over to the bed, I do as he says, getting under the blankets in an attempt to cover myself.
Not deterred in the least, Gabriel gives me a wicked smiles as he hooks his joggers, and pulls them down slowly exposing his very large, very hard erection.
“Keep staring at my cock like that, bella, and I might rethink this talking thing, and bend you over my bed, and fuck you into submission."
“So cocky. I will never allow you, or your little prick inside of me.”
“Liar, bella. My cock isn’t small,” he says huskily, crawling to me on the bed, until his big body is hovering over mine up under the covers. Bracing his body, he lowers himself on top of me, and I can feel his hardness between my thighs, the velvety softness brushing against my skin.
“You’ve had your fun. What is it you need to tell me?” I growl through clenched teeth.
“Are you always this impatient, bella?”
“Gabriel,” I grumble.
“Fine, bella. I’ve been in touch with your brother and Oreo. I’m working with them to get us both out of here. I’ve told them about your little predicament with the collar.”
“What did they say? Do they know a way to get it off me?” I question as a blossom of hope starts to bud in my chest.