by Mia Hawkins
I am outside in the forest I had just been picturing. “How did you just do that?” the man still holding me asks, and not very nicely either.
“What do you mean, how did I do that; I didn’t do anything!” I practically yell back at him. As if realizing he is still holding onto me, he pulls his arms back quickly, like my mere touch burns him. Thankfully for him, I am wearing a long sleeve shirt, so he didn’t have to actually touch my skin.
“I demand to know who you are!” I am pretty sure this is the guy they called Xavier. How could I forget him with an attitude like that? I have to keep myself from flipping him off. This guy is definitely someone who needs to get his ass kicked a couple times. I look up into his face and see his hatred for me plastered all over it. He may be an ass and look like he despises me, but he is very handsome, and his eyes are the most captivating green I have ever seen. Not that I would tell him that.
“Who am I? Don’t you think you should know that before you kidnap someone?” I am trying to get my temper under control, but it is just not working.
“Only a high fae can phase, and there are only five left besides me. I know all of them, but yet I don’t know you. So I will only ask you one more time, who are you?” Xavier challenges, like everything he just proposed was the most logical thing I have ever heard.
“Are you insane? Do you hear yourself? I am most certainly not a fae. Do you see pointy ears?” I point to my normal ears to further prove my point.
“The noble bloods don’t have pointy ears,” he scoffs at me. I just can’t deal with this level of crazy, so I turn and try to run, but he reaches for my arm.
Instead of my arm, his huge hand grabs mine. The moment his skin makes contact with mine, my hand starts to tingle. It feels like a thousand tiny little shocks spreading up my arm. I look up into his face and notice how truly gorgeous he is. His face softens as he looks at me, and I lean into him a little, his woodsy scent consuming my senses. When I am looking at him, it feels like the whole world just falls away. It is just me and this beautiful man in front of me. Until I start feeling this itching in my head. It feels like my brain is on fire. I try to pull my hand back so I can grab my head, but he is not letting go. His face no longer looks like himself, his once green eyes are glowing gold. What in the actual fuck? I scream out as the pain in my head becomes unbearable. Just as I think I will pass out, someone rips my hand from his.
“What do you think you are doing?” a male voice shouts as I am pulled into someone’s arms. He smells like cinnamon and pine, and I can’t help but curl in closer to his chest. “You could have killed her,” the person holding me growls as he is obviously angry at whatever Xavier has done to me. I don’t have the strength to open my eyes and look around. I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck and then left in the desert for three days. I can feel my body shaking as I try to focus on what they are saying.
“You guys said there was more to her, so I took the opportunity to find out what she knows. She knows nothing; she is completely useless. Last night must have been a fluke. I have no idea why the council wants her, but now that we know she can’t help your little wolf problem, we can hand her over.” That is the last thing I hear Xavier say before the darkness consumes me.
Chapter 8
Rayven
I am standing in a vast clover field when I wake up. The birds are chirping, and I can feel the breeze on my face. Something about this place calls to me, and it feels like home. “Ray!” I hear behind me. Only one person calls me that. I spin around and throw myself into the arms of the only person I have ever been close to, the only one who I’ve known since I was five, Gabriel. I sometimes dream about him, and I am always left wishing it wasn’t a dream. I pull back and look into his eyes. These dreams always feel so real. Every detail about him is burned into my mind, and I just can’t seem to forget him. From his golden blond hair to his blue eyes, he is your typical boy next door. His hair is a little longer than I remember, but it looks good on him.
“Gabe! I am so happy to see you,” I say as I bury my head back into his shoulder.
“We don’t have much time, Ray. I have tried to talk to you, but you are getting stronger every day, which means your mental barriers are getting stronger as well. Did something happen to you?” Dream Gabriel asks.
“Let me tell you what happened! You’re not going to believe this shit. So here I was, just minding my own business, you know, being a badass and stuff.” I wink just to add a little theatrics. Dream Gabriel laughs like I am the funniest person on earth. That is what I love about him; he has always been my person. When I needed him, he was there—and usually with some pretty good advice. Maybe that is why I don’t find it weird to tell him everything in my dreams. I didn’t have any secrets when we were together in real life, so why would I hold back in a dream? I let everything out, from how tired I was of running and fighting for my life, all the way to the big baboons kidnapping me. The whole time, he patiently listens, not once interrupting.
As soon as I finish blabbering about my life, I break down. I normally don’t cry. There is nothing wrong with crying, but I feel like my crying switch broke a long time ago. It just doesn’t happen for me. But being here with Gabriel, dream or not, and talking about everything that has happened has made me a sobbing mess. I didn’t realize how much I miss him. I don’t let myself think about him for just this reason. “Damn dreams!” I say, trying to lighten the mood. From the look on Gabriel’s face, I don’t think it worked.
“Ray, I am going to be as honest with you as I can. Things are not going to get any easier for you. People want you very badly, and most of them don’t have good intentions. I know that you are aware there is something different about you.” He looks at my shoulder with my mark on it, like he can see it through my shirt. “That difference makes you important. There has never been someone like you before, and there never will be one like you in the future. You cannot trust people like you did when we were younger,” Gabe says with a look of sadness in his eyes.
“What makes me so different? And how do you know about that? I never told you anything about my mark.” I rack my brain trying to remember everything I have told him in my dreams, then it hits me. He is part of my dream; of course he would know about my markings, as he is essentially a part of me.
“Ray, things are not as simple as they seem. There are things that you cannot know until you are ready. Just know that no matter what, one day we will be reunited,” Gabe says as he takes my face in his hands and looks me straight in the eyes.
They always say the eyes are the window to a person’s soul, and I am sure Gabe is seeing everything I feel for him. His lips softly brush mine, and I breathe in at the slight contact. It’s like that little touch was enough to break his self-control. His mouth crashes into mine in an all-consuming kiss. My hands are on his firm chest before I even know what I am doing. He reaches around me and lifts me up, and I instinctively wrap my legs around his lean waist. We kiss each other like we can’t get enough as my hands make their way around his neck and up into his hair. Gabe lets out a deep moan and pushes me up against a nearby tree. I don’t want this to end; even if it’s just a dream, I don’t want to leave. As if he can sense what I am thinking, he pulls back a little bit. Now that I am not so focused on Gabe, I notice everything is starting to get blurry, like I am looking through dirty glasses. He grabs my face and forces me to look at him.
“Rayven, I—” was all Gabriel could say before everything is gone.
Chapter 9
Rayven
I wake with a start, unsure of what is going on. I am back in the purple room, but I know I am not alone. Looking around the room, I see three of my four kidnappers. The crazy one named Xavier thankfully is nowhere to be seen. “Don’t try to sit up too fast; take it nice and slow. Matthew, get Rayven some water,” the one with black hair says.
“Chaice, right?” I say, looking at the one barking orders. He nods.
“Are you ok? We had no idea Xavier w
as going to do that. We came as soon as we felt your pain.” I look from him to the twins, and their faces all have different emotions written on them. I can sense anger, sadness, but also excitement, which confuses me. I have always had a keen sense of what others around me are feeling. That is another reason why I hate being around people. I have my own emotions to deal with, I don’t need theirs. “What do you mean felt my pain? You mean heard me yell because your psychotic friend tried to fry my brain?” I try to keep the anxiety out of my voice, but I am pretty sure I was almost screeching. I have no idea who these people are or what they want, but something tells me it’s not good.
Dream Gabe told me not to trust anyone, and I am assuming that definitely includes my kidnappers. Although, when I look into Chaice’s eyes, the walls around my heart soften. The looks on their faces make me want to put my trust in these men, whether I just met them or not. “We had no idea he was going to do that; we didn’t even know where he took you. I promise he will not do anything like that again. You are safe here,” he tries to reassure me. I like how he didn’t actually answer my question.
“Safe,” I scoff. “You realize you guys kidnapped me, right? You chased me, took me from my home, and locked me in a purple room! I HATE PURPLE!” I yell. In the scheme of things, the room isn’t really that big of a deal. I have just hated the color purple since I was little. Whenever families came to look at the orphans, you always had to look your best. It was like this big event. I got my hair braided, and I always got put in a grape colored dress. The color always reminds me of not being wanted and brings up memories I would rather not think about. So why not throw that on the list of stuff they have done to piss me off?
“You’re right, we have not been very forthcoming. Why don’t we start over? I am Chaice, and this is Alex and Matthew. We are here because we have a huge problem and we think you could be the key to solving it.” Chaice stops and waits for me to respond. I honestly don’t know what to say, so I just go with the basics.
“Hi, my name is Rayven, and I think you all are stark raving mad. I would like to go home now.” I try to sound as sweet as possible, but even to my own ears, it sounds forced.
“Ok, Sweetheart, we know that you have no reason to trust us, but I have a feeling you have been left in the dark most of your life. I’m sure crazy things started to happen to you, and you had no one to talk to about it. The only thing we want to do is help you find out what you are capable of. We saw firsthand that you can defend yourself, but I think you can do more. Tell me I am wrong, and we will let you go back to your life in Valley Junction,” Alex says as he sits on the bed beside me.
I know I could very easily lie to them and tell him he is wrong, but something inside of me wants to trust them despite what Gabe said. Maybe it’s my hormones running rampant, or maybe it is the way Alex is looking at me right now, but I don’t think they would do anything to put me in danger or hurt me. Gabe’s warning is still fresh in my mind though, so I just go with the basics. I won’t give them any more information than I have to. I look at all of them clustered around me and steel my spine. I could always let them help me and then ditch them when I learn more about myself. My chest tightens at the thought of leaving them, even though I don’t know them. Damn, these men are making me go crazy. “Ok, you’re right, I can run a little faster than some people, but that is about it. I don’t know what all you expect me to be able to do. And how do you think you could help me?” I look at Alex for the answer.
“Well, let’s start out with some simple questions. So first, what were your parents?” Chaice speaks up before Alex has a chance.
“Um, what do you mean what were they, like were they doctors or were they European?”
“No, I mean, were they fae, shifter, mage or dragon?” Alex asks. I laugh nervously, waiting for them to say just kidding.
“Wait a second, you’re telling me you have no idea about what you are?” Chaice looks baffled by that fact.
“Well, I grew up in a foster home, so it’s not like I had anyone to ask.” I suddenly feel almost ashamed about my past. Like I missed out on some grand knowledge only kids with loving parents get. I can see the pity in all of their faces, and I don’t like it.
“That’s ok, this is why we are here now,” Alex says with a smile.
Chapter 10
Matthew
She is nervous; I should offer to hold her hand. No, let Alex do that. He’s much better at comforting people than I am. Man, she is beautiful. My wolf whines in agreement. I knew from the minute I saw her fighting those rogues that she was mine. She might not know what she is, but I have no doubt she is a wolf shifter. I had to fight my wolf to not rip Xavier’s arm from his body when I felt Rayven’s pain. She doesn’t know it yet, but the moment my wolf scented her, a bond was formed, at least on my side. I don’t know how she doesn’t know about her wolf; mine is pretty hard to ignore.
I guess if you grew up thinking you were normal, she could assume it was just her conscience. Unless, what if she has never shifted? Her animal side would still be lying dormant. If that is the case, how has she survived this long without releasing her power? I can feel it radiating off her, but she doesn’t even seem aware of it.
She turns her head to the side to look at Chaice. I should probably be paying attention to what they are talking about. As she sweeps her flowing black hair over her shoulder, her amazing scent fills my nose. I am instantly hard, so I discreetly readjust myself and try to focus back on their conversation. As I look at her shoulder that she just moved her hair off, I can see some sort of tattoo. I need to see what it is. Something about the little bit I’ve seen rings familiar.
I walk over to her and pull down the shoulder of her long sleeve shirt. She jumps back.
“Ever heard of asking permission?” she says accusingly.
“Where did you get that mark on your shoulder?” I ask, hoping that it is not what I think it is.
She looks away sheepishly and responds, “I think I was born with it.”
“Did it ever change? Did anything else happen around the same time?” I ask. Rayven looks to the others for back up, but they know that I might not talk often, but when I do, it is important.
“It lit up and then got darker on my sixteenth birthday. That same day, I was able to do everything else.”
Just like that, the breath leaves my lungs. “Can I see it again?” I ask, crossing my fingers. If her markings are what I think they are, she might just be more important than we think.
She pulls her shirt down over her left shoulder, and there it is. The mark I have been looking at in books for the past decade. I wasn’t supposed to be able to get my hands on those books, but being quiet has its perks. What also got my attention was that below her marking is a birthmark that looks just like the one I have been looking at in the mirror my whole life. It is her mate mark, and just like I knew it would, it matches mine. Looking at my brother, I can see shock and happiness written all over his face. Does he realize she is our fated mate?
The likelihood of someone finding their fated mate is so small that we are raised to believe it will never happen. That is why my brother and I were both promised a neighboring pack’s daughter. The joining would make both packs stronger. If you mate with someone who is not your fated mate, you only get a small portion of the power boost you would get with a fated. From what I hear, your connection is not nearly as strong as fated couples either.
I feel bad for Xavier and Chaice. Like wolf shifters, they can mate with someone who is not meant for them, but their chances of having children are next to impossible. They need their fated mates in order to be able to have kids. It’s pretty sad really. That is why their numbers are so low. There have been a few cases of mixed species children but not many.
“I think I am ready for something to eat if you have anything. I feel like I haven’t eaten in ages,” Rayven says with a beautiful smile on her face. My heart flutters at the sight, and I can’t believe she is all mine. All I wa
nt to do is lay her down and mark my claim on her. I fight my wolf back to keep from pouncing on her right now.
“Follow me, Rayven. Let’s get you some food.” I hold my arm out, and she places her hand in the crook of my elbow. With her this close, her fragrance invades my senses. She smells like a mixture of vanilla and coconut. I can’t seem to get enough of it, and neither can my wolf. He makes sure to let me know how happy he is that she is touching us. If he were a cat, he would be purring right now. I lead her down the hallway into the kitchen and let my brother take her to the table while I start pulling out all of the ingredients to make the best PB&J that Rayven has ever tasted.
Chapter 11
Xavier
“When did everything become so difficult?” I ask the air around me. It was supposed to be so simple. Find the prophecy, bring her to the council, and I would be able to finally have my future mate back. The council found out she had gone rogue, and they took her. They knew I wouldn’t be able to kill Delilah; she is one of the sweetest people I have ever known. She is not made for violence, so when I found out she went crazy, it broke my heart. They knew if they had her, I would stop at nothing to get her released and healed—even if I need to sacrifice the life of another to do it.
“They don’t understand!” I say as I throw the nightstand at the far wall. No one understands me like Delilah does. She might not be my fated, but she is as close as I will ever get. I met her right after my parents died, and she was the only person I had to talk to in some of my darkest years. The guys all left and had their own lives, while I was all alone. We became really close, so when her father, the Fae King, decided I would be a good fit for her, I was overcome with joy. But the night he decided that we would be mates, she was taken. I felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest.