by Kim Schubert
The silver haired woman hung her head, “We are, but I was lonely and Destiny was…” She faltered, searching for the right word.
“Kind and available,” I finished for her.
She nodded, meeting my gaze.
A door slamming above our heads had everyone shutting up and looking up, waiting. Destiny’s heels clicked against the wooden steps leading down, and while the stairwell blocked us from watching her progress, we all tracked it by the sound.
She was smiling again, carrying five dark strips of cloth, each four inches wide.
“Since I don’t have the time I’d like to properly torture you, we will have to move forward this way.” She sounded resigned, put off that her torture would have to wait.
“You aren’t strong enough to spell those,” Jerry enlightened her.
She laughed, laying the dark pieces of fabric down. “I don’t have to be.”
“Jaelle, come here,” Destiny commanded.
The necromancer’s chain rattled as she stood to her full height, looking down at the smaller woman. “Don’t be difficult, darling,” she chided as Jaelle fought the command. “Enchant these five blindfolds with the shared memory spell.”
Jerry pulled at his bonds. I sure as shit had no idea what was going on, but based on Jerry’s attempt to escape right in front of our captor it wasn’t good. Or perhaps the memory of his that she wanted us all to see wasn’t good. It was hard to determine his motive.
With a few soft words and a silver glow, Jaelle complied.
Destiny tied the blindfold on her first before shoving her back to the soiled blankets. Jaelle landed in a heap, declaring, “You will regret your treatment of me.”
“Not while you are spelled and bound,” Destiny countered. Cocky bitch.
I was next, stiffening at her close proximity and unknown magic. I pulled back only to get slapped across the face. “Difficult,” she hissed at me.
I smiled as she tied the offending fabric behind my head. “I try.”
That earned me another slap across my open side wound.
I didn’t enjoy having one of my senses cut off, and I strained to hear what was happening.
“There, now we can really begin. Jerry, reveal to me your kills.”
I plunged downward, my vision blackened as I hitched a ride on memories that weren’t mine. Looking out through eyes that didn’t belong to me, I could no longer feel my body, but I felt anticipation at gaining my sweet revenge.
My head tilted down and I took in my reflection against the darkened glass where he waited for me. The only man who ever cared. The only one who came when the rest abandoned me. I didn’t care that his soul was black and that he was using me to further his own agenda. He offered revenge and vengeance, for my family that was taken from me by a brutal murderer.
Clenching my fist, I used my other hand to push the silver reflective aviator glasses back up my nose, the sweat from the midday heat causing them to slide.
I was rewarded for my patience in the sweltering heat, watching the teenager flounce down the stairs in her teal dress, laughing with her friends who waved goodbye before she headed to the empty gym. The same place she went every Thursday to meet her pathetic excuse of a boyfriend. I smiled, knowing exactly what she would find.
The scene changed and Jerry’s dark hands were wound against the teenager’s neck, pulling not only the subtle magic into his body but also her life force, binding the two together.
“Excellent, Jerry,” his mentor crooned, excited and aroused by Jerry’s skill and ruthlessness.
We left behind the gym for a darkened forest where we followed prey larger than ourselves. Stealth was our ally. Our magic wasn’t strong enough to confront him head on, yet.
Around another corner I peeked over my shoulder seeing no one else on the path. Making my move, I sprinted on silent feet, jumping onto the giant’s back and wrenching, as quickly as possible mingling the two powers of life force and magic into my own body. Taken by surprise, the giant had no time to throw up his shields.
The faces flashed by one after another, after another, until we looked down to the last. Our mentor.
“Jerry, you don’t’ have to do this.”
“I do.”
“I did it to help you.”
“You killed everyone I loved, and turned me into a murderer with their souls locked within me! Trapped forever inside of me!” I screamed, horror over what I had become finally sinking in. “You used me in your own sick and twisted game.” Lowering my face next to his I whispered “Don’t worry, I won’t take your soul. I’m done with that.” With one swift pull I took his massive power, merging it with my own before thrusting the dagger into his heart.
Jerry was screaming in real time. I jerked against my bonds at the sound. That was a lot to take in.
“Heartless bastard,” Destiny whispered. “That was my father!”
Rapid breathing punctuated the silence before Destiny barked out her next command.
“Olivia, show me all you know about the Fae.”
No, no, no, I whispered, not sure if the words were making it past my lips as I was flung into a memory I had buried down deep.
Chomping on my gum, I watched Six lecturing at the board. “The Fae are powerful magic users. Their ground game leaves much to be desired, but not many can get close enough to utilize that advantage.”
Seven scoffed next to me, “Like, no one.” I turned, looking at her fire red hair. “It’s a fucking suicide mission,” she informed me yet again.
I shrugged my sixteen-year-old shoulders, not giving a fuck. The door opened to our classroom, Six freezing in front as my Lord Master entered the room. Disgust clawed at my gut, but I hid it, kept it all hidden under layers of false sexual desire.
“Come with me,” he said, laying a hand against my calf. My feet were propped up on the white desk in front of me.
With a carefree smile I slid out of my seat. “See you all on the flip side,” I called out, not sparing a look behind me as I followed my Lord Master. The fucker probably wanted a quickie before I got sent to certain death.
The door to his room slid open and I followed him to where I shouldn’t be, but we had broken this rule often enough. The smooth metal sliding home had my hands wanting to ball up and kill him. I fought the urge. Soon, but not yet.
He came at me with a growl, pinning my body against the wall before making short work of our clothing. Passion, that’s what the books in the library called it. Exhausting acting is what I called it. The fool always bought it, though, or rather didn’t give a fuck as long as he was getting off, repeatedly. I’m certain my performance wouldn’t have fooled a more observant bed partner.
Getting dressed, I changed from my jeans into working leathers, pulling a slim vest over my dark shirt. Lord Master watched me, still sitting naked on the bed. “They aren’t letting me come with you.”
“I know,” I answered softly.
He might have been a rapist, but he was my rapist and he worried after me, protected me from being passed around. It wasn’t much, but I would take it.
“They are up to something.”
Tying my dark blond hair back, I shrugged. “When aren’t they?”
He scowled. “Selena shouldn’t be sending you in. There are plenty of other flunkies she can sacrifice.”
“You heard her,” I reminded him, strapping on my throwing knives to my upper thigh, “she has to prove her methods work, prove I am all that she boasts.”
Lord Master scoffed, “It’s dangerous and untried. There’s a reason no one has ever gone after the Fae.”
I didn’t disagree, but I was done getting dressed. If the Fae killed me now, so be it. I couldn’t honestly say I cared. Seven would be pissed at our thwarted escape plan, though.
“Are you seeing me off?” I asked, standing in front of the door.
He shook his head, turning away. I walked out into the dark hallway, making my way to operations. No one stopped me. Though I was a
lone trainee wandering the halls by herself, people knew me. Knew my killing reputation, knew the son of a bitch I was tethered to. Knew I was the leading experiment in my group. They gave me a wide berth.
The operations door slid open the same way the Lord Master’s did and I took my place against the wall as the General debated strategy. His dark skin glowed with an eerie blueish haze in the darkened room as they went over their plan.
He watched me against the wall, his eyes roving over my body with interest, followed immediately by guilt. He didn’t like my Lord Master. He called him a pedophile on more than one occasion. I still hadn’t figured out what that word meant. Selena had just laughed.
“Four,” Selena purred, “please come here.”
Her voice was soft and gentle, but I knew better. Madness beat within her skull.
I nodded, saying nothing as I came to stand between her and the dark-skinned General. Selena might be crazy, but she was observant, watching her General’s interest in me. I looked over the maps in front of me. She made a soft tsking sound before turning to the information in front of us.
“Tell us what you see,” Selena commanded, her voice hardening.
I blinked, taking a second and third look, disappointed as I looked up at her. “These are of the human’s home, not of the Fae lands.”
“Very good, why does that upset you?”
“I’m walking in blind.”
Selena nodded, her eyes on the General behind me. “Go back to the wall,” her voice clipped. I removed myself from the path of her wrath.
“If this mission fails, gentlemen, I want you to know I will personally collect your heads.”
They all stilled, properly terrified. “Now, let’s be off.”
Hurry this along. Destiny’s voice rushed my ears.
I was screaming as pain blasted my senses apart, my body in pieces as I was sucked into the portal. The fucking Fae knew we were coming. The damn thing opened and everything was being drawn into its inky darkness.
I landed with a thud in the desert, looking around. Many of the generals had not landed well. At least they were spared from this heat. As I rolled to my knees, sweat trickled down my legs and fire burned the back of my neck. Selena stood, wary.
“We need to go for cover,” I said, moving toward her and taking her hand, pulling her to the trees I could see in the distance.
“We were sold out,” she hissed at me.
“I know, but we need to figure out a way home first.”
The trees up ahead shook and stood, drawing toward us. “Fuck,” I hissed, bracing for an attack.
The lumbering giants were in no hurry, and on the plus side provided much needed respite from the sun.
“Selena,” a merry voice called out.
I looked high into the branches before turning behind me. The desert was gone, replaced by the growth of a lush forest.
A short man, thin with dark, olive-brown skin, stood behind us.
“I do believe you were warned of coming back,” he called out in a singsong voice.
“Bob,” Selena acknowledged reluctantly.
“Now, what is the price of this trespass?” Bob continued speaking, pacing in front of us. He stopped, his round eyes lighting up. “I know, your most valuable possession.”
Selena grunted, “Fine, just send me back home.”
Bob laughed, snapping his hands. Selena was gone. He laughed again. “Just wait until she finds out home doesn’t mean the compound.”
Bob’s large eyes met my own terrified ones. “I am truly sorry for what is about to befall you.”
The trees reached down for me, snagging my limbs and drawing me horizontal. It was a vulnerable position, one I hated. Voices filtered through the trees,
“I hear you found a trespasser.”
“Do let me have a go at her, it’s been ages.”
“Get in line.”
I tried to keep the panic at bay. Torture wasn’t new, pain wasn’t an unknown sensation. I could survive it, but for what? I had no way of getting home, no way of getting help. I was trapped here forever.
The first one stood next to me, his cloak so far forward I couldn’t see his face, just two red pools where I assumed his eyes were. My skin caught on fire.
It was days of torture, days and weeks of pain beyond anything I had ever known. They took me to the edge in turns, passing my body around for hours until I was only searing sensations. They cut me apart only to put me back together, bled me out, fucked me, until finally I was broken.
Bob came to me then. “Go home, your father has great expectations for you,” he said with a touch on my shoulder and sympathy in his voice. Then I was back on Lord Master’s bed.
I was screaming as I regained consciousness in the basement, my eyes still covered. I thrashed against the bonds on my wrists, warm blood leaking down my forearms.
Destiny ripped my blindfold off, fear in her brown eyes, her breathing elevated. I was so caught up in my own misery I didn’t immediately see the shifter standing behind her.
“What did you see?” he asked, his silver hair given a harsh yellow glow by the basement lighting. He had adopted a relaxed posture, hands in his pockets, leaning against the stone.
Destiny turned from me, shaking her head. “Bob,” she muttered, moving back behind her shiny tools, giving them a sick look before turning to face him. “We want to contact Bob.”
The shifter nodded before tilting his head up. “We’ve got company. Go.” He shoved her. I tried to track where, but my mind was having a hard time not shutting down.
I could hear the skidding tires followed by a door being kicked in. “Down here!” I screamed, noting the raw taste of my voice.
Heavy footsteps pounded down the stairs as Logan and Darren appeared.
I nodded, closing my eyes. “Shifter magic.” I’d never been so grateful for their ability to track each other. Turning my face into my arm, I pulled my emotions down deep.
Logan came to stand before me. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he ripped down the lumber I was tied to.
“Show off,” I muttered, hiding my face in his shoulder.
My arms flopped down, circulation painfully returning. Logan eased me to the ground.
I huffed, putting pressure on my side.
“What happened, Olie?” he asked.
“Oh ya know, just making new friends,” I grunted.
Chapter 13
Jerry took Jaelle back to the witch’s store in town in order to free her from the chains.
Logan had offered to handle the humans in town, but I thought it would go a long way for me to show up. If nothing else, my bandaged side and swollen face would hopefully dull the complaints I knew were coming.
I walked through the gym with the terrified humans all staring openly at my battle worn self.
Great, another town hall style meeting. Let’s hope everyone wanted to play nice this time. At least Logan was a comforting presence behind me. His hand resting on the base my neck would normally irritate me, but right now I needed the help staying upright.
I braced myself to speak with the terrified humans. “They were too scared to leave,” Logan whispered, leaning closer to me.
“How long was I gone for?”
“Two days.”
I nodded, rubbing my forehead. “Do you want the truth or do you want me to ease your fears?” I asked softly to the eyes trained on me.
Daniels took a shaky step forward, putting on a brave face. “The truth. We’ve seen—we know—“ he fought to form a sentence.
I nodded. “There is far more that goes bump in the night aside from vampires and shifters. They are just the most prevalent. What you encountered tonight was a small fraction of our kind. A witch, a necromancer and her zombie horde. But knowing what they are won’t make you feel better. These beings have always existed. In the past we’d have vampires wipe your memories, but now we’re trying to be honest.
“What will make you feel better is that the zom
bies are dead and the necromancer freed. She will be a powerful ally in tracking down the witch who is responsible for this.” My face hardened. “We are the barrier between humans and the evils of our world. We will never allow our kind to harm yours, and if they do, they will never pull a breath again.”
Logan moved closer to me. Alright, so vampires didn’t breathe, minor detail.
“I know that isn’t enough to ease your fear of what you have seen, but this is the best I can offer.” Something in my face or my raw honesty hit a nerve; Daniels cleared his throat.
“We’ve been talking and we don’t want to become freak central—no offense, but we are going to call this a bomb scare.”
I nodded, it would be for the best.
“Our reports will indicate the same.” Logan’s deep voice washed over me, infusing calm.
I nodded once more before turning away.
Logan drove me back to St. Ann in my SUV. Mark, Darren and Jerry took Logan's car—ha, good luck keeping your clothes magically pressed in that backseat, Jerry. Jaelle had her own transportation after she left the witch’s shop, freed.
I sat in the passenger seat, curled up into myself.
We rode in peaceful silence for a while, my mind replaying the horrors Destiny had forced me to remember. Every so often, a tear would slip down my cheek.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Logan asked softly.
“No,” I answered, turning to him. “Let’s talk about the wedding.”
Logan groaned, throwing me a gentle smile. He would hear about it from Mark. For now, a little distraction was needed.
“Lorraine wants private dance lessons from you.”
I shrugged. “Sure, you want to learn the tango?”
He shook his head. “I have moves.”
I laughed earnestly and while he didn’t look at me I saw the crinkling of the corner of his eye, smiling at me.
“I’ll organize it.”
“We need to talk about centerpieces,” Logan continued. “She wants these tall vases with twigs. Who the hell wants twigs as centerpieces?”
I laughed again. “What about mason jars with flowers?”