"Not yet, my Enthrall."
Bex scrunched her nose like a petulant child and looked up with a storm in her eyes. "I'll wager one of your lives." She pointed to the row of servants. "Where is Wyle?"
"He was sick, your Enthrall."
"He was probably sick with worry that I'd kill him today."
"No doubt."
"So, if Jade dies, no one dies. If she lives, one of you dies. Maybe two. I'll see how my mood is then." She motioned for him to step back and turned to the ornately dressed fairies that surrounded her. One of them, Surani, wore a dress made of leaves. Her dark skin was iridescent with crushed beetle powder.
"Thank you to my allies for being present on this momentous occasion. We are here to celebrate what it means to be a fairy. What it means to have a clean heritage. We are not half-breeds or abominations like Jade. We who sit here all have the gift of fairy mothers and fairy fathers. We are the selected ones to rule the supernatural world. The shapeshifters will bow to us once again."
Jeremy stood up. His hair made of raven's wings seemed to suck the light from around him. "Long live the fairies. Long live Bex, our Enthrall."
They gave a fairy cheer. They chattered their teeth in a rippling effect, sounding like crickets. The sound filled the room. Bex smiled approvingly at her allies. She wondered which one she'd have to kill next to protect her position.
* * *
Jade stopped at the warehouse. It looked like no one had stepped in or out of it in years. She walked around the entire building to see if there were any openings.
She stopped at a low window near her feet. A piece of wood rested against the wall nearby. She held out her hand and moved the wood. She was glad Alejandro wasn't there to spy on her.
She wouldn't be able to fit inside. She looked around making sure she was alone and slipped out of her clothes. She left them by the window and shapeshifted into a cat. Her body convulsed and she fell to all fours. She felt her body compacting in on itself. Her hands shrunk down into small black fur covered paws. She didn't feel the agonizing pain like she felt when she shapeshifted into a dragon. She was glad.
Jade looked inside the empty room with her enhanced night vision and pounced on the dusty floor. She saw a mouse scuttle by and shook her body until she convulsed back to her natural form. She grabbed her clothes and boots and used her cell phone's flashlight function to make her way through the large building.
Her phone rang. "Crap." She fumbled with it, almost dropping it. She managed to save it from falling and answered Seven in a whisper.
"What?"
"We're coming anyway."
"I'm here already."
"So are we."
She hung up her phone and heard a sound. She was ready to defend herself and was ready to attack.
It was just a stray cat. It darted away as Jade approached.
Jade saw a staircase and noticed there was a light on. She walked softly and approached the room.
Someone was behind her. She could feel it. She spun around but it was too late. She was clobbered on the head and fell to the dusty floor. The last thing she saw was green high top sneakers.
* * *
Wyle dragged Jade into the room.
Henri walked up and asked, "Is she going to be okay?" His color drained from his face, seeing his daughter slumped against Wyle.
"Yes, she’s fine. I will have to tie her up momentarily, like her friends. She’s stronger than she knows.”
Henri wrung his hands, “Don’t hurt her.”
“I told you, Mr. Delacourt, the only way to save Jade is if she's far away from Bex tonight. My group, the Disorder, wants to allow supernaturals freedom. Who cares that Jade doesn't have pure fairy blood? Some of us don't. My daughter doesn't. She's half human. I hide her in another state and only see her four times a year. She's five and I've only seen her about twenty times. Is that fair?"
"No, it's not. But why'd you kidnap me?"
"It was the only way to protect you both. There was no telling when Bex would figure out you were in town."
"How'd you know?"
"Hey, I'm not telling you all of my secrets."
"Well, I'm very worried about my daughter. You said the Faction and the Order are after her? How can the Disorder help against those two giants?"
"By instigating an age old war. Several poison pomegranates were delivered to a certain home tonight. As we speak, Bex is devouring fruits full of tiny worms that have been dining for several days on the deadly Malekinton tree. She should be suffering severe pain and hives right about now."
"I don't want to kill anyone -- I'm a law abiding citizen," Henri said.
"She won't die, but she will be sick. That should shift her focus from Jade to the Faction, if only for a few days. My advice to you is getting Jade out of Atlanta, and I mean fast,” Wyle said.
Jade heard voices. One was her dad’s voice. Her eyes darted around the room, landing on a man talking. She turned her head and saw her father. Her heart raced and adrenaline pounded through her, waking her up. She closed her eyes and focused her mind and unlaced the tightly knotted rope.
She threw the chair back and looked up as Seven and Alejandro appeared.
"He's mine!" she yelled.
She jumped and landed on Wyle. She punched him and he fell into the cheese platter he had meticulously cut thirty minutes earlier.
"What's going on here? Cheese? Are you not even tied up? Did you plan this, Dad?"
"No, of course not. I really was kidnapped." He crouched down and picked up the fallen cheese. "I told your mother this wasn’t going to be a good idea. I’m not cut out for this. Your mom and I are supernaturals, yes, but we’ve put that life behind us. We’re just concerned about you, Jade."
"Did he hurt you?" Jade asked. She grabbed the rope and walked towards Wyle to tie him up.
Seven pushed Wyle in the chair, “You’re not going anywhere.”
"No need to tie him up. He's on our side." Henri said. He smiled. "In the beginning, I was scared, but then I listened and it makes sense." He walked to the refrigerator and poured them sparkling water as he recounted what he and Wyle discussed.
Jade raised her eyebrows, "This is a lot to take in, but you are safe. Thank goodness. We've got to get you home to Mom."
"I'll take him back," Alejandro said.
"It's a two-hour drive. Are you sure?" she asked.
"Anything to keep your mom from wanting to skin me alive."
"Thank you, both of you, for helping me find my dad."
"I'm coming back," Alejandro said.
“You don’t have to,” Seven said.
"Remember I kept my promise to you. I found your dad," Alejandro said.
"So did I, Jade. But I'm not flaunting it in your face like he is," Seven answered.
"Actually, I found him," she said
Jade hugged her father. "Take care of him, please,” she said to Alejandro. Alejandro leaned towards Jade and whispered into her ear, "I know you're a supernatural, but I won't tell."
He smiled and walked away with Jade's dad.
"What did he tell you?" asked Seven.
"Nothing important." She wondered what Alejandro would do with his knowledge, now that he knew. She had been careful never to show him. She'd have to be more careful, she thought.
"So, is what my dad said true?" she asked Wyle. She swallowed hard, hoping she wouldn’t have to hurt this man.
"Yes, it is," Wyle answered with a meek smile. His left eye was bruised. He leaned toward Seven and said, "I'm sorry about your brother, David. He was a good man."
"What do you know about that?"
"I know that Bex was behind Androk killing him."
Seven walked to the dark corner of the room and clenched his fists. His body convulsed as he partially shapeshifted. He paced and growled. He clawed at the walls leaving slashes in the drywall floors and let out a low howl.
The room was silent.
Seven turned to Jade. His face held the shadow
features of a wolf. The traces of wolf disappeared until he looked human again. His face was contorted with grief and anger.
"Bex is going to be quite angry at the Faction," Wyle said.
"The Faction?" said Jade.
"You didn't tell her?" Wyle looked at Seven.
Seven sighed and said, "I didn't think you wanted to know that Bex isn’t the only one after you. That's why I don't like Alejandro. What if he's part of the Faction?" He paced while he continued to fume with anger.
"Alejandro?" Jade asked. She couldn't imagine her neighbor, the one who hoarded fancy lotions, who had been over at her house for countless family dinners, to be part of the Faction. She shook her head.
Wyle held his hand up. "The Faction is a group of humans who hate all supernaturals and hunt them."
"Why didn't you tell me, Seven? How am I supposed to learn about this new world if you don't tell me everything?" she asked.
He moved closer to her. "I didn't want to scare you during your first day of being a supernatural. This time, yesterday was your Awakening." His voice was soft.
"Yeah, and if you don't tell me everything, I may not make it to tomorrow night."
"Well, the Disorder is—"Wyle began.
"The Disorder?" Jade said.
"We are a group of supernaturals who believe you are not an abomination. We believe in equality for all beings."
"Wow, this is a whole new world. Between the Order, Faction and Disorder, I mean, really?" she said.
"See what I mean? It's overwhelming, isn't it?" Seven said.
"Well, the Disorder sent those poison pomegranates to Bex. She won't die, but they will make her sick. She'll be busy seeking vengeance. Their mini war should buy you a few days. I would leave Atlanta if I were you."
"What about my family?"
"I'd stay away from them for now. Don't bring any attention to them. It's not safe for you here. Eventually, you may want them to move, somewhere the Faction and Sasha can’t find."
She looked at Seven. "We made a vow, so now I have to help you find your brother's killer. We'll do this together." She held his gaze.
Wyle cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but I have to go back to my dreaded job. Bex will not like it if I’m late."
She walked up to Wyle, "I'm pissed you kidnapped my dad, but if it was to protect him—“
"I’m sorry, but who knew what Bex would do? Jade, just be careful. The Disorder needs you. You're the only one who can stop Bex and the Order," Wyle said.
Seven walked up to Jade after Wyle left. "He's a strange one."
"Yeah. But he helped uncover the truth of what's going on. Thanks for protecting me, but no more holding back. Tell me everything."
"Okay." He was silent as he looked at her. "I think I need to stop running from being an Alpha and get some of their help. They're pretty mad at me, but we need them if we're going to have any chance of winning."
"Okay, but promise me, no secrets."
"No secrets." He stood with both hands slid in his back pockets. He crossed the fingers on his right hand.
* * *
That night, Wyle returned to Bex's side. Her skin was puckered as her body fought the poison.
"Don't touch me, damn it!" She flung one of her guards to the wall. "Wyle, where have you been?"
"I was sick."
"I sent someone to look for you, but they couldn't find you."
"I'm here now."
"This is the Faction's doing. If Gregory doesn't die tonight, I will murder every last one of you."
Androk laughed, "It will obviously be me. I'm the only one of us who is worth anything. Consider it done." He brushed past Wyle, almost knocking him down.
"Fetch me my jar of frog's tongues. That's the only thing helping my skin." Bex collapsed back into her bed and shrieked, "Kill Gregory tonight!"
* * *
Alejandro felt his phone ring every few minutes as he drove Henri back home.
"Aren't you going to get it?"
"It's probably Sheila."
"Oh, yeah, Sheila. You two broke up, what, two months ago?"
"Yeah, she was clingy."
"Hey, you'll find someone soon."
"Yeah, but I'm busy lately."
"With what? I know you'll be heading to college next year."
"This summer's been hectic. I've been helping at my dad's office lately." Alejandro could feel the vice clamp down as Henri began with his dad questions. He had a way of asking them that made him want to run out of the room.
"Jade's been asking about you lately. She thought you moved away." He laughed.
"Just stuff. You know."
"No, I don't, Alejandro. That's why I'm asking."
"Well, we're here, Mr. Delacourt. I'll keep everything quiet. I promise Mrs. Delacourt won't hear anything from me."
Rosa walked to the car with her hand on the small of her back. "Thank God you're back."
Henri and Rosa disappeared into their suburban home and he recounted the events of the last several hours.
Alejandro answered his phone. It was Mikas. He rolled up his car windows as he sat in the Delacourt’s driveway.
"Hello?"
"Gregory's dead. There's a meeting tonight at the Old Mill. Be there in half an hour."
* * *
At the Old Mill, Alejandro walked past large rusted farm tractors that had weeds growing out of most of them. There were a few lanterns lighting the dark room that smelled of wet hay. He noticed most of the members were present. The Faction headquarters were in Los Angeles. This group of Supernatural Hunters was small but dedicated. They were old and young, and all different ethnicities. Mikas Hambry stepped forward.
"My fellow Factioners, Gregory is dead. There was a note left written in his blood. It was the fairies."
The room was full of murmuring and gasps.
"Listen, all supernaturals aren't as bad as we've been told," Alejandro said.
"Is that right?" Craig yelled. "Oh, it's because he's soft on Jade. She's one hot thing, I'll give you that, but she's got to die."
“Didn’t your mother get killed by a supernatural? How can you go and start falling for one? That doesn’t seem true to Faction beliefs.” A teen girl said who stood near the back.
People cheered.
Mikas clapped loudly and held his hands up.
The room grew silent.
"The Faction in Los Angeles is making a bold move. I spoke with them on the phone today and we've decided this evening that a radical shift must occur to gather new members and to stop the supernaturals. A new leader for our division has been chosen. He's a young man who lost his mother to supernaturals, yes. He’s had connections with the supernatural world. He’s going to be a new and fresh face for the Faction,” Mikas said. He walked near Alejandro and held Alejandro’s hand up.
People cheered.
"Our new Faction leader for the Southeastern division is Alejandro Bienamie."
"What? I can't."
Mikas whispered in his ear, "Denial will be an act of offense. We know how acts of an offense are handled, right? You don't want that for your family."
He swallowed hard. Alejandro felt the room shrink. He saw scowling faces and other faces smiling. He felt his hand being pumped in over-enthusiastic handshakes.
He heard himself saying, "Thank you."
He walked out of the Old Mill, feeling shattered. He had to kill Jade.
Mikas walked by his side and stopped. "Alejandro, we expect you to bring Jade to us by tomorrow afternoon. No excuses."
Alejandro began to speak but thought better of it. He nodded his head.
Mikas placed a hand on Alejandro's shoulder. "That's a smart response. See you tomorrow. Oh, and if you don't bring her, consider our previous conversation."
He called Jade. "Hey, it's me."
"Where are you? I tried calling you."
"I visited my grandma. She needed help with something."
"That was a late visit."
"You know my
grandma; she's always up to something. Hey, I was thinking. You know that hotel that we stayed at with our parents — where we saw our first concert a few years ago?"
"Yeah, the—"
"Don't say it."
"Okay, Mr. Bond."
"Seriously, who knows who's listening? Anyway, meet me there."
"Lobby?"
"Yeah. Where's your tiger man?" Alejandro asked.
"I don't know. He said we'd meet up tomorrow." She understood Seven needed time after David was killed.
She hesitated, "You didn't tell anyone back home about what happened here, did you?"
"No. That's our secret,” he said.
"Thank you. Some people are against supernaturals."
"Not a word from me. You can count on me, Jade. Don't tell Seven where we're going."
"Why not?" she asked.
"Just don't. I'll meet you at the hotel."
Alejandro dialed Mikas, "Hey, meet me at the Westmorgan hotel in about three hours. Yeah, she'll be there."
He thought of his mother's death and knew he was doing the right thing. He just might like being head of the Faction, after all.
Seven
Jade had only had her powers for about twenty-four hours and so much had happened. She couldn't keep a tally of all the crazy she'd experienced. She sat in the hotel lobby of the Westmorgan Hotel and sipped her lemonade.
She thought of the kiss with Seven. It was exciting, but she imagined he had kissed thousands of girls. Seven was sexy, that was true. But she didn't feel comfortable with him like she felt with Alejandro.
She shook her head and stirred her drink with her straw. She was so aggravated by Alejandro. He was always so… she didn't know how to complete the sentence, but whatever it was, it got under her skin.
She looked up and saw Alejandro walking towards her. Maybe it was because of all they'd gone through, or maybe it was because he knew her secret, but she trusted him fully, now.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Alejandro asked.
"I'm tired and I need to sleep."
Alejandro checked them into a room.
Jade's Awakening (Delacourt Saga Book 1) Page 6