Birthrite (Legacy Series Book 2)

by Max Ellendale

  "Eva must be a witch," I said then suddenly remembered the phone in my pocket. I pulled it out and sighed when I saw that I had no service inside the mountain. "So much for that." I turned it off and tucked it back in my pocket to reserve the battery.

  "Caden is going to be so pissed off when he finds out who's responsible for this," Xany said.

  "Yeah, us. This never would have happened, Xee, if we had just stayed where we were supposed to." I pushed myself up to standing. "We need to find a way out of here."

  "Then we would have never found the hoarders." She looked around, then back to me.

  "We haven't found anyone, Xee." I gestured toward the empty cave.

  "Did you hear that?" she asked, her body frozen, poised as if she were listening to something in the distance.

  "The only thing I heard was you talking."

  "I don't think we're alone down here," she said as a satisfied look washed over her face. I looked down into the darkness of the cave.

  "What do you feel?" I asked.

  "Fear. But I'm not scared really, are you?"

  "Kind of, I guess." What kind of question was that? Of course I was scared. We were at least thirty feet deep in a solid rock cave miles from the cabin with no mates in sight. Not to mention it seemed like every pack bond was severed. I rubbed my chest. I'd grown accustomed to the fullness of the bonds that ran through me. Now I was left with emptiness again. I watched Xany and reminded myself that, even though I couldn't sense her right at that moment, she was still there. Just as Mal and Caden were. And Vanessa.

  "C'mon," she said and led me into the darkness. I stopped to pick up one of the oil lanterns. Xany took my hand and we followed the beam of my outstretched light.

  "How deep do you think this is?" Xany asked after we had walked for what seemed like forever.

  "It's a mining cave." I pointed to some of the marks on the cave walls. "It could go on for miles."

  "Great," she said. "I hope there aren't any bats."

  "Bats are the least of our problems." I squeezed her hand. If bats were the only thing we found in this cave, I'd be happy.

  We walked in silence and followed Xany's heartstrings down into the chasm. I thought about Mal and Vanessa and a lump rose in my throat. Vanessa would come home to an empty house, and Mal probably knew by now that I was in danger; our bond would tell him so. Caden was probably equally worried about Xany. I had let them down by being irresponsible. I was supposed to be level-headed and careful. I know how dangerous it is to wander out while there are collectors on the loose, but I let this happen. In a way, I was even more responsible for our predicament then Xany. I knew better.

  "Will you stop it? You're distracting me and I can't feel properly." Xany's whisper was harsh.

  "Stop what?"

  "Feeling guilty, and sad, and scared. We're going to get out of here. Caden and Mal will figure it out. We'll be easier for them to track, and you heard Eva, she can't keep up with the magics," Xany said.

  "The magics." I perked up. "Vanessa will be able to follow the magics right to here. If Caden tells her we're missing, you know she won't sit back and wait." A sudden bit of confidence shot through me like an arrow.

  "That's for sure. She nearly killed Mal the last time you were kidnapped," Xany said.

  "The last time I was kidnapped... This is becoming a really bad habit. I'm starting to think that drinking was safer."

  "Drinking is bad for you." Xany repeated her usual mantra as her eyes focused on the darkness ahead.

  "And this is good?" I smirked.

  "Being kidnapped is bad for you, too, but it's easier to rescue you from it," she said through a light giggle. "You're not as rude while being kidnapped."

  "Xany, I swear if we get out of here I'm going to—"

  Xany broke my threat by covering my mouth. She tapped her ear and pointed ahead. I nodded and took her hint. She dropped her hand and I listened. From somewhere deep within the cave there were echoes. The sounds ranged from soft murmurs to something that sounded like sobbing or coughing and then suddenly there was a loud wail of a baby crying. My eyes welled up as I looked to Xany.

  "I think we found their nest," she whispered.

  A dull light appeared at the end of the tunnel. We walked toward it, hand in hand, as the voices grew louder. When the tunnel ended, we were thrust into a rounded area carved into the mountain. Lanterns hung on the walls and the room stank to high heaven. There were a few old mining carts and equipment that had been left behind. As we stood there taking it all in, the room went silent and nearly a dozen sets of eyes fell on us.

  "My God." Xany's whisper carried on an exhale.

  A woman pulled a swaddled baby closer to her chest while another cowered in the corner under a tattered blanket. There was one little girl who seemed about three years old and a young boy who stood in the center of the room with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed. I recognized him from the papers.

  "They're scared of us," I whispered to Xany, who nodded.

  "We're not here to hurt you," she said softly. Some of the women squirmed uncomfortably. "Alice? Are you in here?" Xany called out.

  A young woman jumped up from the floor. "I'm Alice," she said.

  "Barron is looking for you," Xany said and led the way into the room. Alice seemed to breathe when Xany mentioned Barron's name. The rest of the women showed signs of abuse. Their arms and legs were covered with cuts and bruises that showed through the tattered remnants of clothing. Some had visible glyphs, the tell-tale triple scratch mark of Breeder ancestry, imprinted on their skin. Others didn't and I imagined they were human. Many of the faces were covered with bruises and lacerations. The stench of neglect radiated from the place. There was only one male in the room, and despite his stern appearance, I could tell he was scared out of his mind. He looked to Xany and spoke.

  "Who are you? How'd you get here?" he demanded.

  "The same way all of you got here. Sander and Eva kidnapped us," she answered. Some of the women shared glances. "There are people looking for all of you. A lot of people. They know what's going on but they're having a hard time finding this place," Xany said. No one seemed to be comforted by the statement. "How long have y'all been here?" Xany asked. A few women stood up. I could tell that, despite their fear, they wanted to trust Xany.

  "A week."

  "Two weeks."

  "Three days."

  "Six months."

  Several voices rang out. I looked to the woman with the baby, who must've been there the longest. I had to do something. I couldn't let Xany bear the whole burden of gaining their trust. We all needed to get out of here together. I approached the woman and crouched beside her.

  "It's been much longer for you," I said.

  She nodded then kissed the baby on the forehead. None of the people in the room seemed to be older than twenty-five. Xany approached the woman with the three-year-old and I overheard her tell Xany that both she and her daughter were taken together. As we made our way around the room, a rush of stories began to fill it. The women spoke of how they got here, the families they had left behind or the packs that they had left in order to be independent. We were right about the Breeders and none of them were unknowing Lost Ones. The boy watched Xany and me. It was as if he was the ambassador and protector of the women. When I came to Alice, she was still wearing her work uniform.

  "Alice," I said. She wiped her eyes as I crouched in front of her.

  "Have they hurt you?" I whispered.

  She shook her head no before meeting my gaze. "They hurt the others. I've seen them do it," she whispered.

  "We're going to try and get you all out of here," I told her. "I need you to keep calling for your pack. Just think about them, draw them to you."

  "I tried," she said as tears slipped down her cheeks. "It's not working."

  "It might start. Eva's magics aren't holding up. We need you to keep trying to call. And for Hank too," I said. Alice nodded and wiped her eyes again.

  I p
laced a gentle hand on her forehead before I continued moving through the room. There were people who had injuries and infections. One woman had an arm that was badly mangled. Xany and I made our way back to the center and to the boy who had taken it upon himself to act as guardian.

  "What's your name?" Xany asked him.

  He glared between us. "Dylan," he said, though his lips were pursed.

  "Dylan," Xany said. "Something tells me you're the one who has been trying to keep all these people safe.” His nod was faint. "I need you to tell me about Sander and Eva. How long are they usually gone?" Xany asked.

  Dylan seemed hesitant at first. "Is it day time?" he asked.

  "It was when we entered," Xany answered.

  "They hunt in the daylight. They scope people out. They wait until dusk to take them. They took all of us around that time. Then they come back," he said. His eyes widened. "That's when things happen." Xany nodded to him. Dylan tapped his watch and moved away from us to take a seat beside the woman with the baby.

  "We don't have much time, Xee." I bit my lip as my mind started to wander to the horrors that had happened inside this cave.

  "I know," she said. "We need to find a way out, or a way of taking them by surprise." Xany paced, back and forth, her finger in her mouth. Desperation wrinkled her forehead. I thought about what she had said and the entrance to the cave. There was no way we were going to be able to go out the same way we came in. Not with injured people and children.

  "Xee."

  She looked up at me.

  "I think I have an idea..."

  Chapter Nineteen

  "Do you think it will work?" Xany asked.

  "What choice do I have other than to believe it? You, me, and Alice, we're all of the same Sept. That, in itself, is helpful. You're the Alpha-Breeder of our pack and pretty much second in command. That gives us an even greater chance. The hardest part is getting everyone else to believe that they can do it and feel like they're really a part of this," I said as my hands trembled with anxiety. It was getting more difficult by the minute to block out the thoughts of never being discovered and all of us dying in the cave together.

  "So if we, in a way, initiate them into our pack, we might have a better chance of calling for the others?" Xany summed up.

  "Larger pack, greater power." I nodded. It wasn't a totally crazy idea. I'd heard about it before. Packs are about bonds and the people dedicated to togetherness.

  "What if they come back first?" Xany shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

  "Even if we get some of them to believe, the fear will act as a pull to Caden, Mal, and Hank. You have to be the Alpha right now, Xee. Caden isn't here so it's up to you." I put my hands on her shoulders and squeezed. She stared at me for a moment before a wave of confidence seemed to rush through her. Her posture broadened and she nodded once just like Caden does.

  "You can do it. Don't worry about telling them secrets. This is for the greater good," I said. Xany hugged me then turned to look around the room before her eyes fell on Alice.

  "Alice," she said and waved her over. With her knees wobbling beneath her, Alice stood and walked over to us. "We need your help," Xany said, "These people have a bit more trust in you than they do in Shawnee and me right now."

  "Not much." Alice's voice was wary.

  "But even a little is better. We have an idea. If we come together, like a pack would, our own pack of Breeders, and a human or two, we might be able to attract the Sept easier," Xany's voice was calm and steady. In a way, I envied her sturdy nerves.

  "We'd need an Alpha to make a pack." Alice slouched a bit when she heard the plan.

  "Xany is the Alpha. She's Caden's mate and he's not here, nor is the Beta. That makes her in charge," I told Alice, who immediately perked up.

  "We have to convince them though, that they're part of it, and we don't have much time to do it in." Xany seemed to take note of Alice's newfound confidence and jumped back in.

  "I'll help," Alice said and looked between the two of us.

  "Thanks, we can do this..." Xany took a deep breath then broke away from us to stand in the center of the room. When the distance between us grew, my heart slammed in my ears as my anxiety seemed to magnify. I closed my eyes for a moment and thought about escape. We could get out of here; it was possible. I looked up at the brownish rock ceiling. In the very center, a thick hole let in a streak of light from the setting sun. If only there was a giant ladder in here, I'm sure one of us could fit through it. Xany's voice broke my fantasy.

  "All right people, listen up. We have a plan, but for it to work, everyone is going to have to work together," Xany announced.

  All eyes were on her. There was some reluctance and disbelief in the expressions of the women in the room. Wrinkled brows and rolling eyes told of such. I imagined they'd exhausted all efforts at this point. Dylan, however, seemed to have settled into the idea of accepting help from us. His brows were raised and he watched Xany with what seemed like a glimmer of hope. The woman with the three-year-old held her protectively. I took my place beside Xany to get a better view of the room as most of the women moved together and gathered in front of Xany. Maybe they had more hope than I thought. One of them looked vaguely familiar as she caught my gaze before drawing her eyes to Xany. While she spoke to the group, I made it my job to remain aware of our surroundings. Jugs of water were tucked into the corners of the room, some empty, and oil lanterns lined the stone walls. In the far corner, a small patch of earth was covered with freshly turned dirt. It was probably the spot for waste. There was no food, but there were plenty of dry bones and fur scraps.

  "Do any of you know what it means to be a pack?" Xany asked the room.

  Most of them nodded, except for Dylan and a frowning young woman huddled beside the woman with the baby. Xany nodded to Dylan and the woman before she began explaining.

  "A pack is a family, usually a wolf family that consists of Changers, or werewolves, and Breeders. Sometimes humans are a part of packs if they can handle it. Usually the Changers are in charge, but that doesn't mean us Breeders don't have a say. When our Changers aren't around, it's up to us to run the pack. You're all gathered under the authority of a Sept run by my friend Hank. There are five packs under Hank's Sept. My mate, Caden, is one of the Alphas, as is Alice's friend Barron. They're out there right now, searching, but Eva's magic is blocking them," Xany said. I watched her eyes move from face to face. Her voice was steady and compelling. She had a way of making people feel safe and, if I didn't know her, I might've believed her.

  Most of the women seemed comforted by Xany's speech. Dylan narrowed his eyes at her, but I got the sense that he had seen enough to believe every bit of what she was saying. The Breeder with the baby whispered to the human woman huddled beside her, who was becoming more distressed as Xany spoke. Xany glanced to me to see if I had anything to add. I shook my head. She turned to address the group again.

  "I know this is scary, and we all want to get out of here safely. Do any of you have questions?" Xany said. No one spoke. Some people shook their heads, though one woman glanced around before raising her hand.

  "What's your name?" I asked.

  "Laura," she said.

  "I'm Shawnee. Do you have something to add?"

  She nodded. Laura trembled while she spoke but stood up; her face contorted with pain, as I realized her other arm was draped across her middle, mangled and broken. "The woman, Eva, she...she's using stolen magic," she said through chattering teeth. Xany glanced at me with a lifted brow and mouthed "stolen?" I shrugged and went over to Laura. I didn't have to be an empath to recognize the terror in her expression. Her eyes were wide and she trembled when I got closer.

  "How can you tell it's stolen magic?" I asked, and tried to keep my tone as even as Xany's.

  "She...she has a crystal, around her waist. It's pink and sits on her hip," Laura said through her shivers. My doctor instincts kicked in and I started to wonder if her broken arm had caused her some
level of shock. "That's...that's where she keeps the magic."

  "Thank you for sharing that with us," I said and, as cautiously as I could, reached out to touch her arm. "May I take a look?" I asked. Laura shook her head, and pulled her arm close to her torso.

  "Shawnee's a doctor," Xany said. "Don't be afraid."

  Laura glanced from Xany then back to me. It took her a moment but she met my gaze. We shared a long stare before she relaxed some and allowed me to touch her arm. I took her wrist in mine and examined the injury. Even without an x-ray, I could tell just by the bruised skin and the protruding bones that her wrist was broken in a twisted fashion. It was healing in a painfully distorted position. Every eye in the room watched us.

  "Why should we believe anything you say?" the human woman said. "You expect us to believe that you two are, so-called Breeders as well and here to save us, and now all of a sudden you're a doctor? If we couldn't save ourselves, what makes you think you can save us?"

  Xany went to speak but I shot her a look that said, "I'm doing this." She didn't stop me and I wrapped both hands around Laura's wrist. I pleaded with Gaia to make this work. We had to convince everyone to join us and what better way than healing a wound in front of them? Everyone watched me with Laura, and when the sudden indigo glow burst from my hands, radiant and bright, the room erupted into gasps and whispers. Beneath my fingers, her body warmed, tendons slithered and recoiled while bones popped back into place. Laura was frozen, her mouth wide open, as she watched her own body accept the healing. Xany gave me a nod of approval and her shoulders broadened when she turned to address the group again. Laura lifted her hand as the glow faded and I shook out my hands. The heal had been intense and my palms burned. She turned her arm over and her glaringly obvious glyph caught my attention. Right on the spot where her wrist was broken sat three coin-sized claw scratches that resembled a tattoo. Laura rushed over to show the others her arm and looked back at me with wide eyes.