Charm (Black Sheep of Faery Book 3)

by Harley Gordon

  "I thought you were the cavalry?"

  Ignoring her, I bend and contort my body until I slide my legs through my arms and my hands are in front of me. All those boring yoga classes Red took me to paid off. I prefer sword training with Jackie.

  Back on my ass, I rip at the laces of my boots using fingertips and thread it between my wrists and through the zip tie and then tie the laces of my boots together. I bring my knees up and lift my feet from the ground and start sawing by kicking my legs side to side.

  In seconds, the tie snaps and I'm free.

  Cinderella gapes at me, impressed despite herself.

  I slide a bobby pin from my hair, and slip it between her hands. "Turn this into a knife."

  She closes her eyes and a dagger appears in her hands. A really pretentious dagger with blue jewels sparkling on the handle like someone went crazy with a bedazzler. I take it from her and slice through the ties on her wrists. She bites her lip and rubs at the raw flesh.

  She'll live. I'm not so certain about Dantès. I collapse beside him and check his wounds. Claw marks are slashed across his chest. Deep ones. I fold one of the blankets into a sloppy square and press it into his chest. There's not much else I can do down here. I rip the scarf from my neck and with Cinderella's help, wind it around his torso and tie the blanket to him. Thankfully, Fae aren't prone to infection, so stopping the bleeding is the most important thing.

  I lean down to whisper in his ear. "Come on, Edmond. You're the Count of Monte Cristo. You can't lose against some pathetic excuse for a beast. Wake up. Please, wake up."

  His breath rattles in his chest.

  A rat emerges from the shadows and Cinderella shrieks.

  I hiss at her. "Shut up. You'll bring them down here. It's one of Bo's."

  "How do you know?" She eyes the rat with disgust.

  "Because look what it brought us."

  The rat drops something from his mouth. My hands are busy keeping Edmond's blood inside his body, so Cinderella approaches warily. The rat merely watches her as she picks up a ribbon from the floor.

  "What good does a ribbon do us?" She holds it out away from her from two fingers.

  "Two things. One, it lets us know they know where we are. And two, you can turn that into a garrote."

  A wicked smile slashes across her face as the ribbon transforms in her hands.

  "I need something that can stand on its own. Preferably something heavy. Even better if it has wheels." I can't really make things fly so there's not much I can do with an animated sword or gun or dagger. They can leap a little but it's better if they can move on their own.

  Cinderella turns the kennel into a wardrobe. We're free. Sort of.

  Those idiots have no idea who they're dealing with. I press my hand to the wardrobe and it shudders to life. She even added wheels along the bottom so it can move swiftly.

  Soon, we have a pile of weapons from our excess of clothes and belts and hair pins. I'm certain Dantès won't mind we borrowed his belt and his scarf. I check on him again and close my eyes in slight relief. The bleeding’s stopped and he's breathing a little easier.

  He still isn't waking up though.

  "Perhaps you should kiss him awake."

  I give her a flat look at the suggestion. "This isn't a fairy tale."

  She picks at the scabs forming on her wrists. "In a way it is. Our current situation isn't much different from the original tales. You should still try it."

  "I'm not molesting him while he's unconscious." Part of me is tempted, willing to try anything to see his eyes open.

  "Fair enough. But we can't exactly carry him out of here either."

  She's right. I hate that she's right. He has to wake up.

  I wish Bo's animals could communicate with me and give me some sort of ETA.

  Edmond whispers something. My heart lurches and I lean down over his face. "What? Dantès? Wake up. You have to wake up."

  "Belle."

  "Yes. It's me. Come on, handsome. We're supposed to spend days in bed. This wasn't what I had in mind."

  "Told you to call me Edmond."

  He says nothing else and my stomach drops and hope shatters into shards around me.

  A thump comes from upstairs and Cinderella and I exchange horrified glances.

  Chapter 35

  I look around us in a panic. "Maybe we shouldn't have changed the kennel yet."

  "I'll change it back. You hide the weapons."

  I nod and shove them all around Edmond's body before covering him and them with the remaining blanket. The kennel reappears around us, hopefully in the same position as before. Cinderella hurries over to me and we sit side by side with our arms behind us.

  If they check, we're screwed, but if they stay outside the kennel, we should be fine.

  It'll be fine.

  Footsteps stomp on the stairs. More than one pair.

  Cinderella's hand inches over to mine and we clench our fingers together. The Beast and August enter, glaring at us.

  "It's like the golden boy of high school and the creepy nerd who does his homework."

  I bite back laughter at Cinderella's muttered words. Especially considering how valid it is. August looks like a vapid though handsome man who doesn't understand the word no, and the Beast looks like the guy you try to stay away from at Comic Con because you just know he's going to tie you up in his basement.

  Matching scowls line their faces at our whispered words and mirth.

  I grin over at Cinderella. "I think we're supposed to be weeping and shivering in fear."

  She nods in false seriousness. "They definitely were expecting more hysterics."

  I tilt my head. "Is it because we're women or princesses?"

  "Both. And because they're idiots." She looks at them like they're old gum on the bottom of her shoe.

  "Indeed."

  We probably shouldn't be antagonizing them this way, but I can't resist and clearly neither can Cinderella.

  Edmond moves the slightest bit against me and I stiffen. As much as I want him to wake up, if he does so now he might uncover the armory hidden about him.

  Cinderella notices and we both quiet, eying the princes warily.

  "May we help you?" Cinderella tires of the silence.

  August steps closer to the cage, wrinkling his nose like our smell personally offends him. His face personally offends me. I liked it better when it was dripping with dirty mop water. I have to remember to tell Cinderella that story. She'll love it.

  His face transforms when he smiles. It's creepy. "I came to see if you were awake, my darling wife."

  "As you see, I am. I had quite a nice nap. The accommodations could be better of course. But I've lived in worse."

  "Before I pulled you from the muck."

  Her glower has the strength to turn him to stone. "You seem to be confused. That's fiction. None of that actually happened. I know it's difficult to separate fact from fiction, but do try a little harder to keep them straight."

  Outrage darkens his face. "It may not have been the same as our story, but my money certainly improved your station."

  "Your money?" Cinderella's laugh is shrill. "You came to life as penniless as everyone else."

  "Yes, and everything I made, you stole from me."

  "I didn't keep a cent of your filthy money. I put it all into children's charities. Everything I have, I built myself." She tosses her head.

  The Beast ignores their conversation and glares at me. I lift my chin and glare back. I refuse to show fear, I refuse to roll over.

  The animal part of him blazes from his eyes as they turn yellow and his hair grows. I force myself to keep my breathing steady as the Beast explodes from the prince and a terrifying crossbreed of a bear, lion, and water buffalo takes the man's place.

  August and Cinderella forget their argument and stare at the Beast. He lifts his head and roars, his teeth flashing in the dark basement. His clothes lie in tatters on the floor.

  Cinderella and I scoot th
e slightest bit closer to each other and I brush my foot against the hidden sword. I was hoping to wait for Pan to show himself before we battled the princes, but if it gets Cinderella and Edmond out of here, the plan can change.

  August turns tail like the coward he is, and runs upstairs.

  With a scornful expression pasted on my face, I wait for the Beast's temper tantrum to run its course. It's not as scary as it used to be. Now, he just seems like a spoiled brat who hasn't gotten his way.

  It's boring. I'm bored.

  I lean my head closer to Cinderella. "He'll tire himself out eventually." Since his hearing is better in this form, I don't tell her he'll be easier to fight now since he's expended so much energy. If he changes back to human, he may not have the strength to return to his beast form. And the skinny human will be easy to take down even with his supernatural strength.

  He stomps around the basement, sending things crashing to the floor, growling and spitting his fury. Cinderella trembles against me. I'm more concerned it will wake Edmond and he'll give us away.

  My mouth opens to antagonize him some more, but I snap it closed. I want him to leave. If I piss him off, he might come in here after us.

  Fur sinks back into skin and a pale, naked man stands in front of us, his chest heaving. "You used to be smarter, Belle. You used to know how dangerous it is to make me angry."

  "Actually, I'm much more intelligent than I used to be. I've learned I have no reason to be afraid of you. There's nothing frightening about a pathetic, spoiled, skinny brat of a prince who is the same as every troll on the internet sending unsolicited dick pics." I've been hanging out way too much with Bo. I have never had much of a filter, but the sarcasm is new.

  Or perhaps it's Cinderella's influence. She has a gift for insults.

  The Beast's bows furrow in confusion.

  "He's been in prison for the last century. He has no idea what the internet is. And he still thinks a troll is an ugly, lumpy, Fae. Which is also appropriate. And he's giving us a live version of a dick pic right now, so really, you couldn't have crafted that more perfectly." Cinderella's stage whisper carries, bouncing off the walls of the basement.

  "I'm grateful for your approval."

  "You should be."

  The Beast wraps his hands around the kennel bars. "Enough," he roars. "Because of you, I've been locked away. You cursed me in a much worse way than I was cursed in my story. I'll forgive you, but you will have to pay for what you did."

  Cinderella and I stare at each other for a moment and then burst into laughter. "Did he really just say that?"

  I shake my head sadly. "There must not be a very wide range of books available in prison."

  She scoffs. "Like he knows how to read."

  The Beast splutters, roars, and slams back upstairs.

  Cinderella pulls her arms back to the front of her. "Well, that worked better than I expected."

  I stare at the basement door. "Why was I so afraid of him?"

  "They terrorized us when we were at our most vulnerable. It's hard to get past it. And it's almost harder when you realize you've spent the last century still being afraid over nothing."

  I check on Edmond, and he looks better. His wound is a lot smaller and his face has color in it again. I just wish he would wake up. I brush my hand down his cheek.

  "Hey, gorgeous." His eyes remain closed as a smile flickers on the edges of his lips.

  My breath stutters. "Dantès? How long have you been awake? How are you feeling? I'm so sorry I got you into this."

  "Help me up and I'll answer all your questions. If you promise to call me Edmond."

  Cinderella and I grab him under his arms and lean him against the kennel wall. He sucks in a sharp breath and lets out a muffled groan. I wince in sympathy.

  "I'm all right, Belle. I'm healing. And I woke up right around the first roar. I didn't move because I had a dagger poking me and figured it would be a better plan to play opossum. I was hoping to hear more weeping over my impending death, but apparently the two of you had more important things to do like poke the bear walrus thing."

  Relief crashes through me, making my tongue sharp. "We did everything we could for you, you're fine."

  He fakes a pout. "When the knight rescues the princess, he's usually a lot nicer than you."

  I pat his shoulder. "Buck up, princess. I'll be nicer to you once we get the hell out of here."

  "I'll hold you to that." His eyes flare, making my cheeks heat.

  "Are you two done flirting so we can actually make our escape?" Cinderella halts her pacing and puts her hands on her hips.

  "Pan hasn't shown yet."

  Cinderella resumes her pacing. "I've been here for two days. He's long gone, Belle. Whatever he released them for, he's moved on to his next project."

  I sit back on the heels of my feet. "It doesn't make any sense. He even left them with the relic." Nothing he does make sense. I've determined that's why he keeps winning. He has no active plan. He must be flying by the seat of his pants which is why we can't trap him, can't get ahead of him. He doesn't even know what he'll do next. I'm convinced of it.

  Edmond groans when he changes position. "Maybe since we neutralized the dragon, we screwed up whatever else he had planned."

  "He still managed to leave a large mess. I want him found." I'm terrified to imagine what he'll do next. What mess he'll leave in his wake.

  Edmond slides his hand down my back. "Let's get those assholes locked back up and then you can focus on Pan."

  I lean into his touch, thrilled he's awake. I was worried I'd never feel his touch again. "We're still waiting on the signal from my Librarians."

  "You've made yourselves quite the armory down here. Which is for me?" He searches through the weapons Cinderella made.

  I nudge him with my shoulder. "You can have first choice, princess."

  "How valiant."

  I wink at him. "Anything for my damsel."

  Cinderella stomps her foot. "You two are making me ill. What's the plan?"

  I haul my focus back to the situation at hand. "The plan is to either kill or capture all three of them."

  "What will the Premiers have to say about it if we kill them and the human news gets word the princes they love are dead?" she asks.

  "I'll deal with Mary Bennet and the rest of them if it ends up being necessary. I suppose we can take them in alive if we can, but they cannot escape." I imagine throwing the Beast's head at Mary's feet like a shotput. The thought makes me smile.

  "Music to my ears. August is mine." Cinderella chooses a pair of daggers.

  "And Philip is mine." Edmond chooses a sword.

  I take the remaining daggers. "This divides up perfectly."

  Cinderella tries to see out of the tiny window. "We can't keep waiting around for the others. That rat arrived an hour ago."

  "They'll be here any minute. They may already be here getting into position."

  "Are you sure we weren't supposed to give a signal?" Cinderella turns back from the window, the glass too dirty for her to see out of.

  I scoff. "Of course not. What if we couldn't...wait. Shit. I can't remember what I told Red." I rack my memory, but come up empty.

  Cinderella rolls her eyes. "How you have lasted so long as Head, I do not understand. You're brilliant but so unorganized and scattered it's ridiculous."

  "Thank you for the backhanded compliment."

  She inclines her head. "You're welcome."

  "If we're supposed to give the signal, what is it supposed to be?" Edmond asks.

  "Screaming."

  Chapter 36

  Edmond sucks in a deep breath and screams. I grimace at the high pitched sound.

  I remove my hands from my ears. "That wasn't exactly what I meant."

  He grins. "You want them down here, right? So they don't have an easy escape route."

  I huff an annoyed laugh. "I meant their screams would be the signal."

  He shrugs. "It works both ways."

/>   The door upstairs slams open. "I guess it does."

  The three of us stand shoulder to shoulder, weapons in hands. Maybe I should have kissed Dantès one last time. Just in case.

  Angry princes burst through the door, stumbling into each other at the sight of us free, armed, and the kennel gone. It's also the first time I've ever seen Philip in person.

  I am underwhelmed at the experience.

  August and Philip rush us while the Beast tries to transform behind them. Cinderella and Dantès split off from me to take on the princes while I move for the Beast. I send the wardrobe to block the door so they can't escape, ignoring the fact we can't either.

  We won't need to.

  The Beast only half transforms, his fingers ending in claws, his teeth lengthening. I gag at the sight of the monster rippling beneath his skin. Years in prison have shattered his control, and it was never very impressive.

  I move in close with the pair of daggers, sending a belt whipping around his feet. He leaps back and slams his hand down on my right wrist, but the left dagger glances off his ribs and he trips and falls on his face when the belt tightens around his ankles.

  One of his claws scrapes down my thigh on his way down and I smother a yelp, almost choking on the flaring pain.

  He yanks me with him and I end up sprawled and bleeding beside him. I scramble back, making sure the belt ties around his legs into a triple knot so he can't free himself without slicing through the pleather.

  He flops over onto his stomach and crawls towards me. I kick out at his face, but I miss.

  "I'll never let you go. You're mine."

  I snarl, my hand slipping in my own blood. "I'm no one's. But I'll never be yours."

  "You choose that instead of me?' He thrusts his clawed hand in Edmond's direction. Edmond and Philip are locked in a sword fight. If Philip touches Edmond even once, he'll fall fast asleep and Philip will kill him. I have to finish this, so I can help Edmond. He's still weak from blood loss.

  "No. I don't choose you. I choose myself." I kick at him again, but this time he grabs my leg, squeezing hard until I scream at the fire shooting through my thigh.

  I throw one of my daggers at him face and it's enough for him to loosen his grip on me and I kick at him again, this time smashing right into his nose with a crunch. He roars and blood gushes down his face.