Dark Beauty

by C. M. Owens

  “Where the fuck can they be?!” I roar, destroying the living room more thoroughly than it already was as furniture crashes through the windows.

  Dice is on the phone, calling everyone in the world that he knows, and he’s pacing a hole in the yard. He’s the only one doing all he can to find them besides me. Drackus has fucking lost it, and Calypso has been forced to abandon the search to keep him from killing anyone that he’ll regret killing.

  Alyssa and Kane are pounding the streets, demanding answers, and Ella is destroying the other side of my house each time we meet a dead-end.

  Chaz sits quietly in the corner, his jaw working hard as he cracks his fingers. Kya has been impossible to find, along with these fucking twin creature gods she spoke of. Nothing. For five motherfucking days, there’s been nothing found.

  “There’s something we’re missing,” Chaz says, standing up and snapping his neck. “Why would he take them? They can’t do anything for him.”

  We’ve asked these questions, and we still don’t have any answers. Five days. That’s too long. There’s no telling what he has done to them. If they’re even still al—

  “Your brother is dead,” Dice growls when he walks in, smashing his cellphone into a thousand pieces with just his hand.

  “You’ll need to get in line behind me to have a go at him,” I say while doing all I can to stay in control.

  He curses and kicks my table, shattering it before he grips his hair.

  My phone rings, and I swipe the screen without even checking the number, moving out onto my balcony for privacy.

  “What?” I snap.

  “Sounds like you’re a little testy. Have anything to do with a missing girlfriend and a demon hybrid?”

  My whole body stills, and I start worrying I’m hallucinating. To keep Dice from overhearing and losing it before Gavin can demand his ransom, I vaporize away from the house and reappear deep in the woods.

  “Where the fuck are they?”

  “I’m the one with the leverage here, so I’ll be the one making the demands, brother.” His snide tone is laced with an undercurrent of true frustration.

  “I will say,” he adds, “you have certainly found yourself a resilient girl. The demon hybrid is impressive as well. Neither has very good self-preservation tactics, so now I’m turning their lives over to you since I can’t seem to break them. Give me my weapons, and I’ll let one of them live. You get to choose.”

  I swallow hard against the instant knot in my throat. Even if that was an option, I know better than to think he would let either of them live. Gavin makes deals and breaks them in the next breath.

  “No deal. Both of them live,” I say, stalling as I try to think of a plan.

  “Again, let me point out the fact that I’m the one with the leverage. Either you come for one, or you get two dead girls delivered to your doorstep. Your choice. I’ll keep plucking people out of your happy little life until I find the right one who is worth my fucking weapons. Understood?”

  I say nothing, because I can’t make a deal. For all I know, he has an oath spell buried within the words.

  “You have two hours. Meet me at the address I’ll send to your phone. I’ll show you your girls, and you can choose which one will live or die. You can bring one person with you to carry back the dead body. But if I see the king, queen, or Drackus Devall, I’ll kill them both and cut my losses.”

  He hangs up, and almost immediately, a text comes through, and I open it to read the promised address. Waving my hand over my phone, I try to turn it back on, hoping he maybe slipped up and I can hear him without his knowledge. But he’s made sure to thwart off that magic.

  “You’re taking me with you.”

  Chaz’s voice startles me, and I shake my head. “No. Don’t take this wrong, but I need someone stronger than a duster to get them out. He didn’t put Ella off limits.”

  Chaz’s jaw ticks as he takes a step toward me. “Ella isn’t going anywhere near your fucking psychotic brother. I can help you get them out—both of them. I can do shit you wouldn’t believe. But we need a third person. Someone who can walk through protective barriers, deny the laws of magic by wearing a face they don’t have, and do so despite the spells that keep someone from masking their identity. It’s the only way we can get them both out without detection, because I won’t be able to hold out for long.”

  That has me tilting my head. “What do you mean?”

  He sighs long and hard. “I’ll tell you, but you can’t tell anyone else, and you can’t ask questions.”

  “I’m good with that if you promise you can help me get them out. But what about the other part of your plan?”

  “Isn’t obvious?” he asks, motioning toward the woods. “We need a witch that walked amongst the light council and all the protective spells. She can wear any face at any time, and she can fool them. I can’t get them both out while you distract him, because what I have to do will leave me weakened. At most, I’ll be able to dust out one before I have to drop the veil, but she can help me get them out if they don’t know she’s among us.”

  As confusing as that sounds, I don’t ask questions. Not yet. Time is too valuable to waste. I’m sure everyone realizes I took Sadie, so I’m not surprised he has figured it out.

  “This way,” I say, grabbing his shoulder and returning to the cell I didn’t plan on seeing for a few centuries.

  We disappear and reappear in the cell. Sadie looks up just as we appear, but her eyes move aside.

  “Come to gloat?” she asks bitterly. “Go ahead. I deserve it.”

  A tear slips out of her eyes, and guilt that I shouldn’t feel tugs at me. “We don’t have time to deal with the pity party,” Chaz says, speaking before I can. “You need to break the blood oath and release my friends. Now. Then you can have a chance to earn your freedom.”

  That vow isn’t his to make, but under the circumstances, I allow it.

  She rolls her head back meeting our gaze once more, and her dirty appearance is cleaned up with the use of my magic, freeing her of the filth that might dissuade her to deny us. If we let her go, she’ll probably run, but it’s the only choice we have.

  “I broke the blood oath the day I was stuck in here. I’ve killed myself three times. You weren’t lying about these restraints bringing me back to life.”

  Okay, so now I feel a little more than a mere tug of guilt.

  “You said you wanted a chance at redemption. We’re here to give it to you,” I say quietly, my whole body on the verge of madness.

  “Oh?” she asks, her eyes untrusting. “And what would that be?”

  I move toward her and with a flick of my wrist, the shackles come undone. She rubs her wrists and stands as the other cuffs fall from her ankles.

  “The chance to save the girl you once kept behind bars and almost killed in your quest to free Damon and Dragona from purgatory. The chance to free another girl who was taken as a child and locked away for even longer.”

  Genuine concern flickers through her eyes, and she tilts her head. “Who has her?”

  Taking a deep breath, I say, “Someone who makes you and Hilly look pretty damn moral, now will you help?”

  She looks between us, and she nods. “What’s the plan?”

  Chaz doesn’t answer, but he does make her promise the same thing. “You’re about to see something that I don’t want you asking questions about. Understood? More importantly, you can never tell a soul.”

  She purses her lips, but doesn’t respond. “I wouldn’t reveal it for anyone other than Alyssa, Kimber, or Ella. Just agree,” Chaz says.

  “Okay,” she says with a touch of uncertainty. “I agree. But what can you possibly do? You’re just a duster.”

  Chaz ignores her and turns to me. “I can only assume he has the place rigged to expel any outside magic. Can you still use magic under those confines?”

  “I can, unless he has made it strong enough to outdo me—which is doubtful. We’ll see if I can’t mater
ialize inside. But you won’t be able to.”

  Chaz smirks, and he looks back toward Sadie. “The two of you are strong enough to work outside the normal parameters of magic. So am I. So here’s what happens.”

  Chapter 25

  KIMBER

  Gavin struts back into our cell, and I ignore the shooting pain that has me silently praying for death. Karma sits up, doing all she can to appear impermeable to his torture. But we’re both spent. He doesn’t give our bodies time to regenerate before he returns to breaking us again.

  “Well, you two look sprightly,” Gavin says, whistling as he leans against the wall.

  “And you look like a man without any weapons,” I taunt.

  Usually that gets a rise out of him, but today he just seems all too chipper.

  “And you look like a total tool. Where’s your precious girlfriend, by the way?” Karma asks.

  He hates to be asked about Morgana, or so we’ve learned. He’s either really protective, or he just doesn’t like to speak about her.

  “She’s fine,” he says, still smiling. “In fact, I’ll make sure she’s really happy later. I’ve had to neglect her over the past five days, as you’re well aware.”

  I grimace internally. Only five days? It feels as though my body has been crushed and destroyed for at least three months, and it’s only been five days?

  “Oh? Feeling confident you’ll have better luck today?” I muse, feigning the strength I certainly don’t feel.

  “No,” he says, chuckling while looking over at me. “You’re both too strong for that. Nope. I’ve sent for my brother.”

  My heart stills inside my chest. Gage knows where I am. Thank God.

  “You’re lucky a drop of chivalry still exists within me. Though I threatened it, I’ve never touched a woman against her will. Even though I have a feeling one of you would have broken if I had,” he says, smirking.

  Karma swallows audibly, and I recoil.

  “Don’t worry,” he says, his smile spreading. “I wouldn’t dare. Not my thing. But you’d probably be surprised at how good I am.”

  “What?” Karma asks. “Is the flavor you stole from Gage suddenly losing its appeal?”

  His smile wavers ever so slightly, and he turns his attention back on the bars. “Gage will do something stupid. I told him he could only have one of you in exchange for my weapons.”

  He turns his attention back to us, and I feel Karma deflate from across the room.

  “But he knows me well enough to be certain I’ll kill you both. So he’ll come with some plan to rescue you both. But then I’ll have him stuck in here, and whoever he brought. Once he sees me torturing his sweet gatekeeper, he’ll give me the location of my weapons without delay. I bet he’d only have to hear you scream once. Then I can kill all four of you.”

  My heart throbs in my throat. Gage is walking into a trap.

  “All four of us?”

  “Oh,” Gavin says, grinning. “I suppose I’ll only kill three of you. The fourth I’ll keep for myself. You see, I laid out specific rules. He can’t bring Drackus, Kane, or his sweet Alyssa. Nope. Without saying it, that left him only with the option of Ella. So now I’ll get back two things you stole from me.”

  Ella. No. Please, God, don’t let him bring Ella.

  “Ella is stronger than you think,” Karma says, eyeing him.

  “I’m sure she is. And she’s strong enough to possibly use some magic in here, but she won’t be at her full strength inside this building. And considering your family has her locked up tight lately, this is my best option. You see, I’m a genius like that.”

  My stomach roils, but I manage to hold back the vomit.

  Gavin pushes off from the wall, and he looks up at the ceiling. A slow smile curls on his lips. “He’s here.” Then his smile falls, and a scowl forms.

  Before I can try to discern why, Gage appears in the room, his hand on Chaz as though he had to materialize him down here.

  “The duster, brother? Really?”

  Gage. He’s here.

  In his black leather jacket, dark jeans, dark blue T-shirt, eyebrow and lip piercings, he looks like a sexy gothic savior. But it’s just an illusion, because Gavin is way too strong, and he has just set an inescapable trap.

  “Gage you have to go—”

  My words end, and I’m forced to plead with only my eyes when my lips refuse to move. Stupid fucking warlock.

  Gage barely casts me a glance, and I admit, that hurts like hell. But I remind myself that he came. For me. For us.

  Karma tries speaking, only to find her voice missing. Apparently Gavin decided to shut her up before she attempted to warn Gage.

  “I can’t believe you decided to bring the duster,” Gavin says on a laugh. “He couldn’t even materialize in here. You had to bring him yourself.”

  I look over at Karma, and she’s smirking, looking over at Chaz like she knows a secret I don’t. When Gavin’s attention goes directly at Gage, Chaz offers her a conspiratorial wink, and she seems to relax.

  She looks at me and mouths, “Just hoeing it?” Or “Jules goaded it?” I have no frigging clue because I can’t read lips.

  “The duster volunteered to help return the dead bodies. I don’t think anyone else could stomach it, because everyone else is loyal to Kimber and the royal family.”

  My heart sinks to my toes, and though Karma doesn’t seem as worried, I’m panicking.

  Gavin’s lips twitch. “And you’re suddenly not?”

  I have no idea what game Gage is playing, but I know he’s up to something because Chaz would die to save me. To save any of us. And even though the asshole won’t look at me, Gage just told me he loves me.

  I might should have said it back then, because I might not get a chance now. Especially since my lips are quite literally sealed.

  Gage smirks at his brother, walking a small circle before looking around as though he’s checking for anyone that might overhear.

  “You should know better, Gavin. When have I ever been loyal to anyone?”

  He turns back around, and for the first time, I see Gavin’s confidence waver just barely.

  “So you came to tell me to kill them? What fool do you think I am?”

  “I don’t think you’re a fool, but you keep calling them leverage. What you fail to see as that I’m the one with leverage. All you have are two girls I plan to bury.”

  Gavin glares at him, and I look away. Even if he’s bluffing, that shit hurts to hear.

  “You’re a liar, Gage. A big liar. You’re in love with that one.” Gavin points at me as my eyes water against my will.

  Gage snorts derisively, and that stings as well. “Kimber? We just fucked, brother. You’re very mistaken. She’s as important to me as a mortal bird.”

  Those words have me relaxing immediately. Birds. It’s a message. Birds trust each other without question. When one shifts, the others shift, too. Whatever he’s about to do, he’s warning me to go with it.

  “Speak to him,” Gavin says, and I choke on the air that gathers in my throat from my previously swallowed words.

  “I said speak!” he roars.

  Since I might not have the opportunity again, I want to tell him I love him. But I worry that might ruin whatever plans he has.

  “Your brother thinks we have something much more serious going on, apparently,” I remark dryly.

  Gage smirks when Gavin’s lips go thin.

  “What the hell is it that you want? Obviously you came here for a reason,” Gavin says, still trying to find his upper hand.

  “I did,” Gage says, his smile forming. “I came for Morgana.”

  Now that fucking hurts like a son of a bitch. I don’t care what game he’s playing, that’s crossing a line.

  Birds, Kimber. Birds. He was telling me to trust him. As hard as that is to do, I have to trust him.

  “Morgana?” Gavin asks, his eyes narrowing. “My weapons for the girl who chose me over you?”

  Gage nods,
and I yell, “Hell no! You stupid son of a—”

  My words are cut off again, but Gavin crosses his arms over his chest to study Gage instead of measuring my acting skills.

  “You’re so full of shit. You’re not going to let her die and try to take Morgana. I’m not an idiot, Gage. And your duster didn’t come to carry out a body. But whatever you’re stalling for, well, it’s pointless.”

  Gage holds his hand up, and his wrist flicks. I’m not sure what he did, but Gavin gasps, horrified as he stares at us. I look over to Karma, but she shakes her head, urging me to stay quiet with just her expression.

  “They’re dead,” Gage says, but I have no idea what the hell he’s talking about. “I’m not stalling. Morgana for your weapons.”

  “I knew you were a cold bastard, but you’re fucked up,” Gavin says in disbelief, still staring at us, but it’s as though he’s seeing something else entirely.

  “Last chance,” Gage tells Gavin.

  “No,” he says on a trembling breath. “Morgana won’t go with you. Fuck you. I’ll find someone you do care about.”

  Before anything else can be said, a hand is clamping around my mouth. Chaz is beside me, and he does something that has the shackles fall off without making a sound. But Chaz is also beside Gage, even though he’s not speaking.

  How in the hell is Chaz in two places at once, and what is Gavin seeing?

  I look over as a guard that usually feeds us one meal a day moves over to silently remove Karma’s cuffs, and suddenly the guard turns into Sadie. She frowns as she looks around, and Chaz nods his head toward the wall.

  Karma is too weak and battered to even think about trying to dematerialize herself. She’s too young to block out the pain the way the older ones can. Same for me. Plus, Gage handicapped me with a damn necklace I can’t remove.

  I feel my body being dematerialized, and pulled away. My mind swirls through a whirl of colors I’m not used to seeing, proving the duster process is different than the dark user process of planes traveling. Before I know it, I’m being reassembled in the back seat of a car, and Chaz is right beside me.

  “Gage,” I whisper, as Sadie takes the driver’s seat and Karma appears in the front.