Crossroads

by Jennifer Ann Reed

  I stumbled and saw the rock she held drop from her delicate hand. My gaze turned purple and my wolf yanked my fae magic forward, pinpointing it on her target. A powerful burst of violet electricity struck the girl’s chest and she screamed, collapsing to the ground. I slumped in the grass, losing any energy reserve I had and shifted back to my human form.

  “Kitra!” Ryn’s voice echoed in my ears, but I couldn’t turn my head in his direction. He slid next to me and grabbed my face until I could see his dark green eyes.

  “Kitra!” Ice eyes joined green and I sighed. It was hard to talk and I wanted to show them what I’d done.

  “Girl.” The word was a whisper breezing past my dry lips.

  “Girl?” Ryn glanced around and his face scrunched up. “What girl?”

  “Search the area.” Caden didn’t take his eyes off mine as he gave the order. “What’s wrong with her?” My teeth had begun to chatter. Why was I freezing?

  “Sparkles, look at me.” I found Ryn’s face. “Did you use any magic?” I wanted to answer, but I couldn’t talk now. “Nod if you can.” I nodded slightly and he blew out a breath. “Can you get some hot cocoa?”

  “Yes.” I heard Allie run away.

  “What is it?” Caden gripped Ryn’s arm.

  “She expended too much energy. The chocolate will help.” Ryn stroked my cheek and dropped his lips to mine in a quick peck.

  “Don’t touch her!” I heard Caden’s knuckles crack. “I’ve already warned you once and I won’t do it again.”

  “Caden, I know the two of you have history, but you have to understand what being my mate means. She’s mine.” Ryn leaned away from my mercurial wolf.

  “And you forget what she said. The choice is hers.” Caden’s chest cast a shadow over my face. “I won’t let you take it away from her.” Ryn better be glad I didn’t have the energy to talk because he’d get an ear full. Caden’s low rumble was interrupted by Allie clearing her throat.

  “Here.” She passed the cup to Caden. He gathered me into his arms and held the mug to my lips.

  The first sip was a light switch being flipped and I drank greedily, barely tasting the sweet decadence. I felt the wound on my head shrink and close. I sat up and Allie passed me another mug.

  “I made two.” Her lower lip trembled.

  “I’m okay.” My voice cracked and I drank from my new cup, clearing my throat. “Promise.” I glared at Ryn and his face paled. “You and I are going to have a long talk.”

  “What girl were you talking about?” Caden stole my attention and reminded me of what was really important.

  “We couldn’t find anyone.” Linc came around the corner of the house. “But there is evidence of a fight and drag marks leading to here.”

  “Would’ve been more if she hadn’t hit me with a rock.” My grumbling in my cup pulled a laugh from Caden and the others.

  “She got you with a rock?” Curtis shook his head with a grin.

  “I wasn’t expecting it. Okay?” More laughing and I sipped on my warm drink. I explained what happened, starting with her creepiness at the door.

  “Why didn’t you yell for us?” Zander plopped down in front of me. “We could’ve helped.”

  “I can take care of myself.” I drank the rest of the warm liquid and thrust the cup at Allie. “I’m capable of the same things you all are. Maybe more.”

  “Kitra.” Austin pulled me to standing. “We don’t see you as less than us. We’d never do that.” The rest of the group agreed. “You’re too important to lose though. So, maybe next time you’ll let us help? We’re stronger together. We’re a team, remember?” I didn’t know whether to cry or squeeze him to death.

  “You’re right. We’re stronger together.” I took in the group of people that meant so much to me. “Where’s my uncle and Lilly?”

  “They were called to meet with Lucian at the pack compound. They should be back soon.” Linc threw his arm around me and smirked at a grumbling Ryn.

  “Let’s fix the yard.” Curtis stood and started around the house. “And don’t tell my uncle. He’s got enough to deal with as it is.” None of them questioned my decision to keep today’s events to ourselves. I couldn’t cause Uncle Kalen anymore worry and I felt if something else happened, he might have an aneurysm.

  I wasn’t allowed to participate in cleanup even though I felt ten times better and I said as much. Allie and Gwen finally convinced me to leave the boys to get rid of the evidence and ushered me upstairs with the command to rest. I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

  Chapter 18

  I SLEPT ALL THROUGH the night and would have slept the day away if Allie hadn’t woke me up with the promise of steak and chocolate. I ambled to the bathroom with my eyes shut doing my best to sleep walk to my destination. I undressed and stood with my back to the hot water, propped up in the corner. All I needed was five more minutes.

  Kitra! My nose bumped the cold tile and I squealed at the icy liquid spraying my backside. My feet slid in different directions and I threw my arms out to catch myself. Good thing I was flexible because the semi-split I was in would’ve hurt otherwise.

  Give me a few minutes, Austin. I turned the frozen shards pinging me in the head and off my limbs. I convulsed and my teeth chattered their own song. How long had I been under the cold water?

  We’ve given you forty-five minutes to be exact. Hurry up Sleeping Beauty. Allie said she’ll reheat your food. Forty-five minutes? I wrapped a towel around my shaky frame and wiped condensation from the mirror’s surface.

  My skin and lips had taken on a bluish hue and dark, ugly circles ringed my eyes. I grabbed the set of flannel pajamas Allie must have left out for me and changed into the downy softness. I pulled my hair into a wet knot and shoved my feet into a pair of bunny slippers. I knew the boys would have a field day with my appearance, but I didn’t care. All I was focused on was sustenance.

  I was still half asleep when I left my room and followed my nose to the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. I sat on a stool at the island and my head lolled to the side. I jerked, sitting back up. The clock on the microwave read the time was almost eleven.

  “Here, this will help.” Allie pushed a warm cup into my hands and I gulped the hot liquid, draining the sweet elixir. “Look at that, the dead is finally getting some color back. Here’s another.”

  “Thanks.” I drank from my second mug of hot cocoa more slowly. “Why do I still feel wiped out?”

  “Using that much energy for the first time does the same to all fae.” A set of lips landed on the top of my head as Ryn sat next to me. “The more chocolate you consume, the better you’ll feel.”

  “Whoa, Kitra! You look like a zombie.” Linc perused my hunched over frame. “What are you wearing?”

  “Clothes, unlike you.” Linc wore only a pair of red basketball shorts with his rock hard abs and tribal tattoo on full display. I leaned over to examine his ink. Thick bands swirled in geometric patterns from his torso to his neck and down his arm. “It forms a dragon.” I reached out to touch it, but Linc grabbed my fingers.

  “Are you trying to sign my death warrant?” He dropped his head and stared directly in my eyes.

  “What?” Linc motioned behind me and dropped my fingers. Ryn’s nose was flared and his pale cheeks were rosy as he stared daggers at Linc. Caden, who I hadn’t seen yet, was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a low rumble hummed in the air. “Oh. Sorry.” I wasn’t in the mood to deal with the Neanderthals and lifted a fork full of eggs to my mouth. They were more gelatinous than I cared for, but oversleeping does that to food. Where was Lilly?

  The patio door opened and Uncle Kalen, Lilly, and Lucian came in. Lilly scoffed at the messy state of the kitchen and took the spatula from Allie and told the others to help clean up.

  “Kitra? Are you okay?” Uncle Kalen stopped in front of the island. “You’re pale.”

  “Oh, we got a little over exuberant in fairy training yesterday.” Th
e lie rolled off Gwen’s lip so well I even believed her. “She just needs more chocolate.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Uncle Kalen wasn’t letting it go easily.

  “I’m fine. Just tired.” I smiled and drained the rest of my mug. “I’ll rest later.”

  “Only if you’re sure.” I nodded and Uncle Kalen and Lucian left the room. I ate my steak and as much of the eggs as I could before I scrapped the rest into the trash and rinsed my plate, putting it in the dishwasher. Allie handed me my third cup of cocoa when Lucian and Uncle Kalen reappeared.

  “Alright, we have some news.” Lucian stood near the doorway. “I already filled in my Wardens, but Amara found some information on the weapon at the coven.”

  “Did it say what the weapon is?” I sat back in my original seat and Caden took the seat on my other side.

  “No.” Lucian released a deep breath and rubbed his temples. “More of how it works, but not what it does.”

  “Great.” Zander flopped into a chair at the breakfast nook. “How does that help us?”

  “Well, for starters, we know only a group of supernaturals can activate it.” Uncle Kalen leaned against the now clean stove. “So we don’t think your bonds to each other are accidental.”

  “Did it say the group had to be bonded?” Curtis put a hand around Allie’s lower back.

  “No. Just that a group had to trigger it for it to work.” Lilly put the cocoa mix in the cabinet. “Amara is still looking for more. She’s only covered a portion of the coven’s records.”

  “Dylan is coming back tomorrow, though.” The left side of Lucian’s mouth lifted. “Only after Lilly promised not to kill him for his war crimes.”

  “War crimes?” Caden and I asked at the same time. What was Lucian talking about?

  “You’ll have to ask him.” Lucian held his palms up. “Not my story to tell.” Lucian peered at me and a gleam lit his gaze. He knew I wouldn’t let this go until I knew what the Elder was hiding.

  Was his crimes really punishable by death? I pictured the man with curly dark hair in his crisp suits. There was no way he’d done anything atrocious, right? I left the others to argue over whether the information Amara found dealt with us and went back to my bedroom. The chocolate was helping, but I still felt like death warmed over. I drifted off to sleep thinking of the worst possible scenarios which could have involved Elder Dylan.

  ************************************

  Slick, damp colorful leaves coated the path I followed through the dead canopy of dormant trees. Their musty scent filled the air and left an earthy odor traveling in the cool breeze. The full moon hung bright in the inky blackness of the sky and stars dotted the heavens in patterns named for Greek and Roman warriors. Each step sent a chill from my bare feet to my uncovered calves. A white, cotton nightgown brushed my thighs above my knees and my chestnut hair cascaded below my shoulders.

  The packed dirt path narrowed, twisting deeper into the forest until the lower limbs stretched from every tree trunk, snagging in my hair and tugging at my nightgown. My heart raced as my surroundings closed in around me and I pushed against the tight grip slowing my escape. Every breath burned as air fought entrance into my lungs. When I thought I was going to black out and suffocate among the slumbering forest, the rasp of ripping fabric filled the piercing silence and I fell past the thorny entanglement. I choked on the sweet oxygen now racing into my system and hacked until I threw up.

  Once I settled down and my breathing leveled out, I realized the only sound in the forest was being created by me. Where were the choruses of crickets and tree frogs? Or the bay of coyotes? Something wasn’t right. I observed my surroundings. I couldn’t return the way I had come, and I hissed at the sting in my knees when I pushed myself to my feet. Small, dirty scratches crisscrossed the surface, but they weren’t skinned enough to draw blood.

  I followed the path farther until it came to a fork in the road. I’d been here before. The right side was well lit and the left was shrouded in shadows. I heard crashing in the foliage from the gloomy path.

  “Ryn? Caden?” The last time they came from the left, but the shadow moving towards me was larger than anything I’d ever seen. Red eyes glowed from the darkness and the creature emitted a voracious snarl, shaking me to my core.

  I turned, fleeing down the well-lit path. I ran until my side pulled and my breathing was uneven again. A hill rose in the distance and I glanced back to see the black mass gaining on me. With my last reserve of energy, I raced up the hill. I didn’t notice the drop off until it was too late.

  I was suspended for less than a second and the feeling of weightlessness ended as gravity took over and I fell, landing with a splash. Sinking under a thick liquid, I kicked and clawed to the surface, gasping for air. Annoyed growling and howling came from above me, the red-eyed creature didn’t follow me. It scraped its feet across the earthen hilltop, searching for a way down. Not able to get to me, it howled one last time and ran back into the trees. I treaded water for a minute, searching for a place to hide in case the animal decided to take a leap of faith off the cliff anyway.

  Another sound pulled my attention across what I presumed was a large lake. A bright orb of yellow moved across a raised platform. A dock! I swam as hard as I could. I needed help and I had to warn whoever was working on the landing of the creature before it made its way to them. As I closed in on my destination, I slowed as two forms carrying a long object between them shuffled toward the light and tossed what they held into the water. The yellow glow passed over the water and I saw several things bobbing in the small waves. After one more sweep of light, I swam backwards, thrashing to get away. No, it couldn’t be.

  I bumped into one of the objects and glassy eyes stared into the night sky. Uncle Kalen? His green eyes were covered in a milky cloud and his mouth was slack. Drops of red traveled in rivulets down his cheeks. Another bump at my back had fingers digging into my scalp, pulling me up.

  I sat up gasping and threw my covers back. Flannel pajamas. I pulled the pants up to my knees searching for any type of injury to prove what I experienced wasn’t a dream, but my skin was smooth. It took a few minutes before my heart settled into its regular rhythm. I wondered if Austin sensed my panic, but my mental blocks were still solid. After a couple deep breaths, I quickly got ready in jeans and a long-sleeved thermal shirt sporting tiny daisies all over it.

  Many voices rose from downstairs in excited chatter and then I heard the one I’d been waiting to hear since yesterday. Elder Dylan was finally back from the coven. I skipped down the stairs taking them two at a time and turned the corner to the living room. I stopped in the doorway and it didn’t take me long to find him.

  He was sitting in a cream wingback armchair, wearing a soft grey suit paired with a turquoise tie. His curly dark hair was gelled into faint waves combed back across his head. Elder Dylan turned in my direction with a huge grin on his face and stood as I entered.

  “Kitra. It’s good to see you again.” I ran to him and embraced him in a tight hug. I had missed him. He’d been a good friend to my mother and I was beginning to think of him as family. Two throats cleared and I rolled my eyes. Really? The man was the oldest shifter in the pack even though he didn’t look it. I ignored the two cavemen standing side-by-side against the wall. At least they weren’t arguing with each other.

  “I’m glad you’re back.” I hugged him again. “I was hoping we could talk.” I wanted to ask him about his crimes, but I really needed someone to talk to about my dreams, especially the one involving the Creator.

  “Why don’t we go sit on the patio?” He held his hand out for me to lead the way. “I’m assuming you want to keep this private.” The weight of every eye in the room was on me and I nodded. “Is it similar to what we discussed before?” With another nod, I left the room with him on my heels.

  Outside, I sat on the swing and Elder Dylan pulled a lounge chair closer to my seat and sat in front of me. I fiddled with my sleeve not knowing wh
ere to begin in explaining my dreams.

  “I hear one mate has been found.” His lips lifted as my cheeks darkened.

  “Not like I was waiting for it to happen.” Elder Dylan’s smile grew. “Ryn is a lot to take in. I’m not naïve about his womanizing ways.”

  “His history may be colorful, but I think you should at least get to know the young man. He said he’s searched centuries for you. Look at it from his point of view. He’s had much longer to get use to the idea, but I bet he wasn’t expecting a seventeen year old young lady either.”

  Elder Dylan was right. Sometimes, I get tunnel vision and focus on my own problems and feelings neglecting others. Who knows the pain and anxiety Ryn has dealt with over the years? The least I could do was be open to the idea. The main obstacle I had with finding one of my soulmates was a six foot plus, raven haired wolf living on the premises.

  “I’ll try.” I wasn’t able to make it a promise. “I’ve had s…some strange dreams lately. It’s hard to distinguish between what’s real and what my mind is supplying.”

  “Tell me about them.” Elder Dylan leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

  I started with my latest dream, outlining each scene verbatim of what I remembered. Elder Dylan didn’t look too concerned until I explained my first dream that morphed from a fight between Caden and Ryn into my meeting with the Creator. His body stiffened as he sat up straight.

  “He wanted you to be his Champion? You’re sure he said those words?” His urgency for my answers terrified me and my palms began to sweat.

  “Y…Yes.” I picked at a piece of lint on my shirt. “I told him I would do it and then asked what it meant exactly, but he gave me a riddle I didn’t understand.”

  “What did the riddle say?” He grabbed my hands and I looked up at him.

  “Something about a choice between two paths. I can’t remember exactly.” I shrugged and he huffed.