by G. Bailey
“We will wait in the truck for you. Say goodbye, Sophie,” she tells her kindly, and Sophie gives her a shaky nod. Sophie looks over at me with tear-streaked cheeks and nervous eyes.
“Come here,” I say, opening my arms at the same time for Sophie, and she runs into them, squeezing her arms tight around my waist.
“I don’t want to go,” she admits in a whisper that is meant for only me to hear. “I feel like I’m never going to see you again.”
“You will, stop worrying. You are my sister, Sophie. You can do this,” I pull her out the hug and hold my hands on her shoulder, keeping my voice firm even though I feel like crying.
“Will you be safe though?” she asks me. “If I lose you…”
“Of course I will be. I have the guys to keep me safe. You’ve spent the week with them like I have, and you know they will keep me safe,” I remind her.
“They feel like family,” she tells me quietly. “I think I’m going to miss them.”
“Pack,” I whisper. “Family is pack. It’s something Nath said to me as he tried to explain what the others were to him.”
“Family is pack. I like that saying,” she says and chuckles low. “I best go. They said it’s a long drive and we have to change cars a few times to make sure we aren’t followed before the witches can take us to the castle.”
“Go. Be brave, sis, and I love you. Remember, one month,” I tell her, and she smiles at me as she pulls out of my arms.
“One month,” she repeats, holding her head high and walking out of the house as I watch her go. I walk to stand by the door, watching as Sophie gets into the truck. She waves a hand at me before the door shuts, and the truck speeds out of the driveway. I silently watch the truck disappear into the shadows of the trees, hoping I did the right thing and knowing it’s done now. It’s not like I had much choice anyway. I have to keep her safe. I close the door and rest my head against it, knowing it will only be an hour until the guys get back from their mission tonight, and I won’t be alone again. The distraction to get Sophie out was planned well to make sure no one was watching the guys or me. I run up to my room and grab one of the Fray books, before sitting on my bed and opening it to the page I got to last time. I might as well read to distract myself.
Prophecies are only made by gods or fates.
This has been known for many years, as it is their curse to prophesy their family’s future when usually the prophecy is never good or kind. The fates and gods have unlimited power, therefore they had to be given a downfall, and only if the prophecy is fulfilled can a fate help their family. One of the original fates married a queen of Frayan after returning from his time on Earth. The queen of the Autumn court and the fate were blessed with happiness, and on their wedding day, Queen Lilyanne was born to the Summer court.
The fate made the prophecy on that very night, which would in turn link his own child and Queen Lilyanne for a destructive war in the future. The words to the prophecy were told only to himself, the queen of the Autumn court and Queen Lilyanne when she was older, but there were many rumours of it foretelling a great war. Many years passed where nothing but peace graced Frayan, the rumours forgotten, and no child was born of the mating between the fate and the queen of the Autumn court.
The day the fate announced a pregnancy, Queen Lilyanne was eighteen years old, and she killed her parents before declaring war on the entire Frayan world. One by one, the courts fell over the nine months, and Queen Lilyanne attacked the Autumn court, killing the fate, the queen of the Autumn court and her newborn child. The Frayan courts are no more, and Queen Lilyanne rules over all of Frayan.
Some Fray whisper that the baby was hidden on another world, kept safe, but there is no proof in the five years since Frayan fell to Queen Lilyanne’s rule. If anyone is reading this book, I must have escaped and gotten this book somewhere safe. Someone must remember our history, even as Queen Lilyanne burns all knowledge and all books about it.
The Frayan courts and their royals must be remembered.
May one day they return for vengeance.
I pause and turn the page over, seeing a note stuck to the blank page. The note is written on my mum’s flower paper, and I gently pull it off, before opening it up.
The Fray man who gave me this book died of old age shortly after we met. I searched for many years for this, and there are answers in here. You need to understand. This is everything you are looking for, my Adelaide. -Mum.
I shake my head and flip through the rest of the book, where there is nothing but blank pages. So, there was a prophecy, an evil queen and rumours of a hidden child? I don’t get the answers my mum is trying to tell me. I close the book and put my hands over the cover, the old brown leather which I think has little drops of blood all over it. Someone died to get this book to Earth safely. Why would the queen of Frayan want everything burnt? All the history gone? I shake my head, not having a single clue.
“How the hell is this book answers to anything?” I say to myself, putting it on the bed in frustration and standing up off the bed. I walk to the window, crossing my arms and staring out at the full moon in the sky. If this was mum’s way of getting me answers, I am never going to know who I am.
“Ready for your first day?” Josh sarcastically asks as he answers the front door and walks back into his house. “You might as well just walk in rather than knocking at his point.”
“Where are the others?” I ask him, ignoring his sarcastic statement as he picks his leather jacket up off the hook and puts it on.
“There was an emergency mission last night, and they all got called in. Rick and Nath are still at work. Mich is in bed because he worked all day and night yesterday. So, I’m stuck with the awful job of taking you in today,” he explains, and I roll my eyes at him.
“Are you always this dramatic?” I ask.
“Always,” he grins, looking pleased with himself. I try to ignore how his messy black hair looks brushed today and ridiculously sexy. Everything about Josh screams sexy biker man. Which I may have gone through a phase of thinking it was the hottest thing ever.
“Let’s just go,” I mutter, turning around and walking to the car. Josh unlocks the red sportscar this time, and I quickly get in. I don’t admit that the seats are extremely comfy or that this is the nicest car I have ever been in. I think it’s an Audi, but I never cared much for car names. Josh gets in the driver seat and does his seatbelt up at the same time I do, our hands brushing against each other, and he glares at me.
“Do you think being mean and cruel is the best way to push everyone away?” I ask him, pulling my hand away and regretting saying it when he narrows his eyes at me before looking away and starting the car up. It starts to heavily rain as Josh pulls the car out of the driveway, and I’m almost thankful for the sound in the deadly silent car.
“Why do you think I push people away?” he asks.
“Because you’re scared you will hurt them. It’s easier to make them hate and be scared of you than to admit you are afraid you will lose control of yourself,” I blurt out. Ah well, I’ve said it now.
“You don’t even know what I am, so what gives you the right to act like my therapist?” Josh snaps, and I turn in my seat, looking at him. He doesn’t scare me like he should do, but I can see past the defensive, frightening attitude he puts up.
“I grew up with humans, and I pushed every one of them away that got close to me because I knew I could hurt them. I knew I wasn’t safe to be around, and it’s damn lonely to do it,” I tell him. “You get angry with Rick, Nath and Mich because it doesn’t work with them. They see past it, and you can’t push them away. I can see past it too, and that’s why you hate me.”
“Sweetheart, you have no idea how dangerous and frightening I can be,” he growls, tightening his hands on the steering wheel so tight that it leaves indents. “But I don’t hate you.”
“Yeah, I get that you can act like the big bad wolf, but I have a sneaking suspicion that you have no bite,” I say,
and he laughs, smirking at me.
“I have bite, sweetheart. I spend most of my every damn day keeping the side of me that would do more than bite under control,” he admits to me.
“What are you? Other than dark angel?” I ask, curious.
“Do you even know what a dark angel can do?” he asks.
“Nope, why don’t you tell me?” I reply, and he smirks at me before pulling the car over at the side of the road. I flash him a confused look as he turns to face me, reaching for my hand which I let him pick up. I gasp as he runs a finger over my wrist, a stinging pain being left in the place of where he touches, and he lifts my wrist up, kissing the spot. A wave of pleasure spirals through me, mixed with the tad bit of pain he left before.
“We can cause pain with our touch,” he whispers seductively, “but I like a little bit of pain mixed in with my pleasure anyway.”
“What else can you do?” I ask as he lets my hand go, and I clear my throat. Josh only smirks, clearly confident in the effect he has on me. I have no doubt he knows his way around women.
“I have some powers to see into people’s past, but I’ve never been good at controlling that one,” he remarks. I wonder for a second if he can get the answers to my past I need if the last two books my mum left me don’t. Josh might be able to see my past, at least when I was born, and the answers I want from that. I don’t know if he will help me, but it’s worth a shot to ask.
“Josh—” I start to ask, but he cuts me off.
“I am also a half demon, and that demon side of me isn’t under control yet,” he says, and I remember that demons destroyed Paris. Killed all those humans and supernaturals. He is half demon.
“Demon?” I whisper, feeling frightened for only a second, and whatever Josh sees on my face makes him go cold. Josh turns away from me, but I know the damage has been done, he thinks I’m scared of him.
“I’m not scared,” I tell him.
“You should be. My demon powers make me drain other people, especially supernaturals. You might want to ask the others what happened at the castle before this mission and why I am not welcome back there,” he snaps. “Why you should be scared, Adelaide.”
“Why don’t you just tell me?” I ask.
“Because you are already scared of me…I don’t need to bother pushing you away, you already look ready to run, sweetheart,” he says and starts the car, making it clear this conversation is over. I silently sit back in my seat as he takes us to the hunter’s base, and Josh hands over both our IDs to the hunters at the gates. After they have checked them, they let us in, and Josh hands me one of the small plastic cards. I accept it off him and see my name and a scanner number on the bottom of the card. There isn’t anything else on it, but I doubt anyone can just walk into here. I am sure the cameras are checking the cars somehow.
“Remember, I am always near you, and you are safe. Even if you can’t see me,” Josh says, and I almost think he is being sweet before I shake my head and remember that this is Josh. Josh doesn’t do sweet, but he does do confusing apparently. We both get out of the car, and Josh locks it before we walk up to the building. Mr. Graves is waiting for us in the reception room, and he smiles tightly when he sees us.
“Adelaide! Are you ready for your first day?” he asks, and I nod. “Josh, the command needs you downstairs on level five. I will find you after I show Adelaide what to do up here.”
“Yes, sir,” Josh nods, and he walks to the elevators. I almost panic for a second that he is leaving me alone in here when I remember his words in the car and see his dark eyes on me as the elevator doors shut. That look is full of confidence and protection. I can do this, and Josh will protect me if I can’t.
“Come here,” Mr. Graves kindly asks, snapping me out of it, and I plaster a fake smile on my face as he leads me into the receptionist counter. Mr. Graves shows me how to answer the phone and direct the phone calls to the right area before showing me the massive pile of paperwork that he wants sorted into a filing cabinet under the counter.
“Good luck, and if you need anything, hold the number one down on the phone, it will direct the phone call to me,” he explains.
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you. I hope I don’t have to remind you not to wander around. This place is full of very dangerous people, and remember, you are always being watched,” he says, nodding his head at one of the cameras in the corner of the room which is pointed at me.
“I have no plans to go anywhere but this desk, your office if you call me, and the break room to get myself a coffee later.”
“Brilliant. This week, I need you here through Wednesday, and the rest of the week you can have off on me,” he explains.
“Thank you,” I reply with a smile.
“I’m sure this is going to work out well for us all,” he says, patting my shoulder gently, and I pull my shoulder away without thinking. He doesn’t say anything, but I see the annoyance flash in his eyes before he walks to the elevator and gets in. I quickly look away as the phone rings, and I answer it, directing the phone call to the right department, and try to pretend that I’m working a normal job. It’s only one month, Adie. One month.
“Popcorn, chocolate, friends, wine and my choice of movie. This is a perfect reward for my first week at work,” I say to Nath who grins as I take the bowl of popcorn off him and put my wine on the side table next to my chocolate. Josh and Rick are sat on the floor, resting their backs on the sofa. I look over at Mich on the other sofa, laying down with his legs crossed, and Tay who is sitting on the coffee table with her own collection of food. Pack is family. I don’t know who suggested movie night, but somehow, we all ended up here, and they let me choose a movie. I chose the latest Marvel film because you can never go wrong with one of their movies. They are amazing. Mich presses play with the remote, and I rest my head on Nath’s shoulder as I watch the film. His hand somehow gets to resting on my knee, and Rick moves closer, until his shoulder is pressed against my leg. I’m so comfy that the next thing I’m aware of is someone’s light snoring. I blink my eyes open to see I’m lying on top of Rick in his bed, and when I glance to my side, Mich is lying right next to me on the bed too. I move myself slowly until I’m lying right in the middle of them both and freeze as Rick mutters something in his sleep. Then his arm wraps around my waist, and I can feel his heavy breathing near the top of my head. I rest my hand over Rick’s arm, surprising myself with how comfy it is to be in the middle of them both. Mich’s eyes slowly open as I look back at him, and he sees me staring.
“We can leave if you want,” Mich whispers.
“No, don’t,” I say, and he nods, closing his eyes, and I do the same, happily falling straight back to sleep.
I stretch my arms out the next morning, surprised when I open my eyes and see Rick’s bed is empty. I sit up, pushing the blanket off me and feeling that I’m still dressed in the clothes from last night which are now crumpled up. At least it is Thursday and no work today. I nearly jump out of my skin when Tay, in owl form, flies through the window, landing on the bed before turning back into her pixie self.
“You are still here…why?” she asks, and I scoot back on the bed.
“Because I’m their friend and live next door,” I drawl. “I don’t plan on going anywhere even if you want me to.”
“Back to Frayan soon?” she asks, sounding hopeful.
“Nope. I was told not to go back to Frayan. Are you from there?” I ask her, and she nods.
“I am the last pixie of fate,” she tells me, her voice small and quiet like she doesn’t want to tell me that.
“Pixie of fate? Is that what your race is called?” I ask her.
“Yes. Your race made us to protect you, but you left, and we were killed over time for our magic,” she says, and I feel so sorry for her. She is all alone. I wonder what she means by my race making hers. Maybe she means the Fray made her or something, as I doubt my shifter side did.
“Do you want to go back to Frayan?” I
ask her, and she shakes her head.
“Earth is safer for me. I find family,” she tells me, looking at the door. “Like you found family here too.”
“I did,” I whisper, and she actually smiles at me. I go to ask her why she wants me to go back to Frayan when the door opens and Rick walks in, naked with only a small blue towel wrapped around his waist. I cough on thin air as I gape at him, and he seems amused.
“I forgot to take clothes into the shower,” he tells me and looks at Tay. “Is everything okay?”
“Yep,” I answer, and Rick looks surprised for a second.
“Alright then. Anyway, Nath was making breakfast for you. You might want to go down before he goes to work and it gets cold,” he tells me.
“Food?” Tay asks, and Rick only nods once before she quickly flies out of the room. That damn pixie is going to eat my food. I know it. Rick goes to his dresser, putting his back to me as he opens the drawer. I slide to sit on the end of the bed, looking at the tense muscles on his back, making myself be brave and blurt out the question I’ve wanted to ask for the last two weeks.
“Was I that bad of a kisser that you are avoiding me now?” I ask, and he turns, holding some clothes as he gives me a confused look.
“That kiss was fucking amazing, don’t say that again,” he tells me and sighs at whatever he sees on my face. Rick walks over and sits next to me on the bed, putting his clothes to the side as I look up at him.
“Then why are you avoiding me?” I whisper the question.
“You are going out on a date with Nath…Mich looks at you like he wants more than a friend, and Josh…well I don’t get Josh, but I wanted to give you space to decide what you want. I wasn’t ignoring or avoiding you,” he admits quietly, but I don’t sense any lie in his words.