by M. R. Polish
Victor shook his head. “Not yet.”
I had my own agenda about finding Esmerelda. But, keeping her safe was my job now. I’d have to let Torres now I found his daughter, but I wanted to wait until after she helped me.
A growl resonated in my head. “You need to do what’s right.”
It was like warring with my soul, at least a part of my soul. “I know,” I replied in my thoughts.
Torres would be alerted of his daughter through my spirit wolf before I made up my mind, it was how things worked. And Hela was the alpha; there was no way to keep a secret from him. Not when my wolf, Maztic, was the one pressuring me to do the right thing.
“Fine, but you’re not expecting her to trust you or me after this, right?” It was going to be a long trip, and I needed to find a way to take Esmerelda home, where she truly belonged—before Victor did something that I couldn’t fix. And before I changed my mind.
“I’m well aware of what could happen, but her safety must come first. It took us too long to find her in the first place. As it is, Meadow is almost dead because of her situation.”
I was so sick of his excuses. I watched Esmerelda at the hospital a couple days ago when she visited Meadow. She never knew I was there because I stayed in the shadows, but I watched over her for about a couple weeks now—in secret, but I never knew she didn’t know her true heritage.
“Whatever man, but for the record, I think she should be told. And who cares about Meadow, so what if she dies? What’s it to you?”
Anger boiled inside of me, and I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. I slid the door back open a crack.
Victor held his hand up with an exhausted sigh and placed it in front of me on the door, stopping me from leaving. “You can’t tell her, do you understand? I pay you to watch her, nothing else. As for Meadow, I need Esmerelda to practice with her. If she can help her and manage to do what is needed to help Meadow live, then I will know she can help me.”
As sick as it was, I agreed with him in my own way. I hated playing with Esmerelda’s life for our own gain, but if she could keep Meadow alive, then maybe she could do what I needed after all.
Victor poked his head out the door, making sure she was still asleep, and then looked back over at me. “Listen, her story isn’t known by many. The people don’t know she’s still alive. It safer for her if it stays that way. The last thing any of us needs is for Nicholas to find out.”
“I don’t understand why Nicholas needs her.” I paced the small area. “Victor! I need answers.”
“Nicholas has become addicted to power. He thrives off it. Creating Crossbreeds who serve him gives him power. Except all of them die within months of being created because they don’t have all the elements inside them to complete the spell. Those are things that everyone knows; I’m not hiding anything from you. His search for power is the reason the war started in the first place. Esmerelda is said to be the first witch to have all five elements inside her. There is no one else who can complete the spell.”
So she really was the one. Either way, she was the one who could end it all. I made a mental reminder never to piss her off. I’d been around magical beings for my whole life, but that kind of magic was rare—completely unheard of. I’d been around her mother and other witches, but it never clicked with me the way it did just then.
I stood there with my arms folded. I didn’t care what powers she had, she was still a person, not some weapon to use in a war. And I was just as bad wanting to use her for my own personal gain. “Do you know where Torres or Adonia are?”
He shrugged. “No. They’ve kept to themselves the last couple years. I’m not sure anyone knows where they are.”
I scoffed knowing how easily I could find out. “So, when she helps this Crossbreed, she will be free of you?”
He pressed his lips together before speaking. “I shouldn’t have a need for her after that.”
I shook my head. “Shouldn’t? You might employ me, but I will do what is in her best interest… After her job is done, she will be gone.”
Arabeth
The sudden bump of the tires hitting the asphalt of the runway jerked the plane. My eyes shot open as I was jolted awake.
Bolting straight up, a sharp twinge ran down the back of my head down through my shoulder blades. “Ouch.” I rubbed my neck trying to loosen the knot from sleeping in a chair for too long, regretting the quick movement.
Looking around, I tried to remember what happened. Mom’s funeral. Kidnapped. Fireballs.
I went through each memory as if they were a movie I watched the night before. The last thing I remembered was talking with Jarak and Victor.
Curious, I squinted out the window. The sun shone bright without a cloud in sight. The terrain was mostly flat with a few rugged hills in the distance. It reminded me of Nevada and an ache filled my chest. That was the only place I had ever lived. I couldn’t help but wonder how my dad was doing.
Hushed whispers brought forth the reality that the memories weren’t a movie, but they actually happened. Ugh. And I so hoped it was a dream.
Jarak snatched up his leather jacket and cut Victor off as he walked to the door. I wasn’t sure what happened between them since I passed out, but the tension was so high I was afraid I’d choke on the air.
Wincing, I made little circles over my temples with my fingertips, trying to rid the throbbing in my head. I groaned. “What happened?”
“You fell asleep.” Victor stopped behind the chair I last saw him sitting in.
“Oh, tell her the truth,” Jarak grumbled. “He used a spell on you, putting you to sleep. We were just getting some coffee after staying up all night. Your head will hurt for a while but water will help.”
“Come on, my sweet one, we need to get through customs before the guards change.” Victor gestured to the opening entry door.
I shrugged. “Why?”
Jarak’s hands tightened into fists. “Because most of the guards work for Nicholas, and we don’t want him to know you’re here.”
Victor scowled at Jarak.
I twisted the seat so I could see them both better. “What do you mean he can’t know I’m here? And who is Nicholas?”
Jarak grinned at Victor. “Yeah, why can’t she know? Maybe you should explain.” The mocking tone he used made me more curious.
I slammed my hands down on the arms of the chair. “What is going on? I want an explanation, now.” I deserved one.
Victor sucked in a long breath then slowly released it, staring at me the entire time. “Arabeth… Esmerelda, you’re special, and there are some people who would stop at nothing to have you.”
Jarak faked a coughed. “Like you?”
Victor glared at Jarak again before turning back to me.
“But I don’t have anything. Once he sees I came empty handed he’ll leave me alone, right?”
Almost simultaneously, they both answered. “No.”
I looked at Victor then at Jarak. “No?”
Jarak took one step closer to me. “You are what he wants.”
“Okay, enough talking. We need to go.” Victor walked to the opened door, not leaving any room for discussion.
I stood and glanced around the plane, Jarak waited with his hands folded together behind his back. When I moved, he moved. Frustrated, I grabbed my sweater and marched to the door where Victor waited for us.
I skirted behind Victor through the airport, trying to keep up with his long strides. Jarak stayed close on my tail.
The colors were invigorating with all the yellows, greens, blues and reds. The building amazed me, with large windows that let in the light from the sun and gave a great view of outside. Had this been a vacation, I would have wanted to take in the beauty of such architecture.
I zoned out, staring at the high ceilings with colorful braces and dang near ran into the back of Victor. He’d stopped abruptly and looked around searching for something… or someone. I wasn’t sure what to look for, but the way bot
h guys acted, I needed to be on high alert.
Jarak’s hand glided along the small of my back. My heart fluttered, and I cringed. How could I react that way to him?
He stopped and pulled back on my arm, stopping me too.
“What is it?” I whispered, so only Jarak could hear me.
“Nicholas’s energy is here, I think he’s expecting you, but I don’t know how he knew you’d be here.” His jaw clenched, and he looked at Victor, giving him a curt nod. “Come on, stay close to me.”
He nudged me to the right, leading me away from Victor. I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I wanted to trust him.
Victor turned around and after spotting us he nodded, and then we sped up our getaway. Without looking back, Jarak pushed me into a full run, dodging and pushing through hundreds of people in the terminal, but never released his grip on my arm.
“Run to the bathroom. Wait five minutes, and then I’ll come get you.”
There was no time to argue or even question his plan. To my left, I spotted the ladies room sign and dashed inside, slamming the door behind me and locking it with the bolt lock. I could hear running water from a sink. Great, someone else was in here. Of course someone would be in the restroom of a busy airport.
I leaned back on the door, trying to catch my breath.
I didn’t know where Jarak went, but I hoped I ran away with the right man. He seemed genuinely protective, and that alone gave me comfort as I sank into the corner by the door. I could feel my heart beating wildly against my chest, fearing it might explode at the rate it went.
Footsteps sounded on the tiled floor, coming from around the entry wall, where the sinks and stalls were located. “You can’t hide,” a man’s voice—not a woman’s—sounded from behind the wall.
My throat tightened, and I stood from my crouched position in the corner fumbling with the lock, trying to be quiet. Click. The lock opened, and I pulled the door open slowly, releasing a rebellious squeak.
A forceful grip tightened around my mouth and an arm wrapped around my waist, dragging me from the door. “Surprised, Esmerelda?” I could feel his whisper on my cheek. “Nicholas has waited a long time for you.”
His hot breath was like acid on my skin, searing me, and the stench that rolled out of his mouth made me gag. It was like burnt metal.
Pulling open the door, he pushed me out of the restroom with a hand still clamped around my mouth. My arm hurt as he twisted it around to my back and held it firmly in place, guiding me through the congestion of travelers and their luggage. Not one person noticed we were there. It was like the same thing that happened at my mom’s funeral, when Joe and the other gorilla carted me off.
My new captor forced me down a long grey hallway, where the natural sunlight couldn’t quite reach, despite the skylights near the entrance. It was void of any other people—just him and me. I could hear the faint wheeze with his intake of breath, which was good. It meant he had a weakness, and he was close to reaching his limit. Maybe I could still escape?
He pushed me over to a metal door that looked heavy enough to be bulletproof. I didn’t want to know what was on the other side of it. I jerked, trying to free my arm, but cried out against his hand as he twisted it more, sending sharp pains up through my shoulder. I was so done with people kidnapping me, after this I planned to take self–defense classes with Ailaina at the gym.
His grip tightened, bruising my skin. “I have to get Nicholas, so you’re gonna stay right here. Open the door.”
Shaking my head, I wasn’t going in the room without a fight. He wrenched his grip around my arm again, shooting sharp flashes of pain that ripped through my shoulder and up across my collarbone, making me cry out again. Lifting my foot, I slammed it hard on his toes, using my free arm to elbow him. He let go long enough for me to break free of his grip. One quick look over my shoulder had me running faster. His face was white, with black veins climbing up his exposed neck. I’d never saw someone so frightening before.
I ran, but wasn’t fast enough. He slammed into my body, grabbing me around my waist then gripped my wrist, pulling it behind my back again. He spun me around toward the door. “I said open the door,” he said through clenched teeth.
Tears welled in my eyes from the throbbing ache. I refused to cry as I used my free hand to press down on the handle, opening the door a crack. This was it, the end of my life, and I was the one who opened the door.
He used his foot to kick it open the rest of the way then without warning, he shoved me into the room causing me to lose balance and fall. The door slammed shut, and my heart quickened as the loud echo vibrated in my skull.
I jumped up, looking around for any other way to escape. The vent for the air conditioning was small and grated, with what looked like a welded edge. A folding table and a metal chair were the only things that sat in the middle of the room. The walls were grey, but void of any hangings. The whole room couldn’t have been bigger than what I imagined a jail cell to be. And virtually just as inescapable.
Walking over to the chair, I lowered myself onto it, feeling the numbness sink deeper into my soul. Pulling my legs up to my chest, I rested my head on my knees. My eyes burned with fresh tears, but I blinked them back, trying not to cry. I needed to prepare myself for the torture I would have to endure. Maybe if I was lucky, Nicholas would kill me.
I was eighteen, had my own apartment, and had just started a life of my own. Why was this happening now?
Tears disobediently escaped, slipping down my face as I thought of how Jarak might have betrayed me. He had to have known that guy was in the bathroom waiting for me. I slammed my hand down on the desk, and then wiped off all the tears, sucking in a deep breath.
I was scared, and all I wanted was my dad. It seemed like forever since I last saw him.
I sniffled. Muffled voices from the next room hummed in the air. They were men’s voices—they were too deep to be a woman's. I strained to hear what they said. I got excited thinking that if I could hear them, then they should be able to hear me.
“Help! Please, somebody help me!” I swallowed the lump in my throat. Oh, please let someone hear me.
Crash! I jumped up from my seat, and my hand grasped the table for balance. The noise came from the room next to mine and sounded as if the roof caved to the floor.
I darted for the exit, but tugging and twisting the doorknob was no use. I pounded on the metal door with the palms of my hands. The clanging echoed through the tiny room. I hit it harder, but only in vain.
“Hello!” I yelled through the door hoping for a response. “Is somebody there? Can you hear me? Help!” I hit, kicked and yanked on the door—anything to try and open it. Please let someone help me.
A deafening roar came from the room next to mine, making me jump. I spun around with my back against the door and covered my ears with my hands.
What is going on?
My heart raced as another thump vibrated the wall as something crashed into it. I held my breath in fear, but shorts gasps escaped my lips.
I hugged my stomach as I watched the wall next to the door. My mouth grew too dry and sticky to swallow.
“Esmerelda!” A muffled voice called from behind the door. Only two people would call me that, and a new hope that my original kidnappers had come to save me swelled.
I spun around to face the door, my eyes wide as I watched the doorknob jiggle. “Stay back!” the voice boomed.
Involuntarily, I took a step back. Another growl came from outside the room. My hands clenched together so tight my knuckles turned white. My eyes kept darting between the wall and the door. I was going to die. This was the end.
Footfalls pounded in the hall, with more hushed voices that I couldn’t make out. Crash! The door fell onto the floor, taking pieces of the frame and wall with it. Debris fell on the rubble and dust filled the room. I coughed and waved my hand in front of my face, gasping for oxygen. An outline of a wolf, or what I thought was a wolf, vanished as the dust settled.
/>
A scream lodged in my throat. I clamped my hand to my mouth when a large figure walked through the disaster. I backed up even more until my back hit the opposite wall, trapping me.
The dust was so thick that I couldn’t see anything more than a shape. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing this were a dream, and when I opened them, everything would be normal.
Peeking one eye at a time, I recognized the man, and let out a sigh of relief. Jarak’s aqua eyes glistened as he held my stare.
“Esmerelda,” he whispered, out of breath. He held out his hand for me to take, but I refused, shaking my head. I didn’t want to go anywhere with anyone—unless it was to go home.
My body quivered. “What—what are you doing?” I felt betrayed by him. It was his fault I was inside this room. My heart pounded, telling me something else, aching to believe him. Maybe I was wrong?
His hand still reached out for me. “Come on, we have to go—now.”
Still shaking my head no, I could feel my lips tremble. “N-n-no. I don’t know who to trust.”
I looked for an escape. The only one I saw meant that I’d have to dash past Jarak. But, what were my chances of making it?
The doorway filled with another presence. So much for an escape, I thought. Victor’s flushed face was bright red. “Come on,” he demanded.
I stood immobile, unable to force my legs to move. Victor pushed past Jarak and grabbed my arm, pulling me against my will.
“Stop! I can walk. You don’t have to yank me along.” What was it with this man that he thought he had to kidnap and manhandle me all the time?
Jarak clenched his hand around Victor’s arm that pulled at me. “Victor, she’s scared can’t you see that?”
Victor grimaced. “There’s no time to waste. We need to leave.”
I didn’t move.
“Either I drag her out, or you take her out.” Victor was serious. I could tell by the tone of his voice. My whole body tensed up even more, and I jerked away from him, freeing my hand. I’d rather leave with Jarak than him.