PANDORA

by Rebecca Hamilton

  “What a terrible thing to ask, Barry!” I smack his arm. “I see your point though. I would fight her to the death and make damn sure, I won.” My reaction startles me, but I push those thoughts and images out of my head.

  “That’s my point.” He smirks. “Anyway, the prince was outraged by the challenge. He fought the challenger and tore him to pieces within minutes. Everyone felt his power.” His voice gains strength again, feeling the story. My heart starts to race, soaking in his words. “His power was stronger than the pack’s alpha.” He grins. “The prince, his mate, and defenders left to finish the journey and form the new pack. Along their journey, they acquired a few shifters who heard the story from Ireland or Italy. The newcomers were rogues that had no pack and wanted to belong to someone with legendary power. They made it to the States and after a year of searching, they found a territory perfect for what they needed. For many years, their pack grew and developed into a strong front for the territory. They gained allies with neighboring territories, and befriended the other beings and humans.

  “After decades of trying, the prince and his mate finally had their first child. His mate called her brother from Ireland to come and meet his niece. Her brother arrived a few weeks later. He loved the little girl and missed his sister so much that he denounced his position from his pack in Ireland. He was planning to join the pack of his sister’s mate, but decided that he would travel, and maybe find a mate of his own. Every couple of months, the brother would leave and then return within weeks. This went on for a few decades until the prince’s mate announced she was pregnant again. He decided that his travels could wait, and he tended to his niece’s training, as the prince cared for his wife. This time, she had a boy.” His smile slips. “A few months after the boy’s first birthday, an injured woman stumbled onto their territory.” His eyes flash with sadness before he looks away from me again. “She asked to speak to the alpha in private, only the alpha, unless he’s mated. Then she will speak to the couple. She told them her story, and they, as a couple, agree to help her and protect her child. The woman, happy with that decision, left to finish taking care of her business and find a safe place to rest her head as she wouldn’t seek shelter with them. The daughter, not knowing it was a secretive meeting, was in the adjoining room and heard every word. She thought the woman needed more protection than she claimed. She snuck out after the woman left and followed her.” I fist my hands together and hold my breath. I don’t think I like where this is going.

  “She protected the woman for two days, before they were found by a group of devuxen. After the struggle, the daughter carried the woman, who was near death, back to her territory. They ran into her father while he was out searching for her. The woman explained as much as she could before the daughter shifted and explained herself. The prince led them back to the pack house to tend to their wounds. When they reached the inner limits, a warning howl ripped through the field. They all raced to the pack house, finding the rest of the clan and a new threat attacking the prince’s pack.” A small gasp escapes my lips as I lean towards him slightly. “The prince and his pack eliminated the entire clan, but not without cost.” Barry looks at me sadly. “Loss surrounded the prince. His mate and daughter were among the handful of casualties, as well as the woman he promised to protect.” He stops talking and stares at the sky.

  “Did the prince survive the loss? What about his son?” The questions flow out of my mouth without thought. Barry says nothing, just continues to stare at the sky, which allows the story to sink in.

  A woman came to the prince’s pack. She needed protection of some sort, for her child and her. That woman had to be Henry’s birth mother. I feel it in my gut.

  If it was Henry’s birth mother, then that means Fane is the prince of the story. I suck in a breath and tears come to my eyes. It was Barry’s mom and sister. I stare wide eyed at Barry.

  He glances at me from the corner of his eye. “Didn’t take as long as I thought it would.”

  My mouth opens and then closes. “Your m . . . ” my mouth just won’t form the words.

  “Now you know why my father and I react the way we do.”

  “That’s not all I understand,” I mumble. Then remember Fionn and Fane’s argument. “What’s Fionn to you? He seems equally affected by the discussion.”

  “He’s my uncle on my mom’s side,” he says quietly. “Was it bad? Their fight?”

  “Well, it wasn’t good.” I shake my head. “I guess it all happened right after Charlotte told them what she saw with my relationship lines. But your dad said that he wouldn’t let me go without a perfect plan.”

  “Is there anything I can say or do to stop you?” His eyes are so intense and filled with so much emotion. I just want to hold him. So I offer what comfort I can and reach over and grab his hand with both of mine.

  He has to know that I have to do this. “In a way, I wish everyone would chain me up and throw away the key,” I tell him honestly. “But how could I live with myself if I agreed to stay behind? I know for a fact it’s me who has to save them.” I purse my lips.

  “I understand,” he nods and squeezes my fingers. “I promise not to leave Seth for a minute.” He grins, and I have an eerie feeling that he’s about say something questionable. “If I have to crap, he’ll come with me. I will know the minute you are in trouble, and we will get you out of there.”

  I start laughing. “Oh, poor Seth.” I tug a hand away from him and place it on my side. “Way to ruin a potentially sweet moment by Barry-ing it up!”

  “Hey, someone’s gotta do it.” He gives me a cheesy smile.

  I grin and bump his shoulder. “We should probably get back in there,” I say and stand.

  “Yea. I should see when we’re leaving,” he agrees, and follows me up the three steps to the porch.

  The door flings open just as I reach the “Welcome” mat. “Y’ins done?” Leland asks and I nod. “Good. Fane’s lookin’ for you Barry. Jaz, Skeeter wants to talk with you,” Leland tells us, and Barry squeezes past to head for the kitchen. Seth walks over and grabs my hand.

  I pull Seth along with me towards the kitchen, in hopes of hearing this master plan or even part of it. Instead, Skeeter grabs my hand away from Seth’s and yanks me into the bathroom.

  “You need to shower, and I’m to help you dress,” she blurts out as I’m about to question her.

  “Can this be done in my bathroom upstairs? And why do I need help getting dressed?”

  “Because you don’t have the right pants, but I checked and we’re the same size, so I sent my grandpa for the cargo pants. I always need help tying the straps,” she explains in a rush. “You can shower upstairs but right now I’m just trying to get away from your brother,” she blushes and fiddles with her pinky ring.

  “What’s he doing?” I ask and reach for the door to see exactly what he’s doing.

  She grabs my arm and stops me from opening the door. “He’s annoying as hell! Following me around like a puppy,” she whispers harshly. “I know he’s a shifter and his purpose is protection, but dear lord,” she glances to the door almost paranoid. “When you’re not around, he’s stuck up my ass!” She whispers again.

  “Hey, calm down. Why don’t you talk to him?”

  “I don’t want to do that!” She smacks her hand to her mouth. “What if he tells me he’s into me?” She gasps then waves her hand towards the door. “You have things to do, and more important things to worry about than my nonexistent love life.” Her face turns bright red as she pushes me back out the door.

  I walk into the kitchen in a confused daze. I spot Barry and Fane near the counter and head towards them. “So, what’s the plan?”

  “We will call you when we find the location. Be ready to leave at any time. You will have Seth as a link and Avan is working on something extra,” Fane answers almost absent mindedly.

  “My job is to make sure my phone doesn’t die?” I couldn’t stop my eyes from rolling.

  “I kno
w it sounds like we are babying you, but seriously, you need to stay here until we know for sure where they’re being held. Let us do our jobs, then you can do yours,” Sam says from the table.

  “Alright, I’ll stay here and keep my phone charged. Are we doing this all tonight?” Please, it’s already been two hours since they’ve been taken.

  I need them home.

  “Yes, if that’s okay with you?” Sam shrugs.

  “Of course it is!” I yell. How stupid of a question is that?

  “The hunting parties will leave in fifteen minutes,” Fane says. Hunting parties? That sounds like they’re scavenging for food, not people!

  “Fionn, have you heard from the Aerial’s?” Avan shouts over the separate conversations. Aerial’s? I poke my head around Seth to see Fionn.

  “Five will be ‘ere soon,” he says in his thick accent.

  Just hearing it makes me think back to Barry’s story, and Fionn’s sister. This whole situation... Memories can be just as painful as current events.

  “What are Aerial’s?” I whisper to Seth.

  “They’re shifters,” he whispers back. “Their other forms are birds.”

  “Oh, like a parrot or a robin?” I ask.

  “No. Firebirds,” he says.

  I’ve heard that before, in stories or a movie. “Phoenix?”

  “There’s only one. He’s like an alpha in a way. But he’s also the guardian of all supernatural beings.”

  I mull the new information over. Aside from my growing unease of everything going on, I get to meet more strangers, strange strangers at that. But, we need all the help we can get.

  Why didn’t Derik just include an address or directions on the canvas? That would’ve been a novel idea.

  Leland and five guys I’ve never seen, saunter into the kitchen, each of the new guys have different shades of red or red/brown hair with golden-flame-colored eyes. You can tell through their tanks, they’re fit, not overly muscular like the wolves, but more slender like Avan.

  The one wearing a black top steps forward. “I’m Kass. This is my brother Bo, our flock-mates Tristan, Chase, and Caine,” he says, voice deeper than I expected.

  As Fane talks to Kass, I survey the four he brought with him. His brother, Bo, is slightly chubbier than the others, and has orange-red hair with brown streaks, identical to Kass’. I notice Bo’s cheeks are pink, shoulders hunched, and he’s staring at the floor. I think he’s embarrassed but I can’t even guess why. Maybe he’s just shy.

  To Bo’s right is Tristan, his red hair, even in the ponytail, reaches the middle of his back. He’s joking with Sam. Just watching him in their conversation, he reminds me of Barry.

  I glance around and find one of them, Chase I think, talking to Barry and Barry doesn’t look impressed. Chase kind of reminds me of the skateboarders at my old school, spiked hair, saggy pants, and DC shoes.

  My eyes scan the room. There was another guy, Caine, I think.

  My eyes pass over the stranger named Caine and a chill runs down my spine. He’s leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest. The dark tribal tattoos on his arms give the illusion that he’s wearing a long sleeve tee. Swirling lines, a skull, and feathers, camouflage his tanned skin. One tattoo travels up the side of his neck and disappears into his hair. My eyes slowly travel to his face. Square jaw, defined cheekbones, and a pointed nose.

  His dark golden eyes trap mine.

  My pulse quickens, heart beating a terrified drum, and breathing has stopped.

  Derik doesn’t even give me this hateful of a look, and this guy is supposed to be on my side. Helping me.

  I swallow and sink into Seth to focus on the tingling sensation that only his skin brings. It doesn’t work.

  I try to close my eyes or look elsewhere but it’s not working. Nothing is working. I’m trapped. I swear this guy wants to cut me up and eat me for dinner.

  Warm breath fans across my cheek. “Hey, you’re okay,” Seth whispers and kisses my neck.

  I shiver for a totally different reason. That’s one way of distracting me. “I think so,” I say, just as Barry shoves away from Chase and slams the sliding glass door behind him.

  “What’s buggin’ Barry?” Henry asks.

  I startle and spin around to look at him with a hand on my chest, willing my heart to slow. “You’ve got the shifter sneak attack, down pat! Give me some warning or something.”

  “Not my fault you don’t pay attention when you’re with Seth. He shrugs. “You know what’s goin’ on with Barry? He’s been acting a little strange today.”

  My mind whirrs. “Um, you don’t really have any room to talk there buddy-man.”

  “I have a perfectly good excuse . . . I just haven’t figured out what it is yet,” he says and then looks away distractedly.

  “I bet you haven’t,” I snort when I catch him eyeing Skeeter again.

  “Team up,” Fane yells. “Roll out in five.”

  Kass whistles and his flock-mates join him by the fridge. Tristan nods then comes over to Seth, Henry, and me.

  “Looks like I’m with you guys,” he says and winks. I roll my eyes, but I’m literally jumping for joy inside. I’m not stuck with Caine!

  Chapter 21

  Did Not See That Coming

  As everyone begins leaving in their groups, I make my leave to go upstairs. I need a shower, my charger, and the cargo pants Skeeter’s loaning me.

  Someone clears their throat behind me. “Jasmine,” the voice says.

  My eyes close and my heart sinks as dread fills my veins. I turn and open my eyes to see Caine.

  “You and I are training,” he says without explanation.

  My breath whooshes from my lungs. “Wha?”

  “When you’re done, Tristan will deliver you to where we’ll train while we wait,” he states and walks away.

  I numbly walk up the stairs to my room and pace the floor.

  I’m training with Caine. What am I training for? Why Caine?

  My door pops open. “You’re not showering?” Skeeter asks.

  I stop pacing and stare at her. “Did you hear?”

  “Training with Caine when you’re done?” She questions, and I nod. “Well yea, you need to know some sort of defense. I thought you knew that was going to happen?”

  Self-defense? Caine? “But . . . ” my brows furrow. “I thought Sam was training me?” I ask weakly and wring my hands.

  “Training with Caine will be fine, silly.” She waves me off and steps past me to my dresser and begins digging through the drawers.

  “He hates me,” I whisper, and she chuckles.

  A minute later she’s produced an entire outfit, including her special fatigue style cargo pants. “I’ll be right here, reading,” she waves a magazine. “When you’re done in the shower, yell, and I’ll come help you tie off the pants,” she says and shoves me towards the door.

  ***

  My mind keeps traveling to Mom and Alex, then to the pending training with Caine as Skeeter ties off the straps at the waist and ankles.

  He’s going to eat me. Just cut me up in tiny bite-sized pieces and have me for dinner.

  “You’re panicking,” Seth says as he enters the room.

  “Ya think?” I roll my eyes, and Skeeter snorts.

  Skeeter backs out of my room after she finishes the last tie, and Seth walks to stand in front of me. “I’ll be with you the whole time,” he whispers and wraps my hands in his.

  I let him calm me. “Thank you,” I smile.

  “C’mon, let’s go tell Henry he has to stay here.”

  My heart quickens and my palms instantly become sweaty. “He can’t come?” My lip trembles. “And I have to tell him this?”

  Seth chuckles and tugs me out to the hallway. “It’ll be fine,” he grins.

  As we reach the top of the stairs, there’s a loud crash. “No way am I staying!” Henry shouts.

  Seth and I look to each other and dart down the stairs.

&
nbsp; “If it was up to me, I’d send your ass just to get away from you!” Skeeter shouts back to him, red faced and trembling. “But you’re stuck with me here!”

  “I’m just supposed to sit here and play fiddlesticks with you, like everything’s cool?” He shouts back to her, and Tristan starts laughing.

  “Yes!” She screams. “If you didn’t notice, your sister is petrified, you’re an overprotective ass, and that kind of combination will cause more problems than what it’s worth! Not to mention the fact that your uncle and I need some help here for when Lil and Alex return.” She folds her arms over her chest. “Think about that.” She turns away from him and freezes when she sees me. “Jazzy,” she whispers. “Fane called.” She blushes slightly. “I suppose you heard all that?” I nod, and she does, too, then looks back to Henry and darts past me towards the living room.

  “You ready?” Tristan asks me.

  “One minute?” I ask hopeful.

  He looks past me, head tilted. He rolls his eyes and sighs. “You’ve got exactly one minute or Caine says to drag you out the door,” he says and leaves Henry, Seth, and me in the kitchen. Seth nods to Henry and follows Tristan out.

  “Don’t waste your breath tryin’ to tell me things are gonna be fine,” he says thickly and walks over to me. “Learn everything you can from Caine, then kick Tristan’s ass before you get Mom and Alex and . . . ” he trails off, and I throw my arms around his neck.

  “I love you,” I say, tears coming to my eyes.

  “I love you, too. Don’t . . . ” he sighs. “Just go.” He drops his arms and gives me a hard look. “I’ll see you soon,” he says through clenched teeth.

  I nod and bite my cheek to stop the tears from falling. I certainly hope he’s right.

  Tristan, Seth, and Barry are already in Tristan’s Jetta, waiting for me. I hustle and climb in the back with Seth. He smiles and laces our fingers together.