by D. N. Hoxa
Those had been Finn’s agents, I was willing to bet my life on it. Which meant that Elisa would be served to the ECU on a silver platter just the same.
“She said there were others,” Fallon said. “Do you think she was telling the truth?” She asked Luca but I answered.
“She was.” Elisa hadn’t lied simply because she had no reason to—unless she was working undercover for the ECU. If what happened just minutes ago was anything to go by, that was definitely not the case.
“We need to get them out,” Ax said, moving his left arm around to get his blood flowing.
“We need to find Elisa.” As stupid as I sounded to my own ears, it was the only thing that made sense. Not only had she saved us, but she knew things, things we needed to know if we were going to come up with a semblance of a plan on how to move forward. No matter that I’d done it all my life, living in hiding was no longer something that would work, not when there were six of us, being hunted by the authorities, as well as magic-thirsty demons. Yes, demons. The word described them much better than mindless thingies ever did. We needed information, and we couldn’t very well go do an interview with the ECU. If Elisa knew as much as she claimed, that meant she had connections. Ways to find things out, and that was our priority.
“First, we need to leave this place. Those people didn’t kill us for a reason. They’re going to tell someone on us,” Luca said, making a lump form in my throat, because he was right.
“This is what we came together for, Luca,” Ax said, standing up. “To find others. To save others. We spent years looking, and now we know where to find them.”
“Going into the ECU is suicide,” I said reluctantly, though my mind was already made up. I was going to do it. I was going to go after Elisa, and I was going to find out what the hell I was, and what those demons were, even if it cost me my life.
“Running and hiding is just putting a few miles between us and death,” Ax said. “But if there’s more of us, if we all get together…”
“We’ll be making the biggest sign in history for the demons, saying, hey! we’re here, come suck our delicious magic. What the hell are you waiting for? ” I sucked at making voices, but he had it coming. “If we don’t know what we are and what we’re running from and why the ECU wants us dead, it’s all useless. We don’t have spells. Neither of you is trained,” and my two years seemed a child’s play now that I’d gotten my ass handed over to me by that witch, “and our magic is unreliable.”
“Knowing isn’t going to make it more reliable,” Ax said.
“Knowing will tell us how to do exactly that.” At least I hoped so, because if it didn’t, than we were doomed.
“We need to leave. Right now,” said Luca, barely standing on his feet. Though Fallon still looked angry at him, she walked over and put his arm around her shoulders.
“Where are we going to go?” Grover asked, and for some reason, they all turned to look at me.
I flinched. “I’m sorry. My basement was the only place that was safe.” Now that the ECU had caught us right in front of the building, I doubted they’d ever leave it unsupervised again. Going back was a death trap.
“I know where we’ll go,” Ax said, squeezing his eyes shut as if he already hated what he said. “But we’re going to need the car.”
The car was an old Mustang with more rust than dark blue color on its body. Luca and the others had left it deep in the fields, behind a few bushes that were impossible to be noticed from the road. It was their emergency car, because they’d left their usual car parked in my neighborhood, and it was needless to say they weren’t going to get it back.
I had my doubts about it starting when Luca turned the key, but it did—and loudly. The tank was full, and Fallon, Sienna, Ax and me were squeezed against each other in the backseat. It was better than having Grover with his big ass and shoulders back there. For five minutes, it was a bumpy ride until we made it to the asphalt, and Luca drove east, knowing that if someone was coming for us, they’d come the same way that those witches had come from. Elisa’s Range Rover was in the middle of the street, the hood completely broken in, but no longer steaming. Nobody said anything as we passed it. I didn’t allow myself to even look at it for long, because it didn’t matter that they’d taken her. We were going to get her back.
***
Ax took us all the way to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. It was more than two hours away, and the Mustang had no air conditioner. Opening the windows only served to heat us up more. And that wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was that dark place my mind kept going back to: the ECU wanted us dead, and they had a device that would tell them exactly where we were. It wasn’t without fear that we headed out for Bloomsburg, but we had no other choice but to hope that as long as we stayed away from Manhattan, we’d be safe.
“When we get there, let me do the talking,” said Ax after telling Luca to turn left. The neighborhood we were in was full of people and trying to hide from them was impossible, but nobody seemed to be interested in us.
“It would help if you told us where we’re going.” He’d refused to speak every time we asked him.
“My godfather’s house,” Ax finally said.
“And you trust him?”
He nodded. “More than anyone.”
I was dying to ask if he had a family he could turn to, or if he was just as fucked up as I was in that department. And was he raised as a Bone witch? Pennsylvania was the main Bone state in the US, so it would be no surprise. But I didn’t want to be nosy, so I kept my mouth shut.
The house we stopped in front of was the best on the street. Two stories high, with light grey walls that looked freshly painted, and the small porch in front of the door was decorated in three different kinds of flowers. The grass was freshly cut and the car in front of the garage door, a red Mercedes, shone under the sunlight.
Climbing out of the car was heaven, until I realized that both my shirt and my pants were wet with sweat. I was a true mess: dirt all over my torn clothes, and my hair…let’s not even go there. It felt good to stretch my legs and Ax was more than happy to be free of me and my pocket knives on his lap. But as soon as we passed the low fence gate, all blood seemed to leave his face. Even though he trusted whoever we were about to meet, it was obvious that he wasn’t looking forward to asking for their help. It was no wonder. With the ECU after us and the mindless thingies, too, I wouldn’t have wanted to put anyone I cared about in danger.
Ax knocked once on the door and stepped back, while we waited a couple steps behind. It didn’t take long for the man to answer, and when he saw Ax standing in front of him, his wrinkled face broke into a huge smile. He was old, possibly in his sixties. What was left of the hair around his head was light grey, and his warm brown eyes were barely visible from the wrinkles. But he was still a big man, almost as tall as Ax, and much stronger looking than anyone his age I’d seen.
When his eyes moved from Ax to the rest of us, that smile vanished. I expected him to ask us what we were doing here, or worse—ask us to go back where we came from, but instead, all he did was step aside to make way for us.
Ax’s shoulders had been tense until that second, and he visibly relaxed before moving forward. With every step I took inside the man’s house, the guilt inside me grew. By going to him, we were including him in whatever sick game the universe was playing with us. He was in danger now, if not from the mindless thingies, then from the ECU.
Swallowing hard, I allowed myself to keep an open mind. Ax cared for this guy, or he trusted him at the very least, and he wasn’t stupid. If he hadn’t known that his godfather could help us, he wouldn’t have brought us here.
The inside of the house was even more beautiful that the outside. Pictures everywhere, mounted on the walls, on top of the mantle, even a few on the kitchen counter on the right of the room. The floor to ceiling doors that showed the small but tidy backyard let in so much sun, it felt like we were outside, except it was way cooler in there. It sm
elled of spells, but not too strong, and it seemed like most of the wet wood and mint was coming in from the backyard through the half open door in the middle of the living room.
“Thank you, Mathias,” Ax said, standing awkwardly in front of him, looking down at the floor. “I had nowhere else to go.”
“Why don’t we get out,” Mathias said, his voice low but strong, and he waved for the backyard. “We’ll be safer there.”
I was right, the smell of spells did come in from the backyard, and out here, even under the open sky, it stank of mint. There was a patio with two small benches around a dark wooden table, with a green umbrella mounted on the wall of the house. The yard was small but it was full of flowers back here, too, and if I wasn’t mistaken, there were three bunnies in the grass that looked like balls of white, brown and orange fur. On the other side of the patio was a barbecue that looked brand new, and the high wall around the yard was full of beautiful yellow and grey stones. No idea why, but it gave me the impression that the old man had put it up himself.
Maybe he spent most of his time out here, and that was why he protected the yard better than his house, but even knowing that didn’t make me feel any better. I was perfectly aware of all my weapons, and though we couldn’t even see the next door house from the wall, I kept my eyes on it just to make sure there’d be no surprise attacks.
“Are these your friends?” Mathias asked when he sat down on one bench, and Ax sat on the other.
“They are,” Ax said. “I’m sorry to come here uninvited.”
Mathias waved him off. “I’m sure there’s a good reason for it,” he said, then for a brief second, his eyes met mine. He was one of those people that seemed familiar to you, even though you knew you’d never seen them before. It felt like he’d known me all my life.
“There is,” Ax said. “The people with me, we’re…we’re the same.” Which made me think that this old witch already knew what Ax was. Amazing. I’d spent my whole life never coming across of anyone who even resembled me in any way, and now, in the span of a few days, I was starting to believe that half the paranormals in the country knew about what I was.
“I figured as much,” said Mathias, looking us over once more.
“We’re in some pretty big trouble. The ECU is after us, as well as some people we don’t know, and we need a place to hide for a few days.”
A few days? I didn’t think so. Waiting a few days to go after Elisa was only going to make finding her harder, if not impossible. The ECU didn’t play games. They just killed.
“You know you’re welcome here, Axel,” Mathias said with a sigh. “But your father might want to know.”
Ax’s shoulders became tense again. “No.” It was so definite, I wondered why Mathias bothered to try again.
“I know you aren’t on the best terms, and I never agreed with his choices—” Fuck, the curiosity was making me itch all over. Or, it could have been just the sweat.
“If you can’t help me, all you have to do is say so,” Ax cut him off.
Mathias leaned back, raising his long, grey brows. “I’m retired, Axel. I’m old. All I can help you with is a bed. But your father…”
“That’s all we’re looking for. A bed and some spells to keep us hidden for a little while. You’re the strongest witch I know. Nobody is going to shield us better than you.”
“If the ECU is looking for you, I won’t be able to keep you hidden for long,” Mathias said, and relief settled on my shoulders. He was going to help us. “What’s the plan after you leave?”
Ax turned to look at us, in his eyes a question. Did we want to tell this man what we were up to?
“If we tell you, we’d only be putting you in danger,” Luca said, and I agreed.
“The less you know, the better,” said Ax.
The old witch remained silent and analyzed his face for a second. “Axel, we agreed before you left that you were going to remain hidden.”
“And I have been, but trust me when I tell you, it has become impossible,” Ax said reluctantly.
“If you can’t tell me what you’re going to do, I’m going to have to assume the worst,” Mathias said, not a drop of blood left on his face as his eyes skimmed to the rest of us. It felt like he already knew, and it made me uneasy.
“We’re going to do what needs doing, nothing more.”
“And what do you think needs to be done?” The man wasn’t about to let this go.
“We’re going to save those who were taken. It’s the least we can do,” Ax said in the next heartbeat, before I could. I hated going in circles, too.
“Axel…” Mathias warned.
“If we don’t, who will? You’ve worked with the wolves your whole life. You probably already know that the ECU has been taking in people like us.” When he looked at the man now, there was judgment in Ax’s eyes. There was pain. “I wish you would have told me.”
The man didn’t need to confirm that he’d known with words. His face said it all. “You’re not going to save anyone by going into that place. You’re right, I’ve worked with the wolves for four decades, and I can tell you for certain that it’s impossible.” Four decades? What had this guy done for werewolves?
“We’re not just going to sit around and wait for them to find us,” Ax said, getting a bit angry, because he knew that Mathias was probably right. We all did. Fear was something I’ve lived with all my life, but I’d tricked my parents and my siblings. I was a pro at annoying family members but breaking into the ECU was a whole other monster.
“You can leave the country, like you said you would,” Mathias said.
“No, thanks. I’m fine right here,” said Ax and stood up from the bench. “We’re exhausted, Mathias. We can talk more later, but for now, we really do need to rest.” Thank God.
“Certainly,” Mathias said. “You know where to go. Try not to make too much of a mess while I prepare some more spells.” With his head down, angry as hell, he walked inside the house.
For a second, it looked like Ax wanted to scream his guts out, but he settled on a sigh instead. “Follow me,” he said, and took us up the stairs and to the second floor.
There were four rooms up there, and we decided to only use two. Girls in one, and boys in the other. It wasn’t ideal, considering our room had two twin beds only, but Fallon wouldn’t touch me with a stick, and she’d never let Sienna lay with me, so I didn’t even have to say anything but watch them take the bed on the right. It suited me fine—I did need the rest—but apparently, it still stung to be left out. Pretending not to notice and care was another thing I was a pro at, so without bothering to even look for the bathroom, I fell on the bed and closed my eyes. The white covers smelled nice and they were soft against my skin. I enjoyed their comfort until sleep took me, and didn’t allow myself to think about anything at all.
Eleven
Mathias had cooked chicken fingers for us, with three kinds of sauces, and lots of French fries. Said we needed both the protein and the calories to get us back in shape. We hadn’t even needed to tell him we’d been in a fight. One look at our clothes told the whole story.
Half the group had taken showers before sleeping. Ax was in line after dinner, and I was last. Fallon and Sienna were wearing men clothes, Mathias’s I suspected. I hoped he lent me some, too. We ate in silence, all of us grumpy for sleeping for six hours during the day. It was a little past ten pm, and nothing was going to cheer us up, except the night’s sleep, if that.
Mathias stood away from the dining table until Ax went for his shower, and then walked out in the backyard. The minutes seemed to drag on forever before I heard a door slamming shut upstairs. I forgot about the food and took the stairs running. My turn for the shower. The bathroom door was the third on the left, right next to where the guys had slept. The door was slightly open, and I hoped to find Ax to ask him if I could borrow Mathias’s clothes. I’d have asked myself had the old witch not looked at me like he wanted to slap me across the face three times in
one minute.
Lucky for me, I did find Ax. Wet. Naked. With only a pink towel wrapped around his hips. And he had no idea I was watching. His defined muscles looked even better with the few drops of water still hanging on his skin. His back was a masterpiece, and though I couldn’t see his chest, I was willing to bet it was ripped and made for touching. Preferably by me. Drool threatened to slip through the corners of my mouth. Swallowing hard, I tried to push the nasty thoughts away from my head, and focus.
On his legs.
Or his shoulders. His arms were a good choice, too.
When he moved to the side, he scared me so much, my heart almost gave up on me. I was so not prepared to be caught sneaking like that. Ax’s ice blue eyes met mine, and as if he could see the invisible flames burning my skin, he smiled playfully. Fuck, he was making it really hard for me to stop thinking about it.
“Uh, so…um, clothes?” A freaking wordsmith. That’s me.
Raising his brows, Ax turned toward me and I almost fainted. His chest was even better than I imagined. I blamed it on the light. The light must have been playing tricks on me, because nobody looked that good shirtless. I thought he was coming for me, but instead, he moved left, and I realized there was a drawer there. He took some things while I analyzed the hardwood floor and counted the seconds, determined not to look at him at all.
“They won’t fit, but they’re clean,” he said, handing me a bunch of clothes I couldn’t even see the color of.
“Thanks. I always wanted to dress in an old man’s clothes,” I muttered, and quickly turned for the bathroom.
“They’re not Mathias’s. They’re mine,” said Ax before I closed the door.
Shoot. The reflection in the mirror right across the door showed just how red my cheeks had gotten. Ax’s clothes were a pair of jeans and a plain white shirt. They were extremely big for me, but I was going to have to manage, especially if they smelled like him. I didn’t allow myself to look at the mirror twice. My hair, my body, my makeup all said that I was homeless, instead of someone who’d almost been killed just a few hours ago.