by Rain Oxford
“I didn’t want her to make the same mistakes as me. I wanted her to be better than that.”
Chapter 9
It was no surprise that Meredith wasn’t thankful for our help. Nevertheless, it came time to go home and it felt wrong to say goodbye to Logan.
There was no doubt that I liked him. I thought about him often while we were apart and wondered what it would be like to carry on a real relationship with him. I thought it would be fun, and probably dangerous. We worked well together, but that didn’t mean we would do other things well together. I had myself, the boys, and Brandy to take care of. I wasn’t looking for someone else to share my life with.
But I was immortal, and that was a long time to live without going on any adventures.
“I like you, Rory,” Logan said, startling me from my thoughts. “I don’t like many people. I want to continue talking with you through calls and messages, and if you find yourself in Oregon, I hope you stop by my shop.”
“I will. Feel free to visit my bar. But, if you drink anything, you’re a customer, and I won’t sleep with a customer.”
“Good.”
“What?”
“I never drink alcohol.”
I laughed. “If I said I only sleep with customers, would you have a drink?”
“Of course not, Ms. Ares. I will not play games. Whether you want me or not, I will not play games.”
“Good.” I did want him, but I didn’t want to get more attached to him. I didn’t know if I could trust him. I knew what I wanted and I knew he wanted me in return, but I didn’t know if it would work between us.
Vampires didn’t like taking hits. Apparently, I didn’t like risking myself emotionally. Instead, I would bide my time with all talk and no physical contact.
“Call me when you get home safely,” Logan said.
“What about the shadow walkers?”
“They don’t concern me.”
“We should warn people about them.”
“You’re suggesting that we tell people there are demons on the loose? I think people would either tell us we’re insane or we’d be looking at a new wave of witch-hunters.”
I considered it. There were humans that hunted paranormals and that was bad. Paranormals that hunt paranormals were even more dangerous. I didn’t believe in demons until I faced Marluk. Those who did believe in them were liable to try to kill them all. That meant wizards were going to be accused of being demons or half demons and innocent demons would be hunted.
Are any demons innocent?
Furthermore, telling anyone that iron was a weakness for them had the same issue. “Let’s talk about it after we’ve had a few days to think. Maybe we know some people who can keep a secret and fight only the shadow walkers. In the meantime, the boys need rest.” And that meant going home.
Logan agreed, although he seemed as reluctant as me. He drove us back to Cindy’s house and helped me get the boys into my car without jostling them. Phobos shot me a look as I shut the door and I nodded.
I turned to Logan, but before I could say a word, he kissed me. It was amazing, as usual, and I wanted nothing more than to see what else about him was amazing.
Nothing except the boys’ health. I broke the kiss. “I need to get the boys settled.” If Logan and I didn’t work out, they would be heartbroken.
As if he knew what I was thinking, he said, “The fastest way to lose any battle is to walk into it expecting to lose.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He kissed me softly. “You do that.” He stepped back and I got into my car. It was with a mixture of regret and disappointment that I drove away. Twice, we had been brought together, and twice, I left feeling like I was making a mistake.
As much as a hated it, I was going to outlive everyone I loved. In a hundred years, Deimos and Phobos will have just been a moment in my life. Brandy, too. Watching them die would be agonizing. That was the curse of immortality; it consumed everything in its path. People grow closer to death from the moment they’re born. I was stuck.
That didn’t mean I would give up what I had with my boys. I didn’t wish I never had them, because even though I knew I would miss them terribly, I would always have the memories of them. I could make more memories. I didn’t want to regret not giving a relationship with Logan a chance. Whether it worked out or not, it was better than always wondering what if. Thus, I decided to call him as soon as I got home, and if our paths ever crossed again, I would make an effort.
* * *
Since I broke the speed limit and pushed the limits of sunset, it only took two days to reach my bar, but at that point, I had to duck to avoid the sunlight peeking over the buildings in the distance. I left the boys in the car, knowing Brandy could help them out.
What greeted me when I opened the door, however, was chaos. It was always dead during the day, but this was a disaster. The tables and chairs were broken, the bar was destroyed, and every single bottle behind the counter had been smashed. “Brandy!” I called.
No response. My blood turned to ice in my veins. I ran upstairs looking for her, but the door was open and everything in our apartment was destroyed as well. On my bedroom wall was a message written in blood.
If you want her, bring your father to us.
There was no address, meaning I couldn’t find them. I didn’t even know who they were. I searched the apartment for any clue Brandy might have left me, but when I heard a sound downstairs, I prepared myself for a fight. Instead, I was shocked to see Theo standing by the door.
“Now isn’t a good time,” I said.
“I was here a few hours ago, when Brandy was attacked,” he responded.
I was so shocked over Brandy’s disappearance that it took me a moment to realize what was wrong with what I had just heard. “You can talk?!” His voice was deep, not scratchy as I imagined it would be if he could talk.
Ignoring my question, he said, “Three demons appeared and told Brandy to write a ransom note for you. She refused, so they wrote it themselves.” He gestured to the destroyed furniture. “We tried to help her, but regular paranormals stand little chance against demons and we were unprepared.”
Demons? Was it the shadow walkers that did this? Why? I didn’t have magic, Brandy didn’t have magic, and my father was dead. “Can you lead me to them?”
“No.”
“They want my father.”
“I know. They said as much. He has information they want, and when they couldn’t get to him themselves, they thought they could make you bring him to them.”
“But as far as I know, he’s dead.”
“He’s not. I can’t take you to the demons, but I can tell you where your father is, and he probably knows where to find the demons.”
“How do you know where my father is? How do you know who he is at all?”
“I have been spying on you for him for as long as you’ve owned this bar. When your father returned to this world, he chose to stay away from you for your own protection, but he couldn’t stand not knowing for certain that you were safe, so he hired me to watch you and report back to him.”
“I’m going to kill someone.”
“Save Brandy first.”
I opened my mouth to ask him why he was giving himself up, but then I realized it for myself. “You’re in love with Brandy.”
“Yes.”
“You know she’s not into men, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re giving yourself up, knowing I’ll kill you for keeping my father a secret, so that I can find my father and use him to get her back.”
“Yes.”
“Give me his address. I don’t trust you enough to follow you anywhere.”
He gave me the address.
“Now leave my bar. Never come near Brandy or me again or I’ll kill you.”
Reluctantly, he left. I felt unreasonably betrayed. I had told Theo things knowing he couldn’t tell anyone else. I saw him every day. I considered him a fr
iend. That just told me I couldn’t trust anyone.
I called Logan. “I need your help,” I said when I heard him pick up.
“Well, that was quick.”
“Three demons just kidnapped Brandy. They left a message saying that they wanted my father in exchange for her.”
“Did they tell you where he is?”
“A customer of mine did. I’ll explain later. He’s in a town called White Hills. I haven’t had a chance to---”
“I know where it is,” Logan interrupted. “It’s full of paranormals and I have a few contacts there. We’ll talk about it later. I’ll text you the address to a private airport near you. By the time you get there, there will be a pilot by the name of Leon waiting. He’ll take you to White Hills and I’ll meet you there.”
“It’s daylight.”
He paused for a moment. “Forget the address. Do you still have the robe I gave you?”
“Of course.”
“Text me Stephen’s number. I will have a driver there in two hours who can take you to the airport. In the meantime, rest and get a babysitter for the boys.” With that, he hung up.
I called Cody. “Isn’t it a little late to be---” he started.
I interrupted him. “I found my father, Brandy has been kidnapped, and I need you to watch the boys because they’re injured.”
“I’m sending over a wolf who is an ally to the coven. He’ll be there in half an hour. He can help you until I get there after sunset.”
“Thank you.”
I wasn’t used to relying on others, but I was glad there were people I could count on when I needed them. I regretted leaving the boys out in the car, yet there was nothing I could do until Cody’s shifter friend arrived.
Fortunately, the refrigerators were not damaged, so I had blood to drink and meat to feed the boys. Cody’s friend finally arrived. He was in his mid-thirties, six-five, with scruffy sand-colored hair on his face and head. His eyes were gold, which was a common wolf shifter eye color. I smelled submission in him. Somehow, he reminded me of a Golden Retriever more than a wolf.
“I’m Alex. Cody sent me to help you, but he didn’t inform me of much else.”
“I’m Aurora.”
“I know. I’ve seen you at the coven a few times. There are two wolves in the Thunderbird out there.”
“Yes, I know. I can’t get to them. Would you please let them out and bring them in?”
“Are they going to attack me?”
“They’re both injured, so they might.”
“I’ll be careful with them then.” He went outside and a few minutes later, he was guiding Deimos inside. Then he retrieved Phobos. I hugged both of them gently before taking them upstairs and laying them in my bed. I explained to them why Alex was here and that I would be leaving them with Cody while I looked for my father. They both clearly didn’t want to stay, but they understood that they needed rest.
Alex and I cleaned up the bar for another hour and a half before a woman arrived. She was tall, slender, and in her mid-thirties. Although she smelled human, I couldn’t be certain. “Ms. Ares, I was asked by Logan to take you to the airport. My name is Abigail Harland. Call me Abby, please.”
“You can call me Rory. You know my situation?”
“Your ‘sun allergy’? Yeah. I had a boyfriend with the same ‘allergy’ until my mother sent him running.”
“Do you need my help?” Alex asked.
“I need you to protect Deimos and Phobos until Cody gets here.”
“I’ve got some solar eclipse goggles that might help protect your eyes,” she said, handing me a pair of goggles.
I put them on, placed the hood of my robe over my head, and slipped my hands into my pockets.
“I’m going to guide you to the car. The windows are tinted with UV proof film, but we couldn’t replace the glass in time, so use caution inside the car.” With a gentle hand on my shoulder, she opened the door and guided me outside. “There’s a step down four feet ahead.”
I walked cautiously. Her guidance was pretty good, and soon, I was settling into a car seat. The door was closed behind me and then I heard her get into the driver’s seat. “Are you a friend of Logan’s or a business acquaintance?” I asked.
“Sort of both. I have hired him to get a number of things for me, but we have sometimes enjoyed dinner together.”
“Oh.”
“We haven’t dated or anything, if that’s what you mean.”
I wasn’t bothered by it. Being bisexual meant that I could be interested in men or women, not that I was interested in every man and woman. I had standards and types. Thus, I never understood why a woman couldn’t have guy friends if she was in a relationship with a man or a man couldn’t have woman friends if he was in a relationship with a woman. Even if I was straight, that didn’t mean I liked every damn man in the vicinity.
Besides, Logan and I didn’t have a relationship.
Then again, I did say I would make an effort if I saw him again.
“My mother would freak if I dated someone like Logan,” she continued.
“How old are you?” I asked. “Surely you don’t have to listen to your mother.”
“I do when my mother is the matriarch of a massive Wiccan coven and has an overprotective streak longer than the Bible Belt.”
“In that case, how did you manage to get here?”
“She owes him a few dozen favors. Logan has gotten her ass out of the fire with his understanding of magic and quick thinking so many times that I’m pretty sure if he wanted her to jump off a bridge, she wouldn’t hesitate.”
“You humans are weirder than paranormals.”
She scoffed. “That’s why I want to marry someone simple, like a shifter or fae.”
“Be careful with fae. They prefer marrying their members to other fae tribes for alliances. They consider humans impure. Shifters can be extremely possessive of their mates and can smell if any other male has touched you. Plus, if you marry a pack shifter, like wolves or lions, you’re marrying into a very close family. You’d be better off with a wizard.”
* * *
The drive only took fifteen minutes and then we reached the airport. Once again, Abby guided me across the sun-lit path to the safety of a vehicle. This time, I had to climb steps into the cabin of the plane. When the door closed, she said, “You’re safe now. The plane has already been sun-proofed for you.”
This one had a room cabin with three rows of six seats with a walkway split down the middle. There was a side door, which we had entered through, and a door to the cockpit. The windows were all closed.
Abigail took a seat and pulled out a Kindle. It was easy to lay the seat back into a comfortable position. I took the opportunity to get some sleep so that I was ready for the reunion.
Chapter 10
I woke to a hard, passionate kiss and knew instantly and with certainty that it was Logan. I reached up and buried my fingers in his hair. He responded by pulling up my shirt, forcing my hands above my head. He looped it under the head rest of the seat so that I couldn’t free my hands without ripping my shirt. “You have a real fetish for bondage, don’t you?” I asked.
“Not until I met you.” He kissed me again, cutting off my argument.
When he reached for my pants, I turned my head to break the kiss. “As much as I’m enjoying this, we have work to do.”
He slumped against me with disappointment and frustration. “I know you’re right.”
“Do you need a minute?”
“Yes.” We both broke apart reluctantly. “Twice now, I’ve watched you drive away, and both times, it has irritated me. If you leave again, I might tie you up and keep you in my bed.”
“If you try, I might let you.”
We exited the plane and I saw that it was shortly after sunset. The airport was small, but the town around it made it feel large. There were mountains on all sides, which I figured would be snow-capped in the winter, giving the town its name. I couldn’t see much b
ecause the town and airport were divided by trees.
We headed to the car that Logan had waiting for us. “Do you know where he lives?” he asked.
“No.”
“It shouldn’t be that hard to find him now that we’re here. Everyone knows everyone in towns like this.”
“I looked online and didn’t find anything about White Hills or my father.”
“I’m not surprised. I imagine they wouldn’t want everyone knowing their paranormal secrets. Usually, the best place to get information in a town like this is to go to the diner.”
“I guess it’s cliché for a reason.”
The town was cozy. It only had a few main roads, while the numerous residential roads were well-maintained. The houses were small, but most of them were in good condition. There were no cookie-cutter houses. It definitely didn’t have much of a nightlife, though.
Logan pulled into the parking lot of a diner. “I think we should make it known that he’s your father.”
“It depends on the paranormals we face. If they’re wizards, they’ll try to charge us for the information.”
“If they do, would it matter? Would you rather never find him?”
“No, you’re right.” We went inside. It wasn’t a cozy diner, as there were cuts in the booths and too many tables. It was well-lit, which I normally disliked, but after chasing a demon around, I preferred the light.
A waitress approached us. She was curvy with dyed red hair and dark brown eyes. I could smell she was in a good mood. “Welcome! Two?”
“Yes.”
She led us to a booth, took our drink orders, and disappeared. When she returned with our drinks, she frowned at Logan. “Something wrong?” he asked.
“Oh, no. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. I can tell she’s a vampire, but I can’t tell what you are. I thought wizard at first, but your aura is different.”
“Oh. You’re fae.”
“Yes.”
I looked around and absolutely no one was paying attention.