Devon in Wonderland (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting ManLove)

by Jana Downs

  “Yeah, I’m working on it. Give me a sec. I need to concentrate.” They each followed close behind Asher as he slowly made way for everyone to fit inside.

  Devon jumped as the doors slammed shut behind them and darkness enveloped them, taking away what little light they had to begin with. The eerie atmosphere had him reaching out, trying to find Abraxas and Layden as his eyes strained to see. His fingers sliced through the empty space.

  “Abraxas? Layden? Where are you?” he called, but there was no response. His heart pounded inside his chest as his palms grew sweaty.

  “Come on, guys. This isn’t funny. Dru, Ashe, Zeke, anyone?” The panic was obvious in his tone. He licked his suddenly dry lips and held his breath as he listened intently for any kind of familiar sound, a snicker or a laugh perhaps from the cruel joke he hoped they were playing on him.

  A few more moments of silence passed and nothing. Not even the faint sound of someone breathing. It was as though everyone had disappeared, leaving him alone in this desolate room. He had a bad feeling about all this. He reached for the dagger stashed inside his boot just as a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the far corner of the room.

  “Come on. I’m not afraid of you,” he challenged the entity as he palmed the hilt of the dagger. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he watched in horror as the other parts of the spirit slowly formed out of the darkness.

  “Not afraid, are you?” The voice was cold and taunting as the spirit moved in front of him, taking Devon by surprise. Devon stumbled backward a few steps before finding himself pressed against the door he’d just entered through.

  “Let me enlighten you, little boy, of just what you have to fear. For I hold the power to take everyone you care about away from you.”

  A light engulfed the room, and Devon flinched at the sudden brightness.

  “Take a look, pet. See all the things I’ve collected.” Devon looked around the rather plain room. Nothing out of the ordinary caught his attention at first, until he noticed the moving objects in the mirrors on the wall that didn’t quite fit with his reflection. He stepped forward for a better look. The closer he came to the mirrors, the more he realized that they weren’t ordinary wall decorations. The images that were reflected in them weren’t of the room. They were of Druis, Ezekiel, Asher, and Cerilius. Panic had him moving from one mirror to the next.

  Please no!

  But the sinking feeling in his stomach knew that the next one must contain his beloved Layden and Abraxas.

  “Devon!” Their distorted voices called to him as he ran up to the mirror that contained their reflection.

  “No!” His voice was strained as he sank to his knees. Tears pooled in his eyes, but he desperately fought them back. Now wasn’t the time to get emotional. He needed to remain calm and think.

  “Oh, but I’ve saved the best for last.” The spirit’s maniacal tone had him slowly turn toward him as Devon tried to prepare himself for what he was about to see.

  What could be worse than being separated from Layden and Abraxas?

  His eyes rested on the last mirror held by the spirit. The reflection of his brother stared back at him.

  “Devon? Devon, is that you? What’s going on? Where am I?” Brandon pressed his hands against the solid glass surface, and he watched as Brandon tried to break the barrier separating them.

  “Give them back. Give them back to me, you monster,” he spat through clenched teeth as rage consumed him.

  “Now what would be the fun in that? You know what I think?”

  “I don’t give a damn about what you think.” His grip on the dagger tightened despite his knowledge of the uselessness the weapon would be against a spirit.

  “I’ll tell you what. I’ll give your friends back, if you can defeat your strongest opponent. Keep in mind that if time runs out, they’ll all become permanently trapped in my mirrored world.” A slow grin spread across the spirit’s face.

  Devon looked from mirror to mirror before finally resting on his brother’s worried face. How could he say no?

  “Fine. You have a deal.”

  “Excellent.” The spirit waved his hand, and an hourglass appeared, tracking the seconds as they passed. With another wave of his hand, a full-bodied mirror appeared on the wall in front of him and Devon’s heart skipped a beat as he waited to see what opponent the spirit would choose for him.

  He took a brave step closer, shocked to find that it was just an ordinary mirror with his own reflection. There was no evil villain or monster.

  “Is this some kind of a joke?” he asked skeptically as he turned back to look at the spirit.

  He smiled without a response.

  “God, what an idiot.” The voice came from inside the mirror, and Devon turned back around, unsure of what he’d just heard. Was his reflection really talking to him?

  “Yeah, I’m talking about you,” the reflection answered.

  He stood in disbelief as he watched his lips move of their own accord in the reflection.

  “You really are pathetic. I mean, look at you staring stupidly at me wasting precious time as your friends and family imprisoned within the mirrors.”

  “I’m not stupid.” It sounded lame in comparison, but it was the only response Devon could think of.

  What did one say to your own reflection anyways?

  The mirrored image snorted at his statement. “Well, you may not be stupid, but you are rather pathetic. I mean look at you standing here, pretending to be doing everything you can so that when everything’s said and done and your friends are forever lost to their families you can sleep better at night by telling yourself you tried your best. We both know that’s not true. Just like with your mother.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” The warning in his tone did little to intimidate the mirrored reflection.

  “Oh, don’t I? I am you. I know all your secrets. I know you heard those thieves that broke into your home the night your mother died. I know you laid awake in bed, pretending you were asleep, trying to convince yourself the screams you heard were just a nightmare.”

  Tears trickled down Devon’s face as the memory of that painful night came flooding back to him. The sounds of his mother’s screams filled his head as he collapsed to the ground.

  “I was only a child! What was I supposed to do?” He said the words thousands of people had told him over and over again throughout the years, but they did little to comfort him. He never believed them, not even now.

  The reflection laughed. “You were always a coward, Devon, and now your time is almost up. Soon everyone you’ve ever cared about will be gone forever. It doesn’t bother me, though. I think they’d be better off trapped here with me anyways. You don’t deserve their love. You’re such a weak and pathetic person. Just give up.”

  The words stung, and Devon closed his eyes, letting the pain wash over him.

  His thoughts replayed the reflections words over and over again. He thought of Layden and Abraxas. Images of their time together, making love and comforting each other through the hard times.

  None of this is real and you know it. Come on, Devon. Think.

  A knowing calmness washed over Devon as he looked at the hourglass. Only a few more grains of sand remained, but it was enough time for him to do what he needed to.

  “You are a part of me, and as such, I cannot simply deny you away.” He smiled softly, realizing the trick the spirit had played on him. Devon clutched the dagger and pressed it against his chest.

  “I won’t be a coward this time. I will save them. I will save the ones I love most.”

  He didn’t hesitate. He forced the sharp, piercing end of the blade as deep as he could inside his chest. The warmth from his blood as it poured out of the cut trickled down his hand before he collapsed to the ground. He closed his eyes, remembering the few precious and happy memories he had of Layden and Abraxas before the nothingness consumed him.

  Chapter 12

  “Devon!” Layden
screamed as the spell was broken, releasing them from their mirror imprisonment. He and Abraxas ran to his side. There was blood everywhere. So much blood. Layden lifted his head into his lap. His skin was already growing cold.

  “Ezekiel! Do something!” Abraxas’s voice was broken by the tears that were streaming down his face. Ezekiel pushed past them, taking Devon into his arms, engulfing him with a vibrant yellow light. Layden had never seen Ezekiel use so much of his power. He only prayed to the Dragon God Ryujin that they weren’t too late.

  Layden held his breath as he watched the wound in Devon’s chest slowly close, until the only evidence of the event was the copious amounts of hot crimson pools of liquid still left behind.

  “Is he okay?” Layden met Ezekiel’s eyes with small amount of hope he was holding onto. The disappointment in Ezekiel’s eyes spoke a thousand words with their silence, and Layden felt the world spin around him.

  “N–no he’s fine. He has to be fine. The wound is healed!” The disbelief in Abraxas’s voice sounded far away as Layden fell to his knees.

  “What do you mean? Are you saying my brother’s dead?” Layden was faintly aware of the stranger that had been trapped inside the other mirror as he came running toward Ezekiel. He was stopped by Asher and Druis before he reached Devon.

  “Calm down, everyone.” Ezekiel’s tone was final as he commanded the room into silence. “I’m not saying he’s dead. I–I don’t know what’s wrong with him. His wound was healed in time, but his body is unresponsive to my magics. It’s almost as though he’s too weak to regain consciousness.” Ezekiel’s eyes met Druis’s. “Dru, we have to return to the palace at once. I need my medicines, and he needs to be in a stable environment.”

  “But we only have two more weeks to find the last gem! How are we supposed to do that without Devon? We wouldn’t have even been able to get the Night clan gem if he hadn’t been here.” He held up the small black stone that Devon had sacrificed himself for. Layden became enraged by Druis’s lack of concern for his lover. He stood and rushed toward him, slamming the taller man into the wall before his fist collided with Druis’s jaw.

  “Don’t you have a heart, you uncaring bastard. He’s dying! Can’t you see that?” Tears blurred his vision as he continued to take his anger out on Druis. Only when he felt a calming hand on his shoulder did he look up to see Abraxas standing over him. Layden stopped midswing, held only by Abraxas’s disapproving stare. Layden threw himself into Abraxas’s arms, sobbing into his chest.

  “Easy, love. We’re all upset about the situation. I’m sure Dru didn’t mean for it to come out as selfish as it sounded. We’re all in shock. None of us planned on this happening.”

  “Will someone please answer me? What the hell’s going on here, and why is my brother unconscious?” the stranger interrupted, and Layden turned to look at him now.

  “It’s kind of hard to explain. Did I hear you right? Are you Devon’s brother?” Layden asked, wiping the remnants of his tears from his face as he looked at the dark-headed man who shared a resemblance to his mate. The man nodded in affirmation, and Layden extended his hand.

  “Layden,” he offered. The man hesitated but reached out and shook his hand.

  “Brandon. Now will someone please explain to me what’s going on?”

  “Cerilius, why don’t you take Brandon outside and talk with him while I speak with the others about what to do?” Dru ordered. Cerilius pursed his lips but nodded without a verbal protest.

  “Come on, Brandon.” Cerilius opened the doors with ease and motioned for Brandon to follow.

  “But what about Devon?” Brandon stared down at Devon’s lifeless form.

  “He’s in the best hands. I promise.” Asher’s words seemed enough to convince him as Brandon reluctantly followed Cerilius back out into the desert.

  Ezekiel carefully handed Devon over to Abraxas. “I know we need the last gem, but he’s not going to make it another week. I don’t even know if he’s going to make it now.”

  He turned on Druis, who was leaning against the far wall with his leg propped up, rubbing his bruising jaw. Layden expected more protests from his leader and clenched his fists in anticipation. He didn’t care who he had to fight to save his lover.

  “I know,” Druis’s admission caught Layden off guard as he stared at him in surprise. “We need to get him back.”

  “You mean it?” Layden questioned in disbelief.

  “Yeah, I do. I just wish I knew of a way to locate the gems without Devon’s help. I think it’s best if we hurry this process along so he can return to his own world. It’s just a hunch, but I think being in our world is taking its toll on him.”

  “I think you’re right, Dru. I’ve thought the same thing, too.” Ezekiel walked toward Abraxas and brushed a strand of Devon’s auburn hair from his pale face. “The stress of being in such a new place could be the reason he’s been growing weaker and weaker. I think time is pressing and we should focus on how to find the other gem as soon as possible.

  “I may have an idea,” Asher spoke up, surprising everyone in the room. “I’ve been working on trying to locate the gems by scrying for them like Ezekiel did with the first one. It’s a long shot, but I think I’ve mastered the technique enough for us to find the last one without Devon.”

  Dru’s expression was unreadable as he sighed. “All right, it’s settled then. Tomorrow morning, Cerilius, Asher, and I shall head off in search of the last gem and you, Layden, and Abraxas will take Devon back to the palace.”

  “What about his brother?” Ezekiel furrowed his brow as he asked the simple question.

  “I’m not sure. It would be best if he went with you to the palace, but I don’t know how he’s going to react to flying on the back of a dragon.”

  “I don’t think that matters at this point. What’s more important, worrying about his peace of mind or his brother’s life?” Layden had to admit that Asher was right. It didn’t matter what Brandon would think of shape-shifting dragons. Devon’s health should be more important.

  “For now, why don’t you and Layden take Devon to bed and try to get some rest. Ezekiel, Asher, and I will finalize the plans for your departure first thing tomorrow morning.” Dru pushed open the door for him and Abraxas. Layden let Abraxas go first as he carefully carried Devon’s limp figure outside. Layden silently followed the taller man to the tent.

  He helped him place Devon in the bed before covering him up. They stared down at him in silence for a long moment. He looked so peaceful, and the color had returned to him. Maybe he’d wake up before tomorrow and everything would be okay.

  “He’ll be all right,” Abraxas declared as he placed a hand on Layden’s shoulder, pulling him close. Layden stared up into his soft blue eyes. It was the most unguarded he’d ever seen Abraxas.

  Layden pressed his palm against his chest, feeling his heart beating beneath his shirt. “We can’t lose him. Without Devon, I–I don’t know where I’d be. He brought us together again.” Abraxas wrapped his arm around Layden. He let his warmth surround him as he closed his eyes and pressed his head to his lover’s chest.

  “Easy, love…I’m here.”

  * * * *

  “So everyone knows the plan?” Druis looked around the encampment, his eyes meeting many confused and worried looks. He had to be strong. He was their leader, and they were expecting him to be their strength.

  “Let me get this straight.” Brandon was the first one to break the silence. “Ezekiel…Right?” He glanced at the quiet man standing next to him for confirmation that he’d gotten the name correct.

  Ezekiel nodded, and Brandon nervously cleared his throat to begin again. “He’s going to turn into a dragon, fly me and my brother back to a palace of some kind, and then he’s going to be okay?” The look in his eyes met Druis’s own with a glimmer of hope. Hope that Druis couldn’t in good conscience feed. He hardened his expression, as he always did before giving orders.

  “Ezekiel’s going to try his best.
That I assure you, Brandon. Abraxas and Layden will also be accompanying you to the capital. Asher, Cerilius, and myself will continue our search for the sacred gems to summon the Dragon God in order to petition the Dragon God to send you back with your brother.”

  Everyone agreed. Everyone except Cerilius that was.

  Druis narrowed his eyes on the taller man. He might have a couple inches on him in height, but Druis would bet his life he could take him in a fair fight. Then again, Cerilius never fought fair. His clan’s leader had always played the game best when it came to being underhanded and ruthless.

  “I’m sorry, Druis, but I received notification last night through my direct connection with my sister that she has become ill and I must return to my home at once.” He was lying, Druis was sure of it. The slight curvature of his lips as he mentioned his sister, Faylnn, was all the proof he needed. He was definitely up to something.

  “Are you sure you can’t travel with us by foot at least to the Jade Clan gates? We need help carrying all the supplies and walking the camels.”

  Cerilius shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. Faylnn said it was urgent.”

  Druis sighed. “All right. Send my regards to Mistress Faylnn.” As a person he knew Cerilius was up to no good, but as a captain he couldn’t exempt the others from their duties and not let Cerilius go home to his family.

  “I’ll be sure to send a fighter in my stead.” Cerilius nodded in Druis’s direction.

  More like a spy.

  Druis thanked Cerilius for his thoughtfulness.

  “We’ll contact Ezekiel when we’ve found the final gem,” Dru said, finalizing the plans. They said their good-byes, and he watched as Layden and Abraxas carried Devon’s limp body into the clearing with Brandon following behind. Cerilius walked ahead of them, his head held high. Druis could smell the deceit he exuded even from afar.

  He held his arm out to stop Ezekiel from following after them. “He’s up to something.” It was a warning Dru whispered so only he and Asher could hear. Zeke nodded curtly as his amber eyes met his.