“What are you talking about?” Celestia asked, annoyance clear in her voice.
“Rebecca was just abducted outside Lucky’s house. I have no doubt you were involved. No games. What did you do?”
“Rebecca and I are in a truce, Savannah. If someone took your sister it was not someone in our organization.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“That’s your choice, but I have no reason to lie to you about this.”
“So help us find her.” Savannah heard her voice quivering on the verge of whining.
“Okay, I’ll send out a group to find out what happened. You may also want to call Viktor.”
“Why?”
“Because your fiancé is a very powerful man, Savannah. If your sister was kidnapped I would assume you’d want to leverage all the tools at your disposal.”
“A powerful man who probably hates werewolves,” she snapped.
“Call him, Savannah.” Celestia hung up on her.
Savannah picked up her phone, ready to dial Viktor’s number. She felt guilty because she hadn’t spoken much to him since the incident where Lucky grabbed her outside the portal area. She texted him that she was okay but that was about the extent of the conversation. She was still a little mad at the videos of his unwanted proposal that popped up online. She decided calling Viktor for help now was not the best move. She changed her mind and dialed her father’s number.
He picked up in two rings, two rings that seemed like an eternity. “Savannah?”
“Daddy, someone took Rebecca. We need to find her.” This time her voice did take on a whiny tone. She wanted to kick herself for sounding so childish but she couldn’t help herself. If anyone was going to hurt Rebecca it was her, not some strangers in a black van.
“Okay, where are you?”
She told him and he told her to wait for her.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Rebecca
Rebecca recovered quickly from the punch to the gut and head. Being a werewolf had its perks. But she kept her head down on the van floor while she attempted to figure out where she was and what had happened. ‘Know your environment and know your enemies before engaging.’ Lucky’s voice reminded her.
Her kidnappers were all dressed in black, their faces shadowed with black face crème to hide their identities. She focused her senses. They smelled supernatural but not any race she was familiar with. The alpha answered her confusion, ‘I smell their distinction as well but I believe they are human. I think the magic you smell is dimensional.’
Celestia and Savvy lived in an alternate pocket dimension. Rebecca wondered if her kidnappers were humans hired to capture her by Celestia. It didn’t make any sense. They had a truce and Celestia seemed to despise humans.
‘Do you know who they are? Who they are with? What they want?’
‘No, no, and no,’ Siren responded to all three questions. ‘It might surprise you to know I’m not the know-it-all-authority in all things supernatural,’ she growled.
‘Really? Is that necessary? I’m just trying to assess the situation and use the tools I have at my disposal.’
‘So I’m a tool?’
‘Hey, you said it.’
‘Thanks so much for the help,’ Rebecca responded snidely.
‘No need to get nasty about it. We’re both in trouble at the moment.’
‘I know.’
‘No, you don’t. Alpha consciousness can’t travel inter-dimensionally without a host. If you die, I die too—for good.’
‘Nothing like increasing the pressure on the situation. Let’s do our best not to be carried into another dimension then, shall we?’
“How is she?” the male driver asked.
“Alive,” the female voice responded as she checked Rebecca’s pulse.
Rebecca continued to play incapacitated.
“Good, keep her that way. She wants her alive and unharmed,” the driver responded as he took a sharp turn and the female checking her pulse went flying backward against the wall.
Rebecca felt herself release a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. At least she wasn’t in mortal danger at the moment. Whoever had her kidnapped wanted to talk.
“That would be easy to do if you could drive a little more inconspicuously,” the woman snapped as she scrambled to get back to Rebecca’s side.
“I’m trying to lose the idiot boys that followed us on motorcycles, unless you’d like them to see where we’re going.”
“Would you two stop arguing? You’re like an old married couple.” Another guy’s voice broke up the snippy retorts. “It’s so bad I’m having flashbacks to my childhood.”
“Is she awake yet?” the driver asked.
“No,” the girl answered. “How hard did you hit her?”
“Not that hard. See if you can wake her,” the passenger said.
The woman pulled out a pair of golden handcuffs and started to put them on Rebecca’s wrist when the driver took another abrupt turn that sent the girl off balance again. “Damn guys don’t want to give up.” The driver cursed as he took another hazardous turn.
Rebecca used the distraction to her advantage. She hopped up with super speed and managed to use the same golden cuffs on the girl.
“Help…” The girl got out only one word before Rebecca managed to maneuver her way behind the girl and pry her arm under the girl’s chin, cutting off the air and immobilizing her from attacking. Apparently the training she’d been getting from Lucky paid off.
Both the guys in the front seat turned around, but Rebecca was using the half conscious girl as a human shield. “Stop the van!” Rebecca demanded.
The male passenger laughed. “Not a chance.” He pulled out a gun and pointed it at her and the girl. “While I have to deliver you alive, she really is of no consequence.” The evil toothy grin on his face sent fear down Rebecca’s spine. “I fear the woman I am delivering you to far more than the wrath of my friends.”
‘Damn it, Rebecca! Answer me,’ Gabriel yelled in her mind.
‘A little busy here,’ she responded, irritation and panic clear in her voice.
She looked back at the man holding the gun. “You would kill her?”
“Yes.” There was no emotion in his voice. It was cold, heartless and in that moment she knew he would. She couldn’t have the death of the woman on her hands. She tried to back up toward the rear door, but he unbuckled his seatbelt and took a couple of steps toward her. The van veered again, but Rebecca managed to hold her ground. So did the man.
“All we want is to talk to you.”
“Talk? This is the way you talk to someone?”
“Our employer doesn’t get out much. We need to take you to her…alone. This seemed like the best way.” The man with the gun aimed it toward them. “Please don’t make me shoot her.”
“And once we talk you’ll let me go?”
“When my employer is satisfied I’ll release you.”
It wasn’t much of a guarantee, but it seemed like her only option at the moment. She debated whether or not to jump out the back, but they were on the I–10 from the looks of it and there was too much traffic. She’d likely be run over by a vehicle and while her super human healing power would probably keep her alive, explaining her miraculous recovery would raise suspicion. The tattoo on her hand reminded her of the vow she made.
“Okay,” she said, barely above a whisper.
The man smiled and lowered his gun. “Good choice.”
Rebecca released the girl who immediately turned around and sucker punched her in the jaw. The pain in her brain vibrated against her skull, the coppery metallic taste of blood stung her tongue. She never imagined the girl would be that strong or that quick. She was almost unconscious a moment ago. She imagined the girl was faking.
“You’re lucky I don’t kill you myself. Both of you!” she snarled. “Touch me again and I make no guarantees.” She purposely bumped into the gun wielding man’s shoulder. “Dick!” She sat herse
lf down in the passenger seat of the van.
Rebecca sat down on the metal floor and nursed her injured jaw as the van continued to attempt to lose Lucky and Gabriel.
Somewhere along the way they must have succeeded because the van driver stopped driving erratically.
‘Rebecca, where are you?’ She heard from Gabriel moments later.
‘They just want to talk, Gabe. I’ll let you know when it’s over and you can pick me up.’ She didn’t want to face this new threat alone, but she had little choice. These people seemed far more dangerous and deadly and she wasn’t willing to put her friends in line of fire. She didn’t think she could take it if another person she cared about was hurt because of her actions.
‘No way! I won’t leave you alone.’
‘Their employer will only see me,’ she told him with a reassuring voice. ‘I promise I’ll be careful.’
‘I can’t lose you.’ His voice was tortured. She could tell he didn’t want to let her go without backup.
‘You won’t.’ She made a promise she knew she couldn’t keep. ‘Respect my wishes in this, Gabe. Take care of my sister.’
‘She was fine when we left her.’
‘Thank you, Gabe. My family is your first priority right now. I’ll contact you when they are through talking to me.’
‘Rebecca, I’m more concerned with your safety at the moment.’
‘I’m fine, Gabe.’ Her thought took a tone of finality.
‘I swear, Becks, you’re going to be the death of me. I’ll wait for your call.’
Savannah
Savannah watched as her father pulled up to Lucky’s house in a beat up old Chevy Silverado that sounded like it had a chest cold the way it knocked. If Celestia could see her now, climbing up into the cab with her new designer digs she would have an aneurism. “Hello, Father. When I said Rebecca was kidnapped I would’ve assumed you would’ve arrived in something a little bit faster.”
“We aren’t going on a wild goose chase, daughter. I assume Lucky and Gabriel are already doing that.”
“You know what assuming does…” She chuckled inward at her own thoughts.
“Was I wrong?”
Savannah felt her heart drop. Once again Lucky was chasing after Rebecca. But she hoped that was because he was assigned as her unofficial “bodyguard” not because he still had feelings for her. “You assumed right. So what are we going to do?”
“We’re going to get Hunter and your grandmother’s help to perform a locating spell.” He pulled the gas guzzling full size truck out onto the street and started heading toward the home she shared with Hunter, Rebecca, and grandmother Catherine.
“I don’t think either one of them will be very happy to see you.”
“Most assuredly not, but we all want the same thing in this instance. Your sister safe.” He maneuvered efficiently through traffic. “I think it’s important that you both spend your birthday together. Happy birthday, by the way.”
“There’s nothing happy about it,” she barked.
“At least you’re alive.”
That was one hundred percent the wrong thing to say to her at that moment. “Alive? Don’t you mean undead? Because last I checked I’m a vampire.” Bitterness echoed in her tone.
“A vampire princess, actually.”
“There’s little difference.”
“There’s plenty of difference, believe me.”
“I think for ease of getting along we need to change the subject,” she muttered.
“No.” He continued to maneuver through traffic as he merged onto the 101 southbound. “I think we need to address this.”
“You’re not my father anymore,” she snarled coldly and saw the hurt slide behind his eyes for a moment.
“That won’t stop me from giving you a little fatherly advice.” He continued. “Things could be a lot worse.”
“How?”
“Celestia could’ve killed you instead of turning you. She could’ve made you into a blood bag slave. She could’ve—”
“Left me alone? Allowed me to grow up in the natural order of things? As a human?”
“But you aren’t human. You never were. You’re a witch and now you have the best of both species. You may not see it now, but you’re in a great position of power, daughter.”
Savannah felt herself shudder at his ease of using that word—daughter. He gave up that right long ago. “Tell me why it all had to happen?”
He sighed heavily. “My family decided your mother was more trouble than she was worth. They decided, without consulting me, to put the hit on your mother. When I found out it was too late to save her. I gave my life to try and save her. I was dying when my brother called Celestia for help. I didn’t want to live without your mother. Celestia offered to remake me in order to save me so I could get vengeance and watch over you. And your hatred of Celestia is also a little misplaced. She discovered the hit put out on your mother and tried to warn her that day at the Refuge, but your mother wouldn’t listen.”
“She tried to save her?”
“Yes. Celestia respected your mother and how she fairly helped everyone despite the species they were from. And when she couldn’t save Elizabeth she did the next best thing. She saved me so I could keep my promise to your mother.” His grip tightened on the steering wheel so much that his knuckles turned white. “My family found out about Celestia’s interference and hatched a plan to cast suspicion on her which caused the Authority to strip her of her crown.” He continued when Savannah didn’t respond. “Celestia and I have slowly been repaying those that double crossed us in my family for the last ten years.”
“Wow, this is like a soap opera. My life is As the Vampire World turns””
“Maybe, only those actors get to go home every night and don’t have to deal with the pain their characters face. This is a very real and very dangerous world, Savannah.” He zeroed his eyes on hers. “You will do well to remember that.”
“You don’t think I know that?” she hissed, still uncomfortable with the idea of Maverick attempting fathering advice. She couldn’t help it. She had two emotions when it came to her father, dislike and hatred.
“No, I think you know that but you haven’t begun to understand. The danger in this world could very well end your life.”
“It would be better than immortality, don’t ya think?”
“Part of the vampire curse is that your afterlife is in the demon realm. You’ll never be reborn, you’ll never see your family and friends again, and you’ll be tortured for all eternity…so no, I don’t think the alternative is better than immortality.” He parked the truck in front of Grandmother’s house.
The words he spoke sunk in like a rock that held her down. Her heart left its chest and fell into her feet as she started to realize what horrible fate awaited her. "That's not fair. I never asked to be this monster.”
“No, but the curse does not discriminate.” He locked his eyes on hers. “There has to be a balance—life and death…happiness and sadness. Light and dark. The world works on a series of checks and balances and this is how immortality is balanced out.”
Hunter, Natalia, and Catherine stood out on the front porch, all holding similar stances, arms crossed over chests and stoic faces.
“Wow! Great thing to tell someone on their eighteenth birthday, Dad,” she stated coldly as she got out of the rusty old truck. She didn’t want to admit it but his statements scared her to the deepest depths of her soul. She knew, deep down, he was telling her the truth which only made matters worse. She took a deep breath and got out of the car to face the other half of her family, the half that was probably pretty angry at her in the moment. The idea of being tortured for eternity in the afterlife would be something she’d deal with later. One thing at a time she reminded herself. She needed to find her sister before something terrible happened to her. No one was going to hurt Becca unless it was her.
Maverick followed her lead and joined her on the other side of the vehic
le. They both walked up to the house together. The last time she was here she was getting ready to go to homecoming. It was only a few weeks ago but it seemed like a lifetime had passed. When she made it to the stairs Catherine broke the human blockade at the door and rushed to Savannah, folding her in her arms around her for a long hug. “I’m so glad you came home. Even under these circumstances. We’ll find your sister.”
Savannah felt happy memories with her grandmother tumble into her mind with the affectionate hug. Memories her anger had hidden from her. They reminded her what she had here. A real family with happy and sad moments. Real emotions and no fear, not at any level close to what she faced daily with Celestia. In that moment she knew she needed to find a way to come home.
“Catherine,” Maverick greeted her with little emotion.
“Maverick Sebastian Winters.” Catherine broke the hug with Savannah and glared at Maverick, but didn’t say anything else.
Savannah remembered Catherine telling her there was power in a name. Savannah watched as the two stared each other down, there was little love lost between them.
“We can work that out later. Right now we need to find Rebecca, she has a party to get to.” Savannah reminded them.
“We don’t need him here,” Catherine stated coldly.
“He’s with me.” Savannah reminded her.
Catherine glared at Maverick for the longest time. The silence and tension was thick between them. Savannah had no idea what emotions were going through them but she knew it had to be intense because the air between them zapped with electricity.
“Okay, let’s get started,” Hunter stated as he rocked from the left foot to the right foot with nervous energy. “We have everything set up in the back yard.” He went to unlock the gate and lead them around to the back.
The fire pit in the backyard burst into a full blown flame. Savannah looked at Hunter with a raised, questioning brow. He grinned shyly. “I’ve been practicing.” He rushed over to take a seat at the wooden bench close to the fire. A tree stump Rebecca and Savannah had sealed with sealant and varnish to make a table years ago held multiple spell casting items. On the natural low hanging table lay a map with crystals, a stone bowl with herbs, and other ingredients already mixed and crushed was stationed to the right of the map. Next to the bowl with ingredients was a metal bowl with a knife.
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