“Oh. I’m twenty.” He ducked his head again.
Back down in the parking lot, Tierney chuckled to see Soroyan’s surprise at Thaniel, but he didn’t say anything, just pushed away from where he’d been leaning up against Jax’s car once again.
Not much was said as they all piled back in and Jax started the car, ready to head to the first theater on the list they had put together.
“Why are we checking out theaters?” Thaniel asked, perplexed.
Tierney chuckled. “Well, Kyrian said Toren always wanted to go to the movies.” Up front Soroyan snorted, telling her what he thought of that silliness.
“Oh.” Thaniel frowned. “I think Real grumbled about Mark and Toren going to a movie.”
Tierney thought about how weird Wolves going to a movie sounded, but didn’t say anything.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t remember until now,” Thaniel said, looking guilty.
“That’s okay, but I’m glad you remembered. Thank you,” Tierney said.
“Who is Mark?” Sami asked.
“I met him a few times. He also snuck me food.” Thaniel lowered his eyes again.
Jax flicked a quick glanced back at him. “Can you describe Mark?” he asked, looking back at the road again.
Thaniel shrugged. “He’s ’bout thirty. Lean but strong looking, six-three maybe. Short hair, like men in the army, black tattoos, characters in some kind of language all over him, brown eyes.”
At each theater, they described Toren and Mark, but not until the fourth place, did a young man named Kyle remember seeing them.
“Tattooed dude is kinda hard to miss. He bought the tickets then got a call on his cell. Told the young redheaded guy with him, that they needed to go to Purgatori and meet up with Sin. They took off without watching the movie.”
They asked Kyle about Purgatori and he shrugged. “Sure, it’s a nightclub. Though I have no idea who Sin is.”
After thanking him for his help, they left and in the parking lot, Sami Googled Purgatori on his phone.
“You found something?” Soroyan asked once they were back at the car. They told him what Kyle had said, before piling back into the vehicle.
But they were skeptical about taking Thaniel into the club with them, in case any of the Were-wolves were there.
“Real might be inside,” Thaniel said, and she could feel his worry that they wouldn’t let him go.
“And the assholes who chained you up to starve, might be as well,” Jax said and hid angry tone made Thaniel cringe.
“Jax!” Tierney glared at his back.
“What? It’s true!” he said.
“Well, you don’t need to remind him. You scared him,” she said, hissed.
“Shit, sorry, but, what if he gets hurt?” Jax asked.
Tierney sighed. She didn’t want that either, but it wasn’t fair to make Thaniel stay behind. ‘Then we will protect him.”
“I want to go,” Thaniel whispered.
Tierney gave him a gentle smile. “Okay, Thaniel.”
They parked across the street from Club Purgatori, and surveyed the place for a minute, wondering who they’d find within. The place could be an Ilyium hang out, or not. But the lack of foot traffic, and the blacked-out windows made it impossible to tell.
“Well, no sense wasting time. Let’s go,” Jax said and they all climbed from the car, while Soroyan settled back against the hood once more.
“You’re staying here again?” Tierney asked. Soroyan glared at her. “You know, the glaring is getting old,” she shot back at him as she walked toward the club with the others.
Once inside, they gave their eyes a second to adjust to the dark interior. “Can I help you?” a voice asked, and they turned to meet the stare of an older, balding man behind the bar.
“We’re looking for Sin. Do you know him?” Jax asked.
“Him?” the bartender raised an eyebrow.
“Her?” Jax enquired. The guy shook his head and waved them to a door at the back of the room.
Tierney tried not to gawk as they walked around the largest stage, but the further into the club they went, the wilder the place became. The two smaller stages were set up with dance poles and suspension apparatus. While large metal cages hung suspended at various heights from the ceiling. A catwalk ran the length of the room about ten feet above them, and human restraint chains were attached to the walls, along with whips and other BDSM instruments.
“Holy shit,” Jax mumbled, and Sami gazed around wide eyed.
“Yeah—” Tierney nodded and noticed that Thaniel was keeping his eyes lowered. He didn’t say anything, but he was trembling lightly. “It’s all right, we won’t let anything happen to you.”
There was shock in Thaniel’s eyes when he glanced at her.
Tierney couldn’t help but wonder about the type of people who came here, as they passed a bunch of small rooms that lined one wall and, through one of the open doors, she spotted a couch in the middle of the room. Inside another was a small, red velvet bed. A neon sign above the rooms proclaimed them as ‘Private Dance Centers.’ Hmm, dancing, huh? Tierney snickered to herself as they went through the door the balding bartender had indicated.
They found themselves in a hallway, and quickly caught the stoic gaze of a WWE wrestler type in a muscle shirt. He stood, arms folded across his steroid-built chest, in front of the first door. His shaved head, Bluetooth in his ear, and tough stance gave him away as a bodyguard.
“Hey, we’re looking for Sin,” Jax said. WWE studied them without a word. Jax glanced at Tierney and Sami, when a sexy voice came from the room.
“Let them in, Tragic.”
“Tragic?” They waited, fighting not to roll their eyes as WWE stepped aside, allowing them entry. The owner of the voice stood six feet tall with wavy, shoulder length brunette hair. Dark brown, almost black eyes matched the black lipstick on a pair of curvy lips. A low cut, blood-red dress showed ample breasts and barely covered hips. The guys couldn’t decide whether to stare at her long legs, or perfect boobs, and Tierney started to get annoyed. Okay, a little jealous … maybe.
Ignoring her, Sin raked Jax and Sami with hooded eyes, as if undressing them, while Thaniel stared at the floor, not wanting any attention.
“You looking for me?” Sin licked her lips, smirked and sat down in her desk chair, making her dress ride higher up her hips.
Sami blushed and Jax grinned. “Oh yeah.”
Tierney glared at Jax, as she thought of where to kick him.
Sin gave a husky laugh. “Well, I’m Sin. What can I do for you?”
“We’re looking for someone named Toren. He’s a friend of Mark’s, and we’re aware they came to visit you not so long ago,” Tierney said, getting right to the point.
“Well, I know Mark,” Sin drawled, finally assessing Tierney with a thoughtful gaze. “And I might remember some young fella tagging along with him. Kinda yummy looking redhead.”
Though Sin didn’t smell of wolf or leopard, Tierney instinctively knew she wasn’t all human, which made her wonder what other supernatural creatures inhabited their world. “When did you last see them?” she asked, uncomfortable. She didn’t like how Sin studied her, or how she gazed at Jax and Sami with lust in her eyes.
“Who’s asking?” Sin was no longer smiling.
“I’m Tierney. Toren’s been missing for a week and a half.”
Sin’s eyes widened for a fleeting second, before she turned away. “Sorry, can’t help you. Been a couple weeks since Marky came by.” She waved her hand, friendliness now gone as she dismissed them.
Deflated, the guys turned and started out of the room, but Tierney couldn’t believe they’d come this far and Sin couldn’t—or wouldn’t—give them anything. She went to leave as well, when she picked up on the woman’s fear. “Jax, Sami, I’ll be out in a minute.”
Jax glanced back at her and nodded.
Tierney turned to Sin. Something had scared the woman, and she wanted to know what. Tierney low
ered her shields, and what she glimpsed made her want to throw up.
Sin remembered a meeting where Arlow, the Were-wolf, met with an angry, scruffy looking guy a few weeks ago in the club. Marcius! Aware her eyes had begun to glow a deep purple, Tierney smiled coldly, heart pounding as Sin turned to her.
“What the hell?” the woman asked.
“Tell me about Arlow and the guy with amber eyes,” she said and watched Sin’s eyes narrow.
“What are you?” Sin asked, growing angry as well.
“Doesn’t matter. Tell me what you witnessed.” Tierney let some of her power out, trying to use her influence. But unlike Jax, compulsion was not her strong suit, and it showed when Sin shook her head, refusing.
“I’m not telling you anything about my customers.”
Tierney wanted to grin, but didn’t. Sin didn’t need to tell her anything, she only needed to remember, and remember she did. Sin’s memories of that night flashed through Tierney’s head in a matter of seconds.
Sin walked around as the club started to fill up. The DJ played dance music, while three girls slowly stripped on the main stage. Two sexy men slowly shed their own clothing on the smaller stages.
Arlow, the Were-wolf alpha, sat at his usual table, drinking and watching the girls, when Marcius walked in, looking scruffy and joined him. Sin frowned at the guy, then shivered. He gave her the creeps. She turned away and spotted a young woman of about twenty, sitting in the corner watching Arlow and Marcius. Ah, Baby Phoenix, she thought, surprised as she studied the pretty young woman. With a ‘girl next door’ appearance, she was voluptuous but sweet looking, with sandy-blonde hair and silver eyes.
Sin frowned, wondering why the girl seemed so intent on the wolves. She started across the room, intending to talk to her, when a breathtaking, tall, fey-looking woman stepped into the club and walked over to the girl.
Baby Phoenix glanced up, and her silver eyes grew wide in surprise. Curious, Sin got closer, and overheard the woman introduce herself as Hinah. At the name, Tierney stifled a gasp. Hinah then mentioned something about a prophecy, and a portal in Tartaria. Baby Phoenix nodded with an eager smile, and a minute later they both hurried from the club.
Tierney thought about Drakayeh’s friend Hinah, the wolf back in Tartaria. She had never met the wolf up close, or glimpsed her in human form, but it must be her. But why was she here? And what was this prophecy she spoke about? All this led to even more questions.
A little while later, Sin shivered in fear when the door opened and a man in a long, black, hooded robe walked in. Sin gasped. Samuels. Tierney felt the woman’s fear as she took in the man. He wore the same robes as the figures in Tierney’s vision and spirit walk had worn. He’s Ilyium.
Samuels lowered his hood, revealing skin blacker than midnight, and a face full of stark white facial tattoos, and piercings. Samuels glanced at Sin with dark, shiny eyes, dismissed her, and then joined Arlow and Marcius. They all talked awhile, and then Samuels got up and left the club. A few minutes later, Arlow and Marcius walked out as well.
“What did they talk about?” Tierney asked, pulling out of Sin’s memories.
At her question, Sin glared at her, thinking about how Samuels and the Ilyium worked with Val Jean.
Who the hell is Val Jean? Tierney wondered. Differing expressions crossed Sin’s face, as she tried to figure out who and what Tierney might be.
“Tragic!” Sin finally called WWE in from the hallway.
“Where can we find Samuels or Val Jean?” Tierney pushed, knowing Sin wouldn’t tell her. Tragic came up behind her, at the same time that Sin pictured a compound out in Liberty Lake, and overwhelming fear filled her eyes.
“Believe me. You do not want to find Val Jean.” Sin shuddered and nodded at Tragic.
Tierney moved before he managed to lay a finger on her. “Thanks for the help,” she said and left.
Chapter Eighteen
Ilyium Compound
TIERNEY CLIMBED BACK into the car and Sami glanced at her. “You okay?”
She felt sick at who Arlow had met up with, but didn’t want to tell the guys in front of everyone.
“Yeah, I’m fine,’ she said.
Jax frown at her in the rear-view mirror, so Tierney told them most of what she’d discovered from Sin.
Since Thaniel was already suspicious of her connection to his mind earlier, she just said that Sin had let some stuff slip. She told them about Arlow and Samuels, skipping any mention of Marcius. “There’s an Ilyium compound in Liberty Lake. Sin also mentioned someone named Val Jean. Samuels scared her, but for some reason Val Jean absolutely terrifies her.”
“Who are the Ilyium?” Thaniel asked, and they gave him a quick rundown.
Tierney glanced up to find Soroyan scowling at her. “What?”
“What are you hiding?”
“What you are talking about?”
“You’re hiding something. Tell me, if you don’t want me asking in front of the others,” he threatened.
Tierney tried to shake off her dread. “Fine, but stop looking at me.” When he turned and faced front again, she said, “I saw another man at the meeting with Arlow.”
“Who?” he growled.
“No one you know,” she said, exasperated.
“Tell me,” he demanded.
“God you’re bossy. Fine, I saw Marcius.”
“Who is Marcius?”
Tierney almost smirked, but didn’t want the others to know that they were having a silent conversation. “Marcius is Sami and Jax’s father, a hateful man, and now, I think he may be the traitor we’ve been looking for.” Tierney’s worry for Sami and Jax surfaced, and her anger at Soroyan eased. “Please, I’m aware you don’t like us, but … don’t say anything. The bastard put them through hell.”
Soroyan scowled out the window.
“Soroyan?”
“I’ll not say anything, but you should tell them. You shouldn’t keep this from them. Things like this often get others hurt,” he said, as if he knew firsthand.
Tierney thought about it and knew he was right, she’d need to tell them, just not at this moment. “Thank you. I will, but right now isn’t the time.” Then she turned her thoughts to Liberty lake. “Do you think Dad might be at this compound?”
Sami shrugged, but Jax didn’t say anything.
Thaniel frowned. “Your dad?”
“Yeah, he’s missing as well,” she said.
Thaniel’s eyes widened. “Well, maybe Real’s there,” he whispered, hopeful.
But as Jax pulled away from the curb, Soroyan tensed up and glanced out the front windshield then the side window, scanning everywhere.
“What’s wrong?” Tierney asked at his peculiar behavior.
“We’re being followed.” He studied the cars around them before craning his head and looking up at the sky, putting them all on edge. They all searched the other drivers, but no one spotted anything suspicious and after a moment, Soroyan settled in while Jax drove.
The sun shifted over the horizon, creating early evening shadows by the time they got to Liberty Lake. Unsure of where to go, Jax pulled up to a convenience store for directions. After talking to a few different people, they found two who referred to the Ilyium as the cult people, and gave them directions.
“That’s it,” Tierney said, as Jax slowly drove by a ten-foot-high stone wall, hiding the compound. Wrought iron gates barred the main entrance, and beyond, Tierney spotted a red brick gatehouse. One guard leaned against the door talking to another, who stood outside with two leashed Dobermans.
Jax continued down the road, looking for a place to turn off and park.
“Here.” Soroyan pointed to an overgrown dirt track about a mile further down. Three hundred yards after that, they pulled into a little clearing where Jax put the car into park and then shut it off. Tierney noted little patches of snow everywhere and with the sun going down, the weather had grown a little chillier.
They all got out and Jax, suddenly te
nse, walked to the back of the car and popped the trunk. Tierney followed and both she and Sami gaped as he strapped on two lethal looking knives.
“Dude, I didn’t realize you carried all this with you.” Sami picked up a handgun and a knife, and set them back down again. Tierney leaned over and peered into the trunk as well.
“You’ve been using all this?” She narrowed her eyes on Jax, but he didn’t answer. “Jax?” She waited for him to look at her.
“Yeah.”
“What have you been doing?” She was horrified at the thought of him out fighting alone.
Jax pursed his lips and grabbed weapons out of the trunk without looking at her. “Fighting our enemy,” he said, voice defensive.
“Shit.” Tierney stepped back, stunned.
Closing the trunk, Jax turned to her. “They kidnap homeless people, defenseless kids. I stop them.” Then he turned away, ending the discussion.
She stared at him. This explains a few things.
Soroyan led them along a well-used deer trail, until they came to the top of a hill overlooking the whole compound. He stopped and studied the place. “What do you see?” he asked when Tierney pulled up beside him.
Tierney glanced around, studying the compound down below them. “Not much, gatehouse, church, older cottage across the way. A tool shed. The stone wall surrounding the place, and lots of empty land.”
Soroyan spoke some words under his breath, and goosebumps rose on her skin as his power flowed over her. “Now look again,” he instructed. Everything shimmered and Tierney gasped.
“Holy shit,” Sami whispered, stepping up beside her.
“Huh.” Jax nodded while Thaniel gaped, wide eyed at the sight.
The gatehouse remained the same, but now she spotted an addition to the church, making it wider and two stories instead of one. Attached to the back was a large square building, like a community hall. About a hundred yards behind the church stretched a long row of townhouses. The old cottage and shed across the property appeared no different. “What happened? How?” Her voice trailed off as she studied everything once again.
“They use an Illusion spell to prevent outsiders from seeing what’s hidden here. I dissolved the spell,” Soroyan answered.
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