Devlin’s Descendant
Book Three
By Felicia Tatum
Publisher: Felicia Tatum
Editor: Jeanie Creech
Cover Art: Rene Folsom
This work is not to be reproduced, shared, or copied without my permission.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, and events are made up in my head.
Copyright © 2013 Felicia Tatum
All rights reserved.
Smashwords Edition
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Dedication
This book is dedicated to my brother, Brantley, even though he won’t read my books. He does go to the store for me, though, so thanks, Bup.
Aiden
The wind whipped and whirled around my body, but I was frozen. The captor held me tightly, his fingers digging deep into my arm, convincing me he was going to break through and touch my bone. I couldn’t see, whether it was because he was doing something weird to my body or because he had taken my sight, I didn’t know. It was terrifying, not seeing what was happening. It felt like we’d been travelling for ages when we slowed, gravity pulling my body quickly down. My head spun as my feet found the ground, then gave out on me. The captor let loose of my arm, allowing me to fly forward and land flat on my face. My sight still wasn’t returned, telling me he’d taken it. He didn’t want me to know where we were.
“Why can’t I see?” I groaned, pushing my torso off the hard concrete and sitting.
“Because I don’t want you to, idiot,” he snapped. His voice was distant, where earlier it had been right on top of me.
Panic seized my chest, gripping and tightening around me as I breathed deeply. “Are you leaving? How am I going to get around?” I questioned, my voice quivering more than I wanted.
“You’ll see. I think he has use for you, so I can’t let you die,” he paused, “yet. Your sight will return within the next twenty four hours. I suggest you try to find the bed and rest. I think you’ll be needing it,” he quipped, the humor and disdain evident in his voice.
I flung my hands around, desperately searching for anything to feel. Losing one of my senses wasn’t something I’d ever experienced, nor was it an experience I wanted again. I crawled around on my knees, feeling like an infant, feeling around for anything I could find. The walls were close, showing me the room was small.
Memories of the summer capture replayed in my mind, filling me with a deep sense of dread. Olivia wasn’t here this time, so I wouldn’t accidently get saved like I did before. I’d screwed everything up by kissing her…who knew if she would even want to look for me. I inwardly cursed myself for my stupidity when I rammed my shoulder into a hard metal piece of furniture. “Ouch,” I hissed, lifting my hands to explore and figure out what it was.
Bingo.
I sighed, gripping the sides and heaving myself up. I didn’t know if I was in any immediate danger. There could be spikes on the bed and I’d have no idea until they punctured my body. The nothingness I encountered every time I shifted my eyes left me feeling dizzy, uneasy, and weak. I felt around, my fingers grasping the pillow and never finding a blanket. It would have to do. I eased my body down, gently squeaking the mattress up and down to ensure it held my weight. I lay my head on the pillow which sunk down to feel like just a pillowcase within seconds. I sighed, closing my eyes, though without the movement I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. I prayed Liv wasn’t too mad, that she would search for me. She was my only hope.
Scott
It couldn’t be true.
It couldn’t be true.
It wasn’t true.
My breathing was erratic, my heart not working properly. Olivia, my heart mate, couldn’t be Devlin’s descendant. She just couldn’t be. Our only hope was to destroy the descendant…but if that was the case, I would have to destroy myself. Sadie still sat in the floor, mouth still agape and her eyes brimming with tears. “Sadie, it has to be a trick. It can’t be right. It just can’t,” I urged, trying to convince myself as much as her.
“Scottie…” she said, shaking her head. “It wouldn’t lie. This is the book. Grandma wouldn’t have brought us a fake. We have to tell her. She’ll have a solution.” Her eyes, so much like mine, held pain and anger, much like I anticipated mine did. She had grown to love Livvie, to accept she would always be a part of our lives.
I wouldn’t let myself think otherwise, but seeing the doubt in her eyes tore my heart in two. “Don’t give up hope,” I commanded, standing from my crouching position beside her. Suddenly, a feeling of pure terror ran up and down my body, coursing through my blood and gripping my heart. I stumbled, gripping the closest thing to me, a chair, and gasped for breath.
“What is it?” Sadie questioned, concern lacing her words.
“Livvie. I don’t know. She’s scared, I think,” I whispered out. This hadn’t happened before. Yes, we were in tune, but I couldn’t feel what she felt. I’d read about it, but it didn’t usually happen until after the bond was consummated, but even then it was still rare.
She jumped up, her hand gently rubbing circles across my back. Her touch calmed me enough to regain control of my body, but the feeling was still there. “How are you feeling this, Scott?” she asked. The look on her face showed she was as stunned as I.
“I don’t know, but I am. We have to go to her. I need to call her,” I said quickly. My mind was on overdrive, worried for Livvie, and shocked by our discovery. The hits just kept coming for us.
“Here, let me,” she suggested, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She stopped suddenly, looking at me with widened eyes, fear shining in the depths of brown. “There is something going on.”
“How do you know?” I asked, cocking my head in confusion.
“We gotta go now. No time for driving. Her house,” she demanded, stuffing the phone back in her jeans and grabbing hold of my elbow.
Sadie was usually like this, taking control, but something about the slight shake to her words told me she was deathly serious. I complied with her commands, using my abilities to get us to Livvie’s house in seconds. I wasn’t prepared for the scene before me.
Kyle stood outside the front door, his face stricken and his eyes constantly searching the area. Livvie ran around the length of the yard, yelling Aiden’s name over and over into the woods. I glanced at Sadie, seeing her pale before my eyes. I reached for her hand, giving her a tight squeeze, then dashed to Livvie’s side.
“Livvie,” I called as I ran across the soft grass. It occurred to me I didn’t put on shoes before I transported us over here.
She turned, her red hair getting caught in the sunlight and shining more than usual. Her huge green eyes were filled with tears and the terror that matched the feeling in my soul. “Scott!” she yelled, flinging her body into my arms. “He took him,” she sniffled into my neck.
I clung to her, my large hands circling her waist. “Who, Livvie, who?” I questioned gently.
She pulled back, her expression wild and confused. “The captor. Aiden was walking around the yard, and he appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Aiden and disappearing with him. I couldn’t stop him. I watched from my bedroom window,” she admitted. The guilt was written all over her face.
“Shhh,” I soothed, putting my arm around her shoulders. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known he was coming
.”
“Scott…he’ll kill him,” she cried out, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. She looked so small and frail, the fear oozing off of her in waves.
“Shh, it’s ok,” I said again, trying my best to get her calm. We walked towards Sadie, who was as white as a ghost now. I didn’t know what was going on, but something in the pit of my stomach told me I wouldn’t like it.
“Sadie?” I asked as we approached, gaining her attention.
“We have to find him,” she declared. Her resolve was stronger than her voice. She stared at me, not blinking. “We need to get to Grandma.” The unspoken words were too much.
I couldn’t think about what we’d discovered, but it was impossible for the page to not constantly appear in my mind. I nodded, taking hold of Livvie’s shaking hand and calling for Kyle to join us.
He rushed over, his hair disheveled and his expression blank. “Yeah?” he asked. The guy wasn’t one to talk unless he was pissed off.
“We’re going to my Grandmother’s home. I think it would be best if you joined us since we don’t know if this guy will be back or not,” I said, my thumb rubbing circles on Livvie’s palm.
He looked at each one of us, his expression still not showing any emotion, and nodded slowly. “I’ll drive over. I don’t want any part of that popping thing,” he said, sprinting inside to get what I was assuming were his keys.
I glanced at Sadie, wondering why in the world she was so torn up. It could only be because she feared for Livvie and of course, the information we had uncovered. “We’ll meet you there,” I told her, placing both arms tightly around Livvie and disappearing into the air.
Olivia
We were at Anna’s house, standing in the middle of her kitchen, when Sadie appeared a few feet from us. We all were silent. Sadie looked worried, and I knew I reflected the same fears in my eyes. Aiden wasn’t meant to live. The captor had left him to die and we’d saved him. I doubted he would get much of a second chance if left with him long.
“Grandma,” Scott called, his voice strong, deep, and soothing. How he’d known I needed him, I wasn’t sure, but I was grateful he showed up when he did. I was unsure of where to go, but I’d been seconds away from jumping in a vehicle and trying to track Aiden down. The more I thought about it, the more I realized Anna’s methods were probably a better way to locate him. A chill ran the length of my spine, causing me to shiver.
Scott’s strong arms enclosed me, pressing me to his body. “We’ll find him,” he assured me, sneaking glances over to his sister. Something was up with Sadie, and I suspected it was she had feelings for Aiden. I wasn’t sure, but I knew revealing my thoughts to Scott would probably be disastrous.
“We just have to find him,” I said quietly, snuggling my head under his chin. He smelled wonderful, like nature in the spring. My heartbeat slowed to a normal rhythm just being in his presence. I closed my eyes, taking the moment with him to relax my mind and stop the constant worry.
“Grandma’s here. She’s in the living room,” Sadie told us.
I opened my eyes to see her rushing from the room, her body moving sleekly through the halls, her feet barely lifting from the floor.
“What is with her?” Scott mumbled, grasping my hand in his and leading the way out of the kitchen.
I shrugged, making a mental note to get a moment alone with her as soon as I possibly could. We trudged through the hallway, hearing Sadie and Anna speaking softly the closer we got. I scanned the pictures adorning the walls, wondering when and if I’d ever meet Scott’s brothers. There were family photos of them when they were younger lining the walkway, young smiling faces that looked so familiar, probably because they all looked so much alike. Dark hair and brown eyes must run in the family, though Anna didn’t seem to fit in the categories with them so perfectly. We entered the room, seeing Sadie tucked on the couch, her knees shaking and her fingers twisting in knots. Anna paced in front of the fireplace, a worried expression gracing her face.
The room was new to me, I realized. I’d been in Anna’s house before, multiple times, but we’d always stayed in the kitchen area and her libraries. Elegant was the only way to describe where I was standing. The sofas, a deep shade of red, were situated to face the fireplace. Large, velvety curtains draped the windows, casting shadows on the outer edges of the room. The windows were large, showing the whole front yard in one direction and the backyard when you faced the other way. The carpet was plush and thick, the kind you just wanted to run your feet over and squeeze between your toes. A large glass table was sitting between the couch and loveseat with the edges a large frame that housed a couple dozen snapshots. I walked forward, bending to inspect them.
My fingers traced each photo, seeing Sadie and Scott first, one of each of them on Anna’s lap when they were little. The next photos included their brothers, young and toothless. I continued on, seeing them through the awkward years until one stopped me in my tracks. The face staring back at me, the eyes solemn and filled with anger, was someone I knew all too well. I gasped, straightening my back and looked over at the three of them watching me. My mouth fell, my hands shaking as I reached to cover it. I couldn’t speak. The words wouldn’t form, my voice had left me. The guy that captured me, kept me barely alive and missing everyone I loved, was on the coffee table, in the small photo, standing next to Scott. An identical guy was beside him. My captor was Scott’s brother.
Sadie
Olivia was acting odd. Again. This seemed to be a pattern with her. Don’t get me wrong, I loved her like the sister she would be, but she seemed to freak out a lot. I gave Scott a sidelong glance, then moved forward, “Olivia, are you ok?” I asked.
“Fine,” she muttered, her large green eyes full of fear. “Do you...,” she started, pausing a moment to catch her breath, “he would go back to where we were? When he had me…?” She looked at me, then Scott, her expression reminding me of a deer-caught-in-the-headlights.
“Doubtful, but it doesn’t hurt to try. Sadie, you stay with Olivia. Scott and I are going to check it out,” Grandma instructed.
I nodded in agreement, watching them disappear. My heart sped, I don’t know how, but I knew. The terrified vibe she gave off was too strong and real to be dramatics, and her shaking was so intense it could only mean one thing.
“My brother was your captor,” I whispered, my eyes pleading her to say no.
Her head nodded slowly, numbly. She pointed to the picture taken last summer, Scott, Sebastian, Santos, and I stood outside of our house, all smiling widely except Sebastian. He’d always been the off one, the one that didn’t participate or act like he cared much for anyone in the family. Even his own twin.
I willed myself to look, to make sure I was right. “Sebastian,” I confirmed, looking to Olivia and seeing the pity and anger in her face. “We have to figure out where he went.”
I placed my arm around Olivia, guiding her to sit on the couch where I’d been earlier. “I’m sorry. I suspected…Sebastian’s been acting weirder than usual lately. He’s so angry, all the time, and he’s been acting even more out of character,” I explained, shaking my head. “I just can’t believe he would work with The Crimson Calamitous. Of all people,” I muttered. It was a heart wrenching blow to find out your brother, your own flesh and blood, was working with the meanest and most evil sorcerer to ever register in your history.
“I could have prevented this,” she whispered, folding her hands under her chin and resting it there.
“What? How in the world could you have accomplished that?” I asked.
“I should have paid more attention, looked around and seen the pictures before now,” she boomed, her voice a few levels higher. She stood quickly, chewing on her finger and pacing in front of me. “How did Aiden not see his picture? He was staying here.” She turned sharply, staring at me like she expected me to have an answer.
“I don’t know,” I said, though it sounded more like a question.
“We have to find him, Sad
ie. He will kill him. And I know this may be a shot in the dark, but I get the feeling you care for Aiden. We have to help him…save him.”
My heart pounded in my chest. I hadn’t told anyone anything about how I felt for Aiden. I was determined to not like him, no matter how hot he looked when he would sling his hair from his amazingly blue eyes. I just refused to have feelings for him. “Why do you think I care for him, as you say?” I quizzed.
“Sadie, come on. You were freaking out,” she exasperatedly sighed.
“He’s my friend. I feel bad for the guy,” I shrugged. I really needed to keep my cool, and not let her know how I felt.
Her eyebrow raised into an upside down V. “If you say so. Let’s go,” she ushered me to stand beside her.
“Where?” I asked, slinging my hands up and letting them fall to my side. “We have no leads.”
“Scott and Anna could need our help,” she said, looking at me like I really wasn’t getting something oh-so-obvious.
“They’ll kill me,” I chuckled.
“No, now let’s go,” she demanded.
I glared at her for a minute, then against my better judgment, took hold of her arm and popped our bodies to the abandoned run down house she was held captive at. My stomach turned in revulsion at how my brother had treated her, treated Aiden. It was a sickening feeling, one I knew Scott shared. I hadn’t been in this place before, but knew exactly where it was located. I’d come and stared at the outside more than I liked to admit. It looked like it would cave in at any moment, and the thought of going inside made me dizzy with unease. I glanced at Liv, her face determined and desperately trying to hide the emotions being here brought to the surface. I squeezed her arm slightly, released her, and said shakily, “Let’s go.”
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