by CY Jones
“We got her,” is the last thing I hear before I black out.
The Collector
Amethyst
Groaning, I wake to a pounding headache and my mouth is as dry as the Sierra desert. What the hell is going on? Where am I? My brain is fuzzy, and it feels like my body is taking longer to reboot. When I finally pull myself together, I sit up in what appears to be the backseat of a car. Turning my head to look out the window, the scenery flies by rapidly. Whoever is driving is definitely breaking the speed limit.
Where’s highway patrol when you need them? Now is not the time to be sitting in your squad car, chowing down on donuts.
I don’t know who’s taken me. The front of the car is blocked off by a black-out partition separating me from them. Whoever they are, they’re well organized. Maybe it was the twins. Did I push them too far and they said fuck it, let’s turn her in? No, they wouldn’t do that. Not since we’re mated. I know that now.
Stupid Amethyst. I should have never went out alone knowing I have a vengeful ex and a den of vampires after me. I should have at least done a better job of paying attention to where I was going. Fuck, I blame those stupid mates of mine. This is all their fault. They should have never pissed me off in the first place. I could be at home right now, riding on one of their dicks while the other two feed me grapes like some Egyptian Goddess. When I get out of this, we’re going to have a long talk about not letting me get kidnapped.
After an hour of just sitting here, I finally had enough and start to pound on the partition.
“Hey, assholes, hey. I know you asswipes can hear me. Yes me. The kidnapped witch you threw in the back of your car like a sack of potatoes. You better let me out of here before I hex a unicorn horn on your forehead,” I yell, pounding even harder. When no one answers, I get even more annoyed, and start making beats against the partition like I’m Dr. Dre. Finally after fifteen minutes of this, the car stops. The door is forcefully pulled open, and a burly looking man who is definitely not Caleb or Nolan, reaches in and grabs me.
“Put me down, you overgrown giant,” I scream, pounding on the big brute. Shit, what the hell does this guy eat? Children?
“Shut up,” he growls, which of course, makes me scream louder.
“Stranger danger. Stranger danger,” I yell at the top of my lungs.
By now, I’m kicking as well as screaming, and when I catch a lucky break and my toe catches the big brute in the nut sack, he drops me unceremoniously onto the hard ground of what appears to be an underground garage. Quickly, I get to my feet and take off, just to be pulled back into a hard body as I’m snached by my waist.
“Now, princess, where do you think you’re going?” A smooth voice says as he pulls me into his arms.
Looking up, the brightest pair of sky blue eyes catch my attention, but only for a second. Taking a cue from a show I saw on TV, I go bat shit crazy like I did on Hulk back there, waving my fists wildly and kicking out with my feet, but instead of running away, the pretty asshole chuckles as he grabs ahold of my fists and pulls me to him until my body is flush against him. When I try to knee him like I did his accomptance in crime, he anticipates the move having learned by watching on the sidelines, and adjust his body so that I hit empty air.
“I suggest you stop, or I’m going to have to drug you again, and I’m sure you’ll want to be awake when you meet my sire,” the cheeky bastard says.
Sire? So, whoever hired Caleb and Nolan to nab me has sent someone else. Great. How do I get myself into these messes?
I stop fighting. I’m not stupid. I’ve seen Taken, but I still ask, “where are we?”
“We’re at my sire’s mansion, so feel free to scream all you want. I’m sure the vampires here enjoyed your ‘stranger danger’ outburst.”
“Fuck you,” I spit out.
“That can be arranged. I see why Caleb and Nolan decided to keep you all to themselves. You’re quite tempting and beautiful.”
“I’d rather fuck a cactus than you,” I retort. I’ve been kidnapped and taken to the vamps lair, I might as well cue in the false bravery. My earlier display proves I’m not a fighter, but I am a hexer, and well, the pretty vamp has already shown he’s interested. I can’t let them take me any further, or my chance of escaping will be a big fat zero.
“You find me beautiful?” I say, fluttering eyelashes, putting on a fake lovey dovey smile on my face.
“Very,” he smiles back, falling for my act. “Are you going to be good now?” He asks, palming my cheek. I fight slapping his hand away as his rough thumb moves softly across my cheek.
“Yes,” I lie, licking my lips and he follows the movement, entranced.
“How good do you plan on being?”
“Real good. Do you want to see?” I ask, moving my body closer and putting my arms around his neck. With my lips mere inches from his, I close my eyes and murmur in my head,
Poppy, yar and brisbane steep.
To make a potion for potent sleep.
Close your eyes and fall in deep
Your deeds determine how long you sleep
Hexing 101. When putting a hex on someone make sure you’re in full control. What does that mean? Make sure there aren’t other factors around that will ruin your concentration and have you sending your hex haywire. It’s a very important rule, and one I forgot as well as the big brute I left rolling around on the ground clutching his balls. I may have fooled the cheeky bastard in front of me with my ‘I want you act,’ but I didn’t fool Hulk, who’s apparently quicker than he looks. So before I mumble the last word in the spell, the bastard rises to his feet, and pushes blue eyes away, causing himself to be caught in the crossfire, and he drops like a bag of boulders. Sigh, that was some of my best work too.
“What the fuck did you do?” Blue eyes roars.
“What? I didn’t do it? Maybe he was tired or something,” I deny, lying my butt off.
Pissed now, blue eyes grabs me painfully by the arm and pulls me through the door, and down the hall. Shit, what now? There's no way in hell he’ll fall for the same trick twice. As he pulls me along, his grip on my arm gets tighter and I know he’ll leave behind bruises, but that’s the least of my problems right now. I try to pay attention to where he’s taking me, but this place is a freaking maze. It defies the logic of how a home should be. I feel like I’m in that Leonardo DiCaprio movie Inception.
There are so many twist and turns, and as soon as we leave one long hallway, he takes me through another. When we get to a set of stairs leading down to what looks like a basement, I dig my heels in the carpet, trying to prevent him from dragging me further. I’ve seen enough horror films to know to not let the killer take you in the basement, but I’m a mere witch and he’s a mighty vampire with vampire strength, so my efforts are fruitless, because all he does is gather me in his arms and throw me over his shoulder until I’m upside down with my face eye level with his ass. In a blur, he goes down the steps, and he throws me on the carpet at the feet of a man sitting in a high back chair smoking a cigar, like he’s a king holding court.
“Marcus, must you be so rough with our witch?” The old man questions as he stares me down with a gleam in his eye. The look reminds me of my grandmother when she’s up to something.
“I’m not your anything,” I reply as I get to my feet, and get right in Marcus’s face. Hocking a huge loogie, I spit it right in his face, and I watch in pure satisfaction as it drips slowly down his cheek until it gets to his neck. In retaliation, he raises his hand, prepared to slap me, but before he can make contact, the man in the chair is in front of us, stopping him, and he flings Marcus over to the other side of the room.
“Don’t mind my son. He doesn’t know how to treat a lady who won’t sleep with him.”
Son. Well, I guess they do look sort of familiar. They both have dark hair and sky blue eyes, but that’s where their similarities stop. Marcus is tall with more of a muscled swimmer’s body, while the man, who I’m guessing is the infamous sire, i
s broader. His nose is a bit big, but it doesn’t take away from his beauty. Hell, his lashes are probably longer than mine. Marcus may be hot as fuck, but his beauty pales in comparison to his father.
“I’m Vlad, it’s very nice to finally meet you Amethyst.”
“Vlad? You have got to be shitting me?” I blurt out laughing. For those who don’t know their history, Vlad was a human who liked to toture and kill people in such bloody ways he was often compared to a vampire.
“I’m very serious, besides where do you think the human Vlad got his ideas from?” He replies. Well, that shut me up.
“Where’s Torque?” Vlad asks.
“She,” Marcus says, pointing at me, “did something to him.”
“Stop accusing me. I already told you, he was tired. Maybe you should employ more responsible vampires who don’t sleep on the job,” I huff, folding my arms in front of my chest. Marcus just growls at that, and I ignore him while I look for a way out of here.
“What am I missing?” Vlad questions.
“She tried to put a spell on me, and Torque got in the way. Now he’s up in the garage in some kind of deep sleep,” Marcus explains.
“You know, snitches get stitches,” I mumble while Vlad looks me over, amused.
“My dear. You are everything they said you are and more. I’m sure you’re wondering why I had you brought here.”
“The thought has crossed my mind,” I murmur.
“When I found out about the spectacular way you quit working for your last employer, I knew I had to have you,” he explains, which only makes me even more confused.
“You’re talking like I’m a possession and not a person,” I tell him.
“You’re confused. I’m not explaining this right. I’m a man of finery. I think it goes back to my human days. I was a very rich, well respected businessman when my sire found me and turned me into what I am now. I’m a collector of sorts. I like to collect beautiful things,” he says as his eyes caress my face. “I like unique things, treasures, and you, my dear, are a very valuable treasure indeed.”
What the actual fuck? Leave it to me to capture the attention of a coo-coo vampire with a hoarding problem. When I look at Marcus what he just said makes sense. Marcus is absolutely breathtaking, Torque is a giant brute with muscles packed on muscles, packed on muscles, the twins’ eyes are the most unique things I have ever seen, as well as their beauty and rare powers.
“I think you’re mistaken, there's nothing special about me, so you should let me go.”
“You’re wrong. You may be the most valuable treasure I have ever found. Your beauty is stunning, your magic is unique, and I find your sarcastic mouth quite amusing,” he says, taking the purple strand of my hair in his hand and twirling it around his finger. “You’ve already captured the attention of two of my best hunters. Don’t try to deny it, I can smell them on you.”
“Dude, I’m not a Pokémon. You might want to throw your ball somewhere else and let me go,” I huff.
“See, she doesn’t want to be here. Can I kill her and ship her body over to those traitors as a warning?” Marcus asks, and I stick my tongue out at him. Real mature I know, but I’m a bit frazzled right now.
“Look dickwad, if you even attempt to touch me, I’ll freeze your balls off and super glue them to your eyelids.” Offended now, Marcus gets in my face and we start arguing. Just because I shot his ego down in the garage doesn’t give him the right to threaten me or my mates. We’re going back and forth when Vlad yells, “enough,” and we pull apart like boxers in a ring after the bell goes off.
“Amethyst, you’re staying so you might as well get use to it. In time, you’ll learn to love your new family and bear me many sons.”
“What the hell? I’m not fucking you,” I screech.
“Not me, although I wouldn’t turn you away from my bed if you ever change your mind. You have no qualms fucking Caleb and Nolan. When they come for you, and they will come, you’ll continue to be with them and produce me many heirs as extraordinary as yourself, and you,” he says pointing at Marcus. “I suggest you be nicer to her if you want to be part of her harem.”
“Do you hear how insane you sound?” I ask incredulously.
“It may seem that way at first, but soon you’ll love being here. We’ll be the family you never had.”
“You know nothing about me or my family,” I spit out hatefully.
“Now that’s where you’re wrong. I know quite a bit about you, including what happened to your father,” he replies. Out of all the things that could have come out of his insane mouth, my father is the only thing of interest to me. He had me, and he knows it judging by the shit eating grin on his smug face.
“Marcus, take her to her suite of rooms. I’m sure it won’t be long until the twins show up,” Vlad says, dismissing us and goes back to his uncomfortable looking chair, staring at who knows what. He probably sees small sprite like fairies blowing unicorns for all I know.
Grabbing my arm, Marcus pulls me back through the way we came. At this point, I’m numb and I just let him. I didn’t even bother to pay attention to where we’re going. If this place is built off that psycho’s mind, which I suspect it is, there's no point. To prove my point, Marcus leads me up the stairs and stops mid way and turns left while we take a doorway in the middle of the staircase, like WTF.
Taking another random hallway, we start passing people. A woman with long red hair and eyes as dark as night watch us pass with a predatory gaze. The woman is beautiful, but I didn’t see anything extra special about her, so why Vlad would collect her. Next we pass a man with green hair and reptilian eyes, creepy, but not unusual. We pass more and more supes, and I wonder how many stay in this maze for a home. Finally, we stop in front of a double set of oak doors, and Marcus holds them open, waving me inside.
“There you go, princess. I’d give your twins a day before they’ll be here.”
I don’t answer. I don’t fight. I just nod and step inside. When my eyes land on the huge king size bed in the middle of the room, I walk straight to it and sit down.
“I see you’re not up to socializing. I’ll have your dinner brought to you.” Marcus says before leaving and closing the door behind him. I don’t hear a click of a lock, so I guess I’m free to walk around, but with my luck right now, I’d only get lost or worse, eaten by one of Vlad’s collectables.
I know what you’re thinking. I’m an all powerful curse worker, why can’t I break myself out? That’s a good question, and one I have given a lot of thought to. You saw what happened in the garage. Using my powers was a disaster, at least it was for Torque.
You know what? I’m going to continue to call him Hulk.
Anyways, back to why I can’t free myself. To hex someone, they need to do something to deserve to be hexed. Like my ex, for example. He was a cheating douchecanoe and he hit me, so now he has a purple dick with a green mole. Hulk and Marcus kidnapped me, and because Hulk's dumbass put himself in the path of my spell, he’ll now sleep for however long the spell sees fit. Besides sending people to kidnap me, Vlad hasn’t actually done anything to me. He’s always sent someone to do his dirty work for him.
He may be looney, but he’s a smart looney, like he knows just how my magic works. He knows without just cause, I can’t actually do anything to him. What he said about my father plays in my head. He knew him. I’m sure of that now. There's nothing more dangerous than a smart crazy person. I could curse them, and embed a curse in objects, but to do that, I need more than a spell, and I’m doubtful they’ll supply me with the materials I’ll need. Where’s Dora’s Backpack when a witch needs it? I guess for now I’m stuck here. Sighing, I lean back in the bed and shut my eyes. I don’t know if this will work, it’s a light witch spell, but I’m desperate, so I chant.
Light the sea, light the fire. Bring forth what I desire.
Light the sea, light the fire. Bring forth my desire
Light the sea, light the fire. Bring forth my desire
Caleb
As I pace the room, I curse myself for not chasing after Amethyst. Vlad has her. I know it. I should have known he would send others after her when we stopped checking in. Out of all the supes he sent us after, she was the one he’s been the most obsessed with.
“Fuck,” I roar, throwing a glass sculpture at the wall.
“You know, I don’t think Amethyst would like you breaking her things,” my brother chastises.
“How can you be so calm? You know who has her,” I say incredulously. Ever since we found out Amethyst was gone, he’s been awfully calm. It’s fucking unsetteling.
“I know Vlad will never do anything to her. He’s probably waiting for us to come home as we speak.”
“If I thought Amethyst would be happy living a life as one of his trinkets, I would just go back, but I know she would never be happy living like that. As much as she hates this town, she’s oddly happy here.”
“Then we’ll wait on the wolf to come back, and make a plan,” Nolan says as he goes into the kitchen for a broom.
“And what if his pack won’t help? He chose Amethyst over being Alpha, remember?” I tell him.
When he comes back with the broom and starts sweeping up the glass, he says, “then the three of us will retrieve her ourselves, even if it costs us our lives,” he answers with finality.
And he’s right. We will lay down our lives for her. Vlad may be bat shit crazy, but he has one hell of an army at his disposal backing him up. We won’t make it out the mansion alive, but at least our little jewel will be free.