by Cara E Holt
I snigger. “The hero?”
Cort meets my smile with a half-grin. “I like to be out there making a difference. Come on, I have somewhere special you need to see.”
I stop still in my steps when we enter a huge control centre. The room has wall-to-floor screens and around a dozen people are sitting in front of computers, monitoring the outside world.
“What are they doing?”
Cort leans his hands on the metal railing of the staircase as I continue to take in the room. “We monitor for hybrids that may need rescuing.” He points to a row of screens over to the left. “We also monitor the various supernatural councils and their members.”
My tour carries on for at least another hour and I am blown away with how big this place is and how many people there are here. Eventually Cort takes me down to level five and into what appears to be a boardroom. Merrick is here alongside a group of six other men and women. He looks up when we enter and smiles warmly, gesturing us over.
“Elara, how was the tour?”
Cort pulls out a chair for me and I look at him, puzzled by his sudden chivalry.
“It was enlightening,” I reply. “This place is much bigger than I expected.”
Merrick nods, leaning forward in his seat. “I hope we have shown you enough to convince you to stay?”
“I’ll stay, if you tell me what it is you want from me?”
He smiles and places his pen down on the table. “I want you to be our poster girl. We want to release videos of you that get the message out there that hybrids are normal law-abiding citizens that can and want to live amongst our supernatural counterparts.”
I frown. “I’m sure there would be better choices for a poster girl than me, however, if I do this, then I want something in return.”
He leans back in his seat and for a few seconds he just silently observes me. “Please continue.”
I take a breath. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. “If I stay and do what you have asked of me, then I want us to locate and rescue my friend Norah.”
Cort scoffs from his seat next to me. “You want us to help save the high councillors daughter? You have got to be kidding, right?”
I scowl at him. “No, I am not joking. In return I want you to help me locate my father’s lair, save my friend and deal with the threat he poses.”
Merrick sighs and reaches for his drink. “Your father was once a member of this society.”
His admission floors me and I look at him gob-smacked. “My father was what??”
Merrick gives me a sympathetic smile before he continues to explain. “He was one of the original founders of the HDS. However, he became obsessed with this crazy idea that he would raise your mother from the dead.”
I shake my head, trying to clear the shock from my brain. “That is precisely what he is trying to do, by draining witches of their power.” I lean in, hoping I can convince Merrick of my cause. “The wiccan council are trying to blame the HDS for the attacks, but imagine if we could find him and provide video evidence that it wasn’t the HDS. If we could stream it online, then people would know the council were lying.”
Merrick listens to my suggestion, and he doesn’t immediately dismiss it.
“Just think how in our favour it would look if we rescue the high councillor’s daughter. People will have to sit up and take note and maybe consider that hybrids are not what the council paint them to be.”
Merrick strokes the stubble on his chin and I can’t gauge what he is thinking. “I’ll consider your request. In the meantime, take a few days to settle in and then we’ll decide where best to get you to work.”
I hold my hand up. “Oh, I already know which sector I want to work in.”
Merrick tilts his head, waiting for me to continue.
“I want to be on the search and rescue team.”
I hear Cort snigger from beside me and I turn around the glare at him before returning my attention to the man who made the decisions around here.
Merrick sighs, and he reaches out and pats my hand. “Elara we cannot have you running around out there. There is a huge bounty on your head. It is too dangerous.”
I sit up straight and frown. “I want to be out there. Your poster girl needs to be seen risking herself out there, not hidden away in the confines of the secret base like some spoiled princess.”
Merrick smiles and shakes his head. “No one will think of you as a spoiled princess. The answer is still no, it’s too dangerous.” He looks down at his watch and stands to his feet. “I have to go. I have a meeting down in London with my informant. I’ll be away until Sunday. Anything you need, speak to Cort.”
I glance over at Cort, who grins at me and winks. I would not ask that prick for anything.
Merrick leaves with his entourage, leaving me with Cort. Without a backward glance my way, he stalks out of the room.
“Where are we going now?” I ask him as I catch up to him and walk beside him.
He sighs and briefly glances my way. “I am going doing my job. You can do whatever you want.”
My steps falter. “But I don’t know anyone here.”
Cort swears under his breath and comes to a stop, walking back to where I am. “Look Lara. I am a busy guy. I don’t have time to babysit you. Beside you seem like a resourceful kind of girl. I’m sure you can find something to do around here.” Cort looks down at his watch. “I really have to go.” He holds out his hand and in it is a small square device.
“Aw, you got me a gift, how thoughtful.” I tease.
His jaw tics in annoyance as he takes my wrist in his hands and fastens the device around it. “It’s a communication device.” He taps the screen. “Press this and it will take you to your contacts. I’ve put mine in. Message me if you need anything. There’s also a map of the compound on there.”
Before I can question him any further, he strides off down the corridor leaving me standing there. How did he walk so damn fast? It looks like I was on my own, so I decide I’ll explore the compound.
I wander around the ground floor first and stumble upon a room that stops me still in my steps. A weapons store room. The place is huge and is floor to ceiling packed with guns and rockets and various other dangerous looking items. It certainly looks like someone was preparing for a war. I back out of the room as quickly as I can, wanting to wipe the memory of it.
I take the lift to the second level and get off and meander around until I find a wide open space that has grass on the floor and trees and flowers growing. It was like a mini garden of Eden hidden in the base of a mountain. I find myself drawn to a huge grey stone pillar that stands in the centre.
“They are the names of hybrids that have fallen.” I jump in surprise and I turn around to find Rafe standing behind me, hands in his pockets. “They either died rescuing others or died at the hands of other supernatural species.”
I shake my head in disbelief as I look over the many, many names carved into this giant rock that must stand at least twelve feet high. “Did you know any of them?”
He comes up beside me and he nods sadly. He reaches out and touches the name ‘Cielle.’ “My mother.” He explains. “She died on a rescue mission about five years ago. One of the Wiccan guards killed her.”
I reach out and put my hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry Rafe, that must have been hard.”
He nods, looking a million miles away. “It was, but she died doing what she believed in and I take comfort in that. It also makes me determined to fulfil her wish for hybrids to live freely, without prejudice.”
“I’m sure she would be very proud of you.”
He smiles sadly and brushes his mid-blonde hair out of his eyes. “I hope she is.”
I point at the wall. “How do you add a name?”
He looks at me curiously and moves away, retrieving something from a table over to the side of him. He comes back and hands me a stone pencil. “Just write the name, like you would with a normal pen and magic will do the rest.”
Taking t
he stone pen, I step closer and finding a slight gap; I write the name Amila. The pen etches her name into the stone and I stand back and sigh. “For you, Amila.”
“Who was she?” Rafe asks me, as he takes the pen from me.
“We shared a cell together in the chamber prison. The council executed her shortly before you rescued me.” A tear escapes and slips down my face.
Rafe grabs a hold of my hand and squeezes it. “I’m sorry you lost her.” He places an arm around my shoulder. “Want to do something fun?”
I cock a brow in question, and he grins. “Trust me.”
“You have got to be kidding me?” I say, as I stare at the scene in front of me. We are standing in an actual bowling alley. “How?”
Rafe grins and shrugs. “Magic, I guess.” He tugs at my hand. “Come on, let’s grab a lane.”
Rafe whips my arse at bowling. Even with the bars up the side, I still miss the skittles.
“Hey Rafe, whose your new friend?” A tall and willowy guy with an American accent asks as he looks me over from head to toe.
“Hey, Rocco. This is Elara, she arrived here this morning.”
Rocco grins at me. “Nice to meet you.”
“Hey, wait. Aren’t you that girl who was engaged to Black’s son?” A girl asks, as she scrutinises my face.
I withdraw into myself and nod my head.
“The hybrid that infiltrated the mighty Black coven? Girl, you’re famous around here.” Rocco tells me, seeming impressed with me.
“Splendid stuff.” I say in a very unenthusiastic tone.
“We’re heading to Remi’s if you two fancy it later?” The girl asks and I see her gaze linger on Rafe as she waits on an answer.
“What’s Remi’s?” I ask her.
“It’s a bar,” Rafe answers me. “We’ll likely call in,” he tells the girl.
I grin and nudge Rafe as we walk away. “Who was that?”
“The girl?” he asks, trying to look all cool and collected. “Her name is Shaelyn.”
I grin. “She is pretty. I think she likes you.”
He smiles nonchalantly. “I guess.” He places his hands in his pockets, looking all casual.
“You guess.” I say laughing. “You are full of shit, Rafe.” I link my arm through his as we head for the lift.
“How are you doing, anyway?” He asks me. “I mean you should have died today.”
I shrug my shoulders. “I’m okay, I guess. So much has happened to me in the last few months. It’s all been a bit of a blur, if I’m honest.”
“You and Black seemed real close at Thorne Shadow?”
I avert my eyes and look ahead of us. “Yeah, well, we were kind of living together. I saw more of him than I did anyone else.”
He nods and clears his throat. “I have to ask, are you in love with him?”
My steps falter at his question. “Why do you ask?”
He comes to a stop and looks down at me, chewing on the inside of his mouth. “Elara, you and Black are on different sides of a war. Are you ready to have to choose between him and your own kind?”
I frown. I hadn’t considered that I would have to choose. “What makes you think I need to choose? Drayce was always on my side. He knew I was a hybrid, and he protected me.”
Rafe nods and gives me a half-smile. “But would he choose you over his entire coven?”
I don’t know how to answer that question. “He loves me, I know that much, otherwise the curses would not have lifted.”
“But does he love you enough to walk away from everything he has known?”
“I don’t know.” I say with a heavy shrug of my shoulders. “Besides, I am here and he isn’t. He has no clue where I am and they took my phone off me in prison, so it’s not like I can just message him and say hey honey, I’m alive want to come and hang out at a secret base with me? Is it?”
Rafe chuckles. “Black would have to have a death wish if he ever thought it would be a good idea to turn up here.”
Rafe escorts me to the mess hall where I grab some food and once I have eaten, I make my way back to my room for a nap. I was exhausted from the day’s earlier events.
I wake up two hours later to the whispered sounds of conversation. Opening my eyes, I find two girls in the room. They are standing over by the wardrobe talking quietly.
I sit up on the bed and they both notice me and stop their conversation.
“Hi.” I say self-consciously as they both continue to stare at me.
“Is it true? You’re the girl who was engaged to Drayce Black?”
Not this again. I try not to roll my eyes.
I nod. “Yeah, that would be me. My name’s Elara.”
The girl with the blonde hair gestures with her head to the other girl. “This is Laina and I’m Vellity. We are your roommates.” She gestures at the bed I am lying on. “That’s my bed you’re sleeping on, by the way.”
I sit up, feeling awkward. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t know which ones were taken so, I took a guess.”
Vellity smiles warmly. “It’s okay, the top two are free so take your pick.” She points to the wardrobe. “We are just deciding on outfits for tonight.”
“What’s tonight?” I ask as I get up and make her bed up as best I can.
“It’s Friday night and on Fridays we all let our hair down a bit and party. You should come.” Laina suggests as she pulls out a very short pale pink skirt and thrusts it at Vellity. “You should wear this.”
Vellity nods. “He is a leg man.”
Laina pulls out a pale blue body-con dress and grins. “This is the one.” She looks at me then furrows in the wardrobe and pulls out a mint coloured dress that fits around the chest area and flares out in a skater style.
I shake my head. “Not really my style. Is there anything red or black in there?”
Laina pauses in thought and then grinning she dives back in and after much searching she pulls out a black minidress. “How about this?”
“Perfect.” I tell her. Black was my colour and not just because I was in love with one.
I have to admit I looked good. Laina has done my eyes in a smoky grey and my lips are painted in a deep plum colour. The dress clings to me in all the right places and I team it with a pair of sheer tights and black heeled boots that Vellity had kindly borrowed to me. I had come here with not a scratch of clothes apart from the delightful prison attire. I would have to ask Rafe about how I go about earning some money so I could get myself a new wardrobe, starting with underwear.
Before we leave our room Laina pulls out a small bottle filled with a strange lilac coloured liquid.
“What is that?” I ask hesitantly.
She grins, shaking the bottle. “This is amber nectar from the fae lands. It makes you feel good.” She opens the bottle and glugs back a good drink, before passing it to Vellity who throws it back without hesitation.
“Uh, I hope this outfit works its magic on Cort tonight, otherwise I may have to resort to attraction potions. I mean, what does a girl have to do to get noticed by him?”
Laina shrugs. “I don’t know. He’s not like other guys in here. I’ve heard he likes older women.”
“You’re after Cort?” I say with a snigger and Vellity looks at me offended. “Sorry, I just, I mean the guys a right prick.” I shrug. “I’m just not sure why you’d find him attractive.”
Vellity looks at me like I have grown horns. “You don’t find Cort attractive? Do you have a pulse? Have you seen him?”
I frown. Sure Cort was good-looking but then he opened his mean, insulting mouth and the attraction ended there.
“He tastes good, I guess.”
Both girl’s gasp and look at me open-mouthed and suddenly crowd me. “You drank from Cort Caveden?”
Vellity looks at Laina. “He lets no one feed from him, like ever!”
I shrink back from their piercing scrutiny. “Yeah well I was dead on my feet and starving, so I guess he felt like he had no choice.”
Vellity licks her lips, her fangs extending from her gums. “What does he taste like?”
I bob my head side-to-side as I think of the best way to describe his blood. “Like candy floss and caramel, or maybe almonds.”
Vellity groans and pats her chest. “Argh, I am so jealous. I can’t believe he is your feeder now. How often do you feed?”
I look at her, puzzled. “What do you mean my feeder? I won’t be drinking from him again.”
Laina laughs at me and nudges Vellity. “It looks like someone hasn’t been informed of the rules here.”
I frown and fold my arms. “Spit it out,” I demand. I have a sinking feeling I will not like what they have to say.
“When you arrive here as a vamp, they assign you a feeder. They only allow you one feeder. It’s against the code here to feed from multiples, it causes issues.”
I stare open-mouthed at them. “Are you telling me I can’t feed from anyone but Cort?”
Laina nods, watching my reaction. “Oh girl, you are so in trouble. I mean, everyone knows that feeding is a very intimate and sexual thing. You are so going to be Cort’s new fuck buddy.”
I shake my head firmly. “I’m engaged so I won’t be anybodies fuck buddy whilst I’m here.”
Vellity snorts in humour. “You mean the arranged engagement that the Blacks likely ended when your hybrid blood was revealed to the Wiccan world? Besides, we should match with our own here and strengthen the hybrid race.”
I was not happy. Why did Merrick or Cort not inform me of these supposed rules before I sank my fangs in his neck and drank his blood?
I’m in a piss-poor mood by the time we reach the party, which is in an actual club. I mean it isn’t huge, but it was an actual club like any other. The girls head straight for the dance floor, leaving me standing on my own. Great!
SUGAR AND CHERRIES
My eyes search the place, and I stop when I find two dark eyes watching me. Cort is sitting in a booth on his own with a bottle in one hand and his other across the back of the seat. He watches me intensely as I make my way over to him.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the feeding rules?” I ask him, folding my arms and tapping my foot, waiting for an answer.