Crimson Mist

by Rachel Jonas

  Unfortunately, only time would tell if I was right about that.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Levi

  After a very strange phone call from Corina last night, my brothers and I had halfheartedly returned to the palace. With the vague information we were given, it became clear our search would be fruitless. The three of us had each dodged countless phone calls from every news outlet imaginable, so coming here seemed like the smartest idea. Being “on the run for more than twenty-four hours”—as some had said—raised enough suspicions. The people and authorities were more than willing to believe the worst about us and our mate.

  It amazed me that Julian’s ear wasn’t bleeding after the tongue lashing he endured from his father first thing this morning. The man had a knack for making one question their actions, even when they’d been so sure they’d done the right thing. He’d subjected Julian to just such a lecture, pointed out all he was risking, pressuring him to go to the authorities and tell them whatever version of the truth would clear his name and ours, while sacrificing Corina.

  The ironic thing was, this had been the very advice she’d given, too, but there was no chance any of us would ever even dream of it.

  To sum it up, we were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Our only choice was to sit and wait for another update from Corina, assuming such a thing would ever come. Meanwhile, I think we were all wondering how long we had before the public showed up at the palace’s front gate with pitchforks and torches.

  “It doesn’t make any sense.” Neither Julian nor Si responded when the words fell from my mouth, but I knew they agreed.

  “Well, maybe it does,” Elle chimed in, earning a frustrated glare from all three of us.

  She swallowed deeply, appearing to second-guess her decision to speak out.

  “It’s just that, I think she might be trying to protect you three. She knows you’ll come after her if you know too much, and maybe whoever has her is extremely dangerous and—”

  “Is this supposed to help?” I interjected, cutting her off. “Of course they’re dangerous. She’s been kidnapped right from under our noses, for Pete’s sake. I’m quite sure this monster didn’t intend to just take her out for ice cream.”

  “Snapping at Elle won’t solve anything,” Julian grumbled from his corner of the study.

  Silas continued to pace in front of the window, like he’d done for the past hour.

  “We’re proving to be quite the valiant heroes,” I huffed. “She’s out there somewhere, and here we are … sitting around, doing absolutely nothing.”

  “Well, what do you suggest, Levi?” Julian peered up, anger swimming in his gaze. “Want to burn down the entire town, hoping to flush her out?”

  “Perhaps I would!” I shouted back. “I’d choose that over being useless any day of the week.”

  “You think you’ve got all the answers,” he seethed. “Like leading us all the way out to Blackthorn. Lot of good that did.”

  “And if you had it your way, we would likely never leave this room!” I yelled.

  “Guys!” Silas’ voice boomed from across the room. “Tearing each other’s throats out isn’t going to solve anything.”

  “Agreed,” Elle piped.

  “Our only option is to go back to the drawing board, retrace our steps, and—”

  My words were interrupted by a piercing ring from the telephone on the corner of Julian’s desk. Naturally, with tension so high, he could hardly get to it quickly enough.

  “Hello?” he answered, immediately putting the call on speakerphone.

  The fraction of a second it took whoever was on the other end of the line to respond felt like an eternity.

  “Oh, thank God you picked up.”

  The last voice I expected to hear this afternoon was Corina’s, especially after the grim outlook my brothers and I were left with after she called the night before.

  “Thank God you called back!” I countered. “Please, just tell us where you are, love. Whatever you’re afraid will happen, we’ll just deal with it when we get there. For the love of—”

  “I’m fine, Levi,” she cut in, and to my surprise, I actually believed her. There was a sense of urgency in her tone, but not panic. “I’m going to give you guys coordinates and I need you to meet me in three hours.”

  Julian scrambled for a pen. “Give it to us.”

  She rambled off a series of numbers, and Julian shoved the small piece of paper into the back pocket of his jeans.

  “But before you guys come, I’m going to need you to grab a few things,” she added.

  “Whatever you need,” Silas promised.

  “Can you have Elle grab the com that links me to my team. I’ll also need her to gather some of my everyday clothes and a few of those dresses she loves,” she added with a small laugh, “and … there’s a black key on my vanity. Please have her bring that as well.”

  My brow furrowed at the odd requests. Glancing toward my brothers, I wasn’t surprised to see their expressions matched my own.

  “I don’t understand,” Julian replied, lifting his gaze to meet mine and Silas’.

  “You will,” she assured us.

  We shared another look. “Ok, we’re on it,” I answered.

  “Good,” she said pleasantly. “I can’t wait to see you guys.”

  Silas smiled at that. “The feeling is more than mutual.”

  Indeed, it was.

  “Oh, and guys?” She had our full attention. “Pack your bags for a lengthy stay.”

  The confused expressions returned to each of our faces. “Stay? We’re coming to bring you home.”

  Julian’s voice took a stern tone I hadn’t expected. I also hadn’t missed his use of that one word. Home.

  “Eventually, yes,” Corina replied. “But there’s something I need to take care of first. And, if you three will agree to it, I’d like to have you here with me until it’s finished, but you have to promise you’ll be … openminded.”

  If we were confused before, there was no word for what we felt now.

  “Are you sure you’re all right?” I had to ask. Things simply weren’t adding up.

  She laughed into the phone. “Things are more than all right. Or, at least they will be once I have you three with me again. And you too Elle,” she added with another of the light bubbly sounds fluttering through the phone.

  A hush settled over us all, despite my brothers and I already knowing we’d cater to whatever whim our mate had.

  “Oh, and I may or may not have one other small request.”

  Julian’s brow quirked. “Like?”

  “Tuxes,” she added, sounding amused.

  “Tuxes?”

  “Yes, tuxes,” she confirmed.

  This call was beyond strange, littered with many odd requests, but if following these directions would somehow lead us to her, there was no doubt we would comply.

  “We’ll be there in three hours,” Julian confirmed, and with that, the line went silent.

  ***

  The coordinates we were given led to a dilapidated cabin in a remote, wooded area, far outside the Capitol. Several times, we questioned Elle, wanting to be sure she had brought us to the right place.

  No mistakes were made. We’d arrived at the exact location Corina requested.

  We scanned the area, but spotted nothing—no vehicles, no movement. Just nature and the rickety old house that stood before us.

  “Think she made a mistake?” Silas asked, leaning forward to get a better look through his window.

  “Nope! There she is!” Elle practically leapt from her seat, bursting out through the driver-side door.

  Somehow, she spotted Corina first, but the rest of us were out of our seats just as quickly now. We bounded toward the cabin when she emerged from behind it

  “Mistress Corina!” Elle shouted. “You’re okay!”

  The smile Corina wore stretched wide across her face as she embraced Elle in return. However, the rest of us stood g
uard, eyeing the one who stood beside her.

  It only took a moment to sink in why we were all somewhat standoffish, especially considering how much she’d been missed, how sick we all were with worry.

  Releasing Elle, Corina stood straighter before hesitantly gesturing toward the tall brunette.

  “Guys, this is um … Paige.”

  A set of crimson eyes flickered toward the three of us, and the mistrust in them only matched ours.

  “Who are you?” The question left Julian’s mouth with dark undertones that told of his recent distress. Corina’s disappearance had taken a toll on each one’s measure of patience, manifesting in different ways.

  For Julian, it had been evident in his short temper.

  “I just told you,” Corina cut in.

  She peered up at Julian, taking in his hardened expression. When her hand moved into his, and his gaze fell on her, it was clear the instant some of the stress from the last couple days fell away.

  “It’s okay,” she assured him, only conveying love and understanding with the look she gave.

  Finally having the chance to greet us properly, she started with Julian. Both arms encircled his neck and the tension he’d carried in his shoulders was nearly nonexistent now. She held him for a moment, before moving toward Si. He’d been the most level-headed of our trio, like usual, but even he had gotten beside himself with worry a time or two. That was evident now, as he squeezed her tightly.

  And then, she came to stand before me, and the slight curve of her smile brought one out of me, too, before lifting her off her feet with a hug. Light laughter fluttered against my ear and the relief I felt holding her again was unmatched.

  “I’m not letting you go,” I teased, speaking the words against her skin.

  “Well, you’ll have to, but only for a little while. There’s somewhere I need to take you,” she informed me. “Someone I need you to meet.”

  My brow tensed as I lowered her again.

  “Someone?” I asked, seeking clarity.

  She pushed dark strands behind both ears. “Remember that part where I asked you all to be openminded?” she uttered. “Well, this is where that’s going to be needed.”

  Something about this didn’t feel right, but it was hard to grasp anything negative with how relieved I was to be laying eyes on her again.

  “I just need you guys to trust me,” she added, unwittingly using her charms against us. Or, then again, it may have been completely intentional.

  After speaking, she passed a leery gaze toward this new friend she arrived with—Paige.

  “Fine,” Julian spoke up. “Get in and we’ll take you wherever you want.”

  “Thanks, but … I’ve got a bike,” she replied, aiming a thumb over her shoulder. She was pointing in the direction of the cabin she’d just been standing near.

  Julian’s brow tensed again and the stare-down between them was unnerving. Of the three of us, he was most inclined to object to Corina’s extreme independence. But not because he longed to control her, but rather because he seemed to live with the fear that if she strayed too far from his side, she’d break. Silas and I, on the other hand, had seen her handle herself. Me, while we were away at Blackthorn. Silas, when they stupidly weaseled their way inside the Tine Facility.

  “Fine,” Julian sighed, the rims of his nostrils flaring with that one word.

  He said nothing else to her in parting, just simply trudged back toward the car. I felt torn, and Silas seemed to as well. The most I could do was offer Corina a reassuring smile before we headed back to the car.

  Not two seconds after the doors slammed behind us, Julian started speaking his mind.

  “It’s like she has no idea what’s taken place since she’s been gone,” he said, gesturing toward where she and Paige pulled out ahead of us on motorcycles.

  “Relax,” I sighed. “She’s alive and well, and that’s all that matters.”

  “Alive and well, yes, but I don’t like the secrecy,” Julian rebutted.

  “Whatever she’s keeping to herself, I believe she must have good reason.”

  Julian passed a glance backward toward me from his seat beside Elle.

  “I stand firm on that,” I reiterated when he didn’t speak. “We need to trust her. Whatever’s going on, I’m sure it’ll make sense soon.”

  Frustrated, Julian faced forward again, apparently no longer desiring to continue our conversation.

  We drove in silence for the next ten minutes, until a bend in the road led us to the entrance of a wrought-iron gate. Our attention stayed trained straight ahead as Paige stood from her bike to punch in a code. One she wasn’t careful to keep hidden from Corina, further driving home the fact that she was no prisoner here.

  We crept along, trailing the two bikes up the long, winding driveway, until we reached the front facing side of a house. No, not a house. A mansion.

  “What is this place?” Elle asked, but seemed to know none of us had the answer.

  “I spotted what looked like a gaffer tower a little ways back. So, my guess is this is … or was … a harvesting camp?”

  No one said a word, but the pieces were simply not fitting together.

  Corina killed the engine of the bike she’d ridden, and then climbed off quickly. I didn’t miss the weary gaze she passed our way, as if she was hoping like mad things went well from here. She might have known that, where Julian was concerned, we weren’t currently on the right track.

  “Shall we?” Elle piped chipperly.

  She didn’t hesitate to hop out just as eagerly as she had at the cabin. Instead of proceeding with caution, she charged full steam ahead, straight toward Corina where she was greeted with another warm smile.

  “Well, at least someone is being positive,” I said under my breath, as we each slammed our car doors behind us.

  Julian’s response was a timely grumble as he surveyed the surroundings.

  Corina’s steps halted just up ahead, where she waited for us to catch up. When we did, her nerves could be felt even from a distance. We moved toward the door, and she watched intently as Paige turned the knob.

  The sight of a foreboding frame darkening one corner of the foyer prompted our steps to halt the moment we crossed the threshold. We were clearly being ushered into someone’s presence.

  A guy—dark-blond hair, taller than most. Only, he didn’t speak, or even look up.

  He kept to the shadows, not meeting our gazes even once Paige closed the door behind us. Instead, he seemed to be waiting for something. I kept my eyes on him when Corina stood before us.

  “This an old friend of yours?” I asked, hearing the skepticism in my own voice.

  “No, but before I get to introductions, let me start by saying you’re not gonna like what I have to say,” she assured us.

  Not the best way to start a conversation.

  “I’m stepping out on faith here,” she continued. “And you must keep in mind that nearly everything we believed to be true has all been wrong. Nothing is what it seemed.” She paused to take a breath and looked me square in the eyes. “Hence the reason I asked you all to be openminded.”

  “What is it you’re trying to say?” Julian forced out. His tone wasn’t nearly as clipped as it had been when dealing with Silas and I, but he was far from his usual self. Even with Corina. She seemed to notice and swallowed deeply before continuing.

  “Well, I’d like to start by saying that, yes, I was taken against my will the other night, but … I was never in any danger,” she tried explaining. “To start, it should be said that I have only been treated with kindness here. And … it also needs to be said that … I know you three are aware of my secret.”

  You could have heard a pin drop.

  “So,” she sighed. “I’m gonna just say it out loud, so we can just … move on.”

  Her shoulders rose into the air when she drew in a breath, and she exhaled a sentence that seemed strange to hear rolling off her tongue.

  “I’m Bla
ckbird.”

  She blinked up at us, and when no one reacted, it became clear that this wasn’t exactly a newsflash.

  “So, now that that’s out of the way, you should also know that my team has been supported for years by an unknown donor, only known as the Benefactor.”

  “Is that who this is?” Elle said chipperly, gesturing toward the quiet stranger still lurking in the shadow.

  “Well, yes,” Corina admitted, “but … there’s a bit more to him than that.”

  “Like, what exactly?” Silas inquired, taking the words right out of my mouth.

  “Like … his name,” Corina sighed.

  Tension spread across my shoulders when he shifted his weight and removed both hands from his pockets, no longer slumping against the wall. I’d seen before that he was tall, but hadn’t realized how tall.

  Taller than other Ianite men.

  Tall … like a monarch.

  Then, with one small action, my brain short-circuited and the questions flooded in. Because when he finally met my gaze, silver irises reflected in the light. In one sudden rush of awareness, I understood why the plea had been made for us to remain openminded.

  Understood the reason for all Corina’s secrecy and added precautions.

  She drew in another deep breath for courage, and then let the words tumble from her lips.

  “This is Aaric.”

  Bloody hell.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Corina

  My hands pressed into Levi’s chest and, somehow, I was able to restrain him. I had always been strong, but this felt … different.

  Supernaturally different.

  I pushed aside the blatant reminder that my body was changing and focused on the gravity of the moment. To put it plainly, Levi was doing his best to rip off Aaric’s head, and the only thing between them was me. Half a second later, Julian and Silas managed to get a hold of his arms and wrangled him in.

  I passed a glance over my shoulder to Aaric, only to find he hadn’t lifted a finger to defend himself. Instead, the look he wore wasn’t angry or defensive like I expected. It only showed his remorse.

  An unearthly growl ripped from Levi’s throat and the typically handsome features were no longer visible. In a fit of rage, his face had begun to shift as the points of sharp teeth protruded. The whites of his eyes turned into solid black backdrops behind their silver irises. Dark veins protruded from his forehead and just beneath his eyes. He was not himself in so many ways, and the visual of him as he writhed to break free from the others’ grasp was a sight I hadn’t prepared myself for.