The Lost Ones (Here Witchy Witchy Book 12)

by A. L. Kessler

  “I’ll see you back at the house then. I have some Cult things I need to take care of.”

  Liz and I walked to her SUV. I resisted the urge to wave at the Hummer while I walked by. “Titan, you trust him?”

  “Yeah. I do. I’m not sure why he’s having me meet him at an address. Last time we met at a club, but maybe he can’t get away right now.”

  We climbed into the SUV and Liz started the car. “Hopefully he’s trustworthy, and we’re not walking into a trap.”

  “Hopefully, but I don’t think we will. The way everyone talks about each other, they really are one big family. They leave out things when talking about the home to protect the kids.”

  “Every one of the kids on that list was reported as missing teens, endangered runaways. You know we need to turn that over.”

  I shook my head. “Not yet. Let’s see if we can figure out how bad the situation is. Have you talked to any of the parents?”

  “A handful. Many of them said the kids disappeared after an agent came to talk to them about a home for ‘their kind.’”

  I nodded. “And how many of those parents said they wanted their kid back?”

  She hesitated. “When I asked about plans for when the kids returned, all of them said they still planned on putting the kid in the facility.”

  “And as a teen, I’m sure that’s not what they want to go home to. A place that’s just going to hand them off? Before we run off to tell the authorities about this place, let’s see what kind of place it is.”

  Liz nodded. “Okay, but…”

  “If something is not right, we give it to the proper authorities.” But I had a feeling if Oliver financed it, it wasn’t some shithole place. He often spoke about his childhood like he was the outcast, and how my mother was the only one that approved of him. I doubt he wanted any child to feel that way.

  Liz drove east, away from the mountains and out to the fields where houses were more spread out, and occasionally horses were grazing. We pulled up to a large ranch-style house that had a group of teenagers wrestling around in the front yard.

  They froze when Liz and I got out of the car. They locked eyes with us and then darted into the house.

  “Plenty of land to learn control,” I muttered as we walked through a gate and toward the house.

  Liz nodded. “I’m willing to bet they ran in and are hiding or telling Titan that they saw a threat.”

  “Good move either way.” I walked up the couple steps of the porch and then to the front door and knocked.

  Titan opened the door and crossed his arms. “You just scared the shit out of the kids.”

  “We didn’t mean to. I figured you probably warned them we were coming.” I shrugged. “Good to see them outside and playing.”

  He snorted. “They were getting rambunctious in here while Pam and I were trying to unpack some things.” He shook his head. “Sorry for the mess. We had to pick up and move real quick. Aaron wasn’t available to help, and with Phillip out of commission, well, it’s just us right now.”

  I nodded. “I’m sorry to hear that. I need you to confirm something that Phillip told me, and then we need to have a talk about what might be going on.”

  Two of the boys that had been outside came running through the living room.

  “Get back here or I’m going to burn your ass!”

  “You two get back outside, and no fire unless it’s in the training arena!” Titan yelled back at them and they both shot through the front door. I saw them through a window in the living room shoot toward the back of the property.

  Liz chuckled. “Like siblings.”

  Titan nodded. “Siblings with opposite abilities.”

  I didn’t have any siblings, so I couldn’t relate. I pulled out my phone and showed him the image. “Do you know this man?”

  “That’s Aaron.” He snarled. “What the hell?”

  I put my phone back in my pocket. “We believe he’s involved with the murders.”

  “Aaron wouldn’t do that.” He shook his head. “He wouldn’t hurt these kids.”

  “We have him on video doing something that seemed to render this other person’s ability either useless or turn against him. We found the other person half burned.”

  He closed his eyes. “I can’t believe that he’s involved.”

  “Do you know anyone who lives out on 115, before you hit Canon City?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, there’s a couple out there that started looking into elemental rights. They reached out to us through the club, much like Abigail did.”

  A knot formed in my stomach. “The Petersons?”

  “Yeah, but we ended up cutting off communications with them, because they were trying to pitch a school to us. Heard we ran an underground orphanage and wanted the kids.” He met my gaze. “They’re involved, aren’t they?”

  “And I have a feeling Aaron is how they get their information.”

  Titan let out a long string of expletives that made a teen girl look in the room.

  “Mr. Titan, you never let us say those words.”

  “Sorry,” he muttered. He looked at me. “I have fifteen kids remaining here. I have to keep them safe. In order to do that, I need the Petersons out of the picture.”

  Liz choked on air. “You want us to kill them?”

  “I meant take them in. That kind of out of the picture. What kind of beast do you think I am?”

  I snorted. “To be honest, most of the people from the underground that we deal with aren’t very nice people.”

  He laughed. “I’m sure, but we’re not all bad. Some of us have good intentions.”

  The boys came shooting back in. One of them with a burned shirt. Titan sighed. “Excuse me, I have to go deal with those two.”

  I chuckled. “Thank you for the information.”

  We walked out of the house to see a black car parked there, as well as Liz’s SUV. I let out a huff. “I’m going to deal with this.”

  Liz started to say something, and I shook my head. “The car is registered to Agent Ross.”

  “Got it, but I don’t think a head on approach is going to work here.” Liz followed me, but I ignored her and waltzed right up to the driver’s side window and knocked.

  It rolled down to reveal Ross sitting there. “Brave of you to just knock on my window.”

  “I’ve had enough shit the last couple days and not enough coffee. It would be great if you stopped fucking following me. We have a lead. Go away. We’ll solve the case soon.”

  “Are you going into the government facility?”

  I shook my head. “No, we have something much worse on our plate. Hang back, and if you don’t, I’ll make sure O’Donald gets your badge revoked when you get back to Arizona.”

  She paled a little. She didn’t like that threat, so hopefully it helped. She nodded and rolled up the window. A moment later she backed out and took off down the road.

  When I turned to the SUV, I saw Liz standing there with her arms crossed, laughing.

  “We’ll get you more coffee on the way to PIB. We need to plan. I think we have enough to get that warrant we want.”

  I nodded. “Fill Torrid in tonight for me?”

  We climbed in and she nodded. “Yeah, you heading home right at sundown?”

  “I need to. I have to be ready to face the council and Levi tonight.” Maybe even Samuel, ugh. I kept that last part to myself. “Once we make a plan, I might head home early so I can take a nap. These hours are taking a toll on me already.”

  “Could always move you to night shift.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, but I hear the lead isn’t very good.”

  “There is no night shift lead.”

  “Exactly.”

  Liz and I made a tentative plan, assuming the warrants came through. I’d gotten home in time for a nap, dinner, and coffee, and I was pacing my living room when Zayne came up from the basement.

  “Look at you, all awake and ready to go.” His gaze swept over me. “PIB
black as usual, I see.”

  I shrugged. “Didn’t want to dress up today. I’m not sure if Samuel is going to be there when Levi and Mario reappear, and I don’t want to look like a princess. I want to look like the dangerous badass I am.”

  He laughed. “Sounds like confidence to me. Ready to go? Catalina texted me, they’re ready for you to arrive.”

  Taking a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah, it’s now or never, I guess.”

  Zayne put a hand on my shoulder, and the house disappeared. Surprisingly, we appeared at Levi’s house, and I frowned. “I was expecting to go to the normal meeting place.”

  “Mario needed rest and to feed. We thought it best we meet here.” Catalina’s voice caught my attention, and I turned around to see her coming down the hall. “We’re in the ballroom, if you’d like to join us, Princess.”

  I wasn’t sure why she was acting like I had an option. Maybe she was just trying to be polite. “Of course.” Anxiety sat in my stomach like a rock, and I tried to breathe past it. What would Levi say about what I did in the couple days he was gone?

  I followed Catalina to the ballroom, trying to keep my thoughts off my face as we entered.

  The other council members waited for us, as well as Travis and Levi. I didn’t see Mario, but I knew when he came back from Hannah’s, he hid out for a few days to heal the damage. Levi gave me the barest of smiles and motioned for me to sit at his side.

  I sat, and Zayne took up his position at my back. I swallowed my nerves as I looked at everyone there.

  “Now that Princess Abigail is here, we can continue our discussions.” Catalina sat down. “Travis has informed us that the pack has requested new negotiations to keep our alliance.”

  I nodded. “Travis and I talked after Simon’s recent injury that almost resulted in a change of alpha for the pack. We agreed it would be best if we removed Simon from my security team, so it lessens the threat of death to him.”

  There was a mutter around the table. “This means that you would have to have a security member with you if you were on pack grounds, because it would no longer be one of Simon’s duties to protect you,” Warren said.

  Which meant no more full moons with Simon, because the pack wouldn’t allow another stranger there. No more visiting the circle where my magic was. At least until the threat of Samuel was gone. “I understand that, and I have to put aside my personal feelings for the alpha and my attraction to that area due to my magic if I want this alliance to last.”

  It almost hurt to say, like I was pushing Simon further away. Levi put a hand on my knee, almost as if telling me good job.

  Travis nodded. “We accept that as well, and once our alpha is healed, we will choose a member of her team that we trust on our pack lands.”

  That would be nice and helpful. I gave him a small nod of appreciation.

  “The alpha is aware of these new terms and sends his regards, but we thought it best that he stay and rest while he continues to heal from his injuries.”

  “Thank you for acting on his behalf,” Levi said. “Princess Abigail will fill me in on the details of the attack.”

  Travis nodded and stood. “If that is it, I need to return to the pack.”

  “Of course, I will draft up and send the new paperwork tomorrow night.”

  I suddenly realized where I got my need to return to work. Here Levi was acting like he didn’t disappear for a few days under the thumb of his maker. Travis walked out of the room and Levi turned to me. “The attack?”

  “While leaving a crime scene, a group of blood-starved vampires attacked us, much like the ones at the press conference. Something laced with wolf’s bane injured Simon, and he almost lost his life. We escaped the vampires and made it home with only him injured.”

  “Have we looked into the vampires?” Levi asked, looking out at the others, but it was me who answered.

  “Agent Torrid at PIB is looking into it because complaints of an increase of the blood-starved vampires came in. He has trail cam footage of the vampires. The interesting thing is that the location lines up with our main suspects on another case. Agent Jefferson will speak with him tonight to see if there was any progress made or if anything matches up to our current case.”

  Levi nodded and took another moment before he spoke. “It sounds like you handled everything for the short time that I was gone. That leaves us just one thing left to handle then.”

  Samuel.

  “The negotiations made while I was with my maker.” He turned to me. “Catalina showed me the negotiations you and she worked on. The council approved it, and Samuel didn’t counter.”

  I nodded. “I found that surprising.”

  “As did the rest of us,” Catalina added. “We’re thinking that he’ll either come back with a negotiation of his own, or there is an oversite that we missed.”

  Levi sighed. “He will come back with negotiations of his own, I promise you that. He will wait until the last moment, and we won’t like what he offers. It’s how he plays. We will need to prepare for when Abigail goes to him for three months. Mario and I will come up with a plan and try to predict what he’ll want.” His words sounded almost cold.

  Everyone agreed around the table. “Catalina, I want you and Tabitha to work with Agent Torrid on the vampires and see if they are the same ones as at the press conference.”

  “He will hopefully bring one in for questioning,” I added. “Assuming he can find them.”

  “Warren, I want you to look into replacing Simon’s position for Abigail’s security. We’ll need them to be back up. I have a feeling Samuel will back off now that he’s gotten what he wants. But we won’t know what the situation will be when Abigail returns. You’re all dismissed.”

  One by one they disappeared, except for Zayne at my back. Levi stood and looked at Zayne. “You too.”

  “With all respect, my king, last time you and Princess Abigail were alone, you stabbed her.”

  Oh shit, that’s not something I would have pointed out right that moment, but Levi smirked. “That’s a good answer, but I swear to you I am out of Samuel’s influences and Abigail is safe.”

  “If not, I’ll send you another SOS message,” I promised. “Samuel thinks he’s won. He won’t use Levi for now.”

  Zayne nodded. “Okay, if you’re sure.”

  “I am.”

  He disappeared and Levi looked at me. “We need to talk.”

  “Yes, about so much.”

  “Let me get Mario and meet me in the study.” Levi opened the ballroom door for me.

  I went straight to the study, wondering why he was bringing in Mario for this smaller meeting when he wasn’t there for the council meeting.

  It was a few minutes before Levi and Mario joined me. When the door opened, Levi helped Mario in, Mario leaning heavily on him.

  “You should rest,” I said instantly. “She tried to fucking kill you.” I could see the healing pink scars on his face and exposed arms. Rage filled me, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to control it. I wanted to slaughter Hannah right there. It was probably a good thing she wasn’t around.

  “I will heal,” Mario promised, his voice soft. “But you need to see the damage, so you understand what she’s capable of without killing you.”

  I felt like he punched me in the gut. “I didn’t really have a choice in agreeing to go to Samuel. He had Levi, and Hannah had you. I am not fit to rule the vampires yet. I can barely handle it for two days without someone getting pissy that I’m a witch.” My voice was shaking. “Trust me, I’ve thought about the amount of damage the two of them can inflict on me while I’m there.”

  Levi helped Mario sit in a chair and then sat in one as well. “We’re not angry with you, Abigail. We are worried the negotiations are going to change to our disadvantage, and we won’t have the time to counter them. I don’t want to have to choose between nursing you back to health or raising you as a vampire.”

  He might have said that he wasn’t angry, but there was an
odd note of disappointment in his voice, and I didn’t miss it. The fact that it was there meant that he wanted me to hear it, or he would use his ‘king’ voice, devoid of all emotions.

  “What would you have done? What negotiations would you have put in place?”

  Levi gave a short laugh. “Honestly, the only thing I would have changed was that they allowed you to use your magic and keep your magical items. He would have pushed for something in exchange for that, but it would have been a better way to keep you safe.”

  The only thing I had put on there was no black magic. I nodded. “So I didn’t do awful.”

  “I actually think you did better handling things than you admit.” Levi smiled. “Especially for suddenly being front and center in it all. Even with the wolves. I’m proud of you. You put the alliance in front of your feelings for Simon.”

  Mario raised a brow. “We had problems with the wolves?”

  I shook my head. “No, just renegotiations of the alliance, because Simon was almost killed.”

  Mario gave a small smirk, but I saw the wince on his face that it caused. “Wolf can’t take a little damage?”

  It took me a moment to realize that he was making a joke. “He took a lot of damage, and he looks better than you do right now,” I teased a little.

  Mario moved one shoulder in a shrug. “Did Zayne do his job while we were gone?”

  “Zayne did everything he could to make sure that my protection was priority, but someone should have taught him I require a lot more coffee.”

  Mario frowned. “I told him that. I told him you were much more agreeable when you had coffee in hand.”

  His words reminded me of Hannah’s. “Mario, thank you for the warning about the coffee.”

  His head dropped. “I’m glad you understood what was going on. I had this fear that you were going to drink it. The plan was to render you ill and offer the antidote in exchange for you going with them.”

  “And my paranoia and your words paid off. Thank you.”

  “Did we find out what was in the coffee?” Levi asked.

  “I have the report, but I never looked at it. Lab said it was an unknown substance, but I haven’t looked further. I’ve been busy.”