Chapter 6

“You don’t know her name?” Quinton stood there looking down at him like a giant would a flea. The big guy hadn’t lightened up much at all since finding his miracle Solrelm DNA mixed mate.

“If I knew her name, it wouldn’t be this difficult to find her.” Bastian glanced back at the alley they’d come down. “Not to mention the fact that the soul moves to a new body with a new name, so knowing it has never been important.” Until this time…

“Long blonde hair, high cheekbones, and light eyes aren’t much to go on.” Rafael sounded amused.

Bastian was thrilled he was providing entertainment for them and would also be eternally grateful they had offered to come and help him look for her. He had no idea where to start. They had searched the entire street where he had seen her, and the alleys behind it. She’d been between blocks, so he really had no idea where she might have been going or where she’d been. His mind kept coming back to the fact she was wearing glasses in the low light of the evening. Was there a reason for that? It was like his brain knew there was a reason, but couldn’t figure out why? Just what he needed, something else to fixate on.

“What about those ladies over there?” Chase motioned.

Bastian turned around and spotted the building he avoided at all costs, always. The garage was open, revealing several different flavors of motorcycles. Four of the reasons he never went there were standing in front of the garage talking. Four Gemini women. “No, I don’t think we should ask them.”

“They might have seen…”

He shook his head. “There are few things in any realm that scare me, but those—” He jerked his chin toward them. “—are the Geminis. League or group or, whatever they collectively call themselves.” Bastian glanced over to see Capri; the leader of the group was looking right at them. “They scare me.”

“Just because they ride motorcycles doesn’t make them scary, Bastian.” Quinton crossed his arms over his chest and looked over at him.

“No, that part makes them hot.” Bastian tried to think of a way to explain it to them. “We’re just better off not bothering them.”

“I’m going to go talk to them.” Rafael shrugged and started walking toward them.

Bastian turned and looked at Chase. “Is this his first time in this realm? Walking up to strangers isn’t always advisable.”

Quinton snorted. “No, he’s been here a lot, he just thinks that pretty smile and face are going to help him.”

“If they don’t like him, not even the gods in all the realms can help him.” Bastian stood there watching him walk with ease in their direction. At least it was only four of them. The leader had stopped talking to the others and stood there with her miles of black wavy locks and expression that said, ‘I would rather carve you up than talk to you’. Rafael was either a brave man or very naive with the vibes coming off her. Standing next to her was Jeri, he’d heard her called, and in comparison, she looked like a calm redheaded hippy filled with peace and serenity. He was too old to believe she actually was. Looks were very deceiving. That was a hard lesson he’d learned. By the time Rafael reached them all four were standing, legs braced apart and looking at him.

“What are they?” Quinton turned to study them like they were labeled.

“Scary.” Bastian had his phone in his hand now just in case they needed backup or an ambulance.

“I think he means because you can see if they’re human or otherwise.” Chase smirked.

“Otherwise, mostly.” Bastian watched Rafael come back towards them, he couldn’t read his expression, then the young prince pulled his phone out and called someone.

“Meaning?”

Bastian turned back to Chase. “They have a grab bag of DNA inside them. I’ve been trying to puzzle it out for years. Until I found your lovely Raegan...” He glanced at Quinton. “I didn’t know what I was looking at. It’s almost like their ancestors were from various realms, breeding the next from different realms, I can’t decipher it, but their abilities—that’s what scares me.” Rafael glanced around and looked up at the buildings. What was he looking for? “Picture a human child with fae blood, toss in a little of Alterealm and add a few splices of Veiltide and Aridon, and that’s what they are.”

“Scary women with abilities.” Chase smirked at Quinton. “We’re used to that.”

“Not with their personalities, you’re not.” Bastian watched Rafael put his phone away.

“How did you do?” Chase watched his youngest sibling.

Rafael smiled. “Not well, but I’ve called in someone that speaks their language.”

“What language is that?” Bastian glanced back over to the women, who looked like they were continuing their discussion, but their eyes were on them.

“Mine.”

They spun around to see princesses Autumn and Kara standing behind them. “Ah.” Bastian smiled at Autumn. “You they might talk to.”

“And if they don’t, I can listen in.” Kara shrugged.

“Be careful, they apparently have some scary skills.” Rafael went over and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

“Should we call Beth and Paisley?” Kara looked from one to the other.

“Paisley’s beast will insist on coming then.” Quinton looked at the women across the way. “I say try it without first.”

“Okay.” Autumn shrugged and shoved the sleeves of her hoodie up. “I’ve seen some of them around. Let’s go say hi.”

Bastian was pleased Autumn didn’t walk quickly toward them, it gave him time to study the women without getting cursed or dead. He’d always had to look from afar and try to ascertain how many crosses their bloodlines had made in the past. This was the first time he was going to look close up. Hopefully, he survived it.

Capri was watching, checking them out as much as the men were them. It had always intrigued him that her eyes were almost as dark as his, but with the alphabet soup that was her DNA, Bastian could never see if she had any Solrelm in her, but his gut told him she did. Before Quinton’s love, Reagan had been found, he never thought to look for it. Despite having a reason to talk to her, he still didn’t want to stare at her. Her long hair was moving, always moving, like it was blowing in the breeze, yet there was no wind or trace of movement in the air. Truth be told, that freaked him out.

Jeri was watching them approach with trepidation in her eyes. Eyes that were neither brown nor gray, but a mix of both. Up close they looked like the pattern of a leopard. The tattoo of a fairy and stars on her shoulder was interesting and he was intrigued to know the story behind it. Out of all the Gemini women, she was probably the most approachable, except she always looked afraid or haunted by something. She had some human, FaTerra, and Veiltide in her, and if he wasn’t forcing his eyes to see it, he thought a trace of Solrelm.

Bastian looked at Autumn to see if it was Flora she was walking up to, but she hadn’t even glanced her way. Flora was as they all were, a mystery, with her short fluffy auburn hair and sunglasses that matched the shade of her hair. She always wore them. Was it a new trend to wear sunglasses at night? He noticed any time he’d seen her, she was always smoking. What exactly he could never tell, just knew it wasn’t a regular cigarette or anything labeled illegal. Her DNA had a lot of fae and Alterealm in it and as to her ability, he’d seen her grow a plant out of a seed. Instantly.

“Ava, how’s it going?” Autumn was talking to the last of the four standing there.

Ava was, in a one-word description, angry. All the time. Her dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and messy like she didn’t care about such things as appearance. She was petite and slender and if it weren’t for the attitude that screamed, ‘I will flay you if you speak to me’, she might have been a very attractive woman. Her DNA was and would remain a mystery because he was too afraid to get caught looking for too long.

“Autumn.” Ava scanned the rest briefly. “Fell in with some royals I see.”

Autumn shrugged. “Battles to be won all over.”

Ava nodded. “We’ve seen.” She glanced to her leader, then back to look at her. “Call if you ever need a hand.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Autumn motioned to Kara. “This is my sister-in-law, Kara.”

Ava inclined her head to her. “I’ve seen you around before.” She noted the bag on Kara’s shoulder. “You always travel with your weapon?”

“Always on this side,” Kara answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

Ava’s eyes locked on him. “Bastian. Is there a reason you’re lurking in our neighborhood?”

He’d learned in the past even his charms were no distraction for these women. “We’re looking for a specific woman.”

Capri crossed her arms over her chest. “The pretty one already said that.”

Rafael glanced to see Kara smirking.

“She’s in danger,” Autumn piped in before any jealous mates’ stuff could happen. “We really need to find her.”

Capri considered that for a second and then looked over at Ava.

“I vouch.” Ava shrugged. “She takes care of all.”

Capri nodded her head slowly and then looked at Bastian. “Who is it?”

“I don’t have a name.” Bastian held his hand up shoulder level. “This tall. Long ,straight, blond hair. Pale eyes, and wears sunglasses in any light.” He looked to Flora briefly, hoping to connect with her on that point. “She knows she’s being hunted and…”

“Hunted by who?” Jeri interrupted. He was surprised her voice was rough and didn’t match her timid appearance at all.

Bastian took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, “the lawless faction of my realm.” He knew he didn’t have to explain about the realms to these women, they were walking, breathing proof of the existence of all realms.

Capri’s hair seemed to be caught in a sudden gush of non-existent wind. She closed her eyes and it settled down. “There’s something about her soul that’s special?” She opened them and looked at Jeri for a long silent moment.

Bastian nodded when she looked back at him.

Turning, Capri looked at Ava, and then to Flora, both women moved their heads in a slight nod. “We’ll help.” She pointed at him. “But if she’s one of us, we take over from there. And you, soul sucker, don’t get anywhere near her.”

“One of you?” Chase asked without a single note of humor in his voice, that had to be a first.

“A Gemini,” Capri supplied for him.

“The birth sign?” Kara clarified.

“All like us were born in the time of Gemini.” Capri glanced from Kara, then back to Bastian. “Jeri, go get Crystal, Tera, and Fauna up, we’ll need their help.” She perused all of the males for a moment and then looked to Autumn. “Give Ava your number, we’ll call if we find her.” Jeri nodded and walked into the garage.

Chase tucked his hands into his pocket. “How will you know it’s her?”

Flora flicked the butt of her smoke on the ground. “We’ll know if her soul deems this much attention.”

Autumn took Ava’s phone and handed it to Kara to put the number in. “Appreciate the assist.” She nodded to Ava.

Ava took the phone from Kara. “Give me your number, call if you need someone to watch your back.” Her smile was pleasant enough for a change and later he’d worry about why the thought of violence made her so happy. She glanced at the phone as Autumn held it up, then typed something into her own.

Chase rubbed his temple. “We really must get the princesses back; my brother is unhappy Autumn is here without guards.”

Ava snorted. “The day Autumn needs guards is the day the worlds are ending forever.” She bowed her head. “Princess.”

Autumn chortled, “Hust Autumn.”

“Thank you for your help, Capri.” Bastian looked to the leader of these bizarre women.

Ava stepped closer and looked him up and down. “This soul is important to you,” she stated, without question.

“I suppose all are,” Bastian answered with an awkward smile, hoping she couldn’t see through his answer. “Thank you.” He spun on his heel and started walking with long strides.

They walked away quickly and headed down the nearest alley.

“Did anyone else notice that the one woman’s hair seemed to be alive?” Chase asked in a quiet tone.

“Noticed,” Quinton answered.

“Yeah, what’s that about?” Kara was walking hand in hand with Rafael.

“I don’t know.” Bastian answered, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was following them. “But it’s a bit freaky.” What did the time of the Gemini mean?

“They all have some kind of ability,” Rafael said in a hushed tone.

He smirked. “If their attitudes don’t get you, their magics will.”

“Your cousin should be acclimated by now.” Chase glanced at his phone.

Bastian nodded. “I’ll come back with you and see that she behaves.”

“There’s a chance she’ll misbehave?” Chase raised his eyebrows.

“Most definitely.”

Chase grinned. “Excellent, we haven’t had any entertainment in almost three days.”

“I’m sure she’ll be happy to provide it.” They stopped in a darkened corner. Bastian reached over and put his hand on the king’s arm. “Beam me up.” Bastian smirked and then prepared for the gut-wrenching pains he’d get to feel for the next thirty minutes. Alterealm didn’t like his kind’s bodies at all, or vice versa—someday he’d like to find out why it was the only realm he had trouble visiting.

Aside from the humans, Alterealm was his favorite to visit. Truth be told, it might be the people and not the realm at all. As to the other realms, most of them and their residents freaked him out, so he avoided those.