Chapter 10

I found my way to the dining room without help. It wasn’t exactly a defining moment, but I was happy. Victor, Crissy, the two kings and their mates were the only ones there when I walked in.

Daxx grinned. “The small victory of finding a room in this place for the first time.”

I laughed and sat down beside her. “Yes.”

Chase lifted his mug to me. “Morning, sarg.” He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. “I am so far from a person that normally gives orders, it’s not funny.” I nodded when Alona held up the coffee urn. “Normally I prefer to be invisible.”

She smiled. “Nice shade.”

I licked my lips, tasting the lipstick Arius had left for me.

Crissy nodded. “Go up. No one ever looks up.”

I cringed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“If you deejay, how is that being invisible?” Chase asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t mind then, but it’s not about me it’s all about the music.”

He paused on me for a moment then looked at Troy. “How did you make out watching over the pretty one?”

Troy paused in taking a bite. “He had a few moments and revelations.”

“Oh?” Victor gave him a concerned look.

Troy glanced to me briefly and then cleared his throat. “Had to take some time to settle down, the sensors wouldn’t let him open a cell.”

Daxx frowned, “the warden not being able to access a cell, must have been…”

“Mmm, indeed it was.” Troy added before she could finish.

“An appropriate time to change the subject.” Victor cut in, nodding toward the door as Arius walked in. “I believe we have found out who has been helping make the illegal cuffs and devices, brother.”

Arius paused and looked at me for a moment, his eyes noting the lipstick I wore, then he walked to the other side of the table and sat down in his seat. “I don’t have any new residents in the cell.” He looked at Victor.

“We haven’t made a move yet; thought you may want to be in on that.” He leaned back and watched his brother.

Arius nodded slowly. “I do.”

“So who is it?” Daxx looked from one to the other.

“An assistant in the science department. We had thought he was just a paper pusher, but it seems he’s far more advanced than we thought.” Victor motioned to me with his eyes. “Rafael and Leone used Paisley’s trap idea to figure it out. Had Clairee put a magic tracker on some mock plans for a new device then followed to see where it went.”

“Where is that?” Arius asked, dragging his eyes from me.

“Back to his place to copy them before handing them in to the department supervisor.” Michael walked in and sat down. “Quinton and I went in after he went back to work. They’re all there. Our plans and schematics for authentic devices and the redesigned plans for the illegal ones.” He shook his head. “We’re going to have to go through the information and try to figure out how he managed to bypass the porters showing up on our system—but he’s definitely working for Hubert and his fanatics.”

“Where is he now?” Chase leaned on the table.

“Welsley is keeping an eye on him. He’ll let us know when he’d leaving to go home.”

Troy rubbed a hand over his brow. “Do we want to let it play out and see how he contacts them?”

Victor shook his head. “The damage has already been done with what he created.” He looked to Arius for a moment and then back to Troy. “I’m sure you can pick the details out of his head once he’s in our brothers’ care.”

Troy nodded and looked to Arius, who had a serious look on his face. “I can and I will.”

Leone stood in the door with Bethany. “Does that mean they’ll know about the two new port devices for Michael and me?”

Victor shook his head. “They will not. I have the original creator making those. Elder Arian.” He nodded to Michael. “She requires both of you to drop in so she can calibrate the boxes to your touch only.”

Leone grinned and Michael. “We can do that.”

Michael toasted Bethany with his glass. “Yes we can.”

As the remaining brothers arrived, I tried to listen to everything being said. Much of it I didn’t understand. I could feel Arius’ eyes on me, no matter who was speaking or what was being said. Each time I glanced at him, his eyes were moving over my face pausing on my mouth. A nervous reaction to someone looking at my mouth had me licking my lips each time, then his pale eyes would snap to mine and hold me captive.

Quinton reaching in front of me and snapped his fingers. “Earth to Arius.”

Arius’ eyes went cold as he looked to his brother.

Quinton made a sound of exasperation. “Welcome back. Your input is required.”

Arius’ brow creased as he looked around the table. “Regarding?”

Victor cleared his throat, a slight smirk on his face. “We’ll come back to that shortly. Emil will be here at any moment—I asked him to come.” He paused to see if everyone was paying attention. “I’ve had emergency correspondence from Miss Hinton.”

All movement around the table stopped.

Emil walked in, his gaze immediately going to Victor. “It’s true. There are more women, visibly so, in the past twelve hours.” He sat at the end of the table.

Michael glanced to Chase then Troy. “Emil has been lurking on the nearby islands tracking any movement.”

“I saw Rena this morning.” He said in a low voice. “Just standing there staring out over the water. She looked haunted and empty.” His jaw clenched a few times. “It was painful to witness.” He looked at Arius. “I did not share that with her brothers.”

Arius glanced at me briefly then to Victor. “What message did you get?”

Victor sat back. “Since we found those files on the computers there have been more arrivals on the island.” His jaw tensed for a moment. “Including visits from Hubert and his leaders—” he lifted his hand, “I had Miss Hinton memorize any and all faces involved, before she allowed herself to be recruited. She has also overheard that they are setting up a new base of operations.”

“Shit. That means those files had to have the location Willis was holed up in.” Rafael growled.

Victor held up his hand. “Most likely. This still gives us the upper hand. Their ranks will be in chaos at the moment, tossing about all their carefully laid plans.” He looked down the table at Emil, then to Arius. “Miss Hinton believes we should delay any attempts to take the island for at least a day, possibly longer. It is too heavily secured presently. We will only get one chance to breach it, if we go in with it like this, we could fail.”

“Fuck.” Arius stood up and paced down the length of the table.

Michael shook his head. “Romulus isn’t one hundred percent sure he’s got it right—” he waved his hand around, “whatever he needs to do, to take down the barrier. So this just allows us the time to be sure.”

Arius heaved out a breath and looked at me. His anger was plain to see. He motioned to me. “Paisley said girls were being taken off and didn’t return. We can’t wait too long.”

Emil stood up. “They’re using boats, some cloaked, as they travel across the water, to come and go. I haven’t seen any women near the dock leaving.”

Arius turned and looked at Victor. “Their barrier prevents porting.”

Victor rubbed his hand along the bridge of his nose. “So it would seem. That is a huge oversight on their magic makers’ part. It is good for us though; we’ll know who is coming and going.” He picked up his phone and glanced to Emil. “I’ll send two guards back with you. Enlist the help of your sons. We need any movement recorded, as well as a count of any you see that remain.” He tapped the screen on his phone. “I’ll send them to the landing room.”

Emil nodded. “Let me know when a plan is being formed. I want in on it.” He walked out of the room quickly.

Chase rubbed a hand over his jaw. “This has been in the works for years, maybe longer.”

Alona looked at Bethany. “Is the data still printing?”

Beth nodded. “I left Mac and Sith there loading paper and skimming the files to select only those important to finding locations.” She pushed the hair back from her face. “I needed a break from staring at the screen.”

Daxx nodded. “My eyes dried out a few hours ago.”

Alona looked at me. “Paisley and I can take a turn while you rest.”

Michael motioned to Arius. “After practice, I need to nap. While you’re pacing around, you can coordinate between the locations the girls find, and the teams going to check them out.”

Arius gave an abrupt nod. “I’ve no plans for sleep any time soon.” His eyes moved over my face briefly.

“That’s what I thought.” Michael said with a smirk. He shrugged. “We’ve found four so far.” He grinned at Alona. “Guards are on standby to go to the new safe house when it’s confirmed.”

She nodded. “I’ll know about that later. Liza and I have been scouring the city for fast closings with minimal strings.”

“Let us know if there’s anything we can do.” Troy offered. “We have a few Alterealm residents living on that side who can assist, without raising suspicion.”

Alona smiled. “Chase told me. Thank you, but so far there have been no hitches.”

I frowned. “You’re not only rescuing these girls…”

“And kids.” Crissy nodded.

I looked at Arius, he nodded confirming children had been involved. “And kids, but you give them a home afterward?” I finished.

Arius sighed, his brow furrowed as his eyes moved over my face.

I took a shaky breath. “That’s incredible.”

“Many wouldn’t be in this situation, or be sought by Hubert’s men, if we had a better system over the past centuries.” Victor said quietly.

“What do you mean?” I glanced around at the others.

Arius stopped the restless movement and put his hands on his hips. His grey eyes held my look. “The women being taken are for one reason or another from an Alterealm blood line.” His eyes flicked to my mouth for a second. “It may be several generations removed, as you are, but they still are.”

My mouth hung open as I looked around. “I thought my situation was unusual.”

Chase pointed at me. “You are, in many more gratifying ways.”

Alona patted his arm, so he’d stop talking. “Their hopes are to breed a new, stronger generation of Alterealm—or that’s the impression we have.”

I leaned on the table, covering my mouth with both hands. My heart was in my throat. I dropped my hands and looked at her. “I didn’t realize it was this big. I thought it was just us on the island.”

“It’s widespread.” Arius said quietly watching me. “Even outside of the city, if they found Emil’s daughter.”

I looked at Bethany. “How soon can we go through the data?”

She sighed. “We’ve been trying to sort it as it prints. In an hour we should be able to start organizing the teams. The four we found earlier were a long shot, guessing more than knowing.”

I nodded. “I’ll help.”

“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for practice to burn off some anger, so I can grab a nap.” Quinton got up. “Who volunteers to get beat on first?”

Rafael snorted. “In your dreams, old man.” He stood up and motioned to the door. “I’ll give you a head start.”

Quinton sneered at him then bolted out the door.

The dishes on the table rattled as Rafael ran past the table, cutting the corner tight.

“Mitz catches them racing in the halls, she’ll string them up.” Leone said with a smirk.

“My money is on Raf.” Michael got up.

“Please.” Troy pushed back from the table. “Quinton has more endurance than Raf, by a long shot.”

Victor held out his hand to Crissy. “Only way to know is to be there.” He stood up and hugged her then they vanished.

“Cheater.” Michael hissed then he vanished as well.

I gave Daxx a wide-eyed look, she shrugged. “We have to know.” She stood up and leaned into her mate then they were gone.

Chase looked at Alona.

She bit her lip. “If I take us to the mall again, don’t get cross.”

He stood up, “don’t think about the mall and we won’t end up at there.”

She got up. “Now I can’t help but think about it—you said it.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Practice room. Practice room.” She whispered, then they vanished.

Leone winked at me then he and Bethany were gone.

I looked at the empty chairs then to Arius. “I think I’ll walk.”

He nodded. “I’ll go with you, so you don’t get lost.”

“We need more arrows.” I told him as I got up.

He smirked. “I’ll see what can be done.”

~

We walked together, each on either side of the hall. I had to respect that he was giving me space. I glanced at him. “My heart just freezes when I think about all those women.”

His watched me as I spoke.

“I was lucky. I got away before anything—bad happened to me.” I stopped and held my hand over my chest. “What about those that aren’t?”

He took a step toward me, then stopped. His jaw was tense, eyes reflected pain. “We will find them, Paisley, you have my word. Those responsible will be brought to justice.”

I closed my eyes for a second.

“Hey,” he touched my chin.

I opened my eyes to see he had moved closer.

His eyes held a soft and sincere look. “We will find them, and do everything possible to help them.”

I nodded.

He dropped his hand away then motioned down the hall, so I would start walking again.

“I didn’t know you had safe houses set up for them. What happens then?”

Crossing his arms over his chest, he kept walking with a slow stride. “We’ll help them overcome trauma—counselling, whatever they need. Once we stop Willis and his group, they’re free to live their lives.” He shrugged. “Whether on this side or that one.”

“Won’t they have to wear devices if they live here?”

He nodded slowly. “Most will.”

“But I don’t have to because—”

He glanced to me briefly. “Because you’re my mate. Fate wasn’t taking any chances that you couldn’t be here.”

“Were you planning on explaining that at some point?” I watched his face, waiting for him to answer.

He sighed. “I was.” Pausing in step, he looked down at me, then started walking again. “It’s like hearing a fairy tale for over two hundred years, you think at some point there may have been some facts that lead to the story,” he rubbed his hand down his face, “but, over the years the information has been misconstrued—altered—then all at once you know it’s all true, and not a fairy tale at all.” He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. “Once I knew you were real, I didn’t want to take a chance that you would vanish, like some mythical fairy tale.”

I looked up at him. “You’ve put some thought into this conversation.”

“The last twelve hours, I’ve rehearsed it a thousand times, trying to express why I did what I did.”

“How’s this working out compared to your rehearsals?

His lips quirked. “Not as well as I’d hoped.”

I took a deep breath, not knowing if we’d get a quiet moment alone like this again. “The attraction between us—is it this mating pull?”

Stopping he looked down at me. “No. It may contribute to how heated it gets without warning, but I was interested before we ever spoke.”

I gave him a blank look, what he said made no sense.

“I stood on that shore and watched a woman leap off a cliff into the unknown. I watched her fight to swim and get away. I was taken by your strength and courage, even after you tried to kick me in the head to get away from me.”

I stood there lost in his words, his eyes confirmed each one he spoke.

Hesitating, he motioned down the hall. “It’s just around the corner.”

I nodded and started walking.

“At least you don’t hate me, as I feared you might.”

“You can feel that through the blood bond?”

He stopped at the double doors. “No. The blood bond is mostly worn off now. I know that because you’re wearing the lipstick.” His eyes moved over my mouth. “And now I’m plagued with wondering if purple tastes the same on your lips as the other shade did.” He smiled and went into the practice room.

I walked in.

“One foot. You won by one foot. If you hadn’t shoved me into the wall, I would have won by at least ten.” Rafael said pointing at Quinton.

Quinton shrugged. “A win is a win, little brother.”

You couldn’t help but smile, the way they were with each other. You’d never know how old they were by the way they acted.

“Cristy.” Victor looked up to a beam with the ropes hanging from it. “You need practice on the ground. Not in the air.”

I watched Crissy swing her leg over the beam and use some sort of pulley on her belt to drop to the floor. She retracted it, then turned and went over to him. “I’m a little tired, but I’ll try.” She nodded.

“Tired, little sister?” Arius smirked. “I’ve never seen you tired enough to stop.”

She grinned. “I do. When I’m sleeping or reading.”

Victor huffed out a breath and shook his head. “No, heart, you do not.”

“Oh.” She put her hands on her hips and looked at the brothers. “So are we doing it like always?”

Leone nodded. “No pulley, no clamp, no rubber ball. You need to practice for when you have nowhere to climb or hide.”

Unclipping the belt, she nodded. “Okay. But I like being high. It’s better.” She set the belt down and walked toward the door.

I went over and stood beside Bethany as the men and Daxx lined up down the length of the large mat. “What are they doing?”

Alona came over and stood with us. “If they catch or stop her, she loses.” She said quietly as she turned to watch.

My eyebrows went up. “That’s like an ant trying to escape a giant.”

Beth nodded. “She’s good at it, but I still don’t see why. We’re never out there on our own.”

I glanced at her then to Alona.

Alona’s lips quirked. “You ladies could practice that tag team move you used at that office. I know I’ll feel safer if you’re both beside me.”

Bethany looked at me. “We need to be closer or I’ll knock the guys flying.”

“Don’t try with Daxx,” Alona warned, “she’s immune to abilities being used on her.”

Nodding we went over and stood by the mat.

“You aiming for feet or bodies?” Beth whispered.

“Feet, then if you hit them, they’ll topple.”

She chuckled. “Too bad we can’t get Alona to record it.”

I grinned. “That would give away the surprise.”

“Two feet around them, right?” Crissy looked to Victor.

He nodded and motioned so she’d begin.

Crissy nodded again. “Okay. I got it.”

She took off running toward Rafael.

I lifted my hand. “One, two,” I whispered then looked at his feet just as Crissy would have been within his reach.

“Three, release.” Beth said and flicked her hand toward him.

He stumbled but didn’t fall.

“What the…” He turned and looked at us.

Daxx was next, so we watched.

“Send on the four counts.” I said watching Crissy approach Michael. I raised my hand. “One, freeze.” I stopped his feet.

“Three, blast.” She flipped her hand and he fell back, but caught his balance and glared at us.

“Timing is still off.” I said softly.

“Yeah,” she agreed.

Arius was next, he leaned forward preparing to lunge.

“One, stop.” His arms flailed.

“Three,” she flicked her wrist and he fell forward, landing on his hands and knees.

Alona laughed behind us.

Leone was focused on Crissy; he took a step. I stopped his foot, then he fell and landed on his butt.

“Beautiful.” Daxx called out.

Quinton growled, “I got her.”

I stopped both of his feet and Beth pushed his side and he fell over. Crissy ran past him.

“Cheaters.” He called out.

Troy laughed and hunched to grab Crissy.

“Chest,” I said quickly freezing him.

“Chest,” Beth repeated, and Troy was knocked on his back.

“Tag team nightmare.” Rafael called out laughing.

Chase glared at us, then prepared to make a move toward Crissy.

“Whole body.” I said as I stopped him.

“Foot shot,” Beth said laughing.

Chase toppled to the mat.

Crissy laughed and launched herself at Victor.

We both dropped our hands down as he caught her in the air and hugged her.

He looked over at Beth and me. “That isn’t quite how I pictured Cristy succeeding.” He looked around at his siblings with a smirk. “But practicing on working together is just as important.”

“Easy for you to say, big brother, you weren’t knocked over like a domino.” Troy said hugging Daxx to him.

Bethany shrugged when Leone gave her a playful scowl. “Getting the timing right is hard.” She motioned to Rafael and Michael. “We failed the first few times.”

Michael rubbed the back of his neck with a smirk on his face. “It didn’t feel like a fail on my end.” He glanced from Bethany to me. “It was frightening to have a body part just stop.”

Chase snorted. “Try your whole body.”

I glanced at Arius, he was looking at me, I couldn’t be sure, but it looked like pride in his eyes. He glanced at my mouth quickly, then around at his brothers. “If you combine the women as a team, they’re—”

“Lethal.” Michael said with a grin.

“Scary as hell.” Quinton nodded.

“Able to look after themselves.” Daxx added. She pointed to Alona, “get her in there with those long legs and num-chuks and you men do not have to babysit us in the field anymore.”

There was a lot of grumbling from the men.

Daxx put her hands on her hips. “I’m serious. Leaving us behind or telling us to run and hide has got to stop.” She scowled at her mate. “What was it Elder Drusla said?”

Troy gave her a blank look.

“Oh.” Crissy jumped down from Victor’s arm. She closed her eyes. “To Elder Moire? About the prophecy?” She looked at Daxx who nodded and smirked at Troy. “Elder Moire, do you really believe the prophecy would have spoken of meek women that needed coddling as the mates to the royal brothers?” Crissy nodded and grinned. “That’s what she said.”

“That.” Daxx pointed to Crissy, then motioned to all of us women. “Are we not the mates to the royal brothers?”

Chase held up his hand. “Okay. Okay, we get it. Please stop before cutie recites the whole damn history of Alterealm.”

“I don’t know all of it.” She shrugged, “yet.”

Chase gave her a dumbfounded look. “I’m sure you will at some point. What I meant was we do acknowledge all of you beautiful ladies are a force to be reckoned with.” He looked to see his brothers nodding. Chase placed his hand over his chest, his expression changing to a somber one. “You have to see if from our point of view—we brothers have been waiting hundreds of years to have you by our sides.” He nodded, a heartfelt expression on his face. “The very idea that something could happen to our cherished, long-awaited mate would destroy us.”

“Really?” Alona looked at him then to the other men. “You’re playing that card?”

Chase gave her a hesitant look. “Is it working?”

There were a few snickers in the room.

Alona looked to me, then Beth.

Glancing at each other, we both turned and raised our hands at Chase. He sprinted and stood behind Alona.

She started laughing.

Even Victor was laughing.

We dropped out hands.

I looked at Daxx. “I don’t belong to anyone, to be told what I can and cannot do. So I’m going to help find these women, then help find the insane people taking them and stop this.” I nodded.

Daxx glanced over at Arius quickly, then motioned to the door. “Let’s go get the addresses for the teams.”

I looked to see Arius watching me, his expression hard, almost determined. We were almost to the door when Troy called out.

“Daxx.”

She stopped.

“Don’t forget the gown fitting later, wouldn’t want you to distress Mitz.” He grinned.

“Troy, don’t make me cut out your tattoo and divorce you.”

“Oh.” Rafael exclaimed.

“Ouch.” Quinton winced.

Daxx gave her mate a smile that was more baring her teeth, then turned and went through the door.