Chapter 4

Traveling by horse was a much faster return trip then stumbling on foot. I almost fell off Michael’s horse when I spotted the tree and little house. “We’re here.” He stopped the horse and I fell to the ground with all my usual grace.

Getting up, I ran to the house, then turned to see everyone giving me the strangest look. The greasy looking man they called Romulus came up beside me and waved his hands around. Turning back to the others he nodded.

I realized then they couldn’t see the house, only I could. I really needed to find out more about this mage stuff.

Several of them came over and stood behind the mage.

“Can you bring it down?” The scary one, whose name I found out was Victor, asked.

“It will take me a few minutes.” Romulus mumbled.

I gaped at him then turned to Michael. “We don’t have minutes.”

Romulus turned to me and gave me an unamused look. “I have to find a door at least. Maybe I can open it enough to get through.”

I sighed. “I’ll show you the door. Just—get them in there.” Backing up, I raised my hands and exhaled slowly. My spark ignited; the arcing energy appeared.

“Fascinating.” The woman, Clairee, said quietly.

Blocking them out, I lowered my hands to the where the barrier should be, and the sparks started flying. “This is directly in front of the door.” I said, clenching my teeth, hoping that Romulus hurried, because I couldn’t do this indefinitely.

“Okay, move out of my way.” Romulus said beside me.

Dropping my hands, I didn’t stop to see if he could. I rushed into the house and down the hall. Stopping at the barrier I looked into the bedroom. Leone lay on the mattress. “Leone. We’re back. The mage is helping them get in.” He didn’t move. I bit my lip and debated if I should cross the barrier. I ran through it and into the room. Dropping down, I saw Leone was holding my phone, and leaned down to take it out of his hand. He didn’t even move when I did.

“Leone?” Michael bellowed inside the house.

“In here.” I got up and hurried into the hall.

Purple sparks flew as Michael hit the barrier. “Romulus, get this down.” He growled. Two more brothers tried with the same results.

“Hurry.” I said and moved so they could see their brother on the mattress.

“You have to feed him, Bethany.”

The level of panic in Michael’s voice made my heartbeat pick up. “He doesn’t want to… cave in.” I said hurriedly referring to his addiction. “I-I don’t know how.” I told him, looking back to Leone who hadn’t even responded to his brother.

“Bethany,” the twin with the goatee said calmly, “go, kneel over him. Lean close so your neck is close to him. He’ll do the rest.” He nodded to encourage me.

I looked at Leone and then back to the faces standing impatiently behind Romulus. I nodded and went to the mattress and dropped to my knees. I was really going to do this. Let someone with fangs bite me. I nudged him gently, “Leone. You have to feed.” No response. “Please.” I was scared and freaking out, but more than that I knew if he didn’t I could never live with myself knowing I was the reason he was like this. Leaning over him, I got close and pulled my hair to one side. “Leone, come on.” I whispered next to his ear. “Your family is here. They can’t get through the barrier, I’m all that’s on the menu.” I leaned closer and pressed my neck against his mouth and held my breath.

When I was about to get up and go try blasting the barrier again, his large hand grabbed the back of my head. I squeaked out a weird noise as I felt fangs biting into me. I waited for the pain, there was no pain. It was actually like trying pot for the first time, that floating feeling you got. Not that I did that more than once, but still, it wasn’t all that bad.

As I was floating, voices came crashing through the buzz in my head. “Leone, release her.”

It was Michael and then the hands on me registered. Leone wasn’t stopping.

“Leone, brother. Let her go.” That was Victor.

Hands on my shoulders pulled and then there were hands on my waist moving me aside. I sat there on the floor, my head spinning and blinked a few times. Someone lifted me under my arms, so I was standing. At least I think I was standing.

“Beloved, she’s bleeding. Can you seal this?” Goatee twin whispered from somewhere near my head.

“Don’t get any ideas from this, your majesty.” A woman said beside my ear.

“You are all I can handle, duchess.”

I tried to push away deciding this many people too close was breaking all personal space boundaries and I stumbled back several steps only to be caught before I hit the floor. “She needs some juice or something. Someone look in the kitchen.”

It was Michael and he was holding me in his arms like a tiny child. I looked from his concerned blue eyes and then turned to see how Leone was. He was on his knees now, a few brothers around him guarding over him. I’d done it, he was okay. “He’s okay.” I said aloud, at least I think it was out loud.

“Yes.” Michael said and then knelt to set me on the floor carefully, so I was leaning against the wall. He hovered waiting to see if I was going to stay upright.

“Get away from her.” Leone snarled like a mad animal.

Wide-eyed I looked to see him pushing through his brothers and coming toward me, and them trying to block him and failing. I smirked at him. “Leo,” I motioned in the air, “that whole fang thing wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” I snorted and then covered my mouth.

“She’s wasted.” The blonde woman said as she stepped between the stumbling giant and me. “Leone, stop. No one is hurting her; you’ve made her very stoned.”

He stopped and looked at me over her head and then down at her. “I didn’t…” he looked at me again, a pained look on his face. “Fuck.” He spat and turned, pacing to the other side of the room.

“I’m okay.” I put up my hand and flicked it toward him. The giant with the haunting eyes and black hair knelt in front of me and held a glass to my mouth. “You have very pretty hair,” I told him before I took a sip. Swallowing, I looked around the room. “You guys are much cooler than that sicko crew of Davis’—if you weren’t holding my best friend as a prisoner, I might like you.” I nodded and took another sip.

I was in the kitchen, nursing the oddest hangover I’d ever had in my life and trying to figure out what they were all arguing about.

Leone came stomping into the small space and then froze and looked at me. “I’m sorry, I was too out of it to keep the eufori in check.” I must have looked confused. “An inhibitor, so it doesn’t hurt.” He explained.

I waved it off. “Making it not hurt worked for me.” I glanced to the others walking in behind him. “So, what now?” My nerves were strung tighter than they had ever been.

He continued to stand there looking at me, his expressions changing from pain to concern and a few other emotions. Turning his head, he looked at Michael. “I think she’ll help.”

I cringed and looked around at the tall bodies. I debated if I should stand on the chair to even the playing field a bit. “If she is me,” I glanced to Leone, “I think we can all agree bad shit happens when I agree to help others.” I shook my head. “All I wanted was my friend back and instead I helped a group of lunatics.”

Leone knelt down on the other side of the table, so we were closer to the same height. “Hear us out first, then you can decide, please?”

I gnawed on my bottom lip and stared at his deep brown eyes. When they weren’t shooting daggers at me, they sucked me in. “Fine. I’ll listen.” I held up my hand, “then you have to do what you said you would and take me to see Erin.”

His jaw clenched, but he nodded. “I will.” He stood up and sat on the edge of the table and looked at his hovering brothers.

Romulus came in. “I need someone to call Ellis and ask if they buried any markers around the house.” He looked stressed, “or I can’t bring it down.”

“Don’t.” Michael said.

The mage frowned. “Don’t bring it down?”

Nodding slowly, Michael crossed his arms over his chest. “We’re going to lay a trap for Davis and company. Let them think Leone is still locked behind that barrier.”

Romulus sighed. “I don’t know if I can replace it with something they’ll think is theirs.” He looked to the small woman I now knew was a witch. “Can you help create an illusion that they’ll buy?”

She nodded slowly. “I think we can manage it. How much time do we have?”

Everyone looked at me. I opened my mouth and then closed it. “They just told me they’d call after they contacted you.”

One twin turned to the other. “They’re probably unable to get through our guards in the lockdown to reach us.” The other one with the goatee nodded. “Let’s make it easier for them.”

Michael leaned on the table and gave me a serious look. “Can you contact them? Inquire as to why it’s taking so long?”

I heaved a sigh of relief. If that’s the help they wanted, easy, I had no problem with that. “Sure. No guarantees Davis will tell me, but I’ll try.”

They all stood looking at me.

“Oh,” I grabbed my phone, “you mean now.” I cringed, “sorry, brain is a little groggy still.” I smirked at the big guy with eyes the same as Leone’s. “If you guys could like sell that on the streets you’d be…” I stopped and rolled my eyes at what I’d just said. With shaking hands, I scrolled and found Davis’ number. “Do you want it on speaker?” I hovered my finger over the send button. Leone nodded. “Okay.” I pushed it and set the phone on the table in front of me.

Davis answered. “Bethany, is there a problem?”

I snorted and looked at the giants all staring at me. “Yeah there’s a problem, Davis. You said two days—we’re getting really close to four days. What the hell?”

There were other voices in the background. “We hit a snag in getting the message to the royals…”

“Are you serious? They don’t even know yet?” I shook my head, staring at the phone. “Fix it, Davis, there isn’t shit to do here. You could have at least picked a place with a t.v. and I’ve been wearing the same clothes for days now…”

“How is Leone? Any problems?”

I looked up to see angry eyes looking down at me. “He’s pissed and the furniture in his room is—trashed.”

Davis chuckled and the aura in the small kitchen darkened, almost visibly.

“Seriously, just walk up to someone and say something like, I have news of Leone…” I glanced at the guard I’d said that to myself.

“It’s not so cut and dry, Miss Finley.” I cringed, he reminded me of a teacher I once had. I didn’t like them either. “We have someone on the inside, it will mean we lose that person, but the message will be delivered to the royals today.”

“Awesome. So, we get Erin back, when? Tomorrow?” I stood up and picked up the phone. The amount of large bodies closing in around the table was starting to freak me out.

“That is the plan. I will call you in the morning and let you know when we’ll be over for the exchange.”

“I will be here.”

He laughed. “Where else would you be.” The line went dead.

I set the phone on the counter and turned around to see all eyes on me. “You guys need to all step back.” I motioned with my hands.

“They still have someone inside.” Leone turned to look at Victor.

He glanced to the one they called Crissy, “That’s impossible. She would have known when she saw the aura.”

I shrugged. “Maybe they called in sick,” I offered, “I do.” I frowned remembering I didn’t have a job now. “Did.”

Michael sat on the edge of the table, his back to me. “We didn’t check for absences, just announced a meeting.”

“So we could have missed one?” Leone said thoughtfully.

“It is possible.” The one with the long hair said.

I went to the fridge and opened it. Whatever they were figuring out, had nothing to do with me, and now that my head wasn’t mush I needed food. Picking up the last yogurt, I straightened and grabbed a spoon. Going back to where I had been leaning, I noticed that Leone’s eyes tracked every move I made. Was he even listening to what his brothers were saying? I wasn’t sure. All I knew was they had until I finished this yogurt to talk, and then I was going to see Erin.

They were all moving closer to the table again. Motioning with the yogurt in my hand I started for the door. “I’m going out to get some air, you are sucking all the oxygen out of this room.”

The guard blocked my path then glanced to the twin without the goatee. He inclined his head and the guard stepped out of my way.

I rushed out the door to see two more guards standing there. I pointed to the tree. “I’ll be right there.” I smirked when they gave me a hard look, “seriously, where else would I go?” He made some kind of grunt in acknowledgment and stepped out of my way.

I was sitting by the tree stabbing my spoon into the empty container, trying to work up the courage to demand Leone take me to see Erin. The short time I’d been out here, the reality of what I’d done had sunk in. How did you fix something like this?

I looked up to see Michael walking over. He stopped a few feet from me and squatted down. “It’s not over yet.”

I gave him a stupefied look. Did he think I was that naïve? “I got that.”

“Leone has filled in some of the blanks, with your involvement,” he gave me hard look, “you should know that it’s a toss-up among us as to whether you’re punished or not.” He watched me glance to the blades on his back and smirked. “We’re not sadists.”

“Good to know.” I huffed out a breath. “I’m pretty sure Davis and his crew are.”

He inclined his head. “They are.” Looking at the ground for a moment, I could see his indecision by the clenching of his jaw. His blue eyes connected with mine again. “It took a great deal of courage for you to come and find us.”

I looked at my legs. “I’ve never walked that much in my life.” I shrugged, “but when I mess up, I own it.”

The expression in his eyes lightened. “Thank you.” It was barely audible. “Shortly, my brothers are going to descend upon us. I will try to keep you from being harmed.”

I scowled, “yeah well, I’m not without some defenses.” I held up my palm so the sparks were moving over it.

“Fair enough.” He stood up.

A moment later large bodies started filing out of the house and headed in our direction. I set the container down and stood up. Several stayed by the house, and I finally figured out that the ones walking with great strides were all brothers of Leone.

I glanced around. At least I wasn’t trapped in a small space with them.

Victor stopped, leaving about four feet between us. “You’re going to help us set a trap.”

It wasn’t a question. I looked at him then to Michael. “Isn’t that what I just did on the phone?”

“It is, but it isn’t,” the goatee said, “all that call really accomplished was we heard Davis, and have a rough timeline so we can get everyone sorted out, and set up something that will most definitely…”

I held up my hand, sparks and lights swirling it, “stop talking or that little beard goes up in smoke. Just cut to the end.”

The tall woman beside him laughed quietly. He frowned and looked at her.

“You’re supposed to defend me.” He said in a hushed tone.

She nodded, “I know, but really, Chase, how many of us would love to be able to stop you from talking?”

There were a few snickers. Chase motioned a hand to his twin and then crossed his arms.

The twin inclined his head to me. “I’m Troy, by the way.” He glanced to Victor briefly, “we’re going to need you to be present when Davis comes to arrange the trade…”

“Wait,” Leone stepped over and placed himself between them and me, “we didn’t discuss that.” He looked at me, his expression hard, “we’re not using her as bait.” He motioned to the space around us, “what if things go sideways?”

Several of them started talking as once and he argued back. Shaking my head, I moved around Michael’s large body and touched Leone’s arm to get his attention. He stopped and looked down at me.

“It’s fine. I’m the reason this whole mess is happening, I’ll help.” My heart thudded in my chest when his eyes changed to red while he looked down at me, his expression was either pained or angry, I wasn’t sure.

He looked at my hand. “Marcus and Willis are to blame, not you.” He growled low, “all you wanted to do was to help a friend.”

Pulling my hand away, I looked up at him, trying to decide how I felt about those red eyes now. Yep, they still freaked me out. “Wow, you’re more forgiving then I am. After what I did to you.” I stepped back and looked to Michael. “I’ll do it.”

Leone made some guttural sound and stomped away. He stopped with his back to us and stood there looking out into the open fields.

I glanced around at everyone giving me a strange look. “So,” I shrugged, “what-what are we doing exactly?” At least I’d learned to ask questions.

~

I watched as they talked, went in the house a few times with Clairee, the witch, and the greasy mage. So far no one told me the plan, so I waited. Michael and the one I’d called Tarzan, Rafael was his name, were talking to Leone out of hearing range. I don’t know what they were talking about, but Leone was waving his hands around and all three, kept looking at me every few seconds. I decided I preferred feeling invisible as I had for most of my life.

They all started walking toward me, I glanced behind me hoping there was someone else waiting, and that’s where they were really going. There wasn’t. Wrapping my arms around my waist, so I wouldn’t go with my gut reaction and toss energy at them, I waited.

Leone stopped in front of me, a look of indecision on his face. “I’ll take you to see the witch.”

I gave him a look of surprise; I’d honestly thought that had been postponed. Guilt hit me again, despite what I’d done and everything that had happened, he was keeping his word. I nodded. “Thank you.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, like he was trying to build up courage. Hesitantly he stepped closer and touched my shoulder and then dropped his hand away and stepped back shaking his head. “I can’t. I can’t.” He muttered.

Michael put his hand on Leone’s shoulder. “It’s okay, I’ll take her back. We’ll meet you there.”

Rafael nodded and patted Leone on the back. “Baby steps brother, you got this.”

Leone exhaled loudly and nodded. “I’ll meet you there.” He looked at me and then just vanished.

Like there one second and then gone. Just gone. “Uh…” I looked to Michael and then to where Leone had been standing.

He actually smirked at me. “You’ll get used to it.” Stepping in front of me, he grasped my elbow. “Close your eyes and take a deep breath.”

I did—neither. I’m looking at a tree one moment and the next there was a big steel door with my stomach trying to jump out my throat. I dropped to my knees and tried to breathe through the nausea. “What the hell,” I was shaking, “Hollywood is so full of shit,” I swallowed the rising bile down, “you never see Captain Kirk tossing his cookies.”

A strong hand rested on my shoulder. “Just take a few deep breaths.” Michael said.

I listened this time and it got better, but still this transporting thing sucked. “Okay,” I whispered after a few breaths. “I got it.” I slowed my breathing further and then raised my head testing if the room still spun. Meeting Michael’s amused blue eyes, I scowled. “Seriously, what the hell, Michael.”

He actually smirked at me. “It gets better.”

I snorted, “Can’t get any worse.” With shaky legs, I got to my feet and stood there assessing if it was over. I still felt off but was going to make it. I looked at Leone, whose expression said his own personal demons were riding him hard. “You okay, big guy?”

He gave me a surprised look and then nodded and opened the door. “Let’s get this over with.”

I followed him in, Michael right on my heels.

“We’re going to be listening.” He said quietly behind me.

I nodded. “Fine.” Leone came to an abrupt stop, I almost walked into him. “So, magic won’t work, right?”

Michael nodded. “Not in her cell.”

“Good.” I shrugged, “our disagreements can get nasty and it will stop me from sending energy into her brain in hopes of jump-starting her sense again.” Leone did something with the little pad and suddenly I could see Erin. She looked awful, to put it mildly. Her hair was matted and sticking up everywhere, where normally there wasn’t a hair out of place. She was ghostly white with dark circles around her eyes. “Is she okay?”

Michael crossed his arms and studied her. “She refused to eat for a few days. We think she had a blood bond with Marcus when she first came in…”

“What?” I looked at my palms and then clasped my hands together. “Like bond…”

He shook his head, “no that’s blood brother pact, they had a blood bond…” he huffed out a breath, “I’ll explain it later.”

I looked from him back to her. “Okay.” Turning, I looked up at Leone. “Thanks.” He gave me a curious look. “For keeping your word, that’s pretty rare.”

He inclined his head but didn’t speak.

I looked over the wall. “How do I get in?” Michael pointed, so I went and stood where he said. The wall opened, so I stepped in quickly. I heard it close but didn’t turn to look. Erin turned and looked at me. Her eyes went wide, and she jumped off the bed.

“They got you too?” She rushed over and hugged me.

I hugged her as tight as I could. I never thought I’d see her again. Leaning back, I looked up at her, she looked like she hadn’t slept since she’d been taken. “Are you okay?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes. “I suppose.” Her hands dropped, and she frowned down at me. “I don’t think we’re getting out of here.”

I gave her a ‘duh’ look. “You tried to kill people, Erin.”

She opened her mouth and then closed it and paced the other way, a whole four feet until she came to a wall. “You don’t understand.”

“Really, then explain.” I stood with my hands on my hips and glared at her, wishing I could use my magic and give her a little jolt. “Because you didn’t end up here for no reason.”

She turned, her expression one of pain. “They’re forcing people to stay, and they can’t leave.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Who?”

“The royal family.” She rushed forward and grabbed my hands. “Have you seen them? Evil.” She leaned down. “The one, Arius, he can get inside your head and make you do things.” She sounded crazed.

What I did to Leone floated to the surface of my mind. “Well, sometimes you have to do things.” I said quickly.

She dropped her hands and stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest she glared at me. “You don’t understand. Marcus explained…”

“Marcus,” I got in her face, “is a lunatic.” Her expression changed to anger. My eyes popped wide open. “Tell me you and he haven’t…” I glared at her.

“What? No. It’s not like that. He’s ancient.” She shook her head. “He’s a brilliant mentor, showed me so much…”

“He’s a brilliant maniac.” I almost shouted at her. “Do you have any idea what he’s been trying to do? Like really, aside from the flashy crap he’s dazzled you with?” I flung my arms up and spun in a circle, wishing there was more space to pace. “He’s hurting people, Erin, and I don’t mean a slap kind of hurt, his crew are holding people against their will, making them do things…” I had to stop, some of the things Leone had told me that first night still made me want to throw up.

“Where are you getting this information from?” She gave me a hard look. Waving me off, she glanced around at the walls. “Can you access your magic? We need to get out of here and find Marcus.” She pulled on the red cuff on her wrist. “I think my magic is blocked by this; I can’t get it off.”

I dropped my hands, my heart sinking as they fell. “No. I can’t.” This wasn’t my friend. This wasn’t the girl I’d gone through so many things with, that I thought for the rest of our lives nothing could shake what we had. “There is no way out, Erin.”

She looked at me and shook her head. “We have to try; they need us to free the others. I have to get Marcus out.” She tapped her head. “I can’t hear him anymore, but I know what he needs me to do.” With jerky movements, she started to run her hands along the wall.

I looked at the wall I knew Leone and Michael were standing behind, my eyes tearing up, I shook my head. I turned back to her. “Erin…” she stopped moving her hands and looked at me, I blew out a breath.

Before I could say more the wall changed and we could see Michael and Leone on the other side. Leone held the staff that Marcus had given her.

“My staff.” She rushed over to the glass and stared at it. “They have my staff. If we can get it. I can get all of us out of here. They won’t be able to stop me. I will make them pay.”

I looked from her to Leone, he wasn’t watching Erin at all, his eyes were on me. There was a pained look on his face. I didn’t know if it was for himself or for me as I realized all he’d told me about my friend was true.

I wiped a tear off my cheek and looked back to Erin. She stood there staring at the staff like a mother would a child. “I’ll try to come back and see you soon.” I nodded as I stepped back to where I knew the door was.

“You can’t leave…” she whispered, “You have to help me. Marcus needs…”

The door against my back moved and I stepped backward and stopped. When it slid back over, I could still see the shocked look on her face. I didn’t know if she could see me, but I put my hand against the glass and held it there. Another tear rolled down my cheek.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and glanced to see Leone standing there. “What has he done to her?”

“The same he’s done to many.” He said. “We’re still trying to piece together how so many believe them unfailingly—we’re pretty sure it’s a strong glamour, or magical at least.”

His hand fell away. I stood there a moment more, willing myself to not be upset. So many that would otherwise still be innocent if it weren’t for Marcus and his lies. Shaking my head, I forced the tears back. “Let’s go get the bastards.” I said and turned and nodded at both men. “You can lock me up later, right now I just want to see them stopped.”

Michael turned to give Leone and odd look.

Leone was looking down at me with so much pain in his eyes I almost started crying again. “Hey, big guy. Snap out of it, we have a trap to plan.” I nodded again when he blinked and looked like he actually saw me this time.

Turning, he walked back down the hall.