Chapter 7

I paced back and forth in the small kitchen. I couldn’t remember a time when I was this nervous, or was it fear?

“Are you trying to build up the momentum to blow us up?” Chase asked leaning in the doorway.

I blew out a shaky breath. “I don’t think I’m actually combustible.”

“Good thing,” he smirked. “We have an hour, so try not to exhaust yourself before then.” He walked out the door.

I sat down at the table and was trying to settle down when Leone walked in. I hadn’t seen him since the night before. He was dressed in black leather from neck to boots with swords and other deadly blades strapped to him. He gave me an abrupt nod, then walked to the bedroom.

I gnawed on my lip with indecision, then got up and followed him. He stood looking out the window. He seemed bigger today, as if that were possible.

Turning he looked at me.

I motioned to him, “Won’t they notice your weapons and outfit?”

He shook his head. “Clairee will make them see what we want.”

I opened my mouth and then closed it. I couldn’t wrap my head around that.

“How are you doing today?” He asked quietly.

I lifted my hands and then dropped them. “Nervous.”

He moved over so we only stood a foot apart. “What I said yesterday,” he looked distressed, “when I said we couldn’t babysit you.” He sighed. “We-I will not let anything happen to you.”

I stared at him. Wondering why, after what I’d put him through, he’d care what happened to me.

He lifted his hand toward me, then dropped it. “Look, I’m going to be—unpredictable for a while,” he blew out a nervous breath, “let’s just say you’re my kryptonite.”

I smirked at his reference.

“But,” he continued, “Even when I’m growling, I’m going to protect you. Even if it’s from me.” He nodded, like he needed to agree with his own words.

I pointed to the kitchen. “I can stay out of—” I motioned between us, “whatever distance you need me to be if it helps.”

Closing his eyes, he inhaled slowly. “It does, but it doesn’t.” Moving he came closer, touching my chin I looked up into his red eyes. “I can still taste you,” he whispered, “so even when I can’t smell your essence. You’re there inside me.”

A shiver traveled down my spine. When I could breathe again I’d figure out what that meant. Good or a warning.

“Now,” he said barely audible, then leaned down and kissed me lightly. “Get away from me.”

Backing up, I held his eyes as I stepped into the hall. Turning, I walked right into Michael’s chest. He caught me and gave me a concerned look. “I’m okay.” I said breathlessly. He looked over my head to Leone. I couldn’t turn and look at him. I had my own internal war going on right now.

Michael walked past me and went into the bedroom. “Did you feed this morning?”

“Yes.” Leone said quietly. “Tasted like ass.”

I stood there, my back to them still, but smirked. He didn’t like biting someone else. I frowned, that shouldn’t please me. Great, I was broken too. In my defense though, the last week had been full of surprises.

“You think too hard and your head may explode.” Chase said. I just looked at him. “Bethany?”

I shook my head, “yeah, I’m good. Just need some fresh air.”

He motioned for me to go by him. “Don’t go too far.”

“Ah, I’ve already walked these fields, once was enough, thanks.” I almost jumped outside, trying to give myself some distance. I paced away from the house and stood there taking deep breaths. A minute later, I turned and made my next stupid move of the day and looked to the bedroom window. Leone stood there, his eyes on me. I could see Michael and Chase behind him, he nodded and said something, but he didn’t look away from me the whole time.

My phone ringing snapped me out of the daze. I looked at it and then to Leone as I answered it.

“Bethany, are they there yet?”

It was Davis. “There where? I thought no one can see the house?” Looking at Leone, I pointed to my phone, my eyes wide.

“They can’t, but they may send out patrols to try to find him.”

“I was just staring at the empty fields. I don’t see anyone, or anything for that matter.”

“Good. We’ll be there soon to move him.”

Michael and Leone came out the door. I put the phone on speaker. “Move him where? How? Maybe you don’t remember the last time you tried to move him.” I reminded him as I was giving Leone a panicked look.

“I think he’ll be more cooperative when he learns we’re taking him home.”

“You’re taking him home?”

“No.”

I frowned, “But you just said…”

“It was figure of speech. We’re going to set the meeting at an undisclosed location. They won’t know until I tell them.”

“Okay, so you’re coming to get him now?”

“In about a half hour. Which is earlier than we said for a reason.”

“Smart.” I rolled my eyes at Michael. “Okay, see you shortly.”

The call disconnected.

Michael took out his phone and texted something, then gently took my elbow and stared steering me to the door. “Go inside.”

I looked over my shoulder at Leone, he’d been right, he didn’t have to act at looking angry.

Chase met me at the door and almost pulled me inside. He held out a device similar to the one Davis had given me. “Put it on.” He popped it open. “That button transports you out of here to a room in our royal chambers.” He leaned down and looked in my eyes making sure I was listening. “If things get messy, use it.”

I nodded and took it from him. Leone came in with Clairee right behind him. He glanced to my wrist and gave Chase a quick look, then walked into the bedroom.

Romulus came running in the door. “My king, get in the bathroom,” he said motioning down the hall. “Clairee and I have a lot of things to do.”

Chase waved his hand. “I’m going.”

My King? I watched him walk out. Why hadn’t my brain associated that earlier, a royal family usually meant a king. Wow, so Alona was a queen. Huh, things are never normal here. Snapping out of it I tried not to have a panic attack and sat down at the table. Then I changed my mind and jumped up and opened the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water. Someone once told me if you needed a moment to stall, take a sip of water while thinking. That may come in handy when they got here.

Clairee and Romulus came out. “We’ll be behind the house.” She told me with a small smile. They went outside, closing the door.

I stood and leaned to watch them both stopping outside the door and waving their hands around. I was glad I only had one part to remember.

I sat back down and lifted my hands, making sure I could feel my magic. I couldn’t hear a sound inside or outside the house. It was probably the scariest non-sound I’d ever heard. The silence. If there had of been a real clock here, the ticking would have echoed.

If felt like hours before the door opened and Davis walked in, Baldy was right behind him. I threw my hands in the air. “About time. I’m going out of my mind here.” That wasn’t a lie.

I looked behind him. “Two of you are going to move him?”

Davis gave me a blank look. “No. We brought others.”

I got up and looked out the window. I made a point of using my hand to count. “Twelve.” I shrugged, “I guess twelve of you can handle one man.” I said it loud for Leone and Chase’s benefit.

Davis stood at the hall entrance. “How’s he been?”

“Come and find out for yourself, Davis.” Leone growled from the bedroom.

Davis smirked and went into the hall. He stopped where the barrier was. “Hello, enforcer.” He said with a sneer. “I have good news.”

“Nothing you could say to me would be good.” Leone said, now standing in the bedroom doorway.

“We’re going to meet your kings and trade you.”

Kings? More than one?

“Trade me for what?” Leone glared at him.

“Marcus and his witch.” Davis said with a smile.

I cringed when he said it that way.

“Bullshit.” Leone spat out. “My brothers would never negotiate with you.”

“It seems you under-estimate your value.” Davis put his hands on his hips. “Are you going to cooperate, or do we have to drug you then tie you up like some kind of animal?”

Leone growled low, his eyes now red. “Try it.” He backed into the bedroom.

Davis sighed and pulled a syringe out of his pocket. “Go get a few of the men.” He said to the bald one, and then walked toward the bedroom.

Before the man could reach the door, I sent a shot of energy at him, hitting him in the back. He spun around and looked at me. As I raised my hand again, Chase appeared and slugged him in the face. Baldy fell to the floor.

Alona appeared beside him and looked down at the man. “Hello, Lou.” She opened the door and Daxx bolted in.

“Got him.” He vanished with a pop sound when she held a small box over him.

I raised my eyebrows and was going to ask, when there was a sound of breaking glass in the bedroom. Daxx stepped out the door.

“They went through the window.”

We rushed outside.

I know my jaw dropped when I saw the brothers fighting the men Davis had brought. I looked around and found Leone. Davis was cheating and using magic. Leone stumbled back. I ran in their direction, raising my hands I flung as much as I could at Davis. He fell back, then scrambled to his feet and held a hand toward me and his other toward Leone.

Something was pushing against me; I couldn’t take a step. Gritting my teeth, I raised both hands above my head, letting the arc build. I made a sound that was between a banshee cry and a howl as I hurled all the energy I could gather at him. He tumbled backwards, his feet flying over his head for a second roll. I dropped to my knees, but kept my hand pointing at him. I didn’t have anything left but hoped the thought that I might would deter him.

Leone rushed toward him and pinned him on his face with one foot. He couldn’t move.

“I’ve got him, brother.” Victor said rushing over. He had a vanishing box thing, too. Davis disappeared.

Dropping my hands, I fell forward and barely stopped my face from meeting the grass. I tried to shift so I was sitting, and ended up leaning on my elbow to keep my face off the ground. I could hear the others, the sounds of fighting and metal clanging, but I didn’t have the energy to look.

“Bethany?” Leone was beside me.

“Never been that strong before,” I whispered. My head started to spin, my eyes blurring. “Might pass out.” I informed him. Someone picked me up in their arms.

“Take her inside, we have the last few.” Michael said from beside me.

I knew we were walking but couldn’t lift my head.

“What does she need?” That was Alona.

“Juice, she always goes for juice.” Leone was the one carrying me.

I felt him sit down, with me cradled in his arms. I just wanted to go to sleep.

“You poor men. You keep finding us complicated women.” Alona said getting closer.

“Nonsense beloved, what fun would easy be?” Chase was here too. “You good, brother?”

Leone shifted, “yeah I used his body to break the glass.”

Chase chuckled.

“We’ll be right outside if you need us, Leone.” I felt a woman’s touch on my face.

“Thanks.” Leone answered.

He shifted me in his arms, “come on, you need to take a drink, Bethany. My turn to revive you.” He placed something cold against my lips. “Don’t make me kiss an incapacitated woman to get her attention.”

I couldn’t help but smirk. “So tired,” I whispered.

“I know, just drink. It will get better, I promise.”

I opened my mouth and swallowed a few sips; it took a lot of effort to get that far.

“We’re going to have to find a way to make this stop happening to you.”

I could hear the worry in his tone, his heart was beating fast in his chest. It dawned on me I was a lot closer than he would normally want me to be. I took another drink, hoping it helped restore some control of my arms. “Just put me down.” I said as loudly as I could manage, which wasn’t above a whisper. “I know you don’t want to be close to me.”

Leone laughed softly; I could feel it rumble through his chest against my ear.

“What we want isn’t always our choice.”

I took another drink. I could have stayed in his arms forever. I felt safe—which was probably the exact opposite of what I should be feeling in the arms of a man with fangs.

“How’s she doing?” Michael said from the direction of the door.

“She’s pretty out of it.”

“We’re going back now.”

Leone shifted me a bit. “She wouldn’t cope with transporting right now.”

“Okay, I’ll be right outside.”

Leone made an annoyed noise. “Do you guys really think I’m that fucking weak? That I can’t control myself when she’s almost unconscious in my arms?”

There was a long silence.

“I’ll see you at home.” Michael said quietly.

I heard the door close and tried to lift my heavy head.

“I won’t hurt you.” Leone said in a shaky voice. “Drink some more, you’re shaking.”

I must have drunk the whole bottle before I was able to open my eyes completely.

“There you are.” Leone smiled. “Thank you, before I forget. I’m glad you didn’t use that much power on me in the practice room when I was being an ass. My brothers would never have let me live it down,” he gave me a serious look, “for a thousand years.”

“I’ve been wondering what the downfall to a long life was.”

He smirked. “Finding something that keeps it interesting is the downfall.” He gave me an exaggerated look. “I don’t know how Victor has not lost his mind in five hundred years,” he chuckled, “well, he has Crissy now, so that should keep it interesting.”

“Might be a little too interesting, she’s—something.” I finished.

He grinned. “She has visions. Hundreds a day. I don’t know how she does it.”

“That explains why she just blurts things out.” He offered more juice; I took a drink. “So, Chase is a king.” It wasn’t a question. “I heard kings, plural, so I’m guessing Troy?”

He nodded, “yeah. I’ll try to explain the history of Alterealm when you’re up to it.”

“I think I can sit up now.”

Something went through his eyes, but he continued to hold me, looking at me with a sadness.

My heart skipped a few beats. I was scared the next words out of his mouth would be that he was locking me in a cube, now that they had Davis.

“I’m trying to decide,” His brow furrowed, and he looked away from me.

Panic filled me, but just as fast a peace came over me. I owned up to my own mistakes, always. I reached up and touched his jaw. I deserved whatever his family decided after what I’d done. Red eyes looked back to mine. I didn’t know why, but they didn’t scare me this time. “I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you, Leone.”

“Don’t be.” There was pain in his voice.

I could see his fangs when he spoke. I swallowed, both nervous and scared.

“I want to feed from you.” He said with a strained voice.

I was about to tell him he could when he looked at my mouth.

“I want another taste almost too much.” He palmed the back of my head and lifted me closer.

When his mouth brushed over my own, I touched his jaw again, encouraging him to kiss me again.

“This is a bad idea.” He whispered against my lips.

“Probably,” I answered breathlessly.

Gripping the back of my head, he brought my face closer and covered my mouth with his. It started as a slow exploratory kiss, a sampling, then deepened into much more.

Like a hesitant virgin, that I hadn’t been in years, I dipped my tongue into his mouth, touching it against his fangs. A shiver ran through me and ignited my whole body.

He shifted me in his lap, so he could deepen the kiss further still. With a low sound from his throat, he pulled his mouth away and rested his forehead on mine.

We were both out of breath.

“I don’t know what I want more right now.” He said, his breath brushing against my lips. He inhaled deeply. “And because I don’t know, we need to go back and not be alone right now.”

I couldn’t find fault in his logic at all. I was feeling the same way. The fact I was even thinking of his fangs biting into me again with such anticipation, almost frightened me. I looked at his mouth and with a move I couldn’t have anticipated, put my finger in and touched a fang as he panted.

He moved and sucked in a ragged breath. “You’re not helping.”

“I’m—of two minds as well, Leone. I don’t know what I want.”

He made a sound in the back of his throat and brought our mouths together again. It wasn’t a gentle exploration this time. It was heat and hunger. A claiming.

“Oh my goodness. I am so sorry.”

We jerked out heads apart and turned to see Clairee in the door, her hand over her mouth.

“I didn’t—” she motioned outside, “we’re removing the spells.”

Leone cleared his throat and stood up. “Hold on.” He said quietly.

I was about to ask why, then my stomach plummeted. “Oh crap.” I moaned as the bile rose. “Put me down.” I didn’t want to throw up on him. How sexy would that be?

Gently he squatted down. I rolled out of his arms and landed on my hands and knees.

With a soft touch, he rubbed his hand across my shoulder. “Sorry. I didn’t want to have to deal with Romulus walking in behind her.”

I took deep breaths and tried to wait out the nausea. “That’s fine.”

He sat beside me.

As cooling off heated situations went, that was better than a cold shower, I thought.

I pushed up to my knees, continuing to inhale slowly though my nose and blowing out through my mouth.

He brushed the hair out of my face.

I opened my eyes to see the worry in his brown ones. “I think I might live.”

Leone offered a weak smile. “You’re very pale.”

I gave him a ‘duh’ look. “Redhead, pale skin goes with the package.”

Giving me back the same look, he rubbed a hand over his own hair. “I’ve noticed.” He frowned. “Seriously you need to eat.” Getting up, he scooped me into his arms and carried me to the bed. Setting me down on it, he straightened up. “I’ll get Mitz to bring you some tea and fruit.”

“What happens now?” He just looked at me. “Now that you have Davis.” I frowned, “I didn’t see the other mage, was he outside?”

He cocked his head, “what other mage?”

“There was another one the day they got you, Herman.”

He pulled his phone out and tapped the screen. “Arius, yeah we’re back. Did we get another mage today? Herman?”

His look was somber. “Beth says the day they got me, there were two mages.” He shook his head. “Get Clairee and Romulus away from there in case they come looking.” He nodded and then looked at me, his eyes moving over me. “She needs time to recover. No. Her room,” he lifted a hand, “the one with the closet.”

Hanging up the phone, he sighed. “A few of the others will be here in a moment.” He dialed again. “Mitz, can you bring some tea and…” he smirked, “yeah we are.” He shook his head. “I am fine, thanks.” He tucked the phone in his back pocket and then started undoing straps and taking off weapons. Pausing, he motioned to the table. “Drink some juice.”

I blinked and turned to pick up a bottle. I’d been too busy ogling him to remember my own health.

By the time he was out of weapons, Arius came walking in. “No mage named Herman. Just foot soldiers, Lou and Davis.”

Leone crossed his arms, his jaw tense. “Is this ever going to end?”

“We’re getting there, brother, don’t despair.” Stopping by the bed, he gave me a concerned look. “Still shaky?”

I nodded, then glanced to Leone briefly. The heated moments in the kitchen hadn’t helped, but there was no need to share that.

“I should talk to Clairee and see if they can make her a brew or something to prevent that.” Arius looked at Leone.

“I was already thinking that.” He answered.

Arius looked back to me. “That move on Davis. It made your show in the practice room look like little sparklers.” He winked at me.

I smirked, not even understanding how he had time to notice while fighting. “I’ve never used that much force before.”

“Someone needed to film that.” Chase said as he came through the door. “Seeing Davis literally go head over heels was a showstopper.”

Mitz came through the doorway carrying a tray. “I’ll have a kettle brought to your room with this tea blend, love. It takes time for a body to adjust going from side to side so often.” She set it down with a smile.

“Thank you.” I said already reaching for the cup.

Turning, Mitz looked up at Leone and patted his chest lovingly before she walked out.

“What’s this about another mage?” Quinton came in scowling.

Leone turned and leaned back against the wall. “Bethany says there’s another, Herman.”

Chase looked from one brother to the other. “Isn’t that the mage Ellis was with over here?”

Arius nodded. “At least we know what the house was for now.”

“Yeah, to trap me.” Leone straightened and shook his head. “Timeline doesn’t fit.”

“Fit what?” Quinton asked while he perused the snacks on my table.

Leone pointed to me. “She was in my head when Ellis was there, why didn’t he see her?”

“Because I wasn’t there,” I took a sip of the tea. “I didn’t get brought over to the house until the night before I…they—”

Leone gave me a hard look. “Where were you before that?”

“On my side of—” I waved my hand, “not in Alterealm. Which is why it was so hard for me; I was trying to stay connected to someone in another realm.”

Arius looked at Leone.

Leone sat down on the edge of the bed. “Do you know where you were on your side while you were doing that?”

I nodded.

“Were there others there?” Chase asked putting one knee on the bed.

I nodded again. “A few dozen, sometimes more, people came and went.”

“All men?” Quinton asked as he sat on the end of the bed.

I thought for a moment. “I don’t think there were any females, other than myself. I stayed in my room unless I was hungry though.”

Chase looked at Arius.

“Way ahead of you.” Arius pulled out his phone and hit a button. “Victor, we need everyone at…the girl’s room, now.” He nodded. “Yeah that one.” He hung up. “We need to give this room a name.” he said looking at Leone. “Found mates are in and out so briefly.”

“We have other things to worry about than naming a damn room.” Leone snapped and got up.

“Tell me we’re going to kick some ass.” Daxx came in with Troy right behind her.

Arius nodded to them and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Chase called out.

“To visit Davis. He can buy us some time to get a plan in place before they notice he hasn’t returned with Marcus.”

Troy and Chase exchanged a look. I decided I didn’t need to know, it looked that serious.