Chapter 4

I stood back and looked at the map. It was more detailed than I thought I would manage. The more I drew, the more pieces I remembered. Hopefully it would be helpful.

Turning off the music, I checked the time. I’d been here for 6 hours? As if prompted by realizing the time, I yawned. Looking at the map once more, I picked up the red marker and stood in front of it. It was a long shot, but my gut still told me to mark it down. There was one place I suspected would be a way onto the island. I didn’t know it for certain, but the guards got antsy anytime one of us had gone near it. I marked a big X with a question mark at that spot.

Standing in the hall, I looked both ways. Now, to figure out how to get back to my room. Heading in the direction we’d come from, I stopped outside the practice room. Biting my lip, I opened the door and looked in.

Alona was in the middle of the large mat, going through a series of graceful moves, holding them frequently. I stepped in quietly, not wanting to disturb her.

She paused and looked at me, then smiled. “Can’t sneak up on an empath.” She motioned all around her. “In a body free space like this, the moment any emotion steps through the door, I’m aware.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

She waved a hand at me. “It’s fine. I’m just taking a short break from searching.” With long, graceful strides she walked toward me. “In case I was remiss during our first meeting,” she smirked, “I’m Alona, Chase’s mate.”

I nodded. “I know.”

“I am sorry about Chase’s—episode. You probably thought we all were lunatics when you woke up to that.”

I grinned. “It was touch and go for a few minutes.”

“I’d imagine so. I’ll have to remember to turn our phones off next time, so his brothers can’t call him.” She sighed. “How are you doing?” She tilted her head, “your emotions are all over the place.”

I touched my head and faked a wince, “I’m still processing all of it.”

She nodded. “I understand. I was a little lost when I found out.” Alona laughed, “Imagine living almost a hundred years, and knowing nothing about your own heritage.”

I gave her a surprised look. “Oh, so you’re like,” I lifted my hand, “them.” I couldn’t help but hope I looked that good at a hundred.

She sighed. “Mostly. My mother was human though, so I’m missing out on a few of the perks like quick healing and the healing blood.”

“Your eyes go…”

“Red.” She nodded, “and I have the fangs as well.”

“Wow, that’s—” I paused. “I’m still having trouble with that.”

She gave me a look, a gentle expression in her eyes. “I’m sure you’ll manage to sort through it.” She pulled out her phone and checked it. “So are you just out wandering?”

I shook my head. “I was in Victor’s office drawing a map of the island.”

She cringed. “I was on it; they all gave me the creeps.”

“They took you too?”

Shaking her head, she went over and picked up her boots. “No. They wanted to recruit me to help them raise funds for their cause.”

“Really? So it’s an organized group of insane people?”

She chuckled, “unfortunately, yes.” Straightening, she motioned to the door. “I’m going to meet Chase at the dining room, if you’d like to come.”

“I’d like to tag along… in hopes that I’ll find the room I’m staying in somewhere in our travels.”

She grinned. “These halls are dreadful; they go on forever. Our side isn’t as bad, with all of the offices being over here, but I still have to pause and ask my guard, Sith, where we are from time to time.”

I looked around the large room. “You have a guard?”

She nodded. “Yes. Currently he’s at my apartment, on our side, tearing up the carpeting for me.” With a smirk she put her hand to her mouth. “Shh, don’t tell my king. Sith is supposed to be with me at all times.” She mimicked in a low voice.

It hadn’t occurred to me. “I guess that’s part of being a queen.”

She sighed and turned to the door. “I suppose. I don’t blame the men for assigning guards to us women. There have been some incidents that warranted that action.”

Following her out into the hall, I tucked my hands into my pockets. “Incidents?”

She nodded. “They’re quite determined to get their hands on as many women as possible. “She hissed out a breath. “The idea of them trying to breed their own army is just—”

I stopped, my eyes bulging and looked at her. “Excuse me? Breed? What?” My heart was pounding inside my chest. I put my hands over my cheeks. “I’m so stupid. How did I not see that?” Dropping my hands, I turned to face the wall and leaned my head against it. “I could have been… those poor women.”

“Paisley? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I turned to see Alona looking as distressed as I felt. “Empath.” I whispered. “Sorry.” I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. Blowing the breath out slowly, I tried to calm down. I looked at her. “Just back away—however far you need it to be.” I nodded. “I just need a minute.”

She started backing up.

Turning away from her, I held my hands over my face. “If I hadn’t gotten off that island, I could have been…” I shook my head. I couldn’t go there. I’d have a meltdown. Bending forward, I rested my hands on my knees and inhaled slowly, trying to slow my racing heart down.

“Paisley?” Alona called out.

I looked down the hall to see Alona standing about thirty feet away.

“Are you all right? I didn’t mean…”

I waved a hand at her. “It’s fine. It’s not your fault.” I stood up and held a hand over my churning stomach. “I just—I was so caught up trying to find a way to escape, I didn’t put the pieces together.”

“I’m terribly sorry.” She put her hands over her mouth then dropped them. “I feel ridiculous right now, yelling at you from down the hallway.”

I shrugged. “Hey, you do what you do to survive, right?”

She nodded. “Yes, that’s what you did—on that island. What you needed to in order to survive.”

“What are you two up to?” Chase came around the corner and stopped in front of Alona.

She motioned to me. “Having a conversation.”

He looked down at me and then tucked his hands in his pockets. “Later after this is sorted, we’ll discuss your invisible guard.” He sighed. “I felt the spike in emotions, my beloved, what’s happened?”

Brushing her hair over her shoulder with an annoyed expression on her face, she motioned to me again. “I upset Paisley by blurting things out. She told me to step back so it wouldn’t affect me as much.”

Chase nodded and held his hand over his brow and looked at me. “You can come closer now. I’ll aid my lovely mate with coping.”

I started walking closer, not sure how exactly he was going to do that. I still stopped leaving several feet between them.

Chase looked from me to Alona. “What’s the problem?”

“That’s what I’d like to know.” Arius came from the same direction Chase had. He looked like he’d just woken up.

Turning, Chase gave him a curious look. “Trouble in the cells?”

Arius shook his head, his eyes looking at me only.

“Have you slept yet?” Alona asked sounding concerned.

“I think so, briefly.” His grey eyes moved over me in a slow appraisal. “What’s upset you, Paisley?”

I gave him a startled look. How he could know at a glance that I was upset, was a first for me. No one had ever cared enough to notice before.

Chase looked from his brother to me, pausing on my forehead for a second. “Oh this is intriguing.” He said in a hushed voice.

“I’m afraid it’s my fault,” Alona said quickly. “I blurted out something about those lunatics trying to breed an army.”

I looked up at Arius. “If I hadn’t—” I couldn’t say it.

Stepping closer, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me. “You got off before anything could happen. They won’t get their hands on you.”

I leaned back and looked up at him. “You don’t understand. They took two women—they never came back. What if…”

Alona made a sound of distress. I turned to see Chase holding her. He glanced to Arius with a hard look, his desire for retribution plain to see.

“We’re going to find them.” Arius touched my chin, so I’d look at him again. “We already found three recently. Troy is pulling as much information from the heads of those we’ve locked up as he can. We still have several locations to check.

I nodded. “I finished the map. There may be a weak spot in their wall, or whatever it is. I marked it.”

His eyes flicked to his brother for a moment. “You can explain it to all of us in a few hours. Right now though, you need to rest. I can—see how tired you are.”

I sighed. “I just want to get the other women off the island.”

“I know,” he gave me a soft look, “but you’re no good to anyone if you drop from exhaustion.”

I nodded slowly. “You’re right. Okay. I’ll go lay down for a bit.” I rubbed a hand across my brow. “I don’t even know when I slept last, really. I was afraid to sleep on the island, woke up constantly—” I looked up to see his pale eyes watching me, unwavering, he was listening to every word I said. “I don’t know how to find that room with the closet.” I motioned to Alona, “she was taking me there.”

He smiled. “I will take you there.” He looked to his brother. “We’ll see you in a few hours. Let the others know we’ll have breakfast in Victor’s office, so we can study Paisley’s map and see where we stand.”

Chase smirked and bowed his head. “As you wish.”

Alona rolled her eyes and smiled at me. “That’s twice now, perhaps our next meeting will be less eventful than the first two.”

I looked at Chase and smirked. “The first one was very memorable.”

Chase pointed a finger at me. “We are not discussing that.” He turned and pulled Alona along with him and went down the hall.

“I didn’t mean to upset her.” I said going in the direction Arius motioned to.

“She has bad moments, lets her guard down too much. Did you find her in the practice room?”

I nodded.

“That’s why then. That’s her quiet time and Chase stays out of her head when she’s there alone. So he probably hadn’t realized what was going on, so she was left to her own defenses, and you getting upset caught her off guard.”

“Chase can get in her head and help her?”

He sighed quietly. “Through their mating bond.” He held up his bare arm. “The tattoos on the couples, it’s the mating mark. Once it’s complete it forms a bond. My brothers and I have a mental connection that’s similar. We can sense what each other is feeling at times.”

I paused. “Is that how you knew what was going on? That Alona and I were upset?”

His grey eyes connected with mine briefly, then he nodded to walk again. “Something like that.”

“That’s kind on amazing. To be connected to your family in that way.”

He smirked. “It has its moments, but at other times it’s like having someone nagging you relentlessly.” Stopping, he motioned to a door.

I looked around. “We’re here?” I opened the door and it was the room with the closet.

Arius leaned against the door frame. “Please try to rest.”

I nodded. “I will. You need to as well.”

He took a deep breath. “I’ve been trying to, but my mind has other ideas.”

“It’s so annoying when that happens.” I hugged my arms around my waist. “I guess your job is hard to get out of your head.”

He grinned. “My work never interferes with falling asleep. They’re confined to a cell where no magic works, only those with pure intentions can access the doors, so there’s no chance for escape.”

“I don’t understand the door part, but it sounds secure.”

“It is.”

I yawned and covered my mouth quickly.

“Enough distractions. Go get some rest. I’ll come and get you later when we’re meeting everyone.

“Ok.” I started to turn, then paused. “Can you explain why we’re eating breakfast in the evening?”

He grinned. “Yes. Later I will, only if your brain can cope with more information.”

I gave him a serious look. “Always.”