The blade presses into my flesh. The scent of blood becomes stronger. That reminds me. “Where did the blood on my jeans come from? I didn’t feel any other wounds when I woke up.”
“Leftover from someone else.”
I cock my head to the side and dive into her mind. I’ve tried repeatedly but haven’t been able to penetrate it. No worries. I’m a Verascue. I’ll scale that wall and find out her secrets.
“Get out of my head,” she hisses.
“Yeah, I don’t think so. You’re too mysterious for me to want to do that. I think I’m going to take my time and find out just how deep your hatred of my mother runs.”
The female slices the blade across my neck all the way to my spinal cord. I sputter and gasp for a moment, not able to breathe. It’s mere seconds before my skin and internal wounds mend.
“That was uncalled for!” I yell once I can. “How would you like it if I did that to you? And here I thought we were making progress,” I scoff. “If I could, I’d cross my arms right now. Instead, I’ll just turn my head because I simply can’t look at you.”
Her hand whips forward and clutches my completely healed throat. The blade she was holding clatters to the ground as she uses her other hand to teleport us away. When we land, we’re in the kitchen at the pack house. I wonder if she originally brought me to the basement of the house or if it were somewhere else.
“I can’t stand you anymore!” she seethes in my mind. “But don’t think I’m through. I’m going after your brother next.”
“You could have brought my turkey leg with us. The service these days. It’s like the customer doesn’t even matter.”
The next thing I know, I can’t speak. The words form on my tongue though I can’t get them out.
“That’s what you get for not shutting up!”
Screw this female. I’ve had about enough of her. Not only did she cost me my snack, but she’s insulted me too many times. Using my feet, I push the front legs of the chair off the floor until it slams me backward onto the floor with a hard clatter.
In a second flat, my brother is there with murder in his eyes. “You,” he hisses.
“Now, you’re the right brother,” the female replies with a wicked grin. “Let’s take a trip.” Before Ford can say anything else, she teleports behind him and grips his wrist. Then they’re gone. This time I have a feeling she isn’t going to keep him in the house. If that’s where we were to begin with.
Lilah teleports into the room. Her eyes land on me and, instead of rushing over, she uses her magic to right the chair. I struggle to talk until she removes the magic the other fae put on me. She takes note of my handcuffs and leaves again. When she returns, it’s with Imogen in tow.
Without a word, Im pulls a key from her pocket and quickly undoes the handcuffs. It’s good to know mages.
“Do you always carry keys to handcuffs with you?” I ask.
“I created a universal set to work on any handcuffs. I wasn’t sure if they would. I hadn’t tried them, except on my own pair.” She smiles. “They do.”
I quickly stand and rub my wrists. Not because they hurt, but because it’s what I’ve seen humans do in movies.
“Some investigator you are,” Lilah states with her hands on her hips.
“Way to reopen the wound. Ouch.”
Imogen looks back and forth between us before quietly slipping from the room.
“Do you know what I’ve been through looking for you?” Lilah asks with a mixture of anger and relief in her voice. “I couldn’t feel you, Sol, even with the help of Robin and Kylest.”
“I was able to annoy the female until she brought me back here. I’m going to add it to my list of superpowers. Severe irritation.”
“How can you joke at a time like this?”
“It’s like you don’t even know me. I can joke at any time. Why? Because I’m alive, you’re alive, I’m assuming Jupiter is fine since you’re in here and not hunting someone down. The only one I’m iffy on at the moment is Ford, but he’s a Verascue, so I have no doubt he’ll be okay, too.”
“She took him?”
“Yeah, that’s why she took me initially. She thought I was him. I really should win the costume contest. If I could fool a kidnapper, I’m pretty sure I nailed the look I was going for.”
Lilah steps forward and slaps her hand over my mouth. Without missing a beat, I part my lips and lick her palm. “Ewwww!” She pulls her hand away. “Do you think you could be serious for one second so we can find your brother?”
I roll my eyes. “Fine. If I must. We need to find Mother first because apparently this new enemy of ours was brought to us via her. Not that it’s shocking or anything. Mother has four thousand years of hatred following her.” I sigh wistfully. “I can only hope to have that kind of legacy. Though I’d like more admirers than enemies, but I’ll take what I can get.”
“You’re truly unbelievable.”
“It’s about time you caught on to that fact. We’ve been together long enough; my fabulousness has to have had an impact on you by now.”
“There are days when I wonder how I refrain from killing you in your sleep.”
Turning, I lift the back of the leather coat and wiggle my butt at her. “That’s why. You can’t get enough of this.”
Lilah shakes her head and blinks a few times. “No matter what I say, you’ll find a way to make it a compliment. So let’s just find Eloise then search for your brother before whoever this paranormal is kills him.”
Sienna comes into the room. The petite female is nothing but a live wire waiting to electrocute the one who took her mate. “Ford’s not dead, but he’s very, very angry.”
“You can feel him?” Lilah asks.
“Yes, but I can’t locate him. No worries. I’ll burn down the world to get my mate back.” I love a female with good looks, loyalty, and a heart edged in black. Sienna has come into her own since she and my brother mated. It’s been fantastic to witness.
“Onward, sister-in-law,” I state. “First stop is Eloise Verascue. She’ll hopefully have some answers for us.”
“Figures she’s involved somehow.”
“I know you don’t love me, Sienna,” my mom says as she walks into the room. “But I thought we were making progress.” There was a time when my mom didn’t think Sienna was good enough for Ford. That tune changed when Sienna stood up to her a while back.
“Zip it, Eloise. You know where we stand. I like you. You don’t hate me. Can we save your son now?”
“As if he needs saving. But I would like to find this female and rip her arms off, then shove them down her throat before I gut her.” If there were any doubt where my vicious side comes from, that pretty much summed it up. “Solomon, take down the block in your mind. I’m not in the mood to use a sledgehammer to get through it.”
I pause and let my block down. I must have put it up when I was in front of the villain of this night. It usually slips into place without me actively doing it. Like a vault door on a bank but with four reinforced walls, barbed wire, and a healthy dose of electricity.