Unraveled

TWENTY-NINE

ANOTHER SUMMONS.

Tucker tried to resist. Tried with every bit of strength he possessed. But Vlad’s voice called to him—Come to me—and his feet moved forward before he realized he’d taken a single step.

He jumped from the roof of his mom and stepdad’s house, the impact jolting his entire body. He’d been watching his six-year-old brother play in the drizzling cold, nose wet, coat soaked, hands shivering as he talked to an invisible friend.

Twice Tucker had almost revealed himself. Both times, he’d convinced himself Ethan was better off without him and remained hidden. Now, as he strode away, he felt a hollow ache where his heart should have been. He would never go back, he decided. Ethan was all that was good, all that was right, with a bright future ahead. Tucker had never caused him anything but pain.

It was past time for a clean break.

The ache intensified. This is for the best.

Tucker blanked his mind as he ran out of the neighborhood and into town, where it seemed everyone he knew—or rather, once knew—was stuck in party mode. Some kids were driving around, throwing beer bottles at the buildings. Others were on the streets, dancing to a beat no one else could hear. Among them floated a beautiful woman, a woman with long blond hair and skin so fair it practically glowed.

She would look a kid in the eye, speak, and that kid would shake his head. She would speak again, then the kid’s shoulders would slump, head ducking, before he bent down and cleaned up the mess. The blonde would then move on to someone else.

Night had long since fallen. The myths about vampires and sunlight weren’t exactly true, he knew, since Victoria could stand outside all day without consequences. Vlad, though…would he burn to ash? A guy could hope.

Come to me…

Closer now, Tucker thought. With dread. With happiness. Vlad was no longer in his crypt. He was here, in town. Hidden.

Tucker rounded the corner of the local laundromat but saw only a cardboard box. He frowned. Still. He knew, as he always seemed to know, exactly where Vlad was. He bent down and peered inside. Yes, there was Vlad, a dead human flung over his lap, blood dripping down his chin.

Most of the king’s body was still charred, still black with deadened skin, but patches of pale, smooth flesh were visible.

“Next time you make me wait, you will be the one I feed from,” the king said calmly. “Do you understand?”

A tremor of fear moved through him, and his gaze returned to the dead man, whose neck was torn apart as if a wild animal had feasted. A painful way to die. Vlad had fed from him during that last visit, yes, but only briefly, and only as a warning. If that had been misery incarnate… He shuddered and each of his already scarred puncture wounds throbbed. “Yes. I understand.”

“Now. What more have you learned?”

“The witches have taken Aden.” Tucker had watched them suddenly appear around Aden. He could have helped. Maybe. Had wanted to help. Kind of. But he hadn’t allowed his concealing illusion to fade, his need to please Vlad still too strong to be denied. Even then.

Vlad laughed, a cackling sound that caused his body to hunch over in a spasm of coughing. When he calmed, his lips pulled back, sharp teeth red and gleaming. “Go to them, but do not let them know you are there.”

To the witches? “How will I find them? They vanished.”

“You can feel the pull of Aden, can you not? We all can.”

Reluctantly Tucker nodded. Truer words had never been spoken. First time he’d met Aden, he’d feared he was, well, attracted to the boy. As in turning gay. Even though he had always preferred girls. He’d wanted to be near the bastard, though Aden hadn’t calmed him like Mary Ann did. Aden stirred him up, though, and sometimes even made him want to be worse.

“Good. Now, for your most important task. You will kill Aden. You will stab him in the heart, as if he was a witch’s sacrifice.”

“I—I can’t.”

“You can. Listen closely, and I will tell you how…”

MARY ANN WAS SCARED. Very, very scared. Apparently, Aden had kidnapped the kidnapped witch, and no one knew where they were. Yet. Victoria had told Riley what had happened, what Aden planned, and then teleported away before Riley could scream at her. Or tell her that her father was still alive. Where had the princess gone? To help Aden?

And God, how was she going to react to the news about her father? Mary Ann had never met the guy, and she was still reeling. After discovering the truth, she and Riley had searched the grounds but had found no sign of him.

Riley was distraught. Mary Ann had never seen him so upset. His new king—was Aden still his king now that Vlad was walking around?—and his princess had been—were—in danger, and he hadn’t protected them. At least he and his brothers could feel Aden tugging at them. Well, as long as Mary Ann was out of the way. When Mary Ann was with them, and Riley at her side, they could still feel the tug, but it was somewhat muted. So they were now on the hunt for Aden. Without her.

Mary Ann had thought to use the time searching for Victoria, but no. That idea had been quickly discarded. Where would she begin looking? She couldn’t go to the vampire mansion on her own and simply driving around town, which was all she could have done, wouldn’t have been productive.

So here she was. At home. Riley had driven her and dropped her off after giving her the quickest, most distracted of kisses. She’d spent the past hour with her dad, hugging him as she’d wanted and telling him how much she loved him. He’d laughed and joked with her, and it had seemed as if they’d gone back in time, before she’d found out about her mother. Victoria’s Voice Voodoo had worked its magic, because he never once interrogated her about where she’d been.

But her nervousness was growing with every minute that ticked by. Was Aden okay? Were Riley and Victoria okay? Was this her last night alive?

“You’re distracted again,” her dad said with an ever-patient grin.

They were sitting at the kitchen table, playing cards. War, of all things. She glanced down at her pile, picked a card and flipped it over. An eight of hearts. Her dad’s card was a three of diamonds, so she gathered that round into her deck.

“Want to tell me what’s on your mind?”

“I’m fine,” she lied. She hated the necessity, but wouldn’t cave. He didn’t believe in the paranormal, even when the evidence of it was right under his nose, and she wasn’t in the mood to fight. Or receive a therapy session.

“Problems with Riley?” he persisted.

Riley, her sweet Riley. The boy she would date for one more day, then never speak to again. At that, her heart actually lurched inside her chest. “Dad, what do you do when you know you’re no good for the person you love?”

He looked at her for a moment, then sighed and pushed his cards aside. He propped his elbows on the table and stared over at her intently. “I hadn’t realized you and Riley had reached the I love you stage yet.”

Her cheeks heated. “We haven’t said it to each other, no.”

He relaxed a little. “So why isn’t he good for you, sweetie?” Gently asked.

She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. She couldn’t tell him that it was the other way around. That she wasn’t good for Riley. He wouldn’t believe her. “What would you tell a patient who asked you the same question?”

His lips twitched at the corners. “I see what you’re doing. Deflecting. I’ve taught you well. So, are you asking what I’d say to a patient if she refused to share all the details with me?”

She nodded.

Another sigh. “I’d tell her to ask herself a very important question. Will the person cause her harm, emotionally or physically?”

He still had it backward, but the answer was yes. She, too, pushed her cards away. She’d been right, then, to break things off with Riley. She’d been wrong to let things start back up again. But she couldn’t regret her actions. She’d had that one glorious night with him, and she could die without regrets. For the most part.

Die. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

“If the answer is yes, I always tell my patients to leave the relationship.” He reached over and took her hand. “Always. Now. Do I need to get my shotgun? What’d that boy do?”

She laughed. “You hate guns, and therefore don’t own one. Besides, Riley hasn’t hurt me or anything like that. He never would, either. He’s very protective.” And I need to be protective of him.

“Then what’s the problem? You can tell me. This is a safe space.”

Another laugh, though this one was forced. “That may be true with your patients, but that’s never been the case with me.” Which she understood. She was his daughter. Everything was personal. “So anyway,” she said, quickly changing the subject. “I’ve been wondering. If you knew you only had one more day to live, what would you want to do?”

“Planning on killing me?”

She rolled her eyes. “Be serious.”

“You’ve never been this morbid before, but I guess I can play along.” He released her and tapped a fingertip against his chin. “I’d pay the premium for a higher life insurance policy, make sure you were going to be properly cared for, and then spend the rest of my time here, with you.”

Tears filled her eyes, burning. “Thank you.”

“And I’d want to tell you the truth about something, since I’ve learned my lesson about keeping secrets.”

Her mind locked onto that one word—secrets—and she froze. Even her heart skipped a beat as panic whipped through her. “Wh-what?”

“I, well, I met someone,” he said, a blush staining his cheeks.

Her eyes widened. “Really? Who? When? Where? Tell me everything!”

He laughed. “So many questions at once. Yes, really. I met her yesterday, at the grocery. And I, well…I asked her out on a date.”

“Dad!”

“I haven’t been on a date in ages, but I couldn’t help myself. She was just so intelligent and, well, pretty.”

Mary Ann was…glad. He deserved to be happy. Especially if she…if she…no, she wouldn’t think like that. He just deserved to be happy. “You’re leaving details out. What’d you guys talk about? What’s she like? Where are you going to take—”

The doorbell rang, and they both jumped.

Her dad grinned sheepishly. “We’ll resume this conversation in a bit. I’ll get the door.” He uncoiled from the chair and strode off while Mary Ann cleaned up the cards, marveling at the turn of events. Her dad. On a date. Oh, he’d been on one or two over the years, but nothing serious, and not once had he lit up like that. His interest had always been detached.

A few seconds later, she heard a female voice and laughter. Her dad’s laughter, and it was such a sweet sound. What was going on in there?

“Mary Ann,” he called. “Come on in here, honey.”

She padded into the living room, hands stuffed into her jean pockets. Soon she was standing in her mother’s rainbow living room, staring over at her dad, who was grinning like a loon and saying something to a young, gorgeous blonde wearing a white silk blouse and a flowing white skirt. Her skin was flawless, almost too much so. Her features were perfect and heart-achingly lovely. Could this be the mysterious grocery store babe?

Mary Ann cleared her throat.

Her dad glanced over at her, radiating so much excitement she actually had to look away. “Mary Ann, this is the woman I was telling you about.”

The blonde nodded in greeting, though her gaze didn’t leave Mary Ann’s dad. She was petting his cheek, as if he was a favored puppy. “Mary Ann. I’ve heard so much about you.”

From their one conversation at the grocery? Don’t be petty. This was a good thing. “Nice to meet you,” she said.

Finally the newcomer turned and faced her, and Mary Ann gasped in horror. Those eyes…glowing, wide and brown, revealing the sheen of glitter in her too-perfect skin. This was no human.

This was a fairy.

“Leave my father alone,” she barked. “He’s done nothing—”

“Mary Ann,” he said, clearly shocked and disappointed by her behavior. “That isn’t how you—”

“Be a dear and go to your room,” the fairy told him. “Stay there, no matter what you hear.”

“Of course,” he said, and walked off without another word, heading up the stairs and never looking back.

Mary Ann’s heart threatened to beat its way out of her chest. She wanted to run, but she remained in place. She would protect her dad, no matter what she had to do. But the simple fact was, she’d never dealt with a fairy before. She knew only what Riley and Victoria had told her.

They couldn’t control people with their voices, like vampires could, but humans were so entranced by them, they usually obeyed their word without question. They craved power and didn’t like anyone who was stronger. They were cold, icicles on the inside, yet desperate for warmth.

Despite all of that, or maybe because of it, they considered themselves protectors of mankind. Mary Ann was part of mankind. Maybe. With her ability…

She opened her mouth—to say what, she didn’t know.

“Do not scream for your boyfriend,” the fairy said with a frown. “At the moment, the wolves are busy fighting a swarm of goblins. I made sure of it. And you’ll only distract them. Do you want their blood on your hands?”

She gulped. “I wasn’t going to scream.” She wasn’t a coward. Anymore. “What are you doing here? Who are you? What do you want?”

A grin met her words, and yet, the expression lacked any hint of amusement. “I am called Brendal, and as to why I’m here, I would think that was obvious. I want you to follow me.”

“Why?”

“Answers will come later.”

“Hardly. Did you lead my dad on to get to me?”

“Of course. We do what we must.”

Spoken without a hint of remorse. Bitch. Anger sparked.

“Now. Come,” Brendal said, and motioned her over.

Mary Ann raised her chin. She felt no compulsion to do as the fairy wished. Because she muted the fairy’s powers? Maybe, but she wasn’t fully muting them, since her dad had climbed those stairs on command. Remember what Victoria told you. Your ability doesn’t work on someone’s natural gifts. “I think I’ll stay here, thanks.”

Dark eyes narrowed. “You desire answers, fine. I want you to follow me because I have a use for you. You repel, while your friend Aden attracts. You dull, while he magnifies. You, too, are a weapon, though most probably you do not realize it.”

“You’ll have to do better than that.”

“He pulls them in, and you finish them off.”

As if. “Just who am I supposed to finish off, hmm?”

“The enemy, of course.”

According to the fairies, vampires and werewolves were the enemy. “Is that why you’re here? You think I’ll help you?”

“Not me, no.” Brendal strolled to the left, increasing the distance between them, her hand brushing along prized knickknacks. “You wish to help your friend Aden, do you not?”

Mary Ann’s stomach twisted painfully. “What do you mean?”

“The witches have him, and they aren’t happy with him. And yes, I know about the required meeting and how you’re most likely going to die tomorrow. Aden loves you, though, and refuses to give the witches what they want until they call their meeting to order so he can save your life. He refuses to give me what I want, as well.”

Don’t give her a reaction. Don’t you dare give her a reaction. “And you want?”

“To know what happened to my brother. I’m willing to do anything to find out. Anything. Even…betray my allies.”

Was she saying what Mary Ann thought she was saying? That she would betray the witches in exchange for information about her brother? That she would help Mary Ann rescue Aden?

“That’s why you’re coming with me, Mary Ann.”

She shook her head. She couldn’t afford to trust this being. “No. I told you. I’m staying here.”

Brendal arched a golden brow, ever the picture of calm acceptance. “If I told your father to kill himself, he would. Happily. Your ability to dull my influence might stop him, yes. I know that’s what you are thinking, but I can call others of my kind. They can drag you away. Then…”

For a split second, Mary Ann imagined flying at the fairy, a catapult of fury, nails bared, teeth ripping. No one threatened her dad. No one. Only Brendal’s promise to summon others stopped her. One on one was manageable. More than that, iffy. “How, exactly, do you expect me to help you?”

Frustration bloomed, the first true emotion to touch the beautiful female’s face. “I told you. You will come with me. You will weaken the witches while I obtain the boy.”

“And that’s all?”

“Yes.”

Did she know Mary Ann could drain the witches of their power or did she simply mean for her to mute their abilities? “And what will you do with Aden?”

“As soon as he tells me what I want to know, I will release him.”

Or try to kill him. Because Mary Ann knew the answer this fairy craved, and knew she wouldn’t like what she learned. Her brother was dead and Aden was the reason. “You’ll free him? No matter what?”

She nodded. “No matter what.”

“How can I trust you?”

“Do you have any other choice?”

God, she wished Riley was here to tell her whether or not fairies kept their promises. “And what about the witches meeting?”

Triumph replaced the fairy’s frustration. “I cannot force them to call a meeting to order.”

At least she’d been honest. About that. “All right. I’ll help you.” After that…