Beware, p.31
Beware, page 31
“Hell if I know. I didn’t even know this place existed.”
Molly stepped forward, her heels clacking against the stone street as she went. Faye moved much more silently, wondering if they would even find the dealer. They walked along the empty street until Molly stopped sharply, Faye bumping into her from behind.
Bouncing back, Faye stared down the street and froze. She moved around Molly, stepping in front of her as she cocked her head to the side. The woman down the way definitely looked familiar—her pixie like features, her hair, the slight smirk on her lips. But it couldn’t be her.
“Aliya,” Faye whispered. As much as she wanted to run forward and see if it really was her, Faye hesitated. She needed to know what was going on, why Aliya stood in front of her, why she was alive and not dead.
Molly stood next to her. “We do this together.”
“Yeah,” Faye answered. “Together.”
They waited as Aliya came toward them, and the closer she got the clearer it was to Faye it truly was her. While Faye tensed every muscle in her body, Molly stayed calm and relaxed. Faye envied her ability to do that. They stood shoulder to shoulder as Aliya got closer.
“I was wondering how long it would take the famous Molly to grace us with her presence.”
“Who is us?” Faye snarked. “I just see you.”
Aliya raked her gaze over Faye. “You are so good until you talk. Then you…I don’t know…disappoint.”
“All right,” Faye answered. She had no clue what that was supposed to mean, but she could tell Aliya meant it as an insult, not that it bothered her any.
Molly moved slightly ahead of Faye and took charge. “Where is everyone?”
“They have abandoned this place.”
“Why?”
Tingles worked into Faye’s chest, and she tried to hold them at bay as long as she could. She needed to wait until the prime moment to shift, if she needed to, and she really wanted to know how the hell Aliya was alive. She’d seen her die, been the one to kill her, hadn’t she?
“They weren’t welcome here anymore. Only my allies are welcome, and you, Molly, are not an ally.”
Faye’s heart raced. Molly barely moved an inch, but Faye caught her jaw clenching out of the corner of her eye. She prepared for whatever may happen next. Faye tensed as others joined Aliya, surrounding them. Faye was at a disadvantage, not knowing where exactly they were or how to get out of there. Molly had all that knowledge, and suddenly, Faye regretted not listening and learning more about the Tainted world. She’d taken it all for advantage. They also hadn’t told anyone where they were going.
“I don’t like this,” Faye muttered.
“Shush,” Molly answered before calling out to Aliya. “Where’s King Jakob?”
“Dead.”
“How?”
“I killed him.”
Molly’s jaw clenched again, her hands forming into fists. Faye knew instinctively her magic swirled under the surface, waiting for Molly to release it. They could do this together. Sure they were outnumbered by a bunch of murderous faeries, but they’d found themselves in worse pickles before. Though they at least had somewhat of a plan before going in those times.
Bouncing in her boots, Faye was ready to shift and to take them down. Molly didn’t turn toward her. Glancing around, Faye counted how many they were outnumbered by. It was a lot—easily by thirty. It was going to be a bloodbath of a different nature. Swallowing, Faye bounced even more in her boots, letting the tingles roam freely in her chest. All she had to do was wait for the cue from Molly.
Aliya walked even closer until she stood ten feet from where they were. “I am the Queen.”
“And why are you manufacturing this drug?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Not quite.” That trite tone of Molly’s set Faye on edge. Molly was close to bursting. “Explain it to those inferior to you.”
A blush rushed to Aliya’s cheeks, and Faye knew what Molly was doing. Placating and pleasing the one who held the most power in the room. “Your kind disgusts me.”
“My kind?” Molly hissed out a breath. Faye reached forward to hold her back.
“Witches. Vampires. Immortals. You take this world for advantage, for your own benefits.”
“But you’re killing those who aren’t immortal,” Faye shot back. “What about them?”
“They support you.”
“So for their support they lose their lives? And why so violently? Why not poison the water?”
Aliya faltered. Faye cocked her head to the side curious. It was as if Aliya hadn’t thought of that, which made zero sense for someone who was a faerie and had the actual ability to do that. Pursing her lips, Faye went to speak, but Molly beat her to the punch.
“Suppose that was a bit much to ask from a child.”
“I am a queen!” Aliya stomped her foot down. Tree roots grew up from the ground, snaking around Molly’s ankles and up her legs. Molly ignored it.
Faye pulled the tingles from her chest, her nails elongating, her teeth descending. Cracking her neck, she hissed as she prepared to take down whoever got to them first. She would protect Molly while Molly did whatever she was going to do.
The others descended on them. Faye spun around, taking down the first one with a slice to her neck. She spun around to take down the next. Ducking down, Faye moved as swiftly as she could. She kicked, sliced, worked her way through the crowd of faeries as she went. Catching sight of Molly, Faye’s breath left her. Her entire body glowed like someone took a light and shoved it inside her.
Faltering, Faye lost her footing and fell flat on her face. Twisting onto her back, she cried out when roots wrapped around her arms and her legs, holding her down. Cursing, Faye bent her wrist and sliced through some of them to get her hand loose. She jerked her legs up and down, but it was nearly impossible to move as more roots wrapped around her and kept her down.
A burst of light flung from Molly’s body. Faye shut her eyes tight against it, unable to cover her eyes in anyway. The faeries nearby her were knocked to the ground, and when she turned to see them, she noticed the roots were gone, withering away like someone had dumped poison on them. Pushing up from the ground, Faye ran to Molly, grabbed the gun out of the back of her waistband and aimed it at the faeries coming toward her. She had to defend them.
Molly was still wrapped up tight in tree roots, unable to move. Faye sliced her way through them, but they kept piling on, faster than she was able to break through. The hit to her side surprised her. Turning to look down, a tree root was shoved between her ribs, or rather, into them as she no doubt had a few broken ones with the size of the root.
“Oh fuck,” Faye muttered.
Molly couldn’t even turn her head to look, but her eyes slid toward her.
“I’m fine.” Flinging her hand down, Faye sliced the root off and pulled out the part that was stuck in her. Blood poured from her side before healing up. Faye drew in a deep breath as she moved to avoid being struck again. “Molly, end this.”
Once again a bright burst of light flung from Molly’s body, knocking Faye on her ass as it went through her. She drew in a sharp breath as her ribs popped back into place. When she glanced up, Molly was free from the roots, and Aliya lay on the stone street, her neck at an awkward angle. Everyone else stood still around them as they stared at Aliya’s dead form.
This time Faye knew she was dead. Turning on her side, Faye pushed herself up and stumbled over to Molly. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she caught her breath. None of the other faeries moved.
“They’ll want to deal with her body properly,” Molly whispered. “But I need to make sure she’s dead.”
“How do they do that?”
Molly gave Faye a serious look. “There’s rituals before her body will become one with the earth.”
“Makes sense.”
Faye watched as Molly stepped forward and bent down in front of Aliya’s broken form. She pressed fingers to her neck and sat back on her feet. Faye moved next to her to help her stand, their hands staying folded together as Molly turned to face the rest of the remaining faeries.
“You have a choice to make. Carry on Aliya’s charge or follow the other faeries who have left. The choice is yours, but know which one you need to make if you want a different fate.”
The others bowed down to Molly, getting on one knee. When all the faeries knelt as if Molly were their queen, Molly turned to Faye.
“We should go.”
“Right. How exactly do we get out of her.”
Letting out a small chuckle, Molly gripped Faye’s fingers. “Close your eyes.”
Faye listened this time, but the experience was just as bad as the first time. When she opened her eyes, she was pressed against Molly but back in Lion’s Park. Faye let out a breath. “We can never go there again, please.”
“Unfortunately, I imagine we’ll be spending quite some time with the faeries while they rebuild.”
“Joy.” Faye whined. “You really think this was all just Aliya’s crazy plot?”
Molly stared at Faye. “No. I’ve know the faeries for a long time, and they are not known for violence. They way she was acting…something else is at play here.”
“Okay, what?”
“No idea. For now, I think we’ve stopped the main problem. Let’s work on the rest tomorrow.”
Faye straightened her shoulders. “Sounds like a plan. What now?”
“Home.” Molly cupped her cheek and kissed her lips gently. “Now we go home.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Ben was at the door when they returned. Faye heaved a breath as she shoved her helmet onto the handlebars. Molly handed over hers and ran her hand along Faye’s shoulder and down her arm. She loved touching Faye like that and had taken to doing it often as the months had passed.
“You two will never believe what I found.”
Faye scoffed, but Molly was genuinely curious. She put up a hand to stop him from rambling. “Before you go on, did you retrieve all the individuals from the club?”
“Yes.”
“Clean everything up?”
“Yes.”
“Amachon?”
“Dealing with them.” Ben bounced as he held his tablet close to his chest. “Can I tell you yet?”
“Go ahead.”
Faye shot Molly a look of annoyance, but Molly focused on Benjamin. He clearly had something the wanted to share, and she wasn’t about to ignore him. Faye sat on her bike while Molly stood next to her and waited for Ben to go on.
“Okay, so while you were gone, I found something.”
“You found something in that short period of a time?” Faye sneered.
Ben shot her a glare. “Not all of us are lazy.”
“Ouch.” She smiled at him through her false hurt.
“Enough,” Molly interjected. “What did you discover?”
“A manifest.” Ben handed his tablet over. “I don’t know why I didn’t find it before.”
“Because you weren’t looking,” Faye muttered.
Molly’s lips parted, but she couldn’t find the words she wanted, so she ignored Faye and focused on the screen in front of her. Ben wasn’t lying. The document was full of hate for Tainted, particularly those who were immortal, which meant pure witches and vampires. She skimmed through it, flipping page after page of hate for the control they exerted. Anyone who had hundreds of years of experience would have control over their gifts.
Handing it to Faye, she turned to Ben. “When was it written?”
“Within the last couple years.”
“Why is there so much hatred of vampires then? Faye and Marcellus are the only vampires living.”
“I’ve only read it through once and haven’t done any searches on keywords to match it up with potential previous documents, but I’d think it’s pretty obvious. Vampires are the epitome of immortals.”
“Yeah, except we were all but exterminated.” Faye wrinkled her nose, handing the tablet back to Ben. “So much for immortal.”
“She’s not wrong.” Molly crossed her arms. “I don’t know about this. It seems too convenient.”
“Yeah,” Faye agreed.
“What?” Ben’s eyes widened. “It’s not. I spent hours searching for this.”
“And it just happened to show up after Faye and I learned who was dealing and making this drug? Call me skeptical, but I don’t trust it.”
Faye pressed her lips together. “Not to mention I still don’t get why. Why would another Tainted attack all other Tainted? It makes no sense to me.”
“Purity is one reason, but I have never known a faerie to be racist toward other Tainted. Ever, and I have known my fair share of them.”
“You would,” Faye accused.
Ben’s gaze bounced from one to the other before he sighed. “All right, so bypassing that statement, no one else could have made the drug.”
“Even if they did make it,” Molly stated, “that doesn’t explain why. And then there’s the issue Aliya.”
“What issue?” Ben asked.
Molly looked around the garage. She really didn’t want to be having the conversation out in the open. Her office was a much better place, where she could control the environment and where she knew there would be no prying ears listening in.
“Where’s Malek?”
“With Joel. Why?”
Molly waved her hand and closed the garage door as she stalked through the door. Ben and Faye followed her, Ben quickly and Faye dragging her feet. Molly didn’t stop until she was in her office, and as soon as the three of them were inside, she locked the door.
“Aliya, I believe, was under the influence of a greater force.”
“Why do you say that?” Faye asked.
“Did she act normal to you?”
“No, but that whole situation was messed up.”
“Benjamin, what else have you found?”
“Just this so far.”
“Keep looking. I want to know who came up with the formula for that drug. All right?”
“Got it, boss.” Ben skittered away, leaving Faye and Molly alone.
Faye pursed her lips and stared at Molly with a raised eyebrow.
“What?” Molly asked.
“Are you going to share with the class what you’re thinking or do I have to guess?”
“The door.”
Faye waved her hand and the door slammed shut and the lock moved into place. Molly sat on the edge of the couch, brushing her hands under her butt as she moved. Faye remained standing, lording over her.
“Watching Aliya tonight was eerily similar to watching a turned vampire from a born vampire, one who is under the influence of its master.”
“I have not turned anyone.” Faye paled.
Molly shook her head and waved her hands, trying to calm Faye down. “No, I don’t think that. Sit down, please.”
Faye plopped down on the couch.
“I realize you haven’t seen that as you weren’t alive the last time it happened, but the amount of power and influence someone had over her was very strong. There is magic that can do that, but it is blood magic and there are not many witches who know how to use it.”
“Are there any other methods of control like that?”
Molly drew in a deep breath. “Some telepaths can. Certain Elementals, though that gift is very rare.”
Faye gnawed on her lip. “So what are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking we have only scratched the surface.”
Faye nodded. “I agree. But I’m not entirely sure where to go from here in terms of searching for another answer.”
“Ben will find something.”
“You’re placing a lot of trust in a man who has barely stepped foot in his work area in weeks.”
Molly frowned. “I agree, but he will come around. It’s natural for him to be overwhelmed and distracted right now.”
“Maybe.”
“I’m serious. Give him some room to grow. He certainly gave it to you.”
Faye folded her arms in a pout, leaning into the couch. Molly tried to hide the quirk of her lips, but she couldn’t. Turning into Faye, she cupped her cheek before trailing a hand downward over Faye’s breast and arms to her belly and hip.
“I think we should celebrate.”
“Celebrate what? You just said it was all a bunch of bullshit anyway.”
“But we did take down the dealer and main manufacturer of the drug. Let’s celebrate that win for today, yes?”
“By celebrate…do you mean…?”
“What else would I mean, Faye? I used plenty of magic tonight. I should think after your blood loss a reciprocation of gifts would be welcome.”
“Is that all it is?” Faye’s slate-gray eyes were wide.
“Hardly.” Molly raised her hand up and dragged her thumb across Faye’s lower lip. “You know that by now, whether you’ll admit it or not.”
They held the silence, Molly staring deep into those beautiful eyes she couldn’t get out of her mind. Finally, with a light smile, Molly pushed Faye down onto the couch, covering her body. The bond was there in an instant. Molly barely had to work for it. Faye’s cheeks flushed as she was overwhelmed with Molly’s emotions, but she wasn’t going to hold back any longer. Faye needed to know everything.
###
Faye was completely naked, her body warm, or rather hot, as she pried her eyes open to find the sun staring back at her. It had been ages since she’d slept through dawn. She turned to get off the bed, but a hand pressed to her chest, curling around her as hot breath rushed against her back.
“Don’t move.”
Faye chuckled. “Molly, it’s past dawn.”
“The house will survive.”
Faye settled down where she had been, taking Molly’s hand in hers and folding their fingers together. Molly definitely wasn’t going back to sleep, but she could appreciate Molly’s desire to stay put in the warmth of the bed after a busy few days.
“You know someone will come find you sooner rather than later.”
“Please don’t let it be Malek,” Molly whispered.
Faye licked her lips and turned over. She brushed fingers over Molly’s lips, staring into those dark brown, nearly black eyes. Curling her Molly’s long tresses around her fingers, Faye sighed. “What is it you have against him?”
