“It didn’t matter how much they hurt me. I never gave up. I never stopped yelling your name. I never stopped dreaming of you.” He stared at me with longing. Anthony, still by the window, gave a small sniff, his only show of emotion.
“Eventually the torture stopped—it didn’t work anyway. I was back to waiting, watching television, the time passing slowly by. Every once in a while, I would be force fed another potion, or a witch or warlock would come in and try another spell.
“About three weeks ago, an idea popped into my head. All I had to do was fake it.All I needed to do waspretendI couldn’t remember you. It was that simple!”
Anthony turned. “Why didn’t you do that before?”
“I just didn’t think of it.” Michael looked lost.
“The next potion was brought in, and I pretended to collapse after drinking it. In reality, it had no effect on me.” He shrugged. “But I put on a big show with convulsions, then I faked passing out.
“I laid there with my eyes closed until I really did fall asleep. When I woke, I acted confused. I yelled through the door for you two, my brothers, to come save me. The men heard me and came and questioned me.”
He laughed, triumphant. “It worked. They asked me my name, birthday, that sort of thing. My age and the current year. I told them I thought it was the year before we met, Riles. I fed them a line about the three of us searching for our mate.
“They told me I’d been in a terrible accident, something about a rockslide. They said many years had passed and I’d been unconscious. I was told to lie down, and rest and my mother and friends would come get me. Then they locked me inside again.
“They questioned me once or twice a day.” He smiled at me. “In the end, they believed me. They told me you were on your way, but that you’d been delayed.”
Michael stood and joined Anthony at the window. “I started to get small bouts of freedom. I was allowed to walk in the gardens, under their supervision, of course. They said they feared I might relapse and couldn't be left alone outdoors. I was allowed bathroom and shower time.
“I began trying to contact you, Riley.” Michael pleaded with me to understand. “I homed in on our blood bond and talked to you constantly. I could tell when you’d hear me. It was like the words would begin to resonate in my head. I couldfeelyou hearing me.”
“Michael,” said Anthony, “who'sthey? You keep saying they.” Anthony’s voice was nasally, like he was stuffed up. He was fighting tears.
“It was always the same three. They wouldn't tell me their names, but I’d recognize them if I ever saw them again. Once a few days passed without incident, they began allowing me to have more blood. Then the day came that they let me out for a walk with only one of them to watch over me. The others were called away.”
He waved his hand toward me. “It makes sense now. They left to chase after you three. At the time, I was thankful for the reprieve. A few weeks passed, and the solitary guard came to take me to shower. I was ready—I was strong, and I’d dismantled the bed. I waited behind the door and when he stepped in the room, I bashed his head in with the bedpost. I killed him. I don't know his name, and I killed him.”
Michael looked me in the eyes as he told me he killed someone. I nodded, and he paced the room as he finished his story. Elias moved to sit beside me and put his hand on my back. It was instinctive to lean against him, I didn’t even notice my movement. Michael opened his mouth to speak and stopped, staring at me leaning against Elias.
“When did this happen?” he asked, gesturing to us.
“Mike, man, this has been a long time coming. When we were told you were dead, we started watching over her. I made my way into her life as a trainer. Anthony watched from the sidelines, never truly meeting her, but we were both entranced. You know better than anyone, she’s completely alluring.” It was fascinating, listening to Elias talk about me as if I wasn’t there. I didn’t stop leaning against him—he’d been my rock for four years. As thrilled as I was to see Michael, I needed to feel Elias's steadiness behind me.
“What do you mean a trainer?” Michael asked.
“I posed as an ex-Marine. She’d been training in every self-defense class she could find. I offered to take her on and train her to fight. She was a woman obsessed,” he said, looking down at me lovingly. “I’ve never been so proud of someone, Michael. I would trust her against any human and half the Unseen out there. She was born to fight.”
“I was tired of being scared.” I needed to explain my life change. “I was terrified whoever took you was going to return. I spent the first year terrified. Once I made up my mind to never be scared again, I started training. I learned my way around a gun too. Now, I’m not scared anymore. At least, I wasn’t until I learned there are people, creatures out there so strong that I don’t stand a chance.” I glared at Anthony, the memory of how easily he’d disabled me in my mind.
Anthony burst out laughing. “My Coya, you were a little hellcat the day I met you. If I’d been a human male, you would’ve taken me out.” He chuckled and leaned back; his eyes glued to mine. “When you drink from the spring, you'll grow even stronger. With the training Elias gave you, you'll be able to challenge any Supay alive.”
He looked at Michael’s stupefied expression. “We love her, Michael. I believe she cares deeply for us, though she may not be in love yet. I’m sure she still loves you. We may still be able to have our dream of loving a woman together.”
Michael’s mouth fell open. “I can’t think about that yet. I’m too overwhelmed by being with the three of you again. We’ll sort that part out,” he said, sitting down on the couch beside Anthony.
“Once I got out of the building and off the grounds, I had to figure out where I was. I was near salt water—I smelled it. I traveled toward the smell and found an elderly couple sitting alone on a private beach.
“I used my ability and put them in a bit of a daze. They told me I was in Barred Harbor, Maine.”
Elias's body jerked. “You weren’t with the Supay, Michael. You were with the Fae. The leader of the Juntahadto have known where you were. The Fae have a hidden home in Eastern Maine.”
“I may have been in a home of the Fae, but my guards were definitely Supay,” Michael replied. “It was far too easy to get out of the house. I think my guard was the only other one there at the time. The house was enormous, so instead of getting lost inside, I made my way to the gardens and scaled the wall.
“The elderly couple supplied me with my location. Then I grilled them about their own financial situation. I’d lucked out and stumbled upon two wealthy people. I urged them to give me money, and the man gave me several hundred dollars from his wallet.”
“I got their business card too. We’ll return the money, Riley,” Michael was quick to reassure me, seeing the shocked expression on my face. “The money got me a cab into the city of Bar Harbor. From there, I was able to charm blood from a small hospital and get another cab to the airport outside the city.
