“Will do.” With that Andrei left.
Alek could forgive many things but not the people who killed his people. He’d never forgive them for as long as he lived.
Lanias
Entering her apartment, Lanias barely looked at the mail that was piled near the doorway. Dmitri followed her silently inside; she wasn’t sure how she felt having such a staunch shadow. Some reckless part of her wanted to bolt, just to see the look on his face. Her magic wasn’t ready yet though and getting caught would be more annoying than worth it. Heading directly for her room, she wondered if this is how it was for Eliza when she’d run away with Malcolm.
She couldn’t help smiling at the thought, though she wasn’t being “kidnapped.” No matter how Alek thought he was taking advantage of her situation.
She was the one using him.
There was no way she could fight those damn Surrem alone. The memory of the pain she’d suffered was still fresh in her mind.
And one thing Lanias wasn’t, was stupid.
The best thing to fight against a god-like being, was an immortal who had a penchant for violence. She entered her bedroom, only to feel her shadow still behind her. She turned around, “Is it a custom of your kind to follow a woman into her bedroom?”
He frowned, “I was told to keep you safe.”
“Oh, no. I might trip and fall in my bed. Are you going to fall in with me?” She said her sarcasm was thick. “I don’t think your father wanted you to protect me in every situation.”
She gave him a slow once over. “Of course, if you insist, we may test the limits.”
He took a quick step back, those brilliant blue and silver eyes moving away from her. “I will wait here.”
She smirked, “I guess you’re not as brazen as your father.” With that she turned and entered her bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind herself.
Giving her room a hard once-over she clapped her hands together. The appearance of the bedroom disappeared revealing two men seated on a couch that was facing a map on the wall. “How long have you two been here?”
Jion glanced at his brother, his all-white eyes holding amusement. “Since you nearly died fighting a True One.”
Lyon shook his head, snacking on chips that he had in a bowl on his lap. “The fearless Witch being near death was interesting to watch.” He tossed a few chips in his mouth, watching her like she was a live video.
“I allowed you both to live with me and this is how you two treat me.” She clicked her tongue, as she marched toward the closet. “Unseelie are obviously not worth housing.”
“We offer you protection, but only if you give us the key we need to return to our realm.” Lyon said blandly, from wherehe sat now stealing a chip from his brother. “You needed to understand there are consequences in not giving us the key.”
“Well, I am here to tell you,” She shouted from the closet. “I’ve found someone else to watch out for me.”
Lanias poked her head out glaring at them. “Since you two cannot be trusted, and like I’ve said a thousand times before, that “gate” and “key” don’t just happen. The Prophesy was nothing more than a key code my father left his friends who might have wanted to return home.”
She retreated into the closet and manually grabbed her suitcase and started throwing clothes in it. “If anything, I need to figure out how to control this gift of mine.”
Once finished grabbing some clothes she knelt down to drag and place the suitcase inside the fake room. She then entered her bathroom. “Not that you two care. You’re both too obsessed with going to a realm that may or may not exist.”
The only reason she let these two continue their stay with her, was for backup or insurance. Afterall the last attempt she’d made to use the gate she’d ended up near death lying on a random forest floor. Truly believing that she was taking her last breath, Lanias had been alarmed when the two showed up. They’d saved her and offered her protection in exchange for her sending them to their “world” not that Lanias knew how to accomplish such a task after failing so miserably. However, they held their pledge and basically hung around till she could.
Stomping back into the room she tossed down her products and looked down at the mess of items groaning. “I can’t do this.” She snapped her fingers and immediately her magic went to work.
“Witch why are you so impatient, weren’t you supposed to use less magic in case your sisters could sense you.”
Placing her hands on her hips, she looked at them with exasperation. “Look, unless you’ve had the night I’ve had, Iwould suggest you shut it. I’ve dealt with Surrem’s, my father dying and a whole fuck batch of emotional baggage that the only way I can function is to bury it all deep, deep down.” She took a deep breath. “Enough, I will be living with the Vampire until I’ve found what I’m looking for.”
“Is this thing you’re looking for, something that will get us any closer to going home.” Jion asked, placing his bowl aside.
She shrugged, as her suitcase closed on its own and zipped itself.
“Let’s hope so, because I’m getting tired of being stalked.” With that she walked over to the wall that was covered with the clues she’d gathered and waved at it. All of it started to swirl and compile in the air and neatly stacked itself into a file box that sat in the corner.
