‘How is that possible? They just disappeared?’Knots stops his pacing and gives me an inquiring look.
‘Sorry, Knots. If we see them again, we’ll let you know. We’re kinda stuck here,’PawPaw says in a dreary tone.
Knots quirks an eyebrow, and I let out a sigh before shifting back into my Marten form.
‘Come on, Wigglebutt. We don’t have all day,’Knots growls.
‘My ass is pretty amazing. Good to know you can spot perfection.’I start climbing up his back and wrap around his neck, clawing a little deeper than I truly have to. ‘There might be hope for you after all.’
‘Touché, pussycat.’
‘Onward, Outhouse.’
CHAPTER 2
Harpy Heathens
Levi
“Nerezza!” I yell and dive for my woman, but a sharp blade along my neck halts me, causing a tightness in my chest.
Chaos erupts where we once sat as two portals open below, and demons pour out. Shifters rip from their uniforms and engage as my family quickly surrounds Rez.
“I wouldn’t if I were you,” a husky voice whispers.
“Don’t fight us and we’ll tell you what we gave your precious trashcan,” a smoky voice continues on my other side.
I can hear the half-truths in their words.What part are they lying about or, better yet, what are they omitting?
I give them a slight nod before my arms are roughly pulled back and cuffed with dampening cuffs. I don’t feel the strong drain of my powers like I usually would with the spelled items—just another way to reinforce what I already knew.I’m bone dry of magic.
“Careful. Don’t ruin the goods.” That voice I recognize.Angel.
I glimpse my captors as I’m spun around to face the stairs: Angel, the Twilight twins—Myka and Miska—Serafin, Emer, and Marigold. The brief sight is short-lived as they push me off the stage and away from the sounds of fighting. As we walk around the corner of the Administration building, Emer slides up next to me and wraps herself around me, entwining our arms, which is impressive since I’m still cuffed behind my back. As Emer smiles up at me with baby-blue eyes, someone ties a black silk scarf over my eyes, blinding me to my surroundings.
“Is this really necessary?” I ask dryly.
I know this building like the back of my hand from spending countless hours here with Dad. Each hallway is unique in its own way, not just because of its color or material, but also because of tiny flaws. For instance, there’s the slight dip in the middle of the professors’ hall and the rough patch of the wood from an errant curse that makes your shoes catch.
“Sorry, Levi, but we can’t take any chances,” Emer speaks up as she runs a hand down my chest. “We need to go someplace where we won’t be disturbed.”
“And what is it that we are about to do that has the potential to be interrupted? A talk? A stroll? A séance? How about a study group? Need help with class?” I feel a little bit of pride as I fire off questions, knowing that Lynx and Rez would laugh at my words.
It’s not my typical reaction at all, and it does what it intends to do, throw the group off kilter as I feel Emer jerk beside me.
“Uh.. Oh.. Its.. It’s more of a precaution, Leviathan. I can’t trust your family and that filthy piece of garbage to show up and ruin shit again.” She growls and grips my bicep harder. I tense slightly under her words, but try not to show any reaction on my face as she continues to rant about Rez.
“I bet it was her fault that you didn’t show up for our bonding ceremony,” she spits. “Do you know how humiliating that wasfor me? Mymatedidn’t show up for our fucking bonding, all because some damnHUMANstole him?” Her breath heaves out of her chest as our steps echo down the empty hallway, highlighted by the squeaking of our soles.Ahh! We’re at Danger Alley, my father’s hallway.The floors here are polished to a brilliant shine, but only this hallway allows your shoes to squeak, as they are now. I’ve often wondered if it’s a spell, but Father hides that knowledge too close to the chest.
“Do you know how it affected my father?” Emer continues on, not really caring if I reply. “We had to admit we didn’t know where you were and had to rely on your father to handle the issue.”
“I’m sure that was the worst thing that you had to handle in all your life. How in the world could you even handle showing your face in public again?” I deadpan. I roll my eyes behind the silk cloth so hard I see color.
Emer shrieks and digs her claws into my leathers, but I don’t feel it thankfully, and inwardly groan as she finally notices what I’m wearing.
“What in Fates’ name are you wearing? Leather? And is this a fucking corset? Where’s your suit? Did that Sentina make you change into this shit?” she howls as I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
We turn left and start down the stairs, which I know lead to the Nova portal. Unfortunately, I don’t know my way around Nova blindfolded, but the good news is that more people will be around, and seeing me blindfolded and being held at knifepoint might raise some eyebrows and questions.
