CHAPTER 21
Frankie
“A aah!” I scream, pulling at my hair. God, he pisses me off. Thinks he can tell me what to do. I’ll find a way to get my brother back whether he helps me or not. The tears I’ve been holding back finally break free.
Frustrated, I walk to my room and see the broken bed. I rub my mating mark, remembering last night. Remembering the way my soul called to Zarreth when we mated. The way it still calls to him.
I pile books under my bedframe, leveling it the best I can. I’ll never see my brother again. The heaviness in my heart becomes too much to bear as I sink onto my bed, laying my head on my pillow. I curl onto my side and let it all out, crying until no tears are left.
My door opens as Jess walks into my room. “Zarreth called me. He didn’t tell me what happened, just that you needed...” She stops talking when she sees the bed. “This doesn’t look safe,” she mumbles to herself, cautiously sitting on the edge before rubbing my back. “What happened?”
It hurts to say it out loud, but I somehow manage to push past the tightness in my throat and say it, anyway. “Aradon has Nate, and I made Zarreth leave because he won’t help me save him.” The tears I thought had dried up come rushing back, as if summoned by the weight of my words.
Jess’ jaw drops in shock. “What? Nate’s in the Dark Realm?”
I watch her reaction change from confusion to sympathy as I nod my head. She pulls me close, not saying anything, knowing I don’t like talking about emotions.
I cling to her for what feels like an eternity before letting go, eyes burning and puffy from crying so much tonight.
Jess wipes the tears from her eyes, her brows knitting together with concern as she sees my chest. “Oh, honey, you mated.”
“Yeah, what a day. Find my mate and lose my brother at the same time. But fuck Zarreth, right? If he doesn’t want to help me, I’ll find another way.”
Jess raises her eyebrows. “Frankie, you know you can’t go after Nate. I’m sorry, but I’m with Zarreth on this one.”
I scoff, pulling farther away from her. What is she talking about? She, out of everyone, should understand why I need to do this. She knows how much Nate and I have been through. “What do you mean you’re on Zarreth’s side? I can’t just leave Nate there. He would come for me in a heartbeat, and I’ll do the same for him.”
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but going after Nate would be a suicide mission. Isn’t Aradon the same demon who tortured Zarreth and Ronin for the past twenty years? You’re crazy if you think you can save your brother from a monster like him.”
Deep down inside, buried beneath my grief, I know she’s right. But I will die trying to save my brother. “If you think I would put my life over my brother’s, then you don’t know me as well as you should.”
Her lips purse into a tight line as she processes what I said. Hurt flashes in her eyes, followed by anger. “If you think I’ll just sit back and let you do this, then you don’t know me as well as you should.”
Damnit why doesn’t anyone understand why I need to do this? Of course I know it’s dangerous, but they can’t just expect me to sit here, doing nothing. I rub my temples. “I can’t do this right now. I’m going to bed.” It’s still early, but I can’t handle the heartbreak, and I’m sick of arguing with everyone. Maybe sleep will offer me a temporary escape from it all.
“Fine,” Jess throws her hands in the air. “But you can’t just push people out of your life because you’re hurt. You have people who care about you, Frankie, you’re just too stubborn to see it.”
I pull the covers over my head, ignoring her. I know I’m acting childish, but I hurt so much. I just need to be alone.
I hear Jess huff in frustration, her footsteps retreating. “I’ll let you hide for one day, but after that you need to take your grief and channel it into your training if you have any hope of possibly saving Nate.”
Not long after I hear the front door slam, Ms. Kitty comes into my room and hops on my bed. “At least you’re on my side,” I say, scratching her behind the ear.
I hear commotion coming from outside. “Is that all you got, pussy?” You’ve got to be kidding me. No one ever listens to me!
I look out the window and see Zarreth and Ronin sparring in my back yard. Ugh! I told him to leave, not prance around flexing his stupid muscles, sweat tracing a path down his chiseled abs. His wings catch the air with a graceful fluidity as he maneuvers around Ronin. I return my gaze to his face, our eyes locking as he smirks. I flip him off, making his smile widen further.
Asshole! I quickly pull down the shade before crawling back into bed. I should stomp outside and punch Zarreth in his infuriatingly hot face. Why does he have to be so attractive? It would feel so good to be in his arms right now…if he wasn’t such a dick. Instead, I grab Ms. Kitty and cuddle her until I fall asleep.
“Get the fuck up. I called Ronin.” I hear the shade being raised as sunlight spills into the room. My head is pounding from all the crying I did last night. What the hell?
I sit up, flipping the blankets down. “What? Why? You know I want nothing to do with Zarreth.”
Jess digs through my dresser and throws clothes at me. “Ronin promised not to bring Zarreth or even mention his name, but you need to start training. Ronin said he would help you.”
“Fine! When do we start?” I ask.
“In about thirty minutes,” she says, an innocent look on her face.
I grimace. “Sometimes I want to throat-punch you.”
She bats her eyelashes at me. “I love you too!”
Two hours later, I’m running past Ronin, dripping sweat. “Keep going Frances!” he yells. “You’re almost done.” He’s leaning one hip against my car, typing on his phone.
I add him to my list of future throat-punch victims as a sharp pain stabs me in my side. My lungs burn, making breathing a struggle. I’m so out of shape, but at least my heart is pounding in my chest for a reason other than anxiety. Fuck everyone, especially Zarreth for adding to this.
Ronin makes me sprint up and down the old dirt road connected to my driveway. I stop every two minutes to do push-ups, crunches, and squats. Jess started running with me, but now she’s sitting cross-legged on the trunk of my car, eating a scone.
My muscles ache with exhaustion. I don’t see how running and doing sit-ups will help me control my nonexistent powers. I wonder if Ronin is secretly trying to punish me on Zarreth’s behalf.
I finish the workout, catching Jess and Ronin talking about me as I make my way over to them.
“I bet she only lasts two days,” Ronin says.
“Ha, you don’t know how stubborn Frankie can be. I bet she makes it a week before she gives in,” Jess says.
“What the hell? Are you two seriously betting on me?” I ask, twisting the top off my water bottle. Cool liquid soothes my parched throat as I take a drink before collapsing on the grass next to my car. I remove my sweaty shoes and run my hot feet over the cool grass.
A cloud of smoke emerges, warmth enveloping me in a soft embrace before he appears. My nerves immediately calm in his presence. Have I always felt this way around him, or is it because we mated?
“I bet she takes me back by the end of the day,” Zarreth says, flaring his wings wide, showing off an impressive span.
I quickly look away, hiding my attraction to him. Why does he have to be so hot? “What the hell? You guys said he wasn’t going to be here!” Fucking assholes. I’m so tired of everyone lying to me.
Jess gives me a guilty smile. “As your best friend, it’s my obligation to step in when you’re being a dumbass. I’m simply invoking that right. I’m not letting your stubborn ass get you killed. A crazy demon is after you, so you need all the help you can get. Suck it up. You don’t have to talk to him, you don’t even have to be nice to him, but you need to stop this.”
I exhale sharply. I know she’s right. I don’t have to like Zarreth, but it would be dumb to turn away his help. “You’re right…”
Jess gasps dramatically, holding her chest. “Do my ears deceive me?” she mocks. “Is Frankie Hart finally coming around?”
I roll my eyes. “I’m sorry for being so irrational, and I really do appreciate you guys helping me.”
Zarreth takes a step towards me with a sweet smile on his face. I look at him like he’s crazy. “Don’t get any ideas. We may be mated, but it doesn’t mean I have to like you right now. I’m still pissed you won’t take me to the Dark Realm.”
His smile turns into a cocky smirk. “That’s okay, you’re sexy when you’re pissed.”
I shake my head. It’s just my luck being mated to someone so irritating.