4. Foolish Trust
Chapter 4
Foolish Trust
Jared
F or once, the sound of a Harley engine did nothing to ease me, and it brought me not a shred of comfort as I made my way far from the wreckage that used to be my cabin. Even the truck I had used to get there only last night was now to be nothing but a novelty after falling into the pit the HellHounds had emerged from.
Fragments of the battle between Garmr’s army and myself kept scratching away at my soul, but nothing was more haunting than that of watching Ella jump into that portal to save me. I could barely think, let alone be sound enough of mind to make decisions on what to do next. Because as much as what I had told my brother of taking my men into Hell, the truth was like being plunged into an icy lake, with shards of realization stabbing me all over.
For I had no fucking clue where in Hell she was.
Gods, but I couldn’t even be sure she was in Hell. She could have been in any realm. It was like scouring the world over only to find there were ten others left to search. And that was only the Realms I knew about, for there were many more that I did not.
Meaning that I had not one fucking clue as to where to start looking for her, and not having a starting point was the hardest part about it all. No, that was not true. Knowing that she had freely done this was worse.
She should have fucking ran!
She should have let me fight to the death and take my last dying breath knowing she was safe. But even as I thought it, I knew that wasn’t my girl. It wasn’t in Ella to run, no matter how much I begged her to escape the fight. Because the love I had for her was not one-sided and, therefore, neither was the sacrifice.
Which meant there was only one place left for me to go…
Afterlife.
Thankfully, my men weren’t far away. They were staying in a house we kept for times when we were needed at the club. However, what had been a once joyous occasion had quickly shifted into that of a nightmare. Hence why I rode like the Devil himself had ordered his beasts to nip at my wheels. The foresight of keeping a spare motorcycle in an old barn not far from the cabin was one that I was now thankful for, despite it taking a few attempts at getting started.
So, with one last look at the carnage that had torn through the cabin, my brother and I were on our bikes, tearing it out of there. Well, after Orthrus had commented wryly,
“Bet you’re real glad you fixed that boiler and all the other shit wrong with this place.”
“It can fucking burn for the pain it has caused me. Next time, I will be taking a page out of the Vampire’s book and buying myself a fucking mountain fortress!” I growled before kicking the foot peg into gear.
“Says the guy who lives in a fucking cave,” I heard my brother mutter, even over the sound of the Harley Dyna.
As for my men, they joined us on route, which meant by the time we arrived at Afterlife, I had a small army with me. But there was only one I looked for the moment I was off my bike, and that was Marcus.
If the journey had offered me only one thing, it was time. Time for my mind to play through all the painful ‘what if’s’. And unfortunately for my Seeker, who I recently learned was far more than that demoted title, all answers led straight to him. Which was why I snarled out the question,
“Where is the fool?!”
Each of my men sent nervous glances toward the other, knowing it had been quite some time since I had referred to my best friend as such that was not meant in jest, but in anger.
“He chose to stay at Afterlife last night,” Satish was the first to tell me.
I gritted my teeth, feeling my muscle straining against the clothes I had changed into after my brother practically shoved me into the bathroom, telling me to at least wash the blood off my body. An act I was loathed to waste the time doing, but he had a point, telling me I would achieve nothing by turning up at Afterlife all bloody and naked. Nor would I get there any quicker if done so in my HellBeast form, something I had been very close to doing.
But once again, he was the voice of reason, reminding me that I would help no one by losing control… and we both knew how close to the edge I was of doing that. All I needed was my HellBeast to take hold and not release me again, and we would all be fucked!
Besides, I hated to admit that he was right, washing the scent of the fight and my failure off my skin certainly helped in calming my arse down.
I may have felt calmer, but it did not change the fact that no matter how many times Orthrus tried to tell me that no one would have had a chance against such odds, especially in the mortal realm where admittedly I was at my weakest, I didn’t want to listen.
I had lost the fight.
But worse yet… I had failed in protecting her.
My Chosen one.
Meaning this wasn’t just simply a hit to my ego but more like receiving a fiery lash to my soul. So yeah, I was beyond pissed by the time I forced open the locked doors to Afterlife, having no patience to wait for someone to come and let me in. The metal snapped like soft clay and the heavy doors slammed back against the walls, echoing in the large open space of the club.
Of course, this was enough of a wakeup call because by the time my men and I were upstairs in the VIP area, the back doors that led into Dom’s home were being slammed open by the man himself.
The second he saw me he instantly asked,
“Jared, what happened? Ella, where is she?” This last question was asked after he saw who was missing from my side, causing my knuckles to crack as my hands formed fists by my sides. But before I could answer, Marcus appeared through a side door, one I knew led to most of the guest quarters Afterlife had to offer.
“J, just wait, you need to listen!” he started to say the second I growled at the sight of him.
“You’re a fucking Oracle, Marcus! A FUCKING ORACLE!”
At this he flinched back, swallowing hard when hearing the Hellish side of me seeping through the cracks Ella’s actions had created.
“So, what? You gonna tell me that you didn’t fucking know? Or what is it this time, someone fucking drug you again? Alcohol go to your fucking head?” I bellowed, hammering two fingers against the side of my head to emphasize my point.
I was quickly losing my shit.
I then stormed my way over to him, only stopping from tearing his arse in two when my brother became the wall between us.
“Easy, brother,” Orth said.
“I see what Janus wishes me to see, you know that! He knows of my connection to you and where my loyalty lies, J, if she is supposed to be in Hell, then he wouldn’t risk me knowing so as I could stop the coming of the prophecy,” Marcus said, making me snarl in anger before snapping,
“Fuck his prophecy!”
“Does someone want to tell me what the fuck is going on here? And more importantly, where the fuck is my niece?!” Dom barked in anger, making my heckles rise. Hence why I lost any of that good sense my brother had been hoping for and ignored him, instead gritting out the only part in this I needed.
“Where in Hell, Marcus?”
He lowered his head and told me,
“She’s gone home, J.”
At this I slipped around my brother, knowing he wasn’t expecting it, and had Marcus by the collar before anyone could stop me. Then I slammed my friend up against the wall, losing myself completely before taking his throat in my hand. My arm changed to that of my Beast as that other part of me rippled along my skin, tearing past my mortal being. My voice changed and I felt my eyes burn with Hellfire as I roared,
“HER HOME IS WITH ME!”
Marcus turned his face to the side at my furious outburst, one that even my brother couldn’t contain as I felt him trying to tear me away from my friend.
“NOW WHERE IS SHE?!” I demanded, causing Marcus to close his eyes.
“She will… be in the…Underworld,” he stammered out as I squeezed harder, only letting go when I felt another’s hand at my wrist, calming my HellBeast enough this time that it instantly turned back to that of a man with a single touch.
I turned to look at who it was, to see who tried to calm me, and the moment I saw beautiful eyes of stormy blue, I instantly relaxed. I didn’t know how she had that effect on the Kings, but not for the first time it had me questioning whether this was part of her gift. It couldn’t be denied that the moment I was faced with Keira looking back up at me, I did as she asked.
“We will find her… now let go of your friend, Jared,” she commanded gently, making me release him before stepping away.
“How long have you known, Marcus? And don’t fucking lie to me!?” I snapped, looking back at the man I felt I no longer knew. The moment he hung his head slightly, I had my painful answer.
He had known all this time.
“I couldn’t tell you, J… I…”
I turned my back on him at that point, my pained expression making me close my eyes against the betrayal I felt. All this time he could have prevented so much… so much fucking pain .
He could have prevented it all and he didn’t… not once.
“Please… please understand, I wanted to tell you but if I did, then Fate wouldn’t happen the way it should… I couldn’t commit the same sin twice, not after what happened the last time,” he pleaded, and I couldn’t help but grimace, every muscle in me turning to stone. As for everyone else, they all stood around us, frozen in sight of the most pinnacle moment in our friendship to date.
“No, no…” I whispered as the pain of betrayal ripped through me.
“I didn’t have a choice… You have to believe me… I…”
I turned back to face him, my features hard and my words to be even harder, when telling him,
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong, Marcus. You see, I no longer have to believe a damn thing you say. For once upon a time, I would have trusted my life in your seeker hands, just like I trusted Ella’s life in them also… but I see now who the real fool has been, for I never should have trusted you at all.”
At this his painted features looked close to crumbling away like ash as his face showed the rare expression of sorrow. But I could stand it no longer as I turned my back on him and issued a banishment.
“The fool no longer holds a seat at my table and his position on my council is no more!” I told my men, surprisingly making my brother take a step forward.
“Brother, you need to think ab—” He never finished because I went toe to toe with him and snarled,
“All I need is my men to yield to my rule and listen to whatever the fuck I say. And what I say is fucking law!”
Orthrus took a step back, and I ignored the sadness I saw in his eyes, letting my own sadness burn away, fueled by my fury. Then I walked away and issued the only command that would ever matter…
“…Now someone find me my fucking queen!”