Chapter 24 #3
“I am sorry, Imogen; I can’t do that,” he says glancing back toward the door nervously that leads to the quadrangle. I peer up and people stop, looking in at me, their curious faces watching me argue with the elf. I turn my back on them before hitting the door with my fist.
“Imogen, I wouldn’t do that, you could hurt yourself.
There are wards all around the place. You are human; it could have a negative impact on you,” he tries to warn me.
I don’t care. Just wanting out, I push on the doors with both hands and to my shock and the shock of everyone else watching, the doors flew open, banging loudly on the sandstone of the building.
I gaze at my hands, shocked with how hard I must have been pushing them for it to fly open like that.
“How, I don’t understand, how did you do that?”
“Beats me but I’m out of here,” I say, stomping out the doors and heading toward the car, I can see on the other side of the shiny veil. How did I not noticed it before. I can see it glimmering slightly.
“Imogen, you must wait,” Percy calls out to me.
I ignore the strange elf and stalk through, feeling the weird suction sensation and the loud ringing in my ears, as I’m sucked out through the bizarre portal into the real world.
My world. I come to the edge of the road looking in both directions.
I have no idea how to get home, I don’t even pay attention on the drive here.
I’m unfamiliar with the area. I only know the direction in which we pulled up.
I walked over to the car. Pulling on the handle I was shocked to find it unlocked.
I jumped in the driver’s seat and smiled when I see the keys dangling from the ignition.
I start Tobias’s car. I put the car in reverse before stomping on the gas, reversing out and hitting the tree next to the gate, not used to the speed.
I fall forward only just catching myself before my face smacks on the steering wheel.
I quickly clip my seat belt in. My heart is hammering in my chest, then I laugh.
Tobias and Theo both love their cars. Whoops!
I turned the car around and pull out, hitting the gas, before the car jerk forward at a speed that would normally petrify me.
I go over a dip in the road, the car bottoming out, as I head for what I hope is the City.
I can’t help the sadistic laugh when I hear the front bar of the car come off from the force of the front hitting the cattle grid I run over, leaving the bumper and ripping the grill off.
They were going to kill me. I press my foot down again.
After driving for a few minutes, I see a sign saying the City is eighteen miles away.
I slow for the bend before jamming the brakes on as Theo stands in the middle of the road with an enraged look on his face.
I wasn’t fast enough, and I ploughed into him.
I close my eyes, so I don’t watch as the car is about to run over the top of him, both my feet on the brake trying to get the car to stop in time.
I jerk forward smacking into the steering wheel.
My hands instantly go to my head. I can feel blood trickling down the side of my face.
I pull my fingers back from my head. I’ve cut my forehead open on the steering wheel.
Peering up I see Theo with both hands on the bonnet leaving a full impression of his hands. He stops the car. The look on his face, I can tell he is furious.
I start pulling at my seat belt trying to get it off, managing to get out and climb halfway over to the back seat just as the driver side door is ripped completely off by Tobias.
He grabs my ankle pulling me back into the driver’s seat.
I kick him and slap him. Tobias rips me from the car, my feet dangling in the air.
He slams me back into the rear driver’s side.
I flinch at the impact of slamming into the door, my back aching from the force, knocking the air out my lungs leaving me winded.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he screams. I do the only thing I can think of seeing as my arms are pinned in his hands against the car. I throw my head forward headbutting him, though I’m fairly sure it hurts me more than him.
He drops me and I fall on my knees clutching my head.
Man, he has a hard head. I can feel a lump already forming above my eyebrow.
Peering up, Tobias breaks his nose back in place before growling, making my hairs stand on end.
I crawl to the back tire pulling myself to my feet. My surroundings spin as I stand.
I scream when cold hands grab me, pulling me against them. I know it’s Theo. He puts me on the boot of the car holding me in place with one arm while I struggle and kick at him.
“Stop!” he screams, punching the boot right next to my head, leaving a huge dent.
I freeze, fear consuming me as his eyes turn red.
He leans in closer, and I fear he is going to attack me.
His arm around my waist grows tighter, his hand on my shoulder forcing me down.
I slap him, the sound echoing and my hand stinging from the force.
He growls before ripping me off the boot and yanking me forward, when suddenly I hear her voice.
“Let her go now, Theo. I will not watch you treat your mate that way.” Caroline screams, furious at her son.
He lets go and I stumble back, leaning against the boot.
Tobias grabs my handbag out of the car. He is livid and his shirt has blood on it from his already healed nose.
He glares at me before shoving my bag back in my hands.
I flinch under the look he gives me. I feel their anger running through me from the bond.
“That’s enough, both of you. Can’t you tell you’re scaring her. Come here, Imogen,” she says. I look toward her and can see Josiah waiting in the car a little up the road. Shaking his head, clearly annoyed. I run toward Caroline preferring to be in her presence than her sons’.
“Clean this mess up, I am taking her home,” she says before pulling me toward her car.
I can hear Theo and Tobias growl, but they don’t argue back at her.
I honestly think they are too scared to.
Caroline, I can tell, is the sort of mother who will give them a dose of their own medicine if they defy her. She squeezes my shoulder softly.
“I’m sorry about them, Imogen; they shouldn’t have carried on like that. I’m not defending their behavior, but they became quite panicked when they realized you managed to get past the wards,” she says.
“Did Percy let you out?” she asks curiously. I shake my head.
“Well, that is interesting,” she says thoughtfully. She opens the rear car door and I climbs in.
Josiah looks in the rear-view mirror at me, his eyes crinkled slightly, and I could tell he was smiling.
“Remind me to never let you borrow my car,” he says with a wink.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. Their car is a total right off now.
Especially after Theo destroyed the front end.
Josiah pulls away, driving around the wrecked car.
I can see Tobias is on the phone and see Theo arguing with him, both throwing their hands in the air obviously arguing with each other.
Theo steps closer indicating for Josiah to roll down the window.
“Drop her off at home, we won’t be long,” he says, sending a glare my way in the back. I cringe back, pushing myself into the seat.
“I won’t be leaving if I feel you are a threat to the girl in any way, Theo. You made this mess, you clean it,” she says leaning over her husband and glaring at her son. He stands straight before giving his mother a nod and turning away from the car.
“Hungry, dear? We will grab dinner on the way home,” she says.
I nod, feeling a little awkward. Why is she being so nice, even Josiah?
We stop by a Chinese place on the way home.
When we pull up to the house, Theo and Tobias are sitting on the step out the front.
I can feel their guilt through the bond, but I ignore it, they don’t deserve forgiveness after that.
They told me she was dead, let me believe she wasn’t an issue and now she just decided my fate, as if finding out they lied wasn’t enough.
She gets the last laugh; I never did anything to her, yet she can choose my death.
I wipe a stray tear as it falls running down my cheek.
Opening the car door, I get my bag and walk past them into the house, ignoring their pleas to let them explain.
No amount of pleading will make me forgive them this time; I want the truth.
But even then, would it be the truth coming from them or just another lie, another excuse?
We all sit awkwardly at the dining table eating.
Tobias and Theo’s eyes never leave me when Caroline announces that they will be leaving.
My heart skips a beat. I don’t want to be left alone with them.
I didn’t want to be around them. Seeing my panic, Caroline stands and places a hand on my shoulder.
“I will be back tomorrow” she says.
“We have work tomorrow, you will have to come to the office,” Tobias says, his eyes never leaving my face.
“I’m not going, you can go by yourself” I spit at him not even bothering to look at him. He growls but one look from his mother makes him shut up.
“I will come over first, okay?” she says, gazing down at me.
I can feel through the bond Theo and Tobias don’t want me anywhere they aren’t.
Well, they are going to have to suck it up.
I have no intention of spending more time than necessary with them.
Caroline and Josiah eventually leave, leaving me alone with my mates.
When I can’t handle their stares anymore or the awkward silence. I get up and head upstairs.