Chapter 10
Roman
We call to Ophelia, and I’m relieved when she comes back down alone. I don’t think there’s anything in Ophelia’s room she wouldn’t want Daisy to see.
“She’s trying on some clothes.” Ophelia’s face is set in hard lines, and she’s not her usual, sweet self.
We’ve clearly pissed her off, and I think I understand why.
She’s spent her whole life being controlled by men.
First her father, then the Prophet, and then her father again, who sent her away to that damned institution.
I get up and cross the room. Stopping in front of her, I take her hand, the slight size of it in my much bigger one squeezing my heart.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “We don’t mean to undermine your autonomy, but we really needed Daisy out of here so we could talk.”
“You don’t trust her,” she says sadly.
I tell a white lie. “We don’t trust any outsiders, really. Our main concern is always going to be you, because we love you, and if anything happened to you, it would break us.”
She softens, some of the anger and tension draining from her. Her shoulders relax a little, and her mouth loosens from the tight line it’s been held in.
“We think you should come with us.” I hold her gaze. “If that’s what you want. Even though it means going back near that place, and I know that can’t be easy.”
I’ve suffered trauma, and I recognize how much it takes to face it. Sometimes just a sound, an image, even something as small as catching a scent on the breeze can bring it all slamming back. Then you’re down back in the depths, fighting with all you have to stay afloat.
Blinking rapidly, her eyes glassy, she nods. “I want to come with you. Yes, I’m scared about going anywhere near that compound, but I don’t want to be left here alone.”
Daisy reminded me of something when she talked about the Prophet sensing Ophelia, and I kiss Ophelia’s forehead before stepping back. “Give me a minute.”
Leaving her with the other two guys, I go to the altar room, making sure to be quick.
I don’t want Malachi or Cain to put their great big feet back in it again by saying the wrong thing.
I open a drawer in a small cabinet where I keep items I use for my magic and slide out the pendant.
It’s made from black tourmaline crystal.
I’ve been meaning to give it to Ophelia, but she got taken before I could, and then when we got back here, Daisy was waiting for us. But now is the perfect time.
I rush back to the living room. Ophelia is sitting on Cain’s knee as he runs his fingers through her hair, and she’s examining Mal’s nails, who is sitting beside them on the couch.
“This is for you,” I say to her.
I hold out the necklace, and she drops Mal’s hand and takes it. “Oh, it’s beautiful,” she exclaims.
Malachi looks at it and then back to me. He knows what it means.
“It’s black tourmaline,” I tell her as I take it back and lift her hair to fasten it around her throat. The dark crystal looks beautiful nestled against her pale skin. “It helps absorb negative energy and forms a protective shield around the wearer.”
She looks up at me, her hand closing around it. “It will protect me?”
“It will help.”
“We’ll be there with you, too, baby girl,” Mal says.
“Thank you.” Her words are a whisper.
Unable to fight the urge, I bend down, tip her chin up, and take her mouth in a soft, gentle kiss, relishing the taste of her lips.
I break it off.
Mal takes her chin between his fingers and turns her face to him. “Me too.”
Their kiss is a little longer. When they part, Ophelia sighing happily, Cain taps her thigh.
“You going to leave me out?”
She laughs but gives him a kiss, too, although theirs is more of a smack on the lips as they both chuckle.
“So, what’s the plan?” she says, shuffling around on Cain’s lap.
He groans. “Keep moving like that, Angel, and we won’t be doing any planning other than me planning how to get inside you, and fast.”
“Cain.” Her giggle is happy, and I’m glad she can still have moments of joy among all the shit life keeps throwing her way.
“The plan is, we need to get Cain’s men together, then pack up and leave, to head for the compound.
” I bring us back around to focus on what we need to do, because we don’t have a lot of time.
“I think we ought to speak with Devils and the Vipers to let them know there might be a threat to the college. Even with us gone, the Prophet won’t know that, and he might send men here, so we have a duty to warn them. ”
“How will we get there?” Ophelia asks.
“Take my truck.” Cain shrugs. “It can fit us four and Daisy, too. I know my father’s men have their RV kitted out. They have supplies like food, water, and even tents and things. I can go ask how many they have. The commune is some place in West Virginia, right?”
Ophelia nods. “I couldn’t tell you where, exactly, though.”
“We better hope Daisy can. If we get her close enough, I hope that she’ll be able to lead us to it.” Cain rubs his palm over his mouth.
“It won’t be easy to find,” Ophelia says. “I tried to tell the police about the location after I escaped, but I’d been running through the woods for days, and I completely lost track of which direction I’d come from.”
I twist my lips. “Unfortunately, that’s why we need Daisy. She left knowing she needed to find her way back again, so she’ll have paid more attention.”
Ophelia nods, sucking in a deep breath. “I can stay here with Daisy while you guys talk to the Devils and the Vipers.”
“I’ll stay, too,” Mal says. “I don’t want you totally alone with her.”
Ophelia scowls. “She’s not going to hurt me, Mal.”
“I know, but in case she freaks out or runs again. Cain and Rome can deal with the guys, right?”
I nod. “Yes, of course we can, and I think it’s best if one of us stays. We’ve got our phones as well, so we can come right back if you need us. Just call.”
I bend down and kiss her forehead. “Don’t worry, we’ll make this right, so you don’t have to live in fear anymore.”
Cain gently lifts her from his knee. “We will, Angel. We promise.”
I grab my hoodie because it’s getting chilly out there and follow Cain out of the door.
As we walk toward the college, I turn to my friend. “Do you think we can take him out without harming the innocent cult members? My fear is he’s going to try to use them as human shields.”
Cain scratches his cheek. “I goddamn hope so. I want that fucker dead. In fact, death is too good for him. I want him to suffer, but I don’t want innocent women or children caught up in his lies to suffer.”
The way we’re heading, we pass the Vipers’ mansion first.
“Them first,” I say, “or last?”
“Might as well see if they’re in there.”
We knock on the door, and it opens a crack, a face peering out at us. It’s Saint.
“Not today, thank you.” He shuts the door.
Fucking asshole. “Saint, open up.” I kick the door.
There’s a long pause where I think he might genuinely not let us in, but then the door opens, and he waves us into their place. Inside, it’s decorated the way I imagine a whore’s bedroom would be in Paris at the end of the nineteenth century.
Vani bounces down the stairs, all tumbling curls and curves, and she beams at us. “Hey guys. How’s Ophelia? Do you like what we’ve done with the place? I’ve been decorating with Saint.”
Zane wanders down the stairs behind her and signs something.
“What did he say?” I ask Cain.
“He said he loves it, but I think it was sarcastic.”
“Zane, you will love it,” Vani gushes. “When you get used to it.”
“So, what do you want? Saint asks.
I don’t think he’s ever forgiven us for when we took Vani, not that I blame him, but it does make me wonder about the level of trust we’ve placed in him recently. I suppose he’s come through for us, but it still gives me pause.
“We’re going to be away for a few days,” I say.
“Oh? Where?”
“None of your business.” Cain smirks. “Need to know basis.”
“Hhmm. So why tell us, cheri?” The way he says cheri is so sarcastic and condescending, I can taste it.
“Because we want to give you a heads up that the Prophet guy, the fucking cult leader who took Ophelia when she was a child, might still come to the college, even while we’re gone.”
“He’s not after us, so why should we care?” Saint shrugs.
Zane signs again, and Saint sighs and rolls his eyes.
I glance at Cain.
“Zane says not to be a dick,” he offers, “or along those lines.”
Zane takes a small pad out of his pocket, like the ones reporters carry, and a short pencil. He scrawls something quickly, then shows it to Saint and us.
It simply says; They might come for some of the women here and try to take them. We don’t want that, so a heads up is helpful.
“Exactly,” I say. “The guy is a fucking lunatic, and I don’t want him taking any of the women or posing a threat to them or the college.”
“We’ll keep an eye out, won’t we?” Vani says.
“Where’s Lex?” I look around.
“Working on his car.” Vani sighs. “Sometimes I think he loves that car more than me.”
“Which one?” Saint asks. “I can’t truly judge the veracity of this statement if I don’t know which car you mean.”
She just laughs and slaps him softly upside the back of the head. He grabs her and pulls her into him, so she’s facing us, with her back to him, Saint watching us as he kisses her neck lazily.
His hands wander over her stomach and her waist, splayed possessively, and I see what he’s doing. He’s claiming her in front of us because we touched what was his.
“One day, I’ll show you the painting I did of you, Cain,” he drawls lazily. “I think you’ll like it.”
“Christ,” Cain mutters. “We’ve got to go, but just be aware, shit might kick off. Keep her close.” He points to Vani.
“Of course.” Saint nods seriously. “It would be dreadful if someone took our precious girl here and did weird, freaky, black magic shit to her.”
Zane steps closer to Saint and nudges him, shaking his head. Zane’s way of saying knock it off.
When all is said and done, I’m sure Zane is the one truly in charge and with the upper hand in that little group.
“We’ll let you guys get back to your time together,” Cain says. “Just… keep her close, okay? We were never going to hurt her, but the fucking Prophet will.”
Zane slaps Cain’s back as we leave as if to say thanks. Or at least that’s how I read it.
Once we’re out of their house and in the woods, I let out a long breath. “I feel bad about it. Taking Vani that time, I mean.”
“Yeah.” Cain scratches his cheek again, a sure sign he’s feeling a bit shitty, too. “It fucked with their heads, though.” He laughs softly.
It did indeed, but, as outside threats grow, I’m seeing our stupid college rivalries as ridiculous compared to facing up to someone like the Prophet.
We reach the college and head up the stairs to the living quarters where Mackenzie and her three men share the space. I hope this visit goes a little more smoothly.
I knock on the door, and it opens immediately, none of the bullshit we got at the mansion.
“Yes?” It’s Dom, and in that moment, he sounds just like his father. There’s music coming from inside the apartment behind him.
“Can we come in for a minute?”
“I suppose.”
How gracious. We step inside, and the scene that greets us makes me smile, despite myself.
Mackenzie is on the couch, holding their daughter’s hands, moving her chubby little arms in time to the music on the screen, and Kirill is dancing on one of those mats that lights up, facing his daughter.
Every now and then, when Kirill does an especially silly move, she squeals with happiness.
It tugs at something in my soul. This is what childhood should be. Not what I went through, or Ophelia, or my friends. If we have a kid, I want to give them this and more.
“You wanted something?” Dom asks. “Or do you want to join the dance party over there?”
“Where’s Tino?” I ask automatically.
“In the library, studying. At least some people around here still fucking do.”
He’s not wrong with his observation. Class attendance here has always been flaky, but recently, it’s downright appalling. I wonder if the dean even cares so long as he’s washing all that lovely money.
“You seem annoyed,” Cain astutely observes as he watches Dom.
“I’ve been trying to work.” He shakes his head. “I swear, living full time with Kirill is like living with a golden retriever. He’s got so much fucking energy. Do you want to adopt him?”
“We’ve got our own issues, but thanks,” I deadpan, and a smile tugs at his lips.
“That’s why we’re here. We need to warn you that we’re going away for a few days.
And you know there’s been the threat from the leader of the cult that Ophelia grew up in.
Well, we’re worried he might come here. If he does when we’re not here, he might target other people. So just be aware.”
“We will,” he says.
“Okay, then. Call if any shit goes down.”
He nods, and we go to leave. As we step out into the hallway, Dom calls after us, “Thanks for the heads up.”
“No worries.”
We’re done. We’ve given the guys a warning, and maybe Dom will get his father to put on extra protection for a while.
“Do you think we might be able to stay in the water tower, even if we weren’t in college any longer?” Cain glances at me as we wind our way down the stairs.
“Would you want to?” I ask.
“I suppose it feels like home these days.”
I think about his question. Right now, though, all my mind can focus on is the here and now.
And making sure Ophelia is safe from the Prophet forever.