14. Hybrids Gone Wrong
fourteen
LUCA
Finding Vincent that way hurt us all. As much as we want Red to take some time off and process what she saw, we can’t afford it. So, while James is telling Grammy what happened, the rest of us are babysitting Red to make sure she doesn’t race off into the forest to hunt Amber down.
“We’ve been at this for a while. Do you want to take a break?” I ask. The growl she responds with tells me that she’s not.
I know she’s still pissed about what happened to me while I was captured, and this only compounds her feelings. Now that she knows how the wolves are reacting to the potion Amber is using to attempt hybrid creation, she won’t stop until she finds a way to reverse it.
I don’t want anyone to suffer, either, but I’m not sure we can do anything about it besides trying to rescue who we can. Of course, I can’t convince her of that. Orym and Ryland busy themselves in the kitchen while I do my best to help Red figure out what spells might actually work when combined with her Fae powers. James is better at this stuff, but he’s still at Grammy’s.
“What about this one?” I ask, showing her the page I’m reading. It looks like a cleansing spell, and I wonder if it could clean the poison from the blood.
Red takes the book from me and reads the page a few times. She turns to her notebook and starts scribbling furiously. When she begins muttering to herself, I slip into the kitchen for a minute to check on the others.
“Dinner is almost done. Is she at a point where she’ll pause long enough to eat?” Orym asks as I pop my head into the room.
“I think so. If she’s not, you guys will have to convince her. We’ve found some useful things, but she needs a break,” I explain. I haven’t been able to get her to stop, even for a moment.
“I’ll handle it. Orym, you and Luca get things set up on the table. I’ll get Red to take a break,” Ryland insists, strolling into the living room. I want to follow him and watch her tear him apart, but I won’t.
“You said you guys found some useful spells? So, you think we have a chance, then,” Orym says as we carry the salad and spaghetti to the table. I set the table while he goes back for the garlic bread.
“I think so. We may have found a way to stop the potion’s effects. I don’t know if it will reverse the damage or not. But she might have been right about being able to save Vincent,” I say quietly.
“Let’s avoid telling her that, okay? Ryland already feels guilty about having to make that decision and then follow through on it. He did the right thing, and we need to back him up on it.”
RYLAND
The moment I step into the living room, I know she’s going to fight me on this. And I don’t blame her. “Red? Food is ready. You need to take a break and get something to eat.”
She looks up at me and snarls. If she was a wolf, I would have said she was about to shift. “I’m busy.” She turns back to her books, intending to ignore me.
“Red, you know what’s going to happen if you don’t listen to me. I don’t want to be a dick and destroy your books. But I will if you don’t cooperate.” I know the threat is a dirty trick, but she doesn’t know that I have no intention of actually doing it. I hope the threat will be enough.
“Ry, I don’t have time for this. I’m preparing to fight for my life here. Just leave me to it,” she says, exasperation clear in her voice. I walk over to her, taking the books from her hands and putting them on the table behind me.
She tries to pull away from me, but I box her in, backing her up against the wall. There’s nowhere for her to go, and we both know that she can’t overpower me. Her eyes slowly raise to meet my gaze, and I see the tears she’s fighting.
“It’s okay to take a minute to grieve. He was your brother, even if you weren’t actually related. It hurts, I know. Even more that I was the one to do it. And that I didn’t think to let you try to save him.” I pause, then continue, “Red, you have to know that it wasn’t intentional. I never would have done that on purpose. I know how badly my decision hurt you. But he was suffering, and I couldn’t leave him that way.” I pull her into my arms and hug her tightly.
“I know, Ry, and I’m trying so hard not to hold that against you. It just hurts, and I can’t handle it right now. I need to stay focused so I don’t fall apart. Everything is too much—between what happened to Vincent and James not wanting to be here—I have to keep moving or I’ll collapse,” she admits against my chest.
It hurts me to see her like this. I understand her need to do something, but I can’t let her wear herself down, either. “I understand, but you have to eat. You can’t just run on adrenaline and anger until you fall over because you haven’t taken care of yourself.”
She starts to object, but I stop her. “I know, and it’s fine. But you have to let us take care of you. Starting with dinner. You’re going to sit at the table and eat with us like a family. James will be here in just a couple of minutes. He texted me that Trevan is taking care of Grammy, and he’s having Mark and Steve walk back with him. No one goes anywhere alone.”
GARNET
I finally relent and let Ry lead me to the table to eat. I don’t want to, but he makes a good point about running myself down. I know he’s right, even if I won’t admit it. And I feel as if I’ve made more headway in the last two hours than I have in the last two weeks. I realize it’s not true, because over the last two weeks, I learned how to utilize my Fae powers and combine them with spells and other witch abilities.
Knowing that I may have a way to prevent someone else from ending up like Vincent makes me feel better, though. If only I’d had a chance to save my brother. I can’t stop myself from thinking of him that way, no matter what biology says. Just because he was an asshole, that doesn’t mean I stopped loving him when I found out we weren’t actually related.
Maybe Ry is right; I should give myself a little time to grieve this loss, then figure out how to use that pain to make me stronger. I consider that as I sit down. If I do take his advice, then I’ll have to figure out how to forgive James, too. It won’t be easy, but it’s not fair to hold Amber’s manipulation against him.
Fuck. None of this is going to be easy. Even knowing that ahead of time isn’t helpful. I could die facing off with Amber. Arguably, she’s a much more skilled witch than me. I have more raw power, but less control. I could actually hurt everyone I’m trying to save if I’m not careful. Which means I need to get my emotional shit in order so that I can focus on controlling my magic.
I don’t like the idea of it, but it’s what has to be done. I’ve made my decision by the time James walks in the cabin. “Grammy didn’t take it well, but Trevan is comforting her. I think she’ll be okay,” he says. He strolls over to me and drags me out of my chair, pressing his lips to mine.
I freeze for a moment, then let myself relax into his kiss. This is all I’ve wanted since he told me that he had to leave. As he kisses me, I feel our bond snap back into place. It feels as if it never left. I guess it must not have been broken after all. When he finally breaks the kiss, we’re both panting to catch our breath. “I’m not complaining, but what was that for?” I ask, looking at him in shock.
I wasn’t expecting him to act this way, and I have no idea what prompted it. Our conversation earlier led me to believe he wanted space and time to figure things out.
“Grammy had some things to say to me about my behavior. I thought about it on my way back, and she’s right. I was an ass. Please forgive me. I don’t want to be anywhere but by your side,” James says. I can feel the other guys staring at us.
“We can talk about this in private, if you’d like,” I offer. He shakes his head.
“This affects them as much as it does us. They deserve to know that I can’t handle my own intrusive thoughts, and that I let Amber manipulate me into leaving. She played on my insecurities, and it’s not an excuse. Only an explanation. I take full responsibility for my actions. I am going to call Dec and see if I can convince him to turn me sooner. But I know that my place is here, with you. If you’ll still have me,” he explains nervously.
I pull him into my arms and hug him tightly. Somehow, this day is turning out pretty good, even if it’s a little sad. “Of course, I’ll still have you. I love all of you, and need you to be with me through this. I also need to take a bit of time to process everything. I don’t want to be alone for that, though.”
“What did you have in mind?” Orym asks, wrapping his arms around me and James. It’s exactly what I need, even if I didn’t realize before.
“I hate to admit when Ry’s right about something, but I need to grieve Vincent. I’d like to take some time this evening to do that. If that’s okay with you all. I need a clear head to face Amber, and I’m not sure I can get there on my own,” I admit.
Luca joins our group hug next. “We can watch Vincent’s favorite movie and tell stories about him. And if you need to cry, you have so many shoulders to choose from.”
I nod, realizing that Luca’s idea is perfect. “Thank you.” I look over at Ry, who seems hesitant to join us. “Ry? Is that something you can do with me?”
His eyes meet mine, and I see the tears he’s holding back. My heart breaks for the decision he had to make, and the guilt he must feel over it. Luca and I each hold out a hand for Ry to come to us, and he moves slowly toward us. When he’s close enough, Luca grabs him and engulfs him in the group hug. “We’ll get through this together. You did what you had to, and there’s no shame in that. Guilt will be there, no matter what we say or do. We don’t blame you for what happened.” I’m shocked at how mature Luca sounds. He’s usually the least serious one here.
We stay like that for another moment, then my stomach growls. Everyone laughs at the timing of it. “Sorry, I guess I’m hungry after all. It smells so good.”
We sit down to eat, chatting and keeping the conversation light. I can’t help wondering if this is the last time we’ll get to do this before I have to face my aunt.
ORYM
Once dinner is done and we’ve cleaned up, the five of us settle in the living room to watch Vincent’s favorite movie. I would rather watch almost anything than this over-the-top spy movie, but I understand Garnet’s insistence. This was the one that Vincent was obsessed with when they were growing up. He fancied himself a ladies’ man like the lead actor.
Instead of complaining, I settle in and snuggle with Garnet until she decides that she needs attention from one of the others. She doesn’t say a word through the movie, but her silent tears tell me that she’s not as okay as she wanted us to believe.
I’m glad that she’s taking this time to grieve for her brother, even if he wasn’t actually related to her. It’s natural to feel emotional about a loss like this, especially since not too long ago, she believed that he was her brother. I still think she should have taken time to mourn Gunnar, too, but she insists that she doesn’t need to.
I won’t push her, but I will be right here to support her in any way I can, even if that means watching a movie I don’t enjoy. Having my arms wrapped around the woman I love is enough to make it worthwhile for me. When she rests her head on my shoulder, I rub my hand up and down her back slowly, letting her know that I’m here for her.
A few minutes later, she shifts and snuggles up to Luca. I don’t expect her to need the rest of us, since he’s been her best friend for as long as I can remember. I shouldn’t feel jealous of their relationship, because I know that she’s as much mine as she is his, but I do. I wish that she could confide in me the way she does him.
Maybe after a while, we’ll get there. But for now, I tell myself to be happy that her best friend can be there for her when she needs him. When a knock sounds against the door, I jump to answer it, so that no one else has to miss the movie. They all seem more interested in it than I am.
I open the door a little and see Trevan and Grammy outside. I step outside, ushering Grammy in. “They’re watching Vincent’s favorite movie. Garnet needed some time to reflect.” She nods at me as she enters and heads straight for the couch.
I step outside with Trevan. “What’s going on? We didn’t expect you guys tonight.”
He gives me an apologetic look. “They’ve found some more hybrid attempts. Grammy thought that you all should know. I wanted to wait until tomorrow.”
“Oh, shit. How bad is it?” I ask, hoping that this news doesn’t ruin Garnet’s plans for tonight.
“It’s worse than the other one,” he admits. “I can’t get that image out of my head. I know Ryland will want to know.”
JAMES
When Orym asks for Ryland and me to meet him outside, we exchange a glance, then head out the door. Luca is taking care of Garnet, and Grammy is here now too. As soon as we’re out the door, I know it’s bad.
“What happened?” Ryland asks before I have a chance.
“You should come with me. It’s bad, but you have to know,” Trevan answers.
“We’re leaving without telling Garnet?” I ask, gesturing to the cabin, where the woman we love is mourning the loss of her brother.
“I’ll let her know we have to run a quick errand,” Ryland says. We follow Trevan to the training center, and it’s eerily familiar. It feels like we just did this. Because we did. With Vincent.
The smell is worse when the door swings open and two of the shifters who were here earlier usher us inside. Without a word, I know what we’re about to see. Bile rises in my throat, and I want to run away from the scene ahead of us. I won’t, because I have to prove I’m here to stay this time.
If I run again, they may not stop me. And if I’m being honest, there’s nowhere else I want to be besides here. So, I follow Ryland to the table where another poor being lays, suffering from Amber’s torture. I keep my focus on the wolf shifters with me, not the ones on the tables around us. I can’t handle looking at what Amber did to them.
“Why is she doing this to these people?” I ask, staring at Ryland instead of looking around.
“She wants to create an army and take out all the other supernaturals,” he answers, without looking at me. Unlike me, he refuses to avoid staring at the misshapen and disfigured people who’ve suffered far too much.
“That’s her end game? To eradicate species by creating a new one? That woman is a monster,” I insist. “I can’t wait until Garnet takes her out.”
“I hope she can,” Orym says. “Because Trevan was right; this is worse than Vincent.” I glance at him and see tears filling his eyes. These are people both men knew. They probably grew up as a part of this pack, and now their friends have to witness this tragedy. All because one errant witch decided to play god.
“We can’t let her win. Garnet has to defeat her. There’s no other way,” I declare. Suddenly I feel even more stupid for letting Amber manipulate me into leaving. I realize that she was trying to weaken Garnet, which means I have to stay by her side no matter what.
“Well, at least one good thing came from all of this,” Orym whispers to me with a knowing look. Even if I didn’t mean to, I let him hear that thought. I’m not upset about it. If anything, I’m determined to see this through because of what Amber has done to these people.
GARNET
I curl up in Luca’s lap, letting myself doze off while the movie plays and Grammy rubs my back. I’m certain that Ry’s little errand has something to do with Amber and possibly what happened to Vincent. But I don’t feel up to asking about it, since I probably don’t want the answer anyway.
I let myself drift off, trying to hold onto memories of Vincent when we were kids and things were easier between us. After a few minutes, I find myself in the training center, staring at the reason Ry, Orym, and James left. The only reason I know this is really happening is that they’re all gathered around the three figures laid out on tables.
These three look so much worse than Vincent. One resembles a puddle of somewhat human parts. Another is more or less the same, but with fur. And the third—I turn away, unable to handle what’s left of whoever that was.
A wave of nausea washes over me, and even though I know this is a vision, I’m sure I’ll be sick. I try to leave the training center, but I’m stuck. I close my eyes and focus on Luca, trying to pull myself back to him.
Instead, he materializes next to me. “What the fuck just happened?” he asks, looking around in shock.
“That’s not what I wanted to do. I’m sorry,” I respond, closing my eyes again. Since I can’t leave this room, I turn away from the mangled bodies. I’m glad that we’re not really here, so I can’t smell this. I won’t ever forget what Amber did to Vincent, or the way it smelled. This has to be worse.
“Red, are you okay? This is hard to look at,” Luca admits.
I nod. “I don’t know how we’re here, though. And I can’t seem to send us back.” I feel as if I’m failing at everything right now. I need to figure this out. Luca and I need to get back to our bodies.
“Just breathe. You can do this. Take my hand, and we’ll walk outside,” he offers. I almost tell him that I can’t leave, but something in his voice gives me hope. I do as he asks, and he leads me out the doors. I’m shocked that it works.
“How did you know that would work?” I ask, staring at him in disbelief. Before he can respond, movement catches my eye. I hold up a hand for him to wait, even though no one here can see or hear us. I follow the movement and see Trevan standing at the edge of the woods.
“What are you doing here, Briar?” Amber asks.
“I hate to break it to you, Amber, but that’s not my real name,” he answers.
She looks surprised, and I wonder what prompted him to give her a false name in the first place. “You lied to me? I didn’t think Fae could do that,” she accuses.
“Well, I didn’t lie. Your sister did, and I just went along with it. You never even asked me if what she told you was true. You were too busy trying to convince me that I should leave her for you,” he counters. That makes sense, even if it’s a little strange.
“Then what is your name?” she asks with a snarl. He laughs and shakes his head.
“I’m not dumb enough to give you my true name. Even if I can’t lie, there’s nothing forcing me to answer your questions. And in just a few days, my daughter will deal with you anyway.” His confidence in me is astounding. I don’t know what makes him think I can defeat Amber.
He barely knows me, and I haven’t exactly got full control over my powers—witch or Fae. Maybe it’s that he understands how determined I am to finish this and protect the people I love. I can feel his pain at losing my mother, so perhaps he can sense my emotions too. For a second, I swear he looks right at me, but that’s not possible, right?
Luca and I aren’t actually here. We’re projecting somehow, but maybe he can see it because of the connection to my Fae magic. I exchange a glance with Luca. “Did you see that?”
“He looked right at you and winked. He knows we’re here,” Luca answers. Good, it wasn’t just me. With everything that keeps happening, I feel as if I’m losing my mind half the time.
“Do you think he can hear us as well?” I turn back to where my father was standing a moment ago, but he’s gone. “Oh, shit, did she take him?”
Luca shrugs and then jumps when a figure pops up next to him. “The two of you should not be hanging out here like this. You’re lucky that Amber didn’t see you,” my father says.
“First of all, how can you see us? Second, how do we get back?” I toss the questions at him and wait expectantly for his response. I can feel panic rising in my chest as if my body were here with me.
“Oh, child. I can see you because our magics are connected. As for returning, you need to calm your mind. Then you’ll be able to will yourself and your tag-along back into your bodies.” He smiles at me as he speaks, and his tone is soothing. He can obviously sense my panic.
“That sounds easy enough. Now if I could figure out how to do it, that would be great,” I respond, trying to smile back at him. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and feel Luca take my hand.
When I open my eyes again, I’m sitting on Luca’s lap on the couch. I give him a shake, and he comes to as well. “Oh, thank the goddess,” I cry, hugging him tightly.
“That was interesting,” he answers, kissing my forehead. “We’re okay now.” I know he’s right, but I’m still feeling overwhelmed.