Chapter 57
Kayn and I ended up spending the next hour in various places that weren’t the bedroom. The last thing we wanted to do was wake Amarah, even if she was completely passed out. I don’t think a massive catastrophic event could’ve woken her.
When we got back to bed, I settled behind her and Kayn settled in front of her, cocooning her the way we’ve done every night since returning to the mortal world.
I’m grateful for all the distractions—from her health to making up lost time with my Vampire—because I haven’t had a moment to think about my father.
Although Xeraphine and I will likely never be “friends”, I trust she wouldn’t put Kayn in danger. Her word, along with Mister’s, about my father not showing up does settle me. Their presence will keep me from persistent nightmares.
This morning we all came together, none the wiser about the extremely loud session we had last night. Suppose it’s good the other occupant of this house is a Succubus. She probably fed second-hand off all of us.
I didn’t ask if she had or not, but based on her far-more-pleasant attitude during breakfast, I’m guessing she at least fed off her Vampire.
After eating, all five of us, along with the two Familiars, came outside. Xeraphine and Amarah are up ahead, while the three of us men give them a moment for girl talk.
Neither of them described it that way, but that’s exactly what’s happening.
Amarah cast some spell that prevents us from hearing their conversation, but one look at Kairhyse and I’m not concerned. He looks relaxed, body lounged back in a reclining pool chair, a smile on his face. Though, he never takes his eyes off Xeraphine when they’re in the same vicinity.
Kayn does that with Amarah—and with me. I wonder if it’s a Vampire thing.
“You’ll make me jealous, little deviant.”
My back snaps straight and I jerk my head in his direction. “What?”
“He’s good-looking, but I think I’m more your type.”
My loud huff of a laugh has him cheesing. “I promise you have nothing to fear. Bloody Beyond, what would I do with him?” I sneak a peek back at Kairhyse, who is nodding in agreement with me.
“Even if I was into that—which, by the way, there’s nothing wrong with it, my little demon is pansexual.” He throws his hands up in defense. “She’s as possessive as I am. Anyone touches me? Dead.”
“I don’t die,” I remind him.
“Yeah, well, neither did her mother.” He gives me a look of I win and turns back to the girls.
Fair point.
It’s then that I hear a phone ring, and it’s Kai who pulls one out of his pocket and places it to his ear.
“K, here.”
He leans forward after a few seconds and then turns his attention to Kayn. “Hey, do you know someone by the name of Atlas?”
“Ah, shit,” Kayn groans, crosses the space in front of me, and sits on the foot of my lounger. “Is that him?”
Kai nods. “Yeah. He’s looking for someone named Ivy.”
“Who is Ivy?” I ask, looking up at my Vampire, who slowly narrows his eyes.
“How’d he get your number?” he asks, and Kai relays the question through the phone.
He pulls the cell away from his face after a minute of silence, presses a button, and hums. “He says he’s been trying to reach you.
Called around through the militia. Someone gave him a contact for my group.
Only a few people knew I found you, but they didn’t tell him for certain; just gave him my number. He knew me by my full name.”
“Yeah, he knows of you from me. He probably put two and two together.”
“Who is Ivy?” I ask again.
“Ivy is Amarah’s mother’s name. She gives it to people in situations where she doesn’t want to provide her name or an excuse why she can’t.”
I don’t ask the next question, because it’s obvious. Why is he asking for our girl?
“Let me talk to him.”
Kairhyse’s eyebrows pinch. “He says not to hand you the phone for your own… safety.”
My heart nearly stops.
“I don’t give a fuck what he says.”
“I’m not risking it.” Kai’s tone is final.
It’s during this exchange that I hear footsteps approaching. Amarah and Xeraphine join us, and I wish they’d stayed in their conversation a little longer.
“I’m not good at this girl st—” Xera cuts herself off. “Kai, what’s wrong?”
It doesn’t surprise me that she’s perceptive with him, even if he looks relatively neutral.
He gives her a weak smile and grabs her hand, pulling her down into his lap.
“Let’s test out your training, my love.” His gaze lifts to Amarah, who moves to sit slowly between me and Kayn.
“It’s Atlas. He wants to talk to you and only you.
Pretend you’ve walked away from us, but come sit beside Xera. ”
She nods and moves quickly to do as he asks. Kai lifts the phone back to his ear. “Here’s Ivy.”
As he passes the phone to her, the Succubus shifts and leans against Amarah.
Our girl waits for a few silent moments, before putting the cell to her ear.
“Atlas?” There’s worry in every letter of his name as it falls from her mouth. “Yeah… it’s just me.”
I shift between her and Xeraphine, watching their expressions to try and read what’s happening.
There’s a blocker on cell phones—specifically for us Dylox—that prevents us from hearing anything unless we’re pressed against them like the girls are.
I’m guessing he had Xera do it because she can tell when someone is lying, but Kayn mentioned she can only do that when she sees their aura.
“Please tell me you’re alright…”
Bloody Beyond—no.
I grip Kayn’s wrist, trying to cease him from moving. He nearly reaches for the phone, but it isn’t just me holding him back. Kairhyse has his hand stretched out to stop him.
We all stay quiet; the last thing we want is to put our girl or Atlas in danger on the other end of the call.
“Where?” Her lips tremble as a tear rolls down her cheek. “I’m so sorry… I told you…” She squeezes her eyes shut. “I told you…”
I’m surprised when Xera places her hand on Amarah’s chest, as though keeping her from collapsing forward. Or maybe not. Her hand is right over where Amarah’s heart is. She taps her index finger, like a reminder…
Our girl takes a deep breath. “You know I can’t come alone.” She never looks at us, staying focused entirely on the conversation. “Atlas, you know Kayn. He won’t. They can have it, but I can’t bring it alone.”
The sky above us, once a slate blue, washes red.
I turn and grab Kayn’s jaw, pulling his face to mine. His eyes bleed fully red, the way most Vampires’ do when they overindulge, but this—this is pure rage pulling the blood to the surface.
I shake my head, silently urging him to calm down.
“Alright. They have a deal, but… they aren’t to lay another finger on you. Tell them that, or utramque in speculum mittam. I fucking swear to Vendra herself!” she shouts, and the moment she does, Kairhyse leans over, yanks the phone from her hand, and hangs it up.
“Or I’ll throw both of them into the mirror with her.” Shit…
Kayn immediately grabs Amarah and pulls her into his chest as she screams.
“Little demon?” Kairhyse asks.
“It’s really difficult because I don’t know the guy… but he’s telling the truth from what I can gather.” She sighs. “He’s in trouble.”
Our girl trembles violently, and I stroke her hair just as Kayn looks up at the couple before him. “Where is he?”
Xera hums. “Some warehouse in Ambarka, Nevadia. He said it’s near the hotel you stayed at…
” I glance at Amarah, who’s crying uncontrollably and apologizing over and over.
“Two Witches have him, and he said they’ve kept him alive in exchange for…
” She hesitates—likely because she isn’t sure how to say it.
“Verraketh,” I provide, because there isn’t any other mirror she would threaten them with. There’s no way she’d risk using it unless they’d already brought it up.
“That…” She looks to Kairhyse. “They told her to come alone with it, as you heard.”
“Fuck that!” Kayn growls.
“I second that.”
Kai nods, and so does Xera, who continues, “They agreed, but Atlas said they have a hex on him. If the deal is broken, he’ll die. That part sounded off, but again… I’m still learning how to do this without seeing the person.”
“You did great, little demon.” Kairhyse takes her wrist and gives her a reassuring smile.
“The deal is just for the mirror?” I ask.
She nods, but hesitantly. “He doesn’t believe them. I could hear it in his words. I didn’t need to see his aura to know he…” For someone usually so emotionally detached, the pain in her pinched brows says enough. “He’s accepted his fate.”
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” Amarah sobs. “I-I told him not to go back to her. I’m sorry…”
“Shh, shh,” Kayn soothes. “This isn’t your fault.”
I lean closer, my fingers caressing up and down her shaking arm.
“He’s alive. We can get him. We’ll figure it out without giving them the mirror—”
“No!” She pulls back from him. “I’m giving it to them.
I have no idea how they know I have it, but they aren’t Yldarwrights.
They’ll kill themselves trying to use it, and good fucking riddance.
Even if they somehow figured out how to break her out, Atlas’s life matters more. I won’t risk him dying because of me!”
Kayn puts his hand onto the back of her head and pulls her tight to his chest again.
“Why… why… Vendra, please…”
“They gave her a day,” Xera continues. “Which means you’ll need to use the Phantasm.”
“There’s no way they could’ve known we’d be able to get to Nevadia that fast.” The anger in my Vampire’s tone tugs at my own—there’s far too much information being left out for my liking.
“I don’t know, but you’ll need to think quick.” That’s when Xeraphine stands. “We aren’t going with you.”
“Of course not,” I say with a tut. “Why would you help—”
“If we go and something happens, who will come save your asses? We’ll all be caught in this trap!”
Before she can step into our space, Kairhyse is between her and us. “You’re right, little demon. It’s best they go.”
“I know I am,” she huffs loudly. “Take Mister. He can communicate with Kai’s shadows. Leave us the big cat.”
“Zuhara,” I correct.
“She can send us in if you need us.”
I look back to Kayn and Amarah, and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen her break down like this—not even when she panicked about me telling him she sacrificed those kids. Atlas must mean a lot to her… and to Kayn. Which means I need to take this just as seriously.
“We’ll get him, dollface. Look at me.”
She turns her puffy, red face toward me, those damned cracks appearing again across her beautiful skin.
“Take a deep breath and let’s think of a plan. The three of us can do this. Alright?”
Her lips tremble, and she sucks in a deep breath through her stuffy nose. “Okay…”
Kayn gives me space as I lean in and press a kiss to her temple. “Shh.” Her arm closest to me wraps around my waist, and I pull both of them into a hug. “Go ahead and let it out, then we’ll put our heads together.”
She nods.
“We’ve got you.”
Kayn places his lips on my forehead and releases a heavy sigh. “Never a dull moment… fucking Beyond.”