Chapter 10 #3
Torin was the fastest, combining the speeds of his vampire and wolf—one of a kind—but what kind of creature was Hayden to match Torin’s speed and almost catch him?
“Greyson, slow down. Torin has to get inside the car,” I said.
The silver wolf must have understood our intention because it cut through the dirt and moss, running toward the vehicle. Right before reaching us, the wolf shifted instantaneously.
Greyson had slowed down just enough for Torin to get inside the car. Torin transformed into his naked human form and slid next to me on the back seat. My cheeks burned, but there was no time to dwell on it.
“Go, go,” Robert shouted.
Greyson stepped on the gas pedal hard, the car abruptly lurching forward.
I turned my head, looking back at Hayden. He had almost reached us in time, but he now stood at the side of the road, arms crossed over his torso, legs planted wide.
“He must be waiting for his ride to go after us,” Greyson said, his gaze on the rearview mirror.
How powerful was Hayden? Could he have attacked our car and defeated all of us? My thoughts caused my stomach to churn.
He wouldn’t give up that easily. He might have lost this round, but our fight was far from over.
Turning my attention to Torin, I noticed the blood seeping from a gash on his lower abdomen.
"Torin, you're injured.”
He glanced down at the wound, grimacing. "It's nothing. Just a scratch."
"Nothing?" I scoffed. "You're bleeding all over the seat."
"Guys, focus," Robert cut in, tossing me a first-aid kit and a bag of clothes from the front seat. "We need to patch him up and figure out our next move."
The awkwardness of Torin's nakedness caused more blood to rush to my face, but I tried to ignore it as I opened the first-aid kit and pulled out sterile wipes and gauze to clean and bandage his wound. My hands trembled slightly as I worked, feeling the heat emanating from his skin.
"Thanks," Torin murmured when I finished, his eyes meeting mine for a moment before glancing away.
He hastily grabbed the bag of clothes, quickly dressing in jeans, a plain black T-shirt, and boots. There must have been a plan if these men had come prepared, right?
"So, what do we do now?" Greyson asked, his voice steady. "We're not safe anywhere in this realm."
Torin shifted and scooted closer to me. He drummed his fingers on the seat fast, matching my racing heart.
"Anna’s parents are probably locked up too." He clenched his hand into a fist next to my thigh. "Hayden won't hesitate to hurt them if he thinks it will get to us."
I hoped that the three men knew more about my parents, but it became clear they didn’t. Hayden’s men must have sealed the kingdom.
"Maybe the witches can free them if Hayden is not around," I said. "But we need to draw Hayden out of there. If we enter the fairy realm, we don't know what we'll find there, but he will follow me—us—and the werewolf kingdom will be in less danger."
It was the best option I could conceive at the time.
Torin let out a heavy sigh next to me. "We'll fight him away from the kingdom," he said. “But I’m not thrilled about you as bait.”
I nodded. “Me too. But he wants me to do something for him, but I still don’t know what it is. He won’t give up.”
Torin’s low growl filled the thick air in the car. We remained silent for a long moment before Greyson spoke.
"Let's just hope we can hold our own in the fairy realm," he muttered.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to steady my racing heart. None of us knew what awaited us in the fairy realm, but one thing was certain. We couldn't let Hayden continue his reign of terror unchecked in the werewolf kingdom.
I was sure he would follow me—the obsession in his eyes told me so.
As we sped down the highway, leaving the familiar world behind, I prayed that we'd find a way to save my parents and the entire werewolf kingdom.
The drive to the Hollywood sign felt like an eternity. I crossed and uncrossed my legs within the cramped space in the back seat until Torin placed his large hand over my thigh and smiled. The spot under his palm warmed, and I swallowed hard, realizing how easy it was to feel myself around Torin.
We finally reached a quiet residential neighborhood where we parked. We looked around, but it seemed like no one was on our tail for the moment. However, Hayden was not the kind to give up easily. I prayed he followed us.
The sun dipped beneath the horizon, casting long shadows across the street. The air was cool and crisp, carrying with it the scent of impending rain.
The four of us passed through the first gates and hiked to the spot where Cordelia had met us with her army of demonic creatures—the spot where I’d learned of Torin’s horrific secret.
My heart pounded as we approached the broken gate that marked the entrance to the path leading up to the Hollywood sign. It seemed too simple—a portal to another realm hidden in plain sight.
"Are you sure this is where the portal is?" Greyson asked.
"Positive," I said, scanning the area. "Cordelia confirmed it."
Torin gripped my hand reassuringly as we walked through the broken gate, his strength grounding me, but my senses remained heightened and alert. Robert and Greyson followed closely behind.
I tried to steady my trembling hands. "I can't help but worry about what we're leaving behind."
Torin gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Your parents will be okay," he said. "The witches will do everything they can to help them. And if they can’t, the witches will reach out to Adrian and Tammy. You’ve made many allies who will help, Anna.”
Not knowing the extent of Hayden’s powers made my stomach tighten uneasily.
"Ummm…" Greyson called out, drawing our attention. "I think we're being followed."
My blood ran cold as I turned to look back down the path, locking eyes with Hayden. He stood in the distance, smirking wickedly, his gaze piercing through me like an icy dagger. My ears rang with my escalating pulse.
"Keep moving," Torin said and nudged me to walk. "We need to reach the portal before he catches up."
"He will follow us into the fairy realm,” Robert said, meeting my gaze with a look of steely determination.
I hoped he would. Taking our fight to the fairy realm was better than allowing Hayden to rule in the werewolf kingdom. Even if he left his men behind, my parents and allies could find a way to defeat them, as long as Hayden wasn’t around.
As we hurried up the path, the Hollywood sign looming closer with each step, my thoughts raced. What would we find in the fairy realm? Could we truly trust the witches to look after our kingdom in our absence?
We could be leading Hayden away from the werewolf kingdom, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that me entering the fairy realm was where Hayden wanted me to be all along. As if he’d set another trap for me.
We stepped on the brittle grass, making it crunch as we climbed the hill, the huge Hollywood sign towering over us. As we ascended higher, my senses prickled, drawn to the energy pulsating from somewhere behind the famous landmark.
"Are you sure this is the place? I don’t see anything," Robert said, his voice barely audible over the wind that whipped around us.
The temperatures dropped significantly, and an icy chill crept down my spine.
"I’m sure," I said. "The dot on the map from my magic book points right here."
We reached the top of the hill and cautiously made our way down the other side, the ground beneath us growing rockier and more treacherous. The sheer size of the letters left me breathless.
My heartbeat quickened as we approached the tall W, and I could sense the magic growing stronger, filling the air with an otherworldly aura that sent more shivers through my body. My witch intuition was active and alert.
The air around us grew cold and stale with a strange, lingering stillness, as if time had stopped. Robert, Torin, and I shared a look.
The portal flickered to life as we got to the foot of the Hollywood sign. The entrance to the fairy realm resembled a veil of darkness rippling like a soft ocean wave. As the darkness shifted shades, shadows came and went.
I massaged the spot over my heart to ease the tightness. My instincts told me the fairy realm would be no wonderland.
Who knew what awaited us on the other side.