Authors: Starla Silver
She stared into his eyes, watching the last little bit of her Riley dissolve into darkness. That blank, empty spot turning flat.
“You won’t untie me because of
him
,” Riley charged grimly.
“No. I’m yours,” she swore. “All yours.”
His muscles flexed under the ropes. “Let me go so I can make you mine. The vampire doesn’t deserve you.”
“Riley, please,” she implored. “Why can’t you see I
am
yours? There’s no competition.” A dread pooled in her belly. She wasn’t going to bring him out of this as easily as before.
“Tell me you don’t have feelings for the vampire.”
Her heart sank.
She jumped, startled when the cell door opened.
“Oh, um, should I come back?” it was Michael, thrown off by the sight of his sister straddling their enraged prisoner.
Melinda saw a scowl etch across her brother’s face sensing the emotions hanging in the room. She peeled herself off Riley.
“You didn’t say it,” he barked at her. “Because I’m right. Why can’t you just admit you love the vampire?” He squirmed and flexed trying to loosen his bonds. “Let me go and I’ll end him. He can’t have you.” The rage kept building.
Melinda slid her chair out of reach and checked that his bonds were still secure. She ignored the inquisitive look on her brother’s face.
“By not denying it, you’re just admitting you love him.
You can’t love us both, Melinda.
Untie me. Let me make the choice easy for you...”
She couldn’t look at him, her Riley wasn’t home any longer. She followed Michael out of the cell and closed the door, wishing she could excuse herself from the conversation about to take place.
“You can’t leave me in here!” Riley shouted after them. “You think tying me up will stop me? Your vampire is history. I will turn him to ash.”
The tone in which he spoke gave Melinda an icy shudder. He’d been right in telling her not to release his bonds. She was glad William wasn’t around to hear Riley’s words himself. Although, she was getting worried about his whereabouts, Charlie’s as well, as neither could be reached all the previous night.
Michael cleared his throat, wearing a smug grin. “So what were you trying to do in there? Suck the spell out of his mouth?”
“No,” she retorted. “It was a...” she stopped, feeling stupid for even thinking it now.
“What? You thought you could kiss him and make it better?” Michael jested.
“Maybe...”
He cast a questioning gaze.
“You know, like all the fairytales, true love’s kiss can break the spell.”
Michael glanced at the door. Riley rants continued.
“Obviously it didn’t work.”
“Obviously,” she acknowledged. “I just thought if I could get him to have pleasant thoughts, rather than all the rage, maybe I’d break the spell. It
did
work,” she told her brother. “Not for long. But the real Riley did make a brief appearance.”
“Well, it wasn’t a bad idea in the scheme of things, I guess,” he conceded. Although seeing his sister straddling a guy, and sensing that guy turned on by his sister did not do anything to help make him like the kid. It was hard to see Melinda as a grown up sometimes. He just didn’t want her to get hurt.
My kingdom for a way to stay out of my sibling’s sex lives…
being an empath was not easy. And lately, with all the added stress his family was under, it was getting harder to manage.
Melinda left all the other parts of her and Riley’s conversations to herself. It didn’t matter if anyone knew the hurtful things he said to her. It would just hurt him more.
The barrage of hatred escaping Riley’s cell continued, and was hard to take in.
“What’s he talking about, anyway?” asked Michael.
“What do you mean?” Melinda expressed feigning innocence.
“All his rage is aimed at William. Why does he think you…”
She broke in, shutting down the conversation before it could begin. “It’s just the spell, Michael. It’s putting crazy ass notions in his head.”
She made her way up the stairs knowing her brother didn’t believe that answer as she was sure he was using his empathic ability on her and could sense she was lying. Still, he didn’t press the issue.
But giving up her secrets about William… she just could not do that to him, any more than she could to Riley. They deserved some privacy. And she’d gotten enough heat from her brothers about dating Riley, already. They would not stop her from doing it, but they didn’t hide that they didn’t care for it much either.
And she didn’t need even more trouble because they discovered she was in love with William. And if the prophetic dream she’d had about him earlier that night was true, William did love her.
God. The dream…
Melinda tried like hell to forget what she’d seen. William on that pyre. Tortured by Riley, used as target practice. Her family dead. Riley’s family dead. She did not want to believe that Riley could be capable of such things. Even under a rage spell cast on him by the Feyk. But listening to the things spewing out of his mouth… it made her want to vomit at the thought it could be possible.
He was locked up securely. They wouldn’t free him until they’d found a cure.
CHAPTER 4
Melinda reached the kitchen to behold a sight she’d never dared imagine. Lizzy and Lucas Deane working trying to make a potion to cure Riley. More like Lizzy, ordering Lucas around.
Michael jumped in when he saw her searching precariously through cupboard after cupboard, in search of ingredients. It was a strange sight to see her brother assisting the Deanes.
Melinda had to hold back a grin when Michael admitted how impressed he was by Lizzy’s knowledge. She was confident that her potion would cure Riley, and he had not argued the point as potions were not his thing. They usually depended on Charlie to make the potions, and he was still missing in action.
While waiting, Melinda picked up the Mack phone line. It auto-dialed the Demon Isle sheriff and she picked up a moment later.
“Hiya, Mack. Just wanted to update you. We located and secured Riley.”
“Oh, well that’s good news. Any sign of Charlie or William?” she asked in return.
“No. I was hoping you’d seen them by now.”
“Sorry. No sign. You’ll be the first to know if I do. And speaking of things to know, that D.E.S.I. Reporter just went live on the air again. More sightings of the
strange looking men
.”
Men that they had identified as Firebrand Feyks; hired guns that wreaked havoc for the right price.
“That’s just perfect,” grumbled Melinda. She hoped they were not going to do to others what they’d done to Riley. They’d have a war zone on their hands in no time.
“You take it easy now,” said the sheriff with a disheartened laugh.
“
Easy
... I don’t know the meaning of that word.”
“You and me both, Melinda. Bye now.” Mack disconnected.
Melinda was about to offer her help in the kitchen, when Lizzy shouted at Lucas to stir the pot counterclockwise, not clockwise, as if he should know this. He didn’t bother arguing, just switched directions.
“Having fun?” cracked Melinda to her brother, who was still overseeing the activity in the kitchen.
“More than you can imagine,” he retorted, handing her some jars to put away. “Oh, and find me some snapdragon, would you?”
“On it.” She returned with it a minute later.
“I’ll take that,” twittered Lizzy sharply. She took the snapdragon and counted out four, crushing them in her hands before adding them to the pot.
Steam lifted, leaving behind a low hiss rising out of the pot in its place. Lizzy motioned for Lucas to stop stirring. Everyone waited while she examined it closely.
She let out a satisfied huff. “Sometimes I amaze even myself. Haven’t made a potion in more years than I care to count, and boom! Comes back to me like it was yesterday.”
“So you think it’ll work?” asked Melinda, daring to let hope rise.
“Well, if you or I drank this potion right now, we’d be flying high. It’s the ultimate happy pill. We’d make love to our worst enemy after drinking this... so if it doesn’t get him off the rage train...” she shrugged and shook her head.
Michael cast a side-glance at his sister. Maybe her whole true love’s kiss thing wasn’t such a stretch after all.
“Let’s not keep the suspense,” he suggested, handing Lizzy a vial and dropper.
She filled the vial and they headed down to the basement. Upon entry into the cell, Riley started shouting and squirming in his chair, trying even harder to break free of his bonds. Almost as if the spell he was under had knowledge an attack was coming.
“We’re going to have to force him to drink it,” said Lizzy to Lucas.
He nodded and stepped over to his brother. “Sorry, Riley. But we have to do this.” He took hold of his brother’s head and tilted it back, forcing his mouth open. Lizzy took the filled dropper out of the vial and emptied the contents into Riley’s mouth. Lucas held him open until certain he’d swallowed it.
They waited.
And waited.
Melinda held her breath, her arms folded.
Michael barely able to control the anticipation emoting from everyone in the room; his empathy in overdrive.
Lizzy and Lucas gazing nervously at each other and then Riley.
He lifted his head.
The dark intensity in his eyes gave them their answer.
“You can’t keep me here,” he started up again. “I will get free and when I do...” he didn’t finish, Lizzy took a bandana she’d had around her head and stuffed it in his mouth.
“Damn it. Guess I’ve lost my touch after all.”
Lucas patted her on the shoulder and tossed her a look that said
you tried
.
Melinda wanted to cry, but sucked in on her cheeks to stop herself. This failure brought them a step closer to her nightmarish vision coming true. If they couldn’t figure out a way to fix Riley, he would kill them all. He’d torture William. He’d even try to burn her alive. And if her prophetic dream came true, in the very near future she’d be a vampire.
When she’d spoke to Michael about the vision, she’d only told him that everyone died. That the rage spell had turned Riley into a killing machine. She’d shared the same information with Lizzy and Lucas before they’d gone hunting for Riley. Melinda left out the parts having to do with her and William. Riley’s torture of him. What good would it do for them to know?
She definitely didn’t want to tell William. They’d finally gotten past most of the weirdness between them. No need to upset him or open wounds just starting to heal. That, and, she couldn’t even imagine the awkwardness level of the conversation.
Melinda pushed the vision deep into her mind. As deep as possible. It would drive her mad if she let it float around the surface and linger. If they could fix Riley, all would end well.
Lucas let out a frustrated groan. “So what do we try next?”
“I’m out of ideas,” said Lizzy. “I really thought that potion would work. Whatever the Feyk did to him, it’s extremely potent.”
“Let’s keep trying to reach Charlie and William,” suggested Michael. “William usually knows something helpful, or at least which book to read. And Charlie’s better at coming up with potions than I am.”
“Ugh! I’m feeling so inept right now,” admitted Melinda as they filed out of the cell, locked it and headed back up to the kitchen to the muffled sounds of Riley shouting through the bandana.
“You’re not alone there,” sympathized Lucas. “I’ve never made a potion in my life before today.”
“We’re going to have to do something about that,” admonished Lizzy. “Whether you want to accept it or not, you’re a witch and you’re glaringly unprepared.”
Lucas was about to argue but she shushed him.
It sounded reminiscent of William’s speeches of late. And a fact becoming all too clear was true. They were not prepared to do their job. All they could come up with was, ask William, and let’s wait for Charlie.
Michael had been fighting to live a normal life and leave the Isle. It was just a month ago he’d decided to stay. Of course, that was after he’d discovered his father might still be alive. He was quick to react in the heat of the moment, but when it came to serious decisions, he preferred not to make them. Did not like making them. He’d always defer to Charlie or William.
Melinda had been so preoccupied with being a prisoner in her own home, she’d come to rely on William and her brothers, and sometimes even Mack, to take care of things for her. Mainly to keep her death visions from coming true.
They found themselves back in the kitchen; moodily cleaning up the mess they’d created making the useless potion for Riley.
The back door swung open.
They stopped and stared as Charlie came plodding inside.
Lizzy’s eyes popped and her mouth gaped. Her eyes followed him from toes to head, her gaze lingering, head cocked a little for a moment when they reached his thick thighs. “There’s just something about Demon Isle boys,” she mumbled delightfully.
Although practically naked, he was also obviously disheveled; it looked as though his face hadn’t been shaved in days, which wasn’t abnormal, but given that his hair was also mussed up with ground debris and caked on sand was flaking off his legs, it looked as though he’d been crawling around the ground for hours.
Melinda wanted to ask him where he’d been, but her dream was far more pressing an issue. “Whatever your deal is, Charlie, it’s going to have to wait. I had a dream. We’ve got a major problem, and we need your help. William, too. Do you know where he is?”
Charlie didn’t respond. He hadn’t even really heard her. “We need to talk,” he mumbled somewhat incoherently.
“Yeah, that’s what I just said,” Melinda stated.
“We’ve got Riley Deane tied up in the basement,” started Michael, but Charlie interrupted.
“Eva Jordan is the shapeshifter.” His voice was flat. Almost deflated.
The room went quiet. No one replied. They were not sure they’d heard him correctly.
“Eva Jordan is the shapeshifter,” Charlie repeated, his tone still lifeless. “Eva’s the alpha werewolf that bit me. She’s the one that killed the Guardian, Nina. And... she is
pregnant
with my child.”
“Dude... fuck…” was all Michael could utter. Melinda stood in silent astonishment. Lizzy and Lucas didn’t quite comprehend everything they were talking about, and were about to leave and give them some space when a rush of air flew into the room, a blink of an eye later forming into William.
“Actually, Charlie,” his voice rang out, “Eva is not. Pregnant, that is. In the matter of being the alpha, the shifter and a murderer, this is all true.”
“What do you mean, William?” asked Charlie, still dazed.
“I was out last night in search of the shifter. I could not rest while your father’s diary was still missing. During my quest, I happened across your scent. Realizing what was
happening
,” he directed at Charlie in a knowing tone, “I followed you, picking up a second scent. Which I then followed seeing as you were no longer present. It led me to Eva Jordan. I overheard a most illuminating conversation between Eva and her father, Anthony. The short version- she is not pregnant. It was a trick. A
gift
from the Feyk to keep you from killing her. Anthony Jordan is the one who hired the Firebrand’s to come to the Isle.”
“Are you positive she’s not, William?” asked Charlie.
“I am certain.”
A mixture of emotions fled out of Charlie. Solace. Bitterness. Anger. Joy.
A mark of sadness. Overwhelmed more and more by murderous intent.
Even so, Charlie allowed relief to surface above all others. Eva was not pregnant with his child. He would not need to choose duty versus his family. He would however, make sure Eva never caused them trouble again.
Like William had said, she was a murderer. The werewolf that bit him and changed his life, forever. The wolf that almost became his alpha, stealing him away from his family. She had killed Nina. He would make it right. Eva would pay for her crimes against his family. Against the Isle…
Melinda scrunched her nose in confusion. “Sorry, but I am wicked confused over here, Charlie.”
“Yeah, same here,” added Michael, setting aside the cascade of emotions spewing from his brother. “So you’ve been dating Eva? I thought…” he shook his head.
“Um, well... not exactly dating.” Charlie did not want to explain.
“Should we leave?” asked Lucas. “Or go to the basement and keep Riley company?”
“Eh, just stay.” Surprisingly, it was Michael that said it. “I have a feeling the shit pile is about to get even larger.”
Charlie stalled, pinching his eyes together. He had a hundred thoughts screaming through his brain, but no time to process any of them. And he’d finally just heard what they were saying.
“Guys… why is Riley locked in the basement?”
“Yeah, um, we’ll get back to that in a minute,” said Melinda. “What the heck is going on Charlie?”
Her brother’s face turned red. His gaze lowered, trying to hide the color in his cheeks.
“Are you blushing?” badgered Michael.
Charlie let out a relenting groan. In one long breath, he explained.
“Apparently, I’ve been unconsciously sneaking out of the house at night because my wolf, and Eva’s wolf, have some kind of freaky love connection and we’ve been roaming around the Isle… boinking each other. Neither of us having any memory of it until this morning. I’ve been waking up naked in the woods, on beaches, with no idea how I got there or what I’ve been doing, for the last few weeks. I didn’t tell you guys because it was...”
Melinda let out a muffled snort. There wasn’t anything funny about it, and yet she could not stop laughing. “I’m sorry, Charlie. If you could just see your face right now.” She turned away to get a handle on it.
Charlie lowered his head, mortified.
He looked up to see the rest trying to stifle laughter as well. Even William looked bemused by his humiliating revelation. Lucas and Lizzy still didn’t quite get all that was going on, but found it humorous nonetheless.
“So the Guardian ring doesn’t stop unconscious werewolf hookups?” jabbed Michael. “Certainly didn’t help you relax any,” he added under his breath.