Chapter Nine: Kidnapped?She woke just a few minutes later, certain it couldn’t have been longer than that, because the day didn’t appear any later, and the sun was where it had been, though obscured behind the clouds that had shadowed it all day. She was sitting in a van, and her arms were tied to the seat. She started struggling against them, trying to break the bonds, and a cool hand brushed across her brow. For some reason, she immediately felt less fearful.It was the man with the sandy-brown hair, and he was smiling kindly at her. He didn’t seem to be frightening, but she was certain she should be terrified. The ropes binding her to the seat were evidence of that.“Just relax, North. We aren’t going to hurt you.”She didn’t speak but glared at him and made no attempt to hide her skepticism.“I’m Ryland DiFarness, and I’m honored to be one of your guards.”“Enough with the details, Ryland. Let Caius explain before you delve too much into it,” barked the one with flaming-red hair
Chapter Ten: BirthrightElias continued his explanation, “The mythics have fought wars over the millennia, but we’ve reached a truce that is sometimes tenuous, but has lasted for five centuries. Our groups formed the Council, comprised of all of us and represented by at least one being from each realm. There’s even a human on the Council.” He flashed her a smile.“Let me see if I have this straight. You claim you’re all some kind of…creatures from other realms, and you live here on Earth as part of some kind of intergalactic U.N., while ignorant humans go about their daily lives with no clue what’s going on around them. Is that about right?” She felt ridiculous even saying the words.“And there are portals between each realm, but they’re carefully guarded, and access is restricted only to approved travelers, and never in large groups.” Orin offered that explanation.She was certainly surrounded by lunatics, but perhaps she should indulge them for the moment. “Why can’t they travel in
Chapter Eleven: In The BloodA small moan of fear escaped her as a tall man with craggy features, tanned skin, and golden eyes entered the room. He had long white hair that hung down to the middle of his back and took each step as though he carefully measured doing so ahead of time, weighing his options and deciding on the most beneficial course. He radiated wisdom, but no warmth. She shivered again.“You’ve enlightened her, Eli?” asked the man.“I have, Caius.”Those golden eyes focused on her, but his expression gave away nothing. “What do you think of what you’ve heard, young Trueblood?”Her back stiffened, and she had to swallow before she could answer. “I think you’re all crazy.”Caius surprised her by giving a small chuckle, and the temperature in the room seemed to warm infinitesimally. “I’m certain you wish we were, but I believe you know in your heart we’re telling you the truth, North. No doubt, it resonates within you, awakening knowledge you’ve possessed all along, but rem
Chapter Twelve: Eamon’s DeliveryRather than napping, she spent the time pacing and trying to discern the best course of action. She was no closer to an answer when there was a tap on her door around six-thirty. She thought about ignoring it for a moment, but knew they wouldn’t leave her alone forever. With a sigh, she stopped pacing and crossed the room to open the door, sticking out her head cautiously.Eamon stood in the hallway, and he held a garment bag in his hands. “Caius sends this with his regards and requests you wear it tonight for the gathering.”She frowned at him, not taking the bag. “What gathering?”“The Council and other dignitaries here on Earth would like to meet you. You’re a bit like a princess now, North. You’re in danger, and there are those who would hurt you, but there are just as many who will marvel at your existence and be humbled by your presence. You should become accustomed to being the center of attention from now on.”She shook her head, starting to ta
Chapter Thirteen: Fae’dThey followed her. Of course they did, and North wasn’t surprised that they had done so. When she stopped fleeing in a panic and had a chance to calm down and think, it was no surprise to see the six of them emerge from the shadows to surround her in a semi-circle. She leaned against a nearby cement retainer wall, uncaring about any damage it might do to the dress. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at them for a long moment without speaking. “This isn’t fair.”“What exactly isn’t fair?” asked Marek.North gave him a look full of disbelief. “All of this. Caius just expects me to step into a role he’s designated for me, and I had no idea about any of this until two days ago. That’s hardly enough time to process anything, let alone run headlong into what you all expect from me. I haven’t even had a chance to explore this realm, since I’ve been living with my father all these years in the cabin, and you expect me to just hop into the next one? That’s n
Chapter Fourteen: DancingThey exited the shop the way they had come after Orin assured her there was no need to pay, and it would be on his tab automatically. They returned to the sidewalk, but didn’t get back in the van. Instead, they walked two blocks through rough areas to emerge onto a main street with several clubs and a string of food trucks. She marveled at how quickly things changed, morphing from the decaying neighborhood to one showing obvious signs of rejuvenation. “Where do we start?”“Everywhere,” said Eamon with a laugh.That sounded like a fine plan to her, and they split into smaller groups, each intending to order enough to share. She was between Ryland and Marek as they waited for falafel on a stick.Soon enough the seven of them met back in the middle of the street, and she enjoyed new flavors she’d never tried before as she stuffed herself silly sharing various treats they had purchased from the vendors.When she couldn’t eat another bite, North put up her hands w
Chapter Fifteen: AmbushThey’d almost reached the van when a large group appeared from the shadows, all clad in black, and all silent. They were varying heights, with the shortest one likely no more than four feet tall, and the tallest one somewhere around seven-and-a-half feet. She froze in fear, but the six men around her reacted seamlessly, immediately switching from relaxed to ready.“Hand over the Trueblood, and this doesn’t have to be unpleasant.” It was the tallest one who spoke, and he had a gravelly, rough voice. In a way, it was a bit like Eli’s, but without the sexy smoothness to balance out the roughness.“I think it’s going to get very ugly, especially when we remove your mask,” said Kriss. His wings extended, and he reached between them to pull out a sword. She assumed the scabbard was hidden by his plumage, but there had to be some magic involved. The sword was too long and sharp for him to wear comfortably between his wings, especially when they were usually out of sig
Chapter Sixteen: Fire & IceNorth hadn’t slept well, which wasn’t that surprising. She’d spent most of the night tossing and turning, and she dreaded her first trip through the portal as much as her destination of Fire & Ice. Someone had thoughtfully left a binder of information for her on the bed she was using, and she’d spent an hour combing through all the data. It was enough to make her head spin, but she hoped she’d gleaned enough to have a basic understanding of their world, and the beings who shared it.The six of them came for her early in the morning, and she was ready to go. North carried the shopping bag of clothing from the mall, but wore the fae fabric. She’d envisioned carefree and comfortable, and that’s what it had given her as leggings and an oversized T-shirt. She paired them with the sneakers Carol bought her the day before—had it really been just yesterday that everything happened, that she discovered she was a Trueblood and wanted by her parents’ group, so they co