The Alpha Twins and their Runaway Witch

24

Alex and August arrived at the dinner practically as it opened. The blue haired waitress had a new green section in her hair, and just as much makeup as yesterday. Alex honestly wondered how she could carry trays of food with such long talon like plastic fingernails on each fingertip.

She was not for Alex. Of that he was certain, he looked to his brother, who also shook his head as Blue went to put their breakfast order in at the kitchen. "What do you mean she isn't for you?" Alex demanded of his brother through the mind link. There had been two waitresses who left at the same time, and two of them. One each.

August shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe we're supposed to share?" August was only certain that his mate was not yet in the diner. If Blue wasn't for Alex either, then that left only one waitress up in the air as a possible mate, for both of them. Alex frowned deeply at the suggestion. "Wouldn't it make sense? We were both chasing the same thing for years, so maybe we share?" August did not mind the possibility. 

Alex only frowned harder. He hadn't minded double teaming one night stands and succubi with his brother. That had just been fun, nothing serious. Mating was for life, sacred, Alex had envisioned a life with him and August living close, with their separate mates. Raising children side by side. What August was suggesting was impossible. Never happened.

Both twins ate their breakfasts in quiet contemplation of what their new, undersized mate would be like when they got to know her. August was worried there was something wrong with her. People just didn't look that skinny unless they were really sick.

Alex was more concerned that he would break the frail looking human. Considering a life of plain, simple sex for the rest of his life. Taking turns one night trade offs with his brother. Perhaps he would take after his dragon father and there would be others in his future.

Neither wanted to talk to each other, because both already knew that the other was thinking the same thing. They had already seen their mate, by the process of elimination. It hadn't been love at first sight. Both had felt confusion over which one of the waitresses it could have been. The scrawny bleached blonde had been no one's first choice.

Still, they paid their tab after adding another cup of coffee to slowly sip while they continued to wait. Asking the server if she had to man the floor alone for long. Learning that the next server should be in soon. Confirmation to what they already felt. She had been drawing closer, they could both feel her. Then she had suddenly bolted. She was fast. Alex and August tried to settle their outstanding tab from additional snacks August had ordered as fast as they could. She was faster. She ran faster than someone with no muscle tone should have been able. Even with a head start, it should have been easy to track and overtake a human woman.

They had found her. An old brick building that had been converted to apartments. One with excellent security. Worse, there were four exits, and just as many fire escapes. Who knows how many other ways to escape. This was a hunt, and had become a game of waiting at a fox hole.

Once again she was gone out from under them. It wasn't as easy as it should have been for them to track her. Her scent came and went, the calling was there but so close it almost seemed to distort around the buildings and city streets.

They followed her to a vampire feeding bar, and were chased out of the establishment the moment they stepped foot inside. Chased down three city blocks and prevented from returning until she had once again already moved on.

Alex and August traced her back to the diner. They had burst in the front door, startling the fairy princess styled waitress as she tied on her apron. Which made the demon finally reveal himself to Alex and August. Emerging from the back. Eyes locked on both of them. "My office. Now." In a tone that brokered no argument.

The twins followed the demon. Feeling every, single eye in the restaurant on their backs as they made their way through the dining room to the back office. An aged fox shifter was working the grill. Giving them a more direct evil eye than anyone else had. A reaction that left them both perplexed as to what they could have done to offend him.

Alex and August walked through the office door, the owner closed it behind them. Both twins were well versed in how it felt to cross a magical barrier. Cassi and Lumi had been experts as long as either twin could remember. This office was now warded against listening ears.

Or they were locked inside and whatever kind of demon this was, was about to kill them. August was very much hoping for option one. Alex was remembering Caspian's constant reminder to never follow a demon you did not know.

"I am called Binh in this place, why do you seek Jenny?" Looking them both over closely, his eyebrows scrunching together as he studied their appearances. "You aren't in her nightmares. Who are you?" A telling bit of information was held in that question.

Caspian and Aspen had drilled them on demons and natural spirits their whole lives. There was only one demon known to focus on nightmares. A baku, rare. Hardly ever seen or noticed, the ones who remained were subtle creatures. A fact only August remembered.

Alex had not paid as much attention as August had during lessons with papa Caspian and Aspen "Why are you interested in her?" Alex asked, growling. He might not be thrilled and enraptured by his mate yet, she was still his and a demon sniffing around her was not the kind of excitement Alex wanted to add to this situation. 

August was contemplating what he knew in this moment while he allowed his hot headed brother to cause a scene. Baku fed on nightmares. Strongest nightmares had truth to them. "Where is she?" August asked when the Baku finally talked Alex back down into his seat and insulted him a few times for good measure.

The demon rolled his shoulders. "I don't know, it would appear she got spooked at the thought of two men come looking for her." Smiling at the two foolish wolf pups. They had no idea what they were chasing. Their goddess had a wicked dark sense of humour. It truly wasn't fair the rapture and dedication followers of Selene gave their goddess. Nightmother was a much kinder matron to follow.

Again, Alex went into dumb alpha mode, yelling nonsense about looking for their mates, invoking The Council Treaty rules, and every other bull shit rage out phrase Alex had ever heard. Stalling and causing a scene for August to think. Alex was awful at remembering what different demons and fae could do. The rules for magic. The woman they had both written off as weak, had to have survived something truly awful to have nightmares that caught the attention of a dream eater.

August put his hand on his brother's forearm, pulling him back down into the seat beside him. "We are sorry for disturbing your place of business. It was not our intention. We will leave." August told the Demon. Getting up in sync with his brother. Alex was once again in complete control of his emotions, nodding towards the Baku who was impressed with their little pantomime for his benefit. They were not as stupid as their handsome faces portended they could have been. Nor were they rude.

The barrier spell was undone, and the twins politely exited the restaurant. They had time to make up, they needed to follow their mate wherever she had gone. This had already been too long a delay.

Binh watched them leave. They would have to hunt her the old fashioned way. Binh would find her in her dreams as soon as she fell asleep. He would find her before they did. Of that, he was certain. He needed to change his plans, he would find Ariel through her dreams. Letting his staff know he was heading out for the day. Tyrone would keep the place running, he did most of the real work anyways.