Half-Blood Curse

Chapter 23 - the battle

Lucas didn't sleep, despite how drained and exhausted he felt. His inner beast had taken a beating from the fire snake, he could feel it, and Lucas's ambient magic energy was being pulled inward to heal him. For the first time in his life, Lucas was allowing his magic to strengthen his beast. It was frightening, but he needed all the help he could get.

The bunker they were trapped in was cold, and Lucas's skin was itching with splintery scabs from his protection rune. He was hungry, and hurting, and he missed his mate. He was frightened.

But the only thing he could do was try to heal, and wait for the right moment. And wait. And wait. Hours passed.

"Something's happening." Six's gruff voice startled Lucas. He sat up, wincing at the soreness in his limbs, and looked around.

"I don't see anything." The laboratory/prison they were trapped in looked the same.

"I can feel it," Six pressed his hand to the ground. "Tremors. Magical explosions, maybe. Or real ones, farther away. The humans probably won't sit this one out. Chicago is about to be a warzone."

Dread sank into Lucas's stomach and he pushed his palms to his forehead, trying to think. "I haven't got any great ideas. I'm uneducated, I only make magic on instinct. I don't know what to do."

Six didn't say anything, but his flat, dead stare was pressure enough. Suddenly, Six looked at the big metal door. "Seven is coming. And Midas."

Lucas pushed himself to his feet. Six's words were proven true when the door flung open and their half brother and father stormed in together.

Seven was bigger than his brother. He looked a few years younger, and maybe that helped his health, because he also appeared slightly less ill. His sallow skin was filled out, and his muscles filled his clothes. Lucas's brain stuttered as he tried to put the puzzle pieces together.

"He ate someone," Six muttered. "Again."

Lucas bent over and retched, but nothing came out.

"Lucas," Midas walked into his line of sight. In his elegant hands was a large metal ring that was open on a simple hinge. It was hazy with magic, and there were grooves cut deep into the metal that smelled like blood. "Put this on."

A collar. "No."

They had a short staring contest.

Seven shifted his weight, eagerness pouring off him, but Midas looked at Six. "Will you make yourself useful? Or should I let Seven devour you, as you did Five?"

"I can be useful," Six growled.

"You may exit the spell." Midas's words clicked like a key in a lock, and Six stepped out of the spell with no resistance. Lucas grit his teeth. He'd tried for over an hour to push his way out, to no avail.

Six shoulder-checked his brother and took the collar from Midas. The way he turned it over in his hands with a small frown of confusion clued Lucas in to the fact that Six didn't know what it did. Six spun and looked at Lucas. "I'm going to put this collar on you."

"What does it do?" Lucas tried to stall, and backed up a step.

Six looked to Midas, but their father wasn't interested in answering questions. He waved Six on impatiently.

Lucas didn't want that collar on him. It would be used to control him, to turn him into some kind of tool or slave. It might make escape impossible, and he'd be no better off than his brothers. But Six gave him a subtle shake of the head. There was no way to get out of this prison without the collar on, which meant the only way to get closer to escape was to accept the collar. But it felt like a huge gamble. The collar could be an even tighter noose than the trap on the floor, and then Lucas might be helpless.