Out of Time (Collectors Cross-Over)

Chapter 3

Nate - Matched

"So, what do I need to know?" Drew had been permitted to go with us this time. We were on a plane heading to Maine for the big show down with the Bullards.

"The group that we're going up to have this court for doesn't have their powers right now, we had them bound," I tried to stretch my legs out on the plane, but I still wasn't comfortable. We were on one that belonged to the vampires, of course. Nothing but the best for us. Gah. "I'd say be prepared for a show put on by our witches."

"Really?" my brother was almost bouncing in his seat.

"Why didn't Mom mean that you had to actually be in high school, not just fourteen to join us?" I rolled my eyes. Drew had turned fourteen in April and had been waiting for this.

"You love it," Drew cackled, then turned his attention to the window.

No, I wanted to be at the beach house with everyone. I didn't want to be on the plane with all the people that should be relaxing. Emily had a soccer clinic coming up at her school in a couple of weeks, and as soon as the shit with the Bullards was taken care of, we were heading to the beach. And dammit, I was going to fulfil her fantasy of the two of us on the beach. Sand or no sand.

"Ok, as soon as we get there, our stuff will be taken to the hotel, then we're going right to the place we had the last court," Emily sat down beside me. She'd been off talking to her dad.

"So, right down to business, huh?" Drew looked over at us. He was sitting in the seat across from us.

"Apparently," I grumbled.

"Hey, it'll be over with," Emily always found the light in a dark situation. "Magnus will be there at the site for us."

"Why can't I do it?" Drew actually asked that question.

"You would seriously want to kill people?" Emily laid a hand on my thigh and leaned forward a bit. "Because we're sentencing them to death. And it will be carried out in front of us. So, we're at the very least going to see death tonight."

Drew turned white then green. "Remind me to keep my big mouth shut."

"No problem," I laughed at him.

Our bags were being taken to the hotel, and we were going directly to the place we'd held the last court. I was really hoping that this wasn't going to take overly long, court was at night, and I knew Emily would get sleepy. When we go to the location, there was a fresh coffee waiting for her. She gratefully accepted it, then we were taken into another room to be briefed.

"They're resisting," Kirsten, the head of the local witches told us. "We sent a summons to them, and they will be here, but you should expect a lot of resistance. They've been brainwashing witches."

"Do you have proof of that?' Charles asked.

I looked around at everyone we'd brought with us. Robert and Misha were there again, along with all of our group. Morrigan was there, and Magnus was standing at the door guarding it.

"Of course I do," Kirsten went to the door and spoke to someone standing outside. "They'll be right in."

We sat in silence. I was rubbing Emily's back, and she was drinking her coffee. Drew was pacing the room, and I noticed that Brody was shooting him looks that said sit the hell down. Finally he did.

The door opened, and like they'd planned it earlier, Morrigan, Drew, and Magnus all reached for a weapon. Charles shook his head at them, and they all relaxed. The people who were coming in the door looked a little skittish, not that I blamed them, until Kirsten nodded at them.