The Storm Ahead

twenty two

Aiden's POV

I paced the floor.

"She didn't mean it," I whisper as I turn.

Of course she did.

"Stop it," I growled.

Why, scared I was right? You're pathetic, Aiden. You always have been.

"Shut up!"

The door behind me pulled open.

"I have an idea," Leo said, his voice rushed, "Call her. He won't be all that worried about me, but you have magic, you can stop them, he'll have to listen."

It's already been two days. Leo's called her so many times, I've lost count. I don't think he's slept. He hasn't eaten anything.

"What makes you think he's scared of me?"

"You can freeze time, Dude,"

"Leo, we don't know what barriers his mind control can cross. For all we know he could tell me to kill you and then myself and I would."

"I'd take that risk."

"Leo-"

"I need to get her back home," He said, his voice lighter. "If you don't want to just give me your phone, I'll do it."

If she's still alive.

I let out a sigh.

"If I kill us," I said, "I just want to say, fuck you."

The phone rang and I shook off the anxiety in my neck.

"What?" He growled after the fifth ring.

"Bring her back."

I said it before I thought about it. I want her back. She hurt me. But what if Leo's right? What if she didn't mean to? What if it wasn't her choice? I was the one to bring her here. She's my responsibility. I promised her I'd keep her safe. I promised Leo I cared about her as much as he did. I promised him I would put my life on the line for her. It doesn't matter if she's mine or not.

"Or what?" He asked with a laugh. "Is the little warlock going to come get me?"

"I might. I know you've heard of me. Thats why you tried to separate me from her before you tried anything."

"Perhaps I thought you were more like your father."

Bile rose in my throat.

"What makes you think I'm not?"

He laughed.

"What if she doesn't want to come back?"

"She does," I said loudly.

"Actually, Baby," She said, her voice wild and smooth, "I don't."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I growled.

I paced and threw my phone.

"Aiden, stop."

"Why?"

"We can track her."

Caroline's POV

"Actually, Baby," She said, her voice wild and smooth, "I don't."

"I think that settles it, Mate," Felix said and hung up the phone with a chuckle.

He gave me a look.

"Having fun yet?" He asked.

"For sure," She said with a grin.

The walls went down and I sucked in breath like I had been drowning.

"It wouldn't hurt if you didn't fight it. Some people even find pleasure in it."

"You are fucking disgusting."

"When the shoe fits." He laughed.

"Why are you doing this?"

"A favor. Well, an order." He paused, then chuckled. "Well I suppose both."

"You work for Beatrice."

"God, I wish."

"What?"

"If I worked for her I could quit."

"Are you her lover or something."

"That would be disgusting."

The hair.

The eyes.

The voice.

The actions.

"Oh my god," I choked.

"Perhaps I should've introduced myself." He started. "My name is Felix, I believe you know my mother."

I tried to suck in a breath.

"I assume you can deduce where we're going." He said with a chilling smile.