Breaking Out (16 page)

“Uh, Jay…”

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to need to connect to your mind to
give me some form of reference.”

“Oh, she’ll love that. Go ahead. I can’t wait
to hear her reaction when she finds out you based her new brain on
mine.”

“She’s not getting a new brain, dimwit.” I
sighed. “This is gonna be tricky because I don’t know what species
she is.”

“Doesn’t healing energy make things
clearer?”

“See, I knew I had you around for a
reason.”

“I thought it was because I could cook.”

“Okay. Busted.”

“What’d they do to her?”

“They used an energy I’m not familiar with to
change some of her magical pathways. It’s definitely not demon or
fae, but I think I can handle this. Liam’s had me practicing on all
kinds of species.

“Don’t zap yourself with that unseelie
hocus-pocus. She could be booby-trapped.”

“Sit down and shut up. I need to
concentrate.”

“Some prince of Faerie you’re gonna be.”

It took me forty-five very long minutes to
figure out that there were outside shields melded to a section of
her brain that didn’t even exist for any of the races I was
familiar with. The blocks were created from someone else’s magical
DNA, not Ivy’s, and even though her body seemed to accept the
magic, it felt foreign to me. Everything else was set up pretty
much the same as any magic user’s brain, although I’d never
explored an unseelie’s mind before.

So now what? Tear it down and take a chance
that I was harming her or leave it and try to find her guardian?
‘Course he might be the guy who put it there in the first place.
Should I get Liam here to handle it? He was a much more experienced
fae healer. None of these choices was good.

I thought about Ivy and all that I’d learned
in the few days I’d known her.

“C’mon.”

“Where’re we going?” Jay asked.

“The ocean. Put on your bathing suit.”

“You’re nuts. It’s raining and there could be
some lightning.”

“She needs the sea. I don’t know why, but I
think it’ll help her.”

“Are we changing her into a bathing
suit?”

“No, you tool.”

“Okay, okay. Just asking.”

We both changed into suits. Jay carried her
into the ocean while I swam along side, resting my hand on her
forehead.

We’d gone deep enough to tread water, Samson
paddling beside us. She seemed to have no trouble floating, even in
an unconscious state wearing jeans that had grown heavy in the
water. I’d done the right thing, I was sure, but I’d feel better if
she woke up.

“It is freakin’ freezing.” Jay was starting
to turn blue. I shot him some magic to warm his skin. “Ah, better.
I knew I kept you around for a reason,” he joked.

“I thought it was ‘cause I’m a chick magnet,”
I said, adding a touch of warmth to Ivy’s skin.

He looked at the girl floating without
effort, her hair a dark halo around her face. “She’s trouble.”

“She’s
in
trouble. I’m going to help
her.”

“She can’t be a client. She’s got no
money.”

“That’s a rather mercenary comment, douche
bag.”

“Hey, we’re gonna need to buy more groceries.
We’re not starting one of those not-for-profits, right?”

“Triad’s a business. The wolves are paying
us. In fact the retainer should already be in my account.” I
furrowed my brow, concentrating on putting a couple of tiny holes
in those blocks, hoping it would relieve some of the pain.

“So are your mind games helping, or is she
still unconscious?”

“I think she’s smiling.”

One eye opened, then the other. “How did you
know?” she asked in a whisper.

“That you were smiling?” She giggled,
relaxing some of the tightness in my gut. She would be all
right.

“That I needed the ocean to feel better.”

“I’m a fae prince, right? We know these
things.”

“Samson and I are heading back to shore.
We’re freezing.”

“Did you mess up my head?” She touched her
forehead, pushing away some of the wet hair.

“Someone blocked a whole section of your
mind, so I put in a couple of tiny holes to relieve the
pressure.”

“I gave them permission to block me,” she
admitted.

“So you’d appear human?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“And so you couldn’t speak the truth.”

“I’ve told you as much of the truth as I was
able to, more than I was supposed to. Now my family might suffer
because of my stupidity.”

“Your leaders want to meet with me,
right?”

“Yes.”

“Can you ensure our safety? On your honor as
a…an unseelie?”

“I have that authority.” She wasn’t
lying.

“Then I’ll meet with them on Wednesday. My
office, 11:00 am.”

“They…they may have trouble on…on land in
human form for an extended period of time. The meeting would have
to last no more than half an hour.”

“A boat?”

She nodded. “A boat would be manageable
because they can reboot.” She pointed to the water.

I thought about how vulnerable that would
make us. Traveling the lines was more difficult over water. In fact
using any kind of magic was more difficult and it didn’t help that
this was saltwater. Salt was another magic blocking substance. Just
heating Jay’s skin had taken twice as much energy as it would have
on land.

“How do you contact them?”

“Only here.” She spread her hands, smiling,
moving them though the water as if she were dancing. In the ocean,
she had a natural power, a grace not evident on land.

“I want a blood agreement with your leader to
ensure our safety. I don’t know your people and we’ll be more
vulnerable over the ocean.” I thought about all the meetings my dad
had made me sit in on, meetings with wolves and shifters, vampires
and the fae. I was usually grumbling and bored to tears, but maybe
there’d been a point to them after all.

“
Keep yourself and your people safe
,”
Garrett would always say. “
Once secure, you’ll be free to
discuss any subject, no matter how controversial.”

“I can’t speak for the chieftain, but I’ll
ask.”

“How long do you need?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

“Fine. The meeting is Wednesday at noon.
We’ll charter a boat out of Nick’s Marina and take it one mile
out.”

“Thank you.”

I glanced at Jay, then Ivy. “I’m trusting
you.”

She watched Jay running on the beach, tossing
a clump of seaweed toward Samson. The dog dodged the smelly stuff,
tackling Jay and frantically licking his face. “I understand.” He
had his friends to protect.

“Go ahead. We’ll wait on the beach.”

IVY

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

We spoke in
the language of my species; both of us back in human form.

“You have returned so soon? Is there a
problem?”

“The fae prince will meet with you.”

“Here?”

“On a boat one mile from shore. Wednesday at
noon.”

“Perfect.”

“He wants a blood agreement with our
chieftain ensuring his safety and the safety of his friend.”

Lord Tellek circled me. “Why do you smell
like wet dog?”

“He has a dog, Samson. The dog will be there
too.” I kept my eyes on the floor.

“For him to bring a dog is the highest of
insults.”

“He doesn’t know our ways or our nature. The
dog is fae—a cu sith. A bodyguard.”

“Have you witnessed the Target’s magic?”

“Teleportation.”

“Nothing else?”

“Healing. Warming. Glamour. He tries not to
use magic without cause.”

“Then he is still weak.” I laughed. There was
nothing weak about a male who could get what he wanted with a
smile, who could heal a great pain with a touch or teleport three
other beings through a river of magic we had no access to.

Tellek grabbed my shoulder. “Do you think I
am making jokes?”

“No, lord. But I see no weakness in a male
who could destroy but instead seeks peace. When you meet him,
you’ll understand.”

“You’ll be at this meeting.”

“Yes, lord.”

“He will try to protect you?”

“Yes, but…”

“Good. Go back to him now.”

The two guys were waiting, just like they
said. They were reliable that way. “What did your chieftain say?”
Jay asked.

“He wasn’t there, but Lord Tellek said the
meeting’s on.”

Charlie looked happy. “Good. We’ll all meet
at the Marina at noon, exchange blood and then hop on the
boat.”

“What?”

“We’ll swear a temporary truce at the
marina—that should only take about ten minutes.

I shook my head, frowning. “You didn’t say
anything about exchanging blood before we leave.”

“I’m not taking chances. This leader of yours
could decide he wanted to drown us.”

“I’ll have to go back.”

“We’ll get some food and meet you back in in
an hour. You want Chinese?” Jay asked.

“Sure.”

This time I went directly to the chieftain.
After arguing with the guard, I was finally announced.

I bowed low. This male deserved my respect,
unlike Tellek. “Chieftain Marea.”

“You are Ivonne are you not? My cousin’s
child?”

“Yes, sire.”

“What is it you need from me?”

“The fae prince, Charles Cuvier, has agreed
to meet with you.”

“He has? How wonderful. We will show
ourselves to him and we will be accepted by the fae once more.”

“Um, maybe not quite yet. He wants to help
with the wolf problem.”

“My son is missing. Did you know?”

“No, sire.” His son the prince was young male
who liked to party on the mainland. Maybe he’d just passed out
somewhere.

“The wolves have him.”

“Charlie will do his best to find out.” I
explained about meeting on the dock on Wednesday, and he the
chieftain agreed.

There was a knock. It was Tellek.
Unfortunately, the chieftain was called away and I was left alone
with my worst nightmare.

“What is it now?” Tellek hissed.

“The blood exchange must be done at the
marina. I’ve informed the chieftain and he agrees.”

Lord Tellek’s eyes turned to slits, his mouth
thinning. I’d grown to hate this expression during my weeks of
torturous training. It usually meant I was in for more pain. “This
young man is brash, giving orders, assuming himself to be equal to
the chieftain.”

“Should I call it off?”

Tellek backed up a step. “No. Tell him we
agree, but make no mistake, he will be put in his place.”

“The blood agreement must be adhered to. Do
you want the fae army attacking us?”

“He’s turned his back on his Fae
heritage.”

“That’s a lie,” I shouted.

“I can kill you, child, for your traitorous
words.”

“And then Charlie will come with his army.”
Tellek didn’t know that Charlie would never come here to help me
out. He didn’t even know where “here” was. But Tellek was looking a
little unsure, so my bluff might have worked. Yay me.

“We’re meeting the Catalina wolves tomorrow.”
I snapped. It irritated me that Tellek thought Charlie would be
easy to force into submission. He might be young, but he was no
dummy, his latest stipulation was a perfect example.

Mentioning the wolves put Tellek in an even
fouler mood. When would I learn to filter myself? He moved toward
me, his heavy body forcing me backward against the colorful
tapestry that covered the wall of stone. His three hundred pound
body pinned me in place, a hand on each side of my head.

“You’re allowing him to take you to the
wolves?”

“What can I do? He won’t let me out of his
sight, except to come here.”

The slap was a wake-up call, a reminder of
who was in charge and who must submit. Unfortunately Tellek wasn’t
finished. He nuzzled my neck, which was so much worse than the
blow. I trembled, the knot in my stomach threatening to rise up.
“You’re a lovely young thing, almost ready for mating. I could ask
for a favor from the chieftain. I’m certain our lord and master has
picked someone out for you, but he might be convinced to change his
mind. I’ve served him well.”

“I have a better chance of conceiving with a
younger male.” I was holding back tears, rubbing my cheek.

He grasped my throbbing face in one hand,
bruising my jaw with the force of his fingers. “You are my servant.
Never forget it. If you are mated to another, you will still
service me, do you understand?”

He laughed at my horror-filled expression.
“Go back to your young fae. Tell him we agree to his terms. Let him
feel confident.” He walked to the large archway, the flat of his
hand resting on the ancient stone. He didn’t turn around. “Tomorrow
you may go to the wolves, but beware of the alpha female. She may
have the skill to see you as you are.” He strolled through the
opening, leaving me alone to mourn my future.

I wouldn’t submit to him. I would die
first.

CHARLIE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

We found her
sitting on a low wall in the parking lot of a pancake joint, her
backpack by her feet. Samson sniffed her knees. “Going somewhere?”
I asked. It had taken us a while to find her, but I’d dropped the
anger the minute I saw her so wrung out. She looked about as
dejected as a kid could look, alone in a parking lot full of happy
families going inside to eat. All she needed was a Tiny Tim cap and
some fingerless gloves.

“How did you find me? And you better not say
the word fae or prince.” Her hoodie was pulled up, hiding her face.
She sounded rough, like she’d been crying.

I sat down beside her. “Grizzlies and
cheetahs are good trackers.”

“And vicious killers.” She pulled on the hood
to hide more of her face.

Jay sat on her other side, nudging her
shoulder. “C’mon Ariel, what’s up? You starting to hate our company
so much you’d rather hitchhike to…” she was near a highway heading
east, ”…Lancaster? Not much but desert out that way.”