Page 35 of Wicked Warlock
“But how would he even find them?”
Dread pressed on my chest, and I wanted to reassure Zinnia, to tell her that he wouldn’t. But I knew Beckett. Guilt and anxiety twisted inside me. I should’ve watched him; I should’ve known he was going to do this. “They could, if they have a tracker. Where did you put Kylian?”
“This way.” Zinnia took off running toward the stairs.
We took the stairs two at a time and sprinted down the hall. Zinnia stopped in front of a door and threw out her hand. The door blew wide open, slamming into the wall. It broke off the hinges and fell to the floor. I stormed into the room and ripped the blanket off Soto. “Where the hell is he?”
Soto flipped over and curled on her side, barely opening her eyes. “Your boy took him.”
I threw up my arms, wishing I had my magic. If I had my power, I’d turn her upside down and force her awake. “And you didn’t think to try and stop them?”
“Where I’m from, one does not stop psycho. Now if there nothing else, this thing I’m lying on is close to heaven. Go away.” She sat up and her little hand motioned to the door for me to leave.
I rolled my eyes. “You mean a bed?”
“I don’t give a crap what I mean so long as you stop talking.” Soto rolled over, giving us her back.
Zinnia sighed. “You don’t think he would…”
I closed my eyes tightly and nodded, unable to find the words that I knew were true. Beckett was going to go after him… after them all.
Zinnia groaned, “Oh, shit.”
Chapter 14
Penndolyn
Fallen leaves crunched under my feet as stepped out of my portal. I sucked in a deep breath, taking in the chilled air. The moon glowed brightly above the dark forest, bathing it in blue light that didn’t touch the shadows but caressed anything that extended out into the beams of light. I raised my face to the moon, watching the flurries drift across the sky and the clouds move over the moon. There were some things so beautiful about this world that I was going to miss. I held out my hand and caught some of those flakes in my palm.
The mechanical sound of something moving drew my attention up to the top of the gate and I froze. The light on the camera flickered on and off, and I smiled, whispering more to myself, “Hey, Drew.”
I strolled up to the gate and it swung open, welcoming me to the Fallen Compound. It reminded me of the old sprawling Southern mansions I’d seen in pictures. Thick white columns rose up from the ground floor to the roof. Balconies surrounded each of the three floors. French doors lined each of them as though every room in the house had access to the outside.
Black shutters framed each of the windows and doors. They stood out against the white exterior of the house. The grounds extended in all directions, with wide lawns running to the perimeter fence. Beyond the electrified fence were the thick cloaking woods of the Pine Barrens. When I glanced up at the rooftop, I saw multiple cameras, all pointed in my direction. Then all at once, they looked away.
When I walked up the steps to the porch, Tristan sat in one of the armchairs on the front porch. His piercing blue eyes seemed to glow in the night. He wore a navy-blue suit and a white button-down shirt that was open at the collar, revealing a thick silvery locket. I nodded toward it. “Have you seen that one?”
He sighed and crossed his ankle over his knee. A half full glass sat on the arm of the chair, and he ran his finger over the top of it. When he glanced up at me, he arched his perfect eyebrow. He held up the glass and swirled it around in a circle, watching the dark brown fluid run back into place. When he tipped the glass to his lips, strands of his blond hair fell back from his face.
“Does he know you’re here?”
“I’m going to take that as a no, you haven’t.” I rolled my eyes. “Tristan—”
“So he doesn’t know you’re here then?” He took a deep sip of his drink.
I bit my lip. “I’m not here to see him.”
“Ha! Does he know that?”
“I don’t need him to know. I need to talk to Matteaus.” I glanced at the front door. “Are you gonna stop me?”
“No, I’ll help you.” He pulled his cell from his pocket and ran his finger over the screen then pressed it to his ear. “Someone to see you.”
I could almost hear the growl through the phone, yet I’d known Matteaus my whole life, and I wasn’t afraid of him or any of the others. Tristan motioned to the front door. I didn’t wait for Tristan to say another word; instead, I turned for the door just as it swung wide open. Matteaus stood there, filling up the doorway with his imposing size. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a single nod. “This way.”
Wordlessly, he walked me past the foyer and the fountain where that horrid spectacle took place with Tilly. We started down the hallway just off foyer, but before we reached the end, he stopped and turned to the right, sliding two double doors open wide. Matteaus stepped to the side and motioned for me to enter.
I walked past him and entered a mancave of an office. An oversized mahogany desk sat in the center of the room with two French-style double doors directly behind it. The walls to my right and left were lined with bookshelves that were older than me. Last I checked, I was more than just a few centuries old. Matteaus walked past me then turned to face me. He leaned back on his desk and narrowed his eyes at me.
