Lady Midnight

Chapter 18

Julian's P.O.V.

Julian had an uneasy feeling. He couldn't place it. He assured himself that it was all just in his head. He and Ciara sat in the library reading some demonic texts. He wasn't paying attention to it though. Ciara was talking about behemoth demons, but Jules just zoned her out.

" Every time you cut into them, they..." Ciara stopped when she saw Jules staring into space. " Jules, what are you thinking about?" Julian fell out of his stupor," oh. What did you say? I'm sorry."

Ciara came over and sat next to him on the love seat," I asked you what you were thinking about." Jules looked down," it's nothing." She shook her head," I'm not stupid. I can tell there is something on your mind."

He looked at her," I never said you were stupid. I'm sorry. I've just had a really weird feeling all day." She seemed concerned," what kind of feeling?" Julian huffed," I feel like something is wrong. I have this uneasy feeling that something has happened. I also have this weird ache at the back of my head."

Ciara hugged him," you're just freaking yourself out. You must have bumped your head on the headboard of your bed. Everything is going to be fine. " Their faces were inches apart.

They both leaned in. Their lips just brushed, when a ringing sound cut them off. Julian's cell phone was going off on the counter. The caller ID said the Los Angeles Institute. The only time when they use the Institute's phone is when there is something serious going on.

Ciara practically read his mind," go ahead. It must be something important." Julian nodded. He picked up his phone, pressed the accept button, and put it to his ear," hello?"

" Jules?" said Tina. She sounded very nervous. Jules was alert," what? What's wrong?" Tina said, "Jules, I need you to be calm." Julian got up and walked outside of the Institute. He leaned against the cold stone.

" Okay, I'm calm," he breathed out. Tina said," umm. I don't know how to say this, but... Emma, Livvy, and Taylor went out on a mission for Diana last night  and they haven't come back yet. We went to the place they were sent to. Emma's car was still parked there. We found the body of the faerie they were suppose to find, but we didn't find them. "

Julian started panicking," did you look for clues to where they went? Do you think they were taken? Who do you think might have taken them?" Tina was silent for a moment, "we found some tracks in the woods nearby. One branch had a little bit of blood on it. The girls definitely put up a fight."

Julian leaned his head against the wall, "whose blood do you think was on that branch?" Tina said, "it had a blonde hair crusted on it." That would explain the pain at the back of his head. " Tina, they hit Emma on the back of her head. I've felt the ache all day. It's been like that for hours."

"Julian, I need you to be calm and collected. Diana is going to call Uncle Arthur and tell him. I'm going to go now. Trust me, we will figure this out, "said Tina before she hung up. Julian breathed out. He slumped against the wall.

What will happen to them? Jules felt drained. There were no words to describe the feeling he was having at that moment. He didn't know if his sister, friend, and Parabatai were okay.

 The only thing that kept him from freaking out was that he knew Emma was alive. He looked at his Parabatai rune, right above his heart. It was still a vibrant black. The thing was, he didn't know if that was the same for Livvy and Taylor.

Jules got up and walked straight to his room. He grabbed his suitcase and started packing his meager possessions that were situated outside of it. He didn't unpack that much. As he was collecting his sketchbook, someone opened his door.