I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and looked up at the clock. It was almost six and that meant the end of my sift at small Italian restaurant I worked at. I looked around and saw that my last table of the quiet Monday night had just walked out the door. Our manager Mina was talking to one of the other waitresses, so I took my phone out and walked to the back to answer my call. Mina was a lovely lady to work for. As the sister of the owner, she was just happy to be included in the family business and enjoyed her work which made for a great working environment. Her only strict rule was no phones on the floor which was understandable as some of the younger girls would have them glued to their faces and miss calls from the clients.
My mothers face showed on the screen as I went to answer while taking off my apron and heading to the back. Hoping this was not a call to lecture me on how little I've been up to the farm to visit as of late. Growing up my family had enough money to live comfortably but since I was about sixteen my father developed a gambling problem which plummeted my family into a debt. By the age of 21 I had to take a job to finish paying my own studies forward as well as send money home. The farm was a family home and was paid for generations back and what little money was left of the trust my mother inherited could now only go for my sisters' studies. Since my parents paid for my undergrad in History it was up to me to pay for my post grad which is fine with me but it worried me that if dad did not stop soon there wont be enough for Alice, my sister to finish her degree.
Putting my phone back in my jean pocket I figured ill give her a call when I got home. It was only a five-minute walk to my small one-bedroom apartment and I could have the rest of the time to prepare myself for the lecture from her.
It wasn't only the amount I went home that she wanted to lecture me on but also to find out if I was keeping up with my craft. Saying my magic is like a muscle and if I didn't stretch it out it would become stiff. Being in the city away from the farm meant practicing magic wasn't as easy as she might think but there was one gift, I was never able to get away from. My Shyth sight. Every time someone touched my skin, I had to see whatever mundane thing they were going to do in the week to come. Whether it's a fight with a spouse, getting their phone stolen or losing their car keys making them late for work. Humans never had anything terribly interesting happening in their lives.
My gran was right in saying the Hidden always wanted to know the time of their death and with the few I knew here in the city it was the same, but we never saw death. Time had to many moving parts for us to see something as final as death. The only things we did see were things that were final based on decisions that were already made. Like a forgetful person losing their keys.
Sometimes this gift came in handy when meeting new people as it was a small glimpse into the person they are. It sure made dates easy.
"Emily don't forget you have an early shift tomorrow." Mina poked her head into the back office where a row of lockers was set up for us to put our stuff in.
"No problem Mina. Ill be here at 9. You still remember I took Wednesday off? If I don't go visit my parents my mother will come here and drag me out by my hair." Mina laughed but I was only half joking. After grans passing my mother lost it just a little bit. Becoming more volatile and easily irritated which was when dad started with his gambling. They were by no means bad parents, but it just seemed that Alice and I were no longer that much of a priority. Which was probably why Alice and I both decided to go do the human thing of studying after being home schooled on the farm our whole lives. Just to get a little distance.
"I didn't forget. Have a good night and get home safe."
"Thanks Mina. See you tomorrow." I said walking out the back door and onto the street. I took my two turns to get home and then I was heading up to my floor.
My apartment was small and only had the necessities as most of the money I made went to either my student loans or my parents.
I flipped on my lights and put the kettle on the stove to make some tea. Then took off my shoes and pulled my phone out of my jeans and dialed my mom.
"Hi honey. What took you so long?"
"Sorry mom. I was still at work. How are you? How is dad?" I said still trying to keep the conversation light.
"That's why I was calling sweety. There are some tings we need to talk about as a family. Your sister is coming down tomorrow. Do you think you could come to?" I had only planned on going down the day after next, but I would love to see my sister. I missed her little face even though we spoke over the phone almost every day, but I hadn't seen her in a few weeks.
"Sure mom. I have work till around four so I can be there at around seven. But then I need to spend Wednesday working on my thesis. Okay?" adding the last part before she expects me to spend my day there helping her dry herbs or setting fire circles.
"Okay sweety. That is fine. Just make sure you are here by seven, okay?"
"Okay mom. Ill see you tomorrow night then. Love you, bye."
"Bye sweety." I put the phone down and leaned against the counter. That was too easy. Something was wrong. I could hear it in the way she said goodbye. Something wasn't right.
The next day, my shift went by smoothly. I had a couple of good tables even though the early shift didn't see a lot of customers. I clocked out and greeted everyone on my way out with my overnight bag over my shoulder. Outside I stuck my hand out for a taxi and one stopped almost immediately. I got in and gave him the address seeing the irritation in his eyes at realizing he had a long drive ahead of him.
The drive went smoothly. I got most of the reading done I had to do for my thesis by the time we pulled up to the wooden farm gates.
"Thank you" I said giving the driver my entire tip roll for the day and getting out and slung my overnight bag over my shoulder and grabbing my purse.
He drove off without a word and I started the long walk up the house. After about seven minutes the glow from the windows came into view and I realized that more lights were on than normal. It must mean that Alice was already there. A few more minutes closer and I saw that there were two big black, expensive looking SUVs standing in the driveway.
My heart gave a thud. I thought something was wrong after talking to my mom last night but now I knew. I ran the rest of the way up to the house and went trough the front door dropping my stuff on the bench next to the door. I listened and heard voices coming from the dinning room. My feet followed the sound of people talking till I took a step into the dining room and froze.
It was the very last thing I thought id see coming home for this family meeting and a cold chill ran down my spine.
My mother was sitting next to my father who sat at the head of the table. Next to my mom was Alice holding onto my moms' hands looking more scared than id ever seen her before. My eyes drifted the length of the room. There were four men sitting at the table by my parents. And one stand behind my dad, leaning on the door frame to the kitchen with his arms crossed over his chest and looking bord as hell. He was very tall. His head only nearly missing the top of the door. His hair was a dirty blond and cut down to his scalp on the sides with it a little long on top so that some of it just reached his eyes.
A pon seeing me he sleeked it back with his hands and it stayed there. He had the greenest eyes I had ever seen, and it almost seemed like they were glowing. He stood straighter looking at me up and down and unfolding his arms making the big muscles under his shirt move. He was by far the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life, but I had to look away as I could feel my heart beating faster the longer I looked at him.
In turn my eyes turned to the other four men sitting at the table. They were all just as big, all wearing only black, they all had that strange glow to their eyes though it was different colors but all those eyes including those of my family were pointing at me.
"Emily!" my mother yelped as if surprise to see me which she could not have been. This confused me.
"Mom, what's going on? "I said slowly looking around the room.
The man sitting on the other side of my dad got to his feet and turned to face me. He had dark brown hair cropped short with brown eyes. Strangely his eyes seemed kinder than that of the man standing behind my dad but somehow no less scary or intimidating.
He stepped sideways and gestured towards the chair he had been sitting on.
"Take a seat." He said. His voice sounding pleasant but still authoritative. I looked over to my mom as my dad was back to staring at the table. She nodded to me and I took the seat. The man to my right looked down at me out the corner of his eye. I felt like a child sitting down at a table with a bunch of adults. They all towered over us like we were fay folk.
The man at the other head of the table moved forward and crossed his hands on the table. He also had brown hair and brown eyes, but his hair fell to his shoulders. He looked up at my father and sighed.
"Alan, you know what needs to happen now, don't you?" he said in a none threatening way but all the same it sounded scary.
"Please no. I beg of you. Don't do this." Said my father. His voice shaking and close to tears.
"Now now Alan . we had a deal. We gave you until the end of last month to pay us our money back and even that was a curtsey as the respect our kind has for yours. Witches has long been known to help the Draco if they needed it.
My heart sank to my feet. They were Draco. Not just one but all five in our dining room.
"Dad you lent money from the Draco. What the hell were you thinking?" I said without thinking. My dad did not answer but simply put his head in his hands. I turned to look at my mom.
"Alices university fund?" I said questioningly. My mom just shook her head while tears rolled down her cheek. It felt like so many times before after my grans passing that it was up to me to sort out a mess though I had no idea how I was supposed to sort this mess out.
The man at the head of the table went to speak again.
"We are not known for our patience nor for our kindness Mr. Moon. We gave you the extended time you asked for with the agreement if you did not deliver."
"What agreement?" I asked feeling my body become cold. There was no way this was going to be a solution.
"Your father agreed that if he were late with payment, we could take what his is most precious to him. His daughter. But we didn't know he had two. So, which one Alan?"
My father did not look up but continued to cry into his hands. I looked towards my mom and sister and they were both paralyzed with fear.
"Me." I said standing up. There was no way I was letting them take Alice and doing which ever of the stories were true, to her.
"No Em. Don't!" my sister looked like she was about to faint, so I just gave her a soft smile and looked to the man who had been doing all the talking.
"Take me, I'm the oldest. My sister is still young, and she will be expected back at her school where as no one would miss me."
The man at the head of the table nodded. And stood. And so did the rest of them.
"Can I have five minutes to say goodbye"
"Fine, make it quick and don't make us come back in here looking for you. We will wait outside."
He walked to the front door and the other four followed suit.
My sister jumped up and ran into my arms.
"Em what if they kill you like in the stories. I can't bare losing you Em. You have to run." I pushed her slightly away so that I can look into her face.
"I'll get away, don't worry about me okay. Just keep it together for mom and dad." I gave her a kiss on her head and hugged her tight to me hoping against all hope that this wouldn't be the last time I see my baby sister.
I didn't hug or kiss my parents merely looked at them and said "Get your shit together and take care of her." The ager I had towards them for letting things get this far was still to fresh and new. I turned back to Alice.
"Phone the restaurant and make something up, okay? I don't want anyone getting hurt because they came looking for me." She nodded but said nothing. And with that I turned and headed for the door. I picked up my bags next to the door wishfully thinking I might need other clothes. Will I even live long enough to need a change of clothes?
My heart was hammering in my throat as I opened the door.
The man who did all the talking was leaning against the front passenger door waiting for me and the other man, the really intimidating one who stood leaning against the door frame was in the car behind the wheel.
The other three seemed to have left in the other SUV already. I walked down the steps and came face to face with the giant of a man. He didn't give anything away or even say anything. He simply opened the back door and waited for me to get in.
Inside the car was dark but I could feel the cold leather of the seats and I could smell something in the air. It was sweet yet musky and very masculine. It was definitely coming from the driver, the really scary one with blond hair but it didn't seem to be a kind of cologne, more like that is just how he smells. As much as I hated to admit to myself, I really liked his smell. It was the kind of smell a girl would like to cuddle up to in bed that would make her feel safe and happy but there was nothing about the man itself that said safety. It more like screamed danger.
I raised my eyes to the review mirror and saw his beautiful glowing green eyes staring back at me trough the mirror. Has he been staring at me since I got into the car? I lowered my gaze feeling my cheeks redden.
The other men, the talkative one got into the passenger seat, and they drove off. I stole one last glace at my home. Alice was staring rough the living room window, tears streaming down her lovely face, and I could feel the most dread I had ever felt in my life settle over my body.
Was I going to die tonight like in grans stories, gobbled up in one go? Or was I to become a sex slave until they tired of me and killed me?
For the first time in my life, I found myself hoping grans stories weren't true. Or at least that her ones about the Draco weren't. Either way I knew sooner or later id be finding out and that was not something I was looking forward to.
"Your name is Emily, right?" the man in the passenger seats voice brought me out of my thoughts and I almost jumped from fright.
"y-yes." I said trying to find my voice who apparently had decided to do a chipmunk impression.
"How old are you, Emily?" he asked. Why did he care how old I was if they were just going to kill me anyway.
"I'm 28. What are your names if you don't mind me asking?" I said plucking a little bit of courage together. Maybe if we could become friendlier, they wouldn't kill me as easily. The best would be to touch one or all of them to see what I was dealing with but that would seem to strange in my current position.
He smiled at me through the review mirror and looked at the driver who did not smile but kept looking ahead at the road.
"I'm Michael and this is Zane." He said.
"Nice to meet you Michael, and you Zane. And the other three of you are?" he smiled again. His mile not really humourism but more amused with me.
"They are Cole, Max and Xander. Tell me Emily, your grandmother had some legendry power. Did you inherit those?" And there came the reason why all five of them seemed so interested in the debt my father owed. They must have some use for me, or at least some use for someone they think is like gran was. A plan started to form in my head. As long as they think I can be of use they might not feel the need to kill me.
"Which ability are you referring to exactly" I asked hoping they weren't going to ask me to predict their deaths or something silly like lotto numbers. If they did, I would have to fake it I I could find way to escape.
"She was rumored to be a powerful witch with strong elemental powers. Did she have others?"
I slowly let go of a breath I had no idea I was holding. So at least no fake fortune telling.
"Yes, she had a great many, none of the other would be as useful today."
"Like what?" he asked curiously. I thought it best to keep them talking.
"Well with some Hidden having doctorates in medicine I see no need for a magical midwife." He laughed again the amused laugh.
"No we have no need of a midwife. But her elemental powers, that could come in handy to us. Did you inherit any of those gifts?" I didn't know if it would be best to lie. Maybe they would see me as useless and killed me the second we got to where were going. Or maybe they would expect to much of me and kill me for not doing what they asked. No, the truth would be the right way to go here.
"I did yes but I am a little out of practice. I've been living up in the city the last couple of years and there isn't much space around there where it is safe to practice magic." I didn't have to divulge my Shyth seeing abilities. It was the only advantage I had on them.
He looked at me curiously in the mirror.
"And why would you do that? Go live in the city where you can't use your natural abilities."
It must have sounded strange to him but I would have done anything to get a break from my mother's erratic behavior and my dad's gambling debts. Wich obviously did not work out to well seeing as though I was now paying one off with hopefully my magic and not my body or my life.
"I wanted to go to university. I love magic but I wanted something more."
"I see, and what did you go study" I almost seem interested. Or was this some kind of game they enjoyed playing with their prey before killing them?
"History. I'm busy with my thesis on Egyptian and Greek mythology and their similarities."
He raised a brow at me. Was I talking to much now?
"Interesting "he said. But his friend, Zane, the driver did not seem interested. He looked bored of us and just kept his eyes on the road, one hand resting on the side of the window and the other on the steering wheel. I couldn't help sneaking a peek at his arm that was on the steering wheel. He had taken his black jacket off and his arms were bare till where they went into his shirt. But even so his shirt was so tight it left little to imagine was what hiding underneath it. He really was beautiful. Every muscle sculped to perfection. I didn't know weather he spent hours upon hours in the gym or if Draco just naturally looked like they did. Michael was still wearing his jacket, but he seemed just as muscular although it was hard to tell.
Realizing that our conversation had come to an end I looked out my window and realized I had no idea anymore where we were. I don't know how long we had been driving. I wanted to take my phone out of my bag and check the time but if they saw it would they allow me to keep it? It was not as if I could phone the police. These men could turn into dragons. What use would even SWAT be against five bulletproof dragons. My family would be no help either but maybe if they didn't see it, they wouldn't think to take it anyway so I left it where it was in my bag.