Illicit: not legally permitted
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My head hangs low. It's difficult to stay up right when an energy sucking leech is clasped onto your wrist. The room is dark, save for a large candle lit directly next to me. My hands are bound behind my back and my ankles are tied to the legs of the chair. The only thing I can hear in this basement room is the quiet hum of silence.
Suddenly the door opens. Anger rises within me as the mystery man steps into the room. He carries a small table and a silver platter of food. I see my phone in his front pocket.
"Hungry little Salama?" He asks, setting up the table in front of me and placing the platter on top of it.
Truthfully, I am. However, I don't want to give him the satisfaction of doing something he wants me to do. I shake my head.
"How do you expect to stay strong and healthy if you do not eat?" he questions, crouching in front of me and squeezing my chin between his thumb and forefinger.
I try to turn my head, but he is much too strong and I am much too weak.
"How do you expect to take my 'powers', as you call them, if it has never been done before?" I retort, glaring at him.
He tilts his head at me with an amused smirk. The door opens behind him and my heart stops at the sight of the person walking cautiously into the room. Their face is full of guilt and he runs a hand through his thick brown hair. Hair that I know far too well the texture of from running my fingers through it one too many nights. His bright, amber colored eyes meet mine and I am filled with pure hatred.
"Destrian?"
The man looks between us with a cold smile. He laughs and claps his hands as he stands. His steps echo throughout the empty room as he walks towards the younger boy in the doorway.
"So you two know each other?" he asks, gesturing between Destrian and me.
I choose not to speak and instead, Destrian's familiar voice fills the small space.
"You lied to me, Dmitri." he accuses. "You told me you would get the help of a Salama. Not kidnap one."
"Ah, but I never said I wouldn't kidnap one." he smirks. "How else would we get his help for all eternity?"
"What do you mean?" I ask, my eyes snapping up to meet my kidnapper's.
"As the counsel continues to steal away our immortality, the need for healers and Salamas like yourself become more prominent." he shrugs casually and takes a few steps towards me.
"I am not immortal. I won't last an eternity." I state angrily.
"Well of course not now, but after I turn you, you indeed will be." he smirks at my panicked expression.
I pull weakly on the ropes tying my wrists together. The thick material chafes the soft skin and the stinging causes my eyes to water.
"Why don't you just find a vampire who is a Salama?" I yell in confusion.
"There are very few in existence and the one we do know has already taken the mortality serum." he shrugs.
"No one knows if you can even turn a werewolf!" Destrian argues from the doorway.
"The Nefarious pack allowed us to test it on a prisoner they had." Dmitri explains.
My head swirls with confusion, surprise and betrayal. Why would Nefarious make an alliance with the vampires? What did they need from them?
"Why would Nefarious want anything to do with you cold-blooded killers?" I growl.
Dmitri laughs at that.
"Why don't we go ask them?" he asks and begins to untie the ropes that bind my legs.
Dmitri throws something to Destrian and gestures for him to come forward. I glare at Destrian as he ties a black cloth around my eyes. I flinch as my ex-lover places a hand on my shoulder and wraps another around my waist. He lifts me to my feet gently and guides me up the steps. I hear the front door open and an earthy scent fills my nose.
I'm outside. I can tell by the sudden dry heat and crunch of gravel shifting beneath my feet. I hear the sound of a car being started and the gravel begins to shake slightly as we approach the humming vehicle.
"Where are we going?" I question as Destrian helps me into the car, then slides into the seat next to me.
"To visit Nefarious, as promised." Dmitri replies cockily from the front seat.
I hear a window being rolled down and then something hit the pavement and shatter.
"What was that?" I ask.
"Your phone." Dmitri chuckles.
The urge to kick the back of his chair like a child crosses my mind. However, the Darminite bracelet courses throughout my body. I'm too fatigued to waste precious energy on something so incredibly useless.
"Jason." Destrian says softly from my right.
I don't respond, hoping he will leave me alone.
"My sister is very sick. All I wanted was your help. I didn't kn-" he continues, but I stop him.
"Don't talk to me right now."
Minutes pass by and I grow increasingly more nervous. The Darminite is beginning to take a toll on my body and I can feel it. I slump against the door just as a cold hand clasps around my shoulder.
"We're here." Destrian says gently.
He removes the blindfold from my eyes. I wince as light invades my senses. The door opens next to me and I would have fallen out if it wasn't for Destrian grabbing my arm. Dmitri pulls me out of the car and places me on my feet. Trees surround us and from where we stand I see no houses in sight. Suddenly I hear the rustling of trees and three enormous wolves stand in front of us in the shape of a triangle.
Dmitri let's go of my shoulders and I sink to my knees, the effects of the Darminite are becoming more intense. Destrian helps me to my feet and wraps an arm around my waist to keep me standing.
"Hello men." Dmitri greets and the wolves growl. "Care to switch so we can actually speak and settle things as adults?"
The wolf at the head of the triangle hesitates, before switching into his human form. He stands with his arms crossed. I can't quite place his age, but he seems no older than Hunter and Rhys. He's bulky and his hair is buzzed, reminding me of a soldier.
"Why are you here again, Dmitri?" the man demands.
The more I stare at him the more familiar he becomes, but I can't quite place why.
"Tell your Alpha I've fulfilled my end of our agreement." Dmitri states and then gestures to me. "And I've brought a guest."
The man pauses a moment before turning and saying something to one of the wolves behind him. The other two still haven't switched.
"Get rid of the Darminite and I'll have my men tell our Alpha of your presence." he commands.
Dmitri looks at me and then back to the buzz-cut werewolf.
"He's part of our agreement and you and I both know he'll mind link for help the moment I take it off." Dmitri shakes his head.
For the first time the familiar man looks at me. For a second his angry glare softens, then he returns his stare to Dmitri. The hardened glare from before returns to the stranger's face.
"I don't mean the bracelet. I mean the Darminite in your pocket."
Dmitri looks shocked for a second before turning to Destrian and handing him the Darminite stone. Destrian gently places me back on my knees on the grass beneath us. I wince as the stone he's holding accidentally grazes my shoulder.
"Sorry." he whispers as he goes back to the car and places the stone inside.
"Follow us." the man says, looking at me as he turns around.
Destrian helps me as we walk along and I notice the way he looks around. As if searching for something. Dmitri walks with the man ahead of us, every once in awhile glancing back to assure we're following.
"Do you remember meeting Violet?" Destrain asks suddenly as we trudge along.
I glance up at Dmitri, knowing fully well that with his vampire senses he can hear us. I simply nod my head in response. I had helped Destrian babysit his little sister twice over the summer we'd been fooling around. She must've been nine then. Just a year older than Sage.
"There's this disease that's swept through my kind. She has it." he states.
I turn my head to my left to make eye contact with him. He doesn't look away from Dmitri, but I can see the sadness and fear in his honey eyes. For the first time since our unexpected reunion, my heart is filled with sympathy.
"Dmitri believes you can save her. That you can save everyone with the illness." Destrian whispers, though the vampire in front of us could still definitely hear.
I'm not sure why he's telling me this. Perhaps he believes he can guilt me into believing what he is doing isn't wrong. Or perhaps he's trying to convince himself of that.
"The Salamas who are immortal can not die when they save someone. And the healers who are immortal can not receive the illnesses that they heal." Destrian says as the tops of black cabins come into view. "That's why he wants you."
I hear rustling to my right and I'm surprised to smell a sweet lavender and honey scent. Destrian stops suddenly and looks to where the rustling is coming from. A large light brown wolf sits next to a tree just a few feet from us.
Acer.
It's then that I notice the four men in front of us have stopped too. Acer approaches from the woods, growling at Destrian who tightens his grip on me.
"Stop Acer. These vampires are our... guests." The military style man says in front of us.
Acer switches from his wolf form. His toned chest is covered by a tight, pale red shirt. His hazel eyes are lit up with concern. He steps to me quickly and lavender encompasses the air around me.
Save me. I think to myself.
"What's wrong with him?" he asks, looking at Destrian desperately.
"Darminite." Destrian responds, emotionless.
"Why?" Acer asks looking from Destrian to the four men in front of us.
"I'm afraid that's none of your business little pup." Dmitri growls, pushing past him to take me from Destrian's hold. "Time to speed this journey up."
Dmitri speeds ahead and once we reach the top, he throws me over his shoulder and climbs the stairs to the porch of the largest house. Their pack house. He knocks and soon the door is opened by... Fletcher.
"Jason?" he asks in surprise.
"So you know everyone?" the vampire muses, shaking me slightly over his shoulder. "Where is your father?"
Soon the man from before is at our sides again, along with Destrian and Acer. Fletcher steps aside and calls to his father. Confusion prominent on his face. That's when I realize why the military man looks so familiar. He looks just like Fletcher.
Dmitri let's go of me and I fall to my knees yet again from the weight of the stone inhabiting my wrist. Dmitri crosses his arms and taps his foot impatiently. Acer and Fletcher step into a room nearby and I can't help but hope that they are going to take my side in all of this. Acer surely would, but Fletcher? I'm not so sure.
"I see the Darminite worked on him." A booming voice says, stepping into the room.
His head hosts the same buzz cut as his two sons.
"Like a charm." Dmitri responds proudly.
"I no longer wish to be a part of this." the man returns and Dmitri crosses his arms.
"You've never had a problem turning against your own kind in the past." Dmitri counters, glancing at the clock as if he has somewhere to be. "I mean that is how your 'pack' has earned its name, is it not?"
The Alpha clenches his jaw and looks to his older son still standing by the door. The room begins to spin and I feel a burning pain beginning to ripple from the stone, up my arm and course out throughout my entire body. I take a deep breath, pressing my hands against the tile floor beneath me in an attempt to stay up right.
"I mean they did take your other son from you, if I'm not mistaken." Dmitri presses. "Only two left-"
"That's enough. I have no desire to be a part of this Dmitri. Return the boy to his pack." he demands, and his voice rings throughout the room.
I feel my body shaking and my vision wavering. The longer the Darminite is in contact with me, the harder it becomes to function at all. Dmitri grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet.
"Very well then." he growls and gestures for Destrian to follow him out the door. "But this isn't over."
As soon as our feet touch the porch outside, Dmitri swoops me up and begins sprinting to the car. I can hear him mumbling to himself as he places me inside the car. I return to my position against the door and Destrian slips into the seats next to me.
"Why do you need them? You used their prisoner already and you already have J-the Salama." Destrian tries and hatred again bubbles up in my soul.
"I need their alliance, are you incompetent? Taking an Alpha's son turns the entire pack against us. This could turn into a damn war. Then we'll have vampires and werewolves against us." Dmitri rambles, aggressively pulling away from the parking lot.
I know I should stay awake to hear the rest of the conversation, but my eyes quickly flutter closed. When I awaken again I'm back in the basement. Destrian is crouched in front of me, Darminite bracelet in hand. His amber eyes meet mine and I see that they aren't glowing as brightly as they use to.
"We need to hurry." he whispers, rushing behind me to remove the ropes from my wrists.
"He'll kill you-" I begin but he stops me as he begins untying my ankles.
"He's out right now. Getting supplies." Destrian assures me, holding out his hand for me to take.
I take it and he pulls me up. I notice the lightness in my steps and the strength seeping back into my muscles. He guides me into the dark basement and although I can't see a thing, I know he can see everything. Destrian pulls me up the stairs and into a large white and black kitchen. On the long silver island is an empty blood bag and a pair of keys.
Destrian grabs the keys, not letting go of my hand, and drags me to the front door of the house. It's raining and I find myself tilting my head forward in an attempt to keep the water from running into my eyes. I hop into the passenger seat of Destrian's familiar red jeep and finally look at him.
He reaches up to wipe a tear from his pale face as he turns onto the main road.
"Where is she?" I ask knowingly.
"Who?" Destrian asks impatiently tapping at his wheel as we near the traffic light.
"Your sister." I reply and he jumps at the words.
"Dead." he answers, his voice cracking at the last syllables.
Silence encompasses the small space in the car. Like a heavy woolen blanket. I am again filled with lead at the news. My blood runs cold and my eyes begin to water.
"Bring me to her."