Gabriel (Greyson's Oldest Brother)
"What do you mean they're missing?" I reared my head back in shock.
I watched as tears steamed down my mother's face as she gripped my father's shirt.
"My babies are missing" she sobbed "Something's not right. I can feel it!"
"Rosabella's missing too" Dad grimaced "Her Uncle filed a report with the police this afternoon."
"When did you notice that they weren't home?"
"This morning" Mom cried harder "Grant went to wake them up but said that they weren't there. He said that Greyson's bed was still made and everything!"
I looked at Grant, my youngest brother, and nodded for him to talk.
"I saw them last night" he shook his head, his expression grim "Rose even came up to me and asked why I didn't have a costume on"
"And did she look normal?" I questioned "Frightened? Scared?"
He shook his head "She looked happy"
I faced my family "Did anyone see them after the lights cut out?"
"I saw Greyson fly out the back door" Eva, my wife piqued up "I thought he was getting a drink from the cooler"
"Did any of you see Rose?"
They all shook their heads 'No'.
"Did any of you see Garrett?"
"No" my dad said "We actually haven't been seeing him all that much"
"He's..." my mom's voice hiccuped "Been acting different"
"How so?" I questioned.
"More defiant" Mom sniffled.
Dad nodded in confirmation "And definitely more angry"
"Garrett?" I asked in surprise "Our resident nerd?"
"He's more angsty" my baby brother supplied "Last week I even heard him talking down to Rose."
I cursed "So Greyson was right"
"Right about what?" My wife questioned, hefting up our daughter higher on her hip.
"Last week, when I stole some of my mom's soup for dinner, Grey mentioned something about Garrett not being his normal self"
"Why didn't you tell us?" Dad narrowed his eyes "If we knew sooner..."
"You would have thought it was a phase" I shot back "Just like I thought that he was going through a phase."
I looked at my wife "You definitely saw him go out the back door?"
She nodded "I was heating up Kenna's bottle when he ran out of here like his butt was on fire"
I retraced his steps outside, trying to pick out a scent.
I caught my brother's scent of the edge of trees hanging on my parent's property line.
When I went into the forest itself, however, everything... vanished.
I couldn't even smell the scent of other animals in the forest.
My brother and father flanked my sides.
"Do you smell anything?" I questioned, investigated something hanging on a branch nearby.
They lifted their noses to the sky and sniffed.
I saw the realization dawn on their face as I yanked the cloth piece down from the tree.
"I don't smell anything" Grant said in surprise "Why can't I smell anything?"
"Because..." I looked at them, holding up what I held in my hands "Someone doesn't want us to track them."
They paled.
The mask, my brother's mask from his costume, felt heavy in my hands as the weight of the situation took hold in my mind.
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"Fae?" My dad frowned "Why was he asking about Fae?"
I rubbed my temples, trying to alleviate some of the growing pressure.
"I honestly don't know" I said "But, it must be related to this somehow. Greyson wouldn't have asked about it if he didn't have a hunch about something"
"Do you think the fae have them?" Grant asked, biting his lip, looking worried.
I sighed "I don't know"
"Why would they take Rose though?" Eva asked "She's human! What would they need with a human?"
"Maybe she's not human" I said softly "Maybe she's something else"
"Something else?" Eva's head reared back in shock "We've known that girl since she was fourteen. Don't you think we would have noticed if she was different?"
"Not necessarily" I pointed out, giving her a look "Some individuals are good at hiding what they are."
"Is there anyway to prove, or hell, get into contact with someone who knows about Fae?" Mom glared "My babies are out there. Alone."
"We need to call Kaden" I said.
"What's Kaden going to do?" Grant asked.
"He might have some contacts that we don't" I sighed "Not to mention, Kaden knew about Grey's mating Tattoo fading"
"WHAT?!" My family screeched.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and nodded "His Mating Tattoo is fading"
"Not possible" Dad whispered.
"What does that mean Anthony?" Mom gripped his shirt "Tell me what that means!"
"I don't know" Dad said, pulling at his hair "This has never happened before"
"I thought our Tattoos fill in right after we meet our Mate" Grant said, sounding confused "Why hasn't Grey's filled in?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out" I said.
"What if..." Eva started, hesitantly "What if it has something to do with Rose"
"What are you suggesting?" I asked "You think she's behind the reason why my brother's tattoo is fading"
"Maybe not directly" She nodded "But, if what you're saying about her being different from the rest of us humans is true, than maybe she's indirectly the reason behind all of this."
"She's the reason why my babies were kidnapped?" Mom asked, worry in her eyes.
Eva sighed.
"Whatever's happening" she said, looking directly at me "Rose is the key. You find her and I guarantee the twins won't be far behind."
I nodded.
Picking up the phone, I dialed the one person I considered as my fifth brother.
"Hello?" his gruff voice sounded from his end of the line.
"Kade," I said, grimacing at my anguished tone "We need you. The twins are missing."