Chapter 76 (Crossover Event#4)

(**Parker**)

Why does everything bad always seem to happen at the same time? Frank wanting to kill him, Killian wanting Owen back, now Rayne being taken. Maybe it is the universe's way of saying that they had was too much good in their lives for far too long? Checks and balances. All he knows is that too much time has passed since Rayne left. Her scent has faded from the docks and the vampires have lost her trail. Knowing who took her and why doesn’t do much good if they can’t find her.

Please Moon Goddess help us find her, is now is mantra. Repeated over and over in his head as the time passes. Each hour that passed cause more pain to fill his heart. His body is cold and he just can't seem to get warm. With her missing it is like his body and heart have stopped working properly.

His link with her remains, but he can’t feel her or hear her thoughts. For the first time in five years, he feels hollow. It is a feeling he doesn’t like at all. Her laughter, warmth, and love feel like memories rather than a reality that he used to live in.

“What will Killian do when he realizes what the Warlock wants from Rayne?”

Owen looks thoughtful for a moment before he responds, “Honestly, he will probably kill her. If he can’t get what he wants, he won’t allow the Warlock to get what he wants either.”

“So, what you are saying is that if we don’t find her soon, she is dead either way?”

“I will do everything in my power to keep that from happening.” Arabella stood up from the booth.

She rushed from the room, with Lynn and Jazmine right behind her. They headed toward the kitchen where the door to the safe room was. Knowing Arabella, she will have all her books and crystals down there already.

“I have a few calls to make. There are people that Killian has pissed off over the years. Some of them would love to see his reign of terror ended. Maybe they can give use and idea of where he is in the states.” Owen stands up, then heads upstairs.

Parker is left alone in the corner booth to stew in his misery. None of this would be happening now if he wasn’t an asshole to his mate. She would be safe in his arms where she belongs. However, knowing what he was told about Killian, something like this was bound to happen eventually.

“I will do anything in my power to get you back, my love,” he whispers to himself.

“Will you turn your brother over to Killian to get Rayne back?” Edmund asks.

“That is a death sentence.”

“Better him than my daughter and grandchild.” Edmund growls at him before he turns from the table and stomps away.

Parker knows in his heart that no matter what he does now, someone will die. Killian wants Owen dead for leaving him. Nathaniel wants Rayne as a host for his long dead mate. Three lives are on the line here. One thing is clear to him. He will do anything he can to save all three.

Rayne means more to him than anything, but to be forced to choose between her and his blood is a decision he isn’t sure he can make.

The sound of the bell above the door ringing makes him look up. The scent of shifters hits his nose as Declan enters the bar. Behind him are five more shifters. Three of them he has seen before from the day at the clinic. Relief floods through him as Declan makes his way to the booth.

“I got your message and brought fifty shifters from the colony up north. They are all willing to put their lives on the line to help get your mate back.”

“Why would they do that?”

“Because you are my son, and I am their leader.”

Holy shit. They now have an army of supernaturals to fight an Irish mob boss and a Warlock. Now all that is missing is more witches to fight the Warlock on his level.

(**Rayne**)

Time seems to pass slowly when danger is in the air. At this point it is unclear what is worse, the waiting for her captors to return, or the suspense of what they will do next. For the last several hours, they have come in, sat with her, and just rambled about their lives.

Except Nathaniel.

Although, given what he plans to do with her, Rayne is perfectly ok with not speaking to him again.

Staying in her body has become a top priority. She knows her baby will die if Nathaniel gets what he wants. There is no way that is going to happen. If it comes down to a choice between becoming a host to a dead woman, or the life of her child, Rayne will choose to fight with everything she has.

Or die trying to save herself and her baby.

The sound of the door opening makes her look up from the floor. Nathaniel is standing in the doorway with a smile on his face. Something about the look in his eyes makes her involuntarily shiver. Ice creeps down her spine as he steps into the room.

With a flick of his wrist, the door closes behind him.

“You look disappointed that I am the one to come talk to you now.”

“You didn’t bring me any snacks for the show,” she replies. Sarcasm dripping from her voice as he walks further into the room.

He made a noise of approval. “I can see why Killian wants you for himself. The fire in you is amazing.”

“Well, I will tell you what I told him. I am no one’s.”

“Ah, but that isn’t true, is it? You have a mate. Oh, and not just one, but you have had TWO!!” Nathaniel screams.

With a snap of his finger, a small portal opens next to him. A large object is thrown through the portal and lands by his feet. The portal disappears right after.

What the fuck is going on here.

A groan from the floor at Nathaniel’s feet cause Rayne to look down at it. Then the scent of the person lying at the warlock’s feet hits her. No, why is he here? He has nothing to do with any of this.

“Why did you bring him here?”

“Did you know that even when rejected by your mate, a small piece of your soul always remains with them? Not a sizeable piece, just a tiny little thread. A thread that ties two people together even if they are with other people now.”

Understanding dawns on Rayne as she looks at Sebastion. He was her original mate. Her soul was tied to his since birth. Even after they parted ways, they are still connected to each other. How did she not know this?

Another thought pops into her mind as she stares at Sebastion. The real reason for Nathaniel bringing him here. It isn’t for a friendly chat, or a reunion of friends. Nathaniel is going to kill Sebastion.

Well, fuck that shit.

Rayne shoots up from the floor in a burst of adrenaline. She rushes towards Nathaniel with the intentions of attacking him. Three steps were all he allowed her to take before he stops her. The magic force he unleashes at her throws her backwards until she hits a wall.

The pain is instant, but she has no time to react before Nathaniel is right up in her face. The anger in his eyes would normally make her defiant, but this time, she chooses not to fight back. She sucks in a deep breath as he wraps his hand around her throat.

“Do not make me hurt you.”

“Oh, that is right. You want this body of mine for your dead mate’s soul.”

That.

Was.

The.

WRONG thing to say to him.

Nathaniel’s fist connected with her face. Blood spurted from her nose and lip as he drew his hand back to strike her again. Three more hits land on her face before he steps away from her. His breath coming out in heavy pants as he tries to regain his composure.

Dead mate is a sore subject.

Noted.

“I will not have you tarnish her name or memory. So, if you know what is good for you, I suggest not bringing her up again.”

Groaning in pain, all Rayne can do is nod her head.

Nathaniel walks back to Sebastion, leaving her still pinned to the wall. With one of his leather boots, he nudges Sebastion onto his back. The sight that greets her when his face is revealed causes a gasp to leave her lips.

Both of Sebastion’s eyes are swollen shut. Dried blood is in streaks down his face. His nose looks broken. His lower lip is split open with more dried blood streaking down his chin. The wound that gets her attention over all the rest is the one on his neck.

It looks like someone held a knife to his throat while they beat him. Not just any ordinary knife, though. From the looks of the burns on his neck, it was a silver blade. That doesn’t surprise her at all.

“Now that your friend here is waking up, we can all have a friendly chat.” Nathaniel says. The way he said the word friend was like he thought it was funny. Funny that two ex-mates could be on friendly terms with each other.

Given that most of the time when mates reject each other, it is usually on bad terms, she can kind of see the humor in her situation with Sebastion. She hated him for how he treated her in the past, yet that hatred helped propel her into the life she has now.

Parker, their baby, the bar, and all her friends.

None of them would be a part of her life had things gone a different way that night. Sebastion gave her the freedom he didn’t know she craved at the time. Her plan was to run away and never look back. He gave her the final push she needed.

“Where the hell am I?” Sebastion asks.

His voice sounds dry, but the anger laced in his voice makes Rayne wince. She learned the hard way that fighting Nathaniel is a bad idea. However, a spark of hope creeps into her heart. Maybe they didn’t sedate him with the same drug they used on her.

If that is the case, then he would be able to call to his wolf for help. If he can call to his wolf, then he can call out to his pack for help. What is she thinking? These people are ruthless and crazy. They wouldn’t make that mistake.

“Alright, now that our guest is awake, it is time to get started.”

Nathaniel gestures his hand over to Sebastion, who is then flung against the wall. The same wall that Rayne was still pinned to. How long can the warlock hold them both like this? He has already used up quite a bit of energy since coming in here.

The portal alone is an energy suck. He opened it, held it open long enough for Sebastion to be thrown through, then he closed it. Rayne knows from her experience with Arabella that magic takes a heavy toll on the caster after so much use.

Now it is time to play the waiting game and pray to the Moon Goddess that help arrives before this crazy ass warlock kills her baby and Sebastion.

“Tell me, Sebastion, how are you enjoying your new mate? Irina, is it?”

Sebastion growls low in his throat.

“So, fierce. I can see why the Moon Goddess paired you with Rayne. It is a pity that you two chose not to make it work.”

“How the fuck do you know everything about our lives?” Rayne asks.

Nathaniel gives her a blank stare, batting his eyelashes at her like that explains everything. He looked slightly bored with the question. After another moment of their staring contest, Nathaniel walks away from them to pace to room.

“There isn’t much that can stop me when I want something. How do you think Killian was able to convince two people you are acquainted with to harm you and Parker? Certainly not by using his charming personality.”

“You! It was you who did the magic to make Granger shoot Parker?”

Nathaniel lets out a loud cackle of laughter. “I didn’t force that man to do anything. All I did was give Killian the leverage he needed to make Granger do as he was told. Now the old man from the docks was harder to control. He had nothing to lose, no family, and nothing to use for blackmail.”

A face swam in her mind of the old man who sat down next to her at the dock. His name eludes her, but she vaguely remembers his story. What would they have used against him? He never found his mate, all his family died years ago, and he has been out in California alone for the last year.

“What do you want with us?” Sebastion asks.

“That is an excellent question to ask. Because I am feeling generous, I will tell you. Rayne will become host to my lovely Olivia and you, Sebastion, will die.”