Shani Khoza

What the bloody hell? Shani stares through the window, watching the road before her. Beside her, she sees Kara wearing a similar expression. Pure shock.

"You guys saw it too, right?" Denise asks softly; her eyes also fixated on the driveway. Oh, they all saw it all right. But none of them can believe it yet. The car, the other car with their friends inside. It just disappeared. Just. Gone. One moment, they were driving and the next... it vanished.

"Where the hell did they go? They can't just be... gone," Darius says. He frowns, but already there is a little worry in his eyes. "Call them, I don't like this at all."

Shani quickly opens the glove compartment and takes the phone out. She dials the number, hoping this is all some weird joke. The phone rings in her ear; searching for a connection with the phone in the other car. Shani hears the loud tone again. And again. And again. They are not picking up and the ominous feeling pressuring her chest now tells her something is definitely wrong. This is not a joke. She knows this group; nobody–not even Demir–would plan a prank in this situation. There is too much at stake. And that could precisely be the reason they are gone.

She tries again in a desperate attempt to get a grip on the situation. This time, a voice tells her the number she tries to call is not available. They were silent for a second. They all heard what the voice said. "The number is disconnected," Hinote murmurs, confused. "Why is their number disconnected?"

"Pull over, we have to find out where they are," Darius orders. Kara immediately obeys and parks the car along the side of the road. Shani steps out of the car, trying to call the number again. Nothing. "Why are we waiting here? They disappeared in front of us. How would they miraculously appear behind us?" Hinote asks. "If this is all a big misunderstanding, they'll see we've stopped following them," Denise answers, but even from afar, Shani can see the human doesn't believe this is a misunderstanding. They just magically disappeared from the road and their phone is off: something's definitely not right.

"I barely feel Athena; our connection seems weak, but I don't sense any critical danger. What I do know now is that there is definitely magic involved and with magic, a lot more can be suddenly plausible," Darius says in a low voice. His eyebrows are stuck in a thoughtful position while he watches the cars pass by.

Two minutes of waiting become ten and after another twenty-five minutes, their worries have peaked up to a maximum when Darius suddenly shouts. "Something's very wrong. Everything suddenly feels dull, like her emotions are being repressed. She might be unconscious."

Shani tries to reach out to her connection with Leon, but she feels nothing. Damnit. Darius is more connected to his mate because of his mark on her neck. He can't catch her scent, but he feels her presence. Although that might not be a gift at the moment. Not knowing might be better than knowing bad things. It's a lie, and she knows it the minute she thought it; she would give anything to get an insight into Leon's state of mind right now.

Darius curses again; slamming his hand on the old car. "We have to do something. I can't wait here anymore. They are not coming," he shouts, but nobody comes with suggestions. They don't know what it is they can do next. Hell, they don't even know what happened exactly; how are they supposed to figure out where the rest of their group went? We need a plan and a fast and damn good one as well. But how?

"Okay, let's circle back to the moment they disappeared. It must have been something magical, so let's contact a witch. Perhaps Rosetta can help us. Second, there are only a few places they could go if they're still safe. Let's check those before we jump to any conclusions."

"What other conclusions are there, Denise? They have been taken. If they weren't, they would be here," Darius exclaims impatiently, earning him a hand on his shoulder from Hinote, telling him to calm down. "Losing your cool will help no one. Denise's right; we should check different places. They could have escaped but lost the phone or something. They would want us to meet them at a place we both know." Darius only nods. "So where?"

"Let's call your pack and Rosetta first. The third place is probably the Pack in the North," Kara says. "I don't think they'll drive further without us, but it's worth a try. What are the coordinates?" Shani unlocks the phone again to search for the coordinates Athena sent yesterday. Huh. Why can't she find the numbers? She knows Athena sent them; she saw it.

"Guys, they're gone. The coordinates are gone," she says in a panic.

"What do you mean, they're gone? Just like freaking cars, texts don't just disappear," Denise responds.

"Someone must have wiped it clean so we wouldn't be able to find each other again..." that realization let the worry and fear grow inside Shani's stomach. This definitely wasn't some random attack. This was planned and carefully executed. And we have no idea what to do against it. They can't communicate with each other or catch their scent; they have no clue to help them in the right direction.

Oh, Goddess, they could be in terrible danger now. Leon, Athena, Demir, even Brigitte, they're strong, but what if they aren't strong enough?

"I don't know," Darius eventually says. "What I know is that we're wasting time by staying here. We need to go so we can find them." Everyone nods in silence and follows Darius back in the car. He hadn't even realized his alpha side slipped out. It doesn't matter.

The car doors close with a bang and Kara starts the engine immediately. Every minute they drive, Shani hopes to see the car appear. It doesn't. Not after ten minutes, not after twenty minutes, and not when they're forced to leave the highway. Shani looks aside at Darius, who's looking straight ahead. He sits upright and hasn't blinked in a few minutes. Kara steers the car to a parking lot where they finally come to a stop.

Everyone's silent, unsure how to continue.

"Who could have kidnapped them? It's obviously someone who knows them or at least knows of them...so what do they want?" Hinote asks the group out loud. It's silent for a moment; Shani sees the rest lost in their thoughts, trying to wrap their heads around what could cause this.

"The magic suggests witches are behind this; they're the only ones who can pull this Freakshow act with the disappearing car off. And I can think of one thing they could be after..." Darius says, breaking the silence.

"The scroll..." Shani whispers. Everybody seems to agree. "That must be it," Denise adds. "They must have figured out Athena's guarding it and now they have come after her..."

"Okay, so, if they're witches, where would they hide?" Kara sighs. She focuses on every individual with her questioning gaze, but no one responds. Everyone looks at Darius when he jumps out of the car. Shani thinks for a moment he's going to hit the car, but he merely opens the door of the passenger seat. He opens the glove compartment and takes out two extra phones. He puts one on Denise's lap before shutting the door again. The rest looks around in bewilderment, trying to follow Darius and his thought process. Even from outside, they can all hear Darius's vigorous voice.

"Get Rosetta on the phone; I'll call my mother. We need answers. And we need them now!"

֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎֎

Thirty-five hours later...

His mother knew nothing. Rosetta knew nothing. They still haven't found anything and Shani's close to losing her mind. And she isn't the only one. Everyone is extremely on edge. Rosetta told them a bit about the magic, but it isn't helping much yet. They don't have a leg to stand on.

It offered them only a glimmer of light when Rosetta told them she and her husband, Matteo, will be here by morning to help them with the search. "Not many people can hide from Matteo. We'll find them!" she had told Denise on the phone.

Shani misses her friends. Her mate. So much. And she doesn't know what to do anymore. Athena's her best friend. She has been with her from the start of her journey. She's the only one Shani has shared everything with. Athena had made her open up so easily, and asked for nothing in return. She trained her and supported her. Showed her the woman she can be.

And then Leon, who didn't talk to her, but seems to know everything she's thinking. Her likes, dislikes, ambitions. She wishes she could hear Demir's laugh again when telling jokes and stories. Even more, she wants to feel his warm hugs that can calm her down as nothing else can. Everyone knows, he loves to joke, but he also knows exactly the right words for every situation.

They don't understand. None of them can comprehend how four of the strongest creatures they have ever met were taken against their will. Shani has seen Demir and Leon fight. They're beasts! Brigitte is a royal vampire and Athena... Well, Athena's a freaking hybrid. They're all so strong... what kind of creature is strong enough to take them all? And what kind of resistance will they find when her group can finally track them down?

They are sitting in a small, stinky motel room Darius had rented without complaint. A gigantic map of the area is spread out across a table that's probably too large for this room. They've run in every direction; trying to catch scents, clues, and traces that can lead them to their group. But nothing. No magical residue, no blood. Nothing.

The hypothesis about witches being the only ones involved is long gone. They agreed it seems farfetched a couple of witches took down four supernatural miracles. Yes, there was magic involved, but whoever took them could have borrowed it. Or they could be working together.

"Athena's mentor has warned her many people would be looking for the scroll," Shani had told the group. "Perhaps they thought their powers combined could finish the job." Darius rubs his eyes in desperation and Shani can imagine clearly what horrifying stories are going on inside his head. "Damn it, if I just walked a little further to their car, maybe I could have prevented it," he sighs. Two hours ago, he said the same thing. Just like two hours before that.

He's not himself, that is clear. But honestly, Shani's surprised he's able to think clearly. He's focused; more than her. She can't tune out her emotions while he's able to use them as a force to keep himself going.

"Don't think like that. There was nothing you could have done," Kara says. She looks worried, but Shani isn't certain for whom exactly. Of course, she's thinking about their lost friends, but Kara's looking at Darius and her like they're about to go berserk. "Kara's right. They clearly planned this to the last detail; there is nothing you could have done. Like you said; Athena, Leon, Demir, and Brigitte are all incredibly strong. If they couldn't have prevented it, nobody could have," Denise adds.

They are right, of course, but Shani can't help follow the same path Darius's mind went on, thinking about the difference she could have made. What if she had demanded to sit next to Athena instead of her sister? Or if she hadn't told Leon to get into the car with them? He would still be here. Yes, but for what price? What if it was Kara in the car with them? Or Denise? If the assholes who took them are supernatural – which they most likely are – they might not have kept the humans alive. They might not keep Leon alive too, or Athena, or Demir...

"At least we know they're still alive," Kara mutters, trying to keep the tears in her eyes detained. Darius twists his head towards her. His eyes are cold. "We know Athena and Leon are still alive, but what about Demir; what about my best friend? My mate is gone; my beta and gamma are taken and I don't know what to do."

"Simple," Kara says firmly, although the crack in her voice is hard to miss. "We search and keep searching until we find them. Nothing just disappears. No bloody cars or text and definitely not our bloody friends. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to buy a laptop and hack every freaking security camera there is to find a clue. They can't hide forever." Four pairs of eyes are now focused on the human. "What?"

Denise is the first one to open her mouth. "You can hack?" Kara shrugs. "Yeah, it's kind of a hobby of mine. Why do you think I'm chubby? I never went outside as a kid. Instead, I hacked stuff. You didn't know?" Her girlfriend can only shake her head. "We've been dating for two years, and you're still full of surprises," she mutters. "Look who's talking," Kara immediately says back, eyeing their surroundings. Touché.

"Guys. Focus. Please," Darius interrupts their quarrel.

"Uhm, yes, right. Sorry. Darius."

"I have a suggestion, but you will not like it," Hinote begins. Darius just grunts in response. "I'm not liking anything right now. Spill it."

The vampire's eyes darken for a second. "You need to sleep." Oh, shit.

"That's out of the question," the werewolf responds. "You're exhausted, both of you." Hinote now looks at her as well. She averts her eyes quickly. She is tired, they all must be, but sleep is not on her mind right now. And one look at Darius shows it's not on his either.

"I can sleep when Athena's next to me in bed again and when Demir can barge in unannounced."

"Please, just a few hours," Kara says. Shani frowns. Kara too? "This isn't healthy. I'm sure you'll feel much better after you've closed your eyes for a couple of hours."

"Well, you're wrong," Darius answers bitterly. His eyes are flickering. He's angry. Kara steps back while Hinote takes a step forward. "How can I close my eyes when every time I try, I see my mate horribly dying thousands of kilometres away from me? The minutes I'm not trying to find her could be her last," Darius yells at the two of them.

Kara looks down, clearly shaken by his outburst. She turns her face towards Denise, who seems ready to step in. "You're no use if you can't think straight, Darius. I know you're hurting right now and I can't possibly understand how much, but if we want to find them, we have to be focused, and that includes having a couple of hours of sleep. I'm sorry, but I'm with Hinote and Kara on this one."

"We are focused," Shani says. She can feel the anger in her rise. How dare they tell them they're not giving everything to find their friends? It's her mate they're looking for? Her best friend and the closest thing she has to a brother. How dare they?

"No. you're not. You're worn out and emotional," Hinote says loudly, shutting her up immediately. The rage shudders inside her, but her mouth has no comeback.

"Darius?" Hinote takes a step towards the Alpha. "Not now, I have to go," Darius murmurs. He looks around as if he's searching for something. The vampire carefully takes another step towards him. "Darius, you c-,"

"NO! I don't want to hear it. We have to keep looking. I ha-" He's interrupted by a hand grasping his shirt. "DARIUS. Stop it." Hinote's eyes flicker dangerously. "Let. Me. Go," Darius hisses lowly, making Shani shiver involuntarily. Hinote doesn't move a muscle. "No. You need to calm down."

"I'll be calm when I have my pack members back. Now get out of my way," Darius slams Hinote's arms away in anger. A second later, the alpha is pushed against the wall. The entire room vibrates at the force. Hinote's forearm is pressed tightly against Darius's shoulders and for the first time, Shani sees why vampires are considered so dangerous. Hinote's showing a strength she hasn't seen before. A strength to hold an Alpha in his place. Of course, Darius is not himself right now, but still, she hadn't realized the power the vampire possesses. Let. Me. Go, Hinote. I'm not asking again." Darius's eyes aren't flickering anymore. They're fully glowing now, but Hinote's not giving in.

"Look at yourself! You're exhausted and deranged, Darius. A wreck. You are not helping them like this," he's shouting now, desperately trying to make Darius see what he sees.

He's right. They are all right. Her determination to keep looking for her friends too blinded her. We are losing it. We have to take a break. We don't want to, but we need to.

Still stuck against the wall, Darius is trying to push the vampire away, shaking his head at Hinote's words. He kicks against thin air, not even looking at his intended target anymore. "Do I need to take you down, Darius?" Hinote asks, his voice low and threatening. "Because I will. One bite and you're done for the entire night and day. You want that?"

Darius pulls his head up. Shani swallows. He looks... she doesn't know. She wants to say calm, but that's not what it is. His eyes are empty. He looks defeated. Utterly and completely defeated.

"No," he speaks in a raspy voice. "That's not what I want." His blank expression changes suddenly. Hinote removes his arm to free Darius from his grip instantly, but instead of letting go completely, Darius comes at Hinote. Shani's eyes widen in shock as for a moment; she wants to scream the second she thought Darius was attacking the vampire. He wasn't.

Hinote knew immediately, she now realizes. He saw the tears in Darius's eyes she can now hear clearly. They all can. He sobs; his face buried in Hinote's shoulder. The vampire shields him from the rest while offering support. It takes only a couple of seconds before Shani hears Darius whisper something. She cannot hear it. Hinote's answer is much clearer.

"Rest. I'll keep searching, but you need to stay here, so that tomorrow, you can help us find our friends."

"I can't do this again. It's just like seven years ago. The emptiness. The loss. I never wanted to feel like that again, but here it is," he speaks softly, making his words barely audible.

"I know," Hinote whispers.

"I just feel so damn helpless," he mutters.

"I know," Hinote repeats, perhaps more to himself than to the rest. His hand is still on Darius's shoulder and when the wolf looks up to disagree, he closes his mouth. Of course, he knows. Who understands loss and helplessness better than the one who suffered the same fate. Shani closes her eyes in shame. She accused him of not supporting them well. He knew exactly how to help them at the moment.

Shani hates it, but she now knows she needs to take a few hours rest and she knows Darius does too. "Come on, let's go to bed. Just for a few hours; then we'll be more awake to find them," she whispers. He nods, but his red eyes look empty. He let her guide her out of the room to the second room they rented. Before they exit the room, Shani turns around. "Thank you. And I'm sorry." She walks away before any of them can answer.

In silence, they make themselves ready. When she enters the bedroom again, Darius is already lying on the couch. "Come on, the couch looks terrible," she says to Darius. She points at the bed. He shakes his head. "I-I can't." Shani hasn't experienced the things with Leon he and Athena have, but she can imagine the betrayal he would feel towards her. She also knows Athena wouldn't mind. Their relationship is based on trust and equality; a petty thing like jealousy cannot break them apart.

"If you change your mind... don't hesitate to climb in," she murmurs before getting in the bed. The bed is too big, anyway; she hates it. She feels numb. Her entire body is stiff, and yet her mind is fully active. Images of Leon, Athena, and Demir are haunting her mind. Darius was right about one thing before; she cannot close her eyes without seeing at least one of them dying.

She hears a soft shuffling behind her and before she can turn around, she feels the mattress sink under his weight as he lies down next to her. Even though he's not her mate, she's happy with the company. She hates being alone. She hates feeling alone. She hasn't felt that way since Athena found her. Loneliness hasn't been a part of her life in weeks, but lying here besides a man who isn't her mate; a man whose mate is with her mate... being locked up somewhere... possibly in pain, she's lonelier than ever before.

She's certain it's eating Darius alive just as much as her. Perhaps even more because he marked his mate. She's feeling it too; a troubling feeling in the background of her mind. It doesn't hurt, but it's unsettling. It makes her jittery. The worst part about it is she can't tell if he's hurting or not. She knows he's alive, but nothing more. It's maddening.

"I haven't slept alone since that first night we met each other," Darius whispers next to her. He's on his back; his eyes are focused on the ceiling. "The first night, she wanted to keep her distance, but we end up talking the whole night close to each other, anyway."

Shani smiles at the memory. "You couldn't keep your eyes off each other. Demir and I found you almost the same way we left you, only closer together."

"Hinote is right. I am a wreck. He saw it when I didn't. I refused to see it," he says. Instinctively, she grabs his hand when he continues. "For a moment, I forgot we've all lost people close to us, and unlike him, I got my family back."

"I'm sorry, Shani. You lost your mate too. And I know how much Athena means to you because she told me how much you mean to her." He squeezes her hand now, too. She accepts it gratefully; it holds back the tears that were trying to slip out.

"I don't think Leon has spoken a full sentence to me and still it feels like something ripped my heart from my chest," she admits breathlessly. "I just wish I had spoken to him. At least once. A decent conversation; perhaps a laugh. There were so many things I would have wanted to tell him."

Words she didn't get to say after his fight with her former alpha; after he protected her and called her his mate. Those words made her feel so special and loved... and he never knew it. What if she never got the chance? They're connected, but she doesn't feel what he's feeling, not like Darius does... not like mates are supposed to.

She sighs. "Hinote was right. I am tired and emotional. But I'm afraid a good night's sleep is not going to fix that."

"Perhaps not, but it will clear our mind. With all that we've lost, this will only make us even more determined to get them back now!"