Chapter 31

"Amelia."

My eyelids felt glued shut, far too heavy to lift but the insistent voice wouldn't stop.

"Amelia. Wake up."

Consciousness slowly returned to me, and when I finally managed to open my eyes, the first face I saw was Owen's. He had the nerve to smile at me.

I studied the room. Dark wood beams, stone walls, a fireplace. The brown leather sofa felt cool against my skin. "Where have you taken me?" I rasped. My skull felt full of a liquid that sloshed back and forth each time I moved and increased the dizziness.

"You don't have to worry. This is my place here. It's safe."

"You kidnapped me," I snapped, then gripped my head at the pain the tone caused. "What did you do to me?" I glared at him, wishing for a moment that I had magic of my own. As it stood, I was helpless. I couldn't defend myself. I didn't have any powers, no skills apart from attracting trouble.

Owen tried to lay a hand on my shoulder, and I immediately shook it away. "Don't touch me!"

He leaned back and heaved a sigh. "Your head will feel normal soon. It's just the lingering affects of the magic Doogal used to subdue you."

"Why subdue me?" I tried to stand, but my limbs were too heavy, and I barely made it into a sitting position before flopping back down. Panic set in. "I want to go home." I needed Brady. Why hadn't he helped me? Did he know I was missing?

"I'm sorry." It was Doogal who spoke, and I watched as he stepped into view beside Owen. He loomed over me, taller and larger than the smaller man to his right. "You were being manipulated," he explained, like a doctor delivering a diagnosis. "He brainwashed you. This was the only thing we could think to do to save your life."

While my heart immediately denied his claim, somewhere in the back of my mind, a whisper of doubt spread. I'd been so eager, so ready to believe. Had it all been a spell? Was this so called mate bond just a ruse to disguise magic being used against me? A pain hit my chest and spread, stealing my breath away. My eyes stung. I blinked hard, then left them closed as I sucked in a deep shuddering breath.

"I know you won't believe us now, but we need to keep you here until the magic fades. When it does, you'll be able to think clearly again." His expression was serious, his tone even. I watched his face, hoping for signs of deceit, but Doogal held none. "Owen went through the same thing."

I looked at Owen, and he nodded his head softly, his eyes full of understanding. White noise filled my ears, and the events of the past couple of days played out in my mind's eye. Brady's smile, his laugh, the way it felt when he'd held me. It had been a dream come true.

It had been too good to be true.

"He told me we were soulmates," I whispered, my voice barely loud enough for even me to hear.

The two men studied each other, then it was Owen's turn to speak. "It was a lie, Amelia. I'm sorry. It's what they do. Once they attach themselves to you, they'll do anything to keep control."

Something inside me seemed to darken and shrink. My heart. It deflated, and a pain I'd never felt before made my stomach turn.

Owen patted my hand. "I have a room you can use, if you want to be alone for a while."

I nodded my head, no longer caring about the fact that I'd been kidnapped. My mind was numb, but my logical brain returned at full strength. This made sense. More sense than me suddenly being blessed with a magical being that would live and die for me. It made more sense then me suddenly believing Brady's story. I'd folded so easily. I'd accepted it so readily. It didn't make sense. How could I have? Years of torment, and I just give in within a day?

The electric current, his neon blue. Of course it as magic, and I'd been an idiot to believe him. I imagined him laughing to himself at my readiness.

Owen helped me to my feet, then supported me as he lead the way up a set of stairs. The room he guided me to was large and nicely decorated, with a king size bed and every amenity, including an in-suite bathroom.

"How long will I have to stay here?" I asked, my voice detached and barely recognizable.

Concern filled his eyes. "I'm not sure. He's strong. It could be a couple of weeks." He took a step closer, his hand out in an offering of comfort should I choose to take it. "Are you okay? Is there something I can do to make this easier on you?"

I ignored his hand. Nothing could make this easier. "Red," I spoke. I needed Red. I needed a friend that I could talk to, someone familiar to help me through this. Isn't that what girls did when their hearts were broken? Their friends would come to watch them cry, and feed them ice cream. Ice cream didn't seem enough to sooth the pain within my chest, but it sounded better than being in a strange place alone.

"Red?" Owen titled his head and waited for me to elaborate.

"My friend. I'd like to see her."

He seemed to think for a moment, but eventually nodded his head. "Okay. Do you have her number? Your cell phone was with your things. I can get it for you."

"Please." I turned away. Something about looking at him made it worse, made it real. I'd contacted him. I'd asked him to help me, and so far, he'd done nothing but try to do that.

But I'd allowed the monster to get too close. I'd fallen into his trap, and now Owen's face was nothing but a reminder of what I couldn't have.

He left without another word, and I heard the door click softly shut behind him. I sucked in another breath and blew it out slowly. The pain didn't fade, but I wouldn't allow myself to break. I'd managed to live this long without letting it win, I'd be damned if I'd give in now.

A moment later a soft knock came, and the door slowly opened. Owen didn't speak. He leaned inside just enough to lay my phone onto the dresser then retreated once again.

I slowly walked over and took the device in my hand. He'd included a paper beneath it. An address was scribbled in messy black ink, and I could only assume it was where we were. His willingness to grant my request only hurt more. It confirmed his claims. If he'd been lying, surely he wouldn't allow me a phone, let alone company. My chest tightened even more. This was real.

Red's number was one of only two contacts, the other being my mother. I pressed the dial number and waited for her to answer.

"Yo, bitch!" she greeted in her usual form.

The moment I heard her voice, I couldn't hold it in anymore. "Red?" Her name came out broken, and the line fell silent.

"What's wrong?" I'd never heard her so serious, and when I was too emotional to respond, the tone increased. "Amelia?" Her seriousness turned to panic. "What's wrong? Are you there?"

"I'm here." I took a breath. "I'm at," I paused, my heart lurching. "A friend's house. Can you come here?"

"Where? Fuck it! I'm on my way, just text me the address." She hung up, and I stared down at the phone. Despite the pain, my heart swelled at her quick and genuine concern. Perhaps, I'd judged her too harshly. Maybe I really had found a true friend. At least, I could say that much good had happened to me. I texted the address and sat on the edge of the bed.

I was about to lay down, to force myself to fade away until she arrived, when my phone vibrated in my hand.

A new text message filled my screen, the number not one I recognized.

I'm coming, Sweetheart.

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