Mirrored Justice

Jelera Ames

Published by Jelera Ames at Smashwords
Copyright 2012 Jelera Ames

Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.  This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people.  If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.  If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Table of Contents

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 1

The holidays had slipped by once again, dragging him down, draining him until he felt as if he was hollow.  It was the same old song and dance with every holiday that passed but it was the Christmas season that knocked him the lowest.  These days he always felt empty, dead inside but it was the jolly season throughout winter that tugged at him the most, lingering long after the season was gone.
Every year it seemed to grow worse.  These past ten years had been the worst, especially as he watched those around him grow more and more jubilant as the holidays drew closer.  Those who were kind became even more so and the insufferable sweetness and generosity even the grumpiest of people displayed almost made him physically ill.
He despised it all, the fakeness, the happiness but most of all, the he hated the act he put on each year in order not to worry his family.  The pretense of making his loved ones believe he was happy, he was content, he was fine, sapped him of strength long before the season ended.  At the end of every season he was depleted of all energy, even his reserves, almost to the breaking point.  Reaching that point always made him feel vulnerable, as if another chip, another dent, had been added to the thick shield he’d long ago erected around his heart, his mind, his soul.
It was getting harder and harder to pretend.  He felt dead, as if he was already buried deep within his grave, only the dirt and rot missing.
For the last five years he’d escaped the pressures of home and family the holidays pressed into him by retreating to his country home for a few weeks of downtime.  This year, however, he had felt restless and the thought of withdrawing to the country hadn’t held the usual appeal.  Still, he had needed to get away.  Not doing so would have made him feel even crazier.
Instead he’d purchased, sight unseen, a two story cottage home far up in the mountains near a small town in Wyoming.  No one would suspect him of coming here.  Anyone looking for him would never think to look here.  It simply wasn’t his style.  It wasn’t that he was hiding from his friends and family, but the fact that no one, specifically his mother, could find him appealed more than he’d been able to ignore.
The house, far from his usual style, was perfectly located and just big enough so he didn’t feel as if he was a sardine.  The first level was made up of a living room, kitchen, laundry/pantry, a den, a small bedroom and a half bath.  The second floor contained the master suite with separate bathroom as long as two smaller bedrooms that shared the second bath.  Outside, the property stretched far into the woods, but it was the upper deck, accessible from the master bedroom, that he had quickly become fond of.
The upper deck wasn’t large, just big enough for a small table and two chairs, but the view from it was breathtaking.  The clearing in which the house was centered wasn’t large or small, but somewhere in the middle, perfectly suited for the size of the house.  On three sides, it was surrounded by thick, tall and at this time of the year, bare trees but empty or not, the forest served as a shield against the closest neighbors, who were, according the real estate agent, a little over a hundred feet down the mountain.
On the side where the trees didn’t grow (thanks to a steep drop off), the view was beyond beautiful.  Not that he’d taken much time to enjoy it.  His use of the upper deck was more because he liked to feel the icy chill of the weather than because of what could be seen outside the double glass doors.  The few times he had noticed, he had done so with apathy.
From this distance the town nestled in the valley of the mountains appeared as small as a dollhouse and just as perfect as a postcard picture.  Pristine white snow covered the rooftops and the sunlight raining down upon it made it seem as if a million tiny lights were twinkling and winking.  And rising about the town were snow powdered mountains with white capped trees, turning the dreary landscape to sparkling white and misty grey.
Stepping outside, Mason inhaled sharply as winter’s breath plucked at his hair and bitterly caressed his cheeks.  Gripping the wood railing with fingers already going numb with cold, he did nothing to shield himself from icy weather.  He paid no attention to the fact that his skin was turning from healthy pink to wind whipped red, or that his body was quickly catching up to his numb fingers.  His thoughts, as always when he spent any time alone, were locked deeply inward.
His mother’s badgering was, most usually, the culprit to his need for escape and this year had not been any different.  She was impatient for him to meet someone, to marry and settle down.  She wanted grandkids.  Each year it got worse but how could he tell her that he’d forsaken his happily ever after long ago.  A mistake, one he had regretted only moments after making it, had changed his life forever.  Now…now he believed it was his curse to walk through life but to never feel.  He envied those who held onto what they wanted because he’d been foolish enough to let it go.
Only thirty years old and yet he felt as if he’d already lived a lifetime.  Mostly because of the war but also because he had been too proud, too arrogant, too distrustful to believe the truth when it was staring him in the face.  His only real achievement was making a fatal mistake that had cost him everything, had cost him…her.
Five minutes.  That’s how long it had taken him to lose her and with her, the best thing to have ever happened to him.  She had believed in him.  She had seen past the façade he hid behind.  She had seen him as he had always wanted others to see him.  His history of fucking things up, (particularly the things that meant the most), had started at a young age and had continued right up until he’d sent her away, in tears.  
No longer afraid to admit just how much of a screw up he’d been, Mason thought about his school years.  Those years were riddled with one mistake after another.  Worse of all, most of them had been made in the hopes of impressing someone or gaining something that in hindsight, he didn’t need or even really want.  As a youth he’d behaved as a spoiled, rotten, cruel ass.  
That final year had been his biggest screw up of all and it had resulted in large losses and enough pain to last him a lifetime or two.  His only redeeming act had been to sneak away and join the Rebellion.  It was the one thing he hadn’t fucked up and the only ‘good’ deed he could stamp next to his name.  Fear of rejection, fear and pride had prevented him from recognizing just how good things had gotten for him.  No, it had taken her leaving, vanishing into the wind, for him to see anything at all.
Mason sighed, his breath a long puff of white smoke against the chilled air.  Why was he torturing himself with the past?  Thinking about it only made him feel worse.  He had wanted – no, needed, to get away and yet here he was, making himself feel even more wretched.  Why?  Did he secretly enjoy feeling like hell?
Hell, he had so desperately wanted away he hadn’t even packed.  He’d simply left, not even telling his mother, step-father or siblings.  Not even his friends and…Ha!  
A dry hollow laugh escaped but there was not mirth.  He had no friends.  Not really.  Switching sides after years of fighting against the Rebels hadn’t exactly endured him to any of them.  It didn’t matter that he had fought at Parker Hadley’s side for two long, hard years.  He had been, for as long as any of them had been concerned, the enemy, and fighting at their sides hadn’t changed it.  Not that he’d expected it too.  Life was much more complicated than books and movies portrayed.  Mason Draven was no one’s friend.  Mostly, he was viewed as he had before joining the Rebels and for the most part, it wasn’t something that concerned him overmuch.  
At least there were a few who at least acknowledged him.  Mason and his wife, Wren, often had him over for dinner, a BBQ or get some get together of one kind or another – but they weren’t his friends.  Perhaps he saw them as such but he seriously doubted they saw him in the same light.  How could they?  Everything he had done, all those he’d betrayed before switching sides, he couldn’t blame them for seeing him as anything but…well, however it was they saw him.  Still, he considered them, if not friends, close acquaintances and he was grateful whenever they included him.  Even if it was only out of sympathy because they knew, through rumors no doubt, that he was often alone.  Damn, when had he gone from being feared, even respected, to being pitied?  It unsettled him, made him uneasy and a tad pathetic.  No matter the reason, no matter how much he hated having them feel sorry for him, he went to those gatherings.  Not because he felt lonely (though he did) but because over the years he’d come to truly respect, even admire Mason.
A nasty gust of icy wind pulled him from his reflections, cutting through like glass.  Shivering, he pulled the robe he’d thrown on after his shower tighter.  His skin felt frozen to the bone, his bare feet and fingers so chilled they were close to losing all feeling.  Forgetting where he was had become common place these last few weeks.  
Shaking his head over his stupidity, he turned to go back inside when movement on the left side of the house caught his attention.  Pausing, he studied the area, his gaze intent.  Nothing moved except for the sway of branches whenever the wind gusted.  Shrugging, thinking he must have been mistaken, he once more started indoors.  Now that he was aware of the winter temperatures he was feeling like a frozen pop.
Again he spotted motion only this time when he looked in that direction he saw a small, purple…something.  Moving back to the railing, narrowing his eyes he studied the figure emerging from the woods.  A child, from the size of it, stepped clear of the trees and looked around.  Was she lost?  He wasn’t about to ask but as he watched her look around, he took note of what she was wearing and almost chuckled aloud.
The coat was purple; the pants lime green and the boots mustard yellow.  The small head was covered in some odd looking floppy hat in neon pink and teal.  The gloves were a muddy brown and pumpkin orange.  Holy Christ, who had dressed the kid?  Either the person had been color blind or had simply not cared.
Watching the child, Mason wasn’t sure what to think.  Besides the fact that children made him a bit nervous, she wasn’t acting as if she was lost but more like as if she was sneaking around or possibly hiding.  Forgetting he was freezing, Mason stood watching the kid with a mixture of wonderment and confusion.
He sucked in a breath when she slipped, falling on her backside.  He winced when she made an odd yipping noise, expecting to hear her cries at any moment but instead a tinkling laughter filled the afternoon air.  The sound was soft, sweet and filled with so much joy it actually made his chest ache.  Unknowingly, his lips tilted upwards in response.
Standing up, the kid started to brush the snow off and he heard, as clear as if the kid was standing beside him, “Well, that will teach me to go wandering off, won’t it.”  Another round of tinkling laughter followed.  “I can just hear Amy now,” she (and it was a girl) giggled once more and then in a mocking voice said, “I told you not to wander in the woods, Maddy.  Didn’t I say -?”
A low growling interrupted, drawing Mason’s attention toward the woods.  A bolt of fear shot through him at the sight of a large, white and grey, beast came into view.  The little girl stopped brushing at her clothes and glanced at the animal.  His gaze went back to the overly large animal.  It looked like wolf but if that’s what it was it was hyped up on steroids.  The thing was fucking huge.
Creeping ever closer to the girl, who was apparently frozen in fear because when Mason looked back she hadn’t so much as moved.  Fear caused his throat to tighten until it was so raw he couldn’t swallow.  His instincts told him to jump down there and throw himself in front of the girl but another part of him wanted to race inside for his staff and…yet, he couldn’t move.
His gaze was riveted to the scene unfolding before him and though his brain was screaming at him to move, to do something, his body remained motionless.  For some reason the thought of retrieving his staff and leaving the girl alone bothered him.  Though what he was going to do from the upper deck was a mystery.  It was if as long as he was standing there, she was safe.  It was a silly notion but one that wouldn’t leave his head.
The growling stopped just as the creature raced forward, a streak of white and grey.  Out of time, Mason didn’t think, he simply reacted.  Bolting over the railing, uncaring that the drop alone might break a bone; he fell to the snow laden deck below.  Luck was with him.  He landed easily on his feet, slipping only a little before getting his balance.  Running forward it was a moment before he heard the laughter.  Once it penetrated his brain, confusion took hold.
Laughter?  That wasn’t right.  Screaming, that’s what he expected to hear.  Not laughter.
Refocusing on the scene he nearly fell on his ass as he skidded to halt.  The beast was atop the girl but it wasn’t attacking.  It wasn’t ripping her to shreds or tearing her to pieces with its massive teeth.  If attack had been the motive then he seriously doubted it could do much damage with its tongue, even if the thing was the size of a dinner plate.
The girl was pushing at the beast, giggling as she did.  Mason watched in amazement, hardly noticing the pain of his bare snow buried feet, as kid and beast rolled around the cold ground.
He was about to back away when the girl cried out, “Enough, Cosmo.  You win.”
With what might have been a grin, Cosmo leaped backwards, sitting down on his hunches.  Starring happily at the girl, he woofed softly.  
His mind clearing, Mason looked the beast over.  Obviously it was some sort of dog though only God knew what breed.  The thing was massive and looked like some sort of husky/wolf crossbreed.  Hell, the damn thing was about as tall as the girl would have been standing, and that was on all fours.
Slowly sitting up, she smiled at Cosmo.  “You know, Cosmo, Mom’s going to have a fit when she gets a look at us.  We’re so wet it’s as if we took a dip in the river.”
Chuffing lightly, almost as if he understood, Cosmo kneeled forward, bowing his head as if shame.  Shaking her head, making her floppy hat bob, she said, “Don’t give me that hangdog look.  You aren’t a bit sorry.  Crap!  Amy’s going to flip a lid.”
Cosmo woofed softly while watching the girl as she got to her feet.  She sighed but just as quickly let out of a stream of bubbly chuckles.  “It was fun, wasn’t it?  Of course it was.”
With his feet starting to burn from the icy snow Mason slowly backed away.  Once he was safely away, he hurried back inside, shaking his head over odd little girls and their monstrous dogs.
Hours later, after plying enough alcohol into his system to service a bar, he slept and dreamed.  He didn’t dream of little girls and beastly animals.  No, he dreamt of her…he always did and always would.

*****

Sunlight was streaming inside the bedroom window; it’s warmth touching his face, waking him way before he was ready to face reality.  He’d passed out in the living room last evening only to be jerked awake from a nightmare in the middle night.   It was then he’d finally made his way upstairs to bed.  After falling into bed, he’d fallen asleep thinking about her, his dreams taking him into the past, twisting and mixing memory with fears from long ago.  
Instead of watching his father being murdered, she had been there, covered in blood and dying.  The second nightmare had brought him awake as abruptly as the first but by then he’d been too tired to do much more then roll over and go back to sleep.  At least the rest of the night had been blissfully free of dreams, or none that he could recall.
His head was pounding a thousand tiny tempos and he silently cursed.  What the hell had made him think a few shots of whiskey was going to make everything okay?  It had never worked before and no matter how many times he tried, that wasn’t going to change.  Carefully rolling to his side, he waited for his stomach to stop rebelling before slowly opening his eyes only to snarl in pain when light hitting his retinas caused a lance of pain that went straight to the center of his skull.  
Tossing an arm ever so carefully over his eyes, he tried to force himself back to sleep.  It was useless.  As much as he wanted to ignore the real world, he wasn’t the type of person who could sleep for hours unless exhausted - or drunk.
Based on the angle of sunlight slanting across the room, Mason guessed the time to be around mid-morning.  Usually he was up by five and ready for business (even on vacation) by six, long before the sun was ready to shine.  This morning that miserable ball of fire had not only gotten a head start, it was trying to blind him.  
Shifting ever so slowly, Mason rolled until the sun was no longer aimed directly at his face.  Maybe just this once he’d let sleep claim him again.  After all, it wasn’t as if he had anything pressing to attend to.  And wasn’t that why people went on vacation, to sleep in and do nothing?
He was just beginning to drift back into dreamland when a loud bark, quickly followed by a playful shriek sharply snapped him awake.  Frowning, he wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him.  He could have sworn he heard a laughing dog but dogs didn’t laugh.  Did they?  No, no, they didn’t.  Dogs barked, whined, whimpered and such but they didn’t laugh.
Another deep bark forced a groan from him.  The shouting made him want to groan again.  Annoyance pricked him as he punched his pillow, which caused his head to threaten splitting and his belly to roll threateningly.  Taking a few calming breaths, he got both back to just tolerable when another bark disturbed his peace.
Damn it!  The realtor had assured him, numerous times actually, that the house was isolated and the neighbors nonintrusive.  The asshole had failed to mention the neighbor, the only one for miles around, having kids - or at least one and pets - massively huge pets.
What the hell was that girl doing back here?  Obviously her parents hadn’t taught her manners if she was running around disturbing others and trespassing.  In a fluid motion, ignoring his body’s complaints, Mason stood up and stomped from the bedroom.  He was about half way down the short hall when he realized he wasn’t dressed.  Turning about he went back to the bedroom where he quickly threw on a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt and slipped his feet into a pair of ratty looking but very comfortable house shoes.
Dressed, he made his way downstairs, doing his best to ignore the way his head was hammering away or how his stomach kept lurching.  The way he was feeling the kid was lucky he didn’t want any trouble with the Council because he was just annoyed enough to curse the little brat.  And verbal curses were not what he had in mind.
Yelling, maybe scaring her a bit was what the situation called for?  He could do scary and yelling, well it might pain him but he could do.  Then maybe he could sleep.  Thinking about what he was going to do, Mason yanked the door open and…
His plan went to hell.  She was standing there, her tiny fist up as if she had been about to knock but that wasn’t what made him forget about his plan to scare her.  No, her humongous dog did that.  It was sitting, seemingly passively, by her side but it was obvious that one small move against its mistress and it would tear his head off.  Mason had no desire to find out just what the beast was capable of so he backed off a step, doing his best to appear nonthreatening. 
 “What do you want?” he growled in greeting, though it was much lower than he’d originally intended because he wasn’t sure how her pet would react if he yelled.
“Hello,” she replied, grinning up at him.  “I live just down there,” she pointed the way, “through the trees.  I come up this way to play all the time but yesterday I noticed smoke coming from the chimney.  I thought I’d come by, introduce myself.  I’m Maddy.  This is Cosmo.”
“Consider yourself introduced.  Now go away,” he grumbled a wary eye on Cosmo.
Her bow shaped lips formed a small frown.  “Well that’s rude.”
“My middle name,” he retorted.
“Is it?”  He wasn’t sure but there might have been sarcasm in there.  “Are you always this rude?”
And here were the questions kids had an endless supply of.  Looking down at her, he sighed.  “Because I can be and I don’t want you here.”
“All you had to say was you didn’t want guest,” she pointed out, sounding way older than she looked.  “There’s no reason to be so nasty.”
“Bloody hell,” he muttered.  “What will it take to get rid of you?”
She seemed to think about it a minute and then shrugged, “I’m not sure.  Can I come in?”
He gazed down at her in surprise.  He’d just told her he didn’t want her here and she was asking to come in.  The girl was…odd, even for a norm.  “No.”
To which her reply was to shoulder her way past him, dog at her side, and head straight for the kitchen.  What the hell had just happened?
“Hey,” Mason exclaimed, chasing after her after closing the door.  “I said no.”
She was removing her outer gear, placing her hat and gloves in the pockets of her coat.  Turning to him, she said, “But did you really mean it?”  After hanging her jacket on the back of one of the kitchen chairs, she hopped up and took a seat.  “I don’t think so.”
“I did,” he insisted as he watched her make herself comfortable.  The girl was…annoyingly charming and excruciatingly pushy in an adorable, crazy sort of way.  Not that he was going to say anything.  It would only make her worse.
“So, what’s your name?”
“I don’t have one.”
Between giggles she remarked, “You do so.  Everyone has a name.  It would be awfully confusing otherwise, don’t you think.  Mom would agree but since she’s not here, we can’t ask her.  Though I’m pretty sure she’d agree.”
“For the love of God, would you please leave?”  It was more of a demand than a question but she took as one.
“No.”
Mason took a step in her direction only to halt at the sounds of low growls coming from beneath the table.  “Why the hell not?” he demanded to know.
“’Cause I don’t want to,” she replied as if that explained it all.  “Why do you smell like booze?  Have you been drinking?”
Giving up on getting her to leave, Mason leaned against the counter, glaring at her.  “How is that any of your business?”
“It’s not.  I was only curious.”  She shrugged.  “You’re an awfully grumpy person.  Has anyone ever told you that before?”
“Not recently.”
“You should try being nice,” she instructed him.
Raising a brow, he asked, “Really?  Why?”
“It’s called being polite,” she told him, giving him a stern eye but after a minute looked away, checking the room over.  “It’s pretty nice in here but it’s too white.  Mom says a white room is a disaster waiting to happen.”
“I don’t care what your mother has to say on the matter,” he informed her.  “Are you always this pushy and annoying?”
“I’m not pushy,” she denied indigently.  Only to add, “Okay, so I am.  A little.  But I’m not annoying.”
“You are,” he told her.
“You never did tell me your name,” she intoned, ignoring the rest.  
In a resigned tone he repeated, “I did.  I told you I didn’t have one.”
“You have to have a name,” she asserted.  “I can’t go around saying ‘hey you.’”
“You could always leave and then it wouldn’t be an issue,” he hastily pointed out.
For some reason she found that amusing.  Once she got her giggles under control she said, “Well, since you won’t tell me I’ll just give you one.”  Putting her elbow on the table, she bent it up and put her chin in the palm and gave him a contemplative look.  “Let’s see, I’ll call you Mister Giggles.”
“The hell you will,” he shouted before he could stop himself.
“Don’t like that one, huh?”  Giving her chin a little rub she said, “How about Mister B.”
He was almost afraid to ask but, “What’s the B stand for.”
“Buggers.”
“Whatever,” he snapped, shaking himself.  What was he doing, encouraging her?
Minutes passed in silence and he found himself asking, almost hopefully, “Do you plan on leaving anytime soon?”
A shrug was her only response.
Feeling the need to do something, anything but stand there and stare at him, he twisted around and faced the counter space.  Spotting the teapot, he snatched it up and took it over to the faucet.  He filled it and…that was as far as he got.  He had no idea how to make tea.  At least not without a bit of magic.  Doing it the norm way was a complete mystery.
“Are you going to make tea?”
Turning his back on her he said, “I haven’t decided yet.”
A chair scraping across the wood floor alerted him seconds before she appeared at his elbow.  Looking up at him, she asked, “You don’t know how, do you?”
Not waiting for an answer, she took the pot from him and walked with it over to the stove.  After lighting it, she put the pot on and once more faced him.  “Mom likes tea so I try to have some ready when she gets home from work.  Amy, my sitter, likes coffee.  I tried making it for her once but she said mud tasted better.  Amy can be…rude, sort of like you.”  
“Humph,” Mason grumbled irritably, ignoring her observations.
After preparing the tea, which didn’t take as long as he’d imagined, she placed a mug beside him, reaming at his side until he picked it up and took a small sip.  The flavor was rather soothing and actually had a calming effect on his stomach.  Mason took another small sip, savoring the taste as it rolled around his mouth before swallowing. He hated to admit it but the midget was good at making tea. 
She was looking at him expectantly when he glanced at her.  He glared back.
She sighed.  “You’re supposed to say, thank you.”
“Is that so?”
Placing hands on hips she scolded, “Rudeness again?”
He shrugged.
“Look Mister B,” she said before lecturing him with, “When someone does something for you, you should tell them thank you.  Then I’ll say you’re welcome.  It’s called manners.”
“I haven’t got any,” he told her, smothering a smile when she rolled her eyes at him.  “If I tell you thank you, will you leave?”
Cleverly she said, “I’ll stay right here and annoy you all day if you don’t.”
He opened his mouth to tell her what he thought of that god awful plan when she suddenly shrieked.  Racing around the table she grabbed up her coat.  Shoving her arms through she said, “Amy’s going to blow a gasket if I’m late again.  Bye Mister B.  I’ll see you later.”
Feeling a bit stunned, Mason’ could think, I sure the hell hope not.
Though if he gave it some thought (and was honest) he secretly liked the idea of her coming for another visit.  Not that he’d ever admit it, to himself and certainly not to Maddy.
Chapter 2

Sitting at his kitchen table a few days later, Mason nibbled on a light lunch of soup and crackers.  He was taking a bite out of the cheese sandwich he’d made to go with the soup when he heard the first bark.  His first thought was to run and hide but felt foolish for thinking it so stayed where he was.  Besides, the little minx had warned him she’d be back and here she was.  Not to worry.  She was outside.  He was inside.  And since he had no intentions of letting her inside, he was perfectly safe.
Safe?  It wasn’t as if he was afraid of the little pipsqueak.  She was hardly a danger to him.  After all, she was a pint sized norm so safety wasn’t really the issue.  So what was?  She bothered him on a level he didn’t want to think too hard about so with a shake of his head he pushed the thought from his mind.
Whatever it was or wasn’t didn’t matter.  As long as she remained outdoors and away from him he was fine with her playing in the yard.  Hell, her and her beastly dog could play out there all day as long as they left him alone.
The comforting thought was working until a crazy, horrible idea struck him.  The terrible notion that she was simply going to pop inside like magic hit him hard.  It had him sitting up a bit straighter; his gaze going toward the slight hallway leading to the back door.  
Wait.  That wasn’t possible.  She was a norm and norms couldn’t, as far as he knew, perform even the most basics of magic.  There was no way she was getting inside unless he opened the door.  No way in hell was that happening. 
A light tapping at the door made him jump and he silently cursed himself.  What the hell was the matter with him?  She was a kid.  There wasn’t a single reason he could (logically) think of for why he felt so jumpy.  Annoyed with himself, Mason scowled at nothing.  Jesus, she was a sixty pound (if that) nuisance, nothing more and certainly nothing worthy of his skittish like behavior.  He was three times her weight and he had magic on his side.  There was nothing to worry about where Maddy was concerned.
Unless he considered the beast she called Cosmo but he wasn’t going to worry about that either. 
She tapped the glass again, this time calling out, “I know you’re in there, Mister B.  I can see your shadow on the wall.”
Glancing over he almost cursed.  His silhouette was clearly outlined against the stark white wall.  Doesn’t matter, he reminded himself.  She’s outside, I’m in here.  If I ignore her she’ll give up and go away.
Hopefully that was going to be sooner rather than later.
“Come on, Mister B,” she said beseechingly.  “Let me in.  I won’t stay long, I promise.”
“Not by the hair of my chinney chin chin,” he muttered recalling the childhood story.
“Mister B,” she pleaded.  “Please.”
“Go away,” he shouted immediately clamping his lips closed.  Damn it.  She was getting to him.
“I won’t,” she retorted stubbornly.  “I’ll stay right here until you let me visit so you might as well give in and let me come in.”
“There’s no way in hell that’s going to…”
Mason never finished the sentence.  Maddy was strolling into the kitchen, looking pleased as a peach as she started removing her gloves, hat and scarf.  She stuffed each piece into a coat pocket before removing that too and hanging it on the back of a chair.  Cosmo, the infernal beast from hell, was close on her heels.  Once Maddy had taken a seat across from him, the animal curled up beneath her dangling feet and closed his eyes.  
Giving the dog a nasty look, which was wasted, Mason turned the same look at the animal’s mistress.  “I said no,” he reminded her through gritted teeth.
She merely grinned.  “You didn’t lock the door.”  Tilting her head, she observed, “If you’d really meant to keep me out, you would have locked the door.”
“That’s a rather skewed assessment,” he remarked dryly.  The damn door wasn’t locked because he hadn’t thought he’d have to worry about visitors out in the middle of nowhere.  Normally he would have set protection spells as well, but like a locked door, he had thought it a moot point.  If he had known a persistent, annoying little girl lived so close and that she would, along with her colossal dog would be besieging him, he wouldn’t have been so lax.
In a slightly growly tone he demanded, “What the hell do you want now?”  
“Wow,” she said in a loud voice, her eyes wide in mock surprise.  “You really need to relax a little.  You’re a serious grumpy butt.  If you don’t learn to lighten up, you’re going to have an MI.”
“How the hell do you know what an MI even is?”  
“Mom and my aunt’s a nurse.  Kind of.”  She looked down at Cosmo.  “Don’t do it.”
“Don’t do what?” Mason wanted to know.
“Nothing,” she replied.
“Whatever,” he muttered, deciding he didn’t want to know.  About now the thought of having a heart attack was rather appealing, only he was thinking she should be the one to have it.  Okay, so it was wrong to wish one so young ill but hell, she shouldn’t be so damn irritating - or cute.  “Why don’t you leave now?”
“Wow,” she repeated only this time with a roll of her eyes.  “It’s a repeat of the first time we met.  You’re a serious grouch, aren’t you?”
“So you’ve said,” he mumbled.  Fuck.  What was he thinking?  Was he really sitting here verbally sparring with a kid twenty years younger?  He had to get a grip.
Glaring, hoping to intimidate her (ha!) Mason almost lost it when she smiled at him instead.  No.  No, couldn’t smile back, that would only encourage her.  She wasn’t just a brat; she was a devil in disguise with a bit of imp mixed in for good measure.
Considering his…dilemma, mason came to only one logical conclusion, he was just going to have to ignore her.  He had tried being rude, he had tried scary and he had even attempted intimidation.  Nothing was working so he’d pretend she wasn’t there.  Maybe then she’d leave him alone.
With that in mind he picked up his dropped spoon and went back to eating his lunch.
“What ya eating?” she asked after a few minutes of quiet.  Mason said nothing, not even looking at her.  She sighed.  
“Ignoring me won’t work either,” she informed him when another few minutes slipped by.  “It’s also rude.”
Forgetting his plan to snub her, he countered with, “You’re just as rude.”
“I am not,” she huffed out looking as if he’d injured her feelings.
He shrugged.  He could have argued and probably won, but why bother?  She was a kid and kids didn’t have the same logic as adults.  Their thinking was out of whack with reality.  So instead of debating the issue he returned his concentration to his meal.
Maddy was so quiet, so motionless for so long that if he hadn’t been able to see her he might have forgot she was there.  Of course it didn’t last.  He had gotten up to take his empty bowl and plate to the sink when she spoke again.
“Okay, so I can be rude but I’m really not trying to be.”
Mason was surprised.  Had she really been sitting and thinking about his comment all this time?  Not something he would have expected from someone as young as Maddy.  Though he actually didn’t know her age so maybe he was wrong.  Maybe she was older than he thought.  Truthfully, her confession was also kind of amusing.
Again she sighed.  “I confessed to my rudeness, and now I’m apologizing so…what about you?”
“What about me?” he asked, grabbing a can of soda from the fridge, thinking about it a moment and grabbing a second can.  Back at the table he sat down and as casually as he could slide the can her way.
Her expression lit up like the sun on a warm sunny day.  His chest tightened.  It had been a long time since he’d seen that sort of acceptance on another’s face.  He cleared his throat, looking away, unable to think with her looking at him like that.
Popping the tab she took a small sip, smacking her lips after.  “I don’t mean to be rude.  Or pushy.  Mom says I’m naturally friendly and have more curiosity than a hundred cats.  Amy, my sitter, says I’m a pest ninety percent of the time and a brat the other ten percent.”
“Your nanny’s got the right of it,” Mason drawled, unable to resist teasing her a little.
Her brow wrinkled as she protested, “She is not.  Amy’s just a cranky teenager.  My uncle says I’m optimistic, that I like seeing all the good in people and none of the bad.  ‘Course, he also says it’s gonna get me in trouble someday though I’m not sure how.”
Trying to keep from liking her, Mason said, “Your uncle is just being nice.  What he really means is you’re a pest.”
“No he’s not,” she retorted with a scowl.  “He likes me.  Amy doesn’t like me.  She pretends to when Mom’s around but when Mom’s gone, she usually tells me to get lost.”  She paused and then added, “Maybe you and Amy should take lessons on being nice.”
God but she was entertaining if nothing else.  Spunky too.  Schooling his features into neutral, he said, “I am nice…to people I like and who leave me alone when I’ve told them too.”
Sounding resigned, she remarked, “Then I suppose you won’t ever be nice to me, huh?”
A chuckle almost escaped him.  He managed to keep it in check but he could no longer lie to himself.  She wasn’t an awful child.  In fact, he was starting to like her.  She was spirited, adorable and more gumption than most of the adults he knew.  More than all that, she was witty and charming in a quirky, odd way and whether it was that or something else, he wasn’t tensed up and feeling twitchy, which was his normal reaction to spending too much time around kids.  With the exception of his little sister, kids weren’t his thing.  Maddy, however, didn’t’ make him feel awkward or out of sorts.  
Of course it helped that she wasn’t ugly.  Hell, she was downright adorable, with dimpled cheeks, a perky little upturned nose, and bow shaped lips and wide, slate grey eyes.  Her skin was the soft peach of youth and her hair was a tawny mass of messy curls that hung down in her back to just above her butt.  Give it a few more years and she’d have the boys knocking on her door.  The idea disturbed him in a way he didn’t want to think about so instead of dwelling on the thought, he brushed it aside, except to be thankful she wasn’t his daughter, that it was some other guy’s job to keep her safe.
Studying her so closely made him frown.  She reminded him of someone.  Who?  Shaking his head he gave her another thorough look.  After a few more minutes he decided he most have been mistaken.  No one he knew had hair or eyes that color but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew her…or rather someone who looked like her.
Maddy brought him out of his thoughts by asking, “Why you looking at me like that?”  Reaching up she started patting around her face and head.   “Is something sticking on me?”
Shaking himself free of his thoughts, he said, “No, just thinking too hard.”
“Phew,” she sighed.  “For a second there I thought I’d grown a second head.”
“Might be an improvement,” he told her teasingly.
She giggled in response, that same tinkling sound he’d heard the first day he’d seen her.  “My aunt would have said the same thing.  She’s a prankster.  Her brothers too, but she’s worse.”
Unexpectedly he discovered wanting to know more about her.  “How old are you?”
“Nine,” she replied promptly.  “I’ll be ten in a few months.”
“Awfully smart for nine,” he commented sincerely.
“Thank you,” she said, accepting the compliment.  “I like to read.  A lot!  Mom says I take after her and my…”  She trailed off for moment, seemed to shake it off and added, “My aunt says I read way too much but I’m nothing like Mom.  I actually like playing sports too.  I also like a good joke, just in case you’re wondering.”
He had been but he wasn’t about to admit it.  “And your father?  How do you take after him?”
Maddy looked away for a moment, looking a little sad but when she turned back to reply there was a knock at the back door.  Swiveling her head around and leaning slightly backwards let her see down the short hall.  From the expression of worry and guilt that filled her expression, not to mention the whispered, “Oh no,” he suspected it was Amy, the dreaded nanny.
Intrigued at the idea that there was someone who was able to alarm the spitfire sitting across from him, Mason stood up and started to round the table.  He peeked around, leaning into the hall at the waist but wasn’t able to see much.  Whoever it was had on a scarf that covered half their face.  He started going to the door but Maddy’s hand on his wrist made him pause.
“Don’t answer the door.  She’s gonna be mad that I came here.  I wasn’t supposed to leave the yard.”
Good to know.  Mason filed the information away for possible use in the future.  To Maddy he said, “I have to answer the door.  Our shadows are there.  So she knows where in here.”
“Right,” Maddy muttered.  “Forgot about that.”
Tugging his wrist free, Mason made his way down the short hall.  Opening the door he asked, “Can I help you?”
Even as she turned to face him, she was answering, “Yes, Madison, my -”
Mason’s jaw dropped.  “Gemma!”
“Oh god,” she stuttered softly right before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she went down.

*****

Jumping forward, Mason managed to catch Gemma before she crumbled to the ground.  With a little maneuvering he succeeded in picking her listless form up so she was cradled in his arms, held close to his chest.  She wasn’t a lightweight but neither was she so heavy that he had difficulty holding her.  Turning, intending to take her inside and lay her on the sofa in the living room, he found the path blocked by Maddy and Cosmo.  Puffing out an annoyed breath he commanded, “Move it, Maddy.”
Maddy shook her head, setting her jaw at a stubborn angle.  Bracing her feet apart she placed her tiny fist on her hips.  Scowling with a fair amount of menace, she refused to move, saying, “No.  What did you do to my Mommy?”
Mommy?  Mason’s head spun so quickly he was close to joining Gemma in unconsciousness.  Fucking A!  It literally felt as if someone had just suckered punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind from his lungs.  At the same time his entire body went numb causing him to stumble briefly before regaining his balance.  With his brain whirling, he tried to suck air into his lungs but it was if something was lodged in his throat or as if her cursed pet was sitting on his chest.  No matter how hard he sucked in, there didn’t seem to be enough oxygen.
An extremely long minute passed while he got his body (his thoughts were another matter) under control.  Once he had, he said, “Nothing.  She’s only fainted.”
“Why?” she demanded tenaciously remaining in his way.  If not for Cosmo, he might have soldiered past her but the brutish looking animal made him pause.
Feeling increasingly silly and getting a bit angry, Mason glared at the beast and then Maddy.  In a low growl he bit out, “I haven’t got a fucking clue why she fainted.”  Actually he had a pretty good idea but he wasn’t about to stand here, holding Gemma, while Maddy played twenty questions.  “Madison, get the hell out of my way before I drop…your mother on the bloody floor.”
Flinching slightly Maddy moved.  Walking ahead of him instead of stepping aside but he wasn’t going to squabble.  She was moving and that’s what counted.  He heard her mutter, “Don’t drop mommy and don’t call me Madison.”
Whatever, he thought but didn’t say.  What he did say was, “Okay, Madison.”  After using his foot to close the door he turned and followed Maddy down the hall and into the front living room.  Ahead of him Maddy was still muttering beneath her breath.  He heard every word and despite the situation had to fight from smiling.
“Silly, grumpy, grouchy and…whatever, that’s what he is.  I tell him not to call me Madison and he does anyhow.  Adults don’t listen but he’s worse.  He listens and then ignores.”
She said more but at that point Mason had reached the living room and he tuned her out as he carefully laid Gemma down.  Done, he moved to sit on the low coffee table in front of the sofa.  From there his gaze jumped from Gemma to Maddy.  Back and forth he went, seeing the similarities he hadn’t looked for before.  No wonder she had felt familiar, she was Gemma’s daughter.  
Not that Maddy was a carbon copy of her mother.  Gemma had darker hair and her eyes were a startling blue, not the slate-grey that Maddy boasted.  But Maddy had her mother’s small nose; sharp cheekbones and the shape of her eyes were the same as Gemma’s.  Damn.  Now that he could see it he was surprised it hadn’t hit him sooner.  Maybe he would have if Maddy had continued to come around but then again, most of the time he was oblivious to others so he might not have.
His eyes traveled to Gemma again.  If Maddy was her daughter then it stood to reasons she was married and that meant…she was taken.  Not available and therefore still lost to him.
Fucking A!
The thought of her being happily married ripped through him, making him feel physically ill.  Nearly eleven years had passed since he’d last set eyes on her and in that time she had married, had a child (maybe more than one) and was probably happy.  What sort of man was her husband?  No sooner had the question occurred to him than he dismissed it.  He didn’t want to think about the man who’d won her heart.  Hell, he didn’t want to think about Gemma being with any other man.  It hurt too much.
Looking her over he noticed just how little she’d changed over the years.  Her hair, which had once been short and choppy, was the same burnt brown-red but it was now long and wildly curly.  Moving his gaze from her hair he frowned.  Examining her features he realized, with a jolt of surprise, that though she looked the same she was thinner.  
She had always been a bit on the slim side but she was edging close to too thin.  Her cheekbones, normally high and sculptured, were jutting out like shards of glass and giving her face a hollow, gaunt look.  Dark circles under her eyes gave her a haunted appearance that was far more disturbing than anything.  What the hell was wrong with her?  Was she sick?  Was her husband mistreating her?  
His frown deepened with that thought but Maddy interrupted his thoughts, bringing his attention from Gemma to the girl.  During his distraction she had inched her way closer and was now standing at the end of the sofa, one small hand resting on her mother’s booted feet.  In a voice that cracked, she asked, “Is she okay?  She’s not going to…” she paused, looking afraid and then blurted, “She’s not going to die, right?”
Uneasy with the question, Mason quickly shook his head.  “No.  I think she’s just tired.”
Maddy nodded but didn’t speak again.  Mason noticed that Maddy was clutching the scarf and hat combo that had fallen off Gemma against her chest.  She was holding the items so tightly the knuckles of that hand were white.  It was almost as if she was afraid to let the things go.  
He was still casting around his head trying to think of something to say that would reassure Maddy when Gemma moaned.  His gaze flew in that direction, Maddy forgotten until her small form blocked his view of Gemma’s top half.
In a rush, her tone full of relief, Maddy asked, “Mommy?  Mom, are you okay?”
Though he could not see Gemma, he heard her when she replied softly, “I’m fine, baby.  I…”
Maddy yelped loudly as Gemma suddenly bolted upright, her eyes scanning the room before coming to rest on Mason.  Her arms around Maddy, Gemma eyed him, her gaze traveling from head to toe and back.  Her expression was a blank mask, giving him no clue as to what she was thinking, feeling.
Tonelessly she said, “Hello, Mason.”
Keeping his voice just as emotionless, he returned the greeting, “Gemma.”
Neither of them noticed Maddy’s sudden interest or her slow retreat.  From experience she knew that a slow, quiet withdrawal would keep the adults from noticing her and because they’d forget she was there, would not order her from the room.  Cosmo followed her, stopping just inches away when she put her back against the wall.  Intently watching her mother and Mason, she soundlessly commanded Cosmo to be quiet.  He licked her hand, turned a so he was half facing the adults and sat back on his hunches.  She patted his head, silently praising him.
Gemma was the first to break the strained silence.  “What are you doing here, Draven?”
Icily he replied, “I own this house, Harper.  The real question is what are you doing here?”
“Oh gods,” she whispered.  Louder she added, “You’re the new neighbor.”
Though it wasn’t a question he answered anyway.  “Yes.”
“I…” she stopped, running a hand through her already messy hair.  Taking a deep breath she said, “I was looking for Maddy.  Amy believes she’d snuck off to visit the new neighbor.”
“Well,” he drawled sarcastically, “I’m the new neighbor and there she is.”
He wasn’t sure she was really listening though because she murmured, “I assumed the people living here had kids.”  Her composure seemed to crack for a moment but before he could determine what it meant or what she was feeling, she was back in control.  “Do you have kids, Mason?”
“No.”
“Oh,” she breathed, looking oddly uneasy.  “I’m sorry but…”
When she didn’t continue he prompted, “What?”
Wearily she shook her head.  “Never mind.  I hadn’t realized you had bought the cottage.  We won’t bother you again.”
Sneering, he said, “I gathered from your reaction you didn’t know I was here.”
Blushing, Gemma looked away.  Her reaction made him want to take his harsh words back but he didn’t.  They were only the truth and he had nothing to apologize for.  Not presently though the past was a different matter.
Silently she seemed to gather herself, her back straightening as she did.  He’d had time, years ago, to learn a few things about Gemma Harper.  When she was feeling threatened or felt as if she was facing something unpleasant her back went up.  He also knew when she was thinking and thinking hard.  Her brow scrunched, her eyes narrowed and if it had been possible to see inside her head, the wheels would have been chugging along at high speeds.  The signs were there now.  He waited.
It didn’t take long.  Determination lining her face, she said, “Well, it was nice seeing you.  I’ll just collect Maddy and we’ll be on our way.  She won’t bother you again.”
Even as she stood to leave, Mason was out of his chair and gripping her arm, preventing her from taking off out of his life once again.  Moving in close, too close but he didn’t care, he gripped her arms in his hands and looked down at her.  She looked back at him, her expression a mix of stunned surprise and wariness.  God what he really wanted to do was lean down until their lips were touching but he resisted the urge.
Instead he tried to think of what he wanted to say but now that he had Gemma right in front of him, the words wouldn’t come.  For years he’d been waiting for the chance to see her, to talk to her, to tell her everything he should have told her so long ago.  And now?  Now his throat was closed, his mind to chaotic.  And he had never imagined her married.  Whenever he’d pictured an encounter with her, it had never been in this way.
The chaos inside his head centered on that one thought.  She was married.  She had a child.  A child that was nine and would soon be ten and that, to his way of thinking, meant Gemma had run straight from him to another man.  Fucking A!  He tried shoving the thought aside but heard himself blurting out, “It didn’t take you long, did it?”
Guardedly she asked, “What didn’t take me long, Mason?”
Pulling her even closer so their bodies were touching, he leaned down until his face was mere centimeters from hers.  “To find someone else, to forget everything we -”
“Stop it,” she hissed, cutting him off.  Twisting about she attempted to break free of his hold but he held on, his grip strengthening.  Giving up, breathing harshly in calm, even tone that didn’t match what was in her eyes, said, “You don’t know anything, Mason.  You don’t know, never did.  You can’t twist the past into something it wasn’t. Don’t act like you are – were, the injured party.”
“What’s the supposed to mean?” he challenged angrily.
“It means,” she spat out, “you haven’t a clue what motivates me.  You ended it.  You, Mason!  You didn’t know me then and you certainly don’t know me now and whatever you believe…you’re dead wrong.  Now, let me go!”
Ignoring her demand he snarled, “Explain to me how you have a bloody daughter if there wasn’t some truth in what -?”
Cutting him off, she snapped, “Leave Maddy out of it.  She’s nothing to you and never will be.  Don’t drag her into whatever it is you still imagine is between us.”
Staring down at her, his expression bordering on menacing, he growled, “We have unfinished business, Gemma.  Now that I’ve found you there’s no way in hell I’m not going to end it.  I won’t let you vanish into thin air again.  I will not…” he stopped, refusing to give away more.  No way in hell was he letting her know he felt.  How he’d always felt.  
Once more trying to yank her arm away, Gemma glared up at him.  Tone harsh, she said, “Let go of me, Mason.”  After issuing the demand she looked away.  Her expression softened briefly as her eyes landed on Maddy.  Turning back to him, her tone softer, lower, she added, “There is no business between us, unfinished or otherwise.  You made a choice, the choice, years ago when it came to us.  You left, never…”
Her mouth snapped closed and she shook her head.  Closing her eyes she breathed deeply, in, out and again until she had her emotions under control.  Opening her eyes she said, “Release me, Mason.”
Rather than letting her, his grip tightened for a second time.  “No.  There are things…  No.  We have a few things to discuss rather you want to accept that or not.  Until then, you aren’t going anywhere.  No way in hell am I letting you pull another vanishing act.”
“Gods but you damn fool,” she cried out bleakly.  “There’s nothing you could possibly say that I want to hear.  And even if I did, it no longer matters.  Once, years ago it would have, but now…, now I just don’t care.  LET ME GO!”
“Mommy?”
Mason jolted hearing Maddy’s worried question.  He had completely forgotten she was there.  There was no way Gemma was going to cooperate as long as her daughter was there.  Damn it.  There was no way he was letting her disappear again.  The last ten years had been pure torture, memories of Gemma never far from his thoughts.  Maybe there was no chance of righting things but he had to at least try, even if there was no hope of recapturing her love.  He could have magically prevented her from leaving, could have forced her to listen but if he did, he knew she wouldn’t really be listening.  No, the only way was to get her to listen to him.  But how was he going to do that?
Still thinking of a way to make Gemma listen, he only half heard her say, “It’s okay, honey-pot, Mom’s almost done here.”
Looking at Mason she said, “Let go of my arm, Mason.  I’ll come back tomorrow evening and we’ll talk, since that seems to be what you want but I won’t talk now, not with Maddy here.”
Mason studied her for a long moment before nodding though he didn’t release her just yet.  “Fine.  Don’t run again, Gemma.  This time I won’t stop until I find you.”
Giving him a small frown she said, “I’ve no reason to run, Mason.  My life is here.”  She gave a tug and he relaxed his grip, freeing her arm.  “I’ll be back tomorrow evening after Maddy’s in bed.  About nine.”
Having said that, she collected Maddy and Cosmo, helping the girl into her outer gear before taking her daughter’s hand they headed for the back door.  Maddy almost made him smile when she looked over her shoulder, giving him a cheeky grin and a little finger wave.  They were gone seconds later.
Mason suddenly felt like a drink.  Not just anything but something hard and rough.  Something that would help him feel less like the fool he was, if only for a little while.  Snatching a bottle of liquor from the bar, he stood in front of the fireplace, drinking straight from the bottle.  Tipping the bottle back he chugged half before the fiery liquid’s burn became too much.  
He was a fucking idiot.  She was a married woman and here he was trying to think of ways to steal her away.  He wasn’t that sort of person any longer.  Taking what he wanted may have once been second nature to him but he’d changed.  He’d changed because of her.  
A bubble of anger sprang to life inside him, boiling a path straight from his gut to his chest.  Fuck, he was the moronic fool Gemma thought him to be.  He’d let her walk out.  Hell, he’d watched her walk out after he’d screamed at her to do just that.  If he could redo it, he’d chase after her, begging her forgiveness but it was too late.  He was always too late.
Rage consumed him and he flung the bottle of whiskey into the dying fire making it flare brightly, roaring for a second as if mocking him.
Fuck!
Chapter 3

The caverns and tunnels were dank, dreary and drafty.  Tanner and her followers had fled here after their previous hideout had been discovered by the Rebellion months ago.  The place was dark, cold and lit only by torches that had been placed haphazardly along the cave walls.  Mason, his arms gripped by two of Tanner’s hooded lackeys, shivered slightly as an icy breath of wind wafted through the large cavern Tanner was using for meetings.
The involuntary and uncontrollable shudder made one of the hooded freaks yank his arm, issuing a low threat to remain still.  The other flunky merely squeezed Mason’s arm tighter, his silent way of telling Mason there was no escape.  As if he didn’t know that already.  Assholes!  
Mason ignored the pain shooting up his arm into his neck, nor did he bother looking at either man.  There was no point.  Their faces were obscured behind hooded mask, Tanner’s mark, a single staff with a twin headed serpent twined around the tip, on the right cheek.  An unbefitting mark for the woman trying to over throw the Council and rule the mages worldwide since the staff represented purity and the twin snake purity.  Tanner was neither.
Escaping wasn’t even on his mind.  His wrecked body wouldn’t have gotten very far even if he had been thinking about it, which he hadn’t been.  He would have been caught in record time if he even tried.  Besides being bruised and battered, he was exhausted and thinking was just too hard.  His brain was foggy and not one thought was tangible long enough to grasp onto for long.  
The torture Tanner had ordered only hours ago had taken his strength, leaving him weak and drained.  The pain she’d caused had been on a level he had never experienced before and prayed never to know again.  Why the fools holding him thought he was even thinking of running was beyond him.  After all, without them holding him up, he would have slumped forward to the ground.
Besides all that, he wouldn’t have left even if he’d been given a free pass.  Tanner had demanded this meeting and Mason wanted to know why.  He wasn’t going anywhere until he found out why a meeting at three o’clock in the morning and why his father was standing in the center of the circle Tanner’s masked hooligans made.
Ten minutes ago he’d been rudely dragged back from the unconscious state he’d fallen into after being thrown into a cell only to be dragged here.  Shoving the memory of his torture session aside, he focused his attention on what was happening, which was nothing at the moment.
His father was standing perfectly still, his hood pushed back so that it fell down his back rather than over his face.  He was wearing a pinched expression and was so pale he was almost white.  Mason tried to get his father’s attention but Larkin was looking straight ahead, looking neither left or right.  His stance was ridged and there was a resigned, hard look in his eyes.
Deciding to give it a rest for now, Mason took a moment to look around.  Torches lit the room, bouncing distorted shadows against the walls, giving the room a sinister feel.  The lack of sound only added to the ominous feeling.  Not a single person inside the room so much as shifted or sighed.  It was almost as if all of them had been turned into stone.  Even the torches, which should have been crackling and spitting, were silent.  It was eerie.
The strange feeling didn't leave but instead increased when Tanner glided in moments later.  The soft swish of her robes across the rocks as she walked made him think of snakes, of the venomous sort and he inwardly shuddered.  In her wake, the air seem to fill with a sick glee, a hateful anticipation as if she was cackling and rubbing her hands together when in reality she simply strolled to where his father was waiting.
The circle of flunkies took a step back as if they were of one mind.  The two holding Mason dragged him back with them.  Their backs now to the wall of the cave, they each turned to face the center, where Larkin and Tanner were now facing each other from three feet away.  Larkin didn’t, by word or deed, show any sign that he was afraid but Mason had a feeling his father was terrified.
What the hell was going on?  His father was one of Tanner’s most loyal supporters.  Why was he facing Tanner as if he was being accused of treason?  It didn’t make any sense.  
He had understood his torture.  He’d disobeyed a direct order.  Not deliberately but that didn’t matter, not to Tanner.  Her orders, her wishes, her plans were to be achieved without failure and excuses were never accepted.  But his father?  His father had never failed.  So what was going on?
As if sensing Mason’s uneasiness, Larkin gave an almost indiscernible motion with his right hand.  Mason might have missed it if he hadn’t been so intensely focused on his father. It was a silent order for Mason to do nothing, to say nothing.  The warning was unnecessary.  Mason understood all too well what speaking or moving while Tanner was holding court would earn him.
Mason’s attention drifted to Tanner.  She had moved away from Larkin and was now pacing around him in an ever shortening loop.  Suddenly she stopped, shooting a look in his direction.  He carefully kept his face blank, averting his gaze as he did.  The force of her gaze made his back twitch but he didn’t move a muscle.  Only when she had resumed pacing did he let out a little sigh.
When she was in once more in front of Larkin she stopped, turning to face Mason’s father.  Larkin bowed his head, his long black hair falling forward, shielding his face from view.
Silently, Tanner studied Larkin, her piercing blue eyes sharp, knowing.  Finally he spoke but it was a minute before the words penetrated his addled brain.  When they did he could only stare at his father in shock.
“Why did you betray me, Larkin?  Tell me why and I might spare your life.”
Tanner had to be wrong.  There was no way his father would have ever willingly betrayed Tanner.  He was too devoted to her, really.  Even after losing two sons and his only daughter, Larkin had stayed by Tanner’s side, fighting her cause, believing in her above any and all others.
Larkin’s response, when he gave it was too low for Mason to hear.  He caught snatches only and frustration welled up inside him.
“…never…I have….explain to my…I would…”
When Larkin was through, Tanner looked at him for a long moment and then started to chuckle.  It was a low, oily sound and it sent shivers of fear down Mason’s spine.  The laughter emitting from the leader of the Purto de Singa was chilling, taunting and made even those willingly following her cringe inside their mask.
Abruptly the sound cut off.  “Larkin, Larkin, I know the truth,” she hissed coldly.  “You cannot hide from me.  I see it all, right inside that dim little brain of yours.  Did you think I would not know?  That I would not see?”
His father replied but Mason caught not a single word.  Whatever he said, Tanner’s expression soured further.
“Don’t lie to me, Larkin,” she shouted furiously, dropping all pretense of being pleasant.  “I’ve forgiven the mistakes of Mason, your only living spawn – after all, he is young yet and youth can so easily become confused – but you?  I cannot forgive this betrayal.  Not this one, Larkin.  You protected the one I wanted, the one that could have ended this increasingly boring and futile war.  The girl was the key and you knew this truth.  I trusted you with this truth and you slip through your fingers.  On purpose or not doesn’t matter.  You did this and this I cannot and will not forgive.”
Mason went numb hearing his father’s betrayal laid out bare.  Had his father allowed this girl – whoever she was – go?  Had he protected her or had it been, as tanner had suggested, a mistake?  He just didn’t know.  He didn’t know enough about what was going on to even guess.
Tanner lifted a hand, a single finger pointing at Larkin’s chest.  “Your act of treason is punishable by death, Larkin.  Did you think of that when you allowed the girl to go free?”
She didn’t wait for an answer but slashed her hand downward.  Instantly blood welled across Larkin’s chest, staining the dark blue shirt he wore a deep dark, purplish red.  Mason started to struggle against those holding him but their grasp was strong and he was too weak from the torture he’d endured only hours ago.
As Larkin fell to his knees, Tanner crooned, “You should have run, Larkin.  Should have run while you had the chance.  But I understand why you didn’t.  Mason’s the only child you have left and if you had run, he too would have been dead.  You will soon join you other children, Larkin but I’ll grant you one kindness.  Mason will live.  He hasn’t been disloyal, just incompetent.”
Larking responded with something that caused Tanner to cackle hatefully.  “Do you really think I’ll listen to your pleas?  Have you ever known me to merciful?  Mason lives not because of your wishes but because he has not proven disloyal.  You can be assured that should he ever betray me, he too will die.”
With that Tanner slashed her hand upward and another line of red appeared across Larkin’s torso.  As Mason fought against his captors, Tanner’s hand sliced through the air again and again.  Mason looked at Tanner, his stomach rolling at the sight of pure pleasure on her face.  She wasn’t just enjoying this she was finding some sort of perverse pleasure from ripping his father to ribbons of blood.  Only when Larkin collapsed in a heap to the ground did she stop.
Still wearing a small, gruesomely insane grin, she silently made her way from the chamber, ordering, “Leave the boy, and let him watch his father die.  The rest of you, get back to work.”
The hands holding him suddenly released and he stumbled forward, falling to his knees.  As the others left the cavern he crawled to his father.  Bile rose in his throat as he saw the damage Tanner had inflicted.  Gagging, Mason reached out for his father, softly pleading under his breath as he did.  “Dad?  Dad, please don’t be dead.”
His hope shriveled when he got close enough to see his face.  It was map if crisscrossing streamers of blood, an almost perfect match to the large slashes on his chest, stomach and thighs.  Blood flowed freely, pooling around Larkin’s still form.  
Hot tears stung his eyes but he refused to let them fall.  He was not going to fall down and weep like an infant.  He was not a kid anymore.  His eighteenth birthday had slipped by weeks ago and he was going to act like the man he was supposed to be, even if it hurt like hell.
Gently patting an untouched patch of skin, Mason begged, “Dad, please, wake up.”
A small amount of relief flooded him as Larkin made a small noise.  A moment later his one intact eye opened.  It was pain clouded with pain, the light that had once sparked his eyes dimming.  His breathing was shallow and short.
“I’ll get help,” Mason said, unwilling to acknowledge that part of him that knew Larkin was dying.
With a strength that Mason had not thought possible, Larkin Grabbed a fistful of Mason’s shirt.  Yanking him down, Larking whispered, “No.  I am… dying.  You have… to… listen to me.  Have… to… tell… you the… truth.”
“You aren’t dying, Dad,” Mason denied stubbornly clinging to hope.  “I’ll get help,” he repeated, trying to pry his father’s fingers loose.
Larkin proved stronger.  His grip tightened.  “No,” he snarled into Mason’s face, his tone harsh despite his weakened state.  Wetting his lips, an action that was almost obscene it was so out of place, Larkin pulled on Mason’s shirt.  “Have to… listen to me… Mason.  Don’t have… much time.”
Mason opened his mouth to deny it but his father shook his head.  “No time.  You have to leave.  You have…hear it all and then…you have to leave.  Promise…, promise me?”
Unable to deny him anything, not then, Mason nodded, “I promise, Dad.”
“Good.”  Larkin coughed, a wet, choking sound that made the tears still threatening to sting him harder.  “Tanner…kill you…have to leave.  Get your…mother…to…safety.  Kill her too.”
“I will, Dad,” Mason swore.  “I will, but let me -”
“No.  No time,” Larkin denied before Mason could finish.  “Go to…go to…find Parker Hadley.”
Mason’s eyes widened in disbelief.  “What!”
“Don’t argue…, Mason,” Larkin snapped.  
Another cough, wet and gurgling, had Mason nodding his head, silently agreeing not to argue.  A small trickle of blood started oozing from the side of Larkin’s face.  There was blood everywhere but for some reason Mason thought of that small trickle as worse.  Gently he wiped it away.  “I won’t argue, Dad.”
Larkin wasn’t listening.  Instead, in a barely audible whisper, he said, “Go to…him… tell him… tell him that I did… did what I could to… keep her safe.  He will under…understand.”  Another coughing fit overtook him, this one leaving him gasping for breath.  “Don’t follow my… footsteps… don’t… repeat… mistakes… don’t die… for Tanner.  Learn… from… me.”
His eyes closed and Mason reached forward, intending to…do what he didn’t know but the thought that his father was gone was just too horrible to consider.  Larkin opened his eyes though, choked out a few more gasping coughs before whispering, “Protect her…Mason.  Protect her…from Tanner.  Her name…her name…”
Her name he was never going to learn.  His father’s chest lifted with breath once more and then stilled.  Mason dragged his father’s lifeless body close, uncaring that he was getting bloody.  With his father clutched in his arms, he cried silently, unable to contain his grief and pain any longer.
Once he had released his inner grief, though it was far from gone, Mason surveyed the empty room and wondered numbly what to do now.  He was never going to be able to just walk away.  Tanner would never allow that but he had made a promise and it was one he intended to keep.  
Running his bloody hands over his face, through his hair, Mason slowly started to plan.  Backing away from his father’s body, Mason retreated, looking back only once as he left the cavern.

Mason woke with a scream building in his throat.  Swallowing hard, he pushed the sound back refusing to allow it escape.  If he did, it might not be enough.  The dream, more a memory, followed the same path each time he had it until the end.  It was then; when he turned to give his father one last look when Larkin’s lifeless, bloody form was replaced by Gemma’s.  Only, where his father’s eyes had been closed, Gemma’s were always opened, flat and accusing.
Shaking, wanting to scream and punch something, Mason jerked the sheets off him and jumped to his feet.  He couldn’t actually go on a rampage so he did the next best thing, hard physical, labor.

*****

Swinging the axe, cutting into the pieces of wood soothed his rattled nerves and smoothed out the edges lingering around his soul the nightmare had brought on.  The cussing and cursing he was using didn’t hurt either.  Magic might have served him better since he hadn’t a clue on how to cut the fucking logs into firewood but it wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying.  Not that he was going to get much firewood out of what he was doing.  Not knowing how to chop it up, he was getting more splinters then logs for the fireplace but it was all good.  Besides, what did it matter?  The wood, in log form or in splinters was going into the fireplace.  No matter what it looked like, it would burn and that’s what counted.
Lifting the axe, which he’d discovered after checking out the shed on the other side of the house, he swung it downward in a large arc.  Metal met wood causing a dull thumping sound to echo through the still, chilly air.  Gratification shot through him despite the disorderly mess he was causing, making him smile grimly.  Fractured pieces of wood littered the area like spikes but he hardly noticed, concentrating fully on the task before him.  For once, his mind wasn’t racing with thoughts of Gemma and the past and though he was working, he was actually feeling relaxed.  It was a pleasant sensation, one he intended to enjoy while it lasted.
He was just lifting the instrument of destruction again when he heard barking.  Letting the axe fall to his side, his hand on the handle, he scanned the area, watching for Maddy and Cosmo to appear.  He wasn’t disappointed.  Seconds after hearing Cosmo’s bark the two of them materialized, coming from the trees only a few feet away.
Why was she here?  Gemma had said Maddy wouldn’t be bothering him again yet here she was, along with her infernal pet.  In way he had hoped that Maddy, Cosmo and therefore, Gemma had been nothing but figments of his imagination.  Yet here they girl and dog came, proving that his wish for insanity had gone unheard.
After making sure the axe was safely facing down and away from Maddy in case her guard dog thought he was threatening her, Mason glanced back at the pair.  In the split second he had looked away, Cosmo had bounded away from Maddy’s side.  He was now racing directly at Mason.  
With no time to react, Mason suddenly found himself slammed backwards as Cosmo barreled into him.  His feet went out from under him and he landed hard on his ass before falling back, Cosmo atop him.  The dog’s rancid breath was in his face making him gag and then a massive tongue was licking every inch of skin showing.
Somehow he got his hand wedged between him and the animal but he was less successful in actually dislodging the beast from his chest.  Revolted at the sticky, stinky drool Cosmo was plastering him with, Mason shoved at the dog.  God, the thing weighed more than a freaking car.  No longer caring that with a single snap of those substantial jaws Cosmo could snap his neck, Mason growled, “Get this blasted beast off me.”
In between giggles, Maddy scolded Cosmo, telling him, “That’s enough, Cos.  Get off him, silly.  He doesn’t want your loving but icky spit all over him.”
Cosmo didn’t listen, forcing Maddy to drag him off by his collar.  Once Mason was clear, he scooted backward, wiping his face with the sleeve of his jacket.  He shot the both of them a dark look but only the dog took any notice.  Maddy was busily keeping Cosmo from jumping Mason for a second time.  Obviously the freak of nature thought Mason hadn’t had enough of a bath because he was straining against Maddy’s hold, nearly dragging her across the snowy, wet yard.
Scooting further back, Mason kept a wary eye on Cosmo as he slowly got to his feet.  
Sounding more than a little irritated, Maddy barked, “Knock it off, Cosmo or you can go straight home.”
As if he understood, Cosmo sharply sat back on his haunches, whining softly.  The sound was long and suffering.  Maddy was not impressed but the theatrics as she said, “Complain all you want, you silly mutt but I mean it.  You aren’t a silly little puppy so stop acting like one or you can go home.”
“A splendid idea,” Mason commented wryly.  “Why don’t you both go home?”
Rounding on him, Maddy shot him a fierce scowl.  “I will not.  Cosmo was only showing you how much he liked you so you can stop looking at him like that.  And since I think I might like you too – of you ever stop being so mean – I’m not going anywhere.”  Not giving him a chance to answer she surged ahead, “You can be as grumpy and nasty as you want.  I’m not leaving.”
Silently moaning and laughing over that announcement, he asked, “Why?  What have I ever done that makes you think you might like me?  Someone as smart as you seem should know a hint when you see one.  I don’t want you here.”
Planting her fist on her hips very much like she had the day before, she glared right back at him.  “I don’t care if you don’t want me here.  I want to be here.  I want to get to know you.”  Watching him as he started to brush the snow from his pants and backside, she remarked, almost wistfully, “You were almost nice yesterday.”
“I was never nice,” he hastily denied.
“I didn’t say you were nice,” she corrected.  “I said you’d almost been nice.  There’s a difference.”
Sitting down in the snow, unmindful of the cold or wet, she surveyed the mess he was making.  Smiling smugly she looked at him.  “In case you didn’t know, you’re cutting the wood all wrong.”
“Don’t care,” he muttered.
Disregarding his comment, she continued by telling him what he was doing wrong.  When he only stared at her blankly, she got up, brushed off her bottom and then grabbed a piece of wood.  Putting it on the cutting slab, standing it on end, she said, “This is the right way.”  She laid the log down.  “This is the wrong way.  This way is only going to give you what you’ve already got – a bunch of splinters.”
Repositioning the wood the correct way she held out a hand.  “Let me see the axe.”
“Are you insane?” he asked incredulously.  “I’m not giving you an axe.  You’ll probably chop off an arm or leg.  Hell, you’ll probably cut off one of my arms or legs.  No way.  I’m rather attached to my body parts and I don’t want your parents accusing me of chopping you into tiny bits.”
Rolling her eyes at him she said, “Dramatic much?  I’ve been cutting wood for out place for almost a year now.  I know how to do it.  Give me the axe?”
“Ah, are you deaf?” he admonished.  “I just said I’m not going to let you chop something off so one of us bleeds to death.”
“Oh puh-lease,” she drawled sarcastically.  “If anyone is cutting anything off it would be you.  You’re the one doesn’t know how.  Will you just give me the stupid thing?”
“Isn’t going to happen,” he refused again.
Shaking her head she said, “Wow.  And I thought my friend Holly was the drama queen around here.  You’ve got her beat by miles.  I’m not going to cut anything off or slice you up and we aren’t going to bleed to death.  Just give me the axe so I can show you how it’s done.”
Mason hesitated for a moment longer but then with a sigh, held the axe handle out.  “If you hurt yourself or your beast, don’t expect me to rescue you.  If you end up hitting me, you’d better run like hell.”
Her response was a derisive snort.  Taking the axe she faced the cutting slab.  “I’ve done this before and you haven’t.”
“You don’t know that,” he replied in a low tone.
She heard him.  “You haven’t.  The mess you’ve made shows that.”
“I could have done it on purpose,” he pointed out not caring that he sounded like a petulant child.
She only shook her head.  With an easy lift and swing, she cleanly cut through the wood, splitting neatly in half.  Gloating smile in place, she handed him the axe, saying, “See?  Easy peasy.  And doing it the right way causes less work in the end.”
Stepping back, she once more fell to the ground, this time leaning against Cosmo who had come to sit beside her.  Deciding her cocky attitude didn’t need praise, Mason kept his comments to himself.  Grabbing another piece of wood, he slapped it down in the cutting slab, raised the axe and swung.  Though he would never admit it, Maddy was right; cutting the wood this was easier and neater.  It was also just as satisfying and that, he thought, was the most important thing.
He didn’t bother trying to talk as he cut and was actually thankful when Maddy also remained quiet.  She seemed content to simply sit there and watch as he worked though after a bit she did get up and start building a neat little pile from the logs he chopped.  He was even more grateful that she didn’t offer any comments, smart or not, when he missed a few times and got the axe lodged in the cutting slab.  Nor did she do much giggling when he accidently sliced his thumb and nearly tinting the air blue with the string of curses he let loose when he did.  The cut wasn’t deep and didn’t bleed long but it was a little tender, ending any lingering desire for cutting wood.
Propping the axe against the cutting slab, he eyed the pile Abby had stacked while he cut.  After a brief pause he sat down on it, surprised when it held.
“Nice job,” she remarked, waving a hand at all the wood he’d gotten through.
Smiling slightly he said, “Thanks, you too.”
Beaming at him she said, “Made a good team, didn’t we?”
“I suppose,” he replied a little reluctantly.
Silence settled between them for a few minutes before she suddenly blurted out, “Are you a mage?”
Opening his mouth to deny it, he closed it again a second later.  He had temporarily forgotten Maddy wasn’t a norm as he’d first believed.  With Gemma as her mother she was very likely to know all about the mage community, which meant Maddy, was aware of magic as she was probably one herself.
Again he found himself wondering about Maddy’s father.  Not that it mattered who he was or what he did.  He had managed to win Gemma’s heart, something Mason had once held and had broken.  Besides, whether he knew the man or not, Mason was going to hate him.  He wasn’t going to be able not to.  Not when he had what Mason wanted. 
Pushing the thoughts away he answered, “Yeah, I’m a mage.”
“That explains it.”
He wasn’t going to ask.  He wasn’t… “Explains what?”
Grinning devilishly, she said, “Oh, well, why you didn’t know how to make tea or cut firewood for starters.  Mages usually don’t know how to do it the norm way.  Mom says those that have lived inside the mage community and who haven’t had much norm exposure usually don’t.”
He didn’t take the bait, instead only saying, “Oh, that.”
Looking slightly disappointed, she changed the subject.  “Did you go to M&S too?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll get to go there next year.  Mom says she wants me to experience that world too.”
“M&T is on the other side of the States,” he pointed out.  “Won’t you be attending VIT?”
She shook her head.  “Mom wants me to go to her old school.  We’re actually going to move back into Gram’s old house in a few months.”
Features sharpening with interest, Mason asked, “You are?”
Looking a little sad, she nodded.  “Yeah.  Gram’s died last year and Mom says the house shouldn’t be sitting there, empty.  I’ll miss everyone here but Mom says I’ll make new friends, plus all our family lives down that way.”
Maddy continued prattling when he didn’t reply.  “I’m excited about that.  I’ll get to see all my cousins and I can’t wait until I can just run across the street to visit Uncle Parker and Aunt Wren.  But still, it kind of sucks that I’ll have to leave everyone here behind.  Except Amy.  I don’t think I’ll miss her even a little.”
Nodding a little, Mason wasn’t really listening.  Gemma had been planning on moving back to Graysville.  Even if she somehow managed to avoid him over the next few weeks, he would know where to find her find her.  She would be easily assessable and…what was he thinking?  She was a married woman.  He wasn’t seriously thinking about trying to tempt her away from her husband, was he?
No.  Maybe his old self would have but he was no longer that selfish, spoiled little boy.
Maddy getting to her feet caught his attention.  After glancing at her wrist, she told him, “I’ve got to head home for lunch.  Maybe next time I come visit we can skip the grumbles, huh?”
Before he could reply she was dashing off, Cosmo on her heels.  Mason watched her go until she was out of sight and as he did a thought filtered in that made him wince.  She could have been my daughter if I hadn’t been such a fool.   What was he thinking?  He had no plans, had never had any, to have kids.  He was only thinking like that because Maddy was Gemma’s kid.  He was envious, that was all.  
With a shake of his head, he went inside.  In a few short hours Gemma would be coming over and then…well, then, he didn’t have a clue.
Chapter 4

It felt as if a thousand tiny insects were crawling over him.  Restless and feeling out of sorts, Mason wandered the house aimlessly.  Part of his agitation was the lingering effects of the nightmare.  It never failed to leave him feeling tetchy.  If it was simply a retelling of that long ago day then maybe he wouldn’t have had such issues but it wasn’t just a matter of reliving that day, it was turning around and seeing Gemma instead of his father.  That horrific ending was always a shocking jolt and always made him feel twisted up and prickly.
As unbearable as seeing Gemma dead was, it was not the only part that bothered him.  After his father’s death, Mason had spent three long years trying to discover the identity of the woman Larkin had protected and had ultimately died for.  Knowing next to nothing, however, had prevented him from ever learning anything.
Parker Hadley had understood Larkin’s last words when Mason had finally gotten to see him, but Hadley had never opted to share with Mason what or who Larkin had been referring too.  At the time, Mason hadn’t yet been interested in the woman.  The only thing on his mind at that time had been revenge and taking Tanner and the Purto de Singa down.  
Later, when he’d had time to think about it, he’d asked Hadley but the other man had brushed it aside as no longer important.  They had argued, Mason having a different opinion on the issue considering his father had died because of the mystery woman.  In the end though, Hadley had maintained his silence and Mason had walked away, disgusted and angry though more with himself than Hadley.
Still, every time he thought of his father or dreamed of that long ago day, he wondered once again who his father had died to keep safely out of Tanner’s clutches.  It wasn’t just about his father’s death but because Larkin’s last words had been a plea for Mason to protect the girl.  It was an unsaid promise he had never been able to uphold because he had not known, still did not know, the woman’s name.  Hell, he didn’t even have a description of her.  
Had she survived?  Or had his father died for nothing?  Though he had long ago given up learning about the girl, if he was ever given a lead, he knew he’d be back in action, searching for her.
Shrugging the thoughts aside, he made his way to the living room.  He did not need thoughts of his father and the past intruding right now.  Gemma was going to be arriving in a less than two hours and the closer to nine it got, the more apprehensive he got.
When he thought about what he wanted to say it sounded good inside his head but whenever he verbalized those same thoughts, it rang artificial and corny.  In addition, the things he’d always thought he’d say were no longer appropriate.  About the only thing he was sure about was he did not want to fuck things up.  Maybe she was married and maybe she was happy but that didn’t give him the right to become the nasty prick he’d once been.  He owed her an apology at the very least and he was going to give her that.  It was the rest he wasn’t sure about.
Over the years he had often envisioned what it might be like if he was to ever see Gemma again.  He had thought about the things he’d tell her, her responses and reactions but he had never contemplated what would happen beyond that.  He had never given a single thought to the fact that Gemma would have gotten on with her life. 
That long ago part of him that hadn’t given a thought to anyone or anything except for what he wanted was clamoring at him to attack her marriage and when it started to crumble he’d be there, offering her comfort and friendship.  And when the marriage ended, he would be there, ready to move in and become the man in her life again.  Only he wasn’t that person now.  He had changed.  He wasn’t perfect, never would be, but he was no longer the bastard he had once been.   
The part of him that had changed was telling him he had to let her go.  That he could convey his regrets but that any confessions should be kept back.  If he loved her he was going to have to have to accept that she had moved on without him.  He’d had his chance and had blown it.  He’d lost her a long time ago and breaking up her marriage wasn’t the answer.
God but the battle happening inside his head was making him insane.
What was he going to do?  Which part of him was he going to listen to?  Confessing everything to Gemma, making her see just how much he regretted what had happened to them, was only going to end in disappointment.  She wasn’t going to jump into his arms in jubilation and adoration.  Yet how could he let this chance go. If he did, he’d forever wonder, forever regret.
A compromise was his only option.  He was not about to let Mean Mason out to play but neither could he let this chance pass him by.  Simply apologizing, with a few simple details would work.
Decision made, Mason went to the wet bar and pulled out a chilled beer.  He needed something to calm his ragged nerves and one beer wasn’t going to get him drunk.  As true as that was, Mason took out a second beer.  One hadn’t done enough.
Maybe two would work.

*****

A ringing in his ears made Mason groan and pull a pillow over his face he tried to drown the sound but it persisted, growing and becoming more insistent.  Maybe another round of beer would vanish the ringing.  Pulling himself up he was halfway to the bars small fridge when the ringing registered for what it was – the doorbell.
Spinning about to face the entry hall, he nearly fell flat on his face when the room decided to keep whirling even when he stopped.  Fucking room!  Grabbing the wall for support he again almost fell to the floor.  The wall had moved.  Why the hell had the wall moved?
Frowning at the spinning, wall moving room, he looked around.  What had he been going to do?  The chiming ring from the entry hall reminded him.  Oh yeah, answer the door.  Carefully moving forward, Mason headed for the entry and the front door.
Something tripped him as he entered the hall, causing him to stagger forward, stopping only when he bounced against the door.  Glaring, he turned to see what had done it.  Nothing was there.  Shaking his head, Mason leaned against the door, wondering where the object had gotten too.  He’d stumbled over something, he was sure of that.  Had a cat or some other woodland creature gotten inside?  If that was the case he’d better track it down and put it outside.
Taking a step away from the door he jumped about a foot when the bell shrilled, cutting through his head like a knife through butter.  Wincing he grabbed his head and growled, “Stop doing that.”
“Mason?”
“What?” he asked, once more looking for the creature that’d tripped him up.
“Mason, its Gemma.  Are you gonna let me in?”
Gemma?  What was she doing here?  Oh yeah, she was coming over to talk.  How the hell had he forgotten that?  “I know who it is,” he muttered thickly.  “What the hell do you want?”
“Me?” she shouted indigently.  “You’re the one who demanded we talk, you ass.  Open the door.”
“No.  Nope, I don’t think I will,” he grumbled.  “I’m a bit busy.  Why don’t you come back later?  I’ve got to catch the critter who…  Well hello,” he finished with a large grin as Gemma materialized in front of him.  Stupidly he asked, “How’d you do that?”
Gemma didn’t reply.  She was busily looking him over, her nose wrinkling as she did.  “Are you drunk?”  She sniffed loudly.  “Hell, you are drunk!  I can smell you from here.  Why the hell are you drunk?”
His nonfunctioning brain said the first thing that came to mind.  “I was thinking of you.”
“Oh that’s nice,” she muttered nastily.  “Whatever.  You wanted to talk so talk.”
He started to nod but changed his mind and shook his head instead.  The confused motion had his head twirling and the room dancing.  He stopped the motion but the room continued to revolve.  Cursed room.  “You drive me crazy, you know that, right?”
“I drive you crazy?” she retorted with a half snort.  “Just how much have you consumed, Draven?  Oh never mind, you’re so damn drunk you won’t remember what you did three minutes ago.”
Stepping forward she snaked an arm around his waist and started leading him into the living room.  He let her but felt it necessary to say, “I am not drunk.  I can tell you exactly how many beers I’ve had.  Three.  And I was chasing critter before you interrupted.”
“Really,” she drawled, enough sarcasm in that single word to finance a third world country or two. 
“I’m really not,” he insisted though what he said was more along the lines of, “Imweelymot.”
Gemma merely shook her head as she directed them toward the sofa.
“Hey,” he said suddenly, “where’re we going?”
“To the sofa,” Gemma answered in huff.
“Why?”
With a sigh she explained, “So you can lie down before you pass out.”
“Oh.”  Right before she dumped him on the sofa, he grabbed ahold of her arm and invited, “Join me.”
He didn’t give her a choice.  His grip on her arm brought her down with him so they landed in a heap on the sofa, Gemma on top, his face smashed against her breast.  She squeaked and immediately started to struggle against his hold.  Though he wasn’t functioning at his best he wasn’t dead.  Wistfully he said, “This is nice.”
She sucked in a big breath when his fingers grazed one breast.  Pushing against him she cried out, “Mason, stop it.  Get off me.”
“Not on you,” he mumbled.
“Semantics,” she countered.  “Let go.”
“No,” he rejected her demand, snuggling his cheek against her chest.  She smacked the top of his head.  “Ow, that hurt.”
“Damn it, Mason, this isn’t funny.  Let me up.”
“You’re right,” he agreed.  “It’s not funny.  But it’s kind of nice.”
Gemma’s struggles stilled for a moment.  “No.  No, it’s not, Mason,” she said tonelessly before once more straining away from him.
Mason gave a low moan and in a weak voice, pleaded, “Don’t move just yet.  I don’t think my stomach will handle much more.”
“You’re lying,” she accused.
Shaking his head against her thin jacket, able to feel the heat of her skin, he replied, “I’m not.  Please don’t move.  Just let my stomach settle.”
She stopped moving but warned, “If you’re faking, I’m gonna curse you and you won’t like what I come up with.”
As threats went it was vague but effective.  Gemma was an outstanding mage.  Going up against her was like trying to play pro ball when you didn’t know the rules.  He was glad he wasn’t lying.  Kind of.
Minutes passed, neither of them speaking or moving.  When Mason was sure his stomach was as settled as it was going to get, he informed Gemma, “You can move now, slowly please.”
She did, carefully rising above him before scooting to the side and sitting on the other end of the sofa.  He closed his eyes, not wanting to watch as she straightened her clothing.  All the movement was making his eyes roll inside their sockets.
The silence was getting to him though so he asked, “What’s on your mind?”
Bafflement tinged her voice when she asked, “What?”
“What are you thinking about?” he clarified.
“Nothing,” she said quickly.  Too quickly but he wasn’t going to press her for the truth.  A moment later she added, “You asked me here, Mason so why don’t you get on with it.”
“He must be wonderful,” he mused lowly.
“Huh?”
He didn’t reply, though he said, “In a hurry to return to the love of home and hearth, are you?”
“Yes,” she replied snidely.  “So please tell me what business you think we have after all these years?”
“Must treat you really well if you’re in that much of a hurry,” he muttered acerbically.
“He?”
“Your husband,” he sneered, giving her an odd look.  
Gemma’s head whipped around in his direction.  Her eyes, such a brilliant blue were dull with a sadness he didn’t understand but wanted to.  Looking away and in a colorless voice she said, “We’re not here to discuss my home life, Mason.  Start talking so we can both get on with our lives.”
When she returned her gaze to Mason she wasn’t that surprised to discover he was half asleep.  He had closed his eyes and his breathing was getting deeper even as she watched.  Reaching over she gently swatted his cheek.  “No you don’t, Draven.  Wake up.”
In a grumbling tone he said, “Later.  I’m thinking later.  I’m not up to talking right now.”
“No my problem,” Gemma snapped indifferently.  “I don’t care that you had the sudden urge to drink yourself stupid.  You wanted me here. I’m here.  Start talking.”
“Fine,” he slurred.  “What do you want to talk about?”
Making a sound of annoyance, Gemma snarled, “Focus please.”  His eyes started dropping closed once more so she whacked him in the leg.  Hard.  “FOCUS!”
“I am focused,” he bit out, rubbing the spot she’d hit.  
“What’s this unfinished business between us, Draven?” she asked, hoping he’d respond better to a direct question.  “Tell me so I can leave and you can sleep.”
“Can’t sleep,” he muttered gruffly.  “Gotta catch the critter that tripped me.”
“Whatever,” Gemma barked, losing patience.  “Answer the question.”
“Okay,” he agreed, nodding his head only his eyes drifted shut as he did.  Gemma was about to slap his ass with a well-placed spell when he murmured, “I’m sorry.”
“Pardon,” she said, pausing in mid motion.  “What are you sorry for?”
Instead of answering, he said, “Did you know I looked for you?”  He shook his head.  “’Course you did.  Hadley probably kept you well informed, didn’t he?”
“What do you mean?  Mason?”  She tapped him lightly on the cheek to regain his attention.  “Mason, what do you mean you looked for me?”
Again he didn’t respond but he wasn’t through speaking.  In a voice softly drowsy he continued, “You just vanished.  Poof!  Gone!  I searched for months and months but it was of you’d been swallowed by a black hole.”
“Why did you look for me, Mason?”
“Wanted to tell you I was sorry.  I was wrong,” he explained groggily.  “Couldn’t find you, couldn’t tell you how anything.  Ironic, really, now that I’ve found you I can’t fucking tell you anything but how very sorry I am.  Fucking ironic and annoying as hell.  Probably some sort of divine justice too.  Don’t you think?”
“I might,” she replied with a frown.  “If I understood half of what you meant.”
As if she hadn’t just spoken, he said, “I was wrong.  That’s my fuck up.  My biggest mistake.  And it fucking sucks that I can’t say more.  Can’t explain.  I’m not that person.  I won’t be that person.  Understand?”
“No,” she replied, more confused than ever.  “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about?  Are you saying you’re sorry about…about that night?  That you know you were wrong?  Okay, I get that but the rest, it’s rubbish.”
“Does he treat you good?” he blurted, changing the subject and making her head spin.  
“Huh?  Who?”
“Your husband,” he replied.  He didn’t wait for an answer but went on, “Maddy never talks about him.  Did you know that, Gem?  Are they close?  Maybe you should find out why she talks about everyone but her dad?  Doesn’t that seem odd to you?  It does to me.  But maybe I’m just…”
He never finished the thought.  Getting up, she snatched an afghan off the back of the sofa and tucked it in around his shoulders.  Before leaving she stood above him, looking down at him for a long time.  Finally though, she turned away and leaving Mason to sleep off, went home.

*****

Waking to the sound of drums confused him.  Wondering where the noise was coming from he rolled over and promptly fell on his face to the floor.  Stunned, Mason lifted his head, looking around.  Why the hell was he in the living room?  He didn’t remember and then his brain clicked awake and he hung his head with a low groan.  
Slowly and with agonizing embarrassment the events from the evening before came back to him.  Each stupid thing he’s said and did came flooding back to him, making him flush, thankful he was the only one there to witness his morning after reaction.  God, could he have been any more of a moron?  Should have stayed away from the damn alcohol or at the least he should have stuck with just one or two, not the dozen (or more) that he’d ended up consuming.
Pulling himself up using the sofa, he suddenly understood where the drums were coming from.  His head.  Seriously, when had he decided drinking his worries away was the thing to do?  Rubbing a hand over his face, he flashed back to the evening before.  Grimacing he pushed to his feet, trying to forget his idiotic behavior last night.
Once he was on his feet he took stock.  His head hurt, his stomach felt as if it wasn’t sure if it wanted to rebel or get fed and his mouth was as dry as dust.  Other than that he didn’t feel too bad but then the way he was feeling was bad enough.  Very sluggishly, mindful of the hammering in his head, he made his way to the kitchen.
Three steps into the glaringly white room he faltered to a stop.  Maddy was sitting at his table, happily drinking a can of soda.  Cosmo was lounging under her chair, his large head resting on his paws.  His mind blank, he could only stare at the two, his jaw slack.
“Morning,” she called happily, making him cringe.  “I knocked.  Actually I knocked a lot but you didn’t answer.”
“And in what world does that mean you can just waltz right in,” he demanded though he kept his voice low in deference to his head.
“My world,” she replied cheekily.  “I was worried so I decided it was okay.  You snore.”
“I do not,” he refuted.  “As you can see, I’m fine so you can go home now.”
Before she said a thing he knew what she was going to say and he was right. “Nope.  Not yet.  Have you been drinking again?”
“I fail to see how that’s any of your business.”  
Walking over to the stove he got the teapot and took it to the sink.  He filled it with water and after placing it on the burner to heat he searched the cupboards until he found a bottle of aspirin.  Dumping out a couple he popped them into his mouth and swallowed them dry.  They left a bitter taste in his mouth which made his stomach revolt so he quickly got a glass of water and gulped down half, washing the bitterness from his tongue.
Turning back to Maddy he discovered she was watching him with an intensity that was slightly unnerving.  “What?”
She shook her head.  “Nothing.”
“Something,” he countered.
“Are you ever in a good mood?”
“Sometimes,” he replied, going back to the stove when the pot started whistling.
“When,” she asked skeptically.  “’Cause I’ve never seen it.  Maybe a few glimpses but nothing real substantial.”
“Jesus, are you really only nine?”
“Yes,” she said. 
“Are you sure?  I mean, you aren’t a midget right?”
“No,” she denied, shaking her head and giggling.  “Why?”
“You talk like a fifty year old,” he told her, which only made her giggle again.  “As for my mood, I’m not at my best when ambushed by vexing little midgets and their attack dog.”
“Cosmo’s never attacked anyone,” she argued.  
“Oh.  So he didn’t jump me yesterday?”
“No.  Well, yes, but he wasn’t attacking you,” she explained.  “He was showing he likes you.”
“Uh-huh,” he murmured.
“He was,” she insisted.
“If you say so,” he returned.
“Listen if -” She caught sight of his smile then and stopped.  “You’re teasing me?”
“No I’m not,” he rejected the notion.  “I’d never do that.  I’m rude and moody.  Grumpy and such, isn’t that what you said?”
“Okay, ha, ha,” she huffed out before bestowing a huge grin on him.  “I think you like me.  You just don’t want to admit it.”
“Humph,” he snorted as he picked up the mug of tea he’d made and grabbed a couple of muffins from the bread bin.  Setting one down in front of her, he said, “You haven’t got much of a brain to think with if you think that.  I don’t like you even a little bit.”
“I don’t believe you,” she responded, still grinning.  “You don’t even mean half of what you say.”
“You think so?” he murmured.
As usual the sarcasm bounced off her shoulders like she was made of rubber.  Lifting a shoulder, she said, “I do.”
“You’re different,” he commented dryly.  “Alright, since I know you’re sticking around until you rush off once more, what do you want to talk about?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she drawled mockingly.  “I thought we’d try this thing where I ask a question and you answer and then we do it again only you get to ask the question and I have to answer.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a smartass?”
“Yep.  Mom says it all the time only she’s more polite about it,” she told him.  “Mom says I get it from my dad.”
Mention of her father reminded him of Gemma and her hurry to get home.  He so did not want to think about it so he said, “Okay then.  Ask your first question.”
Tilting her head she asked, “Did you take part in the war?”
He stared hard at her for a long moment before answering.  “Yes.”
“Mom doesn’t talk about it much,” Maddy said softly.  “It always makes her sad when she does.  Plus she thinks I’m way too young to hear about it.”  She shook her head, sending her curls bouncing.  “You’d think that she’d get I can just open about a dozen different books and read about it but she never seems to think about that.”
Recalling how much of a bookworm, Gemma had been he asked, “You like to read?”
“Yeah,” she agreed, giving him worried look.  “I do.”
“That’s a good thing,” he assured her.  “So what has your mom told you about the war?”
“Not much,” Maddy admitted.  “What it was about and why the rebels fought but not much else.”
“What was it about?”
“You know,” she said, her expression odd.  “You just said you were there.  Oh, I get it; you want to know how much I understand.”
Mason nodded.  “Yeah.”
“Well, it was about race and purity among the mages,” she told him.  “It was also about power.”
Though he didn’t say it, Maddy was right on target.  
Before he could say anything more, she asked, “Did you know my dad?”
“I’ve no idea who your father is so I can’t say that I know him.”
“Oh.”  She frowned a little but didn’t give him the name of her father.
Sighing, he asked, “What’s his name?”
“I don’t know,” she replied softly, looking dejected.  “I figured since you knew my mom you might have known my dad.”
“I wasn’t around when you were born,” he pointed out though he wasn’t really thinking about what he was saying.  His mind was stuck on the fact that Maddy’s father wasn’t around.  Did that mean Gemma wasn’t married?
“Oh,” she repeated.
“Isn’t your mother and father married?”
“No,” she said, giving him a funny look.  “I’ve never met him.”
“Never?”  What was he saying?  She wouldn’t be asking about the man if she knew him.  “Doesn’t your mom ever tell you about him?”
Shaking her head, she told him, “She never talks about him.  I asked her once but she got so sad, even started to cry.  I told her it was okay, she didn’t have to tell me.”
“So you don’t even know his name?” he asked incredulously.
“I don’t know anything about him,” Maddy informed him touchily.  “I think he must be dead.”
Mason’s eyes widened hearing that.  “Why do you think that?”
“Mom…sometimes, late at night, she cries.  I heard her talking to Aunt Wren once too.”  Maddy looked down her hands, then back at him.  “It was a few days after I’d asked about him.  She was telling Aunt Wren that she didn’t know how to tell me about my dad.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s dead,” he replied meaningfully.
“Maybe but after Polly’s dad died, I heard her mom say the same thing to mom,” she expounded, her expression eloquent.
Brow furrowing, Mason tried to puzzle it out.  She was referring to Wren as her Aunt but Walker, Wren’s brother and Gemma’s school sweet heart.  But Walker couldn’t possibly be Maddy’s father.  He had died two years before the end of the war and a year before he and Gemma had started dating.  
Of course, it was possible that one of Wren’s still living brothers, she had two, was Maddy’s sperm donor but…no.  He didn’t think the probability was even high enough to consider.  Besides, he couldn’t think of a single reason why Gemma wouldn’t have told Maddy if either Gage or Hale had been her father.
Who was Maddy’s father?  The question was suddenly very important.  Staring at the girl sitting across from him, his thoughts fractured into a million different directions.  It somehow felt wrong that Gemma had never told her Maddy anything about her father.  It didn’t seem…normal.
Gemma still cried over this man.  Wouldn’t that mean she’d want to keep him alive, even if only in memory?  Wouldn’t she want her daughter to know about him?  Why keep him secret?  It didn’t make any sense.
“Did you like M&S when you went to school there?”
Maddy’s curious inquiry brought him out of his thoughts.  “Yes,” he admitted.  “I did.”
“Which dorm did you belong too?”
“Etra.”
“Mum was a Tilun,” she said almost absently.  “I know a lot of people who were in that dorm.”
“Is that the dorm you wish to be in when you attend?” he asked dryly, fully expecting a yes.
She surprised him, saying, “I haven’t actually given it much thought.  I suppose but…I don’t know.”
For a long time they were silent but it wasn’t too long before Maddy was chatting away, asking an endless stream of questions and poking at him for answers.  An hour later she jumped up, in what he was learning was her usual fashion, and rushed from the house, calling out that she’d see him later but she was late for lunch.
His thoughts whipped around, twisting and pulling at him as he tried to make sense of the things he’d learned and what it all might mean.  It was only when something Maddy had mentioned came to mind that the air in his lungs whooshed out from his parted lips.  Shock at the possibility rolled over him swiftly followed by a burst of white hot anger.
Snatching up his coat, he left the house, his stride jerky with anger.
Gemma had some explaining to do.
Chapter 5

Walking the forest trail, glad it was there or he would have been lost, Mason let his thoughts rumble and tumble inside his head.  As quickly as one thought came it was gone, replaced by another and another, never giving him chance to explore fully what his head was trying to tell him.  His brain was jumping from past to present to past so fast he was surprised he was dizzy.  It was impossible to focus so he simply stopped trying to control his thoughts and gave them free reign.  
Each thought, each question and possible answer only left him feeling more confused, more unsure and yet so confident he was on the right track, he might as well have been on a seesaw.  The only one thing he was conclusive on, Gemma was going to talk to him because he had to know.  He was going insane just from the possibility not knowing…, not a good thing.
His thoughts latched onto the past, to the last night he’d seen Gemma.

She was coming, was due any minute and he wasn’t ready.  Oh the apartment was in order, neatly cleaned and sparkling.  Even the dinner was ready, keeping warm in the oven until he was ready to serve it.  The whole set up should have been romantic but romance was the last thing on his mind.  Revenge.  His mind, his heart, his soul was on revenge and tonight it would be sweet.
But he wasn’t ready.  He didn’t feel guilty or ill over what he was planning, that wasn’t why he felt unprepared for tonight.  No, he was worried that despite all his preparation, he would fuck it up.  It had to be perfect, had to be just right and he wasn’t sure he was equipped to handle what was coming.  No, no, he was psyching himself out.  He was more than primed for tonight.
Stooping low, he shifted the logs burning in the hearth with the poker.  He wasn’t going to feel bad about what he was planning.  She had made him look like a fool.  It didn’t matter that only he and one other knew just how foolish he’d been.  This was his chance to make it right, before anyone else found out.  And before he was through, she was going to feel as did, naïve and ridiculously foolish.
It wasn’t in him to turn the other cheek.  He was too bold, too arrogant, and too proud and no one was going to play him without getting it back tenfold.  No one was allowed to get away with making him feel stupid.  There was no way he could just walk away.  No, she was going to understand how he felt.  He was going to make sure of that.  

Skipping ahead, the end of the night played out inside his head.

The sheets were pulled up to her neck; her eyes were glistening with unshed tears as she stared at him, a stunned expression on her face.  The tears affected him but he closed his heart to the wrenching ache trying to bloom to life inside his chest.  He was not going to be a fool for a second time.  Tonight was about making her believe she hadn’t played him as she believed.
“Mason,” she whispered, his name both a plea and a question.  The pain he heard there nearly making him take it all back.
He stiffened.  No.  He wasn’t going to fall for her act.  Not again.  Turning, he caught her reflection in the double mirror and had to briefly close his eyes in order to regain control.  God help him but he wanted to go to her, to gather her close and tell her he was wrong.  He hadn’t meant any of it.  Damn it all, but he was a fool.  Despite all he knew, all he’d learned, he was still in love with her.

Shoving the bitter sweet memories that threatened to overwhelm him away, he schooled his features into a cold mask and turned back to face her.  
“Did you really think I didn’t know the truth?” he demanded harshly.  Cruelly he added, “Did you think this was real?  That I actually loved you?”  
A tear spilled over, running down her cheek to her chin.  “What are you saying?  I don’t -”
“Stop,” he shouted vehemently.  “I don’t want to any more of your lies, your reasons or excuses.  You started ‘dating’ me as a way of spying on me.  To make sure I wasn’t reporting back to Tanner.  You sacrificed yourself for the greater good, even going so far as to sleep with the enemy – me.  You never truly cared about me but hey, that’s okay because though you’re a great lay, I knew this wasn’t going anywhere.  I knew why you were here and pretending to care about me.”
“I -”
“Don’t, Gemma,” he cut her off coldly.  “I don’t want to hear your lies.  I said that already, weren’t you listening?  The war’s over.  Finally and you’re free.  I’m free.  We no longer have to pretend.  We -”
He stopped himself before saying anything more, revealing anything more.
“This wasn’t -”
“I don’t want to hear it,” he repeated with a sneer.  “I understand why you did it.  I would have done the same if I was you.”  He laughed bitterly with the admission.
“Mason…”
In a scathing tone he said, “I want you gone.  Get out of here.  NOW!”
Sucking in a large breath she tried again, “Mason, please, I…there’s something…”
“GET OUT!” he screamed.  “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.  I don’t care.  Just get out.”
Without another word she quickly dressed.  On her way out she paused.  Turning to him, her tone full or sorrow she asked, “What was tonight about if you only intended to end…this?”
“Tonight?”  His smile was small, vile.  “It was my parting gift to you.”
Gemma’s house was in front of him by the time the past freed him.  Standing at the edge of the woods, Mason took a few moments to gather his thoughts.  Taking a calming breath he stepped forward, ready to confront Gemma, needing to know if what he was thinking was just crazy or…all too real.
He stopped moving when he was halfway from the back of Gemma’s home.  As he stood there, staring at the one story house, he thought back, once more to that night.  She had tried, once more to tell him something and again he had refused to hear anything she had to say.  He should have chased after her that night but he had believed there would be time -time to see her in the morning, when his temper wasn’t so high and his feeling not so chaotic.  
Once she had left, he had realized his mistake.  Gemma wasn’t a cold, hard person.  There was no way she could have slept with him unless she had felt something.  It wasn’t in her to be such a calculating bitch.  She was smart, yes, but conniving and cruel, no.  And what he had accused her of doing was both conniving and cruel.  
Forcing himself to walk forward, Mason made his way toward Gemma’s house, stopping again when he’d reached the steps leading to the back porch.  Was he wrong?  Was he doing the right thing this time?  He didn’t know but he also knew he wasn’t going to be able to just walk away.  No, this was something he needed an answer too.
Marching forward, Mason raised a fist to knock but as he did it was yanked open with such force it banged into the inside wall.  Gemma was there, looking terribly out of sorts.  Her hair was messy, her expression fearful and with eyes rimmed red.  From crying?
“What’s wrong with you?” he demanded thoughtlessly.
Rather than answer him, she slapped him.  Hard.  Fingering his stinging cheek he studied Gemma’s haggard expression, her stiff posture.  “What the bloody hell was that for?”
Gemma didn’t reply but raised her hand again, intending to slap him.  Oh hell no.  Grabbing her wrists to prevent her from hitting him again, he bit out, “Oh no you don’t.  Why are you mad at me?  What do you think I’ve done?”
“You know why, you bastard,” she hissed.  
“No, I don’t,” he disputed, strangely calm.  “So why don’t you explain it to me.”
Yanking out from his hold she snapped, “You’re lying.”
“I’m not,” he countered.  “Tell me what’s going on.  Why the hell did you hit me?”
“As if you don’t know, Mason Draven,” she screamed at him, tears spilling over and racing downhill to fall from her chin.  “Don’t stand there pretending you haven’t got her.  You can’t possibly that cold, that cruel.”
Reaching up, he gently swiped a gloved hand over one tear stained cheek.  That she let him surprised him but he didn’t let that distract him.  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Gemma.  Tell me what’s going on…”  He trailed off as something she said hit him.  “What do you mean I’ve got her?  Who have I supposedly got?”
More tears gathered in her eyes, falling over and wetting her cheeks again.  Softly, with so much despondency it nearly broke him, she whispered, “You don’t have her, do you?”
“Madison?” he asked, not really needing confirmation but Gemma nodded.  “Why did you think I had her?  Isn’t it more likely that she simply lost track of time or that she became lost in the words?  What about going to a friend’s home?”
Shaking her head before he’d even finished, she pulled out a slip of paper from her pants pocket and silently held it out to him.
Taking it, Mason read the note.

I have Maddy.  She is mine, as she should have been from the beginning.  All the lies are done; all the pain I’ve endured because of you is over.  No longer will I suffer at your hands.  You will live knowing you have lost everything to me.

Openly weeping, shivering in the cold air, Gemma looked broken and lost.  Mason glanced away, back to the note in his hands and read it again.  The message was too cryptic and suggestive but he knew that getting any answers from Gemma wasn’t going to happen until he could break her free from the shock taking hold of her.
Folding the note, he shoved into his pocket before gently taking ahold of Gemma and leading her inside.  The back door opened up into a large open living space.  He led her over to one of the overstuffed chairs, lightly pushing her down into it.  Spotting a small wet bar in the back corner he went over, looked the contents over and chose a bottle of scotch.  It was the strongest stuff she had in stock.  After pouring a good amount into a glass he discovered nearby, he went back to Gemma.
Lifting it to her lips when she wouldn’t take it, he tilted the glass back, spilling the golden liquid in.  Automatically she swallowed, seemingly barely aware of what she was doing.  That is until the harsh, fiery stuff hit her throat.  She gasped, sputtering and coughing while Mason rubbed her back.
Eyes watering she glared at him accusingly.  “Why the hell did you give me that fucking shit?”
“You were getting shocky,” he explained calmly.  “Now, let’s try this again.  Why did you think that note had come from me?”
“I…” she shook her head.  “It doesn’t matter.  I have to find her.”
He wanted to push her for answers but knew it was useless to try, at least right now.  Instead, he asked, “When did you last see her?”
“This morning,” Gemma answered her voice huskier than usual because of the scotch.  “She asked me if she could…if she could visit you.  I… said yes.  I know you I told you she wouldn’t bother you -”
“Never mind about that,” he interrupted. “Just tell me what happened.”
“Right.”  She took a deep breath, let it out.  “I told she had to be back in time for lunch.  Lunch was two hours ago.  I was going to get her but…I started getting my coat on when I heard a noise on the back porch.  I thought it was Maddy so I opened the door.  The…note was there, tacked to the railing.”
“So you didn’t see anyone?”
“No,” she confirmed.  
“So a mage, maybe?” he mused.  “Do you have anyone harboring a grudge against you?”
“Other than you?” she laughed cynically.  “No.”
“Is that why you assumed it was me?”
“No – yes,” she shook her head.  “It doesn’t matter.  Maddy’s the important thing here.”
“It matters,” he countered unable to hide his anger.  “Why, Gemma?  Why did you think I’d do something like this?”
“You really want me to say it?  Fine.  I thought you were trying to hurt me all over again,” she snapped heatedly.  “I thought you wanted to bury the knife a little deeper.  Happy?  Now, if you don’t fucking mind, I’m going to find my daughter.”
His next question stopped her in her tracks.  “Is Madison my daughter?”
Slowly Gemma’s gaze swung around to him, her eyes wide, fearful.  Studying her expression, Mason wasn’t able to determine what she was thinking.  The fear could because of the situation or his question.  She opened her mouth, closed it.  He repeated, “Is she, Gemma?”
Looking away, Gemma replied, “Maddy’s my daughter.  She was never yours.”  With that she left the room, saying as she did, “You can find your way out.”
Mason watched her leave.  Her answer wasn’t what he’d expected, nor had it fully appeased him.  As far as he was concerned, her reply was a nonsensical reply, that didn’t truly answer his question.  Well, since he had no intention of leaving, he had plenty of time to figure it out.  For now, he was going to concentrate of finding Maddy.  Once she was safely back, he’d worry about what do about Gemma.
Until then, he’d do his best to hold onto his…curiosity.

*****

Confusion crinkled Maddy’s face as she suddenly found herself inside a small room.  Huh?  She couldn’t remember how she’d gotten here.  The last thing she did recall was leaving Mr. Draven’s house after visiting with him for a little while.  No, that wasn’t right.  The last thing she could remember was walking along the trail between her house and Mr. Draven’s.  So how had she gotten here?
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t bring up a single memory of reaching home, which meant…she wasn’t dreaming was she?  A small pinch to the soft side of her wrist answered that query.  Nope, wasn’t asleep.  Okay, so where was she and how had she gotten here?
Right, she’d asked those questions already.
It was almost as if someone had teleported her here.  She’d traveled that way with Mom once, but that had a different feeling to this.  Teleporting with her mom had left her feeling a bit woozy and nauseas.  She wasn’t dizzy and, nope, not feeling a bit sick either.  In fact, she was actually hungry.
Glancing about the room, she saw that it wasn’t very big, was in fact smaller than the work shed mom had let her convert into a club house last summer.  There was a small window, too high to reach even if she had something to stand on but she could see that it was still daylight, which meant she hadn’t been here long.  There was enough light streaming into the room that she was able to make out that the walls, a creamy yellow, were peeling.
The only furniture in the room was the cot she was sitting on, a small bedside table and a hardback chair.  The cot was pushed up against the wall opposite the window.  Covering the thin mattress was a sheet that looked as if might have once been bright blue but was now dull and graying.  Folded at the bottom was a blanket, threadbare and stringy with age.  A pillow, flat and questionably clean, lay at the top.  A rag doll was sitting on the pillow, its button eyes staring up.  Its yarn hair, once a bright red, was orangey and tangled.  The dress was tatty and stained, with patches in three different places.  On the stand was a single, shaded lamp.  
She didn’t bother trying to turn it on.  Touching anything made her feel icky, as if she’d been playing in the dirt.  Suddenly she urgently wanted a bath.  Normally she didn’t think about taking one until her mom reminded her.  Right now, she wanted that bath.
A door was set in the wall to the right.  Sliding to the edge of the cot, Maddy slipped to her feet and took a step toward it.  The knob, which she was staring at trying to determine if it was locked or not, twisted around and the door swung inward.  It didn’t bang against the wall, but it wasn’t a gentle nudge either, more of a muted thud.  
Maddy took a step backwards.
Framed in the doorway was a dark figure.  He (or she) was dressed oddly in some sort of cloak that reminded her of a Halloween costume.  It even had a hood, hiding the figures features.  The figure stepped into the room.  Maddy retreated back to the cot, getting as far from the person as possible.
The voice issuing from inside the hood was raspy; making it hard to tell if it was a man or a woman, though Maddy was thinking it was a man.  “It worked.  I have you.”
“Wh- who are you?” she stuttered fearfully.
Instead of replying the figure only continued to stand there, talking as if Maddy wasn’t there.  “Now the truth will come out.  She’ll fall apart and I’ll win.  I’ll finally be able to have the life I was promised.  The life I was supposed to have.”
Trying to work out what he was talking about Maddy didn’t notice that he was backing away, closing the door as he did.  When she did notice, she called out, “Hey, you can’t leave me here!”
Stopping, he appeared to look at her.  It was hard to tell with the hood hiding his face.  Even so, she had the strangest feeling he was grinning at her.  Rather than reassure her, a bolt of fear shot through her, making her heart race and her blood cold.
In a rasping whisper he said, “You’re mine now.  I’ll take care of you.  Forever. You won’t be seeing you mom and dad again.”
Icy shivers scurried along her spine and she shuddered.  Slightly hysterical, she cried, “What?  Wh – wh- what do you mean?”  Giving him no chance to explain she plunged ahead, suddenly realizing what he’d said and her fear was momentarily replaced with the urgent need to know, “Do you know who my dad is?”
“It doesn’t matter,” was his reply.  “I’m both your mother and father now.  You’re my daughter.   Mine!”
“I am -”
“SILENCE!” though he still spoke in that same throaty whisper, that single word was a shout that made tingles of fear blossom along her skin.  “You’re my child.  You’ll never leave me.”
Before Maddy could get up the nerve to say anything more he was gone.  The door was closed with a sharp click quickly followed by the soft snick as the lock was engaged.  Wrapping her arms around herself, she tried to think but the fear, which had been pushed to the back for a short time came rushing to the front.  Fear and shock was making her cold and her small body began to shake and yet, she somehow managed to keep it all from bursting outward, only a few trickling tears escaping.
Panicking wasn’t going help.  That’s what she repeated over and over inside her head until her body stopped shaking and her brain once more kicked into gear.  
Racing over to the door the moment she was able to think, she tried the knob.  It turned but would not open.  Uselessly she tugged on it, wanting to scream and cry but keeping herself under control, just barely.  Releasing the knob she started kicking and punching the door as fear was replaced with anger and frustration.  As she beat the door, she shouted, “Let me out!  You can’t keep me here!  It’s illegal!  Someone, anyone, HELP ME!  Please, SOMONE HELP ME!”
As time went on, her shouts grew softer, her anger dwindling as fear started creeping in once more.  Slumping down to her butt, she put her back to the door and her head in her hands.  Softly weeping, she cried until there was nothing left inside her to cry out.  
Slowly, her brain shit down, shielding her from the fear, the complete horror of her situation.  As she slipped way, retreating into her head so far she no longer was aware of her surroundings, her body swayed, rocking back and forth.  A soft keening started though she didn’t hear it and even if she had, she would have not thought it was coming from her.  The sound was heart wrenching and if anyone other than the one who’d taken her had heard, they would cried along with her.

*****

Pushing the plate of food away Wren had placed in front of her, Gemma snapped, “I don’t want anything to eat, damn it!”
Sighing, Wren shoved the plate back at her.  “You have to eat,” she scolded lightly.  “You may not want it, Gem, but if you want to keep up your strength, you need it.”
“No,” she refused stubbornly, turning her head from the offering but relenting enough to explain, “I can’t.  My stomach is in knots.  Just the thought of eating makes me sick.”
“It’s because you haven’t eaten that you’re feeling sick,” Wren told her reasonably.  Once more she pushed the plate in Gemma’s direction.  “You have to at least try.”
“No,” Gemma barked angrily.  Irrationally she added, “I don’t care about food.”
Wren opened her mouth to reply but Mason beat her to it.  “You may not care, but you have to eat.”  Strolling into the kitchen he took a seat beside Gemma.  “If you don’t you’re gonna get weak and sick.  What good are going to be to Madison when she comes home if you allow that to happen?”
Glaring at him, not liking the guilt his words had caused, she demanded, “Why the hell are you even here?”  
“Because you sure the fuck aren’t,” he retorted cryptically.  Standing back up, he snatched up a plate and started loading it up with the food Wren had laid out buffet style.
“Just what does that mean,” Wren wanted to know, adding her glare to the one Gemma was still shooting at him.
“It means,” Mason growled, getting angry, “Gemma’s decided to wallow in grief and muck herself up by not eating; leaving the rest of her to search for the daughter she claims to love.  Frankly, the pity party is getting a bit old.”
“Oh,” Wren scoffed, “go away, Mason.  Badgering and harassing Gemma isn’t going to help matters.”
“Nor is babying her,” Mason pointed out, straining for calm.
Wren was quiet for a moment before admitting, “Maybe no, but she doesn’t need you from of therapy either.  Compassion, that’s what she needs.  I suppose you’ve never heard of it.”
His eyes narrowing, he sneered, “You’re such a bitch, Wren.  Compassion, sure, but what you’re doing is smothering Gemma, mollycoddling her like an overprotective mother hen.”
Wren shook her head, saying, “I’m not.  Maddy’s been missing for two days now and maybe it’s because you don’t -”
“We all know how long she’s been missing, Wren.  No need to stress it,” Mason cut in.  
“If you know it so well, show a little fucking consideration,” she snapped back at him.  “Your special blend of iciness and harsh bluntness isn’t what’s needed here.”
“I’ve been neither of those things,” he informed her frostily.  “I’m as worried and concerned about Madison as everyone but I’m not going to coddle Gemma as if she’s the only one suffering, especially when all she does is sit around, weeping and acting as if she’s given up.”
“Given up?” Wren repeated, eyes rounding in surprise.  “You think she’s given up because she’s so fucking tired and scared she can’t think straight?”
“I’ve seen what Gemma can do under the worst sort of circumstances,” he reminded Wren.  “Loss of sleep and fear should motivate not immobilize.  Refusing to eat, not talking, retreating from those here trying to help, those aren’t signs of someone trying to get her daughter back.  Those are signs of someone having given up.”
Loudly, losing her temper, Wren said, “There’s not much she can do though, is there?  My husband, brothers and you have been doing it all, right.  You strong men have it all under control.  That’s what you all keep telling us.”
“Perhaps,” he conceded, “but that doesn’t explain not eating properly or her refusal to talk or even look at any of us.  Just because we’re ‘handling’ it doesn’t mean she can’t participate in what we’re doing, planning.  Hell, even if it was merely making a nuisance of herself, it’d be better than this…this a pitying displays.”
“It’s obvious you don’t have kids,” she derided.  “If you did, you’d have more understanding of Gemma’s feeling.  Standing there passing judgment on her when you can’t possibly understand is so fucked up I haven’t got the words to tell you how fucked up it is.  So, until you have a kid and have that kid taken from you, you can just go to hell.”
Mason grunted, glancing at Gemma before returning his attention to Wren.  “You’re right, I don’t have kids but I do care.  I got to know Madison and you can believe this or not, I want her back too.  I care about that little girl.  Just because she’s not my -”
Gemma bounding up from the chair she’d been sitting in stopped him from saying more.  Eyes blazing she rounded on Mason.  “You care about Maddy?  You want her back?”  A bitter laugh escaped.  “You aren’t her parent.  You’ve no idea what being a parent is like.  You’ve no idea what it’s like to worry about anyone but yourself.”
Giving him no chance to counter, she sucked in a breath and continued admonishing him.  “I lay awake for hours, especially that first year, wondering if she was okay.  Was she safe?  Was she too cold, too hot, wet or messy and needing a change.  Was she fucking breathing!  I checked on her a million times a night just to reassure myself that she was.”
“I hurt when she hurts, I cry when she does,” she screamed at him.  “I feel her joy.  I have more pride in her than she’ll ever understand.  Her accomplishments are my greatest triumphs.  Don’t stand there and tell me you care about Maddy when you’ve only known her a handful of days.  I’m the one who’s been there from the beginning, I’m the one who’s fretted and worried about the decisions I’ve made or if I’ve made a mistake.  You, Mason Draven, can go fuck yourself.”
Ending her tirade, Gemma spun around and stormed from the room.  With an inscrutable look in his direction, Wren followed Gemma out.
Calmly, Mason watched them go and only when they were out of sight did he allow a small smile to from on his lips.  He may be a cold, callous bastard but Gemma was no longer sitting around, mopping and looking pitifully forlorn.  No, now she was full of fire and anger, much better motivators than depression and despair.
The rest of her accusation, said and unsaid, well…Madison came first.  After that, all bets were off.
Chapter 6

Tapping a manicured finger on the desk, Mason’s thoughts floated lazily around.  Five goddamn days!  Five!  And they were still no closer to figuring out who had taken Madison.  They had all believed, hoped, that the kidnapper would contact Gemma again but…nothing.  There had been no notes, no calls, nothing.  Whoever had taken Madison had been silent.
They had scoured the woods, looking for any clue as to what had happened to Madison.  But it was like she’d vanished into thin air and with the snow melting, tracking her that way was impossible.  Frustration was fast becoming his closest friend.  Spells, potions and magic, none of it was working and doing it the norm way was impossible without a single clue.
Fear was slowly replacing his worry.  The longer Madison was gone, the smaller their chances of finding her became.  In the norm world, the police claimed the first twenty-four hours were the most critical.  They’d passed that time frame four days ago.  It had gotten to the point where sleeping at night was becoming impossible.  Whenever he closed his eyes his mind conjured up images of Madison – dead.  He had nightmares when he did manage to sleep of finding her lifeless body, covered in blood, her expression accusing.
Even now, the possibility of his nightmares coming true ate at him, making him feel clammy and cold.  Grunting with a mixture of frustration, fear and anger, he picked up the small, glass paperweight from Gemma’s desk.  Pulling his arm back he threw it across the room and…narrowly missed thumping Parker in the head.
“Hey, watch it,” Parker exclaimed, bending to pick the paperweight up.
Blushing slightly, Mason muttered, “Sorry, was feeling a tad…emotional.”
One of Parker’s light brown brows went up.  “You don’t say?  Next time, aim for the far wall, that way my head won’t be in any danger.”
“I’ll try and remember that,” Mason replied dryly.  “Anything new?”
Parker’s dark brown eyes darkened as he shook his head.  “No.  Linton and I tried a few new spells, but we got nothing.”
“Oh,” Mason muttered dispassionately.  Unable to think of anything to add to that empty word, he picked up the letter opener and started twirling it around his fingers.
Parker watched for a few minutes before saying, “We’ll find her, Mason.  It’s just a matter of when and how?”
Mason gave a disdainful snort.  “The how is the problem but I know we’ll find her.  I refuse to accept defeat.  And I know you won’t accept it.”
Nodding, Parker agreed.  “No, I won’t.”
Watching as Parker started walking from book shelve to book shelve, wondering what the other man was thinking about.  They had never really become friends though it was safe to say they were no longer enemies.  Still, in a lot of ways, despite the many parties and dinners he’d attended at the Hadley home, they were still virtual strangers.  War, Mason knew, made for strange bedfellows and even stranger allies but in the end, the best that could be said about their relationship was they had become neutral.
Until recently he hadn’t given Parker much thought but now, yeah, he’d given it a bit of thinking.  Considering what he suspected and what he wanted, he knew there was a chance that Parker could become more than a casual acquaintance.  How was that going to work?  They had hated each other for so long and even when the hate was gone, they had barely spoken more than a few dozen words to each other.
Looking at Parker a little harder, Mason suddenly realized that the other man was acting a little…oddly.  Nervous even.  Curious and just a little suspicious he asked, “Did you have something on your mind, Hadley?”
Sighing, Parker dropped the book he’d been looking over and came over to sit in the chair positioned to face the desk.  “Yeah.”
“And that’d be?”
“Give me a sec.  I need to marshal my thoughts,” Parker replied.  “Some of us, me being one of them, can’t just blurt it out.  We have to get it all straight inside our heads so we don’t mess it up.”
Incapable of detecting any criticism or sarcasm in Parker’s comments, Parker sat back and waved a hand at Parker.  “Whatever.  Take all the bloody time you need.”
“Thank you.”
Now that had been sarcastic but Mason let it go.  Silence fell but unlike the last time he’d been alone with Parker, this wasn’t awkward or humbling.  He thought back to that last time…

Anger, grief, fear, helplessness, that and so much more propelled him forward, his emotions in the driver’s seat at the moment.  At an early age he’d learned that a display of emotion could earn him nothing but pain so he had learned to hide it all away, but today…today he wasn’t able to hide anything.  He didn’t care if it made him appear weak and stupid.  At that moment, he wasn’t worried about anything but getting revenge on his father’s murderer.  It was all that mattered.
Looking up at the door before him, he took a huge breath.  Once he knocked and went inside, he was no longer going to be in his world, where he knew the rules and what to expect.  That was okay, it was something he could handle.  But he was also about to become a marked man.  He was probably going to be dead within a week, but that was okay to because he’d go to his grave knowing he’d been one of those to bring Tanner to her knees.
But first he had to knock, had to enter enemy territory and somehow convince them he wasn’t playing games.  Hadley would be the hardest to convince of his sincerity but he’d do it because there wasn’t a chance in hell of him leaving until Hadley believe him, even if that mean he chained himself to his former enemy.
Reaching up, he made a fist, hesitated only a fraction of second before pounding it against the wood.  And he kept right on hammering away until it was answered.  Giving the person on the other side no chance to speak, he demanded, “I’m here to talk to Parker Hadley and I won’t be leaving until I do.”  With that, he shoved past the man and entered into a long, tall entry hall.  
Behind him the man quietly closed the door, saying, “Please, follow me, Mr. Draven.”
Surprised kept his mouth closed as he followed behind the older man down a wide hallway.  The older man stopped when they’d reached a door halfway down the hall.  Rapping lightly, he pushed it open and said, “You’ve a visitor, Parker.”
Peeking over the man’s shoulder, Mason saw Hadley sitting in a plump armchair, a book laid open on his lap.  Without looking up from the book he responded absently with, “Okay.”
Stepping aside the man gestured for Mason to enter.  He did.  Once he was inside the man nodded once and left, closing the door as he did.  He was in a library, small, but well stocked.  There were books everywhere, on shelves, table tops even the floor.  After giving the room a quick once over, Mason turned his attention to Parker Hadley.
The silence inside the room was disturbing and it makes him feel slightly edgy.  Swallowing hard, he cleared his throat, trying for a calm he didn’t feel.  No way in hell was he going to let anyone, especially Hadley, unnerve him.  Nor was he going to let Hadley see him feeling tense and out of sorts. Holding onto his composure wasn’t going to be easy, not feeling as he did, but damn it, he was going to do the best he could.  If that mean letting Hadley to continue to ignore him, so be it.
Except the utter quiet was growing louder, if that was even possible.  It felt as if it pressing down on him, suffocating him and sending his skin to crawling.  Still, he clung to his self-control.  It was the one thing that hadn’t been taken from him and he was going to hold onto it even if it killed him.  Bringing Hadley’s attention to the fact that he was there, waiting, would feel like losing.  He wasn’t a loser.
In a few more minutes it wasn’t going to matter though.  He could feel himself slipping, his unease growing.  Thankfully, as he was on the verge of screaming or doing something equally as stupid, Hadley closed the book, looking up.
Shock lightened his eyes as he exclaimed, “Draven!”
Forgetting the speech he’d prepared, Mason blurted, “I want to join the Rebels.”
Other than tensing, Hadley showed nothing of what he was thinking except to say, “Huh?”
“I want to help you.  I want to join the Rebels,” he repeated, this time a little calmer.
“You want to join us?” he inquired skeptically.  “But you support Tanner.  Don’t you?”
“Not any longer,” Mason replied through gritted teeth, his patience faltering.  “I want to help you and the other Rebels defeat her.”
“Tanner?” Hadley asked dumbly then shook his head.  “I’m sorry, but did you just say you want to help us defeat your leader.”
“She’s not my leader,” Mason snapped, his patience gone.  “What part of what of I’ve said isn’t registering?”
Mason gave him a moment to let it sink in but it didn’t take him as long as that.  Eyes narrowing, he said, “Really?  You want to join us?  And I’m supposed to just accept this as if you haven’t been plotting against us for the last five or more years?  I’m just supposed to believe that you’ve suddenly had a change of heart, seen the light?  Do I look like an idiot, Draven?”  Hadley waved a hand.  “Don’t answer that, we both know what you’ll say.  Here’s a newsflash for you, Draven, despite what you may believe about my intelligence, I’m not an idiot.”
“I care less about what you think of me, Hadley,” Mason explained, straining to keep his tone even.  “I haven’t ‘seen the light’ as you put it but I’m sincere in my desire to bring Tanner down.”
“Why?” Hadley demanded suspiciously.
“Revenge,” Mason replied simply.  
“Revenge?” Hadley repeated, looking confused.  “For what?”
“My father’s murder.”

*****

“Yoo woo, Draven?”
Blinking, Mason cleared the memory away, focusing on Hadley who was snapping his fingers and waving them in front of Mason’s face.  Pulling back, he said, “What?”
Having gained Mason’s attention, Hadley returned to the other side of the desk and sat down.  “I’ve called your name a few times.  Where the hell you go too inside that head of yours?”
Shaking his head, he replied with, “Just thinking too hard, I guess.  Sorry, what did you need?”
“It’s fine.”  Leaning back in the chair, he relaxed, adding, “No apology necessary.”
“Thanks.”  He put his arms on the desk, crossing them and asked, “So, did you get your thoughts all in a row?”
Hadley shot him a grin and a nod.  “Yeah.  I think it’s time we let the past go.”
Stiffing, Mason asked, “What do you mean?”
“Just what I said,” Hadley answered with a small shrug.  “Our first meeting…well, it let’s just say neither of us walked away impressed.  We changed though, grew up and the war…it changed things.  You joined the rebels and I’m not if it was the time you spent among us or…something else but it changed you.  I don’t think we may ever be best friends, but I’d like us to at least be friends.”
Holding up a hand, Hadley said, “I’ve tried to be subtle about it, inviting you parties and such but…you aren’t the most cooperative man so I’ve decided to be a bit more blunt.  I like you, Draven.  I hated your actions, but I never actually hated you.  I’d like to be your friend, that’s the bottom line here.  What do you say?”
“That your fucking long winded,” Mason drawled wryly.  “You could have just said, ‘it’s time to let bygones be bygones’ or, ‘let’s make a fresh start of it.’  Either would have worked.”
Hadley blinked before a slow grin spread across his face and then he burst out laughing.  When he was finally able to talk he said, “Yeah, I guess I could have.  Then again, that well-rehearsed speech would have gone to waste and that’s just wrong.”
“There is that,” Mason agreed with a grin.
Looking serious, Hadley said, “I’ve my reasons for putting this out there but I think you should know, I think you’ve become a great guy, Mason.  Fifteen years ago you would have had a good chuckle over Gemma’s current plight and walked away.   I like that you’re first thought was to contact those who could help but even better, that you’ve stayed to help.  No offense, but I’m glad you’re no longer that nasty little boy you once were.”
“None taken,” Mason told him sincerely.  “But let’s be honest, the old me is still there, I just don’t let that part of me out to play very often.”
Grinning, Hadley replied, “Yeah but when you do, it’s often for a good cause.”  At Mason’s silent query, Hadley elucidated, saying, “Gemma.  You bullied her out the slump we’d all let her fall into.”
“Ah, that.”  Mason looked down, a little embarrassed that Hadley had figured him out enough to know what he’d been doing.
“Yeah, that.”  Hadley stood and started walking toward the door.  “I promised Wren I’d take care of dinner this evening so I’d better get to it.  We’ll talk then.  Maybe between then and now one of will think of something.”
After Hadley was gone, Mason sat thinking for a long while.  He wondered, at some point, what other reasons Hadley had for wanting a fresh start but after a few minutes of trying to figure it out, he decided it didn’t matter.  Maybe someday he’d ask but for now he was content in knowing that Hadley wasn’t going to be the obstacle he’d thought.
It was enough to make him smile.

*****

The sanctuary her brain had provided for her was slowly lifting.  Little by little Maddy became more and more aware of her surroundings.  Though her body remained still, only twitching every so often, her mind was waking and her waking mind knew one thing, she wasn’t going to just sit back do nothing.  The vulnerable, child side of her shied away from such thoughts but that was okay.  Right now she needed to be harder, more logical, more determined than her captor.  She was going to have to be alert, watchful, waiting, planning.
Lying on the cot, where the jerk had put her when he’d discovered her on the floor, rocking and crying like a baby, Maddy used her eyes to look around the room, re-familiarizing herself with her surroundings.  Nothing had changed and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Thinking back, she determined she’d been here for at least four days, maybe five.  Jerk face fed her only twice a day, usually shoving the food into her mouth so fast she barely had time to chew and swallow before he was shoveling in more.  That was okay, now that she was waking up, she’d be able to feed herself.
Jerk Face also liked to come into the room and watch her.  He’d stand at the end of the cot, looking down at her for long periods of time.  Sometimes he’d talk to himself, always in that low, rasping whisper.  It gave her the creeps most of the time, especially when he was silent, saying nothing, at least when he was muttering, she knew what he was thinking.  It might not have made sense most of the time but just hearing him talk made the whole thing less eerie.
The hood, which was always up and always hiding his face, wasn’t helping the creep factor.  If she ever got the chance she was going to yank the damn thing off and punch him straight in the nose.
First though, she had battle her way back to reality.  That shy, scared little girl inside her wanted to stay right where she was.  She didn’t want to wake up, to plan and possibly fight her way free.  Maddy didn’t care what that side of her wanted.  She wanted to see her mom again.  She wanted to see Cosmo and her bedroom.  She wanted to go home.
And she was going to because she wasn’t going to let Jerk Face keep her.  Somehow she was going to get free.  All she had to do was stay alert and when she was ready, plan her escape - even if she had to kill to do it.  She might have only been nine but her mother had been one of the leaders of the Rebels.  Gemma had made sure her daughter knew how to fight back.
And because of that, she was soon going to be home.

*****

Choking back a sob, Gemma hugged her upper body.  “It’s been nine days, Wren.”
Standing outside the room, Mason shamelessly eavesdropped as Gemma and Wren talked.  He hadn’t meant to stop and listen.  He’d been on his way to find Parker and Linton when he’d heard Gemma say she was starting to lose hope.  It was this that had given him pause.  If needed, he’d goad her once more but first, he’d listen.
“You can’t give up, Gemma.”  Wren’s voice was softly sympathetic.  “We’ll find her.”
“How?” Gemma wailed.  “When?”
“I don’t know,” Wren replied honestly.  “But we will.”
There was silence for moment and then, “I can’t sleep, Wren.  I either have awful nightmares or I lay awake thinking of all the awful things that…”  Gemma’s voice trailed off.  “I can’t function like this.  I can’t think, can’t focus.  My baby’s out there, scared, probably hurt and all I can’t do anything to help her.  I can’t pull myself together, Wren.”
Shifting a little, Mason was able to see into the room.  Gemma was sitting on the sofa, Wren beside her.  Wren’s arm was around Gemma’s shoulder, holding her close, offering what he suspected was a small amount of comfort.
“None of us are going to stop looking until we have Maddy back, safe and well.”  Wren pulled Gemma closer, kissing the top of her head.  “Not a single one of us – not me, not Parker or Linton, not even Mason – are going to give up.  You have to remember that, Gem.”
Gemma released a shuddering breath.  “I know.  You’ve all been wonderful.  More than.”  Swiping a hand over her face, she said, her voice muffled, “I know it hasn’t been easy.  I haven’t been easy.  And being away from your kids, I know that’s been hard…considering.  I’ll never forget this.”
Wren shooed Gemma’s words away.  “We’re family, Gem.  You’d do the same for any of us.”
Her voice shaky, Gemma said, “Until Maddy I didn’t think it was possible to love someone to the point of pain.  Hell, I didn’t think I’d be able to love…” she stopped, giving her head a small shake.   “She’s my world, Wren.  It’s scary, sometimes downright terrifying but there it is, She’s my world and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
“Yeah, I feel the same about mine,” Wren agreed with a little sigh.  She seemed to hesitate for a moment and then, “Do you think you’ll ever tell -”
Shaking her head, Gemma cut Wren off.  “No – I don’t know.  But it’s not something I can think about right now.”
“Okay,” Wren replied, rubbing Gemma’s back.  Smiling a little she said, “Just think, when we do find Maddy, she’s going to bursting at the seams to regal us all about her adventure.”
Gemma laughed, it was wobbly but it was a chuckle.  “Yeah, that’s exactly right.  She tells me all the time that every day is a new day and each new day is full of possibilities.”  Her smile wavered a little.  “She’s so damn smart, Wren.  At time I think if she hadn’t been my daughter, if she’d been our age, she would have been the school brain.”
There was a pause and then in voice full of emotion, Gemma said, “I can’t lose her, Wren. I just can’t.”
Mason wanted to go to her, wrap his arms around her and pull her close.  He wanted to tell her he wouldn’t let that happen, that he’d do everything in his power to make sure Madison came home, alive and well.  He’d do anything, anything, if it meant vanquishing Gemma’s pain.  Instead of going to her though, he stayed where he was.  He knew all too well his reception would be less then warm.
“It’s odd,” Gemma was murmuring.
“What is?” Wren asked.
“I was the one of the brightest students in my year and yet…” Gemma started, pausing a moment and then finishing, “and yet, I can’t think of a single thing to help us find Maddy.”
“Stop thinking like that,” Wren admonished.  “And just to be clear, our combined brain power hasn’t been very useful so don’t beat yourself up about this.  We’ll think of something.  We just have to keep believing that.”
“I’ll…try,” Gemma promised.  “I am trying but it’s getting harder.  But…my heart – my heart is telling me Maddy’s alive and that’s what I’m going to focus on.  I don’t know where she is but I do know she’s alive.”
Spotting Linton, Mason moved away from the living room and back into the kitchen so he wasn’t caught eavesdropping.  In the kitchen one part of the conversation kept replaying inside his head.  Do you think you’ll ever tell – Wren had started to ask Gemma something and he had an idea of how the sentence would have ended.
 Thinking back to the day he’d asked Gemma about Madison being his daughter, Mason’s expression hardened.  She had not actually denied it.  In fact, her reply had been evasive rather than conclusive.  Maddy’s my daughter.  She was never yours.  
Feeling surreal, confused and angry, Mason pushed the matter down deep for the moment.  Later, after he and Linton had worked on the location spell they were tweaking, he’d take it back out and examine it but for now, he needed his full concentration to find Maddy.

*****

Walking into the kitchen, Mason found Parker bent over, his concentration on something in front of him.  Moving closer he saw that sitting in front of Parker was a wide, flat looking plate with tall edges.  Clearing his throat to gain Parker’s attention he asked, “What’s up?”
Without looking up, Parker waved him over.  “Come look at this.”
Moving around the counter, Mason joined the other man.  Inside the plate like bowl was what appeared to be water but it wasn’t the liquid that captured his attention.  Reflected in the water was Maddy.  She was sitting on what looked to be a cot and eating from a bowl.  He couldn’t tell what she was eating, only that it was thick.  Stew, maybe?  It was hard to see much, the reflection was like an old film, slightly distorted, grainy and silent.
“Can you tell where she is?”
Parker shook his head.  “Not really.  I’ve tried adding a locator spell but it’s not working.”
“You can see?”
The breathy question brought both men’s heads up.  Gemma was standing at the entry of the kitchen, her expression a mix of glee and fear.  Running over to where they stood, she shouldered Mason aside.  “Oh my god!  Maddy!”
Gently touching her shoulder, Parker said, “She appears unharmed.  A little ragged but otherwise fine.”
Gemma nodded, her eyes never leaving the reflection pool.  In a wobbly whisper she said, “She’s alive.”
“Yeah,” Mason agreed.  “She is.  Parker, how did you get this to work?  Doesn’t a spy spell usually need a location?”
Before Parker could reply, Gemma spun toward him, glaring.  “Is this Dark Magic?”
Knowing a spying spell was borderline Dark Magic, Mason repeated, “Parker how is this working?”
“It’s not Dark Magic,” he assured Gemma.  “Believe it or not, I got this out of a norm magic book titled, White Magic, Blessed Tidings.  It’s supposed to let a practicing white witch view from long distance without using black magic.  I played with it a bit and, well, here are the results.”
“Amazing,” Gemma murmured, turning back to stare at her daughter.
“Tell the truth, I didn’t think it was going to work,” Parker admitted.  “But after so many other failures I decided, what the hell, it couldn’t hurt to try.”
Thinking out loud, Mason said musingly, “I wonder if we could adapt it a bit more to suit our purposes and get a location as well?”
“Well, that’s what I was originally trying for,” Harry confessed.  “I’ve tried just about everything but got nothing until I tried for just seeing Maddy.  That’s when I got results.”
“It’s fucking beautiful work,” Mason complimented.  “It gives us reassurance that she’s alive and not hurt while we continue to search.”
Gemma, who had fallen silent as she stared at Maddy said, “Parker, let me see that book.”
Picking it up off the nearby table, he handed it over. “Here it is.”  Reaching over Gemma’s shoulder, Mason snagged it before she could get her hands on it.  After quickly flipping through it, he handed it over.
“Thank you,” she snapped crossly.
Giving her a thin smile, he gave his attention to Parker.  “I think there are a couple of other spells in there that we might be able to modify to fit out needs.”
“Experimenting with magic is dangerous,” Gemma warned absently, her face buried in the book.
“Possibly,” Mason allowed.  “But unless you’ve got a better idea, it’s all we have.”
Annoyance lacing her tone, she said, “I wasn’t saying not to do it.  I was only -”
“Pointing out the obvious,” he inserted dryly.  “Something you’re rather good at…at times.”
“I was only cautioning for you and Parker to be careful,” she countered stiffly.  “Especially Parker since I’d hate to see him hurt.”
“So it’s okay if I’m hurt?”
“I…” she sputtered a moment before saying, “I don’t want anyone hurt.  Is that better?”
“Only if you mean it,” he replied.
“In that case…Parker, please be careful.”
“Does that mean you’d like to see me hurt?” Mason growled the question.
“It means whatever you want it to mean,” she barked back.  
“So you’d like me to get injured?  That is what you’re saying, right?” he persisted.  
“Whatever you want to think, Mason,” she replied tautly.  “You’ll twist it around to suit yourself no matter what I say.”
“No, I just want to know what you mean?” he insisted.  “Would you like it if I was injured?”
“No,” she nearly shouted.  “Not while under my roof, on my property.”
“Ah, I see,” he mused.  “I can become injured while elsewhere as long as I’m not here.”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” she puffed out angrily.
“Sure sounds like it to me,” he needled ruthlessly.
“Then you fucking need your hearing checked,” she shot back tetchily.  “Better yet, let me hit you in the head a few time, maybe then you’ll hear better.”
“Now your threatening me violently,” he inquired testily.  “Don’t try hitting me.  I’m pretty damn positive I’ll win the battle if you start it.”
“I don’t need to get physical to knock you head about,” she blasted back.  “A strong spell should do the job.”
“I’ll hit back,” he warned.
Tossing her hands in the air, she growled, “You’re fucking impossible.  You’re twisting anything I say around until you’ve turned me into a bitch.  Fuck you, Mason.  You aren’t superior, Mason Draven.  But hey, here’s a fucking brilliant idea, stay the hell away from me and I’ll return the favor.”
“Sounds like a splendid notion,” he retorted coldly.  “Unfortunately this damn house isn’t big enough to make it work.  And before you suggest I leave, let me assure I’ve no intention of going anywhere.  Not until Madison is back and safe.”
Bitingly, Gemma sneered, “Great!  Fine!  Then just stay the hell out of my and I’ll do the same.”
“Fine.”
“Good,” she ground out, storming from the room.  “It’s settled.”
“Nothing’s settled, you little twit,” he called after her retreating back.  “But hey, it’s a goddamn start.”
In the silence that followed Mason heard soft chuckling.  Looking around he spied Parker who was busily trying to erase the smile on his face.  “What’s so damn funny?”
Causally, as if it wasn’t that big of a deal, he drawled, “So, how long have you been in love with Gemma?”
Denial quickly sprang from his lips.  “I’m not.”
“Uh-huh,” Parker replied slowly, the grin spreading wider.  “I see.  Are you familiar with the term denial?”
“Asshole,” Mason muttered, stomping from the room in much the same way as Gemma.
He wasn’t the easy to read, was he?  No.  Otherwise Gemma, one of the smartest people he knew, would have figured it, right?  Maybe.  Gemma was book smart so it didn’t necessarily mean she’d get it.  It was more likely that Parker was more perceptive than he’d given Parker credit for.  
Slamming the door behind him as he entered the room he was sharing with Linton, he began pacing.  He needed to calm down, stop letting the little things prick his temper.  But as one day passed into another and they were still no closer to finding Madison, he was finding controlling his reactions more and more difficult.  So, he was simply going to have to step up his control.  There was time enough later to set Gemma straight on certain matters.  
Until then, he’d do his best to avoid her – at least as much as possible.
Chapter 7

The patient waiting, the vigilant watching, the compulsive strategy of planning while not planning at all was going to pay off.  Maddy was certain of it even if she hadn’t yet had a chance to escape. Her opportunity was coming, she just knew it.  
Still, the waiting was scarping her nerves raw and her patience, thin to start was, was almost gone.  Yet she knew she couldn’t tip her hand.  She wasn’t exactly sure what tipping her hand meant in this context but she knew that if Jerk Face suspected anything, she’d never get the chance to get away.  So she hung onto the thin thread her patience had become hard and tight.  Soon, it would pay.  That’s what she had to keep reminding herself.
Soon enough she’d be going home.  The thought was enough to make her jumpy.  Every little noise made her want to bolt upwards and run. Only there wasn’t anywhere to run to.  Sheer determination was the only thing keeping her still – and silent because the silence was nerve wrecking.  
Jerk Face was due to arrive soon.  He’d be delivering her morning meal.  She was ready, or was as ready as she was ever going to be.  As optimistic as she was trying to be, she couldn’t help but feel scared witless.  Frustration, anger and miserable were mixed in there but it was the fear that was edging out as the winner.  Jerk Face was to blame for all of it but that was okay because he was soon going to learn she wasn’t some dumb little girl.
Thinking of Jerk Face and her upcoming escape made her want to giggle uncontrollably, from mostly fear and suppressed hysteria but also because she was feeling a tad giddy.  Controlling the crazy impulse to laugh, she continued to lie as she was, giving no signs of life other than breathing.  Jerk Face was laboring under the mistaken belief that she was still comatose, or close to it.  What he didn’t know was going to aide her in getting away but if she started moving around and screaming (or laughing) he’d figure it out and her advantage would be shot to hell.
The time for her morning meal passed by and she started to worry.  Though she didn’t have a clock, or even a watch, she was pretty good at keeping track of the hours passing, at least enough to know when to expect Jerk Face with the food.  Of course, it was made easier because it was also the only time he allowed use of the facilities.  And boy did she need to go.  Plus, her stomach was loudly protesting the lack of nourishment, so that too told her it was passed Jerk Face’s usual time.
Where was he?
It was possible the loud grumbling in her belly was due to nerves and not hunger but she didn’t think so.  Yeah, she was nervous but usually when she was feeling a little edgy, her stomach twisted into knots.  So, nerves or not, it was hunger gnawing at her gut.  Something she was going to have to ignore because she wasn’t going to get a chance to eat.  When Jerk Face arrived, she was going to make a break for it.  If she succeeded she had no way of getting food but that was okay because she’d eat when she got home.
If she got home!  The thought wasn’t a pleasant one but it wouldn’t leave her alone.  She had no idea where she was, which meant she had no idea how long it was going to take to get home - if she could even find her way home.  Well, there was no point in worrying about it now.  Once she was safely away from Jerk Face, then she’d start worrying about the other.
The longer it took Jerk Face to show, er, his face, the further her confidence dwindled.  Her growing hunger soon shrank away, leaving her with the familiar twisting inside her gut as her nerves grew more and more profound.  The minutes ticking by was making her rethink everything, making her believe less in her ability to get away.  No, no, she scolded herself silently.  She wasn’t about to psych herself out.  Staying focused and keeping up her faith was the ticket.  
It was the downside of having a vivid imagination, she supposed, that made her think of all the things that could go wrong, all the things that could happen complete with vibrant, lifelike imagery that played it all out inside her head.  She had to forcefully eject all the negative things that could happen, letting herself dwell only on the positives, like getting away and going home.  Thinking bad things wasn’t going to help her escape.  If anything it would only demoralize her and she couldn’t afford to let that happen.  
So, not letting herself think about possible failure, she waited, silently preparing for what was coming.
The door cracked up. 

*****

Approaching Wren from behind, Parker made no effort to conceal his approach and yet, when he asked, “What’re you doing?” she visibly jumped, a small squeal escaping from her as she spun around to face him.
Looking every bit as guilty as she felt, she quickly said, “Uh, nothing.”
Parker hid his grin.  Rocking back on his heels, he looked his wife over, from the guilty flush spreading across her cheeks to the hunched shoulders.  Slyly he said, “Nothing huh?”  When she glanced away, turning even pinker, he almost chuckled out loud.  Instead he ordered, “Spill it?”
As if it was ever that easy with Wren.  “Why’re you sneaking around, huh?  You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“Wasn’t sneaking,” he replied, no longer trying to hide his amusement as he grinned at her. 
“Yes you were,” she accused insistently.
“Nope,” he countered jovially, enjoying his wife’s attempts had duping him.  “You have a guilty, shame filled look about you, my love, so you might as well ‘fess up to what you’re about?  Who’re you spying on?”
“I wasn’t -” Wren began to protest but then shook her head.  “I’m not fooling you even a little, am I?”
He shook his head, smiling even broader now.  “Nope.”
Wren sighed before confessing, “I was watching Mason and Gemma.”
“Why?” he asked, curious now.  “There are better things to spy on.”
“I wasn’t spying,” she denied crossly.  He raised a brow.  She sighed a second time.  “Okay, I was spying.”
“We’ve established that, my love,” he replied dryly.  “Why are you spying on them?”
“Because they’re at it again,” she said as if that explained it all.
And it didn’t.  “Huh?”
“Arguing,” she clarified with a roll of her eyes over her husband’s lack of understanding.  “You know what that means, right?”
“Yep,” he agreed readily.  “It means one of us is going to have to go in there and play referee before they kill one another.”
“Noooo,” she drawled adding another eye roll.  “It means they’re going to kiss.”
Again he said, “Huh?  How the bloody hell did you come to that ridiculous conclusion?”
“Easily,” Wren relied and then, slowly as if educating a simpleton added, “they love each other.”
“Well,” Parker replied exasperated, “I know that.  They’re both so stubborn neither will admit how they feel and I don’t see how that or the fact that they’re arguing has led you to kissing.  Where’s the logic in that line of thinking?”
Wren shook her head, giving him a sad look. “Men are so freaking clueless.”  Pointing a finger at Parker’s chest to emphasize her point, she added, “Think about it, you big lummox.  When we argue, how does it usually end?”
Parker’s confusion lasted exactly three seconds longer before clearing.  Grinning he pulled her close, saying, “Ohh, that.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she said, “Yeah, that.”  Kissing him softly on the lips she whispered, “Want to watch the show with me?”
“No,” he replied, plucking at her bottom lip lightly with his teeth. “I’d rather put on my own show.”
“Oh, I think we can arrange that,” she whispered.

*****

Pushing his chair away from the table in frustration, Mason swiped a hand through his hair.  Patience was not one of his attributes and his was bone thin.  Parker, Linton, even he, hadn’t been able to work up a spell that would help them find Madison.  Hell, no one they’d consulted had been able to do a damn thing with the spy spell Parker had cooked up and it was starting to make them all a little crazy.
Leaning the chair back on two legs, he eyed the load of notes, equations and such spread out over the table, his expression full of disgust.  All of it was useless.  Nothing they had been able to create, tweak or manipulate worked even a little.  Each time they’d failed, disappointment and a hell of a lot of aggravation had been the only results they’d gotten.  He didn’t know how the others were dealing it, but was about to explode.
The spying spell Parker had concocted was still working, still letting them see how well Maddy was faring.  She was unharmed, even all this time later but it was no longer the thought of the kidnapper hurting her that concerned him.  What did was that every time he, or anyone, checked in on her, she was simply lying there.  She hardly ever moved, never seem to speak and looked about as listless as the rag doll sitting next her.  The only time she appeared to move was the kidnapper came into the room and then, it was only to eat.
Damn it but it was beyond exasperating being able to see Madison and yet, helpless to do anything for her.  The tension inside the house was mounting, growing thicker with each day passing that didn’t prove helpful.  The pressure to find Madison, to bring her home safe and sound, was starting to stretch them all a little tight and unfortunately the only way the tension was going ease was when Madison was found.
Understanding the reason behind everyone’s (including his) wildly fluctuating emotions didn’t make things any easier.  Knowing didn’t mean control, as they were all well aware of since lashing out at anyone about anything was fast becoming the norm.  Bottling it all inside wasn’t any easier and it only made the moment of explosion greater.  It didn’t help much that he wasn’t used to being in such close contact with others.  
He was used to keeping to the fringes of parties and usually did his best to avoid staying for long.  It wasn’t that he didn’t like people (most of the time) but the past was always there, reminding him again and again that he had not always been liked, that there were some that still saw him as the evil little bastard he’d once been.  And if it wasn’t the past preventing them from accepting him it was his refusal to conform to social etiquettes.  Why tell someone they looked good when they didn’t?  No, he’d rather be bluntly honest or wittily sardonic.  There was no fun in being polite.
Catching motion from the corner of his eye, he looked over.  Gemma was coming into the kitchen, a mug held in one hand, a book in the other.  Actually, the book  - ‘The Guide to White’- was pressed practically against her nose as she walked and read, paying absolutely no attention to where she was stepping.  Mason took a moment to marvel over that talent.  He was sure if he’d tried it he’d be walking into walls, furniture or just tripping over his own feet.
Just then Gemma paused, the hand with the mug held out, hovering over the table.  She was actually trying to put the mug down but was too engrossed in whatever she was reading to bother looking up to do it properly.  Before he could warn her, she put the mug down on a crumpled bit of paper.  The mug tipped, spilling dark liquid everywhere.
Shooting upright, the chair toppling over, Mason shouted, “Hey, watch what the hell you’re doing, Harper!”
Gemma pulled her nose out of the book, her expression bemused.  Slowly she looked from Mason to the mess on the table.  Absently she said, “Sorry.”
Taking exception to her casual apology, he growled out, “Is that all?  You just ruined an entire days’ worth of work and that’s all you’ve got?”
Defensively, Gemma snapped, “You shouldn’t have left it lying about on the kitchen table.”
Mason raised a single brow, his look scornful.  “Oh, really?  Where would you have me put it?  Where do you think I should work, Harper?”
“The den?  The office?  Either would do,” she replied crossly.  “Or wait, here’s a novel idea, how about your place?  I’m sure there’s plenty of space there and even better, no one there to bother you.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” he sneered nastily.  “You wouldn’t have to worry about me discovering all your secrets then, would you?”
Her eyes darkened, her expression guarded.  “I don’t have any secrets.  None that you’d be interested in knowing.”
“Oh, really?” Mason drawled.  “Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Liar,” he snarled.  “I know that’s not the truth.”
Though it was there and gone to fast to be sure, Mason thought he saw panic in her eyes.  Coldly she said, “Believe what you want, Mason.  You always do and most of the time…you’re dead wrong.”
“Am I?” he replied softly.  “Maybe, but not this time.”
“Whatever,” she hissed.  “You never listen, never learn do you?  It was always that way with you and it obviously hasn’t changed.  You never will.”
“Oh I listen, Gemma,” he countered snappishly.  “I even hear what’s not being said so I can work out all the little subtleties just as well as you.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she demanded, her voice slightly anxious.
“Whatever you want it mean, of course.”
“Oh that was so helpful,” she snipped.  “Do you have to be so damned cryptic?  Why can’t you just say what you mean?”
Smirking he asked, “Where’s the fun in that?”
Infuriated, she growled, “God, you’re so bloody irritating.  Would you just make sense for once?”
“Sure,” he agreed bitingly.  “When you tell the truth I’ll be less… ambiguous.”
“And there you go again,” she accused.  “What truth are you seeking, Mason?  Because I’ve got to tell you, any truth I can give you I can promise you won’t like.”
He shook his head.  “No.  I’m not going to tell you, that would only make you dig your heels in deeper and I’ll never get what I’m after.”
Throwing the book down, she stomped over to the counter, where she started pulling out the makings of lunch.  “You’re such an ass, Mason.”
Gemma this close was making him think things he knew he shouldn’t have been thinking.  Like kissing her.  He resisted right up until she spun around to face him and her scent, softly flowery, wafted to him.  He inhaled her scent, his senses coming alive and unaware, he took a step closer.
“What are -?”
His arms wrapping around her, pulling her close effectively stopped her but it was his lips crushing down on hers that effectively cut her off.  His first taste of her in over ten years sent his head to whirling, making him forget his intentions to merely kiss her and step back.  Instead he deepened the kiss, savoring her taste like a rare wine.  
A soft moan momentarily distracted him until it hit him that she was responding to him, kissing him back as hungrily as he kissed her.  He wanted more, he needed more and when she reached up, her fingers digging into his hair, he couldn’t resist pulling her even tighter against his body.  The feel of her heat, of her tiny frame pressed so firmly to him, made him groan with need.
Realizing the kiss, blazing hot and hard, was making him think of doing more, of forgetting everything and just taking her, here, on the floor of the kitchen, gave him the strength to break away.  Taking a hasty step back, he had to take a moment to gather his thoughts.  Breathing hard, his heart hammering inside his chest and his breathing harsh, he looked down at Gemma.
She was standing still, a dazed expression on her face, her eyes slightly glazed.  She had two fingers pressed to her lips, as if she wasn’t sure what to think, what to do.  Good, because neither did he.   What he did know was that if he touched her again, there was no way in hell he was going to be able to stop.  Knowing that, he took another step away.
As he did, his gaze automatically went to the spying spell.  What he saw made him gasp and move closer.  Maddy’s hazy likeness was moving, finally, but what she was doing made his heart nearly stop inside his chest in fear.  “Jesus.”
Hearing his whisper plea, Gemma rushed over to stand beside him.  When she saw what was happening, she didn’t whisper, she screamed, “Oh god, Maddy.  NO!”

*****

Waiting until Jerk Face was leaning over her to make her move, Maddy almost lost her nerve.  As usual he’d set the tray down on the table before turning his attention to her.  He was leaning down, getting ready to ‘wake’ her up when Maddy sprang into action.  She twisted her body around so she could brace her back against the wall, at the same time kicking out with both feet, putting as much force as she could into it.  Connection made, Jerk Face flew back, tumbling into the wall on the other side of the small room.
Not pausing to think, Maddy quickly scrambled off the cot and snatching up the single candle-lamp she launched herself forward, bringing it down on Jerk Face’s head.  He fell; face first, against the floor with a small screeching moan.  Bringing the lamp high once more, she was going hit him again but when he only continued to lie there, she slowly backed away, never taking her eyes off him.
Shock rooted her in place for a long moment, amazement tracing through her at her success.  She hadn’t thought it would work, not really, even when she was boosting herself up for success she hadn’t thought she’d manage to bring down someone twice her size.  And now that she’d done it, she was at a loss as to what to do next.
Gradually her brain began working again and she spun around, racing for the door.  He never bothered to lock it but for minute, while she struggled to turn the handle, she was afraid he’d done just that.  Finally the knob gave and the door opened, spilling her into a dimly lit hallway.  She glanced right and saw that the hallway continued into the dark.  To the left was a staircase, leading up and at the top was a window, daylight seeping through the dirt caked on it.
Sensing freedom, Maddy ran for the stairs, taking them as quickly as her short legs would let her.  At the top, she briefly paused to look around.  Seeing that she was inside a single room, with a single door, she ran to it.  Grabbing the handle she turned it…nothing happened.  Sobbing, she pulled at it mindlessly nearly screaming when it suddenly popped open, revealing the outside and letting in a gust of shilled air.  
With a sound of triumph, she took a step forward.  
A hand clamped down on her shoulder, pulling her back.

*****

Gemma was consumed with fear.  It controlled her, making her a puppet and without thought she reached out, touching a finger to the cool liquid inside the oversized pie dish.  The second her skin made contact the spell broke and the image of Maddy faded, leaving in its place nothing but clear liquid.  Jerking her hand back, Gemma let out a sound, something between a wail and a moan.
The sorrowful sound smashed its way through Mason’s shock.  Jumping into motion, he was just in time to prevent Gemma from crashing to the floor.  Holding her firmly, despite her struggles to be let go, he offered her what comfort he could, though he knew it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.  Still, he tried, holding her tightly and whispering soothing, meaningless words that were nothing more that platitudes.  It didn’t matter, because he wasn’t holding her just for her sake, but for his too.
Gemma’s keening wails brought Parker and Wren running into the kitchen, their expressions alert and ready.  Looking at Parker over Gemma’s head, he shook his head, silently telling them not to ask.  Not yet.  Once Gemma was calm, he’d explain but right now, calming Gemma was the goal now.
Turning to Wren, Parker asked, “Could you take Gemma upstairs?  Do whatever it takes to calm her, even if you have to knock her out.”
Nodding her understanding, Wren walked quietly over to where Mason was holding Gemma.  Reaching out, she said softly, “Let me have her, Mason.  I’ll take care of her.”
He wanted to protest but Gemma was safe, Maddy wasn’t.  With great reluctance he carefully handed Gemma over to Wren, who put an arm around the weeping woman and led her from the kitchen, speaking in a low, calm voice as she did.
Just as Wren and Gemma left the room, Linton came rushing in.  “What’s happened?  Did I just hear Gemma scream?”
Raking a hand through his hair, making it messier than Parker’s natural disarray, Mason sighed.  “Yeah.”
“What happened?” Parker asked his tone worried.
“Madison,” Mason began, trying to gain some of his composure back.  “Madison attempted an escape.  We saw her standing in a doorway – looking rather impressed with herself – and then…”
He shook his head, needing a moment as the memory of seeing Maddy moving about and acting almost normal, caused relief to flood him.  Relief and fear.  After a moment he continued his explanation, “I think she was on the verge of making a run for it when the bastard caught her again.  They were fighting right before the connection was lost.”
“Fuck,” Parker breathed.
Linton, concern written all over his face, seconded the sentiment with, “Hell!
“Did you get anything else before the connection was lost?” Parker questioned hopefully.
“No,” Mason answered, crushing that hope.  “Can you remember how you got that damn spell to work?”
“Better,” Parker replied, “I wrote it down.  I’ll run up and get it.”
“Even if we get it working again, if Maddy did try escaping she’s probably pissed the guy off,” Linton pointed out unnecessarily.  “We’re going to have to start working nonstop to get her out of there.”
The other two men nodded their agreement but said nothing.  Parker left, hurrying up the stairs to grab the spell.  Mason wasn’t going to say it, not verbally, but Madison’s actions had terrified him.  Hell, he was still scared witless that her actions had put her in grave danger.
Saying nothing, Mason went back to the table and started gathering all the bits and pieces of papers together.  Bundling them, he took them as far as the kitchen island, which was wider and longer than the table, giving him more space to work.  After spreading it all back out, he started reviewing his notes and scribbles, ideas and thoughts, trying to find something in them that would aide them Madison.  Not to mention, spread out as they were now, the paper had a better chance of drying from Gemma’s spilled drink.
Coming over to join him, Linton silently began helping lay the papers out.  They worked in silence until Parker returned moments later, a small leather bound notebook in his hand.  Going over to the counter where the pie-dish was kept.  After dumping the contents in the sink, he put the pan back on the counter and started gathering the ingredients for the spell.
Once he had laid the last of his notes out, Mason watched Parker work.  He was efficient, not wasting time and working quickly.  He poured a small amount of thyme oil, coating the bottom of the dish.  A strong, woody scent, mixed with a hint of spice filled the air.  It was followed by the sweet, musky scent of angelica root.
Parker’s back was turned so it was hard to see the exact recipe he cooked up but Mason was okay with that.  Spells, like most magic was personal and it was rare for another mage to share his secrets.  As long as it helped them view Madison, to see that she was safe, Parker could have his secrets.
It was only when a strong, fruity spice scented the air that Mason spoke.  “What is that?”
Never taking his eyes off what he was doing, Parker answered, his tone soft, “Breath of Life.”
Mason said nothing, letting Parker concentrate but he was fucking impressed as hell.  The elixir Parker was referring to was very rare and even harder to come by.  That Parker had some was more than impressive, but he did wonder how he’d gotten his hands on such a priceless elixir.  He’d ask him later, but for now he was more worried about Madison.
A soft humming distracted him a moment until he realized it was coming from Parker.  And it wasn’t humming.  Parker was chanting, so softly his voice was nothing but a low buzz.  Mason strained a bit to hear but it was no use and eventually he gave up.  When Parker stopped, Mason stepped forward and looked down.  The surface was clear.
“It’s not working.”
Parker held up hand in a wait gesture.  “It takes a moment.”
He was already on edge, his patience thinner than tissue paper but as he watched the liquid started to swirl, as if being stirred by invisible fingers.  All three men leaned in so close their shoulder brushed.  Gradually the swirling slowed, parting to reveal Madison’s kidnapper.  At least Mason was assuming the cloaked and hooded figure was one and the same.  Hell he was hoping it was because the kidnapper was in the middle of having a full blown temper tantrum, which made Mason smile.
Looking up he found Parker, the same smile on his face, looking back at him.  Good, he wasn’t the only one who understood.
Linton wasn’t so sure though because he asked, “What is he doing?”
“Having a fucking fit,” Mason replied unable to hide his amusement over the fact.
Parker’s smile widened as he concurred, “Yeah, it does appear that way, doesn’t it?”
“Well, yeah,” Linton agreed, giving each man a vexed look.  “But why?”
“Madison escaped,” Mason answered simply. Amusement still tickling him but it was soon sharing space with awe.  Madison had escaped.  Somehow she had gotten away and he couldn’t have been more awed or proud.
“Escaped?” Linton questioned skeptically.  “How does that man throwing a fit bring you to that conclusion?”
“Because the spell wasn’t designed to look for Maddy,” Parker explained.  “It was designed to show us where she was being held.  Maddy is absent and her kidnapper is pissed.  What does that tell you?”
Enlightenment brightened Linton’s eyes.  “Ah.  I see.  Well good for Maddy but now…how do we find her?”
Mason tilted his head to the side, his eyes on Parker.  “You think we can rework this spell to find Madison.  I know you’ve tried before but, maybe the two of us working together will get results.”
Parker gave him a searching look for a moment and then nodded, “It’s worth a shot.  Just let me empty this out and we’ll get started.”
“Good.”  To Linton he said, “Mind going and telling Wren what’s going on so she can relay it to Gemma.  Maybe it will calm her down a bit.”
“Sure,” Linton agreed, leaving second later.
“Ready to start,” Parker asked.
“As ever,” Mason agreed and with the minds and hearts a little lighter, they got to work.

*****

Maddy had no recollection of how she got away.  Not much of one, anyway.  She remembered kicking, hitting and screaming at Jerk Face and even biting him a couple of times but the memories were hazy, surreal.  At some point during the struggle, Jerk Face had shouted in pain, releasing his hold on her and she’d taken the opportunity to flee, running as fast as her little legs would take her.
Unfortunately she hadn’t paid any attention to direction and was now so lost she had absolutely no clue where she was or what direction she should go in.  But that didn’t worry her as much as having Jerk Face on her tail, which was why she kept going, even with the knowledge that she might be heading further away from home rather than closer.  She figured freedom was better than having Jerk Face catch and drag her back to that tiny little hut she’d raced away from.
Cold fear kept her going despite her aches and pains or the fact that she was so exhausted she simply wanted to collapse.  Each time she even considered slowing down, a vision of Jerk Face closing in on her perked her up enough to keep going.  It wasn’t until she pushed her way through a tight cluster of trees that she allowed herself to stop moving and even then, she jumped at every sound, expecting Jerk Face to appear.
Collapsing against the nearest tree, pressing her back against the trunk, she rested, trying to get her breathing and heart rate back to normal.  Her lungs laboring to suck in oxygen made her throat feel as if it was on fire and her pulse was beating so fast her heart was in danger of busting though her ribs.  Crap, every part of her seemed to ache.
There was a stitch in her side from her race through the woods.  Her legs were nothing but limp noodles that screamed silently in pain whenever she tried to move and her head was feeling a bit woozy now that she was no longer in motion.  Looking back the way she’d come, she had to scoot a little to the side to a get a clear view.  When she did, her heart, which had been starting to approach normal, shot back up.  
Jerk Face was going to find her.  All he had to do was follow the trail of footprints in the snow.
Ignoring the protesting aches making themselves known, Maddy got to her feet, faltering a little before her legs agreed to cooperate.  A frantic glance around, she spotted a fallen tree branch that still had pine needles attached.    Picking it up she followed her tracks back for about a half hour before stopping.  Then, retracing her steps once more, she carefully started sweeping the branch over the tracks, hoping it would be enough to confuse Jerk Face if he was pursuing her.  
Walking backwards was a lot harder to do over longer distances and by the time she made it back to the cluster of trees she’d stopped at she was beyond exhausted.  Tossing the makeshift broom aside, she slipped back behind the grouping of trees and slipped down until she was sitting as she had been before her freak out.  Well, now she could add her arms to her list of complaints.
Sitting in the snow, however, wasn’t her best idea.  All too soon she was frozen to the bone, her teeth chattering away like a chainsaw.  Despondently she looked around.  She didn’t know where she was except that she was miles from home, where she wanted to be.  She knew the area around her home well enough though, from trekking the mountainside whenever her mom let her, that she figured if she kept walking, she come across something familiar sooner or later.  Hopefully sooner.
That didn’t solve her current problem though.  Daylight was fading and hiking through the woods at night was just stupid.  Even at nine she knew that.  It was easier to get lost or turned around in the dark.  So that left it with what she was going to do for the night?  
Thankfully she wasn’t as cold as she might have been if not for her winter jacket.  Jerk Face had never taken it off and she had left it on since she’d panned to escape and hadn’t wanted to have to worry about grabbing anything.    Sticking her hands in her pockets, hoping to warm them, she touched something soft and fuzzy.  Pulling it out she almost whooped with glee.  Her scarf, hat and gloves, all those colorful garments she’d shoved into the pocket while visiting Mr. Draven was still there.  Slipping it all on, she didn’t feel all that much warmer but her spirits did because having protection against the biting wind was good, but having her very own things was even better.
Spotting a low branch jutting out from a nearby pine tree - (Spruce?  White?) - she didn’t know and honestly, at the moment didn’t care) she walked over to it, her face tilted back so she could see up.  Would it work?  Deciding it was worth a try she grabbed ahold of the low branch.  With a grunt she pulled herself up.  Sitting on that first branch, she looked down and spotted the tracks she’d left behind that led straight to where she was hoping to hide for the night.
With a sigh, she dropped back down, grabbed up the ‘broom’ once more and methodically wiped away all traces of where she might be as best she could.  Once she was satisfied that if Jerk Face showed up, he wouldn’t know where she was right away, she used the ‘broom’ to step on and climbed back up into the tree, slowly climbing higher until she found a couple of close growing limbs.  It was like a little nook, where she was able to wedge herself in pretty securely, with her back against the trunk so she could see down and out.
Closing her eyes, Maddy let out a long sigh.  She was so freaking tired she could have slept the rest of the winter away, just like a hibernating bear.  It was the thought she floated away to, falling asleep with her chin tucked close to her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees.
Chapter 8

Chirping woke her and though she was freezing and ached everywhere, the sound made her smile.  Jerk Face hadn’t found her.  
She was still free!
Cautiously she stretched herself awake, careful of not falling out of the tree.  An injury now would be a very bad thing.  She almost fell when a scuffling from below scared her but she managed to right herself before topping over.
Afraid Jerk Face was down below searching for her, she was careful not to make any noise as she angled herself so she could see through the branches.  When she didn’t see anyone, or anything for that matter she twisted around and looked down.  Nothing.  Well, she wasn’t moving from this spot until she was positive Jerk Face wasn’t lurking about ready to snatch her up.  After a little bit the noise faded and she slumped in relief.  
It had probably been an animal in search of a morning meal but she supposed it was better to be cautious then stupid.  Slumped back, looking up toward the heavens, Maddy allowed herself a small smile.  She’d done it.  She’d gotten away and not only that, she’d made it through the night – without being discovered and without falling out of the tree.  If she’d been keeping score, she would have to say she’d won this round.
Allowing herself a moment to gloat, Maddy almost chuckled out loud.  Throwing a gloved hand over her mouth, she kept the giggle contained.  Once she had herself in hand, she started thinking about her next step.  Getting out of the tree but that was obvious.  It was once she was down that was giving her some trepidation.  Tramping through the woods wasn’t very appealing, not because of all the walking she’d be doing but because moving around made noise and that was sure to attract Jerk Face’s attention if he was out there.
How was she supposed to walk without making any noise?  It was impossible, especially with snow on the ground.  And really, how did she know Jerk Face wasn’t standing just out of sight?  She didn’t.  Crap!  Her eyes nearly squinted closed Maddy peered out from between the branches, wondering if Jerk Face was out there, waiting.
After a few minutes of seeing and hearing nothing, she decided to ease her way down the tree.  If she took her time, pausing to listen and look every few feet, she was sure she’d be able to hear or see Jerk Face of he came along.  Biting her lip, she started down as slowly and quietly as she could.  
It wasn’t just the possibility that Jerk Face was hanging around that made her cautious.  Holly’s (her best friend) brother, Jason, had climbed the old oak in their back yard last year to show off.  Climbing up hadn’t given him much trouble but coming back down had been harder and half way down he’d lost his grip.  Maddy and Holly had both screamed in fear when he’d started falling; only running for help after he’d landed.  
He’d not only knocked himself out, he’d broken both arms in several places.  Holly and her family were norms and didn’t know about magic, and so couldn’t use spells to help heal faster and less painfully.  Jason had been in casts for two months.  No way did she want to fall out of the tree and break any bones.  So what if she’d be able to heal more quickly with the use of spells, the pain would be horrible and that wasn’t something she wanted to experience – ever.
Safely perched on a new branch, she sighed in relief before contorting her body so she could peek out.  Able to see better from this vantage point, Maddy noticed all sorts of tracks but even to her untrained eye she knew none of them had been made by anyone walking on two feet.  After giving the small clearing the trees formed a slow inspection, she opted to wait a few minutes before moving on.
Easing the branches back into place, she hugged the tree, taking the time to reserve her energy.  It was going to be a long day and she was going to need her strength.  Plus, she wanted to listen now that she’d looked.  Cocking her head to the side, she listened to the woodsy sounds of the forest.  Birds chirped, almost drowning out all other sound but by tuning the chipper little creatures out, she also managed to pick up the sound of a few scuttling land creatures.
She eased down to the next jutting branch.  As she did she considered her options once she was on the ground.  Thankfully she had carefully taken note of which way she’d come but that still left her three other options.  Which way should she head?  Straight ahead, she decided, at least for a little while.  If she hadn’t spotted anything familiar by lunch time, she change course.
Oh boy, lunch.  God but she was hungry.  Firmly tamping down on that notion, she moved down a few more inches.  It was going to become a problem though, she thought a second later.   If she couldn’t reach home by the time evening came along, she was going to have to spend another night in the woods.  That alone wasn’t bothering her too much.  It was the thought of going a second day without food that was a tad worrying.
Twisting around, intending to check once more for Jerk Face, Maddy paused.  Had she just heard someone shouting her name?  Going completely still, she tilted her head, listening.
“MADDY!” Closely following was another shout, this time it sounded just like her mom’s.  “MADDY!”
Maddy’s shocked hope prompted her into action and she began scrambling downward.  Even as she climbed down, a thought worked its way into her brain and hope was swiftly replaced with indecision and confusion.  Had that really been mom calling for her?  Or was it Jerk Face trying to trick her?
Stopping her downward decent, she bit her lower lip, wondering.  Was Jerk Face that devious?  She didn’t know and not knowing propelled her into action.  If he was close enough to call out, he was too close, which meant she needed to haul ass in the other direction.  As soon as she was sure he wasn’t close enough to catch her.  Until then, she’d stay right where she was.
Sitting there listening to her mom call for her was hard.  All she wanted was to see her mom, to see Cosmo, to see home.  Silently crying, she viciously hoped Jerk Face tripped and fell down a freaking gully.  She was picturing him falling from the edge of a cliff, cloak billowing when a new voice joined her mothers.
Unwilling to believe it, she sucked in breath, holding it, waiting.  
“MADISON!”
“Mr. Draven,” she whispered in disbelief.
Maddy flew down the tree, no longer thinking about broken bones and falling.  Jerk Face had no way of knowing about Mr. Draven so there was no reason why he’d try and trick her that way.  On the ground, slipping and sliding in the snow, Maddy raced away from the tree, heading toward the sound of her name being yelled.
As she ran she screamed out, “MOM!  MOMMY!  I’M HERE!  MOMMY!”
Careening around a tree, Maddy spotted them.  Sobbing, yelling, Maddy ran with everything she had when she saw her mother among them.  Spinning around, Gemma raced toward Maddy, falling to her knees when she’d reached her and grabbing her smaller body close, hugging her tightly.  Maddy didn’t care that the hug was a little too tight.  She was way too happy to care.
But when Gemma squeezed even harder, Maddy did protest, “Mom.”  Her voice was muffled against Gemma’s chest and she had to pull her head back a little.  “Mom, you’re squishing me.  I can’t breathe.”
Gemma eased up but didn’t release her.  Pressing Maddy’s small form closer, she rocked Maddy as if she was once more an infant.  Maddy didn’t care.  It simply felt too good to be with her mom again that she didn’t want to let go either.  She was clinging as hard to Gemma as her mother was clinging to her.
Mindful of the cold, Mason said, his tone soft, “I think we need to get her back home, Gem.  She looks frozen.”
Gemma held Maddy close for a moment more before leaning back, looking Maddy over.  Though Maddy didn’t look hurt, she asked, “Are you hurt, baby?”
Maddy shook her head, “Not really.  Just tired.  And hungry.”
Resisting the urge to crush Maddy to her once more, Gemma nodded.  “We’ll get you home and get you something to eat.”  Wiping the tears from Maddy’s cheeks, she added, “I’m so sorry, baby girl.”
Typical of Maddy she asked, “What are you sorry for?  You didn’t kidnap me.”
Gemma opened her mouth and then with a small shake of her head, closed it.  Relief was flooding her body, making it impossible to feel much else but as she knelt there, looking over her daughter, fury so black and dark, started bubbling to life.  Pure utter rage replaced the relief and it was all she could do not to hand Maddy off to one of the others so she could go hunting.  And when she found the bastard who’d taken her daughter he was going to wish he was dead.
Maddy, who had been watching her mother’s face, said, “Oh no, mom’s not happy.”
The understatement of the century but it eased Gemma’s anger enough that she no longer wanted to run off, half-cocked.  Instead, half sobbing, half laughing, she said, “Come on, let’s get you home.”
“Um, mom,” Maddy said hesitantly.  When Gemma looked at her questioningly, Maddy leaned forward and whispered something in her ear that had Gemma’s giving a chuckling sob.
“Then we’re hurry, won’t we.”
Blushing, Maddy nodded.  Hurrying was good.  She really needed to pee.

*****

“No!”  Gemma ground the word out, glaring at Mason.  “I don’t care what you want.  She’s my daughter.  She needs time to recover before you start grilling her with questions.”
“She can recover after,” Mason countered, barely holding onto his temper.  They’d been arguing over the matter for twenty minutes now and his patience was wearing thin.  “We need to hear what she can remember while it’s still fresh in her mind.”
“Again, no!” Gemma persisted, her eyes hard and unyielding.  “She can -”
Parker, who had only just come in the room, interrupted.  “Mason’s right, Gemma.  It’s better to get this out of the way so she doesn’t have to think about it later.
Spinning around to face one of her best friends, she barked, “Now you’re on his side?  When did this happen?”
Parker sighed wearily.  “I’m not on anyone’s side, Gemma.  I’m speaking from experience.  Ackley had me tell him all that happened after I was rescued from Tanner’s clutches and it helped.  It was better to get it all out sooner rather than later.  Doing so let me feel better and I didn’t feel so…fucked after.  That’s why I think it’s best that we have Maddy tell us now.”
“I still don’t think -” she began only to have Mason cut her off.
“Stop being so damn overprotective and bloody stupid.”  Taking a step forward, his expression stony, he got close enough that their bodies nearly touched.  “Madison’s tough.  More than you give her credit for.  She’d have never gotten away if she wasn’t.” 
“I -” For a third time Gemma was interrupted before she could finish a thought - this time by Maddy, who was walking into the room, looking rather upset.  “What’s wrong, baby girl?”
“Where’s Cosmo?”
“Cosmo?” Gemma repeated abstractedly.
Nodding, Maddy said, “Yeah, Cosmo, Mom.  You know my dog?  You do remember him, don’t you?”
Mason’s wasn’t able to hide the thin smile that sprang up.  Madison’s tone was just this side of sarcastic.  Looking at Gemma he waited to see what she would say.  The truth was he hadn’t seen the beast since before Madison had been taken and he was just as curious as to where the dog was.
A little unsteadily Gemma said, “Of course I know who Cosmo is, Maddy.”
“Well then, where is he?” she demanded.
“Uh, well, I don’t know,” Gemma answered honestly only to hastily add, “He’s around somewhere.  How about you go look for him while we finish talking, okay?”
“Fine,” Maddy agreed.  “I’ll be right back.”
The moment Madison was out of hearing, Mason asked, “You’ve no idea where that monstrosity is, do you?”
“No,” Gemma admitted, looking a little worried.  “I haven’t seen him since the morning Maddy went to visit you.”
“Completely understandable considering the situation,” Parker offered soothingly.  “I haven’t been paying much attention either.  None of us have.”
Gemma shook her head.  “You don’t understand.  Maddy loves that dog.  If something’s happened to him she’s going to be devastated.”
“I’m sure he’ll turn up,” Wren said sympathetically.  
Beneath his breath, Mason muttered, “Let’s hope not.”
Cocking an eyebrow at Mason, Parker said, “Did you just say you hoped not?”
Waving Parker’s inquiry away, Mason replied, “Not at all.”
“You did,” Linton interjected amused.
“He did,” Parker confirmed, smiling.  “Why’d you say it, mate?  Don’t you like Cosmo?”
“I didn’t -”
“Come on, fess up,” Parker interrupted, clearly enjoying Mason’s discomfort.
Sighing, giving it up, Mason explained, “That, um, animal has knocked me on my ass.  Madison claims it means he likes me but I have my doubts.  I’ve a feeling he’d like nothing better than to take a bite out of my, er, ass.”
“Ah,” Parker breathed the single word, his smile getting bigger.
“Don’t you dare laugh, Hadley,” Mason warned.
It was too late.
Parker was laughing so hard he was holding his stomach.  Turning a fierce look on Linton and Wren, he dared them to join Hadley.  Wren swallowed, hard and did try to contain her mirth but one look at her husband had her joining him.  Linton managed to constrain himself but a huge grin remained in place, giving him a slightly crazy look.  Mason looked away from them in disgust only to see Gemma.  She wasn’t laughing like her loony friends but she was smiling softly.
Having had enough, Mason took a threatening step in Parker’s direction.  That only made the other man laugh even harder.  Sighing, Mason resigned himself to being a source of amusement.  At least until something or someone else came along to take his place.
Parker, his chuckles winding down, said, “I’m sorry, Mason, but it’s hard to imagine someone like you afraid of a dog.  Especially Cosmo.  He’s nothing more than a huge, overgrown baby.”
When it looked as Parker was heading for another fit of laugher, Mason growled, “Hadley.”
Parker waved a hand, still grinning.  “No need for threats, Mason.  I’ll never mention it to a single soul.”
Just then, Wyatt Campbell, one of Gemma and Parker’s close friends, and who had arrived early this morning, entered the room.  As he did, he asked, “What are you ever going to tell anyone, Hadley?”
“That Mason’s afraid of Maddy’s Cosmo,” Harry replied, tongue in cheek.
Moaning loudly, Mason walked away from them, going over to stand in front of the fireplace.  It was either that or hex Hadley.  Looking amused, Wyatt said, “Really?  That big old baby.  Mason, I’m stunned.”
Prudently, Mason kept his mouth firmly closed.
Shrugging, Wyatt went over to Gemma and pulled her into a hug.  “I’m gonna head out.  Anna’s due soon and I don’t like being away for long.”
Smiling, she returned his hug, reassuring him by saying, “It’s fine.  I understand.  Tell Anna I’ll be there soon to see her and the baby when he finally decides to come.  Give them all my love.”
“Will do,” Wyatt agreed happily.  After saying his goodbyes to the others, including Mason, he was gone.
Wyatt had only just left when Maddy hollered, “Mom, where’s Cosmo’s dog food?  He’s freaking starving.”
“Don’t swear, Madison Ann,” Gemma called back, relief flooding her expression and voice.  “His food is in the pantry, where it usually is.”
“Freaking isn’t a swear word, mom,” Maddy’s reply came back and then, “Thanks.”
“Well, at least we’re safe from having to form another search party,” Mason replied dryly.
Grinning wickedly, Parker said, “You want, we can make sure all exits and windows are clear of debris in case you have to make a quick getaway.”
“Do shut it, Hadley,” Mason growled.
Wren giggled, saying, “We’ll keep you safe from the big bad doggy, Mason, don’t you worry.”
Closing his eyes, Mason sighed.  “I’m going to hex you and your wife, Hadley.”
Much to his dismay they didn’t take him seriously but thankfully he was saved from further humiliation when Madison came back.  A big bowl was in her hands and it was full of brownish colored pebbles.  Cosmo was fast on her heals.  Seeing them all watching her, she explained, “He won’t stay in the kitchen and eat.  Whenever I started to leave he followed so I thought I’d bring it in here so he can eat while you guys ask your questions.”
Maddy sighed when they only continued to look at her.  “What?  You don’t think I can hear because I’m a kid.”  She rolled her eyes but then looked at her mom.  “It’s fine, Mom.  I’m not as traumatized as everyone seems to think I should be.”
Looking at her daughter, then Parker and finally Mason, Gemma said, “Fine, but keep it brief.”
Over the next couple of hours they grilled Maddy, asking her to describe everything done to the smallest detail.  Finally, when Maddy’s eyes started to droop closed, Gemma called a halt it the interrogation.  Rousing Maddy, Gemma led her and Cosmo from the room, taking them to the back of the house where they could rest without anyone disturbing them.
The two men, the others had drifted away at different times, waited until Gemma and Maddy were out of earshot.  Once they were, Parker said, “This isn’t over.  That nutcase isn’t happy that Maddy got away.”
“Agreed,” Mason said.  “I don’t think Gemma and Madison should remain here alone.  The area’s too remote.”
“Won’t be a problem,” Parker replied as he stood and stretched.  When Mason gave him a quizzical look he explained, “She’s planning on moving back home.  Has been for some time now but this has prompted her to move her plans up a couple of months.  She’ll be moving into her parent’s old place by the end of next week.”
“Oh?”
Parker shrugged.  “She told me while we were out looking for Maddy this morning.  I was going to suggest it but she brought it up first.”
Taking a step back, Mason let his brain process the information Parker had just given him.  His plans had just gotten easier.  
Mason smiled.

*****

Entering his penthouse home, Mason tossed his travel back in the corner.  In the morning a maid would be through and though he wasn’t a messy person by nature, he didn’t think that having to pick up after him once in a while was a hardship.  Especially at the prices he paid for the service.  Besides, he was fucking exhausted.
Magical travel was easy and hassle free.  Not so when you did the way the norms did it.  It was something he was hoping he’d never have to experience again.  The only reason he’d done it this time was because it had given him a little extra time with Madison and Gemma.  And even then, his temper had been put to the test a number of times.  The sheer aggravation of norm travel had given him a better respect for norms, or if not respect, sympathy.
Pushing it aside since just thinking about it was still enough to irritate him, he reached for the mail.  Flipping through it quickly, separated the bills from business and those from personal.  Most of it was junk, this he tossed in the bin beside the small occasional table where the mail was always placed by the maid.  Taking the personal mail with him, he headed for the large open living area.
There he plopped down on the sofa and opened the letter from his mother first.  Penina had changed after his father’s death.  At first, Mason had been uncertain of the change, but later, he’d come to enjoy the woman Penina had become.  She wasn’t perfect but she was no longer the snobby, condescending, socialite she had once been.  These days she was more compassionate and accepting.  Of course, it helped that she’d met and had fallen in love with a norm.
Mason’s step-father was a robust, hardy man with a zest for life that Mason had, at one time, belittled.  Carlton Winston was the type of man that Mason would have snubbed and insulted once upon a time. Now, years later he actually enjoyed spending time with his mother and his step-father - specifically since they could no longer shock him as they had years ago with the announcement that he was soon to be a big brother.
Harlin had come along a few short months later, quickly followed by Asia a little over a year later.  At first, he hadn’t been too sure of his much younger siblings but they had grown on him rather quickly.  His siblings were, in fact, the only children he didn’t feel discomfited around.  Well, he could now add Madison to that list.
He was closest to Asia and though he loved his brother as well, Asia held a special place in his heart.  In fact (he chuckled out loud with the thought) she was a lot like Madison.  The two girls were so alike in personality that they could have been sisters.  Thinking about it, he hit him that Madison’s insistent bugging was so much like Asia that it was the reason he’d had such a hard time resisting her charms.
Still chuckling, he skimmed over the letter from his mother, rolling his eyes a few time as he did.  Though his mother had changed for the better, she still had a penchant for melodrama and sadly, was a horrible gossip.  Setting the letter aside, he mentally added visiting the family in the morning on his list of things to do.
He then shifted his attention to the second letter.  This one form Asia.
Dearest Mason (My favorite brother)
That caused him to smile slightly.

How ya doing, bro?  Not getting into trouble, are you?  Mom says you’ve got a knack for finding it.  Dad says you don’t look for it but it does seem to come your way.  I’m going to agree with Dad on this one though I actually try not to believe anything either tells me.  They do tend to exaggerate, don’t you think?  Mom really has a habit of embellishing but there are days it’s hard to ignore her.
Anyhow, I hope you don’t plan on staying away too much longer.  I’m missing you horribly.  And I worry whenever you take off like you do.  Oh, don’t get upset.  I’m not mother.  I’m not trying to make you feel bad while on vacation, I just miss you.
Harlin is being obnoxious, as usual.  Just the other day he called me a baby.  I was only asking Dad if he thought you’d be back before my birthday.  Harlin can be such a JERK!  It’s okay though, I got even.  I put itching powder in his shoes.  It was hilarious.  Mom wasn’t too impressed.  She sent me to my room for the entire day.  As if that’s a punishment!  
Actually, I’ve been banned to room again today for telling Great Aunt Lana she’s as old busy body who should mind her own business.  I’m using my time here to write this letter.  I’m also going to send a letter off to Nana and Papa.  Oh and Aunt Missy.  I might write Aunt Dory too but I haven’t decided yet.  Dad’s been badgering me to write Uncle Warren too so I might get that out of the way.  Not that I’ve got the slightest idea what to say to Uncle Warren.  He’s such a grouchy person, you know!
Oh, I finally got to the book you got me for Christmas.  It was perfectly wonderful.  I’ve read it twice through and have started it for a third time.
Did I mention that I’m hoping you’ll be home in time for my birthday?  You know I’ll be ten, right?  In just four weeks.  I can’t wait.  Mom’s throwing me this big bash and I’d really like it if you came.  I won’t have hardly any fun if you don’t.  Mom’s making me invite Wendy Hodges.  I don’t like her.  She’s so mean and spiteful and she’s always picking on people.  She’s simply not nice and I just know she’ll say or do something rotten.  Just the other day I caught her tormenting the little boy next door (you know the one who lives in between our house and the Hodges’s) and I made her stop.  He’s only five and such a sweet little kid.  Wendy made him cry so badly he could barely breath.  I was terrified he’d flood the neighborhood with the amount of tears he was producing.  
Oh well, I know she probably just went off and found some other poor soul to torment,
Mom told me, when I was telling her about Wendy, that you were a bit of a bully when you were a boy.  Is this true?  I really hope not but I’ve a feeling Mom’s not overstating things in this case.  But it’s okay.  You aren’t a bully now so I can forgive you.  Besides, I’m sure you’ve learned not to be so mean, right?  ‘Course you have.  And not to worry, I still love you.   
Well, I’d better finish this off so I can get it in the mail.  Mom’s also written you a letter so be warned and don’t listen to half of what she says, most of its rubbish.  And don’t let her make you feel guilty about going off.  You deserve a vacation.
Oh but do come home soon or I’ll be forced to sneak away to come see you.  Don’t want that happening again, do we? HA!
Love ya, bro, Asia.

Smiling, Mason set his sister’s letter aside.  Even when he was upset, Asia could make him smile.  He was going to have to make a point of seeing her when he stopped by in the morning or she would make good on her threat to sneak out.  Knowing that, his plans to visit the parents became cinched.
Picking up the last envelope he ripped it open without even looking at the sender.  As he started reading the smile Asia’s missive had given him dropped away, replaced by a deep scowl.

Mason,
I have no desire to blame you for your part in what has transpired, nor do I have any wish to see you hurt.  In fact, should that happen, I would be very devastated.  So head my warning, stay out of my way.  Soon enough our paths, our destiny will unfold but until then, I cannot allow you to screw up my plans.  I will get back what is mine.  Stay away so that you are not hurt, please. 
I’ve waited long enough, have suffered enough but I’ve endured, have survived and will soon have all that was mean to be mine.  You’ve been warned!
Justice
P.S. You must remember the promise given.

Mason read the note three times, trying to make sense out of it.  Who the hell was Justice?  He wasn’t too sure but his gut was telling Justice was Madison’s kidnapper.  Folding the note and envelope, he set it aside and leaned back against the sofa cushions.
He didn’t know anyone named Justice.  Did Gemma?  Did Parker?  He’d have to ask but for now he tried to puzzle it through.
Who had it out for Gemma?  It was hard to picture her having enemies.  There were times she was an insufferable know-it-all, or had been when they’d been kids, but she was at heart a sweet, generous and caring person.  No, Gemma having enemies was laughable.  Who then?  It was going to be someone vile enough use a little girl to get even.
Did that narrow the list down?  After all, who knew about Madison’s existence other than close friends and family?  He knew that not many had knowledge of Madison because he would have heard before now that Gemma had a daughter.  Was that why Gemma had moved across the continent, so there would be less people aware of Madison’s existence?
Was Madison part of the mystery?  Was it possible Justice was Madison’s father?  That sent a shaft of pain through his heart.  He believed, with his entire being, that he was Madison’s father.  The timing was right as was her age and birthdate but was he wrong?  He just didn’t know.
He added Parker to his list of people to see the next day.  Maybe Parker would have some of the answers that were eluding him.  At the very least, he wanted to tell Parker about the note and get his opinion.  As there was nothing he could do about it now, he set the matter aside.  
Getting up, he went into the kitchen to see what he could rustle up for a late dinner.  As he tossed a light meal together, he thought of Gemma.  She was no longer a memory that haunted him.  She was once again flesh and blood and he wasn’t about to let her go, not again, not this time.  She wasn’t going to like him hanging out, but he was damn sure going to make sure he was a thorn in her side until…until she started thinking of him as a the rose. Corny, sure, but so very true.
That night, for the first time years, Mason fell asleep with a smile on his face.

*****

Early the next day, Mason sauntered into the family home, humming softly to himself.  Knowing his mother wasn’t likely to ready for company just yet, he headed straight for the back of the house and the kitchen.  The housekeeper and cook, Clare, was there and would no doubt have breakfast going.  It wasn’t breakfast he was after but muffins.  Clare had the best muffins and he was hankering for one, or two, maybe seven.
Clare was a sweetheart of a woman and a norm.  She came from a long line of norms who had faithfully and loyally served the Hadley family for hundreds of years.  Clare was also one of the few of the servants left from before the war.  The others had fled in fear of their lives.  Not that Mason could blame them, if they had stuck around, they would have either died or worse.  Clare, however, had stayed., brave woman that she was.  She was also bluntly honest, sweetly funny and one of the most caring and kindness people he knew.
Mason suspected she was getting close to eighty but there was no way of knowing for sure.  She looked fifty, acted forty and liked to think she was still thirty.
Walking into the kitchen, he sniffed, his stomach grumbling in anticipation.  Clare was bent over, looking into the oven.  When she straightened, she was holding a steaming pan, full of delicious, mouthwatering goodness.  Sneaking up behind Clare, he waited until she’d set the hot pan down before grabbed her about her plump waist.  Shrieking in surprise, she spun about and seeing it was him lightly swatted him on the arm.
Ignoring the silent rebuke he started to dance her about the kitchen, saying, “Marry me, Clare?”
Giggling like a school girl, she said, “Stop dancing me about this kitchen, you goof.”
“No,” he exclaimed loudly, grinning. “Not until you’ve agreed to marry me.”
“Not in this lifetime, child,” she retorted.  “Besides, you only want me for my muffins.”
“It’s a good reason,” he reasoned.  “But I also love you for your wonderful stews, your pancakes, you delicious chicken, your -”
Stopping him, she lightly hit his arm, saying, “Do stop.  You’re making me blush.”  Pulling away, she waved a hand.  “Have a seat and I’ll get you a muffin.”
“Only one?” he pouted.
“Listen to you,” she laughed. “Take that seat and maybe I’ll be a bit more generous.”
“You’re an angel sent from the gods, Clare,” Mason told her sincerely.
“And you’re the devil come to tempt me away,” she retorted with another wry chuckle.
Clasping a hand to his heart, he cried out, “You wound me with your words, Clare.  Devil indeed!”
Barking out a laugh, she snorted out, “Silly man.”  Putting a plate before him with three steaming muffins, the butter melting over top, she added, “There you go, dimples.  When you’re done, you’ll be taking a couple to your sister.  If I’ve got see her moping about, missing you another day I might just go crazy.”
“And just where is my devilish little sister,” he asked before taking a large bite of sweet muffin heaven.
“Game room most likely,” she answered, returning to the stove to remove a second muffin pan.  “Reading I’m betting.”
“Reading in the game room?”  Mason shook his head ruefully.  “Only Asia would read in a room designed for gaming.”
“That’s our Asia for you,” Millie agreed coming back over so she could lay the pan on the cooling rack.  As she did, she gave him a close, steely eyed look.  “Something different about you.”
Mason shrugged.  “Can’t imagine what.”
“Humph,” she grunted.  “I know there is.  I’m not wrong.  Just can’t put my finger on it.  Don’t you worry though, I’ll work it out.”
Smiling, he asked, “Where’s the rest of the family?”
“Ms. Winston’s got company,” she started to say and seeing Mason’s surprised look, explained, “Spent the weekend, they did.  Won’t leave, to be honest.  She’s out on the veranda having an early breakfast.  Something about shopping later.”
Mason made a face, making her laugh.  “Mr. Winston’s in the den, trying to avoid the whole affair.  Hayden’s off to Mitch’s place.  Those two being thicker than glue and all, that ain’t not surprise.  Don’t know why you’re so worried about everyone anyhow; you’re here for Asia, not the others.”
Grinning he said, “Sure, but it’s always nice to see the rest of them every once in a while.   There’s another reason you should marry me, Clare.”
“Oh?”
“You know me so well,” he told her cheekily.
“Marrying you will make a lot of young ladies unhappy,” she said knowingly.  “And there’s my dear Luke to think about.  Why his heart would just break in two if I took up with another man.”
“Nope,” he countered.  “I’d tell all those young ladies Luke was a free man and that’d take care of that.”
Chuckling, she shoved a couple of muffins at him, saying, “Go one now.  See your sister before she takes into her head to go see you.  She’ll be as pleased as peaches to see you.”
“Who will be pleased as…?”
Tensing even as the woman’s voice faded away, Mason glanced over his shoulder.  Damn it all to hell.  The Picken’s were the one’s visiting and their youngest daughter, Penelope had just come into the kitchen.  Even as his expression hardened, Penelope’s softened, making her usual pinched expression worse.
Coated with false sweetness, she said, “Well hello, Mason.  It’s been far too long since we’ve last gotten together, don’t you think?”
“No,” he said bluntly.  Clare muffled a giggle behind him.  Looking over his shoulder at her, she rolled her eyes.  He crossed his.  Neither one of them could stand Penelope.  Picking up the plate of muffins for Asia, he said, “Catch you later, Clare love.”
“Oh, are you leaving?” Penelope asked in a loud shrill voice.  “But I was thinking you and I could catch up.”
Suppressing a shudder, Draco brushed past her, saying, “No thanks.  I’ve got a date with Asia.”
“Asia?  Who’s she?  Is she your girlfriend?”
Mason’s jaw opened in surprise.  Looking over her shoulder to where Clare was staring at Penelope just was surprised as Mason was at the question.  Instead of giving Penelope a straight answer, he said, “Asia’s the love of my life.”
With that he left the kitchen.
Chapter 9

Arriving in the game room, he spotted Asia right off.  She was curled up, feet tucked under her butt, in one of the overstuffed lounge chairs.  On her lap was the book he’d given her at Christmas.  Her head was bent; her long straight blonde hair had fallen forward, hiding her face.  Clearing his throat to gain her attention he waited for her to look up.  He got nothing so he tried again with the same results.  He silently chuckled to himself.  His baby sister was the sort of person who heard and saw nothing while reading.  He should have known.
“I suppose you’ll want me to come back later, when you aren’t so busy?”
Looking up, she carelessly pushed her hair from her face.  Seeing him she squealed happily, jumping up and rushing over to him, launching herself into his arms.  Catching her easily, he spun her around once, hugging her tightly as he did.  God but he had missed her.  Lifting her face to him, she smacked him loudly on the cheek with a kiss.
“You’re back,” she said stating the obvious but in such a joyful way he didn’t point it out.  “It’s been forever this time.”
“Not all the long,” he countered lightly.
Has too,’ she insisted stubbornly.  “But whatever, you’re back now so it’s all good.”
“All good, huh?” Setting her back on her feet he shook his head in amusement.  
“Yes,” she said then confessed, “I was starting to worry.  Just a bit.  You usually aren’t away this long.”
“Ah,” he murmured.  Since he planned on Asia becoming friends with Madison he explained, “I bumped into an old friend.  She’s got a daughter your age.  I’m thinking of introducing you two but…”
When he didn’t say more she poked him in the belly.  “But what?”
“I’m starting to imagine all the trouble the two of you could get into and I’m not so sure it’s a good idea now,” he teased, tugging on a strand of her hair.
“Oooohhhh!” she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at him.  “I’m not trouble.”
“You are and so is Madison,” he remarked dryly.
“So her names Madison,” Asia asked, distracted from further argument with that little tidbit.
“Yeah.  She’s nine; soon to be ten just like you and is just as mouthy.”
Sticking out her tongue she blew him a raspberry.  “Whatever.  Is she nice?  What does she like?  Where does she live?  Who’s her mom?  Are you going to take me to meet her or bring her here?  If I like her maybe she can come to my party.”
“Whoa, slow down,” he cut in, smiling.  “I can’t answer if you don’t give me a chance.”
“Well, hurry up so I can ask more,” she told him impishly.
Chuckling, he did just that, telling her all about Madison.  Their conversation turned to Asia and what she’d been doing and then to other matters.  He visited for over an hour and would have been there longer except Asia had made a play date with one of her friends so had to leave to get ready for that.  He popped in on his parents, staying chatting with Carlton but making a hasty retreat from his mother when he saw that she still had company.
From there he went straight to Parker’s home.  Rapping his knuckles on the door, he waited a full minute before it was opened.  He found himself facing a small boy with unruly red hair and huge green eyes.  The kid had his thumb in his mouth and was looking up at Mason with wide eyes.  Mason sighed.  Was his new life, the one he soon hoped to have, going to be overrun with children?  God, he seriously hoped not.
“Is your father home?” he inquired, not really expecting much.
The boy’s curly red hair bounced as he nodded.
Mason waited to see if the boy would go get Parker but when he didn’t he asked, “You think you can go and get him for me?”  The red head swayed in the negative.  “Um, okay, why not?”
“Who’re you?”
Ah, so the kid wanted details before he’d get his dad.  That was understandable and easy to remedy.  “Mason.”
His plump little cheeks puffed out once before he said, “Oh.”
When he continued to stand there, Mason asked, “Um, you think you can go get your dad now that you’ve got my name?”
Again the boy shook his head.  “Daddy’s in his office.  He said if bugged him he’d paddle my behind.  I don’t want my butt paddled.  It hurts.”
Mason bet it did.  “Can you get your mom for me, please?”
Mason wanted to groan with annoyance when the kids head shook for the third time.  “Nope.  Mommy told me I was being a nu – a nui – a pest and that I needed to stay out of her way while she helped Jami get ready.  She said if I didn’t I have to sit in my room.”  His small nose wrinkled in distaste.  “I don’t like going to my room.  It’s boring.”
Unsure of how to proceed, Mason could only stand there staring down at the boy.  If the kid had been a little older he could have simply demanded he get an adult but the boy looked no older than three or four.  Being harsh to one so young wasn’t appealing.  
Thankfully he was saved when Wren came rushing up to the door.  “Kian, what are you doing?”
Wanting to sigh and simultaneously shout in relief, Mason watched as Wren ushered the boy from the doorway.  Looking up at his mother the kid said, “I answered the door, mama.  He wants to see daddy but daddy said I couldn’t bugger him today.  Then he wanted to talk to you but you said -”
Smiling Wren interrupted. “Okay, Kian.  I’ve got this.  Go find your sister and have her help you dress.”
Happy to comply the boy took off without another word.  Turning to Mason, Wren asked, “Need to see Parker?”
“Yeah.  He available?”
Wren gave a small chuckle, saying, “Contrary to what Kian believes, he is.”  Stepping back she gestured for him to enter.  After closing the door she turned back to him.  She was about to say something when shouting from upstairs stopped her.  Sighing heavily she told him, “Parker’s in his office.  It’s just down the hall there, third door on the right.  Just knock.  I’ve got to go make sure those two aren’t beating the crap out of each other.”
Mason watched as Wren vanished up the stairs before turning and heading down the hall.  There was no reason to knock as the office door was open.  Parker was sitting behind a large wooden desk, a small frown on his face.  Stepping at the entry, Mason cleared his throat.  The attention getter might not have worked with his sister but it got the job done with Parker, except he didn’t look up and the response Mason got wasn’t what he was anticipating.
“Just a minute, sweetheart, I want to get this done so I don’t have to worry about it later.”
Amused he said, “Take all the time you need, just please, don’t ever call me ‘sweetheart’ again.”
His head snapping up, Parker blushed slightly.  “Sorry.  Thought you were Wren.”
“Obviously,” Mason replied dryly.  
Quickly over his embarrassment, Parker waved him in, saying. “I’m happy you got here so quickly, I -” Parker stopped, giving Mason a puzzled look.  “Just how did you get here so fast?  I only just sent the message imp -” this time he was interrupted by a popping sound.  A small, harassed looking imp appeared on Mason’s shoulder. “- a few minutes ago,” he finished lamely.
The imp plucked at Mason’s coat collar, silently demanding he take the envelope, almost the same size as the imp, from his fingers.  Obligingly he did and the imp, with a sigh of relief, popped back out.  Opening the note, Mason scanned it.  Once he had he went over and took a seat across from Parker, crumpling up the note and tossing it in the wastebasket as he did.
“What’s that about?” he asked, referring to the note he’d just tossed away.
Instead of answering, Parker inquired, “Why’re you here?”
“I want your opinion,” Mason admitted.  “Your turn.”
“Same here,” Parker replied slightly amused.  “Let me guess, you got a little message from Justice too?”
Mason sat up straighter. “Yes.  You as well?”  Parker nodded.  “Who the hell is this guy?”
“I don’t know,” Parker sounded as mystified as Mason felt.  “Gemma got one too.”
“What did yours say?  Gemma’s?”
“Here,” Parker offered, handing two folded pieces of paper over.  “May I read yours?”
“Sure,” Mason agreed, pulling it out from the inside coat pocket and handing it over.  
A moment later, Parker said, laughing slightly, “Uh, I don’t think this is the right one.”
Taking it back, Parker looked down, read the first line and chuckled.  “Sorry.  Must have grabbed Asia’s letter too.”  He got the correct one out and gave it to Parker.  They each read the other, Mason also reading the one Gemma had gotten.
He read the one addressed to Parker first.

Parker,
Why are you helping her?  I had believed you to be my friend but if you continue to help that bitch I will not hesitate to hurt you.  I have remained in the shadows for long enough and it’s time for me to right all the wrongs done to me.  I will not let you, Golden Boy, wreck my plans or steal my life.  I don’t wish to harm you, or your family, but I will not let friendship stop me.  STAY OUT OF MY WAY!
Justice.

Next he read Gemma’s, which was much shorter but far more confusing.

Bitch,
I am of you.  You are of me.  Which one of us is the real me?  I am.  I will take back what is mine.  I will not let you continue living the lie.  I will not let you win, not this time.
Justice.

Refolding both notes, Mason handed them back to Parker.  “Justice is the same bastard who took Madison.”
“My thought as well,” Parker replied in agreement.
“The man’s fucking insane,” Mason muttered.
Parker nodded.  “Also agreed.”
“Glad to see we’re on the same page,” he told the other man wryly. “Not what?”
Shrugging, Parker answered, “I’ve no idea.  I did ask Gemma to compile a list of anyone she’s had contact with over the last ten years or so who might have a grudge, but let’s be honest; the list isn’t going to be long.”
“Or very helpful,” Mason added.  
“Nor that.”  They were quiet for a moment and then said, “I think you should make out a similar list.”
“What?  Why?  Justice isn’t targeting me.”
Parker nodded agreement to that but said, “No, but it’s all connected.  Of all the people looking for Maddy, only the three of us received messages so I’ve made a list as well.  I’ve also compiled a list of all known Singa members still unaccounted for.  And even some who aren’t known but are still around.”
“They all hate me,” Mason pointed out needlessly.  “Turncoat that I am.”
Rather than comment, Parker said, “They hate us all.  It may appear that the target is Gemma but it could just be a distraction so I want all our bases covered.  Once I have all three lists, I’ll have Linton check those on it out since he’s got the access to that sort of info.  The Singa’s will be the hardest to pin down but Linton’s good so maybe he’ll get a hit.”
“Can I see that list,” Mason asked, holding out a hand.  To his surprise Parker didn’t even hesitate.  Looking it over, Mason was impressed.  Parker had separated the names into two separate categories.  In the first column were the names of Singa member who were missing and/or presumed dead.  The second column was those suspected of being Singa’s but which had never been proven.  Mason recognized a few of the names on the list but wasn’t able to add any details.
Giving the list back, he said, “Add the Reynard family to that.  I can’t say for any surety they were Singa’s but I do know that supported Tanner’s ideals.”
Parker did as he suggested, asking as he did, “Any others I might have missed?”
“Not that I can currently think of,” he replied honestly.
Each man fell silent, each thinking about Justice and the number of people that might like to given them trouble.  Sadly, Mason had a number of enemies.  His years spent as a Singa member had seen to that but his deflection to the enemy camp had earned him double that.  Just the thought of writing out a list of those who’d like to see him miserable was daunting.
Glancing up, thinking to ask Parker about the list, he discovered the other man watching him, A peculiar look on his face.  “Something wrong?”
“No,” Parker replied with a short shake of his head.  And then he added, “Not exactly.  Can I discuss something personal with you?”
“Pertaining too,” Mason asked cautiously.
As if each calculating each word, Parker said slowly, “I’ve thought about not interfering, but I just can’t do it.  I can sit back and not say anything.”
“I already know,” Mason said, suspecting he knew what Parker was about to tell him.
“You do?”
“Yeah,” Mason repeated.  “I know Madison’s my daughter and –”
“WHAT!” Parker’s exclaimed shout instantly shut Mason up.
Looking surprised, Mason asked, “You didn’t know?”
Shaking his head, raking a hand through his already messy hair, Parker said, “I suspected but Gemma refused to tell me who Maddy’s father was and honestly, I’ve never pushed her on the matter, figuring it wasn’t really my business.  She told you then?”
“Oh no,” Mason admitted with a small shake of his head.  “No. Call gut instinct or whatever you like but I know she’s mine.”
Parker sighed.  “Yeah.  She looks like you.”
Mason sat back, a small amused smile playing around his lips.  “You think she looks like me?  I was thinking she looked a lot like Gemma.”
“A combination then,” Parker said diplomatically.  “Does Gemma know you know the truth?”
“Nope and I’m going to keep it that way,” Mason told him, then, explained, “I want her to tell me.”
“You think she will?”
Mason, a little taken back by the question considering how close Gemma and Parker were, said, “When she’s ready.  I’m not sure what Gemma might have told you about us but -”
“Not much,” Parker conceded when Mason paused to get his thoughts in order.  “I think she was a little worried I’d stop being her friend if she admitted to seeing you.  I might not have been happy about it – then – but she’s my best friend, I wouldn’t have dumped her from my life.”
He stopped a moment and then added, “I overheard and Wren talking about it one day.  I knew something had happened between you two that it had…fallen apart, but that was all.  I also, as I’ve said, suspected Maddy as being yours but…sorry, I’m rambling.”
“It’s fine,” Mason assured him, still thinking about what Parker had just told him.  “I broke her heart,” he suddenly blurted out.  “I didn’t think so at the time, but…well, it was only about an hour later that I realized how fucking dumb I’d been but by the time I got over myself, she was gone.”
“No need to confess it to me if you’re not feeling it,” Parker told him, sensing Mason’s discomfort.  “But I will say this, don’t do it again.  We’ll have to have it out of you do.”
A ghost of a smile lifted Mason’s lips.  “I don’t plan on it but if I do, you’ve got my permission to beat the hell out of me.”
“Wow!” Parker replied in awe.  “You really do love her.”
“Yeah,” Mason admitted out loud for the first time.  “I do.”
Suddenly Parker started laughing.  Mason raised a questionable brow.  “Sorry, but just hit me that we’re sitting here, discussing love of all things.  It’s just a bit surreal considering it’s you and me.”
Thinking about it, Mason had to admit it was a bit odd.  “Yeah, I see what you mean.”  A moment later he joined Parker and laughed with him.
After their amusement was spent, Mason requested, “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention any of this to Gemma.”
“You’ve got my word,” Parker promised.  Giving him an assessing look, he asked, “Did you hurt her that badly?”
Quietly Mason said, “Yeah, I think I did.”
“Well then, good luck and don’t fuck it up this time.”
“Thanks.”

*****

Mason spent the rest of the day and most of the evening on business matters.  In between handling his accounts, he made a few calls to anyone he could think of that might be help in discovering who Justice was and what he wanted with Gemma.  Though he hadn’t expected instant results, he was frustrated with the lack of progress.  It was as if he was stuck at the starting line without the starting blast to signal the race was on.
It didn’t help that they knew practically nothing about the guy.  The name was fake, that was obvious so they didn’t have that.  No one knew what the man looked like either.  The few glimpses they caught of him inside the spying spell, he’d always been cloaked.  Madison hadn’t been able to get a look at him either, claiming he always kept the hood up.  So they had nothing except the clear knowledge that Justice was insane.
Clinically insane, Mason suspected though it was going to be hard to prove unless they were able to catch him.  Catching him was going to be proven difficult considering how crazy he was and the limited amount of information they had.  It was all so frustrating, not to mention infuriating and puzzling.  Didn’t matter though, he wasn’t going to just accept defeat.  Justice, whatever his real name and motive, was going to pay for taking Madison.
What sort of man was Justice, he wondered.  Insane, yes, but was he crazy smart or crazy stupid?  It might not seem as if there was a difference, but he knew from experience there was.  Crazy stupid would eventually fuck something up and that mistake would allow them to track and capture him.  Crazy smart was more dangerous and there was less of a chance of him making a mistake.  Mason’s gut was telling him Justice was crazy smart.  Not a good thing but it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle.  He’d been on the receiving end of crazy smart before and had won.  It was just a matter of treading carefully and not making any mistakes.
Since there was nothing left for him to do tonight he decided to retire early.  He had plans for the next day and he didn’t want to feel groggy while he put them in motion.  His last thought was of Gemma and what she was going to say when he showed, offering his services for unpacking and furniture hauling.
A smile was curling his lips as he drifted off.

*****

Arriving at Gemma’s early the next day, Mason rapped lightly on the door.  Inside the house, Cosmo barked a few times, causing him to inwardly grimace.  Madison, clearly yelling to be heard over the barking was heard next, “Hush it, Cosmo.  It’s just the door.”
Quiet descended.  That dog was either very smart or very dumb.  Mason hadn’t decided which yet.
Opening the door, Madison smiled widely at him.  “Hello, Mr. Draven.”
Taking note of Cosmo at her side, he nodded, saying, “Is he safe or should I suspect another attack?”
Not taking offense, Madison rolled her eyes.  “He’s never attacked her.  All he wants is a little attention.  Give him a scratch behind the years and he’ll leave you alone.”
Looking dubious at that little proclamation, Mason kept his distance.  Sighing as if the world resided on her shoulders, Madison reached out and took a hold of his hand, guiding it to the top of Cosmo’s head.  “Now scratch him just here,” she instructed.
Skeptical, Mason did as she suggested since he wasn’t going to be able to avoid the dog forever.  Stroking his palm over the massive head, he was nicely surprised at how soft his fur was.  Digging his fingers in a bit harder, he watched in amusement as Cosmo’s eyes closed and his mouth opened, tongue lolling in what looked like pure bliss.  After a few moments, Cosmo got to all fours, licked Mason’s hand affectionately and wandered off.
Seeing the stunned look on his face, Madison giggled.  “See?  I was right.”
“I suppose,” Mason allowed, smiling a little.
“You here to see Mom?” she asked, motioning him inside so she could close the door.
“You too,” he injected, giving her nose a tweak.
“You are?” she asked in amazement.  “Really?”
“Yeah.  Why the surprise?”
“Normally you’re shoving be back out before I’ve even gotten inside,” she reminded him.
Blushing a little, he cleared his throat, looked away and then back.  “You’ve grown on me.”
She made a face.  “Ick, that makes me sound like a fungus.”
“Oh god,” Mason half moaned, half laughed.  “You aren’t fungus.”
“Good to know,” she replied, her eyes twinkling devilishly.
Chuckling, he asked, “Where’s your mother?”
“In the back room.  She’s sorting through Nana and Papa’s things,” she informed him, pointing the way.  “I’ve got to get Cosmo his breakfast or he’s going to get cranky.  Plus I have to unpack.  Mom says if I get it done early enough she’ll take me to Mage Village for some lunch and shopping.”
With that she skipped away, softly singing to herself.  Smiling, Mason wandered down the narrow hall Madison had pointed out.  He found Gemma in the last room, sitting on a box, a photo album opened in front of her.  Part of her face was obscured by a curtain of hair but he was able to see her jaw line and lips.  She was smiling.
As he walked into the room, she glanced up and it was then he saw the silent tears staining her cheeks.  Saying nothing, he went to where she was sitting and sat beside her.  Gathering her into his arms, he held her gently, offering what comfort he could since he had no idea what was wrong.  She stiffened and he thought she’d pull away but she surprised him by burying her face against his chest and holding him tightly.
The silent crying became harsh, wracking sobs.  The grief and loss was unmistakable and a surge of sympathy washed over him, making him wish there was something more he could do for her.  The photo album was open, pictures of her parents filling the pages.  The loss of a parent was unendurable, especially when taken by violence.  He had lost his father that way; Gemma had lost both hers to an accident.  Not murder but violent nonetheless.
Minutes later, Gemma’s sobbing faded though she didn’t move away.  Finally she spoke, asking, “What’re you doing here, Draven?”
“I was going to offer my services?”
A soft snort escaped.  “As what?  A snot rag?”  Pulling away, she shook her head.  “Never mind.  I’m sorry for getting you all wet.”
Looking down at his wet shirt, he smiled ruefully.  “Not a problem.   I was thinking more along the lines of helping you unpack or whatever.”
“Really?” she asked doubtfully.  “Well, whatever.  I won’t argue because I could use a little help.”
“Great!  What would you like me to do?”
She sniffed loudly rather inelegantly and said, “Sorry.”  Waving an arm about the room, she added, “All this.  It needs be sorted and such.”
“Hell,” he muttered eyeing the stacks of boxes, tubs and other items filling the room.  “Why don’t we just cast a spell and be done with it?”
Gemma was shaking her head before he’d even completed the question.  “No can do.  First, these are my parent’s things and I want to personally go through it all so I can decide what to keep and what to donate.  Second, Maddy’s already under the impression that magic will solve everything.  I want her to know it’s not that easy.”
“Ah, well in that case, I suppose we should get started.”
She cast a cynical look his way.  “What?  No arguments?”
“About what?”
“Magic and it’s use?”
“Oh, that.  No.  I happen to agree that kids should at least have a working understanding of how the norms do things,” he told her.  “If my parents hadn’t scorned all things norm, I probably wouldn’t be so clueless half the time.”
“I see,” she drawled slowly, palpably disbelieving.
He shrugged.  “Believe what you want, Gem.  I actually think manual labor, at time, can be therapeutic.”
“You?  Manual labor?”  She gave him a long look, her eyes roaming over him in a long slow perusal.  “Right.”
“Ask Madison,” he said, unable to let it go.  For some reason it bothered the hell out of that she didn’t believe him.  “I was chopping up firewood during one of her visits.  She wasn’t able to resist telling me what I was doing wrong.”
She smiled a little.  “Yeah, that sounds like Maddy.”  She fell silent for a moment before saying, her voice softly sad, “When they died, I didn’t think I’d ever stop crying and coming back here to sort things out just…the thought was simply exhausting.  Even after two years, it’s almost too much.”
“It was so unexpected, you know,” she continued, looking around at the room.  “Dad had terminal cancer.  They were on their way to a mage healer, one who I’d gotten to agree to take a look at him when the accident happened.  I think that bothered me the most.  That he’d been on his way to someone who might have been able to help him when a thoughtless act killed him and mom.”
“I’m truly sorry, Gemma,” he told her sincerely.
She nodded.  “Thanks.  Honestly, I don’t think it really hit me until I got here and saw all the dust coating everything.”
“It’s not easy losing a loved one, especially a parent,” he said sagely.  “I can’t imagine losing both and on the same day.”
“No, not easy at all,” she agreed in a murmur.  “Being back here’s just making it all come back.  Did you ever come to terms with Larkin’s death?”
“His murder, you mean?” he answered out of habit then shook his head.  “Sorry, knee jerk reaction.  I still miss him, if that’s what you mean but the pain isn’t as raw.”
“So it gets better but never really goes away?”
Considering her a moment, he thought about what to say.  Finally he opted for telling her what he’d never told anyone before.  “Tanner killed him, you know that, but he wasn’t dead when Tanner left.  He was alive and…I was left with him.  I was there.  It was…” he shook his head, unable to think of a way of explaining it, finally he said, “he made me promise to get out, to go to Parker.  He also begged me to keep ‘her’ safe.  I think part of the reason I’ve had such a hard time with his death is because of that last request.  I’ve never been able to figure out who the ‘her’ was.”
“How could you?” she asked, her expression soft with sympathy.  “It’s not as if he gave you a name, right?”
“No.  he died before he could give me that,” he confessed.  “Still, I knew whoever it was held some sort of importance because my father betrayed Tanner to keep her safe.  I’d like to know if he died in vain.  Is she still alive or…?”
“I’m sorry, Mason,” she told him, placing a hand on his arm.  “I wish I could help.”
Before he could reply a scream rang out, sending them both running for the stairs.  Mason was faster, reaching the top first and just in time to catch Madison who was running toward them, looking over her shoulder as she did.  Catching her around the arms, he lifted her, pulling her close to his chest.  “Whoa, slow down.  What’s going on?”
Trembling, gasping for breath, Madison started, “That…that…” she stopped, gulping in huge amounts of air before going on, “That completely stupid, ignorant brainless jerk thought he could kidnap me again.”
Maddy had barely gotten the last of her explanation out before Mason was thrusting her at Gemma and racing for down the hall.  No one was there of course.  He hadn’t really expected Justice to stick around but he had hoped.  Anger boiled inside him, making him want to punch something, anything so he slammed his fist into the wall, startling Cosmo you yipped from the other side of the room.
Hitting the wall didn’t work to ease his fury.  Rounding on Gemma, who was standing at the entry with Maddy at her side, he snarled “Why don’t you have any protections spells up?”
Her eyes flashing with anger too, Gemma snapped, “There are.  It was one of the first things I did when we arrived.  He got past them.”  Mason opened his mouth to apologize but Gemma wasn’t finished.  “Hell, I had Parker add a few spells too.  Paranoid, but I didn’t want to take any chances.  That freak is still out there and no way in hell is he getting his hands on my daughter again.”
Once more he opened his mouth to say something but she overrode him, saying, “And don’t you dare stand there, accusing me of not taking Maddy’s safety seriously.  I do.  We underestimated this guy’s power level because the spells I had in place didn’t just protect the house, they were a couple specifically set on Maddy.  So fuck off, Mason.”
Running a hand through his hair, Mason sighed.  “Look, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to make it sound as if you didn’t care.”
She made him wait a full minute before saying, “Apology accepted.”
“How did he get past the spells,” he speculated quietly.
“I’ve no idea,” she answered, glancing down at Madison.
“He said there was nothing that could stop him,” Madison inserted, looking at both adults.  “Said it was his destiny or something like that.”
Frowning, Mason asked, “What happened, Madison?”
She returned his frown with one of her own.  “Stop calling me that.  I like Maddy.”
Giving her a smile, he said, “Too damn bad.”
Sighing dramatically, she looked up at her mom.  “He’s always so contrary, isn’t he?”
“Hmm,” Gemma murmured noncommittally.  “Maddy, what happened.”
“Well,” she began, “I was unpacking and…

Pulling the stuffed bear from the box she tossed it on her bed.  She was going to have to remember to tell mom she was too old for such babyish things.  Maybe Jami, Uncle Parker’s little girl, would like to have the stuffed bear.  She’d ask the next time she saw them.  
Poking her head back in the box, she stretched up onto tiptoes to reach the bottom and snatched the small baby doll there.  Bringing it out, she studied it a moment.  She was too old for the doll too, but she was reluctant to give her up.  She’d been a gift from Nana on her fourth birthday.  Nana and Papa had died a couple of months later.  Though she was never going to play with the doll again, there was no way she was giving her away.
Gently tucking the doll onto one the shelves, she stood there for a moment, thinking about Nana.  About how nice she had always smelled and how she’d always laughed and made everyone feel so good.  She missed her.  Her mom, she knew, missed her even more.
Cosmo woofed loudly, capturing Maddy’s attention. About to admonish him, she saw that he was snarling, teeth bared, hackles raised, at something across the room.  Following his line of sight, she gasped at seeing the cloaked, hooded figure there.  Taking a step backwards, she demanded, “How did you get in here?”
In the same raspy whisper she remembered so well, he answered, “Nothing can keep me from you.  No one can stop me from ending this.  It’s my destiny.  No spell will keep me out.”
“Huh?”  Confusion replaced her fear, not that she was all that scared.  She’d gotten away from him once, she was positive she could do it again.  “Uh-huh.  Anyone ever tell you that you’re a bit odd?”
He didn’t answer, instead telling her, “I’ve come to get you back”
“Huh,” she repeated, this time in contempt.  “I don’t think I want to go.”
“You belong to me,” he snarled angrily.
“Um, that’d be wrong,” she countered.  “But I’ll tell you what, why don’t you run along now before I decide to scream.  How’s that sound to you?”
“Go ahead, scream,” he sneered, laughing.  At least she thought he was laughing.  It was hard to tell because it sounded more like hissing.  “I’ll have you by the time that bitch gets up here.”
Tilting her head, she gave his confident proclamation a moment of thought.  Then said, “Cosmo, do your thing.”
On command, Cosmo sprang into action, pouncing on the intruder much the same way a tiger would have taken down dinner.  Jerk Face tumbled backwards under Cosmo’s weight making him stumble straight toward the window but Maddy didn’t bother sticking around to see if Jerk Face fell out.  Shooting across the room, she yanked open the door and raced out into the hall.

“And then I bumped into you,” she finished, indicating Mason.  “I didn’t think fighting him was a good idea.  I might have, but Cosmo took care of him for me so…here we are.”
Waiting a beat to be sure Madison was done talking, Mason turned to Gemma.  “I don’t think it’s safe to stay here.”
Gemma surprised him by agreeing.  “You’re right.  I’ll ring Parker and find out if he doesn’t mind having a couple of houseguest.”
“Don’t bother,” Mason stopped her.  “You and Maddy are more than welcomed to stay with me.  I’ve got plenty of room.”
“Okay, thanks” she agreed, surprising him once again.
“Huh?”
She shot him a grin.  “Thought I’d argue?”  At his nod, she explained, “At Parker’s we’d be cramped and in each other’s way.  You’re offering prevents that.  Not to mention, I don’t think that…Jerk Face, will expect it.”
Good, he thought.  Not wanting to give her a chance to change her mind, he said, “Madison, pack a few bags.  Gemma, you too.  We’ll go as soon as you’re ready.”
Nearly three in-a-half hours later, Mason was scowling.  “How the hell is all that necessary?” he demanded, indicating the seven trunks, five large suitcases, six smaller cases, four travel bags and Cosmo’s traveling kennel.
“First, we have no idea how long we’re going to be at your place,” Gemma illuminated him.  “Second, my work is in five of those trunks.  Third, never tell a woman she has too much.”
He could see from their mutinous expressions that neither female was going to budge on the matter.  With a long sigh he waved a hand, muttering the traveling spell beneath his breath.  The luggage, along with Cosmo vanished, leaving just the three of them.  “Can we go now?” 
Giving one last look around, Gemma nodded.  “Yep.”  Grabbing Maddy’s hand she spoke a single word and vanished in the same manner as the luggage.  
Mason waited a beat and then into the silence, issued his challenge.  “I’ll find you and I’ll kill you, Justice.  You don’t fuck with me or what’s mine.”
Chapter 10

Days slipped into weeks and before he realized it, Asia’s birthday was upon them.  And he hadn’t yet gotten her anything.  It wasn’t because he didn’t know what to get her (Asia was pretty simple to shop for) but because he hadn’t had a chance to get the market.  Having Gemma and Madison move in with him had thrown his life into a bit of chaos.  He wasn’t used to living with anyone and sharing his space with a hyperactive kid and her dog was…both wonderful and disturbing.  He was thankful though that the penthouse home was large enough that Madison had plenty of room to play, especially considering the size of her dog.
Thinking of his sister reminded him that he’d been meaning to ask Gemma if she and Madison would like to attend the birthday party with him.  It would give his sister and Maddy a chance to get to know each other, plus it would get them out of the house for a bit.  And later today he was going to have to make it the market for Asia’s gift.
For now he had to concentrate on work, which was something he hadn’t been doing too well lately.  Pulling a list of clients up on his laptop, he started going through them.  As he did, he marked off those he had already completed the job for and reviewed those that he still needed to work on.  He was only about half way through the list when he heard a noise and looked up.
Madison, Cosmo on her heels, was coming into his office, examining the room as she did.  When she reached him she plopped down in a chair nearby his desk and eyed him.  He hesitated a moment before reprimanding, “Have you heard of knocking?”
Rather rudely she replied with, “Sure have.  Want me to go back and knock?”
Sitting back, he regarded her thoughtfully.  Madison was often cheeky and could often drip sarcasm but she was hardly ever rude.  Not intentionally.  “Something on your mind?”
“Nope,” she denied curtly, shooting a glance around the room.
Meaning there was.  He might not have been around many kids, but Asia was Madison’s age and he’d had plenty of experience with her moods.  Deciding to say nothing for now, he went back to his work, methodically working his way through his client list.
It wasn’t long before Madison interrupted him, asking, “What’re you doing?”
“Working,” he answered shortly without looking up.
“I know that,” she replied with a sigh.  “But what do you do?”
“I find things for people,” he answered.
“Huh?”
He hid his smile.  “Rare, hard to find artifacts, paintings, or even odd little things that people collect, I find them for them.”
“People hire you to treasure hunt.”
“That’s one way of looking at it,” he granted, finally looking away from the computer.
“Why don’t they just do themselves?” she wanted to know.  “Wouldn’t that save them money because then they wouldn’t have to pay you?”
“It would,” he replied.  “But then I’d be out of job and broke so don’t go telling anyone, okay?”
As he’d hoped, she giggled.  “What’s do you usually have to hunt?”
“Art is the most commonly asked for items from the norms” he divulged.  “Mages like asking for valuable and rare magical artifacts or spells.”
“Have you ever been asked to do something illegal?”
“Yes,” he disclosed but added, “But I don’t take those cases.”
“Are you rich,” she asked, changing the subject.
Not the least bit surprised at her bluntly asked question he merely shrugged and said, “Maybe.  But, you, my dear, shouldn’t ask people that, it’s considered rude.”
Her eyes narrowed.  “Are you calling me rude?”
“Never,” he gasped in mock horror. 
“Ha, ha,” she said dryly.  “So, are you going to answer me?”
“About?”
“You being rich,” she reminded him and then waved a tiny hand.  “Never mind.  I know the answer.  You are.”
“And you’ve deduced this how?” he wanted to know, interested in what her reply would be.
“I can read,” she said sardonically.  “You’re always in Mage Weekly.  I also read a book about magical bloodlines.  The Draven’s are one of the oldest and wealthiest.”
“Oh,” was all he could think to say.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Yes,” he agreed, wondering at the sudden shyness he saw in her.
“If you had a secret, one that was really important, would you tell someone?”
“Hmm,” he mused.  “That depends.  By keeping the secret, will someone get hurt?”
“No, not exactly,” she said after a moment of thought.  
“If you do tell, will someone get hurt?” he asked next.
She shook her head.  “No.”
“Can you give me an idea of what type of secret it is without revealing the actual secret?” he wanted to know, curious making him ask.
“Um, maybe.”  She bit her lip, thinking.  “No.  All I can say is it might make someone really sad and another person angry.  I think.”
“Well,” he drawled, thinking about what advice to give her. “Then the best advice I can give is to keep the secret.  Unless there comes a time you know you should say something.  Does that make sense?”
Staring down at her hands, Madison nodded.  “Yeah.  Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” he returned sincerely.  
She stuck around a few more minutes, chatting with him but soon grew bored.  After she had taken off, Mason sat back, thinking.  Something was bothering her but unless she was willing to open up to him…there wasn’t anything he could do.  It wasn’t a feeling he liked.  Not being able to make things better for her made him feel helpless.  It wasn’t a pleasant way to feel.  He was just going to have to hope she grew to trust him, maybe then she’d tell him what was wrong.
He was about to return to the task at hand when there was a knock on the office door. Since Madison hadn’t closed it on her way out all he had to do was look over.  Gemma was standing there, her expression fretful, weary and sad.
“Come on in,” he told her.
She did, closing the door behind her.  She took a seat in the chair Madison had only just vacated.  Something in the way she was holding herself made him think she’d overheard his conversation with Madison but as he wasn’t sure he inquired, “Something you needed, Gemma?”
“To thank you,” she replied softly, glancing away and then back.  “Maddy’s had something on her mind for a couple of weeks now but she’s refused to say anything, even when I’ve asked.  Your advice was good.  Maybe it will help.”
Without thinking, he blurted, “Is Madison my daughter, Gemma?”
Gemma opened her mouth, only to close it before saying anything.  She looked away from him, hiding her face so he couldn’t see what she was feeling.  Silence spread between them before she asked, “Why’re you so persistent with that question?  It’s the third time you’ve asked?”
That she wasn’t blowing him off was good, right?  “Because I believe she’s mine.”
“Why do you believe that?” she probed.
“Just a feeling I have,” he rejoined.  “Along with something you said.”
“Oh?  What?”
He could practically see the wheels turning inside her head as she tried to think of what it was she might have said so he decided to enlighten her.  “You said and I quote, ‘Maddy’s my daughter.  She was never yours.’  It was right after Madison was taken and I didn’t think about it at the time but later, well, later it was an odd way to phrase it.”
Gemma was quiet for so long Mason was starting to think she was just going to get up and leave without saying anything.  But after minutes passed, she said, “Ten years ago, no nearly eleven now, isn’t it?”  He was about to reply when she shook her head, holding up a hand.  “Let me say this.  Don’t interrupt.”
He simply nodded.  She took a deep breath before saying, “You sent me away.  Cruelly and in a way that confirmed my fears.  When I fled from your place, I was numb, not thinking straight.  I ended up at the Peach Loft and spent the next hour drowning my sorrows like a freaking idiot.  I think I drank an entire bottle of brandy in that hour.  With each drink the pain diminished and I didn’t feel so…broken.”
“In the morning I woke up in a strange bed, in a strange room with a naked stranger beside me.”  She looked away, staring out the large window to the right of his desk.  “I was horrified.  I’d slept – had sex – with a perfect stranger.  I felt dirty, stupid and hung over.  I dressed and snuck away, never even learning his name.”
The impact of what she was saying hit him like a physical blow, making his chest constrict tightly.  “You’re telling Madison is the product of a one night stand?”
She didn’t answer, but continued talking as if he hadn’t spoken at all.  “I left two days later.  I couldn’t stay here.  I didn’t want to but after seeing you in Mage Village and having you ignore me so coldly I knew I couldn’t stay here.”
This time he did interrupt, loudly.  “What are you talking about?  I never saw you after that…night.”
“I was in Mage Village, looking for Wren.  You were standing out front of House of Herbs, talking to Luann.  I walked right by you, Mason.”
“I didn’t see you, Gemma,” he insisted.  “I remember that day, I was looking for you.  I would have…  I wouldn’t have ignored you.  I was asking everyone I knew if they’d seen you.  But no one had.”
“No, I’d gone to my parents,” she told him, smiling sadly.  “That was the first day I’d gone out.”
Mason brought the topic back around the Madison’s father.  “So you have no idea who Madison’s father is?”
With that same sad little smile she said, “I know.”
“Who?”
She didn’t answer, saying instead, “I struggled with what to do.  Should I tell him about Maddy or not?  My fears kept me from telling him and after a while, I realized that years had gone by.  By then I figured it was too late.”
“So there’s some guy has no idea he’s a father?” he wanted clarified.
“Right,” she agreed.
“Ever plan in telling this guy about Madison?”  he asked scathingly.  “Here’s a better question, what are you going to tell Madison when she starts demanding answers?  Will you tell her she’s the result of a one night stand?”
Gemma gave him a dirty look.  “Of course not.”
“Fuck, Gemma, are you ever going to tell either one of them?” he demanded, losing his temper.  “They both have a right to know.”
“Yes, they do,” she concurred but said nothing more.
“Then why the hell don’t you tell them?” he snapped.
“Mason, if you had a woman come to you and tell you she was pregnant, that after a single night with her you were going to be a father, what would you do?”
“Confirm that the baby was mine and then handle it like a mature adult.  I’d be the responsible person I am,” he retorted.  
“Ah,” she sighed.  
He waved a hand in irritation.  “Never mind that.  I believe you need to really think about this.  Madison has a right to know her father and that man; he has every right to be told about her.  Do you know who he is?”
“I said I knew,” she told him, looking away.  Something about her behavior was off but he couldn’t for the life of him figure it out exactly what it was.  Standing up she started to leave.  Placing a hand on the edge of the door, she stopped and looked back at him.  “I made plenty of mistakes, then and…more recently.  My biggest mistake, not fighting harder for what I wanted.”
“Come back here, Gemma,” he called after her.  “We’re not done.  I want the name of Madison’s father.”
Though she didn’t come back she didn’t move away either.  Instead she continued to stare at him, her expression full of regret.  “Madison’s father is the same man who ripped my heart and soul out.”
She was gone before what she’d just revealed registered.  When it did, Mason angrily stood up, ready to go after her but just as quickly changed his mind.  If he went after her now they’d argue, loudly, and he didn’t want Madison to hear that.
Expression grim, his thoughts uglier, he sat back down.  Later he’d deal with Gemma.

*****

Mason waited until after Madison was tucked in for the night before approaching Gemma.  Having already checked on Madison to be sure she was sleeping he went in search of Gemma.  He found her in the kitchen, making a cup of coffee.
He had given himself the entire day to calm down but seeing Gemma only brought it all back.  His stomach was churning with nausea and his blood was rushing through his veins from fear, confusion, anger and so much more.  Anger and sorrow were the most prominent of those warring inside him, making him unsure and hesitant.
Madison was his and for nine years he’d missed out on her life.  It was a horrible feeling but Gemma wasn’t the only one he was angry with.  He blamed himself too.  If he hadn’t been such a damn idiot, those lost years would have never happened.  He would have been a part of Madison’s life from the beginning.
Knowing it wasn’t safe to get too close with how he was feeling, he leaned against the counter, as far from Gemma as he could get without leaving the room.  Noticing him, she shot a quick look his way but didn’t say anything.  That was fine with him because he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to say, or do so he took the time to try and compose his thoughts.
Long minutes passed before he broke the silence.  “Did you ever, even once, think about telling me?”
“All the time,” she confessed softly.  “It was all I could think about in the beginning.  There were many times all I wanted to move back, tell you we had a child but…I was cowardly.”
“Why?”
Shaking her head, a deep sadness shining in her eyes, she said, “After the way you treated me, that last night…I wasn’t sure what to think.  I feared you’d try and take Maddy away from me, that you’d use her to hurt me more than you already had.”
“You think that badly of me?  You truly believe I’d take a child from her mother?” he demanded harshly.
“I didn’t know, Mason,” she cried.  “I was pregnant and afraid.  God, there were so many times I thought I was going crazy, my thoughts were so chaotic.”  She laughed bitterly.  “Do know how many times I chased down men thinking they were you?  Too many to count.”
“Why did you chase those men down?”
“Because…I wanted to know, for certain….” She stopped, rubbing a hand over her face.  “When Madison was born, I thought even more about telling you.  Looking into her tiny, perfect face, I…I thought there wasn’t a person alive who could resist her.”
“I would -”
Cutting him off, she said, “Let me finish.  I wasn’t thinking too straight back then.  Every time I thought about telling you I’d talk myself out of it.  Before I knew it, a year had passed.”
Knowing where she was going with this, he inserted, “After a year, you had no idea how to tell me, did you?”
Nodding she added, “Not a clue.  After another year passed I convinced myself it was for the best.  You’d kicked me out, had even said you never wanted anything to do with me ever again.  I persuaded myself into believing that the sentiment extended to Maddy.   I didn’t want to see the hatred and disdain I’d seen directed at aimed at Maddy.”
“I never -” he made himself stop because he had but how could he explain that it had been how he was feeling about himself.  Softly he did his best, “I was tearing my heart out that night, Gemma.  If you saw disdain and hate, it wasn’t directed at you but at myself.”
A flicker of something passed through her eyes but the emotion was gone before he catch what it meant.  When she looked at him, her expression was bland.  “It was wrong not to tell you, Mason.  I know that, have always known that, but I can’t change what’s happened.”
“I’ve lost almost ten years of her life, Gemma,” he said needlessly.  “How can I ever get that back or make it up to her?  I never would have taken her from you.  I’m not -”
“Stop,” she yelled.  “Don’t.  Don’t tell me what you would have done.  You don’t know what you would have done.  I was wrong, yes, but you have no idea what you would have done ten years ago.  And there’s no way you can make me feel any worse than I already do.  We’ve all done something we’re not proud of, haven’t we Mason.  You, better than anyone, should know that.”
Unable to argue with that he didn’t even try.  “I do know that, Gemma but…I’ve missed so much of Madison’s life.  That fucking pisses me off more than I can put into words.  And I can’t help but feel jealous of the years you’ve had.  I can’t help the way I feel, any more than you can change the past.”
Gemma sighed softly.  “I can’t change it.  All I can do is promise you that I won’t keep her from you now.  She’s a good kid.  She’ll be over the moon to know who you are.  All I ask is that you never hurt her.”
“I would never,” he growled angrily.  
She held up her hand.  “I’m not saying you would, Mason.  I’m just being her mother.  In time you’ll understand what that means.”
Mason let it go, seeing the sincerity in her eyes.  Nodding he said, “Fine.  Where do we go from here?”
Gemma shrugged, shaking her head.  “I don’t know.  The past is always going to be between us and I don’t just mean Maddy.  You…broke my heart, Mason.  Accused me of things that were horrible and…well, you know what you did, just as I know what I’ve done.” 
“You’re right,” he agreed slowly.  “I’ve regretted my actions for a long time.  But I don’t plan on making those mistakes again.  I figured out, about five seconds after you left, that I was wrong.  It just took my pride a bit longer to catch up but by that time you were gone.”
He saw she was about to speak so he said quickly, “No, it’s my turn.  I hired every mage and norm detective I could find but no one could get a lead on you.  It was as if you’d gone poof.  I asked Parker, casually, about you as often as I could but he was closed lips.  Oh, he’d tell me you were doing well, but that was about all.  I finally had to admit defeat.  You didn’t want to be found, that was obvious.  I resigned myself to never seeing you again.”
“But, you did find me,” she pointed out with a slight frown.
“No, I didn’t,” he denied.  “I bought that house in Nowhere because I wanted to be left alone.  I wasn’t there because of you, though I would have been if I had known.  If Madison hadn’t come along, insisting on bothering me, I would have never known you were there.”
A smile flickered over his expression at the memory of Madison’s first visits.  Noticing the tenderness in his expression she commented, “You love her.”
“Madison?”  Gemma nodded.  “It’s hard not to.  She’s a cheeky little thing and charming as hell.”
“Yeah, she is that.”
“Do you plan on telling her?”
She didn’t bother asking what he meant. She knew.  “Yes.  But I suspect she already knows.”
“How?  She once told me she thought her father was dead.  She wasn’t lying?”
“Oh no, she wasn’t lying so don’t think that,” Gemma quickly defended her daughter.  “She’s smart.  She’s figured it out.”
“She is smart,” he agreed.
“It’s her secret,” Gemma told him, her voice rough with emotion.  “She looked so sad I asked her what was wrong.  She told me she didn’t want me to be sad and when I asked what she meant, she shook her head and said that by not telling me, she was making sure I was happy.”
“That’s not…er, conclusive,” he pointed out.
“No, but she then told me that her father was going to fix things,” Gemma disclosed with a wry smile.  “She knows. It’s the secret she’s keeping because she thinks by telling you, I’ll be sad.  Maddy’s observant, she sees the tension between us.  I was hoping to explain things to her, still will, but I had hoped to do so before she figured it out.  I should have known better than to wait.”
“I will fix things between us, Gem.”
Sadly shaking her head she told him, “You can’t.  Neither of us can.”
“I -”
“No,” she cut in, her voice harsh.  “Neither one of us can make it right, Mason.  We can apologize to we’re both tired of hearing it, but it will always be there, standing between us.  The best we can do is stay…friends for Maddy’s sake and move on with our lives.”
“Sounds pretty fucking lame,” he muttered.
“It does, doesn’t it?” she replied, that sad smile still in place, making him want to wrap his arms around her.  “But there’s nothing else we can do, Mason.”
Stepping away from the counter she picked up the cup of coffee she’d made and started to walk away.  Mason moved to block her.  Her expression hardened, grew angry and she drew back.  Her tone, when she spoke though, was soft.  “I was going to say something to you the evening I came by and found you drunk.  One thing you said that night keeps coming back to me.  You said you’d been wrong about me – and that was, still is true – but a couple of time you mentioned wanting to tell me something, that it was something you’ve wanted to tell me for a long time but that it was now too late.”
“I –”
She didn’t let him speak, talking right over him.  “You wanted to confess your emotions to me; I got that after some hard thinking.  A part of me was thrilled, thinking I’d finally have what I’d wanted all those years ago but the other half of me wasn’t thrilled at all.  In fact, that part of me can’t get past our final night together.  I never want to feel so… destroyed ever again.  So please, Mason, don’t tell me you love me, or that you want to start where we left off, because for me, that was the end.  I won’t give you, or anyone, my heart again.”
Not giving him a chance to reply she spun around and walked out of the kitchen through the servant’s entrance.  Mason took five steps, meaning to go after her, but stopped.  They both needed time - time to figure out the new dynamics between them and time to shift through what they did feel.  He especially needed time to adjust.  Although he’d suspected Madison was his daughter, hearing it said, knowing it for fact now…well, he was suddenly a father it was throwing him for a loop.
As for Gemma, as long as she wasn’t running, he had time to prove to her that he did love her, that he wasn’t the cold, selfish, ruthless bastard she believed him to be.  Oh, he could be those things, but never to those he cared about and she was one of those precious few.
So there was time.  And that’s all he needed.

*****

Hearing a male voice coming from his living is what drew Mason from his office the following afternoon.  Entering the room, he saw Parker, Gemma and Madison, as well as a second girl.  They were sitting about the fireplace, talking.
Spotting him, Parker said cheerily, “Hello, Draven.”
“Hadley,” he greeted, coming over to sit beside Madison on the long couch.  “What brings you here?”
In answer, Parker turned to Madison, telling her, “Why don’t you show Jami your room, Maddy?”
Standing up, Madison rolled her eyes.  “Sure, whatever.  Come on, Jami.  The adults want us kids gone so they can talk.”
Jami, an almost spitting image of her father with light blonde hair and big brown eyes followed Madison from the room, saying as she went, “I don’t think it’s very nice when they do that?”
“Kick us out so that they can talk?” Madison asked.  “Yeah, neither do…”
Their voices trailed off as they left the room.  Mason, about to ask Parker what was on his mind, closed his mouth when Parker held up a hand.  Getting up, Parker checked out the hallway.  Satisfied the girls had gone on to Maddy’s room; he came back and resumed his seat.  “Sorry, wanted to make sure they’d actually gone.  I’ve caught both the buggers sneaking about more than once.”
“You know there are other ways of listening,” Mason reminded him.
“Yeah, but I’m hoping those two haven’t figured that out yet,” Parker replied.  
“If they haven’t, it won’t be long before they do,” Gemma commented drolly.
Changing the subject, Mason inquired, “Have you learned something?”
“Er, yes and no,” Parker hedged.
“Okay,” Gemma drawled.  “What exactly does that mean?”
Clearing his throat, he explained, “Linton’s fiancée, Iva, works as a researcher for the Council.  She did a little checking for us and came across something interesting.”  Pulling a slim folder from his case, he told them, “The files can’t actually leave the Council Chambers but she was able to make copies, at least of the stuff that wasn’t magically protected from doing so.”
Mason nodded at the folder, “Is that it?”
“Yeah,” Parker said, looking down at it.  “The original was marked, ‘Secret and Confidential.’  Below that was another title.”
“Which was?” Gemma asked impatiently when Parker paused. 
“The Justice Project.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Mason exclaimed.  
“Nope,” Parker replied.  “Iva doesn’t believe the project and the kidnapper are related, or rather she didn’t, until she read a part of the file.  It’s why she copied what she could and smuggled it out.  She thought we’d know better if the two were connected.”
“Parker,” Gemma barked, “Stop circumventing and tell us.”
“Not much to tell, actually,” Parker replied with shrug.  “The file mentions a few names, one of them Gemma’s.  There are more initials then actual names.  In fact, Gemma’s is one if the few full names listed.  But the initials are interesting.”
“Why?”
“LD is one of them,” Parker said, looking at Mason closely.  “Larkin Draven.  There’s also PH, which might be referring to me.  DA, TT and ET are a few more.”
“Delmar Ackley, Thorley Thurston,” Mason murmured.  “Who’s ET?”
“That one stumped me too,” Parker declared.  “What stumps me is that I was never involved with the Council or any top secret crap.  Plus, Ackley was dead and Thurston was running for his life during the dates mentioned for the project.”
“Doesn’t discount my father,” Mason mentioned.
“Was he working with the Council at the same time he was at Tanner’s side?” Parker mused slowly.  
Mason sighed then.  “Basically, this tells us nothing.”
“Does it mention what the project was?” Gemma wanted to know, her nose scrunched the way it got when she was thinking.
“Not really,” Parker replied.  “It’s mostly written in some weird code.  Iva’s working on decrypting it.”
“It seems farfetched and yet…it would be too coincidental if it wasn’t connected,” Gemma ruminated out loud.  
“Which is why I decided to mention it,” Parker rejoined.  “But until Iva’s able to decode it we won’t know more.”
“What are the dates?” Mason asked, thinking hard.  Parker glanced at the thin file and gave him the dates.  “Hmm, that’s when my father was being held in Shank, so that probably does rule him out.”
“You’re right,” Parker replied with a small frown.  “I’d forgotten he’d spent time in Shank.”
After discussing it a few more minutes but as there wasn’t much, the conversation soon came to an end.  When it did, Gemma stood up, saying to Parker, “Tell Linton and Iva I appreciate the help.”  Bending, she planted a chaste kiss on Parker’s cheek.  “You too.”
As she moved back from Parker, Mason said, “I know a few, um, rather shady characters.  I’ve asked them to help out too.  They aren’t exactly law abiding, but they are discreet and just might be able to unearth something we wouldn’t have.”
Surprising Mason, Parker grinned and told him, “I was going to ask if you knew people but I didn’t want you to take it the wrong way.”
“I may not be such a nasty git these days, but I still have connections.  It helps in my business,” Mason stated, grinning back at Parker.  “And since I stay on the right side of the law, I don’t have any reservations in using those that don’t.”
“Are you?  On the right side of the law?” Gemma asked, though in a way that was clear she wasn’t criticizing but merely curious.
Holding up his finger and thumb a few centimeters apart, he replied shamelessly, “By this much I am.”
Parker chuckled at the answer but Gemma wasn’t so amused and she rounded on him, demanding, “What’s so amusing about that answer?”
“He’s joking, Gemma,” Parker told her giving her an odd look.
“Oh.”
“She’s still a bit…righteous, I see,” Mason contemplated, tongue in cheek.
“That’s never changed,” Parker answered with a sparkle in his eyes.
“Probably never will,” Mason returned, giving Gemma a wink.  “But that’s alright, if it did, she wouldn’t be Gemma, would she?’
“Oh definitely not,” Parker quickly concurred.  
“Stop talking about me as if I’m not here,” she scolded though there was a slight tilt to her lips that told them she was trying not to smile.
“Think she’s mad at us for that,” Mason asked, keeping the game going.
“Oh yeah,” Parker nodded, his lips twitching.
“I think you’re both rather childish,” she retorted.
“Ha!  Like that’s news.  You’ve been telling me that since the first day we met,” Parker countered with a chuckle.
“True,” she conceded.  “Then and now.”
Chapter 11

Boredom wasn’t something she was used to feeling.  Before now, Maddy had always been able to find something to do.  When she was tired of reading, she had gone outside.  When playing outdoors had grown boring, she had played games, invited friends over and so much more.  Currently those same options weren’t open to her.  
Oh, she could read but since coming to stay with Mr. Draven, she’d read so much her eyes felt crossed.  Entertaining and caring for Cosmo wasn’t time consuming either and besides, she wasn’t used to having only Cosmo to play with.  She’d tried helping her mom, but had soon grown bored of that as well.  Teasing Mr. Draven, a new favorite of hers, was also proving impossible.  He simply refused to be grumpy anymore.
 Flipping onto her back so she could stare at the ceiling, she pondered her options.  She was also tired of being confined to the indoors.  She was used to having the freedom to wander outside and explore.  With no books to interest her, no movies to grab her attention and no one to play with, she was beyond bored.  She was restless and antsy.
She knew exactly who to blame too.  Jerk Face.  If only she was a little older, she wouldn’t be sitting around, letting the grown-ups take care of business, she’d be helping.  She was actually to the point where she was hoping the stupid man would try and kidnap her again.  At least than she wouldn’t be so dang bored.  Maybe if he came for her again she could sic Cosmo on him.  Cosmo wouldn’t mind taking a few bites out of Jerk Face, especially if she asked him too.
Glancing over at Cosmo, she tried to imagine him biting anyone and couldn’t do it.  Sighing, she let her head fall back against the bed.  
It wasn’t just Jerk Face that had her feeling so freaking wired.  Mr. Draven was her dad.  Maybe.  Actually she was pretty positive he was, but until she had confirmation there was a slim chance of her being wrong.  She didn’t think she was, but…she wasn’t about to call him dad and have him laugh in her face.  She was hoping she was right and terrified she was wrong.
Boldly asking was one way of finding out but the thought of upsetting her mom held her back.  She loved her mom but she was also mad at her.  For the last couple of years she’d believed her dad was dead and now…now she wasn’t so sure that was the truth.  Why had her mom kept the truth from her?  Was Mr. Draven not a nice person?  She thought he was but what if she was wrong?  Was that why her mother had never told her?  Would Mr. Draven hate having her as a daughter?  
That last thought was deflating because it reminded her of when she’d first met him.  He’d been rather hostile then though since then his attitude had since changed.  But she’d asked him once and he’d claimed not to know.  Did he know?  Had he lied to her?  If so. Did that mean he hadn’t wanted her?  Was that the reason her mom had never told her the truth, because she hadn’t want Maddy to feel unwanted?
Never before had she had so much to think about, so much to worry over.  If it wasn’t her mom and Mr. Draven, she would have gone to her mother and asked for advice but she couldn’t this time, not with this.  Besides, she had a feeling if she did ask her mom, her mom would cry.  She didn’t want to make her mom cry.  But it wasn’t fair to her either, Maddy thought.  She wanted to know, needed to know and not knowing was making her feel so out of sorts.
Twisting her neck back around, she once more looked at Cosmo.  Just as she did, his ears pricked forward so Maddy wasn’t surprised when there was a knock on the door a second later.  “Come in,” she called out, not really caring who it was but rolling onto her belly so she could see.
Mr. Draven stepped inside.  “Morning.”
“Morning,” she returned before sighing and rolling back so she could face the ceiling once more.
“Something wrong?” he inquired, coming further into the room.
“No,” she denied quickly.  She didn’t want anyone badgering her about her thoughts.  When she was ready to share, she would.  “What’s up?”
“My sister, Asia, is having a birthday party and I was wondering if you’d like to go.  She’s turning ten, so…I was thinking you’d like to meet her.  I know she wants to meet you.”
Immediately brightening she said, “Really?  I’d like that.  And I’d live to meet your sister.”
“Oh you would, huh?”  Curiously he asked, “Why?”
“I need to know if she’s as cranky and rude as her brother, of course,” Maddy replied, a teasing glint in her eyes.
“Oh she’s much worse,” Mason told her in mock seriousness.
“Oooh, I’m gonna tell her you said so,” she threatened, giggling.
“Don’t do that,” he said, making his eyes go round with fear.  “She’ll get revenge and it will likely hurt.”
“Then I definitely have to tell her,” she said, trying to sound as if she meant it but failing when she wasn’t able to stop laughing.
“Such a mean little girl,” he replied feigning resignation.  A second later he clapped his hands sharply, saying, “Go on, and get dressed.  I’m gonna go get your mother.”
“Okay,” she agreed, scurrying off the bed.  “Don’t let mom talk you out of letting me go.”
“I won’t,” he promised.  “No get dressed.”
Saluting smartly she said, “Yes sir.”
Closing the door, Mason grinned over Maddy’s enthusiasm as he went in search of Gemma.  Though he was pretty sure she wasn’t going to receptive to the idea of attending Asia’s birthday party, he was just as determined to get her there.  As far as he was concerned, the stuff hanging over their heads could be and would be put on hold for now.
Gemma was in one of the back rooms, working.  She’d asked and he’d granted her permission to use one of the unused bedrooms as her office and work space.  He wasn’t sure what she was doing but she spent a lot of time there, sometimes working until late into the night.  He gave a swift knock before entering the open door.  She barely gave him a glance and merely grunted at him in greeting as she continued to busily measure, record and check her work.  A thin film of perspiration covered her brow and her nose was scrunched in concentration.
Once she’d finished her current measurements, he asked, “Exactly what are you doing?”
Not bothering to look up, she murmured her reply, “Don’t worry, it’s not a potion to poison you.”
“Didn’t think it was,” he retorted.  “I’m still interested.”
“I’m testing a potion for reducing the signs of aging,” she told him absently.
“What?” Mason asked in surprise.  Of all the things she could have answered with, reducing the signs of aging hadn’t even made the list.  “That’s kind of, um, trivial, don’t you think?”
Shooting a look of disgust at him, she retorted, “No.  It’s not for the mage community.  It’s for norm women, so I need something that will reverse the effects, but not so much that it’s obvious it’s magical.”
“Okay,” he drawled only to add, “It still boggles my mind why you’re brewing something like that up.  I’m sure there are plenty of things for women, norm women, already on the market so why?”
“Because it’s a profitable market,” she told him honestly. “Did you come in here for a reason or just to harass me?”
“Right.  Asia’s birthday is today and I’d like you and Madison to come along to the party,” he explained.
“Oh, um, I don’t know,” she hedged uneasily.
“Yeah, see, I’m not giving you much a choice here,” he shot back before she could elaborate.  “Madison’s bored out of her mind and this will be good for her.  And she’d like you to come along.”
In deceptively soft voice she said, “So you asked Maddy first.  Was that so I’d feel as if I had no choice.”
Surprised and not at all sure why she was angry, he said, “No, it’s not like that.  I was simply thinking you would both enjoy some time away from here.”
“Uh-huh.”
He sighed, started to away but as he did, he told her, “Believe what you want, Gemma.  You’ve accused me of doing the same a number of times just please, be ready in about ten minutes.”

*****

The level of noise inside the house was enough to have Mason thinking about turning right back around and leaving.  A small party, his mother had told him.  From the sound of things she’d invited the entire mage community.  Taking Gemma and Madison’s jackets, he handed both along with his, to Alon, the butler.
“Thanks, Alon,” he had to shot to be heard above the noise.
“You’re welcome Master Mason,” Alon called back, his ancient face shinning with merriment.  
Mason shook his head.  Despite his age, ancient when his father was a boy, Alon was a spry, tiny man who always had a smile sunshiny disposition.  He had asked the old man to stop calling him Master Mason years ago but Alon refused to do so.
Spotting Asia across the room, talking to another little girl he tried gaining her attention but between the level of noise and the crowd it was impossible.  Another little girl nearby noticed however and tapping Asia on the shoulder said something while pointing in Mason’s direction.  Spinning about she saw him, a huge smile spreading across her face.  Racing over, she threw herself into his arms.  Sweeping her up, he twirled her once before setting her back on her feet.
Bending close when she tugged on his shirt, she pecked him on the cheek before telling him, “About time, I was starting to think you weren’t coming.”
Leaning close enough that he didn’t have to shout he said, “I got hung up for a moment.  Happy birthday, baby sister.”
Giving him a grin she clamped his arm in a vice grip.  “Thank you.”  She glanced around.  “Did you bring that girl you were telling me about?  Madison?”
Smiling, Asia said, “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.  Mason’s told me a lot.”
“Yeah, don’t listen to him, he’s far to cranky to view things as they should be,” Madison quipped.  “And I’m happy to see it doesn’t run in the family.”
“Who’s cranky?” Asia frowned at Mason and then Madison.  “Mason’s cranky?”
“Your brother,” Madison replied, a twinkle in her eyes.  “Do you know that he was very rude to me when we first met?  Thought it would get me to leave him alone.”
Asia’s lips formed an O.  “He didn’t?”
“Oh, he did,” Madison promised.  
Before Mason could defend himself, Asia latched onto Madison’s arm and was dragging her away, saying, “You’ve got to tell me everything.  Did….?”
Shaking his head, but smiling, Mason looked around and spotted Gemma still standing close to the door.  Going over he said, “I think those two will soon be the best of friends.”
Gemma only nodded.
Inwardly, Mason sighed.  Putting a hand on the small of her back, he guided her inside to a quieter spot.  “Here, have a seat and I’ll get us something to drink?”
Threading his way through the throng of kids and parents, he made his way to the bar the party planners had set up at one end of the room.  He guy tending bar was helping out a kid so he waited until he was done before calling out, “Oi!”
Turning the man paled upon seeing Mason.  Mason’s own expression turned hard, his eyes becoming icy.  “What the hell you doing here, Prosper?”
“I’m catering the party,” the man replied, barely constrained hatred lacing every syllable.
“I’ll see that she fires you,” Mason bit out.
“Whatever,” Prosper retorted, not in the least bit concerned with Mason’s threat.  “But if you’re interested in knowing why I even took the job…”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Oh come on, Draven,” Prosper mocked.  “I don’t do kiddy parties.  You know that.”
“Then why?” Mason demanded.
“I was given a hefty sum of money to deliver a message to you.”
“And?”
“This is a direct quote, ‘You can’t hide them forever.”
His blood ran cold.  “Who hired you?”
“No idea,” Prosper replied with an indifferent shrug.  
Reaching across the low bar, Mason snatched a fist full of Prosper’s shirt.  Yanking him close, he snarled, “Give me a fucking name, Prosper or the only thing anyone will ever find of you is your fucking ID card.”
A spark of fear flickered in the other man’s eyes.  Shakily he said, “I really don’t know.  I never saw the person.  The money and message was delivered to me and before you ask, my instructions were to burn the note after and I did.  That’s all I know.”
“So you’ve no way of contacting this person?”
“No,” Prosper shook his greasy head.  “Once the message was delivered my services were not needed again.”
“If they come to you again, get those details, Prosper,” Mason growled threateningly, “Or you’ll live to regret it.  Or not.”
Letting him go, Mason snatched a couple of soda cans from behind the counter and stalked away.  After making his way back to where he’d left Gemma, he shoved a can at her and opened his own, his scowl an obvious sign that his mood had gone bad but he was hoping no one would notice. 
He hoped in vain.  “What happened?”
“Nothing,” he snapped.
“Liar,” Gemma shot back.  “What happened?”
Not wanting to worry her he told her a partial truth.  “Prosper’s here.  I don’t like him.”
“Oh.”
When she didn’t say anything else he gave her a sideways look.  “That’s it.  Just oh?”
“What else is there to say?” she wondered.  “If you want to tell me, you will and if you don’t, you won’t.  Asking for more won’t make a difference.”
Amazingly he wanted to tell her so he said, “Before…” he paused, thought and then, “Tanner sent us, me and Prosper, a few others, on a mission together.  A simple, uncomplicated task that led us to an elderly woman living in the middle of freaking nowhere.  It was just a matter of getting in, getting the potion Tanner wanted and getting out.”
“That’s not what happened though, is it?” she asked gently.
“No,” Mason confirmed.  “Prosper complicated matters by deciding he was going to have a bit of fun with the woman.  He tortured her though she gave up the location within seconds of us entering the house and was gleeful the entire time he did.  I was there, not in the room but I could hear her screams, her pleas but there was nothing I could do.  I’d been ordered to remain outside and…”
“Going against orders got you killed,” she murmured quietly.  “It’s not your fault, Mason.  You were a kid and no match for the Singa’s.  Not then.”
“Yeah, maybe,” he replied though he didn’t agree.  Instead he changed the subject, not wanting to discuss it any longer.  “Hey, let’s go pay our respects to my mom.”
Gemma didn’t look thrilled with the idea but she stood and allowed him to lead her back into the chaos.

*****

The window was filthy, covered in years of dirt and grime.  Sunlight barely penetrated the room, making it dim and dingy.  Standing in the corner of the room, Justice was well hidden, the face concealed by the hood of the cloak and the rest hidden in the shadows.  The hired lackey was late.  Waiting wasn’t a hardship, though it was tedious and boring.  What was annoying was that the lackey had seen the face so carefully hidden.  The face, the body, wasn’t for anyone’s eyes.  Not until the right moment.
 A small popping sound announced the lackey’s arrival.  Drawing back slightly, taking every precaution to remain in the shadows, Justice stepped back.
Killing was never a pleasure but this time it was the lackey’s fault he was about to be dead.  The man would not be mourned, or missed, but it was still a bad day when killing was all the options left.  Then again, killing always sent a thrill through the body but that this death was going to be quick, effortless, was less than stimulating.
Prosper, (the lackey’s name) shoved his greasy hair from his face and grinned widely, showing teeth yellow with age and poor health.  “I got the message to him, just as promised.”
In a voice just above a whisper, the figure said, “Good.”
Rubbing his hands together, Prosper looked perfectly delighted.  “Now, about what you promised me.”
“Hmm, yes, that.”
“I want -”
“I know what you want,” the shadowed figure broke in angrily.
“Well then, lets -”
It was as far as Prosper got.  A spark of light, reddish-orange, briefly illuminated the room.  When it was over, Prosper was in a heap on the floor, dead.  Moving closer, Justice nudged the lackey’s lifeless body with the toe of a boot.
Beneath the hood, a small evil smile spread.

*****

Normally Mason didn’t have much to do with norms, no matter their occupation but Leon was a little different.  He was a norm, one that didn’t work inside the confines of the law and had contacts that rivaled Mason’s, which was the reason he was meeting with him today.  Unlike many norms, Leon wasn’t one to easily dismiss the unusual and unexplainable.  Another bonus as far as Mason was concerned.
He’d first met Leon when the man had tried to hire Mason to look for a rare artifact, an Egyptian bracelet.  Mason had refused and though Leon wasn’t a man to normally take no for an answer, he’d left Mason’s office without retaining his services.  He’d also walked out with a respect that Leon rarely gave anyone.  Mason didn’t particularly care if Leon respected him or not, but he had to admit having questionable contacts in the norm world was a bonus.
Admittedly, Mason also held a grudging respect for Leon.  Criminal or not, he was honest and had a set of moral codes he never wavered from.  They might not have been the same moral codes the rest of the world lived and breathed but then Leon didn’t care what the rest of the world thought of him.  Leon was mean, tough and shrewd but he was also ethical in his own way.
Of course, that hadn’t stopped Mason from doing a little research on the man.  What he’d learned had only made him respect Leon a little more.  Leon’s life had been hard and it was easy to see why the man had fallen into the criminal world.  His mother had been a hooker, addicted to drugs and hadn’t cared much about her son, often leaving him unattended for hours, even days at a time.  When she was around she wasn’t alone, usually having a man around who would, if Leon was lucky ignore the boy.  If he wasn’t lucky, he was beaten or worse.  
When he was older, though it had taken him years, Leon had extracted revenge against every single man who had ever laid hands on him.
At fourteen he’d come home to discover his mother’s brutally butchered body.  Instead of calling the cops, he’d taken off, only making an anonymous call once he was safely away.  After that, he’d had to make his way by crook or hook until he’d met Pickens.  Pickens had taken the young Leon under his wing, had taught him that being criminal didn’t have to be about being the meanest, cruelest gun.  By the time he was twenty he’d been running his own little empire and since then it had only grown.
Now, though most feared him, they also respected him.  Leon, for all his backdoor deals and underground moves, wouldn’t fuck you over.  Normally those types of ethics would be a crime boss’s downfall but Leon had made a name for himself.  He wouldn’t fuck you over but fuck him over and the payment was beyond painful.  It was this and the fact that Leon wasn’t a man to abuse the power he held that impressed Mason.
Mason’s reputation in the norm world was, mostly, thanks to Leon.  After turning Leon down, he’d tried to intimidate Mason into doing the job anyway.  The fact that the article was near impossible to obtain through legal means, there hadn’t been a chance in hell of Mason changing his mind.  Leon didn’t see it that way and had ordered his bodyguards, two very over muscled thugs, to change Mason’s mind.
A bit of magic and a few well-placed punches, Mason had been able to make it look as if he’d beaten the flunky’s.  Leon, so impressed with Mason’s ‘skill’ hadn’t wasted anytime in spreading the tale about and Mason had suddenly been someone.  Thankfully his rep was enough, for the most part, kept people away so he didn’t have to worry much about others bothering him.
Still, it was nice having the connection, which was why he was heading for a meeting with Leon now.  Leon’s residence and business was an old four story building in the older section of the city.  Across the front, in fading black was, ‘Lions Shipping and Co.’  Along with his criminal activities, Leon also owned a small shipping company, mostly long hauls though what Lions Shipping hauled was…questionable.
Leon having a hand in so many pots meant that it was possible he or someone who worked for him had heard something about Justice or Prosper.  Nodding at the guards, Mason walked through the front door and headed straight for the elevator and went straight to the top.  Once there he headed straight for Leon’s office.  The secretary nodded, though she didn’t make eye contact as he walked passed.  
Stepping inside, he greeted the two guards silently and waited for Leon to finish his phone call.  After hanging up, Leon waved a hand to motion Mason into a chair.  “It’s been too long, Mason.  We should get together sometime, have a drink and not just because our business decides to intertwine.”
“Later,” Mason agreed.  “Right now I need info.”
“I presume this is about the matter we discussed on the phone,” Leon wanted clarification.
“Yes,” Mason replied then reminded Leon, “We talked a couple weeks ago, Leon.  You said a day or two.  What’s going on?”
Not the least bit ruffled by Mason’s show of temper, Leon said, “I know and I apologize.  It’s been tougher than I thought to gather information.  In fact, what I’ve just learned isn’t going to make you very happy though…maybe I’m wrong.”
“Leon,” Mason warned in a growl.
“I’ve got Prosper’s location,” Leon replied hurriedly.
“Oh?  Where is he?”
“The county morgue,” Leon answered with a snort of amusement.
“Excuse me?” Mason said stiffly. 
“Toady and Ralph found him this morning,” Leon explained amusement still lighting his tone.  “Got a tip that Prosper was holed up in an abandoned building down by the river, so I sent them over to check it out.  He was there.  He was also very, very dead.  Not a fucking mark on him either.  If it was anyone bit Prosper I would have thought drug overdose but though the man liked to deal, he didn’t partake in his product.”
Sighing in frustration, Mason pushed a hand through his hair. Prosper was his only lead for discovering who Justice really was.  “Damn it!” he cursed, standing up and starting to pace, trying to blow off some of the anger surging through him.
After watching Mason for a few minutes, Leon finally asked, “Who’s this guy, Justice?  What’d he do to you?  What does he want?”
Knowing he could trust Leon, Mason answered, “I haven’t a fucking clue who he is.  Haven’t got any idea what I might have done to him either.  What he wants is my daughter though I’ve no idea why that is either.”
Mason had Leon’s full attention with that last announcement.  “You’ve got a daughter?  I didn’t know that.  Why haven’t you ever mentioned her before now?”
Mason stopped pacing long enough to shot Leon a dark look.  “You know damn well, since you checked me out, that I don’t have a daughter.”
“But you just said -”
“Just found her,” Mason cut in, waving it off.
“I figured,” Leon replied dryly.  “And you looked into my background too so don’t be getting high and mighty about that shit.”
“Wasn’t,” Mason retorted. 
Getting a mite dizzy watching Mason pace he said shortly, “Sit down, Mason.  You’re making me head spin.”
Growling Mason sat.  “Have you learned anything?  Even something small might connect with something I’ve got, which isn’t enough to fill the end of my pinky but, hell, I need something.  Anything.”
Spreading his arms wide, Leon replied, “Not a damn thing. No one I’ve talked to has ever heard of a hooded, secretive type guy running about calling himself Justice.  I found three women and one man with those names.  One’s a nurse in Philly, another’s a stripper at a local joint and the third’s a kid in the eighth grade.”
“And the man?”
“Sixty-three and resides in a nursing home,” Leon told him.
“God, this fucker is out there,” Mason snapped.  “Someone out there knows him.  Find that someone.  Price isn’t a barrier.”
“I’ll keep at it,” Leon promised.  
“And tell me the minute you learn anything,” Mason insisted.
“Of course.”

*****

Returning home as discontented as he’d left, Mason felt the tension ease out as he was greeted by the sound of giggling.  Asia had come to stay with him a few days, having become the best of friends with Madison, as he’d predicted.  Currently they were experimenting with baking but despite the noise, the mess and the headache’s it had caused thus far, he could honestly say he was happy to see them getting along so well.
Asia had begged a few recipes from Clare and that had set the girls off and running.  If only he’d known, he thought ruefully now, that giving the little she-devils free reign in the kitchen meant having his kitchen turned into a war zone he might have had second thoughts.  Then again, seeing the two of them happily giggling and having fun was well worth the price of a destroyed kitchen.
Heading there now he found the little hellions at it again.  Both were covered in flour, as if they’d bathed in the powdery substance.  And both were laughing like loons.  Gemma entered the kitchen from the servant’s entrance just as he did from the other side.  Gemma met his gaze and he was pleased to see a sparkle of amusement in his eyes.
“What’s on the menu today?”
Grinning, Asia answered, “Muffins.”
Mason narrowed his eyes, thinking of Clare’s wonderful muffins.  Madison chimed in, saying, “Asia says Clare’s muffins are the best.”
“They are,” he agreed then dryly told them, “But it looks as if you two are wearing the muffins.”
They thought that was funny as hell and both fell to laughing again.  Rolling his eyes, but delighted, he said, “Make sure you clean up after?”
After getting their promise he headed for his office.  There were a few things he needed to take care of before the day got too long.  It was only hours later that he looked up, noticing the time and inwardly groaned.  It was past eleven, closer to midnight.  He’d gotten so involved in his work he’d lost track of time.  Yawning, he rubbed at his eyes tiredly.  It was time to pack it in and call it a night.  But first, a stiff drink to help him unwind.
Standing up, intending to go over to the small wet bar he kept in the corner of the office, he paused at the small knock on the office door.  Before he could ask the person to enter, Gemma opened it and stepped inside, softly closing the door behind her.
He raised a brow.  “Need something, Gemma?”
She started to shake her head, stopped, nodded.  “Have you got a minute?  I’m not interrupting am I?”
“Not at all,” he assured her.  “I was just going to have a nightcap before calling it a night.  Care to join me?”
“Um,” she hesitated, biting her lower lip before agreeing, “Sure.  Something light.”
Light?  Going over he surveyed what he had.  Nothing light.  He had wines but nothing he kept in the office since he preferred whiskey or brandy.  Looking over the labels he couldn’t help but smile.  Most of the liquor he owned was brewed by mages and most of them had a sense of humor, rather odd or not.  He had Fire Tail Whiskey, Vermin Vodka, Grim Gin, Spice Rumble Rum, and Tippy Tequila.  There were a few cordials but nothing that was even close to being light.  Stopping low he checked the lower shelves but all he found there was a bottle of Bandy Brandy and another of Sleepy Eyes, another brandy.
Which one would Gemma consider light?
Finally he settled on pouring himself a small glass of Vermin Vodka and for Gemma chose the Sleepy Eye Brandy.  Taking the glass over to her he asked, “Are the girls asleep?”
“Out cold,” she replied, taking the glass from him and taking a large gulp.  Gasping, coughing, she demanded, “What is this?”
Sheepishly he said, “Brandy.  It’s, um, the lightest thing I had on hand.  Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine,” she assured him.  “Just wasn’t expecting it.”  
He watched in amazement as she downed the rest of the contents in one long gulp, after she simply held the glass loosely in her fingers, looking at it rather than him.  The silence was thick between them when she said, “I overheard Maddy telling Asia that she believes you’re her father.  Your sister’s response, and I quote, ‘Of course he is.’  Did you tell Asia?”
“No,” Mason denied, irritated that she’d think that.  “I’m waiting, impatiently, for you to tell Madison.  When are you going to tell her?”
“I did,” she replied, surprising him.  “I pulled her aside earlier today and…explained, um, things to her.”
“How did she handle it?” he asked concerned.
“Well, actually,” Gemma said, holding the glass out to him.  “Could I have a little more, please?”
After refilling the goblet, he handed it back.  Once again she gulped the fiery liquid down in a couple of swallows.  “Maddy said she thinks she understands why I never told her but I’m not really sure she does.  Mostly because I’ve never really understood it myself.  She’s mad at me, understandably.  I’ll have to work on gaining her trust again.”
“Maybe,” Mason replied softly.  “And maybe you don’t give her enough credit.”
Instead of arguing with him she lifted a single shoulder, let it fall.  “Maybe I don’t.  But then, perhaps you give her too much.  She’s only nine, remember.”
“Point taken,” he said, no wanting to squabble any more than she did.
“Maddy asked me to tell you that she wants to discuss this with you but she’ll do it when she’s ready,” Gemma blurted, needing to get it all out.  “She’s happy to finally know and is ecstatic that it’s you but she says she wants to enjoy Asia’s visit and do some thinking.  She hopes you understand.”
Giving a small shake of his head and smiling he said, “Sounds like Madison.”
Once more she held the glass out to him.  He didn’t make her ask but filled it, this time bringing the bottle with him and putting it on the small table between where they were sitting.  Sipping it, a little quickly, Gemma stared off into space, lost in thought.  Mason wasn’t able to look away, caught up in watching the way the flickering light from the fire played over her golden skin.
Beautiful.  She was so damn beautiful. He recalled, with absolute clarity the first time he’d notice just how beautiful she was.  It was their third year, right before the war had taken over everyone’s lives.  She’d walked by him, accompanied by Walker Rimmon and if not for the fact that he’d recognized Walker, he would have never spotted Gemma.  She had been transformed that night into something so amazingly beautiful, he hadn’t had the words then or now to describe her.  It was that night, though it would take a few more years to admit it, that his feelings for her had started to change.  
Gemma’s beauty was subtle but all the more wonderful because of it.  Her hair was a burnished brown-red and it framed a face that was narrow, with sharp cheekbones and eyes that were at times, far too big for her face.  Her eyes, however, were his favorite feature.  They were large, slanted and framed by dark thick lashes, which only served to emphasize the blue orbs.  Breathtaking wasn’t a word he would have used for Gemma all those years ago but that’s exactly what she was to him now, breathtaking.
Just then Gemma downed the rest of the contents in her glass and poured another.  Mason frowned.  “I didn’t think you were much of a drinker?”
“I -” she shook her head, seemed to consider what she was going to say and then admitted, “I’m not.  Not usually.”
A single brow rose in question.  “Ah.  What makes tonight different?”
Licking her lips, a nervous gesture, she leaned closer to him.  In fact, she got close enough that he could smell the brandy on her breath.  “Have you noticed the, er, tension between us?”
Having her so close was messing with his senses.  All he managed to get out was, “Huh?”
“Tension,” she repeated.  “There’s tension between us.”
“There is?” he asked softly, his eyes wandering over her face, his fingers itching to touch, to hold, and to play.
“Yes,” she insisted, nodding slightly and causing her hair to fall forward so that it fell across his lap.  Impatiently she reached up and shoved it back.  “It’s not because of Maddy.  It’s something else.”
Mason didn’t dare move.  Hell, he was afraid to breath.  “What is it?”
“Desire,” she breathed, tilting her head even closer to him so that their lips nearly brushed and did when she went on, “lust, want, need, whatever name you want to put on it, it’s there, hanging like a knife above us, waiting to strike.”
“Ah,” he breathed against her lips, desperately wanting to close the distance and end the torture.  “So you’re drinking because you want to forget about this, er, tension?”
Leaning away slightly she slowly shook her head.
“Then why?” he asked, almost afraid to find out.
Once again she moved into him and hovering there for second she said, “So I can do this,” just before closing the distance between them.
Chapter 12

As much as Mason wanted what she was offering, he pulled back, refusing to let her deepen the kiss.  He looked into her eyes, silently questioning her, wanting, needing to know what she was doing.  Why she was doing it.  She stared back at him, her gaze steady, sure and dark with desire.  Doubts sprang forth, so many that he wasn’t able to think for a long moment, unable to separate one from another.  
Regret.  He latched onto that single thought, tugged it close, and examined it.  If they did this, what was going to happen after?  She was going to regret it, hate him for it.  No way in hell was he going to let that happen.  He had not come this far only to set himself back to the beginning and all because she was a little horny.  Hell, she needed liquid encouragement so what did that say about her?  Him?  Them?
Nothing good, he was sure.
His body was bitching but his mind was clam, telling him that things with Gemma had to go slow no matter how badly he body was hurting to take her, to taste her, to touch her.  Gemma would regret this later and he would be the one to pay the price.  The hell with that.  Aching or not, he wasn’t going to say screw the consequences and take her like some randy teenager, no matter her persistent she was in the offering .
Reaching up, Gemma cupped his neck with the palm of her hand, using it to pull him closer.  Against his lips, she whispered, “Just let it happen, Mason.”
Hell, it was if she’d heard his thoughts.  Shaking his head, he told her, “I can’t…We can’t do this, Gemma.”
Her breath fluttered across his face, making his blood speed, his heart to race.  He yearned to wrap himself around her but resisted.  “Yes we can, I locked the door.”
She had?  Well…no.  No!  She was not only deliberately misunderstanding him; she was doing her hardest to distract him.  To tempt him.  His lips brushed whisper soft against hers as he murmured, “Liar.”
She laughed, a low, smoky sound that sent shivers of desire tingling along his spine.  “Think so?  Check it out.”
That gave him pause.  “Why’d you lock the door, Gemma?”
“You aren’t the only one who can be sneaky, Mason,” she replied, taking is lower lip into her mouth and nibbling lightly.  Shivers danced along his skin, making him shudder.
“Why?”
“Why what?” she asked, nibbling a path along his jaw line.
Weary even as pleasure shot in every direction he clarified, saying, “Why did you come here tonight?  Why are you trying to, um, seduce me?”
Moving closer so she was almost on top of him she slid her lips back along his jaw, finding the sensitive spot just below his ear.  His sigh of relief turned into a moan as he felt his cock grow harder. Flicking her tongue over the spot, she breathed, “I came to tell you about Maddy.”
Riiight, he thought saying, “You’ve done that.  This isn’t that.”
“Hmm,” she murmured against his neck, skimming her mouth up so her breath whispered along his ear, sending his nerve endings into a frenzy.  “Yes, but I came for more than that.”
Unable to take it any longer, Mason wrapped his fingers along her upper arms and pushed back.  Seeing her expression, he almost lost it.  Her eyes were dark with desire, her lips swollen from use.  For weeks he’d been dreaming of seducing her, having her, wanting her so badly he could taste it.  Never once in all his imaginings had she been the seductress.  Never once had he anticipated her in the roll of aggressive pursuer and him the innocent maid.  Okay, the word innocent didn’t really fit him but hell, it felt as if she was playing with him and he didn’t like it.  Not even a little.
Shaking the thoughts off, he stared into her eyes, wanting so badly to forget everything and fall into her.  Instead he, his tone reasonable, he said, “You’ve had too much to drink, Gemma.  I’m thinking this isn’t such a good idea right now.  It’s not what you want.”
A light, smoky laugh issued from her throat, doing all sorts of wonderful things to his body.  “I’m not drunk, Mason.  Maybe a bit…tipsy but I know what I’m doing.  Know what I want.”
“I don’t think -”
Her lips coming back to his and nipping at him lightly cut him off.  “Stop thinking so much and just…feel.”
“I -”
Deepening the kiss, she invaded his mouth, exploring him with her tongue.  A soft moan escaped her when he returned the kiss, pushing his way into her mouth, turning the kiss into something harder, putting everything he felt into it and more.  
Pulling back a little, she said, “This is all I’ve been able to think about for weeks, Mason.  I remember how good the sex was between us.  I want that, just that, again.  I want to feel your skin against mine, you lips on me, your hands -”
He cut her off before he forgot himself.  “You’ll regret this in the morning, Gemma.”
“No,” she replied with a slow shake of her head.  “I won’t.”
Pushing her back, he copied her motion, shaking his head.  “No.  I can’t,” he added for good measure and looking away.  If he looked, he was going to fall, straight into her arms.
For a moment he thought he’d one, she was so quiet, even stood up and moved back from him.  A stab of disappointment gripped him but he set it aside.  No, this was for the best.  She was…
Naked! 
Oh gods!
For a moment he could only sit there, stunned but before he knew what he was even thinking he was up and moving toward her.  Desire washed over him like a rushing river.  His brain took a hike as instinct, need, desire took hold and every inch of his body came alive.  Digging his fingers into her arms, he brought her closer, dipping his head so he could ravage her mouth.
Her arms came up, dislodging his hold.  Her fingers threaded into his hair, tugging him even closer even as he slid his arms around her and did the same.  Their bodies melded into each other, the heat from her scalding him through is clothing.  Fire!  She was fire and heat and he wanted to melt into her, over her, around her.
Moaning softly, her head fell back, her breathing harsh as he played his lips, tongue, over her skin, relishing in her taste, her scent.  Grabbing her close, he walked backwards until he felt the sofa.  There he fell back, taking Gemma with him, his lips never losing contact with her.  Her legs came up, straddling his thighs.  Rocking her hips against his hardness she groaned, seeking his lips as she did.  Pleasure swept him along and he drank from her, taking everything she offered, demanding more.
Against his lips she begged, “Please.”
Bracing against the onslaught, trying to stay ahead of the desire sweeping through him, he gripped her hips, holding her back just enough to give him some thinking room.  “Gemma,” he began.
“Please,” she repeated a plea and demand.
“Gemma,” he tried again.  “You have to be sure.”
In answer she lifted her hips, her hands busily working at tugging his shirt free.  Losing patience, he tore the shirt off.  As he did, her hands moved down the fastening of his jeans.  When she had them undone she patted his hips, a silent demand to lift.  He did and she easily glided his jeans and boxers down, freeing him.  Surging upward, she attacked his mouth with a ferocity that made him forget thought, forget everything but what he was feeling.
Skimming his hands along her sides, he cupped her breasts, flicking his thumb over her nipples, making her moan into his mouth.  Her back arched, pressing her closer, bringing them skin to skin, heartbeat to heartbeat.  Sliding up, Gemma rocked her hips, nudging him with her center and with a delft move, he was sinking into her.
Mason shifted slightly as she skipped down the length of him, wanting his mouth on her.  He gently cupped one globe and sucked the nipple into his mouth.  She cried out in pleasure, the tempo she’d started to set jerking out of sync as he licked, nibbled, teased the nub until she was writhing against him.  Trailing his mouth over, he treated the other breast the same, making her cry, moan, plead even as he swayed above him, taking him deep, lifting and then swallowing him back down.
Trailing one hand down, pressing his palm between them his thumb found and began rubbing her clit.  She jerked, cried out, rocking harder taking him deeper.  Pushing up as she came down, he shoved inside, changing the rhythm.  Soon though all thought of playfulness vanished as each became lost inside sensation, each straining for that ultimate ending.
And it came exploding inside out, making him clutch her tighter, bring her closer, as his body shuddered with release.  Breathing harsh, heart racing, Mason sat back, bringing Gemma with him, her head resting against his chest and him still buried deep inside her.  Thought was slow to return and even when it did, his first thought was that he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to move again, the intensity of his orgasm had left him feeling weak, drained.
He wasn’t sure how long they lay there, Gemma pressed against his chest but when he heard her sigh for the third time, he asked lightly, “Something wrong?”
“Nope,’ she answered lazily.  
Half amused at the slurred tones, he said, “Glad to hear it.”
Chucking she pushed up, her palms flat against his chest.  “Afraid I was regretting?”  Not letting him answer she twisted away, issuing a soft groan as he slid free from her.  Turning to look at him from her new position, she said, “I’m not.  Regretting this, if you’re wondering.  And I won’t.”
Making no comment, Mason just stared at her and after a moment she turned away but didn’t move away.  She settled in next to him, pressing her naked body close to his semi naked one.  Jesus!  His pants were still on, having made it only part way down his thighs.
Didn’t matter.  He had to make her understand that this wasn’t for one night as she was thinking.  He didn’t want one night.  He wanted forever.  There was no way in hell he was letting it end here but he was reluctant to ruin the moment.  She wasn’t running from him, but was curled up beside him like a contented cat.  He liked it, didn’t want it to end.
Never before would he have thought Gemma cold or calculating and he didn’t think that was the case now.  No, something was going on inside her head but what?  It was enough that ruining the moment or not, he needed to know.
With an inward sigh, he said, “Gemma?”
“Hmm,” she murmured sleepily.
“We’ve got to talk,” he said, silently flinching and bracing himself for what he was sure was coming.
Only it didn’t come.  Gemma languidly rolled her head until she was looking up at him.  At the same time she uncurled enough to toss one leg over his thighs.  The motion caused her hair to slide silkily down his chest, tickling.  Reaching up to brush it aside, he didn’t stop her when she snatched his hand.  Didn’t stop her when she slowly, her eyes on his, brought a finger to her mouth and sucked it inside.
He gasped as the heat of her mouth wrapped around his digit but didn’t move.  Didn’t dare move.  Instantly his body reacted but he held still as she twirled her tongue around his finger, making his insides boil with need once more.  Damn, but when had Gemma turned into such a wanton seductress?
Amusement danced in her eyes. Ever so slowly she slipped his finger from her mouth.  Taking her other hand she skimmed a nail down his torso, making his cock jerk in reaction.  Moaning he slapped a hand over hers, stilling her playing.  Years ago, before he’d fucked things up, she’d been playful and always ready for a good romp but she had never been so sexually blatant.
“Are you trying to get me going?  Again?”
Grinning wickedly she replied, “Depends.  Is it working?”
“Stop it, Gemma,” he growled.  “This isn’t you.”
She only laughed.  “It’s been years, Mason.  How do you know this isn’t me?  I’ve changed, maybe.”
“And maybe,” he snarled as he reached up and stopped her from sucking his finger again, “you’re doing all this to distract me.  To avoid talking to me?”
“Or maybe,” she retorted yanking her hand free from where he had it trapped between his and his chest, “you’re just too old for what I’m offering.” 
Growling, knowing he was playing right into manipulations, he flipped her over covering her with his body.  Looking down into her face, those startling blue eyes, he couldn’t deny how very much he wanted her.  Not just her body, but her.  Everything about her made him hot and crazy with need.  
Smiling at his thoughts, he said, “If I recall, I’m only about a month older than you.”
“Prove it,” she demanded, smiling mischievously.
So he did.

*****

Hours later, he held her close, looking over her shoulder into the fire.  With his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, he tried once again to get her to talk.  Nuzzling her neck he asked, “You know that we still have to talk, don’t you?”
She sighed heavily.  “No, we don’t.  We really don’t.  Not now.  Not tonight.  Maybe tomorrow or next week, or even next month, but not now.”
“Oh no,” he murmured softly.  “We’ll talk now because right now we’re here.”
Between stiff lips she said, “Why can’t you let it go, Mason?  Talking will ruin this.  Talking leads to arguing.  I don’t want to argue.”
“It will only ruin this if we let it,” he argued.  “The same goes for arguing.”
Pulling away from him, she sat up, hugging her knees to her chest.  It didn’t seem to matter to his body that she was, technically covered because he reacted.  Only his self-control and the fact that he was thoroughly satisfied kept him from taking her back down and ravishing her for a third time.  Or would it be the fourth?
As if she could read minds a sinful twinkle came into her eyes and she inched closer, reached out trailed her finger tips down his chest, his belly to just above the junction between his thighs.  Her movement freed her breasts and for a moment he was too breathless, mindless to do much more than enjoy her touch.  
“I think,” she breathed, “talking is going to have to wait.”
His mind kicked into gear at the same time his cock came to attention.  Ignoring the ache, he gripped her hips and set her away.  Reaching back, he snatched a blanket from the back of the sofa and tossed it over her all too tempting body.  His actions proved amusing because she started laughing but thankfully didn’t do or say anything that would have questioned his resolve.  In fact, when he stood and pulled on his jeans, sans boxers, she laughed harder.
Pulling the blanket more firmly about her shoulders, Gemma pushed up and sat crossed-legged on the floor, looking up at him.  More confident now that she was covered and his jeans added a second layer of protection, Mason dropped back down, copying her sitting style and facing her.  Once comfortable he gave her a speculative look.
He hadn’t expected her to stay. In fact, the thought had crossed his mind that he was going to have to chase her down just to get her to listen to him.  That she was sitting here, not even attempting to run, was promising but he wasn’t convinced. Not yet. 
Suddenly he heard himself say, “I want to get married.”
Surprise flickered across her face before she was able to hide it.  Her question, however, threw him.  “Who’s the lucky woman?”
His jaw fell open but he just as quickly closed it.  Grunting, he said, “You.”
Gemma was fast.  Once second she was sitting peacefully, listening and the next she was up and moving, gathering her clothing and heading for the door.  Jumping up, Mason grabbed her arm, spinning her back around to face him.  She yanked, hard, against his hold but he refused to lose, tightening his grip.
“Stop it,” he yelled when she kicked out at him, catching him in the shin.  Doing his best to ignore the stinging, he snarled, “Jesus!  Is the thought of marrying me that fucking deplorable?”
Instantly she stopped struggling.  Peeking up at him through messy hair, she opened her mouth, closed it and then tried again.  “No it’s… no.  I can’t…I won’t marry you, Mason.  I told you there was never going to be a chance between us, not again.  I won’t…don’t ever want to feel that way again.  With you or…anyone.”
Pain sliced him deep, burying the knife deep in his chest.  Softly he asked, “What was tonight then?  Revenge?”
Her eyes widened.  “What!  Of course not.  I would never…could never…”
“What then?” he demanded harshly.
“I wanted…” Taking a deep breath she released it slowly then said, “A release for us both from the tension that was pressing at both of us.  A night of passion, Mason.  Only that, nothing more.  I don’t want or need marriage.”
He let her go, raking a hand through his hair.  “I don’t -”
She shushed him by placing a finger against his lips.  “No.  I don’t want to hear what you feel or hope for, Mason.  That’s cold, yes, but I wanted this, only this, for this night.  No worries, no regrets, that was - is - my promise to you and myself but that’s all I’m willing to give.”
Shaking her head when he tried to speak, she added, “This isn’t about the past, Mason.  It’s not about what changed between us, what hasn’t or how very sorry we are for the parts we played.  I made myself a promise, long ago, that I was never going to let anyone make me feel that… shattered again.  The first time was hard the second time nearly killed me.  I can’t let it happen for a third time.  My heart was broken twice a third time would kill me.”
“Even if it means truly never living,” he asked quietly, his words slightly off since her finger was still pressed there.
A deep sorrow filled her eyes, making him ache to hold her, and she smiled at him sadly.  “If that’s what it means, then yes.”
She walked away then, leaving him standing there, his thoughts in chaos.  When she was gone he smiled grimly to himself.  He wasn’t defeated.  He was only going to have to work harder.  Good thing he liked a challenge.

*****

After a month, Mason was no longer sure Gemma was going to be that hard to win over.  Every night, after putting Madison to bed, she slipped into his room.  Then again, once they had finished making love she would slip out again, though he had an idea that was so Madison (Asia too since she hadn’t yet gone home) would catch them together.  She still refused to talk to him, at least about the stuff that counted. Everything else, however, was up for discussion.
A few nights ago she’d come much later than her usual time and he had thought, briefly of tracking her down but just as he’d been about to go in search of her, she’d appeared.  Later, after giving it some thought, he’d deduced that Gemma had tried staying away but hadn’t been able to stay away.  He wasn’t sure if he should accredit that to his skills in bed or because she still had feelings for him.
Only once more had he brought up marriage and that night she’d gathered her clothing and had left without a word.  Far from being deflated with that reaction he’d actually been heartened.  Saying nothing meant she didn’t trust herself to speak and he knew (his gut knew) that it was because she did care and didn’t want to admit it, to herself or to him.
Last night she’d left as she had all the other nights but that was okay.  He was wearing her down and by doing nothing more than loving her, thoroughly, gently and with a great deal of pleasure.
Rolling over, deciding a few more minutes of sleep wouldn’t hurt, he was just drifting off when someone pounded loudly on the bedroom door.  Muttering he lifted his head and shouted, “Go away!”
“Won’t!”  Came back at him and he groaned.
“Madison, it’s four in the morning,” he growled.  “Go back to bed.”
“Won’t,” she repeated, this time opening the door and coming through.  Asia right behind her. 
Dryly he said, “Come on in.  Make yourselves at home.”
Storming over to him, she plunked her fist on her hips.  “Where’s mom?”
“Yeah, where’s her mom?” Asia seconded, mimicking Madison’s stance.  “What did you say to her, Mason that made her leave?”
“Huh?” he said unthinkingly, more confused than anything.  “What the hell are you two blathering about?”
“Oh puh-lease,” Madison snapped angrily, her small fist uncurling so she could point a finger at him.  “You may be my dad but that doesn’t mean I have to like you.  You better bring mom back or I’ll never like you.  It also means I’ll have to…have to…do something you’re not going to like.”
“Right,” Asia chimed in, backing her new best friend up.  “Favorite bro or not, I can’t let you mess with Maddy like this.”
“Okay, let’s get this straight,” he rumbled, climbing from bed and putting his robe on.  Knowing intimidation wasn’t going to work with these two he looked at their identical glowers and sighed.  “I really haven’t got a clue to what you two are talking about so why don’t you clue me in.  Start by telling me what it is you think I did?”
Hissing, Madison said, “You did something to make mom leave, that’s what you did.  She left.  She’s gone.  How could she leave me?  It’s your fault.” Angrily she tossed a crumpled piece of paper at him.  “Read this!”
Catching the slip of paper, he smoothed it out and read; 
I’ve got to think.  I need some breathing room.  I can’t think when I’m around you.
That was it.
His first response was anger.  It rose up inside him, making his hands clench, his heart to stutter.  Before the emotion could take full hold, however, he read the note again, thought of Gemma and Madison and knew in his gut that Gemma would have never just left.  She would have left Madison behind.  And the note, it was too cryptic, too short.  Gemma, if she had left willingly, would have left a detailed, emotionally charged letter.
The anger diminished, changed to fear, increasing his pulse rate.  He scanned the room, his thoughts whirling.  Saying nothing to the two angry girls before him, he strolled from the room.  Going to his office he quickly jotted out a couple of messages, one to Parker and the other to Leon.  Finished, he summoned a message imp, paid the delivery price and sent the imp on her way.  Not waiting for a response, knowing it would be a bit for both notes to be delivered, Mason turned, almost tripping over the girls as he did.  
Gently pushing them aside, he went straight to Gemma’s room, Asia and Madison close on his heels.  They peppered him with questions but he said nothing, to busy thinking, calculating and worrying.  Inside Gemma’s room he stopped only a few feet inside, the sudden silence causing him to turn to the girls.  The no longer looked angry, their faces were now wore identical frowns of worry.
Cosmo has also joined the party, standing silently by Madison’s side.  When he glanced, absently, at the dog, he whimpered softly before trotting over to the set of double doors leading out to the terrace.  Frowning at the mutt, Mason studied the room.  Nothing was out of place.    The door to the closet was open, revealing that her clothing was still here.  All of it?  He wasn’t sure but he didn’t think anything would be found missing.
A low, steady growling drew his attention.  Cosmo was at the terrace doors, looking from them to Mason and back again, pawing at the door as if needing to go outside.  Glancing over at Madison, Mason asked, “Does he need to go for a walk?”
“No,” Madison denied.  “He went just a little while ago.”
Not long after Madison and Gemma had come to stay with him, Mason had transformed one of the spear rooms into an inside park.  Madison could either join Cosmo there for a bit of fun and play or the dog could use the doggy door.  Magic, Mason thought, was a wonderful thing.  Most of the time.
Turning back to the dog, Mason eyed him, thinking.  Something about the beast behavior was off.  No, not off, it was pulling at him.  Walking over to join Cosmo at the doors, Mason opened them.  Before he could do more than twist the knob, Cosmo was pushing past him.  Mason followed the dog outside into the biting cold.
Gemma’s shawl was hanging off the railing, whipping wildly in the wind.  A cold filled him that had nothing to do with the weather.  Detangling the shawl, he pulled it free, his fingers curling around it tightly.  Terror filled him as he leaned over the railing, fearing the worse, expecting to see Gemma below, dead.  Taking a deep breath he peeked over the rail, looking down.
She wasn’t there.  No one was.
Planting his front paws on the railing, Cosmo started howling, his snout to the sky.  With a frown, Mason looked that way too.  Nothing was there either.  Slowly he surveyed the surroundings, taking in the building, the height, the lightening morning sky.
Frustration building he gave the dog an annoyed look.  “Are you trying to tell me something or are you just baying at the fucking moon.”
Cosmo turned lake blue eyes his way and whimpered.  Fuck!  That didn’t tell him damn thing.
Then an idea struck him.  Spinning away, he rushed inside only to stop when he saw Parker and Wren standing with Madison and Asia.  Standing slightly a part from the foursome was Linton.  “What’s going on?” Parker demanded his face a mask of worry, anger and fear.
“Gemma’s missing,” Mason informed them all.  “I think Justice might have her but…” he glanced at Cosmo who had come inside with him, “…I’m not sure.  I’ve got an idea though.”
“And that would be?” Wren required her voice deceptively low, her eyes burning with the same emotions of her husband.
“Cosmo,” Mason replied.  Without going into detail he brushed past the others, heading for his office.  They followed, including Cosmo.  The others stopped just inside the office, watching as Mason searched his bookshelves.  Once he’d found the book he wanted, he headed back out into the hall, his followers parting for him.
From there he headed toward Gemma’s work room, knowing that most of what he was going to need could be found there.  As he started grabbing up what he was going to need, he said, “Parker?”
“Uh, yeah?”
“Can you please find some anemone,” Mason requested, never taking his eyes off what he was measuring.  “I’ll also need some ginger and willow.”
“Um, sure,” Parker agreed, moving into the room so he could search the shelves better.  “What is it you’re brewing up, Mason?”
“A sentient potion,” he answered absently as he tipped a drop of juniper into the pot.  
“Yeah, see, that doesn’t really tell me much,” Parker said as he pulled out a jar of willow.
“It’s to let Cosmo talk to us,” Wren murmured catching on.
“We’re going to feed a potion to Cosmo so he can talk?”
“Not exactly,” Mason corrected.  “We’ll be able to hear his thoughts.”
“Will this potion make Cosmo sick,” Madison demanded worriedly.
“Nope,” Mason assured her, adding, “We’ll be the one’s drinking it, not the dog.”
Linton made a face.  “What do you mean, we have to drink it?”
Mason didn’t bother replying.  Beneath his breath, Parker muttered, “I was afraid of that.  Better not be as nasty as the changeover potion.”
“Won’t Cosmo have to have some,” Madison asked.
Giving her a brief look he shook his head.  “No.  A simple incantation will work for him.”  Then he sighed.  “I’m not sure any of this is going to work, anyhow.”
Wren sent him a surprised look.  “Then why are you doing this?”
“Because at the moment, it’s all we have,” Mason told her.
Ignoring their bickering tones, Parker asked, “What makes you think this won’t work, Mason?”
“It’s designed to work on magical creatures, not norm animals,” he explained as he poured a good amount of celandine into the mixture.  “I think I can work around it but I won’t know until it’s done.  Honestly, I never thought I’d ever use this particular potion.  After all, I’ve never wanted to know what was on an animal’s mind, magical or not.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Parker mused as he placed the jar of ginger beside Parker.  “There are times I’ve wondered what’s going on inside Miles head.”
“Miles?” Mason asked.
“Our pet dragon,” Wren supplied.  “Of the mini sort,” she clarified when she got a few weird looks.
Deciding the Hadley’s choices in pets was a matter left for later, Mason didn’t comment.  Instead he told them all, “It’s almost finished.  Let’s hope it works.”
With a confidence no one else was feeling, Madison said, “It’s going to work.”
“You sound pretty sure of that,” Linton commented, though his attention was centered on Mason.
“Cosmo’s special,” Madison replied evasively.
It wasn’t the way she said it but the flicker of…something, in her eyes that had Mason pausing and giving her concentrated look.  “What makes you say that, Madison?”
She only shrugged.  “Because he is.”
Having caught the same look on her face as Mason had, Parker tried a different approach.  “Maddy, if there’s a specific reason you think so you should tell us, it might help us find your mom.”
Madison didn’t answer right away but seemed to think about it.  Finally she said, “I think Cosmo is magical.  I’m not sure how or why, but I think he is.”
“Well,” Mason mused, “there’s only way to find out. Grab a cup and suck it back.”
Chapter 13

Gemma woke by slow degrees.  Her first thought was the pain coming from her head was far too much to have been caused by the few drinks she’d indulged in the night before.  She was way too nauseas and woozy feeling.  Keeping her eyes closed, afraid opening them would only make her symptoms worse. She tried, instead, to will the pain away or at least to a dull roar.  When it lessoned just a little, she slowly peeled her eyes open.  
She was blind.
Get a grip, she scolded herself.  Blinking, she rubbed at her eyes, trying to get a better handle on her surroundings.  Home she wasn’t, though where was a mystery.
Light, the only light, was filtering in from a dirt streaked window set high up near the ceiling.  The little light that shone through was only enough to make everything shades of grey.  Nothing was distinguishable, making it hard to make out any helpful details that might have clued her into where she was.  Sitting up, taking her time in deference to her aching head and rolling stomach, Gemma did her best to see something.
Giving it up, she instead felt around the back of her head, where most of the pain seemed to me emanating.  A hissing sound escaped when her fingers touched the large bump there.  Something sticky and drying told her the bump had bled some.  Letting her hand drop away, back into her lap, she sighed.  As there was nothing she could do about the head wound, she wasn’t going to let herself think about it and playing with it was likely only going to make it worse.
Instead she once again gave her attention to the room.  Since sight was useless she started running her hands over whatever she could reach.  From touch she construed that she was sitting on a cot of some sort.  She was getting up, thinking to search the room when a rattling sound and tugging about her ankles made her aware that she was chained and shackled.  Jesus!  How had she not noticed?
Doesn’t matter.
Reaching down, she felt along her legs until her fingers touched cold metal.  Following the chains links out, she discovered they led to the wall.  The chain was attached to a ring which was embedded into the wall.  Tugging on the ring, then the chain proved fruitless, neither was going to budge.  Releasing the chain, she stood up, next testing the limits allowed her.  It wasn’t more than a few steps in either direction.  Hell!  
Since it was impossible to search the room, she crawled back on the cot, pressing her back against the wall opposite of the ring keeping her there.  
Doing simple spells were not hard but it took her brain a few agonizing moments to think.  When her brain reengaged, she groaned softly.  Simple unlocking spells had never come easy for her and she had a feeling that simple wasn’t going to free her.  Still, she had to try.
Locked in the darkness, she bent over, contorting herself so she could get as close to the shackles as possible, she whispered, “Aperio!”
Nothing happened but she hadn’t really expected anything.  Refusing to give up, she started going through all the unlocking, releasing and more spells she could recall.  Facio, viam, solvo, laxo, reptum.  Nothing worked unless she considered her growing annoyance progress, which she didn’t.  Soon enough she’d run out of spells and resorted to saying things like, open sesame, abrah cadabra and other inane things she knew had no chance in hell of working.
Changing tactics she tried a few spells for breaking the chains and met with the same results.  Though in this case she wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t really know that many spells and the ones she did know weren’t that strong of if it was because the chains were magically enhanced.  She was betting the latter.  She next tried crushing spells and again got nothing.  Cutting spells got her nothing as well.  Chopping spells, which she was more proficient in, was also a big fat nothing.  Finally she tried to simply remove the shackles.  Nothing.
Maybe she wasn’t putting enough power behind the spells.  Using the same spells she’d only just run through, she tried again, this time putting everything she had behind the effort.  Nothing.  Exhausted, she plopped backward on the cot.  A moment later she popped back up, grabbing the chain and yanking in pure frustration.  Of course that did nothing except scrap her palms, making them tender and raw.
Irritated with herself as much as the situation, Gemma yanked once more, crying out in pain when the sharp edges of the metal sliced into her ankles.  Fucking hell that had hurt and the small trickle she could feel told her she’d cut herself open.  Stupid.  Holding her ankles, she breathed through the stinging until it settled into a dull ache. Moving carefully, not wanting to reawaken the pain in her ankles, she eased backwards until she could use the wall as support.
Taking slow, deep breaths she calmed herself down.  Getting angry, frustrated, scared was only going to make things worse.  Once she was back under control, she considered her position.
Justice was behind this, of that she was sure but at this point she had no idea how the man had gotten his hands on her.  Nor did she actually care, not at this point.  She didn’t even care what was motivating the man because honestly, she just believed he was fucking insane and insanity needed no reason.  What she cared about, what motivated her, was getting free.  Escaping.
Problem, she was chained to the wall with shackles about her ankles and pretty much helpless.  Alone.  She was fucking alone too. Closing her eyes against the sting of tears threatening to spill over, she breathed deeply.  Getting emotional wasn’t going to help.
God damn it!  She wasn’t helpless.  So okay, she was locked up and she was alone.  So what!  She wasn’t weak.  She wasn’t stupid.  She’d figure this out.  She had too.  There was no way in hell she was going to leave Maddy.  No one was going to take Maddy’s mom from her.  Especially not some freaky insane fuck who thought she owed him something.
Thinking of Maddy had her thoughts turning to Mason.  Only hours ago (maybe even longer since she had no idea how long she’d been here) she had thought she was strong enough to live without him.  That once this thing with Justice was over she would walk away, never to look back.  Ha!  She’d been lying to herself.  Hell, she’d been lying to herself for years, turning him into the bad, evil jerk who’d done more than break her heart; he’d ripped her to shreds.
The truth was she could have made him listen.  That last night with him, she could have forced him to hear her out but she’d chosen to be a coward instead of facing her feelings.  She had loved Walker but it had been a gentle love, one born from friendship and respect.  What she felt for Mason was fiery enough to burn straight to her soul and it had happened so fast, she’d felt lost, out of control.  And on top of that, a small part of her had still thought of him as the enemy.
Learning she was pregnant had only intensified those feelings but she should have gone to Mason, made him listen.  But she’d run instead like a scared child and it had been far too late when she’d finally accepted the truth, that running had been a mistake but worse, not making Mason listen to her was the bigger error.  Her biggest regret was in keeping Maddy from her father.  Mason had not earned that punishment and Maddy was, had always been, innocent.
A crackle in the air alerted her that she was no longer alone.  Slowly she perused the room.  Nothing moved but she sensed…something, someone was close by.  A feeling of menace seemed to hover around her, as if she was being watched, silently threatened.  Sitting straight up, tense, she readied herself as much as she could without being able to see what was, who was, there.
Eyes darting from shadow to shadow, Gemma strained to see, something, anything.  Nothing stirred.  Feeling as if she was losing her mind, she called out, “Who’s there?”
She didn’t get a response.  Clearing her throat, hating that her voice was cracking with fear, she called out again, “Is someone there?”
Swishing, like cloth against stone, echoed through the room, causing a small thrill of alarm to travel down her spine.  The thin, whispery voice that followed made the alarm turn to fear.  “Are you frightened, Gemma?”
“Who are you?” she demanded, doing her best to hide the fear rushing through her blood, turning her cold.
“Tsk, tsk,” the voice admonished.  “I’ll ask the questions.  You’ll answer.”
“I won’t,” she replied, trying for brave when she was feeling anything but.  
A crashing noise followed that admission, causing her to shrink back, fearful something was coming at her.  She wasn’t hit, wasn’t even touched but the door opened, filtering in just enough light that she was able to make out the cloaked and hooded figure of who she presumed was Justice.  Dressed all in black, he did a good job of blending in with his surroundings.
“I’m in control her,” he snarled in that same creepy whisper.  “I’ll have the answers I want or would you prefer to die now rather than later.”
That question didn’t scare her as he might have hoped but it did annoy her enough to have her say, “Kill me then, because there’s no way I’ll be giving you anything.”
“And if your silence means Maddy also dies?”
Cold terror blanked her mind, made it impossible to respond for a full minute.  Gasping, sucking in air, she choked out, “You don’t touch her, you fucking asshole.  Don’t even go near her.”
From beneath the hood, his chuckle was nothing more than a hiss.  “I’ll do whatever I want.  You can’t stop me.  Nobody can.”
“Who the hell are you?” Gemma demanded, losing control of her emotions.  “What the hell have I ever done to you?  I don’t even fucking know you!”
The chuckling stopped abruptly.  “You know me,” he roared.  “You fucking know me!  You and my friends stole my life!”
Bewildered, she asked, “How the hell does someone steal a life?”
Her question only enraged him.  “DON’T LIE!  YOU TOOK MY LIFE!  STOLE IT ALL FROM ME,” he screamed at her.  “MY FLESH, MY BLOOD, MY LIFE!”
Forgetting where she was or that her life was on the line Gemma murmured, “My god, you fucking bat shit crazy!”
Suddenly he lifted a hand and pulled the hood from his head.  And shouting, “Dura,” he revealed his face.  Seeping forward, getting her in her face, Justice whispered, “Recognize me now, Gemma?”
Gemma shook her head, spots dancing before her eyes but all she was able to do before blackness took her, was utter a short, horrified scream of denial.

*****

Having finished the potion and the cups, Mason looked at the others and said, “Bottoms up.”
With his face scrunched into a grimace, Parker commented, “Hope it taste better than it looks,” right before lifting the cup and tipping it up.
“How long will this work if it works,” Linton asked as he sniffed at the brew.  His nose wrinkled in disgust.  “God but this smells awful.”
“A few hours,” Mason answered his nose creasing as he too got a whiff.  
Expecting the worse, Mason tilted the cup up and… was pleasantly surprised.  It wasn’t the greatest taste he’d ever had but it wasn’t horrible either.  Finishing the brew off, he set the cup down and glanced around the room.  Seeing that everyone was either gulping or finishing up, he went to Cosmo and chanted the spell that would help the brew work.
“Well,” Parker said, setting his cup beside Mason’s, “that wasn’t too nasty tasting.”
Linton agreed, saying, “Right.  Definitely one of the better tasting potions I’ve had the displeasure of drinking.”
“Let’s just hope this works,” Linton remarked as he added his cup to the others.
“So do I,” someone else said but when Mason looked around, they were all looking at Cosmo, their expressions expectant.
Linton was the first to ask, “Well?  Did it work or not?”
“I’ve got no -” Mason started to say but stopped when that same someone (who was not Linton) said, “Hey, can you understand me?”
Parker started shaking his head but it wasn’t in denial but disbelief.  “Wow but that’s, um, different.  I’ve had some strange things happen in my life but…hearing a dog bark in English is just…yeah, it might just make the top ten.”
Whopping joyfully, Maddy rushed over to Cosmo, her tiny body hitting his larger one, her arms going around his neck.  “Awesome.  This is freaking the coolest.  Wish we could talk all the time like this that would be wicked awesome.”
“Ah, but Ares would never allow it and if he hears about this, well, he’s going to be pissed and that’s putting it lightly.”
“Ares?” Mason and Parker said at the same time.
“Hell,” Cosmo muttered, which was more like a soft snuffing sound.  Damn but it was weird hearing the sounds a dog would normally make and then over top that, the words.  “Ares,” he said (barked), with what could only be described as doggy grimace, “the god.  You might now him as Mars or the god of war?  Ringing any bells?”
“A couple,” Mason replied dryly.
“Wait,” Linton exclaimed.  “Are you saying the gods are real?”
“This from a mage,” Parker interjected with a hint of humor. 
Linton glowered at him.  “Magic is one thing, mythical beings another.”
Ignoring them bother, Mason asked, Cosmo, “So if you’re Ares’s dog, why are here with Madison?”
“Yeah, that’s a good point,” Parker seconded.  “What’s special about you, Cosmo?”
“Nothing,” the dog replied while giving each of them a look from his brilliant blue eyes.  “I’m not special in anyway.”
“That’s not the truth,” Mason retorted his tone harder, colder.
Cosmo hesitated for a moment more but finally said, “I’m not a normal dog, that’s true but neither am special in the sense that I have any magical abilities.”
In annoyance, Wren snapped, “Just tell us the truth.  What are you?”
“A guardian,” he answered darting a look at Madison then Mason.
“And what is it, who is it, you’re guarding,” Mason demanded.
“Madison.”
Mason’s eyes narrowed.  “No.”
“No?” Parker repeated quizzically.  “What’s with the no?”
Shaking his head, Mason said, “Not now.”  To Cosmo he said, “What do you know about Gemma’s disappearance?”
“I don’t know where she’s been taken but I can tell she’s alive,” Cosmo replied.
“How can you sense her?” Parker wanted to know.  “I thought you said you had no magical abilities.”
“It is what he said,” Wren agreed eyeballing Cosmo speculatively, adding thoughtfully, “Though even the most norm animal seems to have a sixth sense, I don’t think they can claim sensing humans.”
“No, sensing anything like that isn’t a sixth sense,” Mason concurred.  “So how is that you can?”
“I’m connected to Maddy and because of that connection, anyone close to her,” Cosmo explained his expression filled eyes wary.  “It’s not…it’s hard to explain but the connection lets me ‘see’ things that could harm or help Maddy.”
“So you’re not just a guardian you’re a -”
Mason interrupted his patience at its end, “Anything else, Cosmo?”
“I can see a person’s life-force,” he told them.  “Their auras.  Each is distinctly unique.”
“Is there more?” Parker commanded and Mason could see he was losing his patience as well.  “Gemma’s my very best friend.  If there’s more to tell do it now, not later.”
“My ability to sense Gemma is limited,” the beast said.  
“You know something,” Mason insisted angrily.  “Or was I imagining you wanting to share information?”
“Whoever took her, their life-force is…wrong,” Cosmo replied cautiously.  
“Wrong?” Wren questioned.  “What’s that mean?”
Cosmo sighed.  “I’ve no idea how to explain it.  If you could see it as I do, it would be -”
“There’s a way,” Linton cut in and then, “Sorry for cutting you off.”
“There is?” Mason asked, giving his attention to Linton.  
“Yeah,” Linton replied with a nod.  “There’s a spell for it.  I think.”
“You think?” Parker growled.  “I take it you don’t recall the spell then?”
Not seeming to hear the sarcasm Linton answered with, “Um, no but I recall reading it…let me think…right.  The book was called I Spells and Potions.”
Turning to Mason, Parker asked, “Happen to have a copy?”
Mason shrugged.  “I’ve no idea.  I…” he trailed away, a thoughtful expression on his face.  Suddenly he strolled from the room, leaving the others staring after him.
To one in particular, Parker muttered, “I hate that shit.  Gemma did that all the time, still does.  Drive me fucking bonkers.”
It wasn’t long before Mason was back, a book in his hand.  “It’s not the same book, but I remember seeing a spell in here about seeing auras.”  He flipped through the pages, stopping toward the end.  “I think this one will work.”
Looking over his shoulder, Parker read the incantation.  “Seems simple enough.”
“It has the added benefit of affecting anyone in the vicinity of the chanted spell,” Mason remarked.  “Well, there’s nothing to lose.”
He chanted the spell, adding his power as fuel, closing his eyes as he did.  Even so he was nearly blinded when a flash of white light flared brightly before fading away to nothing.  Opening his eyes, his jaw dropped.  Each person, even the dog, was surrounded in lights though each had his (or her) unique combination.  He would have never thought so many different shades existed.
“I’m thinking it worked if the looks on all your faces say anything,” Cosmo commented amused.
“It’s fucking amazing,” Wren breathed.  “You see this all the time?”
“I’ve learned to not notice,” he replied wryly.
“There’s something…eerie about it,” Parker remarked.  “I feel almost as if I’m invading someone’s privacy.”
“I’m missing something,” Mason murmured, staring intently at Parker’s aura.
Cosmo asked, “Are you seeing the colors swirl, mixing and dancing together.”  Mason nodded along with everyone else.  “There’s one color, it sheathes the person but doesn’t blend or mix with the others; can you see that?”  Again he got nods all around.  “We call it the brir or life force.  The brir is unique to each living creature, no two are the same.”
Mason looked harder at the others in the room, noticing the difference in their brirs.  Madison’s was a vibrant shade of purplish-blue and wrapped around her like a warm blanket.  Pale rose encased Asia, giving her a pink, healthy glow.  Wren’s was a bright shade of bluish-green, Harry’s a vivid shade of golden-yellow and Linton’s a pale foamy green.  Looking down, he saw that his brir was silvery-blue.
The entire thing was distracting, memorizing and he had to force his eyes away, telling himself to focus.  “Since we’re all seeing what you’re seeing, tell us why Gemma’s kidnappers was wrong?”
“It wasn’t there,” Cosmo announced, stunning everyone.  “The mentos, emotions, were there, swirling about as you see them around you, but the brir, it wasn’t there.”
Just than a bell pealed, echoing through the rooms like small chimes.  Glancing around at the others, he looked at Parker, asking, “Expecting anyone?”
“Nope.  Besides this is your place,” Parker reminded him.  “Are you expecting anyone?”
Instead of answering he left the room, heading for the entrance hall, unaware that everyone was following him.  Right before he reached the door the bell rang again.  Yanking it open he glowered at the man on the other side.  “Carter.”
The large man nodded once.  Holding out a hand he said, “Boss sent me here to give you this.”
Taking the envelope, muttering thanks, Mason closed the door and turned around.  “Jesus,” he uttered loudly when he saw everyone right behind him.  Taking a step back, he snapped, “I’m perfectly capable of answering the damn door.”
“We know,” Parker replied grinning cheekily.  “We’ve just watched you do it.”
Walking away, Mason muttered about smartasses and curses.  Tearing open Leon’s missive, he quickly read the brief note.  Parker inquired, “Important?”
Mason looked up, his expression a mix of frustration, worry, anger, anxiety and more.  “Might be.  Leon’s one of my norm contacts.  He was looking for information on Justice for me.  He wants to see me as soon as I can make it.  Care to tag along?”
Parker nodded, “Sure.  Linton and Wren and can keep things going here.”
“Cosmo,” Mason said, looking at the dog.  “You’re coming too.”
“So am I,” Madison inserted, her face set in stubborn lines.
“Me too,” Asia seconded.
“No, you’re both staying here, out of trouble.” Mason told them.  To Parke he said, “Leon’s place is on Second and Locus, know it?”
“Good,” Mason replied and then added, “There’s an old building on Second, abandoned.  Teleport there.”
“I know the building,” Parker told him.  “Ready?”
For an answer, Mason vanished, latching onto Cosmo’s collar as he did.  Parker followed, arriving seconds behind Mason.  
“That’s not something I ever want to experience again,” Cosmo grumbled.
“It takes some getting used to,” Parker said smiling with amusement.
“Let’s go,” Mason injected.  “Leon’s place is a block over.”
As they left the old building through the back, Parker asked, “So, Cosmo, I’ve got to ask, if you’re connected to Maddy, why weren’t you able to find her when Justice had her?  More importantly, I think, where were you?”
“When she was taken, it was as if she simply vanished,” Cosmo explained guardedly.  “I spent those days in the woods, doing everything I could think of to sense her.  Only after she got away was I able to sense her and by then you had also found her so I returned home to wait for her.”  
“The fact that I couldn’t sense her has worried me,” he confessed.  “I’ve wondered if Justice knows more about me than he should.”
“I can’t tell if that’s the truth or not,” Parker said after a few moments of silence.  “But here’s the warning anyhow, hurt Maddy or anyone I care for and you won’t live to regret it.”
“Warning acknowledged,” Cosmo returned without as much as a blink.
“Good,” Parker murmured.  “Now, why does Maddy need a guardian war dog?”
Cosmo shook his shaggy head.  “I’ve no idea.  Ares’s doesn’t explain things unless he wants too.  He told me to guard Maddy so I do.”
His tone harsh, Mason growled, “Ares’s is the fucking God of War so whatever reasons he has can’t be good.”
“Why do you think that?” Parker wanted to know.
“He thinks of you, Parker,” Cosmo said quietly, “when he thinks of war.  He remembers it differently than you.  He thinks of all the hardships you endured fighting against Tanner.  He doesn’t want the same for Maddy.”
“No parent would,” Parker replied evenly but added, “But my life, as…hard as it was, wouldn’t be the same if I hadn’t gone through losing some of the times, nor would I have gained what I have now.”
Jerking to a halt, Mason rounded to face Parker. “What the hell have you fucking gained?”
“If I hadn’t grown up as I did, I would have never fought against Tanner,” Parker replied quietly, ignoring Mason’s nasty tone.  “I would have never looked at norms or those less fortunate than myself as equals.  I would have fallen in line with Tanner and…I shudder to think were we’d all be no if that had happened.”
“But what have you gained, Parker?” Mason persisted.
“Wren, my children, Gemma, Maddy, the Rimmon’s…you,” Parker told him softly, sincerely.  “I lost family but I’ve gained more.  The loss of one doesn’t ever feel good, but having people you love, care about, around helps you heal, helps you move on and instead of lingering in the past, I can look to the future.”
“I won’t lose Gemma,” Mason growled spinning away.  “Madison won’t lose her mother.”
“And you won’t,” Parker promised with meaning.  “We’ll get her back.  As for Maddy and what she may or may not face in the future, let me tell you what I was once told; it’s our choices that make us who we are, what we’ll be.  I wasn’t destined, despite what many believed, to defeat Tanner but I choose to.  Maddy will have the same choice, Mason.  She’ll be able to walk away if that’s what she wants.  Nothing’s set in stone and until that time comes, all you can do is help her make good choices.”
“Parker,” Mason started to argue then sighed.  “Okay, I get your point.”
“Good to know,” Parker replied.  “Now, let’s go meet your friend.”
Mason nodded.  To Cosmo he said, “I’ll be watching you.  I won’t be letting Madison suffer just to build character.”
“Neither will I,” Cosmo promised.
Chapter 14

“Dumb,” Maddy huffed for the sixth or seventh time.  Hearing it, Asia merely rolled her eyes.  “I can’t stand it.  Sitting here, doing nothing is making me crazy.”
Looking over at the door where Wren and Linton had gone, Asia made sure they were alone before suggesting quietly, “Then let’s go.”
Maddy snorted.  “And do what?  We don’t know where to look or even how to get started.”
Waving that aside, Asia said, “Maybe, but the spell to see life forces is still a go so let’s use it.  Maybe we can pick up on something.”
“How?” Maddy wailed in frustration.  “We’ve no idea what to look for and we’ve no idea what mom’s brir even looks like.”
Asia took a few minutes to consider Maddy’s points before saying, “What if we look for Jerk Face’s brir?  Cosmo said it was missing so we’ll just look for that.”
About to protest, Maddy paused, thinking.  “Okay, that’s a good idea.  How’re we going to get past Wren and Linton?”
“And Gage and Hale, plus Iva’s due any minute,” Asia reminded Maddy.  “And someone named Vega is coming.”
They fell silent, each thinking of a way to sneak out.  Finally Maddy exclaimed, “Oh, it’s useless.  We’re never going to get past them.  They’ve set up directly across from the front door.”
“You’re right,” Asia agreed miserably, deflating when a solution didn’t come to her either.
“Darn it, this is so… maddening,” Maddy ranted.  “Amy never paid me much attention.  I didn’t have to sneak out, she was so clueless.”
“The back door,” Asia suddenly cried then clapped a hand over her mouth, nervously eyed the closed door.  When no one came rushing out she looked at Maddy.  In a lower tone she said, “The servant’s entrance.  We can use that.”
A slow smile spread across Maddy’s face.  “That’s just perfect.  Let’s go.”
Before slipping away they went to Maddy’s room and grabbed a backpack.  Maddy shoved what money she had inside and together they made their way to the kitchen.  There they added bottles of water and some snacks.  Maddy was just putting a package of cookies inside when they heard Wren calling for them.  Shoving the bag inside a cupboard, the girls quickly grabbed a couple of juice boxes and sat at the small kitchen table.
When Wren walked in a few minutes later they were both looking as innocent as they could appear.  Considering their pixie like faces and their big eyes it wasn’t hard.  “There you two are.  I was wondering if you’re hungry but it looks as if you’ve beaten me too it.”
“Yeah.  We’re good, Aunt Wren,” Maddy told her carefully keeping the excitement threading through her from creeping out.  “Thanks anyway.”
“All right, but if you girls need anything just give me a shout,” Wren told them before turning around and heading back out.
Once she was gone, Asia blew out the breath she’d been holding.  “Crap!  That was close.”
“Gods yes,” Maddy agreed, letting out a long breath.  “Let’s go before someone else decides to check on us.”
Asia didn’t argue.  Maddy got the backpack out, slung it over her shoulders and together they cautiously made their way to the back entrance.  Once free, they both sighed in relief, heading off without a clue as to where they were going.

*****

Suddenly Cosmo stopped walking, his entire body tensing.  Cocking his head as if he was listening he said, “We better make this fast.”
“Why?” Mason demanded angrily though mostly the anger was to hide the fear racing through him.  “Something wrong?”
“Maddy and Asia are planning on sneaking out,” he answered, his head still tilted to the side.  “Those two are too damn resourceful so let’s make this quick.”
In amazement, Parker asked, “How can you know that?”
“Sometimes I can pick up on Maddy’s thoughts,” Cosmo told them.  “It’s not always clear or coherent but I can sometimes work out what she’s planning or thinking.”
“Then we’ll be quick,” Mason decided, heading up to Leon’s building.
Like his previous visit, no one bothered to stop him as he made his way through the lobby to the elevator.  In fact, the guards barely spared him or the others a glance and the receptionist only waved him on.  Shaking his head, wondering at Leon’s level of trust, Mason led the way up.
Not bothering to knock, Mason, Parker and Cosmo entered Leon’s office a minute later.  Leon didn’t as much as flinch in surprise at seeing them.  The guards below must have called ahead while they’d been in the elevator.  Maybe Leon wasn’t as trusting as Mason had thought.
Leaning back in his chair, arms folded across his chest, Leon was staring up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression on his face.  Without looking at Mason, he remarked, “You beat Carter back.  Handy thing, magic.”
“Not in the mood for small talk,” Mason informed him.  “What do you have?”
“Hmm, enough,” Leo replied easily, finally turning to look them.  Sitting up, he put his arms on the desk.  “There’s an abandoned warehouse on the west side that’s got a lot of attention attached to it lately.”
“Explain,” Mason demanded.
“Word on the street is that it used to be a hot spot for the homeless,” Leon expounded.  “Suddenly no one will go near it.”
“And?” Mason asked, knowing there was more.
“I sent a couple of men to check it out,” he continued.  “That was two days ago.  I haven’t heard from them and no one’s seen them since.  If this Justice is as insane as you’ve claimed, my bet it is he’s making sure no one gets in and if they do they don’t come back out.”
Flipping out a hand, he held out a slip of paper.  “Here’s the addy.”
Taking it, Mason said, “Thanks.  Anything else?”
“Yeah,” Leon replied, surprising Mason.  “I had Carter check out Prosper’s place.  He found this -” he pulled out a thick folder “- hidden under a few loose floorboards.  And can I just say how very unoriginal that is for a hiding place.”
“Whatever,” Mason said, taking the file.  “What’s in it?”
Leon shrugged.  “Some project conducted by your mage council.  The project’s name is a little weird.  Osso e Sangue , Carne e Coração.”
“Is that Spanish,” Parker mused.  
Leon shook his head.  “A Portuguese dialect.  It translates, roughly into bone and blood, flesh and heart.”
Mason shot Parker a look.  Parker nodded, “Gemma’s note.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Mason agreed.  To Leon he said, “Thanks again.”
Leon nodded.  “No problem.”
Once back outside, Mason said, “We’ll go back to my place, make sure Asia and Madison haven’t taken off and then review this file.”
“Sounds like plan.”

*****

Fear was nothing new, not after her kidnapping experience, but she did her best to keep Asia from seeing it.  Asia was out of her element, that was obvious and it helped, having Asia oohing and awing over almost everything.  Obviously, Asia hadn’t spent much time among norms but that didn’t stop her from looking confident and self-assured so Maddy did her best to mimic the feeling, even if she didn’t exactly feel it.
Sneaking out had been easier than they’d expected and the moment they’d gotten outside they’d raced away, paying no attention to where they were headed.  Running, no matter how good the reason, however, wasn’t something that could last forever and eventually they’d slowed down and soon had come to a stop.
Now they were both standing in front of a dress shop, looking everywhere.  Finally Maddy said, “I think we should start walking.”
“Why can’t we get on a bus or something?” Asia wanted to know, though Maddy heard a bit of uncertainty in her voice.
“Because we have no idea where we’re going.” Maddy wailed, momentarily losing control.  Taking a breath she added more calmly, “Walking is better.  For now.”
“Okay,” Asia agreed.  As they started walking, she asked, “Are you scared?”
Maddy thought about lying but discarded the notion a split second later.  “A little. We don’t know where to even begin looking, Asia.  What if we get lost?”
Asia nodded but said, “Right.  You’ve got to stop thinking that way.  You got away from Jerk Face.  If you can do that, we can do this.”
“That was different,” Maddy protested.  “I knew the area, knew I could get home if I could get away.  I don’t know anything about this town.”
“It’s not that different,” Asia argued with a stubborn lift to her chin.  “We can do this.  You’re Gemma’s daughter and Mason’s.  Hasn’t you mom ever told you about the adventures she had with Parker and Walker?  And Mason, he might not have done as much but he’s smart.  We can do this!”
Tilting her head, Maddy asked, “What are you talking about?”
Asia rolled her eyes.  “You’re moms never told you?  Parker and Walker, along with your mom used to get into so much trouble when they were in school together.  It’s in book.  You should read it.”
“What book?”
“Well…” Asia tapped a finger against her lips as she thought.  “A couple actually.  All three of them are mentioned in the revised edition of The History of Mage and Sorcery.  There’s also, Years of War: the Rebellion, Keeping the Faith: a Story of Loyalty and Friendship and Great Mages and Accomplishments.  That’s also revised edition.  There’s also -”
“Stop,” Maddy cried.  “I get it.  Mom’s probably never wanted me to know but I’ll be sure to look into getting a few new books.”
“I’ve got them all,” Asia told her.  “You can borrow them.”
“Cool,” Maddy replied and then changed the subject.  “I think we should ride the bus downtown.  There’re probably more people there.”
Asia’s eyes lit up.  “Awesome.  How do we get on the bus?”
“Jeesh, haven’t you spent any time in the norm world?”
“Not really,” Asia admitted.  “Mom thinks norms are dangerous.”
Maddy’s eyes narrowed.  “She still thinks that way?”
“What!  No!” Asia cried in horror.  “No.  She doesn’t see them as…less.  She just really thinks the norm world is dangerous.  Actually, she thinks everything is dangerous so…”
“Oh,” Maddy breathed the single word out.  A second later she said, “I didn’t mean…I hope you didn’t take that the wrong way?  I was only curious.”
“It’s okay,” Asia assured her though she looked tired, as if she heard the same thing from others all the time. A moment later, however, she sent Maddy a bright grin.  “Mom thinks a norm’s going to run me over with an airplane.”
“Run you over…” Maddy blinked and then started chuckling.  “Oh god, that’s funny.”
Returning Maddy’s humor, Asia said, “Yeah, mom’s doesn’t really understand how the norm world works.  But enough about that, let’s get on this bus and find your mom.”
“First we’ve got to find a bus stop,” Maddy muttered looking around but not seeing one.  “Let’s walk for a bit more, maybe we’ll find one.”
“And if we don’t?”
“We’ll ask,” Maddy replied with a shrug.
They’d only walked a few feet however when Maddy stopped, a groan escaping.  Worriedly, Asia asked, “What’s wrong?”
“We’ll need money for the bus,” Maddy explained.  “I’ve only got about four dollars.”
“I’ve got money,” Asia assured her.
“Mage paper isn’t going to do us any good,” Maddy whined.
“It’s not mage paper,” Asia retorted, looking a little mad.  “I, um, collect it and whenever I come stay with Mason I bring it with me.”
“Okay, first, why do you collect norm money and second, why do you bring it with you,” Maddy wanted to know.
“I like the way it looks,” Asia defended.  “And I’m always hoping Mason will take me out shopping in the norm shops.  So far he hasn’t but you never know.”
“Okay,” Maddy drawled.  Holding out her hand she said, “Let me see what you’ve got.”
Digging into her pocket, she pulled out a wad of cash that had Maddy’s eyes bugging out.  “Here,” she said, handing the money over to Maddy.  Seeing Maddy’s bugged out expression she asked, “What?”
 Maddy shook her head, taking them cash and counting it out.  With a sigh she said, “Please, please, Asia, don’t ever walk around with this much cash on you.  It’s like you begging to get mugged.”
As quickly as she could she shoved half the wad of cash into the backpack.  As she did, Asia nibbled her lip for moment before asking, “How much is too much to carry?”
“Uh,” Maddy started to speak but paused a moment to do the calculations in her head.  “What you just gave me is about 200 mage paper.”
Asia’s eyes widened.  “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Maddy replied.  “Anyhow, you carry this half, just in case.”
“Of what?”
Waving a hand, Maddy said, “We get separated or something.”
“If that happens I’ll be better of just staying where I am until you find me,” Asia pointed out, unconcerned with how that might make her look.  “Otherwise I’d just get lost.”
Unable to help it, Maddy giggled.  “Maybe.  Anyhow, it was just one example and as long as we stick together, won’t happen.”
“So what now?” Asia inquired, looking around, her eyes glittering with curiosity.
“We’ll ask someone about the nearest bus stop,” Maddy decided confidently.
“Hmm, what about that man?  He might now,” Asia suggested, pointing to a ragged looking man across the street.
Maddy shook her head.  “No.  We’ll go inside the café over there and ask.  It’s safer that way.  I hope.”
They made their way toward the café.  As they reached the door, Maddy read the sign hanging in the doors window.  ‘Coffee, lattes, tea and more for your enjoyment.  Come inside, sit a bit, chat with friends or relax with a good book.  Whatever you’re pleasure, we’re happy to serve.’
Opening the door the bell above jingled cheerily.  Maddy let Asia enter first and then joined her at the counter.  A wispy looking girl, with hair dyed black and pink, was behind, a bored expression on her face.  A glance about showed that the only other person in the place was an older man.  He was sitting in the back, hunched over with a paper stuck in front of his face.
Going right up to the counter, Maddy boldly asked, “Could you tell us where the closest bus stop is?”
Snapping the gum she was chewing, the girl eyed them.  “How old are you?”
Thinking quickly, Maddy said, “I’m twelve and my sister’s thirteen.”
“You don’t look that old,” she speculated.
“I know,” Maddy said sighing as if this fact annoyed her.  “We get that all the time.”
“And you’re sisters?”
“Yes,” Maddy said, trying to keep her temper.  She supposed that was something else she’d gotten from Mason.  “Look can you tell where the stop is or not?”
“Sure,” the girl replied, snapping her gum again.  “It’s about four blocks up, just head to the right when you leave.”
“Thanks,” Maddy replied and grabbing Asia went back outside.  
Outside Asia giggled.  “I can’t believe she bought that lie about our ages.”
“It does make her seem pretty dumb,” Maddy agreed.  “Look at us.  Most of the time I have a hard time convincing people I’m nine.”
“Me too,” Asia piped in.  “They usually think I’m six or seven.”
“Being short sucks,” Maddy muttered grumpily.
“We aren’t short, we’re petite.”
“Oh I like that,” Maddy said perking up.  “It sounds so much better than short.”
“It does,” Asia concurred with a grin.
Laughing, not letting themselves think about what they were doing, they skipped down the street, arm in arm.

*****

Leaving the safety of Mason’s penthouse had been a stupid move.  At least that’s what kept running through Maddy’s head.  Getting to the bus stop hadn’t been too hard though getting on had been a hassle because once again their age had been questioned.  It was only when Maddy had lied and told the driver that they were on their way to meet their parents that the guy had stopped badgering them with questions.
So far their luck was holding but Maddy had a nasty suspicion that their luck was about to go bad.  Trouble was coming though she didn’t know how she knew it, only that she was sure it was going bonk them in the head.  Rubbing her belly, Maddy tried to ease the tension inside.  She was starting to feel a little sick from it.
Pressed into the back of the bus, as far from the other passengers as they could get, Maddy and Asia were doing their best not to draw any attention.  There were also the less… respectable riders to consider.  There was no way in Maddy wanted any of those to notice her and Asia.  It wasn’t easy though, not with Asia’s wide eyed stares and constant questions.  A few of the closest passengers had given them strange looks, their eyes full of nosiness.
Maddy had already muttered repeated warning at Asia though and it wasn’t helping.  She’d stop for a little bit and then start all over again.  If she couldn’t get Asia to control her obvious wonder, they were going to get way too much attention sooner or later, and by the wrong sort of people.  But what could she do?  Knocking Asia out wasn’t an option and short of that…she was out of ideas.
At one point she tried to view things through Asia’s eyes but it was all so familiar that she’d given it up.  Sighing, she leaned close to Asia’s ear, whispering, “Stop acting like a tourist.  You’re getting us noticed.”
Expecting the same reaction as the previous times, she optimistically pleased when Asia whispered back, “Sorry.  It’s just all so…so interesting.”  Averting her gaze from the dumpy looking woman she’d been watching, Asia added, “It’s all so different.  So wonderfully odd.”
Maddy could only nod since she wasn’t inclined to agree but then, she was used to it.  “Just stop, okay.  People are staring at us.”
“Okay,” Asia agreed, trying not to stare at any one thing.  “Where’re we getting off?”
“Next stop,” Maddy replied.  “Downtowns about a block from there.  That’s what the map says.  Besides, if we don’t get off we’ll end up back where we started.”
“The busses run in circles?”
Not bothering to explain, Maddy said, “Yeah.  Listen, let’s pull the cord.  I don’t want to get off with all these people.  We’ll walk the last few blocks.”
“Sure,” Asia said with an easy shrug.  Then confessed, “It’s all a bit scary.”
“Don’t I know it,” Maddy mumbled.
Asia clapped her hands softly then and contradicted herself by saying, “Exciting too.  Our first real adventure.  It’s so freaking cool.”
Pulling the cord, signaling the driver to stop, Maddy eyed Asia a little warily.  “Our first adventure?”
Asia nodded.  “Yeah.  This is only the first of many.  We’re going to be great friends and have great adventures.”
Liking the part about being friends, Maddy stood up as the bus came to a stop.  She wasn’t sure about the rest of Asia’s statement.  Not that she would mind having a little fun but she wasn’t sure about great adventures.  After all, this one wasn’t turning out to be all that fun.  Asia only thought so because being out in the norm world was so new to her.  For Maddy, it was nothing but the same old stuff and not having an adult at her side, it was scary.
“I’m sure we’ll have plenty,” Asia was saying as they disembarked from the bus.  “The school’s like this huge old house with all sorts of secrets.”
“Right,” Maddy muttered.  “Let’s think about that later.”
Leading the way, Maddy headed down the street.  Asia asked, “Where are we?”
“A couple of blocks from downtown,” Maddy told her watching all around them.
A craggy old voice stopped her in her tracks.  “Ya lost?”
Asia sidled closer to Maddy as both girls whirled around.  A couple of feet back, a stooped, and skinny as a skeleton woman was watching them from cold dark eyes.  The old woman was wearing a filthy long coat, a pair of baggy pants and work boots that appeared to be about two sizes too big for her feet.  Her hair was matted, greasy and the color might have been brown or blonde but it was hard to tell under the dirt caked through it.  Her face was sallow, shrunken, adding to the skeleton look.  Dark eyes peered out at them from red, watery sockets.  And the stench.  Maddy had to stifle a gag as the wind blustered, bringing with it the woman’s smell.
Doing her best to breathe through her mouth, Maddy said, “We aren’t lost.”
An odd cackle issued from her.  “I’m thinking ya are.  Why else she be asking about where you be?”  The last was said with a pointy finger in Asia’s direction.
Tactlessly Asia said, “You stink.”
Maddy wanted to groan but all the old woman did was cackle again.  “Yep but it be keeping the riff raff away, don’ it.”
“You talk funny too,” Asia felt the need to point out.  Maddy wanted to slap her.
“Maybe,” the old woman agreed, leering at them.  
Clamping a hand over Asia’s arm before she could say anything more, Maddy repeated, “We’re not lost.  My friend’s new to the area and she was just asking that’s all.”
“Oh ho,” the woman exclaimed.  “I don’ be believing that, girlie.  I be knowin’ lost girlies when I see ‘em.”
“We’re fine,” Maddy insisted.  “I know where to go so don’t worry about us.  It was nice meeting you but we’re going to get going.”
The old woman barked out a laugh.  “You pretties ain’t goin’ nowhere but wid me.”
Asia scoffed at that, saying, “You can’t force us to go with you.”
“But I can,” the woman replied, her grin widening, showing crooked teeth.  “Ya’s can scream iffen ya wan’ but ain’t nobody gonna care, not here.”
Grabbing a handful of Asia’s shirt, Maddy started to back away.  “We don’t have anything you’ll want.
As if they were an anticipated meal, the old woman smacked her lips together.  “Naw, I be knowin’ tha’ but you be havin’ som’tin’ ‘Tice be wantin’ and I be da one sure  makin’ ‘Tice gets it.”
At that moment, Maddy felt her back press into something hard.  A quick look showed she’d backed them down a dead end alley.  Crap!
Cackling madly the woman asked, “Wha’cha gonna do now, girlies?”

*****

Opening the penthouse door the first thing Mason heard was Wren yelling.  A quick glance at Parker only earned him a shrug from the other man.  With a heavy sigh, Mason continued inside and headed for the shouting match taking place in the living room.
Gage was saying, “I spelled the damn door, Wren.”
Pausing just inside the living room, Mason looked around at everyone.  Gage and Hale were both looking as if they’d rather be anywhere but where they were, Wren was pale, her eyes blazing with anger.  Mason got the impression Wren was barely holding onto her temper.
He was right because in the next second she was screaming at Gage.  “You idiot!  They didn’t go out the front door they took the servant’s entrance.  Did you think about spelling that one?  No!”
“Fucking hell,” Gage growled, fangs showing.  “I spelled that entrance too.  I’m not a fucking idiot.”
“That’s a matter of debate,” Wren muttered rudely.  “Fuck!  They got out.  What does that tell you?”
“They either snuck out before I charmed the fucking door or they figured out another way,” gage shot back.  “Did you check the freight elevator?  That was your job, right?”
“Don’t you dare fucking try to put this on me,” she replied bitingly.  “It was your goddamn job to watch them.  Two little girls.  Is it really that hard?”
“Listen, does it matter how they got out,” Hale inserted, trying for reasonable.  “What matters is finding them and bringing them back.”
Wren seemed about to argue but instead, sucked in minute amount of air, visibly trying to cool her temper.  “Right.  You’re right, Hale.  We need to concentrate on that.”
Deciding he’d heard enough, Mason said, “Will someone fill us in?”
Everyone spin around in his direction, all looking mildly guilty.  Mason took the time to notice that Gage and Hale weren’t the only reinforcements Wren had managed to gather.  Linton’s fiancé Iva was also present, as well as Damian Colt, Clinton Whitaker, Reece Porter and his wife, Willa.  Iva, out of all them was the only one who appeared calm, even serene.
“Start talking,” Mason demanded again.
In a tone as sharp as nails, Wren said, “Maddy and Asia snuck out thanks to blunder boy over there.”
“I object to that,” Gage protested in a growl.  “I covered the doors as asked.  And there are several other people here besides me.”
“Right,” Wren snipped, turning an evil eye on Gage.  “There are but I asked you to keep an eye on the girls.”
“I said it once and I’ll say it again, I spelled the damn door.”
“Well, you didn’t do a very good fucking job,” Wren barked back.  In a calmer tone she added, “It’s not important.  We have to find the girls before they get themselves into trouble.”
“How long have they been gone,” Parker asked, going over to stand with his wife.
“Not long,” Wren answered, leaning in against Parker.  “I checked on them about noon.  Gage did the same about an hour later.”
Nodding once, concealing his anger and worry, Mason said, “We’ll find them.”  To Cosmo he asked, “Can you sense her?”
“Yes,” the dog replied, his head cocked to the side.  “Her thoughts are jumbled but give me a few minutes and I’ll wade through it.”
Mason agreed, turning back to the others only to see over half the room staring at him oddly.  The reason was supplied when Clinton asked, “Did Mason just talk to a dog?”
“What!”  Parker glanced over.  “Oh, yeah.  It’s a spell.”
“Parker, I’m going to go get my daughter and sister.  Cosmo’s coming with me,” Mason said.  “While we do that, fill everyone in on what we’ve learned.”
Tugging Cosmo from the room he was gone before anyone could comment.  Once he was gone, Parker swiveled around to do as Mason suggested but the stunned looks he was getting stopped him.  “What?”
“Did I hear him correctly,” Hale demanded.  “Maddy’s his daughter?”
Wren chuckled softly but a bland look from Parker made her stop.  “Yeah, Maddy’s his.”
Looking less shocked than the others, Linton remarked, “I’ve always thought Maddy looked a lot like Mason.”
“You’re insane,” Gage exclaimed.  “Maddy’s a cute kid, will probably be a beautiful woman.  No way does she look anything like Mason.”
Wren snorted, as did Willa.  Parker raised a brow.  “Fat lot you idiots know.”
“And that means what?” Parker wanted to know.
“Mason’s not ugly, not even close,” Wren said bluntly.  “There were, probably still are, plenty of females who think he’s handsome.”
Giving his wife a hard look, Parker said, “Are you telling me you think Mason is, um, cute?”
Grinning wickedly, Wren put her arms about Parker’s neck, digging her fingers into his hair.  “I didn’t say that.  I’m just pointing out that Mason’s not ugly.”
At his doubtful expression she kissed the corner of his mouth.  “Not to worry, I discovered that I was far more attracted to blondes with warm brown eyes.”
Slightly mollified, Parker returned his wife’s kisses before asking, “So you think I’m better looking?”
Teasingly she said, “I didn’t say that.”
“What?” he growled.
“Well, you do remember that boy, Mark?” Wren ribbed with a sparkle in her eyes.  “Had had blonde hair, dark brown eyes and – arrgh,” she ended the comment with a breathless laugh when Parker dug his fingers in her ribs.  “Okay, okay, I give.  You’re the better looking one.”
Brushing his lips against his wife’s he murmured, “Good,” before deepening the kiss, forgetting about having company as his focus centered on Wren, her taste and scent, the way she sighed into his mouth as if he was her everything just as she was his.  Pulling back a little, he whispered, “I love you, Wren.”
“I love you too,” she murmured back, kissing him once more.
“Ugh, please get a room.”
“I second that,” Hale said.  “It’s way too mushy in here.”
“I can get mushier, so can it,” Wren threatened.
“Whatever,” Gage muttered.  “What’s the news Mason wanted you to share, Parker?”
His expression going hard, he said, “Leon gave us a file but more importantly at the moment, we might have Justice’s hideout.”  
“What’s in the file?” Iva questioned, speaking up for the first time.
“Don’t know,” Parker replied.  “We didn’t take the time to check it out, not when Cosmo was urging us to get back here.”
“Well, let’s have a look now,” Linton suggested.
“Sure,” Parker agreed, taking the file out of his inside pocket and handing a bit of it to each person in the room.  “Let’s have a look.”
Chapter 15

The scream lodged in Maddy’s throat died before it had a chance to escape as she heard a soft growling.  Looking around her stomach did a few flips, relief and dread mixing into nausea as she caught sight of Cosmo.  His hackles were raised as he inched his way closer and closer to the old woman.  That was the relief.  The dread came from seeing the man standing just a few feet beyond Cosmo.  Crap but he didn’t look happy.
Mason’s expression was hard, cold lending it a sharp, mean look that sent her head spinning.  Oh she knew he’d never hurt her but just seeing how formidable her dad could was daunting.  He reminded her of a god, standing tall and straight, looking like some mythical hero, his slate grey eyes fierce.  If not for knowing he wasn’t there to hurt her, she would have screamed and run in the opposite direction.
Asia, who had not noticed the arrival of Mason or Cosmo, stuttered out, “What,” when Maddy nudged her.
In low tones, she said, “Look.  You’re brother’s here.”
As low as she’d spoken, the old woman heard.  Spinning about she took one look at dog and man and took off running, spry for a woman of her advanced age.  Maddy might have laughed if not for Mason’s fierce look, which was not being directed at her and Asia.
Asia, happy to be rescued took a step forward but the expression on her brother’s face stopped her.  Haltingly she said, “Hey, Mason.”
Saying nothing, Mason did his best to regain control of his boiling anger.  Speaking wasn’t an option until he did because otherwise he might just say something he’d regret later.  Counting to ten didn’t help, nor did deep breathing.  He tried counting to twenty, then thirty and was well onto his way to a hundred when his anger boiled over.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he blasted out. The girls cringed back, even took a step away from him.  Pinning them with a hard look he stepped forward, boxing them in.  “Have you both lost your minds?  Do you realize the danger you put yourselves in?  Did either of you think about what you were doing?  Did you?  God damn it!”
Yanking a hand through his hair, Mason once more tried to reign in his temper.  Frustration, relief and slew of other emotions were gripping him, hard.  Striving for calm, he said, “You could have been kidnapped, mugged…and worse.  I thought better of you, both of you.  Thought you were smarter but this was dumb.  Hell, Justice is out there, did you think of that?  He’s already got your mom; did you want him to get you – again?”
With a crestfallen expression, Asia hung her head but Maddy eyed him defiantly.  “I get it all, Dad -.” mocking the word, turning it into something nasty.  “I won’t sit back and let the adults -” again the word was said disdainfully “- make things right.  I’m nine, not stupid and not a baby.  Do you get that?”
Though her use of the word ‘dad’ hadn’t been said with any affection, the fact that she’d called him dad had sent him reeling and it took him a moment to recover.  When he had, he reviewed what she’d said before saying, “I know you aren’t a baby, Madison.  Nor Asia, but chasing after you, rescuing you, has taken time away from searching for your mother.  Understand?”
Reluctantly Maddy nodded.  “Sure, yeah but you can’t keep me in the dark,” she retorted as she mimicked his motion by racking a hand through her hair.  “I don’t like that.”
Asia, regaining some of her spunk, agreed, saying, “I won’t sit back either, Mason.”
Nodding in agreement, Maddy added, “If you don’t let us help then we’ll find a way.”  Her eyes narrowed slyly.  “Even if that means sneaking out again.”
Wanting to scream, Mason eyed his sister and daughter.  He knew he shouldn’t let either one of them talk to him this way, threaten him with sneaking away again if they didn’t get their way but he got it.  He understood what they were feeling, and in a smaller degree, thinking.  He couldn’t bring himself to crush that spirit, no matter how much grief it had and was going to cause him.
How the hell had Gemma done it?  He didn’t know but he was going to ask, right after he complimented her on keeping Madison in line for the last nine years.  God, the future was looking…wonderful, he decided after a brief second of thought.  No matter what, no matter how many times Madison scared him, goaded him, and made him mad or happy, the years ahead of him was a treasure he wasn’t going to toss away.
Sighing he said, “I get it, Madison, Asia.  I do.  I won’t keep things from you but there are going to be times when the danger is high and when that’s the case, you won’t be coming along.  And, you both have to promise to follow orders, no hesitations, no arguing.”
Considering his offer for a moment, Madison finally nodded.  “Okay, I promise.”
“Me too,” Asia seconded linking her hand with Maddy’s to show they were a united front.  “We’ll both do it as long as you stop thinking of us as babies.”
“Deal,” Mason agreed.  “Let’s go home.  The others are worried.”

*****

Moaning, the pain in her throat, her body to intense to remain silent, Gemma did her best to think.  Justice was gone, for that she was grateful.  The torture…god, the pain was horrendous but thankfully it was starting to fade though her thoughts were muddled, her strength almost nonexistent.  Only one thought continuously penetrated, escape.  She had to escape.
But how?
No answer came to her and the only thing keeping from tumbling into despair was images of Maddy, her friends and family, Mason. 
There had to be a way out.  She needed to get away, to tell everyone the truth.  To tell Mason that she’d lied, that still loved him.  If she got out, she’d marry him spend the rest of her life with him.  First, however, she had to survive, had to get away from Justice.
Blackness welled up, threatening to take her under and she fought to stay alert, stay awake.
God, her mind was playing with her.  For moment, just a moment, she could have sworn Walker was there with her, beckoning her to come to him.  Her heart ached at the sight of him.  Her first love.  He was there, promising peace, freedom from pain and as much as she still missed him, she shook her head, smiling sadly.  His smile was just as sad as he faded away, leaving her alone once more.
Losing her grip on the shackles keeping her chained to the wall, pain shot through her arms, making her utter a sharp, short scream.  The blackness was pushed back, leaving her alert and all too aware of the pain firing up every nerve she possessed.
Fucking Justice!  Something about him…something she had to remember.  Shaking her head, trying to clear the fuzzy feeling, she frowned into the darkness.  Memories surfaced faded but the one she wanted eluded her, teasing the edges of her brain.  Uttering a scream of pure frustration, Gemma choked back a cry when her raw throat protested.  
Every part of her hurt.  Every inch had felt as if it was on fire the entire time Justice had tormented her, beating her, cutting her, threatening her.  So much pain and for what?  She didn’t know.  Couldn’t even begin to guess.  The fiery pain was gone, transformed into a throbbing that threatened to make her go insane. Tears formed, spilled over but she didn’t notice.  It was all too much.  
Even breathing hurt but she did her best to slow the harsh, gasping breaths issuing from her.  Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered reading that people in pain often forgot to breath and doing so could make the pain feel more intense.  But no matter how hard she concentrated, the pain was too much and her breathing remained ragged.
Pulling on the shackles, she welcomed the sharp sting, as it cleared her mind.  A little, only a little but it was enough to make her forget how badly she was hurting.  Didn’t matter, once again darkness welled up and this time she let it take her.

*****

Tossing the papers he’d been reading aside, Parker sighed.  To no one in general he said, “There’s nothing in that damn file that’s even remotely helpful.”
Following Parker’s example, Damian tossed his pile on the table.  “It’s all a bunch of fucking gibberish to me.”
Though no one else added their piles to the table, they did look up.  Wren’s nose wrinkled as she said, “It’s written in code.  That’s bad enough but…hell, Damian’s right, it’s gibberish.”
“Where are Mason with the girls,” Willa wanted to know, her expression concerned.
As if on cue the front door opened and a moment later Mason and the girls came into the dining room the rest of them had set up shop.  Parker noticed that Maddy and Asia looked duly chastised so only asked, “Where’d you find them?”
Scowling at him, Maddy said, “We’re right here, ask us.”
Behind the girls, Mason did a little eye rolling but when he didn’t answer Parker said, “Okay. Where’d you ladies go?”
“Downtown,” Maddy supplied then plopped down into one of the diner chairs.  Asia followed suit, sitting beside Maddy.  Cosmo trotted over and sat at their feet but the spell had long ago faded so there was nothing to say to the creature.
“Any trouble?”
Mason shook his head, saying, “Not really.  Some street woman was harassing them but ran off the second she got a look at Cosmo.  After that my only concern was getting them back here before something else could go wrong.”
“Did you guys get anything from that file Leon gave us?”
“Nada,” Parker replied dryly.  “It’s coded.  The same way the files Iva discovered the Council were keeping.  We can’t make any sense from it.”
Looking over at Parker Mason suggested, “What if we use the same spell we used for Madison to find Gemma?”
“Tried it, didn’t work,” Parker informed him.  “I think Justice’s discovered a way to block it.”
“Yeah, I figured you’d have thought of it,” Mason said tiredly.  “Fucking bastard probably has a few hundred spells protecting his hidey hole.”
“I think Justice and Gemma are linked in some way,” Iva spoke up, drawing all eyes to her but since she was still bent over the file, she didn’t notice.  
Frowning, Willa asked, “What do you mean?”
“Linked makes it sound as if Gemma and Justice are related in some way,” Clinton remarked.
“Can’t be,” Wren inserted.
“Gemma’s an only child, isn’t she?” Damian inquired thoughtfully.
“Yeah,” Parker answered.  “And her parent’s had no living relatives.”
“Then there’s no way she can be related to Justice,” Linton remarked, though he didn’t look as confident as he sounded.
“Wait, I thought Gemma had a cousin or something living in Brazil?” Mason asked, looking at Parker.
“I’d forgotten about Mila,” Parker said slowly. “But it doesn’t matter.  Any relation would be norm.  Gemma’s parents were norms, remember.”
“Easy to forget when you think of Gemma,” Gage commented.  “She seems to know more about the mage community then mage-borns do.”
“We’re getting of topic,” Mason injected.  “Justice wants Gemma dead we’ve got to figure out a way to find her, fast.”
That made everyone grow quiet, each wondering if it was already too late but each unwilling to voice the thought out loud.  Nor did they want to believe they’d been too slow in saving someone they all cared about, all loved.
Linton was the first to break the silence.  “Iva, what is it you wanted to tell us?”
Mason looked up, his expression apologetic.  “Hell, I’m sorry, Iva.  We got completely off track and forgot all about you.  Why do you think Gemma and Justice are linked?”
Iva cleared her throat before starting. “Blood, flesh and bone are mentioned a few times in here,” she told them, tapping the papers now lying spread out over the dining room table.  “It also mentions Gemma and another person with the initials, E.J.”
“Huh?” Hale said into the silence that followed.
“Are you saying you can read that crap?” Mason inquired.
“I can,” Iva established.  
“I’m lost,” Gage added.
“Oh and that’s surprising how?” Wren said wryly only to add, “Though this time I happen to agree with you.  Iva?”
“Okay,” Iva said, taking a deep breath and letting it out.  “The Mage Council was experimenting with…well; I’m not too sure about that yet.  What I am sure of is that they were using Rebellion forces to experiment on and Gemma’s mentioned a number of times.”
“Gemma wouldn’t have been a part of anything the Council cooked up,” Parker said with conviction.  “Not only does she not trust the fuckers, she hates them for…”
Knowing why Parker had trailed off, Mason said, “It’s fine.  She loved him and even if I could, I wouldn’t change it.”
 “Right,” Parker replied with a soft sigh of relief.  “Anyhow, Gemma’s a stickler for rules as long as those rules don’t, um, dominate freedom and all that.”
Grinning, Wren added, “Yeah, that’s Gemma.  She’s a contradiction in every way.
“I can’t see Gemma being a part of it, even if she was as close as sin with the Council,” Mason mused.  “She detests the Council, as Parker said.”
Gage softly laughed and when everyone looked at him, he said, “I think Gemma’s hatred for the Council goes all the way back to when they all tried to make Parker and Ackley look like complete morons right before the war broke out.”
Damian scowled, adding, “Yeah, those old dudes should have listened when they had the chance.”
Mason sat back, letting his mind blank as the others joined in reminiscing.  He could have had this, he thought.  He could have had the friends, the easy comrade they all shared.  Instead he’d been the on the sidelines, watching, envying, wishing.  Not until his father’s murder had he started changing, started understanding that it wasn’t about power, or money.  It was about the people, those you loved, cared about or even those you couldn’t tolerate.  It was about building memories and experiencing life with family and good friends.
He was going to end it, the talking and laughing, when it hit him.  Making amends with Parker, being here with all of them, he was doing exactly that.  He was building memories that would last far longer than a lifetime.  Only one thing – person – was missing, Gemma.  He was going to get her back and as a bonus, he was going to kick Justice’s ass right before he killed the man.
A hand waving in front of his face brought him out of his thoughts.  “What?  Did I miss something?”
“Nothing much,” Wren informed him with an easy shrug.  “Parker thinks we should search your large library while Iva and Linton continue going over this file, decoding it.  I was thinking it would be a good idea for a couple of us to scout out that old building your friend mentioned.”
“Gage and Hale offered to do that,” Parker added when Wren stopped.  “Wren, Maddy and Asia are going to start dinner.”
Frowning, Mason glanced at his watch.  It was almost seven.  Where the hell had the day gone?  “Sounds good.  I’m going to take care of some business, make a few inquiries so if anyone needs me, I’ll be in my office.”  Standing he added for everyone’s benefit, “Please, everyone, make yourselves at home.”
As he walked out a few of those still sitting were left trying to reconcile the new Mason with the boy they had loved to hate.

*****

“What the hell do you fucking mean?  How did you lose her?” Justice screamed at the old woman.
“Ya deef,” she asked sharply.  She had no patience for a man who hid behind a hood and was dressed like some silly movie villain.  “Dat man come along wit’ dat big ole dog.”
“Jesus, you can’t even speak English,” the asshole wailed.  “I hired you to bring me the girl.  I paid you.”
“Ya, I knows dat,” she snapped in agreement.  “But don’ go thinkin’ ya’ll be gettin’ yar money back.  I’d done spen’ dat.”
“You stupid, filthy hag.  Incompetent moron,” Justice spat at her.  “I don’t want the fucking money.  I want the girl.”
The old woman shrugged.  There was nothing she could say that she hadn’t said already.  
“Go watch the building,” he ordered.  “Maddy will leave again.  When she does, take her.”
“Wha’ ‘bout da oder girlie,” she wanted to know.
“I don’t care about that one,” Justice growled, patience gone.  “Do what you want with that one, but bring me Maddy.”
I’s knows a man, pay me good for the girlie,” she said, her lips smacking in greed.
Disgusted, Justice waved a hand.  “Whatever.  I don’t care.  Maddy I want, the other one…sell her, drown her, kill her, I don’t care.”
“Yeah, I’m gonna be doin’ that,” she replied, already envisioning what she’d buy with the money.
Her daydream was interrupted when Justice shouted, “Well, what the fuck are you waiting for?  Go, watch the building and get me the girl.”
“No need to be gettin’ all huffy,” she grumbled.  “I’mma goin.’”

*****

Watching the second hand tick around and around was making Maddy feel anxious but she wasn’t able to look away.  It was almost one in the morning but she couldn’t sleep.  Her head was spinning, her thoughts whirling around like a spin top.  Her mom filled most of those thoughts.  Where was she?  Was she hurt?  Had Jerk Face hurt her?  Was she even alive?
The last was making her feel so crazy anxious.
No one had mentioned it out loud but Maddy wasn’t dumb.  Everyone was thinking it though.  Trying to imagine her life without her mom…she couldn’t do it.    
Jerk Face wanted something from her mom but what?  Did he really want her mom dead?  She’d overheard the adults talking it over earlier, when they’d believed she was in bed.  Uncle Parker had said her mom was super smart and he believed she was hurt badly because otherwise he thought she’d have found a way back by now.  The others had agreed but what no one would say was it was possible Gemma was already dead.
Maddy’s chest hurt just thinking about it.  Closing her eyes, she tried not to let the tears slip free but they did because in closing her eyes, horrifying images raced across her mind.  Popping her eyes open, Maddy shuddered.  Closing her eyes was the problem.  Every time she did, the same ghastly things sprang up inside her head.  Images of her mother bleeding, dying, broken.  Before now she’d always thought her ability to see things so vividly was a gift.  Tonight it was nothing but a curse.
Now she understood how her mom, her family, had felt when Jerk Face had been keeping her captive.  How many nights, she wondered, had her mom cried over all the hideously awful possibilities she’d imagined happening to Maddy?  Never again, she silently vowed.  Never again would she cause her mom undue worry.  
Furiously she wiped the tears running down her cheeks away.  She wasn’t going to cry.  She was going to be braver than that, tougher than that.  Her mother needed her to be.
The bed shifted as Asia climbed in next to her.  Turning bright, wet eyes to her friend, she said, “Hey.”
“I can’t sleep,” Asia confessed in a soft voice.  “Can we talk, maybe that will help me.”
Maddy turned on the small, soft glowing bedside lamp before flipping over so she could face Asia.  Her friend looked bedraggled, her long blonde hair was tangled and messy and her eyes were red rimmed.  Since she doubted she looked any better, Maddy kept quiet about Asia’s looks.  
“Neither can I,” she admitted.  “My brain won’t shut down.  Wished it was more like a real computer, than I could just unplug.  I keep thinking about mom and…everything.  I heard them talking earlier.  They won’t say it, but they all think Mom’s dead.
“Oh, Maddy, no,” Asia cried out, scooting closer so she could hug Maddy with one arm.  “She’s not.  She’s alive.  No one wants to say it because they don’t want to think like that.  We can’t either.  We have to believe that, right?”
“It’s not easy,” Maddy professed quietly, sniffing a little as she did.  “I do.  I can’t imagine her not alive so I do.  But they – the other grown-ups – they’ll all trying to act as if nothing’s wrong.  I hate that.”  Maddy sucked in a breath, released it.  “They like to believe we don’t know what’s really going on.  I do, Asia.  I wish I didn’t, but I do.”
“It’s annoying,” Asia agreed, her face twisting in annoyance for a moment.  “But I don’t think they mean to treat you – us, that way.  I think it’s easier for them but I don’t think they actually mean to do it.”
Maddy didn’t say anything for a minute and then, “Yeah, I guess so.  It’s still maddening.”
“Hey, you do remember that old woman?” Asia asked, changing the subject suddenly.
“Yeah,” Maddy replied frowning a little.  “Why?”
“I think she was following us,” Asia told her.  “I swear I saw her before we got on the bus.  Right after we came out from that bakery.”
“Are you sure,” Maddy asked skeptically.  Asia had been so distracted by all the norm sights it was hard to believe she’d noticed one old woman and remembered her.  But seeing the hurt look in Asia’s eyes, Maddy quickly added, “It’s not that I don’t believe you saw her, Asia but the homeless can all seem to look alike.”
“She was homeless?” Maddy asked, looking surprised and curious but then she shook her head.  “Never mind.  Yes, I’m sure it was here.”
Hesitantly, Maddy asked, “How can you be so sure?”
“I noticed her coats,” Asia answered promptly.  “She was wearing three.  I thought it was a norm thing until I realized no one else was wearing that many coats.  And one of them was neon pink.  I thought was even weirder since she was so old.”
“Oh,” was all Maddy could think to say.
“Right,” Asia continued.  “I saw her on the bus too but I didn’t really think about it.  Then I was too scared to think about it.  Actually, I didn’t think about it again until I was trying to sleep.  And then I remembered what she said to us.”
“What?”
“She mentioned selling us, I think.  It was hard to understand her,” Asia explained, her face scrunched in concentration. 
“Yeah,” Maddy agreed.  “She said someone named Tice was going to be real interested in us.”
“Not Tice,” Asia corrected.  “Justice.  I think she works for Jerk Face.”
Eyes rounding, Maddy considered what Asia was telling her.  “OMG!  You could be totally right.”
“What should we do?” Asia asked excitedly.  Leaping from the bed, Maddy grabbed Asia and hauled her to her feet.  Shrieking in surprise, Asia gasped, “Where’re we going?”
“Let’s go,” Maddy replied, pulling Asia from the room by her arm.  
Getting pulled along by Maddy was something Asia was quickly getting used to so she simply sighed and repeated, “Where to?”
“We’ve got to tell Mason about this,” Maddy answered.  “I don’t think we should wait for morning.”
“He’s going to blow a gasket,” Asia warned.  
“Whatever,” Maddy tossed back.  “He can and then he can tell he’s sorry once we’ve told me about the old woman.”
Entering Mason’s room together, the girls halted half way across the room.  It was empty.  The bed still made.  Whipping back around, Maddy stomped from the room, dragging Asia along behind her.  They checked the kitchen, the dining room, the living room and Mason’s office and didn’t find him.  Next they tried the den, Gemma’s workroom, the gaming room, the media room and still couldn’t find him.
Stopping outside the media room, Asia mumbled, “Where’s he at?  It’s like two in the morning.”
Suddenly Maddy was off and running again.  This time Asia had to chase after her.  “Hey, what’s up?”
“Mom’s room,” Maddy threw over her shoulder.
“Why’d he be there?” Asia grumbled but followed Maddy.
“Because it’s mom’s room,” Maddy said as if that explained it.  Then she added, “I was going to sleep there too but you came in and we got to talking and…here we are.”
Maddy stopped walking so abruptly Asia nearly ran into her.  “What?  Why’d we stop?”
“We can’t bother him now,” Maddy said, so softly Asia almost didn’t hear.
“Why not?”
“He’s in there because…” Maddy trailed off, a small thoughtful frown marring her features.  “I don’t think he’d like it very much if we bothered him right now.”
“Yeah, but you were right,” Asia argued.  “He’ll want to know about that homeless woman.”
“I did,” Maddy accepted but added, “But I don’t think we should bother him right now.  I think -”
This time Asia latched onto Maddy’s arm and started tugging her along.  Maddy tried to pull free but it was only a halfhearted attempt and Asia’s hold was firm.  “Listen,” Asia said as they trudged down the hallway, “I’d normally say whatever, but I think this is important.  No matter what my brother – your father – is doing, he won’t mind us interrupting him.  Not for this.”
Having reached Gemma’s bedroom door by that time, Asia’s discourse finished in a whisper.  The door was open just sliver but it was enough that Asia could see into the room.  Mason was there, sitting on the edge of the bed, a pillow held in a tight hug.  Insight, right or wrong as it might have been, had Asia thinking Mason was imagining the pillow was Gemma.
“See him?” Maddy whispered, trying to peek into the room but Asia’s slim form blocked her.
“Yeah.”
“Well?”
“He’s hugging a pillow,” Asia told her sadly.  
“He’s…” Maddy frowned and then grinned.  
“What’re you smiling about,” Asia demanded in a fierce whisper.
“Sorry,” Maddy whispered back.  “Just a funny thinking of my dad hugging a pillow.  He’s so…so…tough most of the time, you know?”
“Oh.”  Asia seemed to think about that a minute and then she too smiled.  “I guess it is funny if you think about it that way.”
The shared a moment of amusement, each grinning like devils.
Maddy was about to tell Asia that they should just wait but before she could, Asia opened the door.  The motion of the door swinging open caused Mason to look up.  When he saw them, instead of getting angry or shooing them away, he only watched them as they silently inched into the room.
Looking at her father, Maddy suddenly felt like an intruder.  He looked so sad, so…heartbroken, that she wanted to slink away and let him grieve in peace.  But another part of her wanted to crawl into his lap and hug him tight.  She fought the need to do just that until she looked into his eyes and saw pain, misery and so much love it made her cry out.
Racing over, she threw herself into his arms.  He caught her up, wrapping his arms about her so tight it hurt but she didn’t care.  It felt good.  No one had hugged her since her mother had been taken and it felt wonderful and…comforting.  She was still scared, still worried, but now she didn’t feel as if she was alone.  Rubbing his cheek against the top her head, his voice coarse with emotion he promised, “I’ll find her, Madison.  I will and I’ll bring her back to us, safe and whole.”
Her heart racing, soaring with hope, Maddy nodded against his chest.  “I know, dad.  I know you will.”
For a fraction of a second he stiffened, the shock of her calling him dad sending his head spinning.  Then he tightened his hold on her, kissing the top as she pressed herself against him, her tiny arms gripping him about the neck just as tightly.  
Maddy inhaled his spicy, earthy scent and for the first time in days, felt, not peaceful, but calmer.  Her mom had always been the one to comfort her, to soothe her fears and take away her pain but she realized now she had another who was willing and just as capable of offering her those same small comforts.  Until now she’d been afraid Mason was going to reject her as his daughter but now she knew the truth.  She wasn’t sure he actually loved her but he did care and for now, that was enough.
Asia moved over to join them on the bed, patting Maddy on the back.  Moving her head back a little, she said, her voice soft and desperate, “I want mom back.  I want us to be a family.”
“And we will be,” Mason promised, feeling tears well up as he did.  Blinking them back, he cleared his throat, asking, “Why are you up so late?”
“We couldn’t sleep,” Asia started.  “Then I got to thinking and when I said something to Maddy, she said we should tell you.”
“What did you get to thinking about?”
“That old woman,” Asia told him.  “The one Cosmo and you scared off.”
“And?” he prompted.
“We think she’s working for Jerk Fa – I mean Justice,” Asia blurted out.
Very carefully, Mason lifted Maddy and set her down beside Asia on the bed.  “Spill it?”
They did.

*****

“Mason?”
Opening his eyes, Mason started to look around but he didn’t have to look far before spotting Parker.  Lifting his arm to rub the sleep from his eyes, Mason frowned when something heavy stopped him.  Twisting his head around and down he saw Madison.  She was curled up against him, her head resting on his upper arm.  Further inspection showed Asia was on his other side, laying on her side, her back to him.
Very slowly, not wanting to wake them, he extracted himself from the bed.  Once free, he motioned for Parker to follow him out.  In the hallway he asked, “What time is it?”
“Early,” Parker admitted with a wince.  “Not quite five.  Sorry.”
Mason waved that away.  “It’s fine.  But let’s move away.  They didn’t fall asleep until after two.  Hell, I’m surprised I managed to sleep at all.”
“Having kids cuddled up next you, helps with that,” Parker remarked.  “Especially when they're your kids.  It’s one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever experienced, hugging your kid and knowing….Sorry, rambling.  Didn’t get much sleep.”
“You are but since I didn’t get much sleep either, I’ll forgive you,” Mason replied graciously.  Mason led Parker into the kitchen, heading straight for the coffee maker.  “Want a cup?”
“Sure,” Parker accepted.  “Might as well make a large pot, the others are going to want some too.”
Before Mason could start brewing, Wren popped her head into the kitchen.  “Don’t bother.  Damian stopped off at Yum.  He brought coffee and donuts.”
Mason lifted a questioning brow at Parker, who shrugged.  “Most of them never left.”
“Ah.”
Together they went to the dining room, where Wren, Linton, Reece, Clinton and Damian were already sitting.  Taking a seat, Mason yawned before asking, “What’s up?”
Leaning over, Wren handed him a large paper cup.  The aroma wafting from it made his eyes widen and his mouth water.  “Yum’s coffee is the best,” she told him with a knowing smile.
“Parker thinks someone’s casing the place?” Damian reported before taking a large bite out of the donut was holding.
“Casing what place,” Mason asked.  His brain wasn’t fully engaged and he was feeling a bit sluggish.
“This place,” Parker clarified.
Unable to more articulate this early with so little sleep, Mason only said, “Explain.”
“Last night I made a snack run,” Parker started to explain only to have Damian interrupt.
“A snack run?  What’s that mean?’
Giving Wren a sideways glance, he said, “Never mind.  It’s not important – well it is – but it hasn’t got anything do with the building being watched.”
The sideways look and Parker’s comment clicked inside Mason’s head.  To Wren he said, “Congrats.”
Smiling serenely she said, “Thanks.”
“Why the hell -?” Damian started to ask and then stopped.  His eyes darted from Parker, to Wren and then back again.  “Oh!  Oh yeah, congrats you two.”
Blushing a little now, Wren said, “Thanks, Damian.”
Having caught on, Clinton added his congratulations to the mix.  “That’s nice news, Wren, Parker but doesn’t explain Parker’s need for a midnight snack.”
With a roll of his eyes, Damian inquired, “So Krissy never had any cravings?”
Apparently Mason wasn’t the only one not functioning at full capacity because it took Clinton a moment before the light dawned in his eyes.  “Oh.”
“I don’t,” Linton muttered.  “Why didn’t you just conjure it up?”
“I’ve done that before,” Parker admitted.  “But Wren was craving Pie and Sighs and you can’t conjure something as tasty as the original so I went out.”
Forestalling any other comments, Parker turned toward Mason.  “Anyhow, while I was out last night I noticed this homeless woman.  She was sitting across the street, staring at the building.  I didn’t pay her much attention at the time but this morning, when I went back out to grab the paper, she was still there, still staring over here.”
“She see you,” Mason asked.
“No,” Parker replied with a shake of his head.  
“How do we know she’s actually casing the place,” Linton thought to ask.  “She might just be one of those homeless people that stare off into space for hours at a time.  I’ve seen them.  They give me the creeps.”
“We could ask her,” Damian proposed.
“As if she’d give us a straight answer,” Clinton said dryly.  “If she is watching the place she’s not going to just admit it.”
“We could ask her,” Mason mused.  “It would take some work, a few spells, but we could do it.”
“What’re you thinking?” Damian inquired his expression curious.
“Luring her into the alley,” Mason responded thoughtfully.
“How?” Parker wanted to know.  “If she is watching us, she’s not going to want to get close.”
“We use Madison and Asia,” Mason said and then told them what the girls had told him in the wee hours of the morning.  “So, if they’re right, she’ll try for them again.”
“I don’t know,” Wren hedged.  “I’m not too hot about using the girls as bait.”
“Neither am it,” Mason admitted.  “But’s it’s all we’ve got right now and I want answers.  That woman might have them.”
Silence reigned for a long few minutes and then Damian said, “Okay, let’s refine the plan.  We don’t want anything going wrong.”
Chapter 16

Her name was Hannah.  She hadn’t always been homeless.  There had been a time when she’d had a life, a wonderful, happy life.  She’d had a husband, one who had loved her, cherished her for more that she’d deserved.  And kids, she’d had three of them.  A sweet little girl and two rambunctious, but wonderful boys.  They’d lived in a nice little house which had truly been a home with a yard surrounded by well cared for gardens and scattered toys.  She’d been beyond happy, content in her life, which had once been filled with love, laughter, joy.
Tragedy had killed it, taking it in degrees until it had destroyed her happiness, her joy, her life.
Gregory, with his charming smile and sparkling green eyes, had contacted malaria from a family trip to Africa.  Doctors had taken too long to diagnose him, running numerous, useless test while her small, cherub of a boy had wasted away.  And yet, as tragic as that was, with the loving support of family and friends, she’d gotten through.  They’d gotten through.
A year later, her world was shattered.
Deciding to take the kids to visit the grandparents in the next town over, Michael had left early Friday morning, kissing Hannah sweetly, telling her how very much he was going to miss her for the next few hours.  Laughing, she’d hugged her kids, telling them to have fun and that she would see them soon.  Hannah should have been with them, but she’d decided to stay at home to get some long neglected chores done.
They never made it.  The police came hours later to tell her that her family was gone.  
Wiped from the face of the earth while she’d been watering the vegetable garden.   Later she’d learn that a family of three, the father driving had swerved to avoid a drunk driver.  Instead, all three cars had collided, taking out the guardrail and rolling down the incline.  Only the small boy in the other car had survived.
For days she’d been numb, cold unable to think or eat or sleep.  She’d wandered the home she’d created with her husband, had filled with love.  The home where they’d planned to raise their kids, creating memories and happiness.  One day she’d simply walked out and had never gone back.
Hannah, however, didn’t really remember these things.  Her mind had long ago snapped, leaving her a shell of the woman she’d once been and the husband, the kids, the house, was forgotten.  Hannah didn’t know much about her past and didn’t care.  She lived on the streets.  It was what she knew and all she cared to know.  The rest…was all too bothersome to think about.
Living as she did, day by day, had hardened her heart, made her hard.  She felt no guilt over the petty crimes she committed on a daily basis in order to survive.  She felt no sympathy for those around her.  In truth, she hardly paid attention to anyone, too caught up in the life she’d fallen into.
She dreamed of a better life, one where money wasn’t a worry and she had a roof over her head and sometimes she almost believed she’d had that once, but…it was only a dream.  And though she was looked upon as an old woman, she was in fact only forty-two.  She’d lived on the streets for five years now and it had been hard living.  The sort where you aged far before your time and died faster too.  Her health was fading and she suspected that was part of her recent desire for a roof over her head and a steady supply of food in her belly.  She supposed there were worse things to wish for.
Justice, the hooded freak, had promised her more money than she could ever dream of getting in the next five years.  It would allow her those things she craved and give her the freedom to take a day off from pickpocketing, panhandling and all the other little things she did to earn a little cash.  It would let her breath a little easier.  And buy some damn Tylenol so she could ease a few of the aches and pains that were a constant part of her life.
Keeping her eyes on the building, Hannah shifted from one foot to the other.  Her joints were giving her fits today but then, it was so cold outside and her joints didn’t like that.  Watching the building was boring work, which left her far too much time to think about those aching joints.  Plus her feet were starting to pain her from standing.  The pills she’d gotten yesterday (damn small bottle too) were almost gone and besides, the damn things weren’t touching the pain.  It might have had something to do with the fact that she was eating the caplets like they were Skittles.  Didn’t stop her from shaking out two more and popping them into her mouth.
Or tried too.  Only one fell into the palm of her half gloved hand.  Frowning, she upended the bottle but it was useless.  The fucking thing was empty.  Sighing heavily, she chewed the pill, grimacing slightly at the taste.  Eyeing the goddamn building, she wondered if she dared leave long enough to pop into the nearest corner store for a new bottle of painkillers – and a damn bottle of water.  She was thirsty.  Hungry too, now that she was thinking about it.
No sooner had the thought dropped into her head than she was discarding it.  That fucker Justice would have her hide if she missed her chance because she’d left her post, even if only for a couple of minutes.  Looking around, she hoped to spot someone she knew, someone she could trust with a few bucks.  No one was hanging around though.  Not a surprise.  This was the south side of town, the rich side.  The rich didn’t tolerate the homeless hanging around.  After dark, someone might wander up this way but until then, she was out of luck.
Shifting from foot to foot, trying to ease the throbbing in her knees, Hannah glared across the street.  Waiting for hours more wasn’t something she was going to be able to pull off if she didn’t have something to ease the pain.  Maybe the painkillers didn’t take it away but they eased it some.  Without them she was going to be screaming soon.  No way was she going to be able to capture that girl if she was in too much pain.
Justice would understand that, right?  Well, even if he didn’t, too fucking bad.  She was just going to have to hope that the girl didn’t leave while she was off on her errand.  
No sooner had she taken a step away from her post then she caught a flash of blonde.  Peering across the street she couldn’t help but grin.  Both girls were out and exposed, ready to be plucked up like ripe berries.  They stopped just outside the door; the blonder of the two glanced around then turned to the other girl and said something.
They did a bit of talking, probably deciding where to go, before they started walking, and heading toward the business district.  Hannah started to cross the street, intending to follow at a discreet distance but the dumb blondes stopped again.  Sliding back into place, she watched them, growing impatient until she saw they were arguing.  About what, she wondered.  
Deciding to try and get closer so she could hear, Hannah darted across the street and then slowly began inching her way toward the girls.  As she did, she noticed that both girls appeared angry.  The blonder girl was gesturing wildly with her hands while the other one glared mutinously.  Suddenly the one glaring shouted something, which caused the wild one to shake her head as she started to walk away.  The darker blonde called out but the other girl kept going, not even looking back.  Glaring at her friends retreating back, the darker blonde stomped her foot before twirling around and starting off in the other direction.
Worry jiggled the bottom of her belly and Hannah put a hand over it.  Justice had only told her that the girl was small and blonde.  Both girls were blonde and small.  The girl’s name was Maddy, but until she was close enough to snatch her, she wasn’t going to call out the name and lose the chance of catching at least one of them.  And while she stood there debating they were getting further and further away – in opposite directions.  
Fuck!

*****

Splitting up was scary.  It didn’t matter that Mason, Parker and the others were standing by, ready to leap to the ‘rescue.  It was still scary.  Asia shuddered as a small shiver of worry traveled down her spine.
The argument they’d staged had gone just as planned, with Maddy heading further uptown while Asia headed in the same direction they’d taken the day before.  Of course she wasn’t going to go that far today.  When she reached the end of the block, instead of crossing the street she was supposed to turn.  According to Mason, there was an alley between his building and the one beside it.  That was where Mason had told her to go.  Maddy was supposed to enter the alley on the other side.
The adults were hoping that the old woman would follow at least one of the girls and enter the alley behind them.  With Maddy and her going the same way from different directions and the old woman was going to walk into the trap no matter who she took after.  And by separating them, it was impossible for both to get taken if anything went wrong.  Oh, the adults hadn’t said like that, but Asia had read enough books to know what was what.
The plan wasn’t a bad one but Asia thought it was too… hit-or-miss but since she was only ten, no one was going to listen to her so she’d gone along with it, hoping it would work.  Of course, if it did work there was no way she was going to say a word about how she’d thought the plan was rather lame.  If it didn’t work, well then she was going to take great pleasure in telling them just what she thought.
Having come to the end of the street, Asia pretended to be uncertain for a moment, looking around as if she was trying to decide which direction to take before heading down the block toward the alley.  A few times she was tempted to stop and gawk but since that would alert anyone watching that she wasn’t Maddy, she forced herself to keep going.  Mason, Parker and the others didn’t think the old woman knew Maddy by sight, which was why she’d been willing to take both yesterday.  Maddy wouldn’t have felt the urge to stop and stare so Asia couldn’t either, no matter how tempting it was.
She was only about half way down the street when there was a buzzing in her ear.  “Slow it down some, Asia.  Maddy’s a little behind you.”
Barely moving her lips, she muttered, “Then tell her to hurry it up.”
There was no response but she knew they were probably telling Maddy to step it up a little.  Because it was almost impossible to slow down for no obvious reason, Asia stopped and stooped low, pretending to tie her shoe for a moment.
“Okay, get going,” Mason said into her ear.
Straightening, Asia started walking again.  In moments she’d reached the alley.  She paused for a moment before heading down the darker passage.  When she spotted Maddy’s outline at the other end, she took a step forward, moving closer to the wall as she did.  Maddy did the same, each not wanting anyone following to see the other girl’s shadowy figure and hugging the building’s exterior added the benefit of blending into the shadows.
There wasn’t a lot blocking the view to the other side, just a few dumpsters, a long cardboard box with THH written on the side in big block letters and an old bike.  Trailing her fingertips across the cold stone, Asia slowly made her way deeper into the alleyway.  She was almost to the middle, able to see Maddy better now, when she heard Maddy’s name called.  It wasn’t coming from ahead of her though, but behind her.
Spinning around, Asia squinted toward the lighter area.  She was able to just make out the old woman from the day before, the neon pink coat she was wearing beneath a darker brown jacket, easier to make out in the darker alley.  Sticking to the plan, she said, “Sorry, did you say something?”
“You be Maddy?” the old lady asked, sounding just a little scared.
“Who’re you?  Do I know you?  You look familiar,” Asia demanded, frowning a little as if she was trying to think where she might have known the woman from.
“You don’ be knowin’ me,” she snapped out hurriedly.  “You be Maddy, righ.’” 
“I think I do know you,” Asia murmured, stalling.  Where were Mason and Parker?  They were supposed to be here already.
“You don’ know me,” she insisted her eyes darting everywhere, her voice a little panicky.
Asia snapped her fingers as if the answer had only just come to her.  “Yes I do!  You’re that smelly woman who bothered me and my sister yesterday.”
“No!” the woman cried out, her hair flying as she hastily shook her head in the negative.  “Dat wasn’ me.”
Asia was trying to think of a way to keep her from bolting away when Mason and Parker came up behind the old woman, blocking her from leaving.  Since neither man was making any move to actually apprehend the woman, Asia decided to keep the playacting going.  Calling out, she asked, “Hey sis, isn’t she that lady?”
Happy to play along, Maddy stepped out from the shadows, saying, “Yeah, she definitely is.”
The woman had started backing up the second Maddy had revealed herself.  She started to say, “Ya go’ me mixed up wit’-” but at that moment she bumped into Parker.  Her expression, which had been bordering on panic slackened with fear as she turned around to see what had blocked her escape.
Before Asia could say ‘gotcha’ Mason started swearing even as he jumped forward, catching the woman around the waste.  At first Asia thought the old woman had been trying to make a run for it but then she heard Parker ask, “Did you do that?”
In disgust, Mason said, “No.  She fucking fainted.”
Parker started laughing.  In between he gasped out, “Well, at least we won’t have to waste any power on stunning her.”
Mason only grunted in reply as he flipped the woman over his shoulder and headed for the service entrance.  Parker looked at the girls, grinning from ear to ear.  “Good job, ladies.  Let’s get inside where it’s warmer.”
Since Asia was cold, she didn’t protest but followed Parker back inside but not before sharing a grin with Maddy.  Parker Hadley had told them they’d done a good job.  That was so freaking cool.

*****

Depositing the woman in a chair, Mason quickly backed away.  They didn’t bother trying to confine her.  There were enough of them in the room that she was never going to get a chance to get away.  Once he was sure that the woman really had fainted and didn’t look as if she was going to be waking anytime soon, he looked around the room at the others.  “I’m going to take a shower while fainting sally there naps.”
“A shower?” Parker queried, his expression feigned innocence.  “Why would you need another shower, especially in the middle of the day?”
Looking mildly annoyed, Mason replied, “That woman stinks like…hell, a little of everything, Parker.  Or didn’t you notice the stench?”
Asia, who had trailed the two men inside, said, “She told us it was to keep the riff raff away.”
That statement earned her a few chuckles which only baffled her until Maddy nudged her with an elbow and said, “She was lying, Asia.  She stinks ‘cause she hasn’t taken a bath in…forever.”
“Oh,” Asia sighed and then glared at everyone.  “It’s not as if I’ve ever met a homeless person before.  I didn’t know.”
Patting Asia’s shoulder soothingly.  “We know.”
Mason ignored them and said, “I’ll be back in a few.”
It was less than an hour when he returned, dressed in jeans and a simple tee shirt.  Glancing about the room, Wren’s bewildered expression was the first thing he noticed.  In fact, once he’d taken a moment to really look, he saw the same expression on everyone’s face.  Moving closer, he opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when he heard something that might just have answered the question.
“Dis here be kidnappin’ and Im’a gonna tell the poleece ‘bout it.  Dat ya can bet on.”
Noticing Mason had come back, Parker asked, “Get any of that?”
“She said we’ve kidnapped her, that she’s going to be telling the police and that we can count on that,” Mason supplied and then asked, “Why?”
Wren’s eyes widened.  “You’ve got yourself a nifty little talent there, Mason.  I’ve only understood about five percent of what she’s been yelling since she woke up.”
“I’m with Wren,” Damian mumbled irritably.  “How the hell do you understand what the fuck she’s saying?  I think I’m getting less the Wren.”
“Then give her a potion for speech improvement,” Mason suggested with a lift of his brow.  “Or did no one think of that?”
“Didn’t know a potion for speech enhancement existed,” Parker muttered, shooting the others a dark look.  “There’s really a magical fix for that sort of thing?”
Mason gave a little eye roll.  “Mason, you’ve been a part of the magical community how long now?  Haven’t you figured out yet there’s a potion, spell, hex, jinx or charm for just about everything.”
“Potions going to take some time to time,” Linton remarked.  “What about a spell?”
Mason nodded.  “Sure, I know of a spell.”  He wiggled his fingers at the woman, chanted a few words beneath his breath for a moment and then said, “There, that should do it.”
They all looked at the old woman expectantly but she’d obviously said all she meant to say because her lips were firmly shut.  Mason didn’t think a sudden need to keep her trap closed was the reason behind her new silence.  She was looking at Mason with a mixture of horror and wonder.  Coming around do he could see her properly, Mason studied her.
She wasn’t as old as he’d first thought, probably only eight or ten years his senior, which would have made her late thirties, early forties.  Her face was hard though, which was why she he’d thought her older.  Oddly he felt sympathy stir within him.  Why?  He wasn’t sure until he looked into her eyes.  She’d experienced hardship, loss and whatever tragedy had struck her, it had left her hallow and broken.
“Listen,” she said, licking her lips.  “I don’t know anything…”
Trailing off she looked surprised at the sound of her own voice.  Mason understood.  She’d gone from sounding like street trash to upper crust in seconds.  She cast a quick look around the room before looking back at him, her focus on his hands clasped before him.  That quickly she’d put two and two together to get four, Mason was impressed.
Curiously she asked, “What’d you do?”
Instead of answering her, he took a step back and sat down in the chair across from her.  While he did, Parker told her, “He just made it so we could understand what you were saying.”
Looking away from Mason, she turned her gaze to Parker.  It was if having her suspicions confirmed was enough to make her afraid once more because without returning her attention to Mason she said, “I don’t know anything about anything.”
“How do you know?” Parker asked.  “We haven’t asked anything yet?”
“Doesn’t matter,” she insisted mulishly.  “I won’t know anything.”
“Uh, is this wise?” Clinton inquired.
“Is what wise?” Damian countered.
Clinton waved a hand at the woman.  “Using magic around a norm?”
“Don’t care if it is or not,” Mason growled shooting a glare at the other man.  “She’s the only break we’ve gotten and I’m not going to worry about the Council and their fucking stupid rules.”
“She might know where Justice is keeping Gemma,” Wren added, shooting Clinton a stern look.  “Gage and Hale haven’t returned yet and until they do, she’s all we’ve got.”
“I get it, all of it,” Clinton ensured.  “But of the Council gets wind of this…well, it’s not going to be pleasant.”
Without even blinking, Mason replied, “Which is why Wren’s going to brew us up a memory shaping potion.”
“That’s -”
“Clinton, shut the hell up,” Damian demanded quietly.  “You may not like it, may even disagree – hell, you may run to the fucking Council and tattle, but we’re doing this.  Gemma’s missing, maybe hurt, dying so shut you damn mouth.  Later you can claim ignorance if that’s what you want but right this minute, let it go.”
For a long moment no one said anything while Clinton stood there opening and closing his mouth like a gasping fish.  Finally he said, “I – Never mind.  Just do what you need to do and let’s pray it helps us find Gemma.”
Facing the woman, his eyes dark with fury, fear and hope, Mason said, “I’d like it if you cooperate but either way you will be answering our questions.”
“Won’t do it,” she muttered with a shake of her head.  “You and your friends are -”
Interrupting angrily, Mason fired back, “Are going to get the answers we want.  I know.   A man named Justice hired you to bring him my daughter.  He’s also taken her mother.  We want her back and until I’m satisfied you’ve answered everything – truthfully – you aren’t going anywhere.”
Tapping at his shoulder had him looking back.  “What?”
Leaning close, Parker murmured low into his ear.  “Try a different approach.”
“Huh?”
“Be nice,” Parker supplied.  “I’m not sure the big bad tough guy is going to impress this one.  She lives on the streets.”
Sighing, Mason gave Parker’s suggestion a minute of thought.  Deciding it was worth a shot, he softened his tone when he asked, “So, what’s your name?”
She blinked at him.  It was obvious from the shock on her face she hadn’t been expecting his question.  It was just as obvious that it had been a long time since anyone had asked her who she was.  But Parker earned a point for getting it right because she answered, telling them, “Hannah.”
“Hannah what?”
“Jackson.  Hannah Jackson.”
Smiling, trying to appear warmer, friendlier than he was feeling, Mason nodded.  “I’m Mason Draven.  I apologize for having to bring you here but you’re working for a man who wants my future wife and the mother of very wonderful little girl, dead.”
“Not what he says,” Hannah told him tartly, her thin lips drawing back into a line.
“What did he tell you?”
“Told me the girl was his and that some woman was trying to keep them apart.”  She glanced at the others just briefly and then back to Mason.  “Told me you’re got it all mixed up because you’re believing the lies that woman told you.”
“Anything else,” Mason prompted, just barely able to prevent his anger from showing through.
“Told me he was going to get his life back,” she told him with a nod.  “Said there wasn’t anything and no one could stop him.  I don’t care about his life and I told him that.  All I care about is the money he’s given me and will give me when the jobs done.  With that money I can sleep in a real bed, have me a good meal.”
She sounded so wistful, so sad that Mason asked, “How much was Justice paying you?”
She named an amount, adding, “Double that if I got the girl to him before the end of the week.  Don’t know why the dead line but it’s what he promised.  Only I didn’t know which of them girls Maddy was.  He told me she was blonde and small, both those girls are blonde and small.”
“You were trialing Asia,” Mason muttered dryly.  
She snorted, amusement momentarily dancing in her eyes.  “Figures.  I told that man they looked enough alike to be sisters.  He didn’t care to hear.  Told me to just get the job done.”
Not totally sure why he felt compelled to ask, Mason said, “Do you like living on the streets, Hannah?”
“Do I…?” she snorted.  “Course not.  No one does.  But I do what I have to keep on trucking.  Got no choice in that.”
“What has trucking got to do with it,” Reece muttered, earning himself a few amused chuckles aimed in his direction.
“Why don’t you?” Maddy asked softly from the entrance to the living room.  
“Don’t I what?” 
“Have a choice,” Maddy clarified.
Mason glanced away from Maddy to see Hannah studying the girl, an odd shine to her eyes.  In a whisper she said, “I had a daughter like you once.”
“You did?” Maddy asked, her tone low, respectful.  
“She died,” Hannah said though Mason didn’t think she was actually aware of what she was saying.  There was on gleam in her eyes and her expression was slack, dazed.  “She was killed in an accident just like…”
Her voice faded away until she was silent though she still looked far away for a moment more.  When she seemed to shake it off, Mason asked, “Do you know where Justice is hiding out, Hannah?”
“Said he’d kill me if I said anything,” she muttered, frowning slightly.
Shaking his head, Mason told her, “He can’t get to you.  We won’t let him.  Where is he, Hannah?”
“Can’t,” she replied stubbornly.  “Don’t want to die.  He killed Detrick, you know.  Detrick never hurt anyone, not ever.  That man, he killed Detrick because D, he refused to leave, refused to give up his bedtime spot.”
“I won’t let him hurt you, Hannah,” Mason promised.  “I’ll rent a room for you where you can stay until this over and then…then, we’ll see.  How’s that sound?”
“Sounds nice,” she replied with a longing sigh.  “Only I don’t know where he’s moved too.  Detrick not moving made him mad and he moved on.”
“Where do you meet with him?” Parker thought to ask.
“Warehouse Row,” she told them.  “That place where all the abandoned buildings and such are.  You know it?”
“Yeah,” Parker agreed.  “That’s in the same area Leon’s sources gave us.”
“It is,” Mason seconded.
Damian grunted, “The one Gage and Hale are checking out?”
“That’s the one,” Parker confirmed and then, his eyes on Mason asked, “You’re looking a little strange, what are you thinking?”
Instead of answering, Mason turned to Wren.  “Keep Hannah here with you and the girls.  I’m going to check out the place out with Parker.”
“Oh hell no,” Damian inserted, pushing up from the wall he’d been leaning against.  “No way in hell is the rest of sitting around, twiddling our fucking thumbs, while you and Parker have all the damn fun.  Besides, if this is the right place, you’re going to need the rest of us.”
“If we storm the place, Justice is just as likely to kill Gemma before we could find her,” Mason pointed out wearily.  And I never said you were just going to be sitting around.  I want you and whoever you choose, to go see Leon for me.  I’ll give you a note so he’ll know you’re legit.  Find out if he’s got anything new and ask him to look into,” he paused, flickering a glance at Hannah, “her past.  I want everything there is to know.”
Not through dictating, he continued with, “Linton, Iva, could you two please keep hacking at the file that would be great.  I think there’s something there.  Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think I am.  Parker, you ready?”
“Whenever you are,” Parker replied.
Five minutes later they were on their way.
Chapter 17

Peering into the darkness, Gemma wasn’t able to see anyone or anything but she was able to hear.  Voices, two, she thought, were drifting along the dark.   She was sure one was Justice, but the other she didn’t know.  Keeping her head down, pretending to be unconscious, she listened, hoping to learn something, anything that might help her.
The voice she didn’t know was saying, “They’ve got the old woman.”
“I know that,” Justice hissed impatiently.  “You didn’t have to come here to tell me that.  Idiot!”
“You want me to kill her,” the stranger asked sounding positively hopeful.
“No,” Justice snapped.  “She can’t foil my plans.  She doesn’t know enough to bother with.”
“Then I’ll kill the mage you have chained in the back.”
A cold chill swept over Gemma but she kept still.  Obviously the stranger wanted to kill and anyone would do.
“NO!” Justice bellowed.  Gemma winced.  “We cannot.  Not yet.  I need her still.”
“You need her?” the other sneered sounding miffed.  “You need her!  For what?  Her death fulfills your destiny, doesn’t it?  Why do you need her?”
“Killing her doesn’t serve me just yet,” Justice growled lowly.  “I need her memories, her…everything.  I need to know her -”
“As nothing,” the stranger interrupting in cutting tone.  “You’re stalling.  Why?  You’ve come so far. What’s stopping you?  The mage is nothing.  Get rid of her.”
There was a yelp and then Justice was snarling, “I don’t have what I want, not yet.  She’s not as willing to part with it as easily as I’d believed.  She lives until I’ve gotten it.”
“What?” the other wailed loudly.  “What more could you get from her?  Nothing.  Kill her now.  End her suffering.”  
Snickering followed that little speech and Gemma once more had to suppress a shudder.
“What part of no don’t you understand,” Justice screamed madly.  “I’ve got to have what she has and until I have it, she remains breathing.  She’ll break eventually.  She will.  And I offer…I offer immortality, in way.  She’ll see that, accept it.  Soon.” 
“She doesn’t fucking care about that or anything you want,” the other one cried.  “Why can’t you see that?  She was a rebel.  She helped bring Mage Dark down, stopping her from -”
“SHUT UP!” Justice roared.  “You don’t know anything.  You’re a fucking idiot.”
Silence filled the darkness for long minutes and then the stranger, contrite now, said, “Please accept my apology.  I didn’t mean to upset you.  I just want you to understand that if we do not end this soon, this will not end as we’ve planned.”
Another bout of silence followed before Justice said, almost too low for Gemma to hear, “The timing isn’t right but it will be soon.”  His tone became icy.  “Go back and leave me alone for now.”
“But -”
“NOW!”
Shuffling followed and then nothing.  Once again she was left with alone with Justice.  
Keeping her head down so that most of her hair shielded her face, she continued to feign unconsciousness though by contorting her eye muscles she was able to see a little through the curtain of her hear.  She wasn’t able to see much.  The light was low but the light grew brighter as Justice drew closer, a lantern held in his hands.
It took every effort to remain still, to keep her breathing even while Justice stood in front of her, not saying anything and not moving.  Part of her wanted to lift her head, to see if he’d removed that cursed hood yet but another part, the sane, smart part stayed still.  Besides, she was too weak, too tired to do much more than hang where she was chained.
“Do you think you’re clever,” he hissed.  “Hanging there, letting the iron bite into your skin and all to make me believe you’re weak, asleep.”
Gemma did nothing.  Said nothing.
“You can’t lie to me.  I know the truth,” he continued to whisper.  Then, “YOU CAN’T LIE TO ME!”
Rather than startling as he might have hoped, Gemma remained as limp as ever.  Over the last couple of days she’d grown used to his sudden outburst.  She had stopped reacting, not just because it was pointless but because he enjoyed scaring her and she wasn’t about to give him anything more.
When she didn’t react as he’d hoped, his voice returned to that raspy whisper she was starting to hate.  “Maybe you’re asleep.  Maybe you are weak.  Soon we’ll see though, won’t we?”
Internally bracing for the pain she suspected was coming, Gemma didn’t allow her body to tense.  Only nothing happened and she almost looked up in shock, stopping herself just in time.  Her continued non reaction prompted Justice to say, ‘Fine.  Rest while you can.  Can’t have you dying before I’m ready.”
Minutes later she was alone.  Blissfully alone.
Thinking about what she’d just overheard, Gemma wondered who the stranger was and what it all meant.  They had all assumed Justice was working alone but that wasn’t the case so who was the mystery person helping him.  She hadn’t been able to tell a thing, not even of the person was male or female though she suspected female.  Why else would the stranger have tried so hard to get Justice to kill her unless it was because Gemma was, in the woman’s twisted head, competition?
And the old woman they’d spoken about, who was she?  Did it matter?  Maybe.  From what she was able to discern though, the others had managed to catch the third party.  Was the woman being helpful?  Did she know enough to help Mason and the others find her?  God but Gemma really hoped so and she prayed it was soon.  Justice wasn’t going to keep her alive much longer.
At least she had one questioned answered.  Ever since she’d woken up she’d been wondering why Justice was keeping her alive and now she knew…he wanted something from her.  What?  Well, that was still a mystery.  She knew he wanted it and he believed she was keeping him from it.  Now, if only she knew what it was, maybe she could use it to help her escape.
Shaking it off for now, Gemma refocused her attention on keeping herself upright.  Hanging limp was painful as was holding her aching body up but she had to try because she wasn’t going to die here, not if she could stop it.  And if she was going to die, well it wasn’t going to be while chained to a wall.  She’d damn well go down fighting.

*****

Bending over as low as he could, Mason motioned for Parker to come closer.  Moving along the outside of the warehouse with his back pressed against the wall, Parker inched his way to where Mason was crouched.  Mason watched him, noting how Parker’s gaze never rested but darted everywhere.  No wonder Parker never seemed to miss a thing.  It was if the man had a sixth sense, which come to think about it, was probably exactly right but it was also, Mason admitted silently, that Parker was vigilant.
Reaching Mason’s side, Parker stepped around until he was crouched on the other side of the warehouse door.  In low tones, he said, “The alley on either side is vacant of even rats.  I think the old cat hiding in one of the barrels might have something to do with that.  Oh, and I don’t think the cat will give us much trouble.”
Keeping his tone as soft as Parker, Mason ordered, “When I open the door you duck down and take a peek inside.”
“Right,” Parker muttered, getting into position.  “I get blasted to the netherworlds and I’m coming back as a ghost to haunt the hell out of you.”
With a roll of his eyes, Mason asked, “What’s with you and humorous comments in the face of danger?”
“Coping mechanism,” Parker replied with a jaunty grin.  “You’ve got your sardonic repertoire I’ve got my humor.”
“It’s irritating as hell,” Mason grouched.
“Suck it up,” Parker retorted.  “One…two…three”
Mason twisted the handle and pushed on three.  Nothing happened.  Blowing out a breath, Parker said, “That was anticlimactic.  Doors locked.  What now?”
“You’re a mage, Parker,” Mason reminded him sardonically.  “Use a bit of magic.”
Parker shook his head.  “As cautious as this guy has been do you really think a simple spell is going to get us inside.”
“We won’t know until we’ve tried,” Mason pointed out.  “It’s not as we know for certain this is his place and if it is, he never expected us to find him.”
With a shrug Parker waved a hand over the lock, getting a sense for it.  “It’s a simple lock so…” he poked a finger at it, muttered a single word and…click, the door popped open.
“So, either this is the wrong place or he’s not as clever as he thought,” Mason murmured.  “Idiocy will get you killed.”
“I do hope you aren’t calling me an idiot,” Parker spoke up blandly.
“At the moment,” Mason replied with an easy smile.  “I was referring to our mutual nemesis.”
Parker’s lips twitched but he said, “And you think my humor is annoying.
Keeping his chuckle low, Mason asked, “On three again?”
Parker did the counting again, this time both man pushed themselves inside.  No attack came so Mason moved deeper into the gloom.  The room wasn’t big and looked as if it once been the office for whatever business had occupied the building.  A desk and chair were piled into one corner, both looking broken.  Three battered metal filing cabinets leaned against one wall and a few battered boxes were haphazardly piled in a second corner.  
Very little light made it through the windows lining two of the four wall making it hard to see details but it appeared as if no one had been inside for ages.  Dust, inches thick, covered everything, including the floor.  A poster, rotting and half gone hung from a rusty nail.  Written across the top was ‘Safety: KPC’s Number One Priority’ and below that was a short list proclaiming the rules of safety.  Mason didn’t bother trying to read it, half of it was missing but more, he wasn’t interested.
Motion from Parker caught his attention.  Pointing, Parker said, “Looks as if we’ve only got one choice unless we’re going back out.”
Moving in tandem, they each took one side of the door.  This time Mason went low, counting it off as he twisted the handle and shoved the door open.  Pushing through into the next room he said a moment later, “It’s just a hallway and empty.”
Joining Mason, Parker glanced down the hall, noticing the light was better here because of the larger windows lining the length of the hall.  It helped that fifty percent of the panes of glass had been busted out, giving the outside light a chance to reach inside without dirt and grime hindering it.  The corridor was short and had four doors.
“Mark them as we check them out,” Mason told Parker.
Nodding, Parker added, “Start here, work our way down?”
“Might as well,” Mason agreed.  
Together they went to the nearest door.  Parker marked it with a bit of magic before they once again took their positions.  It was a broom closet.  It still held a few old cleaning supplies inside.  Closing the door, they moved to the next one in silence.  They continued down the hall, taking turns to check out each room.  The second was another office, smaller than the first and bare except for a broken chair.  The third room was filled with filing cabinets.  Yellowed aging paper covered almost every surface.  This room also had a door on the other side of the room.  When they checked it out they discovered what had once a bathroom but had been gutted out, the only thing remaining a broken toilet.
Coming to the last door, it was Mason’s turn to check it out first.  Parker pushed it open while Mason rushed inside, going low just in case.  It was empty, giving them no clue as to what it might have once been.  But it had two more doors.  The first door was a small closet.  The second led into a second corridor, this one slightly shorter than the first and had only two doors.
“It’s a fucking warehouse of doors,’ Parker muttered.
“Only two this time,” Mason remarked.
Working together they quickly checked out the first and found a room, also empty, thankfully of doors as well.  As they walked to the last door, Parker observed, “What the hell?  I thought this a warehouse not a damn corridor of doors and more doors.  Shouldn’t a place like this have a large, I don’t know, storage area or something?”
“Should,” Mason agreed.  “But if this Justice’s hideaway he could have bewitched a good portion of it.  Hell, we could be checking doors and fucking more doors for days without getting any closer to Gemma.”
Dryly, Parker said, “Surely not for days.  Maybe a day, maybe a day in a half but days?”
Deciding it was better not to comment, Mason simply walked up to the next door and opened it while Parker ducked inside to check it out.  “Nothing,” Parker called back.  “Unless you count the –”
Whatever he was going to say was cut off when someone came barreling through the other door and in a blur of motion collided with Mason who’d just stepped around Parker.  Mason fell back with a muttered curse as Parker exclaimed, “What the hell?”

*****

Trying to contort her hand into something much smaller than the bones wanted to allow Gemma tugged in a downward motion, hoping to slip free from the iron band.  She was grimacing, grunting a little with effort when a door slammed open only to close a second later with a smart slap.  Quickly going limp, Gemma sucked back as gasp of pain as the shackles bit into her skin with the force of her body weight.  Eyes watering, she forced herself to remain still as she did her best to get her breathing back into normal range.
She managed, barely to get herself under control right before Justice, his hooded robes swirling about his feet, banged into the room.  He began to pace, obviously agitated, and muttering.
“How?” he quietly raged.  “They shouldn’t have been able to find this place.  Something’s not right.  They got inside!  It should have been impossible to get inside.  I don’t understand.”
The more he talked, the more agitated he grew and the faster he paced.  “The old woman…she must have told them but how?  She didn’t know anything.  I told her nothing.  I was careful.  I was!  I never…”
His voice trailed away and his pacing slowed, stopped.  “Fuck!  Have to think!  Have to think!”
He started to pace again, getting closer and closer to where she hung from chains.  Quickly closing her eyes to mere slits, Gemma continued to watch even as her brain raced.  Joy and relief wanted to take hold but she kept them tightly locked those emotions down.  She had no doubts that the ‘they’ Justice referred to was Mason and the others but knowing they were close didn’t make her situation any less dangerous.  Justice was seriously disturbed and now he was seriously pissed off, which meant that he could turn at kill her at any second.  She didn’t want to die knowing rescue was only minutes away.
Suddenly her hair was grabbed and it took all she had not to yell out in pain as he yanked forcing her head up.  It took even more concentration to keep her expression slack, her body flaccid as pain shot through her.  Somehow she pulled it off though she’d never know how.
His breath was hot against her ear as she yanked her closer, whispering, “It’s your fault.  All yours.  Only the fact that I still need you keeps you breathing.”  He chuckled nastily.  “They won’t ever find you.  I’ve hidden this room far too well.”
With that he released, letting her body flop back against the unforgiving wall.  Gemma forced back the groan that wanted to escape until Justice swept from the room.  Once he was gone she allowed herself to sag, silently weeping in hope and hopelessness.

*****

Fucking hell!  How the hell had he gotten himself into this situation?  He should have listened to Gareth when the old man had told him he was getting in way over his head.  But no, he hadn’t listened so here he was, trying to pull himself into a window even a cat would find hard to climb through.  Damn it!
Wiggling his hips he finally managed to pop himself through, promptly plummeting to the floor.  Catching himself on his hands before face planting, he grunted.  On his hands and knees, he took a few minutes to catch his breath before silently getting to his feet only to softly curse when he knocked his head against a low hanging shelf.
He cursed again when he got a look at all the dust and grime coating his front side.  “Fuck me.” 
Rubbing at the sore spot on the back of his head and doing his best to ignore the grunge coating him, he surveyed the room he’d landed in.  The dust was so thick it was as if a sheet of snow had fallen over the room.  Only a few rotting boxes and a couple of chairs occupied the space.  He took a moment to glare at the chairs.  “If you’d been under the damn window I might not have fallen, you know?”
Still talking to himself he walked stealthy over to the door.  “Not she’s got me doing it, damn it!  Talking to myself like I’m loony or something.  She’s going to make me crazy.”
Placing a hand on the handle, he paused a moment to listen.  Voices on the other side had him pressing his ear to the wooden door.  The words were muffled but he could have someone was demanding a kiss.  Strange.  Backing away, he looked around.  Not being able to go the way he’d intended was going to be a problem since there was only one way out of the room – other than the window.
“Fucking hell and damn it all to the gods,” he mumbled softly.  “What the hell was I thinking?”
He was going to have to conjure up a little magic.  Placing his palm on the wall opposite the door, he willed the wall away.  The wall appeared to melt away, creating an opening large enough for him to step through.  Once on the other side he released his hold, letting the wood meld back together.  Done, it looked the same as it always had.
Knowing where all the players in this little drama were helped him along the way.  Couldn’t let them see him and knowing their whereabouts helped keep him from discovery.  When he heard someone call out, from pain or anger he wasn’t too sure, he quickly made his way in that direction.  Keeping to the shadows, he stepped around and into a room.
She was hanging limply, the chains embedded into the stone keeping her upright, letting only the tops of her toes touch ground.  Making no sound he inched his way around until he was beside her, inches away but concealed in shadows.
In a soundless chant he murmured a word.  A second later, he was gone.

*****

Suddenly weightless, Gemma felt herself fall to the floor, saving her head from slamming into it seconds before she landed.  Lying in a crumpled heap, expecting Justice was playing a new game, she did nothing for a long time.  When nothing happened, she chanced a look up.  She was alone.  Slowly rolling upwards, she pulled herself to her feet, using the wall as support.  Once standing she took a moment to breath, to think as she took stock of her surroundings.
There wasn’t much to see.  The chains that had only recently kept her trapped hung floppily, the bands open.  How?  Why?  It didn’t matter.  She was free and that meant she had a chance of getting the hell out of here.
To do that, she had to discover a way out of this room.
That would have been easier if she was able to see more than a few inches in front of her face.  The room was in shadows, the only light like a pool surrounding her and the chains.  Well, she wasn’t going to get anywhere standing around.  Raising her arms as they screamed in protest, she pressed her palms against the wall and slowly inched her way along it.
Sliding her feet across the floor, she prayed no one was waiting just out of reach, ready to grab her.  Not knowing what was ahead was making her heart race so fast she was terrified it was going to burst from her chest.  It was beating so loudly, it was hard to hear anything else, no matter how hard she strained.  Hoping she met no one and nothing that would prevent her from leaving she made her way across the room, using the wall as a guide.
A part of her was still expecting Justice to come at her, insanely laughing as he taunted her over her ridiculous hope of escape.  The thought was making her difficult to think, to concentrate.  When her fingers smoothed over cool wood she almost sobbed in relief.  Biting her lip she blindly searched for the handle.  She did sob when she found it.
Turning it she opened, pushing but the door didn’t budge.  Before panic could set it her brain screamed, pull you idiot.  She did and the door opened without protest.  Sucking in a calming breath, she cautiously stepped out, blinking rapidly as the brighter light hurt her eyes after so much darkness.
Once she could see more clearly she pushed herself against the wall, looking around.  The room was larger, the ceiling high above her head.  Slipping along the wall, she made her way as quickly as her injured body would allow toward the door on the right.  Keeping her steps small, her bare feet cold on the stone floor, Gemma darted glances around the room as she moved along the wall.
It when she looked back toward where she’d just come from that she understood what Justice had meant about no one finding her.  The door she’d only just exited was gone.  Well, no choice now but to go forward since there was no way she was getting back into the other room even if she wanted too – which she didn’t.  Hell no!  She was moving forward.
Once she reached the door, she took a few seconds to look around.  The space was filled with crates, all marked with a KPC logo.  Most of the crates were rotting away, the contents spilling outward but she didn’t take the time to find out what any of it was.  Taking one last sweeping glance of the room, she opened the next door and stepped guardedly through.
Just as she stepped out into the hall she heard voices.  Squinting into the gloom, her brain screamed at to run, to hide.  Spotting another door, ignoring her body’s need to keel over, she ran for it, reaching it and diving through.  Justice wasn’t going to recapture her.  She wasn’t staying here.  She was going home.

*****

Picking himself up off the floor, Mason quickly righted himself even as he turned to face the one who’d knocked him down.  He raised his hand, ready to blast the person with a mage strike only to lower it again when he saw who it was.  “What the hell?” he shouted, repeating Parker’s question of only seconds ago.  “What’re you doing here?”
Parker added his tone wry, “I just about cursed you fuckwads.”
“Sorry,” Gage replied, straightening up before lending his brother a hand and yanking him to his feet.  “But, um, you did send us here to check the place out.”
“Yesterday,” Parker snarled.  
“Yeah,” Hale growled back.  “And we’ve been wandering the damn place since then.”
“Trying to find a freaking exit,” Gage mumbled.  “Oh and I just got a message from Clinton.”
“Wait,” Mason snapped.  “You’ve been wandering around inside this place for almost two days?  Why?”
“Good question,” Parker bit out, still glaring at the brothers.  “You could have ported out.”
“Curiosity,” Hale replied with a shrug. 
“Stubbornness,” Gage muttered at the same time.
“Whatever,” Parker mumbled, telling Mason, “They’ll just start their comedy routine if we keep asking.  What’s Clinton’s message?”
“Don’t kill the messenger,” Gage warned.
“Yeah, we’re only the delivery not the cause,” Hale added.
“I’m going to kill you if you don’t spit it out,” Mason growled.
“Fine,” Gage replied.  “Clinton wanted you to know that Leon had nothing new to report and that he’ll expect his usual fee.”
Mason nodded.  “Noted.  Anything else?”
“Iva’s almost got that file cracked and she wanted you to be careful,” Hale piped in.  “Not sure what you’d better be careful of but she did say that you shouldn’t believe all that you see.”
“Cryptic,” Mason grumbled.
“Fucking hate that shit,” Parker complained.  “What the hell does Iva mean?”
Hale shrugged.  “No idea.  Oh, Clinton also said that the ‘strange’ things happening in this area are beyond strange.  Leon’s words not his.”
“What does -?”
Before Mason could complete his thought, Gage cut in, saying, “He didn’t give us details just said he’d tell you more when he saw you.”
“I’m really starting to admire you, Hadley.”
Parker raised his brow.  “For?”
“You’ve been their friends longer,” Mason explained dryly.  “You’re a fucking saint.  I’d have killed them by now.”
Before the brothers could offer up a protest, Mason said, “Parker, you notice anything off about this room?”
“The door,” Parker replied promptly.  “It’s changed since dumb and dumber barreled through.”
They all looked at the door.  Gage said, “It does look different, doesn’t it?  Fucking place keeps doing that.”
Hale agreed, saying, “We’ll go in one door turn around and head back out only to find ourselves in a different place.  It’s been driving me bonkers.”
To Gage, who was closest to the door, Parker said, “Mark it. Close it and then open it back up.”
“What are you thinking?” Mason asked as gage did as he’d been asked.
“I think we’ve underestimated Justice,” Parker muttered, staring at the door that Gage had just reopened.  “He wants us an intruder to spend their time opening and closing doors.”
“Why?” Hale demanded, glaring at the door.
“To keep us trapped,” Mason guessed.  “Or keep us occupied.  Doesn’t matter.  What’re we going to do?”
“Look for the real way through this fucking place,” Parker muttered.
The fell silent as each man studied the room.  Mason noticed a pile of boxes in the corner.  Something about them wasn’t right.  He frowned, looking closer.  Then he saw it. “Parker, here.”
Parker came over to stand beside him.  It didn’t take him long. “Boxes don’t shimmer.”
“No,” Mason agreed as Gage and Hale stepped up beside them.  “And considering the amount of dust on everything, those are rather clean, don’t you think?”
“Way too clean,” Gage agreed.
Parker stepped forward, moving until he was a footstep away from the boxes.  He didn’t stop but instead of stepping into boxes, he passed through them as if they were ghost.  Illusion.  A good one but not good enough.  Joining Parker, the men fell around the wall until Mason felt a small niche.  Pushing a finger inside, he pushed the button hidden inside.
The wall vanished, replaced by an archway.
Parker stepped through first, then Mason then Gage and Hale.  The next room was about as big as the one they’d just come from but there were five doors.
“Fuck me!” Hale cursed.
“Ignore the doors, they’re a distraction,” Parker reminded the others.
They all looked around, each trying to spot the true exit.  When nothing popped out at him, Mason said, “Maybe it is one of the doors.”
“Which one?” Hale muttered, glowering at all five entrances.  
With a shrug Gage went to one and tugged on the handle.  It didn’t budge.  Following his example the other three did the same thing while Gage tried a second door.  None of them would open.  “So which door is the right one and how do we get it open?”
“Say open sesame,” Mason offered vapidly.  To his surprise one of the doors sprang open.  He looked at the others.  They all looked just as stupefied as he felt.  “Well that was fucking easy.”
“Too easy,” Parker agreed, sticking only his head through the entrance.  “Empty, mostly.”
All four men piled into the next room.  Once through the door swung shut and vanished.  Humorously Parker said, “Bet it won’t open again if we ask.”
Gage tried it any way.  “Open!”  Nothing.  “Nope.”
“Well, now we’re faced with two more damn doors and a…” Parker went over to the window and looked out before saying dryly, “window that overlooks London.”
“London?” Gage said in disbelief, joining Parker at the window.  “Well, it is a nice view.  Too bad were thousands of miles away.”
“Okay, so let’s think about this,” Mason told the others mildly.  “What do we know about Justice?  How would he set this house of mirrors up?”
“Well, he’s clever,” Hale offered helpfully, earning a few glares.  “It’s true.”
“Sure, in a mentally twisted, fucked up kind of way,” Parker retorted.
“That’s all too true,” Mason commented, nodding his head in agreement.  “He’s also overconfident, egotistical and a bit high strung.”
Far from looking disbelieving as the brothers did, Parker looked thoughtful.  “And that tells us what?”
“Not much,” Gage muttered unhelpfully.
“Actually, it tells us enough,” Mason countered.  “There are three doors but that’s the obvious choice.  The window’s the real exit.”
“Well yeah,” Hale agreed though he didn’t look hundred percent sure which was confirmed when he added, “How did you reach that conclusion?”
“Because most would go for the doors,” Mason replied as if that explained it.  “Justice thinks he’s clever but really he’s just simple.”
“But what if you’re wrong?” Hale demanded.  “What if the windows the dead end and one of the doors the real exit?”
Giving Hale a dark look he waved a hand at the doors.  “Be my guest.  Check them out.  Either their going to be locked and saying ‘open up’ isn’t going to work a second time or they lead to a trap.  The window’s the real doorway.”
Gage shook his head.  “I’m still not sure how you’re so damn sure but I’ll go along.”
Mason didn’t bother responding but simply went to the window, felt along it’s ledges until he found a slim latch.  Flipping it up he stepped back as the window dissolved away to reveal a third door.  Opening it, he stepped to the just in case Justice was cleverer than he wanted to admit but nothing jumped out at them and in a moment they had all piled into the newest room.
“I’m bored with this,” Parker complained in a low growl.  “The games not fun anymore.”
“Agreed,” Mason responded irritably.  A split second later he snapped out, “Don’t fucking touch that door, Hale.”
Withdrawing his hand, Hale shot Parker a glare.  “Why the hell not?”
“The deeper we go, the worse things may get,” Parker explained.  “Start exercising a little caution.”
“Fine,” Hale grumbled.  “But how is it going to work this time, huh? There aren’t any windows and the doors – all four of them – look all the same.”
Parker went to one door, placing his palm flat against it.  “It’s ice cold.”
Intrigued, Mason did the same to another door.  He no sooner touched it when he yanked his hand away.  “Hot.  Really hot.”
Gage and Hale each took a door.  Gage reported, “This one feels normal,” and a second moment later Hale said, “Weird.  This one is humming.”
“Humming?” Parker questioned going to where Hale was and feeling the door for himself.  “Huh, it’s like a buzzing.”
Mason carefully reached out, touching the burning door again.  Expecting the heat this time he didn’t immediately pull his hand back, instead he concentrated, tilting his head to the side as he did.  Touching it, he felt warm but it wasn’t because of the heat radiating from it, it was a feeling, a deep contentment, as if he was home, relaxed and having a good time with friends and family.
He didn’t trust it.
“How does it make you feel?”
Three sets of eyes turned to him but it was Gage that said, “Huh?”
Parker caught on, went back the icy door and after a moment said, “Depressed, as if I’m completely empty and dead inside.”
“This one’s the opposite of that,” Mason elucidated.  “Gage, Hale, when you touch the doors, what do you feel, not just hot or cold or whatever, but inside.”
Giving him skeptical looks they both palmed the doors again.  Gage was the first to answer though he took his hand away as he did.  “Like I’m going crazy.  My thoughts get jumbled and chaotic.”
“Hale?” Parker prodded.
“Nothing,” Hale answered.  “And I mean that literally.  It’s as if my entire body’s gone numb.  I can’t feel a fucking thing.”
“It’s Parker’s door,” Mason decided after some thought.  “Mine’s a decoy, a lie.”
“Okay, but why Parker’s door?” Hale asked.
“Because this one makes me feel horrible,” Parker answered before Mason could.  “Your door only numbs you and Gage’s door just causes craziness.”
“Are we sure about this?” Gage hedged.  “I don’t want to be falling into Justice’s clutches.”
“I’m sure,” Mason said confidently.
“Then let’s get this over with.”
The four pushed through yet another door.
Chapter 18

 Placing the last of the lunch she’d made on a tray, she picked it and headed toward the living room, where the others were holding court.  Mason may have had servants but Wren was used to taking care of things herself so had sent the servants home, telling them it was an unofficial paid holiday.  Mason could yell at her later for it if he wanted, but she didn’t think having extra people hovering was a good thing at the moment.  So far the anxiety level among the group was…tolerable, each of the coping in their own ways but there was no point in adding to it.
Reece had his nose stuck in a book, Cosmo dozing at his feet.  Willa was flipping through a stack of fashion magazines, not a single wrinkle marring her brow.  Maddy and Asia were spread out across the floor, belly’s flat, knees bent and feet in the air.  They were currently playing some sort of board game though neither looked as if they were having much fun.  But who could, considering the situation.
Until Maddy had mentioned she was getting hungry, Wren had watched the girls play but as soon as Maddy mentioned her hunger, Asia had mentioned hers so Wren had gone to make lunch, but only after spelling all exits to prevent the girls from sneaking out again.  That action had inspired Maddy to say, “We weren’t saying that because we wanted to sneak out.”
Asia had grinned and added, “And a spell wouldn’t keep us in anyhow.”
So upon seeing her come back, laden with food, she wasn’t surprised when Maddy gave her an impish grin.  “Still here.”
“I see that,” Wren replied, smiling despite trying to sound stern.  “And still the same little devil.”
Reece, scenting food, peeked around his book.  “Are we eating?”
Noticing Willa was absent, Wren said, “Yes, it’s lunch time.  Where’s Willa?”
“Had to check in at work,” Reece explained, scooting to the edge of his chair so he could more easily reach the tray.  “Can’t take all this time off without checking in, can she?”
Since Reece sounded defensive, Wren decided to hold back the retort that sprang to mind about how little Willa had been helping.  Instead, she said only, “Oh.  Is she coming back later then?”
Reece gave her a swift perusal but when he didn’t see the disdain he’d expected he nodded his head.  “Yeah.  Probably about dinner time.”
“Ha,” Asia suddenly exclaimed excitedly.  “That’s my property.  Baltimore.  That mean you owe me…”
When Asia’s voice trailed off, Maddy chuckled.  Holding out her hand she said, “Let me see.”  Asia handed a card over.  “Two bucks without hotels or houses.”
“This game usually gets boring after a while,” Maddy remarked, handing over the fake money.  “But Asia, you make it, um, interesting.”
Smiling affectionately at the two, Wren turned away.  “Hungry?” she inquired wryly when she noticed Reece was working his way through his third sandwich.
“Willa’s been busy lately and getting home cooked is rare these days,” he explained grabbing a handful of chips.
Wren’s brows lifted.  “Where’s she work again?”
“Enforcement,” Reece supplied around a mouthful of food.  “According to Willa there’s been a rise in mage’s performing magic on or around norms.  Its chaos and its all the enforcers can do keep up.  Regulators are doing what they can to help track the lawbreakers down but you know how it is.”
Pompous, Wren thought with a mental shake of her head.  That one word described Reece all the way to the bone.  But she only said, “Ah.  Are you still switching jobs?”
“Oh yeah,” he replied enthusiastically.  “Hollis retires in three months.  The Council plans on announcing me as his replacement next week.”
Saying nothing, Wren settled back, her thoughts floating about her head without any real direction.  Reece’s career played out inside her mind and she frowned, recalling how troubling a start he’d had, almost falling into league with Tanner and the Singa.  It had caused a rift to form between her family and his that was still on the mend even all these years later.  Some of that had to do with Reece’s prissy, proper, play-by-the rules attitude.  In fact, the only thing that prevented Wren of washing her hands of Reece was because he wasn’t as hardheaded or as easily led as he had once been.
Thinking of him made her think of the woman he’d married, Willa.  In truth, Wren didn’t know her that well though the two had been married for nearly two years.  She frowned.  Come to think of it, Willa rarely came to any of the party’s or holiday gatherings.  The more she thought about the more irritated she grew with Reece’s wife.  Reece was forever offering up reasons, excuses for her absence and Wren had never given it much thought.  After all, some women were driven to success and Willa was obviously one of those women.  Now though, she was seeing it a little differently and it didn’t put Willa in a good light.
The woman was evidently selfish and self-absorbed.  Or maybe she was extremely shy, she thought, doing her best to give Willa the benefit of doubt.  Right and the Queen of Fairies was going to grant her every wish without consequences.  Whatever.  She just wished she knew the woman a little better, maybe than she wouldn’t feel so…apathetic about Willa.
A portrait depicting Mason caught her attention, making her forget about Reece and his wife.  Seeing Mason’s life sized likeness made her wonder about Parker.  And Mason.  A glance at the clock told her nearly three hours had passed since they’d gone.  Where were they?  Three hours was plenty of time to check out a warehouse.  Wasn’t it?
Nerves made her glance again at the clock as if by doing so she could make them appear.  Damn it!  She didn’t like this.  It took her back to the hundreds of times she’d been separated from Parker during the war.  She didn’t like feeling this way.  Worried, unfocused, unable to think.  
Before she could fall into worry mode Maddy’s sudden shout of pleasure brought her out of her head.  Instead of falling into that trap, she turned her attention to the girls and the game they played.

*****

“My patience is gone,” Mason grouched as they moved through yet another door.  “What the hell does Justice hope to accomplish except pissing me the fuck off?”
Opening his mouth to respond, Parker stepped back as the door to the right suddenly flew open and someone spilled across the threshold.  Harsh breathing filled the room as she frantically looked back the way she’d come as if she was expecting someone to be chasing her.  Parker peeked around the frame.  No one was there.  Spinning about, she froze when she saw them.
“Oh thank the gods,” she sobbed, stumbling toward Mason.  
As for Mason, he moved so quickly he was nothing but a blur.  Grabbing Gemma into his arms, he held her close, her eyes closed.
Hugging him back, Gemma cried, “We’ve got to get out of here.  Justice is here.  We have to get away.”
Looking over Gemma’s head, Mason started to ask Gage and Hale to take Gemma out when he noticed Parker’s expression.  It was cold, hard and suspicious.  Ignoring Gemma’s insistent tugging, he asked, “What?”
“Kiss her,” Parker said in answer.
“Huh?” Mason replied in shock.
“He told you to kiss her,” Gage supplied helpfully only to check himself and say, “Huh?”
Parker rolled his eyes.  “It’s not complicated.  Kiss her.”
“But…why?” Mason wanted to know completely baffled by the request.
“Just do it, Mason,” Parker bit out.
Mason shook his head in confusion.  “I don’t -”
“Will you just fucking kiss her, for fucks sake,” Parker bellowed.  “NOW!”
Baffled or not, Mason swung Gemma close, holding her head with one hand, her back with the other, he swooped down, capturing her mouth with his.  He was just starting to deepen the kiss when Gemma pulled back, whimpering slightly.  “We’ve got to go.  We don’t have time to play games.”
“Fuck that,” Parker growled.  “Mason, kiss her or I will.”
That got Mason’s attention.  Shooting parker a dark look he yanked Gemma close once more, this time giving her no chance to protest, he imprisoned her lips with his.  He struck hard, putting everything he felt into that kiss only to pull back within seconds.  Stepping back, his arms falling away from her he muttered, “You aren’t Gemma.”
“Justice,” Parker breathed.
“What!” she cried, her eyes pleading.  “I’m Gemma.  Why do you think I’m Justice?”
Mason shook his head slightly.  “No.  Where’s Gemma?  What have you done to her?”
“I am Gemma,” she wailed insistently. “Why don’t you believe that?”
“A cloaking spell can make you look like anyone,” Parker scoffed coldly.  “You may look like her but you aren’t Gemma.”
Suddenly the woman – Justice – straightened, insanity lighting her eyes.  Her lips curling back in a snarl, she asked, “How’d you know?”
“No way would Gemma want to run, she’d have demanded we find you,” Mason replied.  “She’d want you brought to -” he smiled acerbically “- justice.”
“Ah, yes, I see my mistake now,” Justice said with a small smile.  “I won’t make it again.”
When Mason made a move toward her she said, “No, no, stay there please.  I’ve no desire to kill you but I will if I have too.”
“Where the fucks Gemma,” Mason growled angrily.
“Alive…for now,” Justice assured him, the same evil little grin on her lips.  “Want her to stay that way?  ‘Course you do, believing her lies as you do.  Well then, you’ll be letting me walk through that door.”
Even as she was talking she inched closer and closer to the door.  Mason, wanting to stall her so he could think asked, “Why the hell are you doing this?”
“Oh,” she wiggled a finger at him playfully.  “We won’t be discussing that little secret today.”
At that moment, Justice tossed his (her) hand outwards.  Smoke billowed through the room, blinding them as a flashing bang tossed them all into the air.  Mason slammed into the wall, the back of his head hitting hard.  No one saw Justice slip away but it didn’t matter.  They now had confirmation that this was Justice’s hidey hole, now they just had to find Gemma.
“Mason?  Hey, Mason?  You all right?”
Moaning from the pain reverberating through his head, Mason checked the spot where his head had hit.  A bump was forming but the skin wasn’t broken so that was good.  “I’m good.  Justice get away?”
Holding out a hand, Parker helped Mason to his feet.  “Unfortunately, yeah.  That blast she – sorry, he hit us with punched us hard.  Gage broke an arm but that’s the worst of it.  Unless you’re injured more than I can see?”
“I’m good,” Mason repeated.  “Nothing but a bump on the head.”
“And that hard shell kept your brain from damage, huh?”
“Shut up, Parker,” Mason grumbled though there was no heat behind it.
“Right,” Parker smiled then turned to the other two.  “Hale, get Gage back to the penthouse after you go see a healer about that arm.  Mason and I are going to keep hacking away at this stupid fucking building until we find Gemma.”
“We aren’t leaving,” Gage announced.  “That fucker broke my arm.  I want me some revenge.  And a sling will keep it immobile until I can see a healer so don’t think to use it as a reason to get rid of me.”
“Fine,” Mason told them, not bothering to argue with the stubbornness he saw written all over their faces.  “It’s better that we all go anyway.  No point in just one or two of playing the hero.”
“I don’t want to be a -”
Wincing Gage said, “So not a good thing to say, dude.”  To Parker he said, “Man, I’m sure Mason didn’t mean anything by it.  So don’t get all hot under the collar, ‘kay.”
Slightly mystified Mason said, “Yeah, um, sorry.  Gage’s is right, I didn’t mean to insult you or, um, anything.”
Parker said nothing which had Hale saying, “Just ignore him, Mason.  But just so you know, Parker has this…complex about being called a hero.  Was accused of wanting to be just that for years.”  Parker shot him a dark look so he quickly added, “He didn’t like it, as you might have guessed from his reaction ‘cause it just wasn’t true.”
“Okay,” Mason drawled.  “Parker, I seriously meant no offense now get the hell over your…complex and help me find Gemma.”
It took a moment but then Parker blinked, chuckled and said, “Right.  Sorry.  Sore spot with me.  So let’s go rescue Gemma.”

*****

“If this doesn’t end soon,” Hale muttered beneath his breath, “I’m going to level the place.  I really am.”
“Yeah, that’d be real helpful,” Gage snarled back.  “Kill us and anyone else inside as well as anyone hanging around in a four block radius.”
Not wanting an argument to brew, Parker snapped, “Shut it you two.”  After taking a glance around he added, “I think we’ve reached the main part of the place.  This room is bigger.”
“And not like the others,” Mason mused, also looking about.
“Don’t care,” Gage muttered.  “As long as it’s going to end soon, I’m happy.”
Crates stacked along the walls were partially hidden by machines that Mason suspected had once been used to move merchandise.  Only one wall was bare of debris but what he didn’t see were any doors.  “No doors.”
“So are they just hidden or are we really at the end of this endless maze,” Parker wondered wearily.  “Let’s spread out and look around.”
“I don’t think separating is a good idea,” Hale worried.
“So we stay in sight of each other,” Parker suggested.  “We don’t need to actually separate, just spread out.”
“Right so –”
“Parker?  Mason?”
All four men spun around at the shout.  Cautiously a figure stepped out from the shadows.  She’d been hiding behind a tall stack of crates.  As she came closer all four men raised their hands defensively.  She blinked at the action and stopped moving.  Swallowing hard, she glanced at each of them, her eyes weary, guarded.
Haltingly she said, “What…what are you doing?” but in the next breath she whispered, backing up as she did.  “Fuck.  You aren’t…  Hell no.  Not going to happen again.”
Turning about, she started to run away but Mason flourished his hand and she screeched to a stop.  Whimpering, she muttered a few words, trying to break the binding spell he’d thrown across her.  When that proved useless she tossed her head back, glaring at them.  “I won’t give you anything; no matter what you want so you might as well fucking kill me now.”
“Is it a trick?” Gage asked, looking unsure.
Mason didn’t know and that sucked.  “I…don’t know.”  
He looked at Parker, whose expression was guarded.  “Not sure.  Could be.  Better acting job then before if it’s not.”
“Maybe Mason should kiss her too,” Hale suggested, smiling just a little.
Hearing this, Gemma’s head snapped upwards, her expression fierce.  “Who the fuck did you kiss?  And why?”
Gage answered with, “Well he kissed you.  Only it wasn’t you.  That’s confusing.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Hale said, waving Gage’s confusion aside.  “What worked last time should work again.  Right?”
“Uh, I object,” Mason inserted before they had him kissing someone a second time.  “If that’s Gemma, fine but if it’s Justice, yeah.  Kissed that once, don’t want to do it again.  Justice is a guy or have you all forgotten that?”
Possible Gemma wasn’t listening.  In fact her eyes had turned a distinct amber as they burned with anger.  “You kissed another fucking woman?  You kissed her! I’m fucking kidnapped, tortured and you’re playing around!”
Mason took a step back, fear making him weary.  Justice he wasn’t scared of but Gemma, yeah, she could be scary.  “Parker?”
“What?”
“If that’s really Gemma, you’re going to explain to her what happened and take the fucking pain she’ll be inflicting,” Mason muttered.
“Sure, yeah, whatever,” Parker accepted though Mason had an idea he wasn’t really listening.  “If she is Gemma kissing her isn’t going to work.  She’ll likely bite right through you tongue.  And if it’s not, well, you’re right, Justice is a guy so…”
“Oh really,” Mason drawled sardonically.  “You don’t say.  That didn’t seem to bother you too much when you were ordering me to kiss her last time.”
“Oh, yeah, um, sorry about that,” Parker mumbled, looking a little embarrassed.  “I wasn’t thinking about Justice being a guy at the time.  And I agreed kissing her this time won’t help.”
“You won’t ever be kissing me again, Mason Draven,” she shrieked loudly.  “Even with Parker’s permission, which I don’t fucking need.”
“I’m thinking she’s the real deal,” Hale muttered, holding a hand over his ear.  “She sure sounds like our Gemma.”
“Of course I’m Gemma you fucking dimwits,” she snapped.  
“But see,” Gage said next.  “That’s something Justice would say so you understand why we’re not exactly just going to trust you when you say you’re Gemma.”
To Parker, Mason said, “Well, ask her something only she’d know.”
Racking his brains, Parker tried to think of something only he and Gemma knew.  Finally he said, “What did you learn while in our last year of school?”
“Really?” she huffed.  When Parker nodded she sighed.  “Fine but since we learned a couple of things, why don’t you narrow that down some?  But before you do that,” she wiggled around until she was facing the brothers and snarled, “If you two fucking morons don’t fucking stop snickering and acting like a couple of school girls I’m going to hex you both into next month.”
Gage’s eyes widened.  “Oh, that’s Gemma alright.”
Ignoring them, Parker told her, “Thurston.”
“He was a rogue vampire working for the rebels,” she replied and then glowered at him.  “And what sort of question is that?  I think half the rebel force knows who Thurston was now.  Letting that stand as your question is just dumb.  Jesus, think of something better than that, would you?”
“Oh, right,” Parker replied a little sheepishly but then he grinned.  “True, but only the real Gemma would berate me for it.”
Mason was convinced but that didn’t stop him from grabbing Gemma up and kissing her until they were both breathless.  When he pulled back his breathing was ragged, his blood racing and he felt as if he’d walked through fire.  Oh, and his cock was launched and ready.  Ignoring all that as best as he could, he said, “Yeah, you’re Gemma.”
Raising a hand, meaning to slap him no doubt, she said, “You fuck -” 
Grabbing her wrist, he smiled widely at her.  “No way, Gem.  I had to be sure.”
“Then you could have asked me something like Parker did,” she grumbled.
“Oh?  Like what?” he inquired innocently.  
“That night in your office,” she said so low he was barely able to hear her.  Then louder she said, “Or don’t you have any brain cells to think with?”
Before he could offer a reply she crumpled in his arms, her eyes rolling back in her head.  Alarmed he called, “Gemma?”
Eyes fluttering, voice weak, she stuttered out, “I’m…just got a light headed…I’ll be…just give me…”
She slumped, only Mason’s hold on her keeping her from hitting the floor.  “Hunting Justice is going to have to wait.”

*****

It didn’t take long to get Gemma back to Mason’s place where Wren looked her over.  Coming out of Mason’s room, entering the living room a minute later where she sank onto her husband’s lap with a sigh.  Resting her head against his shoulder, she took a moment to simply enjoy having Parker’s arms around her, his heart beating in her ear.
Knowing Mason was impatient, however, she didn’t keep them waiting.  “She’s not good, Mason.”  She would have liked to sugar coat it but couldn’t think of a way to do so.  “Her fever’s high and the bruising, cuts and god, everything her body endured is taking its toll.  The scrapes around her wrist are infected, as are some of the other cuts.  I’ve bandaged and put salve on everything but…I don’t know, Mason.  Nothing seems to help and the fever won’t come down.  That concerns me the most.  If we can’t get that down…it’s not good.”
“So calling in a mage healer isn’t going to make much of a difference?” he asked, his features racked with concern.
“No, call one in,” Wren said hurriedly.  “I only had a year of training in the healing arts so maybe a mage healer will know more.”
With a nod Mason made the call and less than an hour later the healer arrived.  He was short, balding and had the kindest eyes Wren had ever seen.  He went directly to Gemma, emerging an hour later, his expression grim.  
“She’s in bad shape,” he began, shooting looks at everyone in the room.  “I’m having no more luck than Mrs. Hadley had in bringing Miss Harper’s fever down.  And everything I’ve tried to heal the wounds seems to bounce right off.”  After a pause in which he wiped a hand over his eyes he added, “My best advice, take her to a norm medical center.  Magical healing is nice but so is science.”
When he was gone no one moved no one spoke for a long time until Maddy demanded, “What are you doing?  Take mom to the hospital.  She needs to see a doctor.”
Mason studied her for a moment before standing up and strolling from the room.  Maddy shot a look at the others before racing after him.  She made it just in time to watch as Mason wrapped Gemma inside a light blanket before hefting her into his arms.  As he did, he whispered something in her ear before marching from the room.
He halted at the sight of everyone waiting at the door but didn’t pause for long.  Moving forward, he growled, “Get out of my way!”
“Um, where you going?” Parker asked.
“To the hospital,” Mason retorted.  “So get the fuck out of my way.”

*****

Entering a set of double doors marked, ‘Emergency Department’ Mason shifted Gemma, his arms aching from holding her for the last twenty minutes on the trip here.  Of course, the fact that he’d carried her for the first seven blocks before Maddy had suggested calling for a cab had a lot to do with it.  When the cab had arrived a few minutes later the cabbie had refused, in terms they were all sure to understand, to carry all thirteen of them no matter how generous the bonus.  In the end he’d called for a second and third taxi and they’d split up.  Mason, with Gemma in his arms, Maddy, Parker and Asia in one cab while the others had paired up and taken the other two.
Approaching the desk, Mason checked out the girl manning it and had doubts.  She was young, so young.  Was she a healer?  An assistant?  He caught sight of a sign above her head.  ‘Sign in here for Emergency Department.’
As he drew closer, the girl looked up.  A glance at her shirt, where a badge hung gave him her name, Nancy and that she was a nurse.  Well, that question was answered.  Stepping up to the counter, he spoke before she could.  “My wife’s been injured…I…she’s running a fever and…she needs to see a…”
Mason trailed off.  He had no idea what to say to the girl.  Parker came up and said, “She’s in need of a doctor.”
“Of course,” Nancy agreed kindly.  “Let’s get your wife a room and then I’ll have to go over a few things with you.”
Standing she motioned for Mason to follow.  Leading them into the back, she took them into a small cubicle.  After Mason settled Gemma on the skinny bed, Nancy said, “Now, I’ll be right back for that information.  In the meantime, someone will be in to see you.”
As she turned to leave she was met with a wall of people.  Blinking at them, her tone bewildered, she asked, “Are you all here for…?” she gestured in Mason’s general direction.  When she received a bunch of nods, she shook her head, her expression stern.  “No, I’m sorry but no.  There are too many of you.  Some of you are going to have to wait out front.”
Nodding in understanding, Parker quickly organized them.  He, along with Maddy were staying, the others would go and wait out front.  After she was gone, Mason sat down in one of the chairs offered, pulling it close to the bed.  Maddy climbed onto his lap leaving Parker the only other chair.  Her head against his chest, Maddy murmured, “They’ll help mom, I know they will.”
Gathering her close, Mason tilted his cheek to rest atop her head.  “I know they will, baby.”
Before anyone could say more a woman appeared from around the curtain shielding the cubicle from the rest of the ED, clipboard in hand.  She swept the room with eyes a startling shade of green, paying close attention to Gemma’s bruised form. 
Shooting Maddy a warm smile she said, “Hello sweetie.”  The smile was gone when she focused on first Parker then Mason.  “You’re the husband?”
“I am,” he lied.
Nodding once, she leaned against one of the counters lining each side of the room and brought the clipboard up.  “I’m going to get a history before Dr. Nash comes in.  Let’s start simple, your wife’s name?”
“Gemma Harper,” he answered automatically.  
Crap.  Oh well, he just became Mr. Harper.  The nurse went through the basics, date of birth, address, phone number and so forth.  Then the nurse moved on to the more difficult questions, previous illnesses, current problems, family history, and social history and on and on it went.  He answered as best he could and when he couldn’t, Parker or Maddy tried.  When none of them knew the answer the nurse didn’t seem disturbed but right on asking more.
The nurse was just starting to wind down when the curtain was pulled back again and a woman, grey speckling her hair, glassed perched on top of her head and wearing a white lab coat strolled in.  Smiling warmly she held out a hand to Mason.  “I’m Dr. Nash.  You must be,” she glanced at the clipboard the nurse had handed over, “Mr. Harper.”
“Yes.”
“Okay, what have we got here,” she murmured, reviewing the information they’d just given the nurse.  “Hmm.  Pauline, would you mind taking the young Miss Harper to vending, maybe get her a soda.”
Looking mulish, Maddy stated, “No.  I’m staying right here.”
“Please,” the doctor cajoled.  “It’s only for a moment so I can talk to your father and…uncle?” Parker nodded. “And then you can come right back in.  Promise.”
Before Maddy could protest again, Mason said, “Go on, Madison.”
Looking as if she wanted to argue, she stomped out, Pauline scrambling to catch up.  After they were gone, Nash said, “I’m going to do a quick exam then we’ll talk.”
The exam was quick and when she was through, she leaned back, eyeing first Parker then Mason.  “Mr. Harper, I’m going to be honest here, these injuries bother me.  How did she arrive by them?  Can you tell me that?”
“Can, won’t,” Mason replied shortly.
“Ah.”  Nash breathed, giving them both hard eyes.  “But here’s the deal, Mr. Harper, unless you can provide me with a plausible explanation, I’m going to report this, which involves the police.”
“Why?” he asked, genuinely baffled.
“Because without that explanation I’m going to have to assume you did this,” she replied bluntly.
  Mason rose to his feet and took a step toward the healer, impressed when she didn’t back down but not enough to prevent him from snarling, “I’d never hurt her.  I’d rather die than do anything that would cause her an ounce of harm so don’t you ever, ever think I’d do this.”
“I don’t really care if I’ve offended you,” she replied, her tone even, unafraid.  Definitely impressive.  “And I stand by my earlier statement, either tell me or I report this.  I’ve got a duty to uphold and a responsibility to my patients.  Your wife is now one of those patients.  I won’t back down and I most certainly won’t be intimidated.”
Sighing heavily, Mason sat back down but only after Parker touched his arm.  Giving the healer a once over, Mason nodded.  “Fine.”  He wasn’t about to tell the truth but a lie would do.  “My wife’s ex-boss has been bothering her for a couple of months now.  Mostly he wanted her to come back to work for him.  We didn’t think he was dangerous, just persistently annoying.  We – I – was wrong.”
“Did you file a complaint with the police?”
“Yes,” Mason replied with a shake of his head.  “And I’ve notified them of this as well.  They are looking for him.”
Suspicious still she asked sharply, “And if I ask all those people waiting outside, what will they tell me?”
Panic started to well up inside him but he pushed it back, letting his anger out instead, “The same.”
After a moment of silent consideration she nodded.  “I’ll be right back, Mr. Harper.”
Fuck!  She was going to question the others.  They had no way of knowing what story he’d given but when he turned to face Parker was grinning.  “What?”
“Got it covered,” was all he said and Mason let it go at that.  At least for now.  Later he’d find out how Parker had pulled it off.  If he pulled it off.
Nash returned moments later looking…warmer.  She said, “Well, it appears you aren’t lying, Mr. Harper.  And after speaking with that bunch, I’ve no reason to doubt how very much this woman is loved.”
“Um, yeah,” was the only thing he managed.  Parker was good.
“They tell me this man not only harmed your wife but threatened your daughter,” Nash continued, moving over to examine Gemma more closely.  “I hope the police get the bastard.”
“As I do,” he agreed though silently he was thinking about all the things he’d like to do to the fucker when he caught him.  Not if because there was no doubt in his mind that Justice would be caught.
“Well,” Nash said after completing a thorough exam.  “I’m going to admit Mrs. Harper so we can run a few test and see about treatment.  Any objections?”
“No.”

*****

It was close to an hour later before Gemma was transported via bed to the fifth floor, where she was given a private room so her many ‘family’ members could visit without disturbing anyone else.  For that hour, there was further paperwork to fill out, more questions to answer and just for a good show; one of Leon’s goons came in posing as local detective working on the Harper case.  Mason didn’t think Carter was going to fool the doctor but apparently the man had hidden skills because Nash bought it lock, stock and barrel.
While they transported and then settled Gemma they were asked to have a sit in the waiting room just down the hall.  Too tied to argue, Mason and the others went without protest.  While they waited he asked Parker, “How the hell did you pull that off?”
Not needing clarification, Parker said, “Cell phone.  I had a feeling a norm hospital would question us so I called Wren, had her listen in and relay it all to the others.”
“That’s…genius,” Mason replied sincerely.  “I’d have never thought of it.”
As they waited, Maddy and Asia huddled together on one end of the hard sofa.  It was long before they’d both fallen asleep. Soon after that a thin, reedy looking woman stepped into the waiting room.  “Mr. Harper?”
Mason, sleepy from the events of the day didn’t react.  Parker kicked him the shin saying, “She’s talking to you.”
“Whaa..?” he started and then recalled the lie he’d told.  “Right.  Sorry.”
“It’s fine.  I understand,” she told him softly.  “I’m Missy.  I’m going to be Mrs. Harper’s nurse for the next few hours.  Would you and the rest of the family like to join her in her room now?”
Wanting to go to Gemma but knowing he had a daughter to think about too, Mason hesitated.  Parker must have sensed his dilemma because he stood and came over.  Bending low he scooped Maddy into his arms, saying as he did, “Go on.  We’ll get the girls home and come back in the morning.”
“You sure?”
“We are,” Wren promised, picking up Asia before joining her husband.  “You go be with Gemma.  We’ve got this.”
He kissed Maddy then Asia on the cheeks before following Missy out.  In the room, he didn’t bother pulling up a chair but climbed into bed with Gemma, careful of the tubes coming off her as he did.  Once he was settled beside her he stared at her sleeping face.  Gently he traced a finger over her cheek, marveling at the fact that she was alive, safe.  It was all he’d wanted, all he’d prayed for over the last few days.  And now that he had her back he was never letting her go.
Never!
Chapter 19

The next few days were…surreal.  Mostly because Mason was barely sleeping.  It was leaving him feeling drained and empty.  He was shuffling himself between sitting at Gemma’s side and caring for Maddy.  Not to mention his continued relentless pursuit of Justice.  The irony in that wasn’t lost on him though whatever humor he might have felt over it was long dead.
Still, the search for the lunatic had been put on the back burner so to speak.  Gemma’s health came first.  Nash and the others who’d the doctor had called in to consult were puzzled.  A few of the test had revealed a simple infection that course of antibiotics would take care of.  Yet Gemma didn’t wake.  For the first few days she’d rouse, groggy and weak but at least awake.  Now she wasn’t even doing that.
Currently she was being fed intravenously along with the drugs Nash had ordered.  At one point her breathing had gotten so labored and harsh they covered half her face with a mask.  Carrie, the nurse at the time, had explained it would push air into Gemma’s lung so it would not only be easier for her to breath, but it would keep her breathing.  Hearing that a machine forcing air into Gemma’s lungs was basically the only thing keeping her from death had nearly broken him.
Norm doctors did not use potions or even a little magic, which made since but it was all so new, so…different than what he was used to Mason felt lost most of the time.  The performed more tests than Mason could recall but they were still no closer to figuring out what was wrong.  They’d taken gallons – or so it seemed – of Gemma’s blood, rattling off things like CBC, CMP, MAG, FLP, LP and so much more he’d lost track.  One tech had tried explaining what each blood test looked for but Mason’s head had started spinning and he’d given up on listening, had simply sat there nodding like an idiot.
Gemma was taken to so many different places for so many different test, Mason was sure he now knew the hospital as intimately as a staff member.  Of what he could recall they’d tested her heart, lungs, brain, liver, kidney, and more.  As far as he could tell not a single thing organ, bone or muscle had been left out.  She’d had X-rays, MRI’s, CAT Scans, ultrasounds, EKG’s, EEG’s, ECHO’s and a slew of other things he barely remembered the names for.
Each morning Nash came by, checked on Gemma and gave Mason the agenda for the day.  There was never anything new.  More times than not, Mason’s head was so hazy he could do no more than nod his head stupidly.  It was the same in the evenings when Nash returned to check in again, this time giving Mason the results of that days testing.  A big fat nada was what the evening report boiled down to.  
There was no explanation, as far as they could figure, for Gemma’s comatose state.  Once or twice, Mason contemplated removing Gemma from the hospital but despite everything, they were managing to keep her fever down.  Though a fever wasn’t normally worrisome since it was just the body’s way of signaling its fight against the infection, Gemma’s temperature had raised dangerously high, which if not brought down could have caused more problems.
Nash encouraged Mason, all of them, not to give up hope, that eventually they’d hit on the answer and though Mason wasn’t giving up, he was starting to become sacred.  With every day that passed, he was becoming more and more convinced that something magical was wrong, something the healers couldn’t see and the norm docs would never have a chance of finding.
Every day, Parker and Wren would come in, Maddy with them and after sitting with him for a little while, Parker would physically manhandle Mason from the room, reminding him he needed to eat and that sitting in that room twenty-four hours a day wasn’t doing him, or Gemma much good.  Parker would return again around dinner time and once again force Mason downstairs to the snack shop so he could eat.  He did, mechanically, never tasting what he ate and not caring either.
On the morning of day five, Nash arrived as usual except she entered the room with a small frown marring her lips.  Heart lurching in his chest, Mason sat up.  “What?  What have you learned?”
It was only after his outburst that Nash even seemed to notice Mason.  She shook her head, started to smile and then frowned again.  “Mr. Harper, did you know your wife was pregnant…ah, from the expression on your face you didn’t know.”
“She’s…” he wasn’t able to complete the sentence, too stunned to do much more than goggle at the doctor.
“She is,” Nash confirmed.  “About two months along.”
“How…?  Are you positive?”
“Oh very,” she replied looking concerned.  “Is this not happy news?”
“What?”  Mason shook his head to clear it.  “No.  Yes.  I don’t know.”
“Ah, shock can do that,” she replied with a knowing grin.  
His brain cleared just enough to have him ask, “How did it get missed?  She’s been here for five days now?”  He frowned.  “All tests done on her…will any of them harm the baby?”
“It wasn’t missed,” Nash replied then added, “Not entirely.  The tech in our ultrasound department, while examining your wife’s kidneys, liver and such thought she detected a heartbeat and noted it down.  When I got the results last evening I ordered the lab work and I only got the results of that less than an hour ago.”
Mason started to say something but Nash wasn’t finished.  “I then reviewed the admission assessment.  One of the questions we ask, for women, is whether they could be pregnant.  The question was marked no.  I came in to ask if, in your distraught state, you’d answered incorrectly but now I know you simply hadn’t known.  It is possible, right?”
“Y – yes,” he murmured, glancing at Gemma.
Nodding at that, she went on to answer his other questions.  “None of the tests we’ve done will hurt the baby.  Even though it was marked no, we’re always careful to take precautions with women of child baring age.  Have you got any other questions for me?”
“The…illness she has, whatever it is, will it hurt the baby?”
“Oh I highly doubt it,” she answered with confidence.  
“Thank you, doc,” he told her.
The rest of the morning dragged along as he waited impatiently for Parker, Wren and Maddy to arrive.  When they did, he quickly greeted Maddy and Wren before pulling Parker from the room.  Parker gave him a few strange looks but thankfully held his tongue until they were seated in one of the booths inside the snack shop.  
Once they’d ordered, Parker ordered, “Spill it.  What’s got you so…agitated?”
Without preamble Mason replied, “Gemma’s pregnant.”
Parker’s eyes got big then narrowed as he leaned back.  “Not what I was expecting to hear.”
“Me either,” Parker muttered and then told him about the conversation he’d had with Nash that morning.  “What if the…things she endured…fuck this up?”
“Can’t cross that bridge until we know,” Parker told him honestly.  “I know it’s going to eat at you, Mason, but we’ve got to concentrate on one thing at a time and right not, our priority’s Gemma.”
Swallowing hard, Mason nodded.  “This is…killing me.”
For some reason that caused Parker to chuckle softly.  Mason sent him a dark look.  Parker shook his head and said, “Not laughing at you.  But sometimes I think about it, the past, and seeing you like this, it’s…strange.”
Instead of getting angry, Mason felt the corner of his lips lift.  “Yeah, I can see your point but if you’re feeling sentimental I can pull my nasty past self out.”
“No,” Parker denied quickly.  “It’s fine.  I happen to like the new and improved you a hell of a lot better.”
“Crazily, so do I.”

*****

Try as she might, Gemma couldn’t move, couldn’t talk, couldn’t even open her damn eyes.  She could hear though and it was frustrating the hell out of her, not being able to tell Mason, Parker or anyone that she was awake, able to hear everything.  She felt weak, sick and she did sleep a lot but she was awake a good amount of time too but basically she was fucking trapped inside her own body.  It was making her nuts.
As terrifying as it was, she was comforted by the fact that she was free of Justice’s clutches.  And Mason was never far from her side.  Mason.  Gods there was so much she wanted to tell him, so much he deserved to know.  Maddy too, she remembered.  So badly she wanted to hug her daughter, tell her it was all going to be okay.  She’d do both as soon as she was able to break free from the cage her body had become.
Fucking hell.  She wanted to scream at the doctors, the nurses, anyone but no sound ever came out no matter how loudly she shouted inside her head.  Impatience swarmed her but in calmer moments she understood that her body was healing; it was doing what needed to be done in order to heal.  She just wasn’t thrilled with the slow progress she was making.
The impatience and frustration turned to anger though when the doctor – the bitch – came in and told Mason about the baby.  Damn it!  That was her news to give she wanted to scream but the most she’d been able to do was move a single finger.  Damn it all to hell!
It was soon after that though that she slipped back into the void, waking again…much later.  She wasn’t sure how much later since marking time was nearly impossible but the darker hue behind her closed lids let her know it was evening or later.
Lying there, unable to do anything, her thoughts tumbled around until she was thinking about Justice.  There was something about him, something she had to remember. What?  Every time she tried to access the memory though, it was as if a curtain was drawn down, covering it, blocking her.
Had he done something to her memories?  Was it possible he’d done this to her?  And just what was it he’d wanted from her?
The baby!
No, that wasn’t right.  How the hell had he expected to take the baby from her?  Not unless he’d thought to keep her alive, nourished and healthy until the baby’s birth.  
She shook her head, thinking…
Wait, she’d moved!
Trying again proved useless though so she returned to thinking about Justice.  She wished she could recall more but it was all hazy, scattered.  Some of what she thought she remembered was probably false, fear eroding those memories and turning them into something else.  Not until she’d learned to ‘pass out’ had the torture lessoned so before that time she knew better than to trust her perceptions.
If only she could remember!
She drifted back down still thinking it over.

*****

Watching Gemma ‘sleep’ from the cot the staff had supplied for him, Mason wondered if he’d ever get the chance to tell her how much she meant to him.  Would he ever get to tell her he’d fucked up and how much he regretted the fuck up?
Around midnight one of the nurses came in to check on Gemma.  After checking Gemma over, she glanced at him.  “You need to sleep, Mr. Harper.  You can’t let your health go now.  She’ll need your strength when she wakes.”
Lifting a shoulder he said, “I’m good.  Just thinking too much to sleep just yet.”  He faked a yawn.  “I’ll sleep in a bit.
She didn’t buy it.  Smart woman.  Shaking her head she said, “Sleep, Mr. Harper.”
He promised he would, even laid down which seemed to please her but as soon as she was gone he sat back up, watching Gemma once more.  Just once he wanted her to show some sign that she was in there, that she wasn’t lost to him.  Being unable to do anything for her was torture, like knives shredding him from the inside out.  His constant vigil was all he could do yet it wasn’t enough.  How he wished Justice would walk through the door so he could kill him.
The asshole was insane, something Mason had always suspected but had he been born that way or had something twisted him inside.  It didn’t really matter, not in the scheme of things but Mason had always been a curious person and he couldn’t help but wonder when it came to Justice.  Did a person’s brain become warped from life or genes?  He suspected that in Justice’s case, it was both.  Mason didn’t care.  He had no sympathy for the man.  The pain he’d caused Gemma had earned him a slow, painful death and Mason was just the mage for the job.
His gaze traveled the length of Gemma coming to rest on her stomach.  A soft smile lifted his lips, making him look lighter, easier.  They were going to have a baby.  The fact thrilled and terrified him.  This time there was no way he was getting shut out.  Just as he was now a permanent part of Madison’s life, he would be there for this baby, from the beginning.  More, he was going to make sure Gemma understand that she was never getting rid of him.
Hmm, he could reinvent the term shotgun wedding.  Unless Gemma smartened up he was pretty sure he was not only have to hold her hostage, he was going to have to drag her kicking and screaming to the wedding.  There was going to be wedding, it was just a matter of when and how.
Was he going to make a good father?  He didn’t have a fucking clue but he was going to give it his best shot.  He didn’t doubt that there was going to be bumps and hurdles to work around and over but he was willing and ready for anything and everything children, family – life, could throw at him.
A little anger hovered in the background as well, he admitted.  If Gemma was truly two months along Gemma had known before her kidnapping that she was pregnant.  Had she planned on telling him?  Mason wanted to believe she would have but…all he had to do was look at Madison and he was swamped with doubt.  What had she been thinking?  He just didn’t know.
Eventually the thoughts couldn’t keep his eyes from drifting closed.  He was on that edge where it was so easy to tumble into the void of sleep when Gemma moved.  Suddenly she sat straight up in bed.  Her voice was muffled because of the mask but he heard her cry out, “No.  It can’t be.”
No longer sleepy, Mason jerked to his feet and raced over to the bed just as Gemma crumpled backwards, her eyes closed.  Grasping her shoulder he said, “Gemma?”
She didn’t respond, didn’t even react but that was okay.  She’d moved, she spoken and as far as he was concerned, that was a good thing.

*****

“She woke, said something and then went back to sleep?” Parker asked quietly, his gaze going never leaving Gemma’s still form.  “Are you sure?”
“I didn’t imagine it, Parker,” Mason growled impatiently.  “She sat up, said ‘no, it can’t be,’ and went right back to sleep.”
“What do you think she was talking about?” 
Mason shrugged.  “I don’t fucking know and honestly don’t care.  She’s in there, that’s all I care about.”
“Right,” Parker agreed.  “That’s the important thing but…maybe what she said means something, is referring to something?  Maybe it’s something we need to know.”
“Even if it is, what she said gives us nothing to go on,” Mason remarked before shoveling a spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth.  “’No, it can’t be’ can refer to a million different things.”
“Fucking hell,” Parker muttered.  “I wish she’d wake the hell up.  We’ve pretty much reached a dead end with Justice and that’s one asshole I seriously want to catch and…yeah,” he stopped speaking looking around, “what I want to do shouldn’t be bandied about in public.”
Pushing the empty bowl aside, Mason nodded.  “I know.  Gemma comes first though and then…then we’ll kick Insanity’s ass.”
“That’s good,” Parker commented, softly laughing a little.  “Kick Insanity’s ass.  I like that.  I just hope that Gemma’s able to give us something.”
“Yeah, there is that,” Mason sighed.  He gritted his teeth, anger surging forth as he said, “Being tortured though isn’t conductive to taking in details.”
“Not to mention Insanity has been clever enough to keep his identity hidden,” Parker mumbled irritated.  “The fucker never removed his hood when he held Maddy so…”
“He might have done the same while holding Gemma,” Mason completed the sentence.  “True, but he had no intention of keeping Gemma alive so he might have fucked up.  That’s my hope.”
“I overheard Maddy and Asia speculating over the hood thing,” Parker announced but from his smile Mason was able to tell he had found the conversation amusing.  “Maddy’s opinion is that ‘Jerk Face’ is disfigured in some horrible way.  Asia thinks – and this is a direct quote ‘Nope, he’s just butt ugly and showing his face would probably break a bunch of mirrors.’”
Mason chuckled.  “Both have way too many opinions but…” he frowned thoughtfully, “they could be on to something.”
“That’s why I mentioned it,” Parker explained.  “It could be that he doesn’t want anyone to know who he really is but those girls are clever.  There could be something about his face he doesn’t want anyone to see.  Do you know of anyone that was permanently disfigured in a recognizable way?”
Waving a hand at the waitress, Mason replied, “Not that I can think of off the top of my head but I’ll give it some thought.”  The waitress came over, slipping him the check and moved away.  “I take it you’ve already thought about it and can’t think of anyone?”
Parker shook his head.  “No one.  It’s frustrating.  With Tanner I knew who the enemy was, what she looked like.  All we have on this guy is a name and not even a real name.”
“How do we know that?” Mason posed as they walked to the counter and got in line to pay the bill.  “Maybe he gave us his real name?”
“Hmm, you’re right,” Parker ruminated.  “I’ll give Damian a call, have him look into that.”
“I had Leon check but he didn’t come up with anything,” Mason told him.  “But even as extensive as his resources are, Damian’s are better.  Worth a shot at the very least.”
After paying for the meal, they strolled down the hall toward the elevators.  Mason did a rundown of what they knew about Justice.  “He’s insane.  He’s also clever, dangerous and cruel.  He wants revenge against Gemma for…something.  That parts no clear except he thinks she took something from him.  He’s a good with magic.  That warehouse was fucking nuts but good.”
“Agreed,” Parker murmured as they stepped into the elevator.  “In his world we’re his friends and should be helping him, not hindering him.  Hell, there’s no logic to his mind and really, what we do know isn’t doing us much good.  We need info that’s not so…vague.”
Stepping off the elevator, Mason nodded.  “Sadly, that’s all too true.  What boggles my mind is how this guy came to the conclusion that Gemma’s stolen his life.  That’s seriously twisted, which fits into his mind set, but…stealing his life?  Identity theft, sure, it happens but I don’t think that’s what Justice means.  Not to mention Gemma wouldn’t hurt a fucking flea unless it was defending someone’s life.”
“Maybe he thinks she did something that prevented him from living his life as he thought he should,” Parker suggested.  
“Maybe a Singa, one she identified who got free?”  Mason tossed out.  “Hell, she didn’t even have to be the one to identify for the fucker.  In his skewed head anyone who fought beside you against Tanner could have been at fault but for some reason he’s fixated on Gemma.”
“I didn’t do it alone,” Parker replied modestly and honestly.  “Anyone and everyone who supported my cause played a part and if I hadn’t had that, I very well might have lost.  But you’re right, Justice could be anyone and for some reason he’s targeted Gemma.  I feel as if we’re missing a piece of the puzzle and if we only had that single piece it would all fall into place.”
“It’s a feeling,” Mason murmured.  “It boils down to our way of thinking verses Justice’s.  We’re logical, deductive and he’s not.  Logic isn’t going to help us.”
Pausing outside of Gemma’s room, silently and mutually agreeing that neither wanted to continue the conversation inside her room, Parker said, “If we follow the illogical than he’s not a Singa.  Any of Tanner’s groupies would, no matter how crazy, would focus on me.  I was the…face, for the lack of a better term, of the rebellion.  Not a single one of them would have, sane or not, view me as a friend and Justice has claimed me as such.”
“Perhaps,” Mason allowed.  “Then there’s Madison.  Justice claims she belongs to him.  What does he mean by that?  Does he think she’s his daughter?  Admittedly I was inclined to think so but…no, I was almost a hundred percent positive she was mine from the moment I figured it all out.”
“A hundred percent, huh?”
“Shut it, Parker,” Mason ordered though without any heat.  “Until we got those messages I wasn’t too sure of anything but that.”
“Well, I guess what all this is leading too is…we don’t have shit,” Parker said with a wry smile.  “Let’s hope Gemma can shed some light on this fucking situation.”
“Yeah, let’s hope.”

*****

Three days after Gemma sat up Nash came into the room looking positively cheery.  Since it was just after noon time, Mason sat up, worry instantly clouding his thoughts.  Parker, Wren and Madison did the same, their expressions mirroring his emotions.  Before Mason could really start to worry however, Nash announced, “I’ve got news.  Good news.”
Impatiently Parker snapped, “What?”  Mason didn’t object and only looked at Nash expectantly.
Nash’s smile made him want to rip her to shreds he was so impatient until she said, “I got the results from a few lab tests that take a bit longer to run. Has your wife been in contact with, er, wild animals – rats the most likely culprits?”
“Rats?” Parker muttered.
“Yes, rats,” Nash replied with a nod of his head.  “See, Mrs. Harper has contracted a rare bacterial infection, which is why it’s taken longer to diagnose.  It’s called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, HPS for short.  It’s rare, as I said, which is why it’s taken us so long to diagnose.  You’re wife displays most of the symptoms; fever and chills, pain, breathing difficulties, fluid on the lungs – though that’s been minimal, - as well as low blood pressure.”
“How is it treated?” Mason asked.
“We’ll clear her lungs first and then use extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to keep her blood hydrated with oxygen,” Nash explained.  “Keeping her blood oxygenated and her lungs clear will help her body heal itself.”
“And result time?” Parker inquired.
“A day or two,” Nash answered and seeing their disappointed looks added, “I know that’s not what you wanted to hear but it’s slow for reason.  I know it seems excessive but it’s best if she rest while her body works at getting better.”
Later Wren took Madison downstairs for a midafternoon snack.  Noticing Parker’s contemplative expression, Mason asked, “What’s on your mind?”
“The healer,” Parker replied absently.  “He should have been able to sense an infection no matter how rare.”
“Yeah, I’ve given that a little thought,” Mason said.  “I think Justice knew she was sick, knew it and wanted her to die.  He did something, a spell of some sort to block a healers magic.”
“Ah,” Parker breathed, nodding.  “He didn’t think we’d bring her here.  Mages usually scorn modern medicine, preferring healers.  Makes sense.”
Mason replied, “Whatever the reasons, she’s going to be fine and that’s what counts.”

*****

“You’re lying!”
An evil, selfish smile curled lips of bright red.  “Am I?  She’s better.  Has even woken up.  Weak, frail really and isn’t talking much but she’s very much alive and well on her way to mending, to becoming healthy once again.”
“Then this is your fault,” Justice accused, expression taut with anger.  “You let that hag live, you let her talk to them.  You should have stopped it.  She gave them information…it led them to me.”
“Ha!  I warned you,” the other retorted, showing no remorse or guilt.  “I told you I’d kill her but you said no, she didn’t matter, she knew nothing.  Regretting that decision now aren’t you?”
“Fuck!  You do nothing but whine and complain, nag and harass,” Justice hissed furiously.  “You talk of destiny and revenge yet you do nothing.  You watch and laugh.  You’re less than worthless.”
Unperturbed with Justice’s anger the other walked away, trailing a finger along the dusty wall.  “Nothing you say is going to get to me.    You can’t get rid of me, can’t kill me, you need me.”
The figure flew through the air, landing hard on a pile of debris in the corner.  Walking over, Justice loomed above the other, smiling harshly, pleasure radiating from eyes of dark brown.  “Need you,” he snared.  “I don’t think so.  I need no one.”
Kicking the limp body, Justice walked away humming.
Chapter 20

Gemma was recovering.  It wasn’t as slow going as the norm doctors had predicted but then they didn’t know about magic.  Once she was home, a little bit of magic was easing her aches and pains, and was giving her a chance to heal more quickly.  It also helped that no one was grilling her to the third degree about Justice and what Justice had done to her.  She knew they were waiting for her to regain her strength and she appreciated it.
She was stronger, though she still felt like hell, looked it too; with dark circles making her look like a raccoon look and her hair was hanging in limp strands.  Her appearance wasn’t, never had been, important to her but looking this bad…well, it sucked.  Still, she wasn’t tiring out as quickly and with each day that went by she was getting around on her own better and better.  With progress her mood improved as well, though she wasn’t sure she was hiding her troubled thoughts as well as she’d thought because a few times she’d caught Mason giving her worried looks.
Wanting comfort, needing it, Gemma didn’t turn him away whenever he drew her to him, holding her close.   A couple of times she’d caught him looking murderous but she knew the emotion wasn’t directed at her but at Justice.  He’d mumbled – when he thought she couldn’t hear – how he was going to tear Justice apart.  A part of her was desperate to tell him everything but she wanted to be strong enough, mentally and physically, before saying anything.  No way was she letting anyone, Mason especially; tell her she wasn’t getting in on the action because she wasn’t well.
The day before she felt strong enough she overheard Parker telling Mason, “Give her a bit of time, Mason.  When she’s ready to, she’ll tell us what she can.  Pushing isn’t the answer.”
“I know, Parker, but she looks so…haunted,” Mason had replied.  
Knowing his patience – all of their patience – was wearing thin, Gemma entered the dining room for the evening meal resigned to telling them what she knew.  Sitting down, she said, “You've all been great, beyond patient really and I want you all to know I appreciate it but…I think it’s time we talked.”
“I think that’s…good,” Mason replied.  “And for the best.  Maddy and Asia are at my parent’s house soon.  I’d rather they not be a part of this.”
Something in his tone caused weariness to spring up but she kept her tone even when she said, “Okay.  I’d liked to be updated as well.  What’s been happening here?  Any progress in…anything?”
Suddenly Mason stood up.  “I’m…I’ll be back.”
Looking on hopelessly as Mason left, Gemma barely noticed when Wren came to sit beside her.  Wrapping an arm around Gemma’s shoulder, she said, “He’s just getting his head on straight, Gem.”
“He’s been a wreck,” Parker informed her, drawing her attention to him.  “He’s been blaming himself for…everything.  His emotions are…kind of out of intense and he’s not used to that.”
Nodding to indicate she understood, Gemma looked away from the spot Mason had vanished from.  After taking a deep breath, she asked, “What’s for dinner?”
They ate in silence for the most part.  When they were finished, Parker excused himself, wanting to check on his kids.  Soon there was only Wren and Gemma left.  Sipping coffee, they chatted about mundane things with Wren doing most of the talking.  She was telling Gemma about Kian putting dye in his bath water and turning himself neon yellow when Gemma muttered something.  Tilting her head to the side she said, “What?  I’m sorry Gem, I didn’t catch that.”
“Justice wants..., wants the baby,” Gemma repeated softly, almost still too low for Wren to hear but she did.
“Excuse me!” she exclaimed loudly.  Gemma gave her a look of annoyance and Wren waved a hand.  “I heard you but I don’t think I understand.  Why do you think he wants the baby?”
Looking miserable, Gemma shook her head.  A moment later she straightened her shoulders.  She was not going to be weak.  She was not going to be one of those sissy little girls.  She was tougher than that.  Stronger than that.  Still, her voice was a little shaky when she said, “Justice nearly killed me, stopping only at the last second.  Why?  It’s been circling inside my head for days.  Why stop?  When I heard Justice over talking to someone about wanting, needing something from me I understood but I couldn’t figure out what that something was until Justice mentioned how very unwilling I was to part with it.”
Holding up a hand, Wren stopped her.  “I think the others need to hear this too.  I’ll go get them.”
“Okay,” Gemma agreed tiredly.
Getting up, Gemma headed straight for where she knew she’d find Mason.  Not bothering to knock she stomped into the room.  Mason was standing by the window, his dark hair highlighted with silver light from the moon.  She paused.  She might have been married but she could appreciate Mason all the same.  He was sexy as hell, dark brooding looks and intense grey eyes.  If she hadn’t loved Parker from the first second she’d seen him…Gemma might have had some competition.
Shaking the thoughts off, she walked over to stand beside him.  He glanced down at her.  “Here to tell me what a bastard I am?” he asked.  “I’ve done it for you so don’t bother.  I know – why are you shaking your head at me?”
“Not the reason I’m here,” she replied.
He raised a single brow.  “Oh?”
“Justice tortured Gemma,” she began, stopping him from saying anything by holding out a hand, palm out.  “We knew that, could see it.  She’s healing from that.  It’s the scars we can’t see that worry me.”
“Explain?”
“We’ve no idea what he put her through, what emotional and mental damage he’s caused,” she replied.  “We’ve all seen the way she seems to drift off, that haunted heart breaking expression she gets when she does.  She spent days in his clutches.  Days of pain, humiliation…gods only know what else.”
Keeping his tone even despite the fiery rage rushing through him, Mason said, “I know this, Wren.  It eats at me.  I have nightmares about it.  I –”
She cut him off.  “Hush.  I’m not bringing it up to hurt you.  I see the way you look at her.  You love her, more than I’ve imagined you ever capable of.  I don’t think she’s going to tell us everything.  I don’t think she’s will because you’ll be there and she’ll want to protect you from the pain it will cause.”
“So…” he dragged the word out, “you want me to stay away?”
“No,” she replied surprising him.  “I want you to act cold, hard, and unemotional.  It’s going to set you back a step or two with her, but I think…it’s what she’s going to need because she needs to tell this, needs to let it out.”
He was too stunned to speak except to stutter out a, “Huh?”
Wren gave him a short smile.  “Gemma loves you, Mason.  Maybe she hasn’t told you but it’s written all over her face whenever she looks at you.  If you’re there when she starts talking she’s not going to tell her story, not the entirety of it because she’s going to be too busy concentrating on what she says in order to spear you.  As much as I’d like to be speared the horror she’s gone through, as much as you might want the same, we need to know it all.”
“Okay but how -?”
“Keep whatever you’re feeling about what she went through locked down,” Wren growled impatiently.  “Don’t let her see how much it’s affecting you.  Later, when she’s told us, you can do what you need to do, for yourself and her, to get past it but while she’s telling us, channel that nasty child that lives inside you.  Become the Mason we all loved to hate.  Understand?”
Slowly Mason nodded but said, “And are you going to help me regain those backward steps I’ll be taking.”
“Yes,” she answered right away, sincerely.  “Though I don’t think it will be as bad you’re thinking.”
“We’ll see,” Mason murmured.  “She’s pulled away from me since getting taken.  If she pulls back even more I’ll be back to square one.”
“I’ll fucking make her listen to me,” Wren promised though it was more of a threat the way she said it.  “And if that doesn’t work, I’ll curse her until she’s willing to understand that what we’re doing tonight is, will be and was, for her benefit.”
Mason smiled a little.  “Right.  Just don’t use the hair growing curse.  That’s one hell of a punch you have with that one.”
Wren giggled.  “So I’ve heard.”

*****

Parker was gone for over two hours.  When he returned he looked as if he’d been through a war.  Seeing all their curious glances he sighed, explaining, “I swear to god, Wren, that boy of ours is channeling some demon jokester.  He can find trouble like he’s a magnet for it.  I arrived to find him trying to catch Screechy.”
“And Screechy is?”
“Our cat,” Wren supplied.  “I’m afraid to ask but Kian wanted to catch the cat why?”
“So he could paint him,” Parker answered wearily.
Wren groaned, covering her eyes with one hand.  “Please tell me he didn’t find my paints again?”
“He did,” Parker replied not spearing her.
“Gods, I’ve hidden those damn things fifty different times,” she complained lowly.  “How does he do it?”
“Don’t know,” Parker said, taking a seat beside his wife.  “He told me he thought Screechy would look better if he had rainbow colored fur.  Anyhow, I’m sorry for keeping you all waiting.”
Gemma said, “Its fine.”  She gave them all a quick look before looking down.  She didn’t want to see the pity, the horror on their faces when she told her story.
“I was out on the balcony, thinking, needing a little fresh air.  I thought I heard something above me so I looked up.”  She shrugged.  “Justice hit me with something.  I blacked out and when I woke I was…in a dark room, chained up.”
“I tried to break the chains but they must have been enchanted.  Justice came into the room, accused me of stealing his life.  Something happened, something I can’t recall.  The memory’s fuzzy, as if it’s been tampered with.  I can’t be sure.”
She looked up for a moment, saw them all avidly watching her and looked away again.  “I think he showed me something, said something…I don’t know…but whatever it was, he didn’t want to take the chance of me getting free and telling his secret.”
“You probably saw his face,” Parker mused.  “He’s been careful to keep that hidden from us.  Even at the warehouse, when we came face to face, he was using illusion to look like you.”
“Is that why you accused me of being Justice?” she asked but didn’t wait for an answer.  It bothered her to think of Mason kissing Justice.  Not because Justice was a man but…she didn’t understand but it bothered her so she didn’t want to think about it.  “I must have passed out because when I next woke up Justice had moved me so I was chained to a wall.”
She paused, needing a moment, sucking air in, letting it out as she tried to gain control.  Every night she dreamed, horrible, terrible, nightmares of those hours and now she was about to relive it again.
Softly, Parker said, “Gemma, you don’t have to go into detail but -”
Remembering what Wren had said, Mason cut Parker off, saying, “She does.  We need to know it all if we’re going to understand him.”
Gemma’s head snapped up, her eyes wide.  Mason did what he did best and let the old him show through, the cold, nasty kid he’d been before life had made him grow up.  Gemma’s eyes turned bright with unshed tears and her face started to crumble but just as quickly she seemed to mentally gather herself because she nodded.  “Fine.  Details.  Yeah.”  
She licked her lips, took a sip of the coffee she still held and swallowed audibly.  “He hit me.  That’s how it started.  A slap to the face, a sharp stinging that didn't last long and didn’t leave a mark.  But when I refused to…give him what he wanted, the palms closed to fist…the face and head his favorite target though…”
“I don’t…” she paused, took a moment and then went on.  “Even then I don’t think he was using all his strength but…things are a little hazy so maybe that’s just faulty memory.  When that still -”
“I’m sorry,” Mason cut in coldly.  “What is it he wanted you to give him?”
“The baby,” she said so softly everyone had to strain to hear her.
“What the fuck!”  Parker exploded.  Mason gave him a grateful look because it’s exactly how he wanted to react and knew he couldn’t.  “How the hell did the lunatic expect you to give him a baby that’s still gestating?”
“I’ve no idea,” she whispered, seeming to shrink before.  
Wren shot the man a back off look and said, “Its fine, Gemma, finish this so it can be done.”
Gemma nodded, taking a deep breath before going on, “He moved onto using a knife, small cuts, some larger.  I’m not too sure because I started losing a lot of time, passing out and…tuning out too.  He enjoyed it…inflicting pain.  It wasn’t just because…, because I was the enemy.  Giving pain, hurting others, he likes it, finds it thrilling.  He…he…”
“This isn’t going to help us find the fucker,” Parker whipped out.  “Why don’t you just tell us anything you might have heard, might -?”
“No,” Mason interrupted.  “We need to know it all.  No way is that asshole getting the upper hand.”
Covertly Wren placed a hand over Parker’s when he started to argue and shook her head.  He narrowed his eyes but nodded, shortly, just once that he got the message.
Gemma, listening to it, felt her heart drop into her stomach and twist painfully.  Mason was acting as if the telling was nothing that she should be over it already.  Justice wasn’t the asshole, Mason was and at least Justice had an excuse, he was insane.  That was just fine.  She’d tell them the fucking truth, spare no detail and maybe he’d have a nightmare or two for her efforts.
“It’s fine, Parker,” she declared loudly, inwardly wincing at the noise.  “I want to get this over with so just let me tell and then we can all…” she waved a hand in a rolling way to indicate getting on with their lives.  “He’d cut me open, heal the wound with magic and then slice it again just to watch the blood flow.  He hit, kicked, cut, sliced, threatened and…name it, he did it and he laughed while he did all the while screaming insults and obscenities at me.”
“A few times I was sure I was close to death and I welcomed it,” she said, getting louder with each word.  Her gaze went to Mason, stayed there.  “I wanted to die.  Willed it to take me.  It was better than ever giving her what she wanted.  She was never going to get our baby.”
Dead silence followed the last of Gemma’s shouting, everyone wearing identical shocked looks.  Not understanding, she growled, “Why the hell are you all staring at me like that?”
“Her?” Wren said and Parker finished, “You said her, not him.”
Confusion replaced the anger.  “Huh?”
“You said you would have never given her the baby,” Parker explained.  “That she was never getting what she wanted.”
“I –” Memories flooded her brain, cutting off the retort tipping her tongue and made the blood rush from her face.  “Oh my fucking gods!”
Knocking at the front door prevented anyone from questioning Gemma further.  Mason stood up, saying, “That’s Clare with Madison and Asia.”  Except it wasn’t, instead it was Linton and Iva.  Ushering them inside he motioned them to follow him into the living room where Parker, Wren and Gemma still waited.
“Sorry for just dropping by,” Linton apologized.  “Iva’s got news that she felt couldn’t wait.”
“In relation to Justice?” Parker asked since the others didn’t seem inclined to talk.  Wren was busy comforting Gemma, who had sank back into the chair and Mason was hovering around the edges, resisting the need to forcibly move Wren out of the way so he was the one to comfort Gemma.
“Yes,” Linton replied, shooting a questioning look at Parker who shook his head, a silent message not to say anything.  With a slight nod he said, “Iva’s been working tirelessly on that file and hasn’t told me much so I’m in the dark here too.”
“Please, sit,” Mason offered his tone just a little hostile.  Thankfully no one seemed to notice.
Iva, normally shy and quiet wasn’t hesitant but got right down to it.  “In the letters you received, Justice mentions having his life taken from him, that Gemma’s stolen it.  That’s because Justice isn’t a man but a woman.”
“Uh, yeah,” Parker replied slowly.  “Gemma’s only just remembered that tidbit.”
“Ah.  Then you know who she is?” Iva inquired, glancing at Gemma.
“She’s me.”
Iva shook her head.  “Not exactly.  More of a genetic copy of you.”
“Huh?” came from four different directions.
“Justice is a clone,” Iva explained.
“A clone?” Parker repeated in puzzlement.  “Isn’t that something the norms scientists are into?  I didn’t think it was something mages were trying to accomplish.  And I can’t picture the Council approving it.”
“Right,” Iva agreed, nodding her head.  “It was Tanner experimenting with cloning.  Someone names Thurston compiled the file and brought it to the Council’s attention.  Whoever took the, er, case mentions that Thurston gave detailed instructions on how to shut Tanner’s experiment down and the Council worker followed those instructions down to the letter.  Tanner’s experiments were found and, um, destroyed.  The latest report in the file is, however, dated for a year after Tanner’s death that the subject known as TS3GC was still alive and in hiding.”
“And TS3GC is…what?”
“Test Subject Three Gemma Clone,” Iva replied softly, her doe brown eyes bright with sympathy.  “One of the reports states that the subjects were being trained to believe they were the real deal except the subjects kept going insane.”
“Imagine the damage to the rebellion if Tanner’s little science experiment hadn’t had glitches or hadn’t been killed,” Parker remarked quietly.  “And I’m going to have to apologize to Thurston because the man really was working for the rebellion.  Damn, I hate crow.”
“So, if Justice is a clone, where has she been all these years?” Mason asked, ignoring Parkers rumblings.  “Why is she only now coming forward and trying to kill Gemma?  Why the hell does she think she’s Gemma?”
“Insanity doesn’t need a reason,” Wren pointed out.
“No, but I can answer why she believes she’s Gemma,” Iva inserted.  “There’s always been speculation about clones.  Does a clone, which is basically a genetic copy of the original, gain the memories of their genetic donors?  Some say yes and it might explain why Justice thinks she’s Gemma. The real Gemma.  It explains why she claims Parker is a friend and that Maddy is her daughter.”
“Actually she would have been created before Maddy so -”
“Sorry,” Iva cut in.  “I don’t mean that Justice truly believes she gave birth to Maddy, but that Maddy should have been her daughter.”
“And explains why she wants this baby,” Gemma murmured.  She turned tortured eyes on Mason.  “She wants our baby!”
Forgetting Wren’s plan, Mason gently pushed Wren away, lifted Gemma from the chair and sat down with her in his lap.  “She’s not going to get the baby, or you and Madison.  Not again.  I can promise you that.”
“Baby?” Linton asked quizzically.
“Yes, dear,” Iva said, patting her husband’s arm.  “A baby.  Gemma’s and Mason’s baby.”
“Maddy?”
“No, the one she’ll be having a few months,” Iva clarified, an indulgent, warm smile lifting the corner of her lips.
Bless him but Linton was always a step behind because he said, “But Parker and Wren are having the baby.”
Giggling, Wren nodded.  “Yeah, totally true but so are Mason and Gemma.”
Enlightenment finally came, making him turn a few shades of red.  “Oh.”
Having gotten that settled, Parker got back to business.  “Gemma, what makes you think she wants the baby?”
Her face pressed against Mason’s chest, Gemma said something too muffled to understand.
“Can’t you hear you, Gem,” Parker sighed impatiently.
“Someone – don’t know the sex – wanted me dead,” Gemma said, pulling her face from the Mason’s chest.  “Well, I think the person just want to kill because she asked about an old woman first.  But Justice refused to let this person kill me.  He –She kept telling the other one that I was still needed cause I still had what he – sorry – she wanted.  Sounds strange, I know, but I really think that’s what Justice was after.”
“Did you know?” Mason asked softly.  “Before Justice took you?  Did you know you were pregnant?”
Gemma nodded.  “It’s why I was having trouble sleeping.  I was wondering how to tell you.”  She paused a moment and then shot him a scowl.  “I was pissed when Nash told you.  I’d wanted that privilege.”
“You were sleeping, Gem,” Mason reminded her.
“Not all the time,” she countered.  “I’d wake up but it was if I was trapped inside my body.  Frustrating as hell, I can tell you.”
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered as he bent his head forward, capturing her mouth with his.  He’d meant for it to be an easy, soft kiss of reassurance, of love.  But those good intentions flew away when she eagerly responded, her mouth opening beneath his giving him access and deepening the kiss.  
“God, get a room,” Parker muttered in mock disgust.
Pulling back, giving Gemma’s lips one last nip, Mason shot Parker a grin. “Have one with plans to make use of it later.”
“Whoa, way TMI,” Parker retorted.  “Gemma, control him will ya?”
Feeling safe, even happy for the first time in months, Gemma only smiled.  Oh there was plenty they still had to work out between them but for now she was content to sit there, his arms around her, and just enjoy the sensation of his arms around her, his breath on her cheek.  First things first though.  Justice needed stopping.
“So let’s review what we know of Justice,” Parker suggested reading Gemma’s thoughts.  “Once we’ve done that, I think it’d be a good idea to work on figuring out who might be her partner.  Someone with access to the file is my guess.”
Briskly, in her usual no nonsense way Gemma said, “Then let’s get to work.”
Mason inwardly sighed.  They’d work out what was between them but the others were right.  Justice had to be dealt with first.  After that, all bets were off.

*****

Mason watched Gemma as she rested on the chaise lounge, staring intently out the window oblivious to her surroundings.  How had his life gotten to this point?  Though he had never truly hated Gemma (or Parker and Warren for that matter) it still astounded him that he loved her as fiercely as he did.  Deciding that now was a good time for them to talk, while the place was quiet, Mason sighed and headed over, slipping in beside her, lifting her enough so he could put his arms around her.
Tucking her head beneath his chin, she asked, “Ever looked back and shaken your head in puzzlement?”
“Five seconds ago,” he admitted with a droll grin.  
“I was thinking about M&S,” she told him.  “What if I’d met you first?  Would I have still become friends with Parker?  Warren?”  Or what if I’d hung with a different cliché all together?  Our lives would be so different and yet, I can’t imagine anything but what I have.”
“Oh there are things I’d change if I could, things that I should have done or shouldn’t have done,” she continued in that soft, husky voice he loved so much.  “I kept thinking about that and…I lied, Mason.  A few nights of passion, of spent needs was never going to be enough for me.  I never planned on it being a night of even a few weeks of nights.”
“Gemma -”
Overriding him she continued talking, “At first, yeah, I was doing my best to convince myself that it meant nothing but…I was scared.  What if I opened up and you broke me again?  I was a coward and now, well now I don’t plan on wasting time being afraid.  I love you Mason, have never stopped and never will stop loving you.”
“I love you too,” he confessed softly, nuzzling his cheek against the top of her head.  After a moment of silence he said, “I should have told Rita to kiss my ass when she did her best to convince me of your…true feelings.”
He anticipated her wanting to talk and gently placed a finger of her lips.  “You needed your space since we, um, reunited.  I understood that, still do but it’s time we forget about then and think about now and later.”
She giggled, saying, “That’s candy.”
He playfully swatted the side of her thigh.  “Smartass.  We’re going to concentrate on the now, on you and me, on us and Maddy and about the baby.”
A soft sniffle escaped her before she twisted around to envelope his neck between her arms, her fingers tugging teasingly at his hair.  “Right,” she said against his lips.  “No more looking back.  It’s the here and now, the future years we have together that we’ll think and worry about.  Together.”
“Great idea,” he agreed, dipping his tongue out and running it along first her lower lip then the top.  Beneath his fingers she shuddered, groaning slightly but before he could take it up a notch she pulled back.  “What did you mean you should have told Rita to kiss your ass?”
“That’s the past,” he reminded.
“Uh-huh and right after you tell me we’ll leave it there,” she returned sternly.
 Sighing he nodded.  “Rita had convinced me that you’d only become my lover to keep an eye on me, that you’d do just about anything to make sure Parker won the war, but also how when I wasn’t around you were constantly reminding everyone that I couldn’t be trusted.”
Anger glinting in her eyes, Gemma snorted.  “Twisted things a bit didn’t she, the fucking bitch.  Wait, someday I’m going to see that little whore and –”
“I get the pic,” Mason cut in before she could really start ranting.  “How’d she get it twisted?”
“I was the only always telling that lying little witch and her BFF Bethany that you’d changed, that you weren’t spying for the Singa,” Gemma explained, looking as irritated as she sounded.  “That bitch was the one bad mouthing you all the damn time.  I nearly tore her freaking eyes out…oh!”
“Oh?”
“It was the next night when…” she couldn’t say it so she waved a hand, hoping he understood.  “That was her revenge for besting her.  She fed you a bunch of lies.”
“Okay, past ends now,” he said, pulling her face close so he could nip at her lips.  “I want to focus on right now.”
“Sounds -”
A cough had Gemma twisting her head around at an awkward angle while Mason peeked around her.  Smiling, Gemma twisted her body around so her neck wasn’t so out of whack and held out her arms.  “Hey baby,” she murmured as Maddy crawled into her embrace.  “What’s got you up so late?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” Maddy replied, giving Mason a peek from over her mother’s shoulder.  “What’re you doing?”
“Thinking about marrying your dad,” Gemma whispered though she’d deliberately did so loud enough for Mason to hear.  “What do you think about it?”
Maddy’s expression became thoughtful.  “I don’t know.  Do you want to marry mom?”
“Yes,” he answered simply.
Unexpectedly she asked, “Can Clare come work here?”
“Huh?  Why?” Mason wondered a little confused at the question.
“Miss Maddy has been listening at keyholes,” Gemma announced, her lips twitching in amusement.
“Still lost here,” Mason replied dryly.
“I told Wren that I planned on seducing you, marrying you and then convince Clare to come work for us,” Gemma explained.  “She’s a delightful woman and a wonderful cook.”
“Ah,” Mason breathed.  “I see.”
“It was also Maddy’s way of giving her approval,” Gemma added, smiling down at the little girl in her arms.  
Mason chuckled, “Is that so?  Come here, Madison.”
Without any hesitation she crawled out of her mother’s arms and onto Mason’s lap.  Brushing the hair from her small face, he said, “We’ve never gotten a chance to talk.  Is there anything you want to ask me?  Want me to know?”  Solemnly she nodded and the expression on her face had dread filling his veins.  “What is it?”
“You’ve got a whole lot of learning to do about being my dad,” she told him and then, laughing cheekily, scrambled from his lap and raced from the room.

*****

Parker waltzed into the penthouse the next morning and headed straight for Mason’s office.  Not finding him there he headed toward the sound of laughter.  In the game room he found Mason, along with Gemma, Maddy and Asia.  Entering the room he announced, “Okay, so I’m sick of waiting around so I’ve decided we needed to turn things around.  Set our own little trap for Justice.”
The adults had been intently watching a game of chess between the girls, but Gemma glanced up, saying breezily, “Hello to you too, Parker.”
Mason merely grunted in greeting, never taking his eyes off the game.  To Maddy he said, “Move the castle to the front.  It will stop Asia’s knight from taking the bishop.”
Maddy sighed, giving her father a frown.  “I’m playing this game, not you.  Go away.”
“Fine little girl,” he responded good-naturally, “but when Asia whoops you behind don’t cry your woes to me.”
“As if,” Maddy muttered, sticking her tongue out for good measure.
Chuckling, Mason moved away and took seat beside Gemma who was being a good host by joining Parker at the little sitting area in the center of the room.  “Hi, Parker.  What’s up?”
“The buildings on fire and we should get the hell out as quickly as possible,” Parker replied dryly.
Gemma shook her head, her eyes sparkling with amusement.  “Grumpy, isn’t he?  He wants to set a trap for Justice.”
“Hmm,” Mason murmured.  “Not a bad idea.  How would we do it?  Any brilliant ideas inside that head of yours?”
“Don’t be snarky,” Parker retorted.  “It’s called planning.”
“Spill it, Parker,” Gemma suddenly demanded.
“What?” Mason asked at the same time Parker said, “No idea what you’re talking about.”
Gemma sighed.  “I’ve known you a long time, Parker.  What aren’t you saying?”
Sheepishly Parker muttered something that sounded like a bunch of nothing.  Tapping her foot, Gemma just stared at him.  He sighed before blurting out, “Wren, Linton and Iva, Damian and, um, Mason’s mom will be here shortly.”
“WHAT!” Mason jumped up to his feet.  “Why the hell is my mom coming?”
“Oh, um, well you see,” Parker hedged, looking guilty as hell.  “I might have bumped into her and I, um, might have slipped a little.”
“Slipped a little?” Gemma snorted.  “About?”
“Mason having a daughter.”
Mason slumped back down onto the short sofa.   Putting a hand over his face, he pleaded, “Please tell me you didn’t?”
“I’d be lying if I did,” Parker admitted.  “I’m really sorry; Mason but gods, why the hell didn’t you tell your mother.  I thought she knew.”
“Oh gods,” Mason moaned.  “She’s going to be in such a…pickle.”
No sooner had he said it when a sweet, cultured and all too familiar voice called out, “Mason?  Where are you?  We need to have a little chat, my dear child.”
Asia, having heard her mom’s voice came over to sit beside Gemma, plopping her small behind on the sofa arm.  Maddy, who’d come to stand beside was nudged with an elbow just as a tall, black hair beauty strolled into the room.  “Watch this,” Asia whispered.
Penina Winston was a beautiful woman, with curling dark hair and light green eyes.  She silently made her way to Mason, lifting her cheek for his kiss which he dutifully gave.  Turning a smile on Parker, she said, “Parker, it’s so nice seeing you again.”
Parker nodded, “Always a pleasure, Mrs. Winston.”
“Oh, please Parker, call me Nina.”
“Thank you,” Parker replied, grinning now.  “Nina.”
Penina next focused on Gemma who had gotten to her feet when Mason had.  “Please, Gemma, sit back down, from what Parker has told me you don’t need to be worried about manners.”  As if to prove such things weren’t important she flopped down on the sofa, pulling Gemma down beside her.  “Since my neglectful son has decided to be…rude -” at this Maddy and Asia snorted with laughter, “- I’ve decided to come along and reacquaint ourselves.  Trust me when I tell you I did raise him better though I’m afraid the lessons must not have stuck, wouldn’t you agree?”
Gemma opened her mouth to reply but looked as bewildered as if a spell had hit her square in the face.  Stepping closer, Mason, “Mom, stop it.  I was planning on bringing Gemma and Madison over when things had settled down.”
“Madison?” Penina inquired with a single raised brow.
“My daughter,” Mason answered, waving to where the girls were standing.
Stepping forward, Maddy said, “Maddy.  It’s Maddy only he calls me Madison.”
A soft, loving look came into Penina’s eyes as she stared at Maddy.  “Maddy.  You’re a beautiful child.  I’m, well, I guess I’m your Nana.”
Grinning largely, Maddy walked right over to Penina and hugged.  “Nana.  I like that.”
Grinning, her eyes a little shiny, Penina nodded, saying, “You and I will have to spend some time getting to know each other.  From what I’ve heard you and Asia have become great friends so maybe spending some time with her at home will be possible?”  She glanced over at Asia.  “Soon too since my daughter seems to not want to come home.”
Asia made a face but said, “That sounds great mom.”
“Good,” Penina replied, patting Maddy on the back.  “Now,” she added as she again turned to Gemma.  “I think you and I will have to get together as well, get to know one another a little better.”  Penina frowned.  “But first, let me just get this little bit off my chest.  Not well done of you, keeping Maddy from us for so long.  However, I know all too well how life can throw curves at before we’ve even maneuvered the last one so I have no intention of harping on the matter.  You and Maddy have returned and we’ll rejoice in that.”
“Um, thank you,” Gemma said uncertainly.
“Now,” Penina went on, patting Gemma’s knee.  “Congrats on the coming nuptials.  I feared Mason was never going to settle down but…I love being proved wrong, in this case anyhow.  I’m impatient for the event so have we set a date?”
“Uh,” Gemma shot a help me look at Mason before blurting out, “We’ll be getting next month.”
Clapping her hands together in delight, Penina exclaimed, “That’s wonderful.”  Standing she hugged Gemma, then Maddy and Asia saying all the while, “Well, I’ve got to run along, I was on my way to do a little shopping and decided to drop in for a moment.  Besides, I know you young people are planning and plotting about something and I don’t want to be in the way.  Mason, I expect a visit, Gemma and Maddy too, soon.”
She pecked him on the cheek and gave him a tight hug.  “Soon,” she repeated.  “Don’t make me mad.  And don’t ever make it so I hear about your life from others again, Mason Draven.  Understood?”
Mason had only just started to nod when Penina swept from the room.
“Gods, does anyone else feel as if they’ve just been in a tornado?” Parker asked only half joking.
“You got off lightly,” Asia told Mason.  “I was sure she was going to yell and rant.”
“She’s not done,” Mason muttered darkly.  “She’ll wait until there aren’t any witnesses.”
“Wow,” Gemma whispered staring at the spot where Penina had just vanished.  “Just…wow!”
“That’s one way of putting it,” Mason agreed dryly.

*****

The new hide out was three times better.  The house had so much more to offer and the young man who’d lived there…well he wasn’t going to need the place any longer.  Dead had a way of making such things moot.  Killing him had given pleasure but the clean up afterwards and been horrible.  Once she had a more permanent place she’d have to fix up a room specifically designed to handle killing.
Lifting the paper she’d purchased at a local mage shop, she shook it open.  She’d had to disguise herself as a hag since she hadn’t wanted anyone to spot her but it was worth the effort.  Gemma’s escape and recovery, however, had made it necessary.  Each morning she trudged down to the mage shop to purchase a copy of the Mage Journal.  Although she didn’t think it would be mentioned, she was keeping an eye on things just in case.
So far nothing concerning Gemma or any of the lists of players had been mentioned.  If the trend continued she would set new plans in motion because no news meant she was safe from discovery because figuring out her true identity was, well, newsworthy.  She hoped.  There was chance, slim as it was that they might be keeping the news to themselves.  She didn’t think that was the case but it was better to be cautious then rush headlong into failure.
Opening the paper, she started to read though really she was more or less skimming the articles, having no real interest in what was happening in the magical community.  She skipped the ads section completely only to almost drop the paper when she flipped to the local page.  Screaming up at her in bold lettering were the words, Local Long Time Bachelor Mason Draven Announces Engagement!
In a spot just below that was a picture, the caption beneath that read: Mr. Draven and Miss Harper with their daughter Madison and Mr. Draven’s young sister, Asia, enjoy a family moment at the announcement party Mrs. Penina Draven Winston threw in their honor.
Screaming, hate and fury in every syllable, Justice scanned the photo, wishing she could crawl through it and kill the imposter now.  Mason, his arm about Gemma’s shoulder was staring down at her, his expression warm.  Asia and Maddy were at an angle, facing slightly away from the camera and looking at the adults in obvious excitement.
What the hell?  
Yanking the paper closer she began to read the article.
One of Almi’s most eligible bachelors, Mason Draven is no longer a free agent.  While many a female has tried to snare his heart, Draven tells me that his heart was already taken by Harper, who is must remembered for helping in ending R. Tanner’s reign of terror.  Harper has been living in Nevada and she’s become renowned in the norm world for her cosmetic therapy creams, lotions and more. 
Draven-Winston had this to say about her son’s engagement; “I’m beyond happy.  I can’t describe how much.  And my granddaughter, having her so much closer, it’s a treasure.” 
As many in the community may know, Draven-Winston has been encouraging her eldest son to settle down and it’s obvious from her comments she’s thrilled that he’s finally doing just that.  Mr. Parker Hadley, Harpers longtime friend had this to say about the couples announcement; “I wish them all the best.  I’ve never seen two people so right for each other.”  Hadley’s wife, Wren added, “They’ve been in love for ever, it’s nice to see them finally taking the last lunge.”
Miss Penelope Picken, who has never hidden her desire to become Mr. Mason Draven, was stunned when she heard the news.  This reporter tried to gain a comment but Picken wasn’t available for comment and will soon have to set her sights on…
Justice skipped ahead, caring nothing about Penelope Picken’s broken heart.
The wedding has been set and the happy event will be taking place in three days.  Sharp Park will be hosting the wedding party and has gained special permission to erect an Enchanted Tent (see page 12 for more on this new and exciting invention) in the parks Green space.  Linton Norwood, another friend of the couple, mentioned, “The wedding party is small, just close friends and family, but it’s going to be great.  They’re such a perfect couple.”
We here at –
Crumpling the paper, her fist tightening until her knuckles turned white, Justice screamed in rage.  Tossing the paper aside, she barely noticed as it slid from the table and fluttered to the floor.  Red hot fury was boiling inside her.  Mason was going to marry the fucking imposter.  Oh hell no!
Snatching up the paper, a plan already forming in her head, she flipped to page twelve.  
New! Enchanted Tents.  Improve your party or event with an Enchanted Tent designed to suit any need.  You can rent or buy call us at –
It could work.  No, it had to work.  She’d make sure it did because there was no way she was letting that imposter steal her life and her man.
Chapter 21

Linton nervously adjusted his tie, fidgeting from foot to foot and muttering to himself.  Finally he looked at the others, his expression full of worry.  “I don’t think this is going to work.  She’s smart, not stupid.”
Parker, the only with any patience left and his was starting too thin, said, “Relax, Lin, you’re starting to make us all a little crazy.  And this will work.”
“Yeah, Parker, have you forgotten who you’re talking to,” Gage said irritably.  “Linton’s not likely to relax until this is done and over.”
Ignoring Gage, Parker glanced at Wren.  “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” Wren replied taking a deep breath.
After making sure his wife was ready he turned to Iva and Gemma.  “Ready as well you two?”
Iva nodded but didn’t dare speak.  Her stomach was nauseas and she was afraid if she opened her mouth she’d be sick.  Gemma also nodded but said, “Are we sure about this?  It’s a silly -”
“It’s going to fucking work,” Parker growled sick of the doubts.
“I didn’t say it wasn’t going to,” Gemma huffed back.  “I’m only pointing out that she might not –”
Mason entering the tent cut her off a second time and she gave up.  He was so fucking sexy.  The way his hair fell to his collar.  The way he filled the tux in all the right places.  The way his eyes gleamed with…well just gleamed.  To Parker he said, “It’s all set.  And it’s nearly time so if she’s going to show it should be soon.  Let’s get into position.”
“Yeah,” Parker agreed, nodding.  “Let’s.”
Mason walked to Gemma, dragging her up and into his arms.  After kissing her soundly, he whispered, “Stay safe.”
Smiling up at him, she said, “Don’t play the hero.”
Kissing her once more he pulled back and started to leave and glanced over to see Parker whispering something into his wife’s ear.  “Parker!”
Grinning wickedly Parker kissed his wife once more before catching up with Mason.  Sliding a look Parker’s way he asked, “Wasn’t it a little, um, weird to, um, you know, kiss -”
“Hell yes so let’s not ever mention it again.”
“Maybe,” was all Mason agreed to.
Parker started to respond then stopped, cocking his head to the side.  Understanding Parker thought he’d heard something, Mason remained silent.  A few seconds slipped away and he was just about to break the silence when he heard a soft swishing noise.  Leaning closer to him, Parker said, “She’s here.  I can’t see her but she’s here.”
“What’s the sound I keep hearing?”  Mason asked.
“Robes brushing the ground,” Parker whispered back.  “Hell, maybe Linton’s right.  Maybe she is too freaking smart to fall for this.”
“She will,” Mason replied confidently.  “Give it a few minutes.  She can’t see us, not from any angle.  As far as she’ll be able to tell, everyone’s right where they’re supposed to be.”
Picturing the layout of the tents they’d erected, Mason took a moment to visualize where everyone, everything was.  Four smaller tents enclosed a larger one, each connected by a tunnel of silk and which that topped out at three stories high.  The top was mostly a bulbous balloon tear dropping into a peak.  The design of the tents wasn’t what was important though, it was the enchantment inside the structures that counted.
One of the smaller tents was no more than a bathroom, designed to grow depending on the number of occupants.  Two of the smaller ones were dressing rooms and the last was a supply tent.  It was also where the daycare for the smaller children – if there’d been any – would have been kept during the event.  As it was, the only tent in actual use the dressing room where the ladies were waiting. The larger center test was where they were hoping to keep the action, if there was any, since it was roomier.  The damn thing was able to contain a few hundred people
Already emotionally thin, Mason was starting to get a little twitchy and was starting to have some doubts of his own.  Maybe Justice was smarter than he was giving her credit for being.  Just maybe Linton as right, Justice wasn’t going to fall for their trap.  Turning to Parker, deciding to tell him he’d been wrong after all, Mason’s stiffened when a scream charged the air, filling him with adrenaline.  Both of them sprang into action, Parker a single step ahead of Mason.  Not looking back, Parker called out, “Came from the main tent.”
Mason didn’t bother replying as they rounded the corner leading toward the entrance to the main tent.  Just as they did a woman came careening around the corner, half her face covered in red.  Blood?  Mason didn’t know but he recognized the woman as Willa, Reece’s wife.  Snatching her about the waist and hauling her to a stop, he asked gruffly, “What’s happened?”
“Gemma,” she gasped, struggling against his hold.  “She’s gone insane.  She’s inside throwing curses, hexes and…god, I got get out of here.”
Shoving, gently, Willa aside, Mason shoved passed Parker, racing inside the tunnel and then into the main tent.  Justice was on a rampage, as Willa had said.  Without giving it much thought, Mason pushed past the few others inside.  Only a few knew the truth and those were trying with some success to get the others out of harm’s way.
Seeing him coming, Justice swiveled around facing him, her hand out, her fingers curled in an unreleased death spell.  “Stop.  If you don’t she’s dead.”
Mason skidded to a halt.  Clutched in front of Justice was Madison, she looked confused, scared but she didn’t have hysterics, which he silently applauded.  Cursing under his breath, Mason took a step back.  Damn it they should have warned Madison and Asia about Justice.  Even as he thought it, Asia popped into view, slowly trying to inch her way closer to where Mason was standing.
Dragging Madison with her, Justice took a few steps back.  Quickly the shape of Justice’s fingers changed and in a swift move he was barely able to follow slashed her fist down and out.  Within a blink Asia was suddenly standing right beside Madison.  Fuck!  Now she had to shields.
“No way are you getting out of her,” Mason decided to warn her.  “We’ve got it covered.”
Confidently, she boasted, “I can get out; I’m not worried about that.  And no one’s going to stop me because I’ll have these two lovelies with me won’t I?”
From the corner of his eyes, Mason saw Parker two aisles over on one side and Damian three over on the other side.  His position didn’t allow him to see anyone else but from the way Justice’s gaze was jumping around he knew the others were there too.  All exits were covered and porting was impossible since they’d erected an anti-porting spell around the tents.  But Justice was insane and that meant she wasn’t going to use logic or reasoning.  He wasn’t sure what she was going to do but he had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it.
“Why can’t you see the truth?” she asked, her voice so soft, so vulnerable Mason might have believed she was Gemma if he hadn’t known the truth.  “That bitch you’re marrying is the fake.”
“I’ve known Gemma a very long time,” Parker answered.  “You aren’t her.  If anyone’s fake, it’s you.”
“NO!” she screamed, curling her fingers into a hexing pose.  “You lie.  Why?  I thought you were my friend.”
Thinking to hit her with a spell while she was concentrating on Parker, Mason started to call on his magic but she suddenly turned back to him.  “You promised me, Mason.”
“I didn’t promise you shit,” he retorted definitely.
“TO PROTECT ME!” she raged.  “A PROMISE YOU’VE BROKEN!  YOU HAVEN’T PROTECTED ME!  YOU PROTECT HER BUT NOT ME!”
“Don’t recall making you any such promise,” Mason replied, sliding a foot forward and stepping closer.
“YOU PROMISED YOUR FATHER!”
Thought stopped as his brain tried to process this new bit of information.  Then he shook his head, “If it was -”
“It wasn’t her,” a new voice called out.  Everyone looked over to see Gemma, in triplicate, step into the large tent space.  “It was me.”
“No,” another Gemma claimed.  “It was me.”
“All of you lie,” the third Gemma countered.  “I was the one he was supposed to protect.”
Justice’s piercing scream of outrage ricochet against the thick fabric walls.  With a small flick or her wrist she sent Asia across the room where she collided into a line of chairs with a dull crash.  Mason took a step in that direction, wanting to check on her but stopped.  Justice still had Madison and already Hale was helping Asia to her feet, pulling her to safety.
Face contorted in fury, she twisted her head around to face Gemma number one.  “I’m the one but…you aren’t the one I want.  You look at me as if I’m an animal in the zoo.”  
Her fingers curled as she started to whip her hand out but Gemma One rolled to the side, the curse missing.  Justice hardly noticed that her spell had blasted an innocent flower painting to smithereens because she was already aiming for Gemma Two (who happened to be the real Gemma) her fingers already curling with another curse.  One she didn’t fling.  Instead her eyes darted from Gemma Two to Gemma One and then Three before finally leveling her clawed hand at Madison’s throat.
“Stop it!” she shouted, backing up a step, taking Madison with her.  “Stop trying to confuse me!  To trick me!  Just stop it or I’ll fucking kill her!”
“You’d kill her?  The child you claim as yours?” Parker asked.  “And let’s not forget what Mason will do if you do.”
The calculating look in Parker’s eyes told Mason all he needed to know.  “Madison’s my daughter, Justice.  Do you think I’m going to take it lightly if you kill her?”
“We’ll have more,” she sneered, her nails biting into Madison’s neck.  
“No, we won’t,” Mason countered.  “I won’t even be able to look at you if you hurt Madison.”
“Does that mean you’re ready to admit I’m the real Gemma,” she asked, her hold on Madison loosening.
“I’m getting close,” he lied.  “Maybe if you cleared a few things up I’d get there.”
“What?  What do you need to know?” she asked, her tone a mix of desperation and hope.
“Where have you been?” he asked.  “Why have you let someone else impersonate you for so long?”
A tear slid down Justice’s cheek.  “I didn’t know who I was.  I’d lost my memory.  I didn’t know until she found me, rescued me from his clutches and saved me from more pain.  She helped me heal, helped me find myself and taught me about myself.”
“Who?”
She didn’t reply, still caught up in the telling of her story.  “She had to teach me about this world, I’d forgotten it.  She showed me everything and when it was time, I came back, ready to claim my life.  She was so good to me.  I killed her, you know.  I had to.  She would have ruined all my careful planning.  She would have killed the fake me. I couldn’t allow that, not until I’d gotten her to return what she’d stolen from me.”
“And that is…?” Parker inquired.
“My baby,” Justice screeched.  “She stole my baby.”
“How do you steal a baby that isn’t born yet?” one of the Gemma’s asked.
“Black magic, forbidden magic,” she shrieked.
“Enough,” the real Gemma shouted, gaining everyone’s attention.  “The real Gemma will know what happened the night the war started so why don’t you tell us what brought the fight to a head?”
For a long moment Justice only gapped at Gemma before sneering, “I’ll tell you nothing.  You’ll be dead soon.”
“But you do need to tell me,” Parker spoke up.  “And him,” he added pointing at Mason.”
A sudden whooshing noise followed Parker’s announcement distracting everyone as they looked around for the source.  When they returned their attention to Justice, she was gone, Madison with her.  “Fuck!” Mason cursed loudly.  “What the hell happened?”
A loud bang answered just as the lights went out.  Nearby mason was able to make out the sounds of a struggle but before he could move in that direction, the lights came on.  Four Gemma’s now stood only feet apart from each other.  Frantically Mason looked around for Madison, sighing in relief when he spotted her with Asia, Damian guarding them both.
Knowing that the girls were safe as possible, Mason turned his attentions to the Gemma’s.  Hell!  How was he supposed to figure out which one was Justice or the real Gemma?  He sure the hell wasn’t going to go around kissing them all.  That was just…disturbing.  
“Well fuck,” Linton muttered.  “Which one is…which?”
Mason felt a tugging on his coat and looked down.  Madison was there and as she slipped her hand into his she said, “Mom’s the one that’s prettier.”
“Uh, they all kind of look the same,” he murmured.
“Nuh-uh,” Madison argued.  “Look closer.”
Because he didn’t want to hurt Madison’s he did as she asked, taking a good look at all four women.  The first smiled at him with Gemma’s lips but the eyes told him it was Wren staring back at him.  She was amused and pissed off at the same time in the way he knew only Wren could be and when he started to look away, she winked.  So typically Wren. The second one wasn’t Gemma either.  Her expression was too open, too trusting.  It was Iva.  The third Gemma was the real deal.  Her eyes held deep sorrow but also a warmth that wrenched at his heart.
Not letting on that he knew the truth, Mason turned to the last woman.  But something in his expression must have given him away because Justice vanished and darkness descended once more.  “Fucking hell!” he exploded.  “All of you mark yourselves somehow so we can tell who’s who.”
The lights blinked back one and as they did, Hale called out, “She’s on the dais.”
Spinning around Mason faced the back of the tent.  Justice had a hold of Gemma’s hair, yanking her head back with her clawed hand inches from Gemma’s neck.
“Mom,” Madison shouted.
“Hush, Madison,” Mason warned, trying to think.
Paying Mason no attention, Madison said, “You can’t kill her mom.  That’s just wrong.”
Frowning down at Madison, Mason wondered what she was doing but his daughter was concentrating on the two women on the dais.  Still frowning, he looked back there too and saw what Madison was seeing.  “Gemma,” he breathed.”
“Come on Mom, you don’t want me to see this.”
Gemma sucked in a breath, yanking harder on Justice’s hair.  Even though there were tears streaming down her cheeks, Mason wasn’t sure Gemma cared – at the moment – what Madison might or might not witness.  Just as Mason was about to move forward to do what he didn’t know, Gemma heaved out a sigh and shoved Justice to the floor.
Rushing to Madison, Gemma dropped to her knees, enveloping Madison in her arms.  “Sorry.  So sorry.” Burying her face in the crook of her mother’s neck, Madison just nodded her head.
Coming over to stand with Mason, Parker asked, “What about her?”
Mason wasn’t given a chance to answer.  Justice stood and screamed, “YOU CAN’T HAVE MY FAMILY!  I WON’T LET YOU TAKE THEM AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!”
A flash of yellow-orange light began to form around her hand but it sputtered out as Linton stepped forward shouting a string of words that blasted a warm green light straight at Justice, tossing her backwards, and straight into a suit of armor that was part of the décor.  Before any of them could move, the spear the armored knight was holding pushed clear through her chest from front to back.
Flurry motion suddenly filled the tent as Damian, Gage and Hale rushed toward the impaled Justice.  Parker and Mason joined them a second later after making sure Madison and Asia was secure with the rest of their party.  Only Linton remained where he was, a stunned expression on his face.  
“She’s dead,” Damian announced softly.
“As much as I wanted that she didn’t actually deserve it,” Mason murmured, staring at Justice but seeing Gemma.  He shook his head.  “Let’s get her down.”
Gently they pulled Justice’s body free from the spear, laying her down on the carpeted flooring.  Standing over her body, Clinton drawled, “So, how we going to play this.  Those not in on the plan are going to think Gemma went a little crazy.”
“We just tell the truth,” Parker replied.  “Hell, it won’t be hard to believe, not once Justice’s origins are revealed but we’ll add a twist.”
“Why?” Mason wondered.  “And what twist?”
“We’ll let the mage community believe this was Tanner’s revenge from the grave,” Parker explained.  “Because there’s another player out there and until we can figure out who that is we need that person thinking she’s safe from discovery.”
“Right,” Mason sighed but inside he was wondering if this was ever going to end.

*****

Hours later, while sitting around the living room at Mason’s place, they discussed the possibilities.  Most everyone had gone home so it was only Parker, Mason, Wren and Gemma since the girls had gone to bed a couple of hours before.
“I still maintain that Justice wasn’t the brains behind this,” Parker repeated.  “Someone was using her, controlling her.  Oh, Justice was clever, I’ll give her that, but someone else was urging her on.”
“I’m not saying I don’t agree,” Wren said, “but I don’t know of anyone else with a motive to hurt Gemma.”
“Whoever it is must have convinced Justice that Mason wouldn’t care if Maddy survived,” Gemma inserted, her face twisted in thought.  “Otherwise she wouldn’t have been so willing to harm Maddy.”
“So basically this is actually about Mason,” Parker mused.  “She’s clearing a path to Mason.”
“Wait,” Mason interrupted.  “Why are we so sure it’s woman?  Justice said she’d killed her partner.”
“I don’t think she did,” Parker said and then explained, “Justice was crazy but she wasn’t about to kill the only person who linked her to the world.”
“I don’t know,” Mason said doubtfully.  “Maybe.”
“Trust me on this,” Parker told him.  “So, let’s see, who is we know who wants Mason and who also had access to that file?”
“Won’t be a small list,” Wren replied sardonically.  “Mason’s not exactly ugly and he’s rich.”
Parker rolled his eyes.  “Sure, okay but we can narrow down by figuring out who knew about Tanner’s little project.”
“Penelope?” Gemma suggested her nose wrinkled in jealousy.
“No, not her,” Mason denied.  “She hasn’t got the brains.”
“It’s someone who works for or did work for the Council,” Wren pointed out.
“Iva,” Parker blurted.
Gemma sighed tiredly.  “It’s not Iva, Parker.”
“I know that,” he retorted.  “I only meant she could possibly get us a list of names that might help us narrows it down.”
“We can do that,” Mason agreed.  “We’ll ask her – Why are you shaking your head at me?”
“We don’t need Iva’s list,” Gemma told them.  “I know who it is.”

*****

Fuck and hell!  Stomping up the stairs and down the hall to the second floor study, she slammed the door behind her with a resounding bang.  Inside she stalked over to the desk, slapping a copy of the Mage Journal down on the desk before falling into the chair with a dull thud.  Anger threaded through her and she only wanted to scream, to throw things, to rip and tear.
What the hell was she supposed to do now?  Justice had fucking failed, which meant her plans to kill Justice was out.  It had been such a simple plan.  Brilliant in its simplicity too.  Step one, have Justice take Gemma’s place at Mason’s side.  Step two, kill Justice and stage three, offer Mason the comfort and sympathy he so deserved when Justice/Gemma’s body was discovered and in the process make him fall in love with her.
Eyes falling to the newspaper, she snatched it up, snarling at the headline.  Dark Twin Killed at Wedding.  The smaller heading below caught her eye and she leaned closer, a slight frown marring her brow.  Tanner’s Graveside Revenge Foiled by Parker Hadley and Friends.
Pulling the page closer she studied the images provided.  It was impossible to tell Gemma from Justice but the headline…the headline told her all she needed know.  A slow smile curved her lips.  Maybe she’d been too hasty in her condemnations for Justice.  
Gleeful laughter, which sounded more like a cackling Halloween witch, bubbled forth from her.  She briefly considered the idea that someone might overhear but dismissed the notion.  She was home alone, at least for the next fifteen minutes or so and so no one was around to hear just how crazy she sounded.
Quickly she scanned the article.
Mason Draven and Gemma Harper’s wedding ceremony was horribly interrupted yesterday morning when a woman, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Harper, crashed the party.  According to sources, this woman, known as Justice, truly believed she was indeed Gemma Harper.  The truth is much stranger.  Tanner, the dark mage who tried to take over the mage community over a decade ago, had discovered a way of creating clones.  Speculation is that she was creating these doubles as a way of infiltrating the rebel forces.  
It’s not known why Tanner didn’t use the Dark Twin was never used but we call be thankful of this.  “Who knows what might have happened if Tanner had managed to successfully replace Ms. Harper with a clone,” one Council member was heard saying.  When asked where the Dark Twin had been all this time, Parker Hadley had this to say, “She wasn’t exactly sane now was she?  So who really knows what was going on inside her head?”  Tanner’s revenge, as the incident is being called, was thankfully prevented thanks to Linton Norwood’s quick thinking.
Smirking, she didn’t bother reading anymore the article.  Tossing it aside, she leaned back into the chair, thinking.  Gemma Harper was dead.  God how she had hated her for so long and now…she was dead.  She smiled viciously.  Always so righteous and smart but not this time.  It was a wonderful feeling to know Gemma was gone.  Now she only had to remove Justice.  
She’d have to work quickly because there was a chance Justice would start feeling guilty and reveal everything.  She couldn’t take that chance.  Soon though she’d have Mason just as she’d meant too.  First she’d get rid of Justice and then the brat.  It was going to be so easy.
From downstairs she heard the front door open.  “Sweetheart?  You here?”
Disgust washed through her that she quickly hid, not wanting him to see how much she despised him.  “I’m here, honey.  I’ll be right down.”
God but it was going to feel so good when she could shed this fucking disguise and rid herself of the man downstairs.  Fake smile in place she headed downstairs, keeping her stride even, calm.  When he spotted her his eyes lit with real joy while she suppressed a shudder of repulsion even as she let him pull her close and kiss her.
Letting her lips linger lovingly against his, she said, “I’ve been waiting for you to get home.”
“Have you?” he murmured, capturing her lips for a kiss that was meant to sear her to her toes.  
It left her cold but she said, her tone warm, promising, “Oh yeah.”
When his mouth moved along her jaw line in a trail of small, nipping bites she gave a mock groan of pleasure.  Soon there would be no need to fake anything because she’d be with the man she was meant to be with.

*****

“There were no serious injuries during the altercation, only a few minor scarps and a couple of broken bones.  As for the wedding, Draven and Harper have both decided to postpone the event for now with a new date to be revealed later,” Gemma finished reading the article and tossed the paper aside so it landed on the coffee table in front of her.
“Okay, now that you’ve read that thrilling piece of news to us,” Wren said dryly.  “Would you please tell us why you believe Bethany Lane is our mystery woman?”
“Um,” Parker hedged, “you both know that Beth Lane is dead, right?”
“And even if she wasn’t, she didn’t exactly like me,” Mason added.
“Nice way of saying she hated your fucking guts,” Wren said, smiling a little.
“I was trying to be tactful,” Mason returned dryly.
“Yeah, that doesn’t every work if Wren’s around,” Parker told him.
Mason shrugged.  “Whatever.”
“Shut it!” Gemma snapped.  “God, we still have a fucking lunatic to catch so can we be serious for one fucking minute.”
“I am serious,” Parker grouched.
“Me too,” Mason seconded.
“Oh really,” Gemma growled.  “You -”
“Calm down, Gemma,” Parker jumped in.  “We’re only trying to lighten the mood.”
“She’s pregnant,” Wren supplied.  “You’ve got to expect the occasional outbursts.”
Sucking in a deep breath Gemma let it out slowly.  “That’s one of the more ridiculous things I’ve ever heard but thank you for giving me an excuse for my temper.”
“Ridiculous?  Excuse?” Wren replied incredulously.  “I don’t think so.  I’m pregnant too and I’ve been pregnant before, I always get a little insane so it’s no excuse.”
“Okay,” Gemma drawled with a slow shake of her head.  “Let’s forget about that and think about Beth Lane, shall we?”  After they’d all settled once more, she said, “I now Beth is thought to be dead but she wouldn’t be the first mage to suddenly make a recovery.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Mason murmured.
“Okay, so tell us why you think – know, Lane’s behind all this,” Parker commanded, earning himself a dark look.
Tartly she said, “Stop interrupting and I will.”  When no one spoke again she took a deep breath and explained, “I met Beth for lunch a few days before me and Mason, um, parted.  She was doing her best to convince me Mason was still working for Tanner or had been right up until Parker killed Tanner.”
“I don’t -” Parker started to say but a glare from Gemma shut him up.
“Sure, at the time I didn’t think much about it.  After all, a lot of rebels still had a different view of Mason.  Hell, for years I’d hear people talking about him – you, wondering if you really had switched to sides or had only been playing the odds.  I heard arguments for every side of the debate.  The most popular theory was you only joined the rebellion so you could step into Tanner’s place once Parker killed her.  This was what Beth was trying to tell me and though I argued with her, gave her facts and…hell, let’s just say that no matter what I said, she refused to listen.”
“Gemma, don’t cut off my head but, as fascinating as all this is, it’s not exactly painting a picture of a woman obsessed with Mason,” Wren inserted.  
“No, but something Beth kept tossing in with all the dire warnings, well the comments weren’t exactly uncomplimentary,” Gemma replied.  “Not if she was trying to convince me Mason was as evil as Tanner.”
“What?” Parker asked.
So Gemma explained the luncheon she’d had with Beth.
The Brewery was full of people, sitting, standing, mingling.  All of them celebrating the end of the war, rejoicing in Tanner’s defeat.  Pushing past a group of laughing, exhilarated teenagers Gemma made her to weave and dart her way among couples dancing though there was no music and others happily dancing on their own as she made her way to the back of the place.  Beth was already there, holding them a table.  Squeezing into the chair across from Beth, she said, “Hell, you’d think they’d have partied themselves out by now.”
Nodding, Beth glanced around but she didn’t appear to actually be seeing the room of people.  Noticing Beth’s brooding expression, Gemma sighed.  She wasn’t in the mood to deal with dramatics, not today but she heard herself asking, “Something wrong, Beth?”
Once more Beth took a look around, her body language suggesting she was making sure no one was paying them any attention.  Finally she returned her attention to Gemma, saying, “I’ve got to tell you something.  I was going to go to Parker but…I don’t feel comfortable with him.  Not like I do with you and I know you can tell him, since you two are such good friends.”
A trickle of apprehension tickled Gemma’s spine but instead of showing Beth what her words had made her feel, Gemma nodded and smiled.  “Sure.  What’s up?”
“Mason Draven,” she said, leaning in closer so she didn’t have to shout above the noise.  “He’s trying to rally the Singa’s, those that are still free.  He wants to replace Tanner.”
Gemma ducked her head, hiding the smile that wanted to spring forth.  Beth would only throw a tantrum if she showed how silly she thought her friend was being.  Making sure her tone was as emotionless as she could make it, she said, “I don’t think –”
Interrupting, Beth said, “It’s a fact, not a rumor, Gemma so don’t tell me it’s just gossip.  I know what I heard.  Adam Proctor and Michael Barker, Mason’s dorm mates told me they were going to back him up.  They said there was no way in hell they were going to follow Parker.  So while everyone’s busy celebrating and making merry, Mason and his goons are planning and plotting.  The mean to kill Parker and start where Tanner stopped.”
“Beth, listen -” Gemma tried again.
It was useless.  “No, listen to me.”  Beth shook her head, causing her hair to fall into her face and she impatiently brushed it back with a sweep of her hand.  “I know everyone’s been thinking Mason has changed but it’s all a lie.  I understand why people would believe he had changed, I do.  I mean, look at him, he’s so dreamy, all that dark – Uh, no, that’s not right.”
“Did you just think Mason is dreamy?” Gemma asked with a frown.
“What?  No!” Beth denied hurriedly.  “You’re hearing things, Gem.  Anyhow, Mason’s evil, not dreamy he just hides it behind that gorgeous face and sexy and…”
She faded out, looking flustered for a moment but then, screwing her face up into an odd expression of worry and craziness, she said, “Mason’s first plan of attack is to kill Parker, Gemma.  You have to warn him.  We can’t let him win no matter how sexy he…”
Gemma stopped talking so she could take a sip of water from the glass Mason handed her.  Shrugging after she said, “Basically she continues in the same way until I basically tell her to shut the fuck up.  I wasn’t exactly nice about it either but I was pissed by that point.”
“I would have been too,” Wren sympathized.
Looking more than a little perplexed, Parker asked, “And this explained…what?  I don’t get it.  How the hell does a few odd comments turn Beth into the bad guy – uh – girl?”
Patting her husband’s knee, Wren said, “Men, so clueless and yet so adorable.”
“Too true,” Gemma agreed with a grin.
“Uh-huh,” Mason muttered, sharing a confused look with Parker.
Parker lifted a brow. “Care to explain to us clueless men?”
“Please,” Mason added.
Shaking her head, sighing, Gemma explained, “Beth was sitting there trying to tell me how bad, how very evil you were yet she kept slipping up and saying how hot she thought you were.”
“She even called him sexy,” Wren included.  “That’s a clear indication of attraction.”
“Exactly,” Gemma agreed.  “Later, as she was trying to convince me you were a lying toad, she told me in the same breath how charming and sweet you were.  You can’t call someone evil and then sweet.  The two don’t go together.  She was trying to get me to dislike you but it didn’t work out like she wanted.”
“I’m still lost,” Mason grumbled.  “What about you, Parker?”
“As lost as Atlantis,” Parker replied.
“Are you sure Atlantis is lost?” Wren asked drolly.
“The point,” Mason cut in his tone weary, “is we haven’t got a clue what you two are on about?  How the hell does Beth stating a few nice things about me make her the culprit?”
Wren rolled her eyes.  “It’s simple.  Beth was crushing on you but the crush became an obsession.  She figured out you and Gemma had been seeing each other and was trying to plant a few doubts in Gemma’s head.”
“But it didn’t work,” Gemma picked the explanation up.  “Not the way she’d hoped it would.”
“What do you mean?” Parker inquired resignedly.
“She meant for us to break up and we did, but you didn’t jump into her arms,” Gemma simplified.  “Think back, Mason, did Beth start hanging around after I was gone?”
“Honestly?  I’ve no idea,” Mason replied.  “I was busy looking for you and didn’t pay much attention to anything or anyone else.”
“That must have pissed her off,” Parker mused.  “She’s thinking her plan worked but instead of running into her arms you spend your time searching for Gemma.  Yeah, that had to piss her off.”
“Okay, so she could be the one but,” Parker paused, looking at them each in turn, “she’s not around.  She hasn’t been seen in over five years, which is the reason she’s been presumed dead.”
“Presumed being the key word,” Gemma retorted.  “It’s not hard to fake your death.  Hell, just by vanishing as she did, she’s managed to make everyone think she’s dead.  Maybe I’m wrong and she really is dead but I’m betting she’s around and close by.”
His expression thoughtful, Mason said, “Gemma’s right.  It’s not hard to disappear, especially if you aren’t willing to ask the right people.”  He shot Gemma a look.  “I know I was foolish enough not to ask the right people.”
“Let’s say she’s alive and around,” Parker tossed out.  “Where is she?  How has she been keeping track of what’s been going on?  How’d she find Gemma because only a few of knew where she was living?  How are we going to find her, draw her out?”
“Slow down,” Mason said cutting Parker off.  “I think Iva can help us with that.  She’s quiet but she’s proven she’s not dumb.”
“I agree,” Wren seconded but then looked at the clock.  “It’s late though.  In the morning we’ll give Iva and Linton a buzz, invite them for lunch.  For now, I think Parker and I are going to head home, spend the night in our bed and see our kids in the morning.”
“Sounds good,” Mason said, the others agreeing as well.
Chapter 22

Coming in from the blustery evening and looking a bit whipped, Linton asked, “Are we sure this is going to work?”
Mason and Gemma, along with the Norwood’s had come to Parker and Wren’s home for dinner.  They had the information they needed and a plan but as always, Linton was doubtful.  “About as sure as we can be,” Parker told him.  Ushering Iva and Linton into the living room where the other were gathered, he told them, “Diner’s in about an hour.  Reece and Willa will also be arriving shortly.”
Wren, coming in from the kitchen where she’d been checking in the meal, slid into a Parker’s arms as he leaned against the archway leading from the entry.  Mason was sitting with Gemma on his lap had taken a seat in one of the matching armchairs and Linton and Iva occupied the sofa.  Moving away from her husband after giving him a brief hug, Wren asked, “Anyone want something to drink?”
Pouring their orders, she placed the glasses on a tray and carried it around until the last drink was handed out.  Once that task was completed she slipped back into Parker’s arms, sipping the glass of apple juice she’d gotten for herself.  After doing the same with his goblet of whiskey, Parker inquired, “Where are the girls?”
“I was just about to ask,” Wren said with a slight chuckle.  “Those two have become inseparable, haven’t they?”
“Oh yeah,” Gemma harmonized.  “It’s great, really.  Maddy was so worried about leaving her friends.  It’s nice that she’s made one so quickly.”
“They’re at my parent’s place,” Mason answered Parker’s inquiry.  “Mom said it was time for Asia to spend some time home and of course, Madison just had to join her.”
“For the best, considering,” Wren murmured.  “At least you know their safe.”
“There is that.”  Gemma then asked, “Where’s Jami and Kian?”
“Jami’s with Clinton and Gwen,” Parker replied.  “Constance and Jami are about as close as Asia and Maddy are becoming.  Thankfully we are able to separate the two of them…some times.”
“And Kian’s at the grandparents place,” Wren added.  “He won’t want to come home.  They spoil him terribly.”
A long sigh coming from Iva prompted Gemma to ask, “Everything okay Iva?”
“Oh yes,” she agreed smiling easily.  “I was just thinking about how wonderful it will be when Linton and I have a child.”
“So you’re trying?” Wren asked curiously with a hint of excitement.
Blushing Iva nodded.  “Yes.”
Linton, also blushing, added, “For a couple of months now.”
“How exciting,” Gemma gushed.  “You‘ll have to let us know when you’ve got happy news so we can celebrate.”
“Of course,” Iva promised.
At that moment the doorbell rang.  Straightening up, Parker said, “That will be Reece and Willa.”  After answering the door and the greetings made, they all moved into the dining room and took seats while Wren, with Parker’s help, brought in dishes and set them on the table.  Once it was all set and Parker and Wren joined them, they started passing around food.  Except for the occasional request to pass this or that, they were all quiet until each plate was filled.
Diner was filled with small talk, mostly about how their days had gone or what their mutual friends were doing.  After diner, leaving cleanup for later, they all gathered in the living room for drinks.  At one point Parker said, “I’ve got some news.”
“Oh?” Gemma asked as if she didn’t know the answer.
“I’ve decided to accept the Councils offer to join them,” he announced.
“What?  Why that’s wonderful news, Parker,” Reece exclaimed happily.  “In what role will you be serving?”
“It’s a new position they’ve decided to create for me,” Parker lied, looking from Reece to Willa and back again.  “I’ll be in charge of tracking magical resources, determining the dangers involved with certain spells and deciding if the spells, potions and such should be added to the forbidden list.”
“Sounds interesting,” Linton commented.  “What made you change your mind?”
“The debacle at Gemma and Mason’s wedding,” Parker explained.  “I realized that though Tanner is gone, her disciples are still around.  Not to mention there are other dark mages out there, waiting for chance to do something evil.  One of the first spells we’ll be looking into is those dealing with illusion.”
“Illusion?” Reece questioned with a slight frown.  “Do you really think illusion spells are dark magic?”
“It truly depends on which illusion spell is being used and in what capacity,” Parker replied knowingly.  “I used an illusion charm a few years before the war broke out so I know how useful the right illusion can be.  Warren and I used the one we created to spy on Mason.”
“Huh?  You did?” Mason asked in surprise.  “How?  Why?”
Parker slid Parker a glance.  “I thought Gemma would have told you about that.”
“Actually I’d forgotten all about it,” Gemma admitted.
“Oh,” Parker murmured.  “Well we thought you were trying to sneak dark spells into the dorm so we disguised ourselves as a couple of your dorm mates and watched you.”
“Hell, I remember now,” Mason exclaimed.  “I’d see you two and then the real one or maybe it was the reverse but either way I was always wondering about the strange behavior that year.”
“As curious as the memories are,” Reece interrupted, “can we move along.  I’d like to hear why illusions spells would be considered dangerous.  It seems to have helped you out a time or two from the sounds of it.”
“Not denying that,” Parker accepted.  “Illusion spells can be useful – if used properly.  And if the good guys can use it so can the bad guys.  Another lesson learned a few years after Warren and I used it to spy on Mason.  But that’s not the point.  I really think this is something we have to look into and if my findings are correct, the Council will gain complete control over those types of spells.”
“How’s that going to work,” Reece asked curiously.  “Is it possible to regulate that many spells, especially because they’re so widely known?”
“Right,” Parker agreed then added, “But we’ve already started working on plans for that.”
Reece nodded, “And?”
“Mason’s agreed to help me out and will actually be consulting with me and the Council on this,” Parker began to explain.  “We’ll be working on building a detection device that will let us track any and all spells, or in the case of potions and charms, when their being created.”
Since he’d been looking at Mason while explain Parker almost missed the small jerk Reece gave when he mentioned the never to be built device.  Mason didn’t but he all he said was, “It’s rather ingenious, really.  Simply pointing the device and firing it will reveal the truth.  We’ve already started on the prototype and have had a few successful tests.”
Suddenly Reece jumped up from the sofa and holding a hand out to Willa, said, “I’m sorry, Parker, Wren, everyone but I forgot that we’ve got an early morning so we’d better get going.”
Almost robotically Willa stood but before she could take a single step, Parker had Reece up against the wall, holding him there with his forearm to the neck.  His free hand he curled, making sure the other man could see it.  Wren quickly pulled Willa out of the way as Mason jolted forward to help Parker keep an eye on Reece.  “Bind him, um, her,” Parker growled.
Using pre-charmed ropes Mason and Parker quickly bound Reece before letting his body fall back against the wall.  Once Reece was secure, Mason and Parker remained close just in case.  Scowling, Reece demanded, “What the hell?  What’s going on?  Why have you fucking tied me up?”
“Oh, I think you know exactly what’s going on…Bethany,” Mason snarled.
“Okay, I guess I’m a little slow,” Linton spoke up.  “I thought Willa was Bethany but you’ve got Reece up against the wall and Willa over there – looking a little dazed isn’t she?”
“Well, yeah,” Parker said and then explained, “It’s simply complex.  Willa is Bethany but she couldn’t take a chance that we were on to her so she used an illusion spell to ‘switch’ places with Reece, putting him under a compulsion to keep him from giving her away.”
“Can we please get rid of the damn illusion,” Wren grumbled.  “It’s freaking weird.”
“Oh, yeah, hold on,” Mason muttered, fumbling around for a moment before pulling out a small bottle which he opened.  A wisp of smoke drafted from the bottle, expanding to engulf the entire room before vanishing.  Once it was gone, Reece was now standing by the fire place and Bethany was the one trussed up against the wall.
Done with that, Parker continued with his explanation, “We might have still made our move on the wrong person, giving Willa – er, sorry, Bethany a chance to escape except she gave herself away.”
“What?” Gemma asked faintly.
“As Reece she jerked when we mentioned the device to reveal illusions with just the pull of a trigger,” Mason told them.  “No need to brew up a potion or chant a lengthy spell, or that’s what she believed.  And when we mentioned we had a prototype all ready to go…”
“…that’s when she decided it was time to go,” Parker finished.  “And if she hadn’t been a little too inquisitive about the whole thing we might have wasted minutes catching and subduing Reece while she got away.”
“It’s all so confusing,” Linton mumbled.  Iva patted his arm consolingly.  
“A little,” Gemma agreed giving Linton a warm smile.  “Bethany has been pretending to be Willa but tonight she cast an illusion to look like Reece.  She put a compulsion on the real Reece so he wouldn’t give her away if tonight was a trap – which it was.  She’d hoped we’d go for Willa and leave her to sneak away, which would have worked because it would have taken us a few minutes to figure out that Willa was Reece and not Willa.”
Linton gave her a pained look but it was Iva who said, “Its fine honey, I’ll explain it all later.”  
“Let’s wake Reece up before we question Bethany,” Gemma suggested.  “He needs to see so he’ll believe.”
A few quickly chanted words and Reece was awake and looking around in confusion.  “Um, hi everyone but how the hell did I get here?”
In a hurried tone they told Reece what had been happening ending with Wren saying, “So, Willa is Bethany.  As you see.  She’s been the one behind Justice’s attacks on Maddy and Gemma.”
“I’d have it all by now if that bitch hadn’t lost sight of the goal,” Bethany sneered.  “Lost her mind, really.  Stupid whore.”
Reece, reeling from the implications of everything he’d just been told stared at Bethany, his expression an odd mix of disgust, sorrow and shock.  “You…” he shook his head once, looked around, lost and then resumed with, “Gods but you’re twisted.”
Looking away from her, he said, “I don’t want to witness this.  I’m…I need to go.”
And with that he was gone.  Watching the spot he’d just occupied, Wren murmured sadly, “He’s going to be…broken up when this really hits him.”
“What I don’t understand,” Iva began, “is why she married Reece?  It’s odd that she did that, isn’t it?  Or is it just me thinking that?”
“It is odd but I think I get why,” Gemma replied.  “Only a few people knew where I was living so in order to get things started she seduced Reece.  Bethany needed a way inside, where she could get information and he was perfect for it.”
“Right except no one mentioned Gemma, or if they did no one ever revealed where she was,” Parker said.  “It wasn’t until after Mason and Gemma, um, bumped into each other that Bethany was able to learn where Gemma was living and learned she had a daughter.”
“After Gemma revealed that Bethany had motive and that it was possible she wasn’t dead,” Mason said picking up on the telling, “We started thinking about when Justice made her first move.  It coincided with the time Wren innocently mentioned to Willa that Gemma had called her with the news that Mason lived in the old cabin nearby.  At the time, Wren hadn’t said anything to anyone else except Parker.”
“When Gemma returned home, Willa was one of the few people who knew Gemma was moving into her parent’s old place,” Parker joined in.  “The others could be eliminated based on sex and marital status.  So again, Willa was the only equation that fit.  Her name popped up again when he started going over the details of when Gemma was being held by Justice.”
“See,” Mason said taking up the story once again.  “Willa told Reece she had to go into work but she actually went to meet with Justice.”
“How can you be so sure of that?” Iva wondered.
“I heard someone talking with Justice,” Gemma explained.  “Wren played a video of a family function, one where Willa’s talking.  I recognized her voice from that.”
“But the real nail in –” Mason shot Bethany a look of pure loathing “- Bethany’s coffin was the picture we found of Bethany with Justice.  We discovered it inside the warehouse when he went back to investigate a little further.”
“Okay, so that brings us to where we are now,” Iva deduced.  “Willa is Bethany I get that, but it’s tiring keeping an illusion for lengthy periods of time so how did she keep her true identity secret for so long?”
“Ah, that was a bit trickier to learn,” Parker remarked but grinned a second later.  “But we did.  Bethany’s invented a new potion, one that if consumed daily maintains the illusion with very little effort.  Isn’t that right, Bethany?”
Bethany didn’t answer except to glare at him.  Parker shrugged.  “Anyhow, we’ve got the recipe and you can bet we’ll be keeping that locked away since we don’t want it to fall into any dark mages hands.”
A snort from Mason captured everyone’s attention but he hardly noticed as he watched big fat, fake tears well up in Bethany’s eyes.  Voice trembling she said, “It should have been me.  He should have wanted to protect me.  She’s nothing.  A slut.  I was important.  I was the one who helped him figure it all out.  Your father should have wanted me protected, not her.”
Mason froze in place.  “What?  What the hell are you talking about?”
Thinking she was getting to him, she gave him a coy look, saying, “You promised your father you’d keep me safe, remember.  You said -”
Mason snorted a laugh out, cutting her off.  “Such a pretty little liar, aren’t you.  I did promise my dad I’d keep someone safe but she was norm born not…”
His voice faded away as he turned bright, shock filled eyes to Gemma.  Giving him a worried look, she asked, “What’s wrong?  What is it?”
“It was you,” Mason breathed.  “He was talking about you?”
“Huh?”
“My dad, he was talking about you when he made me promise to keep ‘her’ safe,” Mason repeated astonished.  “You’re the one I was to protect.”
“NO!” Bethany denied in a loud screech.  “It was me, not her.  I’m the one you -”
Wren made a motion with her hand and suddenly there was silence.  To Mason she said, “Go on.”
Mason shook his head, clearing his thoughts.  “It makes sense now that I know all the players, the reason.  Dad was a lot of things, I’ll grant that, but he had…some morals as twisted as they might have been.  He wouldn’t have liked the idea of clones it’s what turned him from Tanner.”
“See,” he continued after sucking back some air.  “Bethany led my father to Thurston that's how she knew about the clones, the experiment and the promise I made my dad.”
“Um, but your father didn’t exactly like me,” Gemma mentioned perplexed.
“Not really,” he countered then relented enough to admit, “Maybe but he hated what the war was doing to us more.  When he signed on to be one of Tanner’s Singa’s, I don’t think he, a lot of them, understood just how far she was willing to go to have power.”
“He came to his senses – no offense,” Parker shot at Mason, “just like a lot of Singa’s did.  Toward the end of the war there were a lot of Singa’s changing sides.  It was part of what helped us defeat Tanner.  So many spies in the enemy camp were a rather invaluable tool.”
Mason only nodded his eyes still on Gemma.  She smiled warmly at him and after walking over and wrapping her arms around his waist, she said, “That’s something more you can put behind you.”
Hauling her even closer, he nuzzled his cheek against the top of her head.  “It is,” he agreed only to add, “Though I don’t think I did anything to keep you safe back then.”
“You did,” Parker stated, nodded when Mason shot a questioning look his way.  “From Tanner, you did.”
“How?  When?” he demanded.
“During the final battle,” Parker started to tell him.  “Tanner was aiming a death spell at Gemma.  I knew I wasn’t going to be able to get to her in time when suddenly you tackled her to the ground just as Tanner’s spell and the one you were protecting her from flew overhead.  Tanner’s spell hit one of her lackeys, which really pissed her off.  She started building another spell but by then I’d reached her and well, we all know the ending to that.”
“Yeah,” Wren agreed, hugging her husband close and giving the corner of his lips a light kiss.  “We all know that ending.”
Leaning up on tiptoe, Gemma placed her lips close to his ear and whispered, “I love you, Mason Draven.  Will you marry me?”
He laughed softly and kissed her before saying, “I’d love to.  And I love you too.”
“What happens now?” Linton asked, interrupting their tender moment.
“Well, we hand Bethany over to the Guardians,” Mason replied, giving the woman a look so cold she might have turned to ice if he had the power.  “Then…” he shrugged.
Parker ginned.  “Then we wait for the next escapade to drop and while we wait, we live.”

#####

About the Author:

I always have a hard time talking about myself so…I’ve live in NY practically my entire life with a few stints in MI, IL, SC and NJ, the product of having a father in the Air Force.  I’m a mother of three boys, two of them teenaged while the youngest is still in that, “Mommy is the bestest” stage.  Their father and I have been together for seventeen years and have no plans of stopping anytime soon  I work full time so writing is my way of unwinding and leaving reality for a time.  Love to read too and have since I was two, which is when I learned that those strange symbols my mom was always drawing were the same symbols in those wonderful stories someone was always reading to me - usually because I whined until they did.  Anyhow, I decided to revise one of my earlier books and publish it just for kicks and giggles.  So thanks for reading, even if you hated it (Grin)!