Chapter 22

Iwasn’t reaching out to my mates, even though I wanted to. I didn’t want them to get attached unless I knew I wouldn’t kill them. But, man, did I have some questions for Benji. Like, how he’d accomplished anything that had happened in the basement today.

He warned me, but he hadn’t exactly prepared me. Everyone was having stomach problems. And I didn’t know how he did it. One of the wards was down, but the rest of them were still up. Benji was just like everyone else here. We could all feel our magic, but we couldn’t access it.

Hannibal tried shrieking some fire and brimstone at all of us, but it was mostly directed at me. He only lasted a few hours when he went running out of the basement in a cloud of stench. It seemed like everyone involved with the basement was having stomach issues.

“If the universe is trying to make a point about everyone’s shit stinking, I don’t think their intended target is getting it,” Jezebel moaned.

My head was pounding from lack of food. The last time I ate was just two pieces of bread and that was a few days ago. I was trying not to laugh because it hurt. These people couldn’t be bothered with Aspirin because they thought suffering was good for you. I tried to laugh and then I moaned. My headache was awful.

“You okay in there?”

“Yeah, just really hungry.”

“I wish there was a way for me to slip you my food or use my lure to get you some.”

“I know. I’m going to try to sleep it off.”

I nestled down on my shitty mattress with no blanket and tried to get comfortable. I needed my mates. I needed Di to find me so that we could all be together. It just wasn’t safe yet.

“You okay?”

Pax. He was the first one I met after I got here. Benji was like screaming into the abyss and raging against chaos. Cas was like a giant hug when it was cold outside. Pax was more like a cold drink of water when you were parched outside. I didn’t answer right away.

“You can be honest with me. I’ll be pissed, but not shifter pissed.”

“I’m just hungry.”

“We’re working on it. Hang in there.”

“Um, is Benji the reason everyone in the basement who works for the Coalition seems to have diarrhea? Does he have magic?”

Pax fell out laughing.

“Benji is magic. You could take away every drop of magic in his veins and he’d still be able to fuck up everyone here. Seriously though, we’re working on getting you some food.”

“How? You’re prisoners like I am.”

“Truth time. There’s not a lot I can tell you just in case something goes wrong, but Benji and I have been here before. We managed to escape the first time. We’re going to do it again, but we’ll get everyone out this time.”

Now, I just felt worse. They escaped here once and now they were back. This place was terrible. There were a lot of questions I couldn’t ask without telling them my secret. Like, why wasn’t Benji in the basement with the other hybrids? How did they manage to get caught again?

“Get yourselves out,” I said.

“Nah, you’ll see when you meet us that we aren’t selfish. Except Cas when it comes to nachos. We’re going to get you all out and then we’re going to spoil you. You’re our mate. Cas might even share his cheesy chips with you.”

“You’re all horrible flirts, aren’t you? You just can’t help yourself.”

“Guilty. Get some rest. We’re all working on a big plan and getting you some food.”

You know, I didn’t really know how they were doing all this, but something told me they were going to do exactly what they said.

And I really hoped this didn’t end with me killing them.