Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Kian stumbled into a crowd of spectators who stood, mouths wide open and currency exchanged between hands, as they watched a fight between two females. He flared out his senses and detected that the crowd was a mix of mortal and immortal and then his gaze landed on the two females circling each other. Moving closer, his senses told him the black-haired female was a valkyrie. He was very familiar with the immortals. Netasis had brought them home on several occasions to talk of war and destruction. Valkyrie were vicious and exceptional warriors who showed no mercy.

The other female had him sucking in a breath as his gaze filled with her leather-clad beauty. She held a power in her own right, yet he didn’t recognize her species. She was immortal, that much was certain, and her skills were well matched to the valkyrie. He found himself rooting for the unknown female to win. As he watched, he sensed another being that matched the same signature as the unknown female in the fighting ring. Were they the same species? He surmised they were. Next to that male stood another immortal who Kian found fascinating. He immediately picked up fae and demon and thought it an odd combination. While he was schooled in fae, and had even met a few, demons were not common in his world. They were only stories in books and to have one––or at least a half one––in front of him made him even more curious. Perhaps he would inquire once the fighting was over. He found he also wanted to speak to the female. Especially after she flashed a pearly pair of fangs and sank them into her opponent’s neck.

When the female was done and he was busy making his way toward her, she ran to the man who had been watching and hugged him. He stopped. Something inside him twisted, and he found himself disappointed she appeared to already have a lover. While he still contemplated speaking to the immortals, he never got the chance to utter a word before something dark and angry slipped over him and ripped him off his feet. He spiraled and tumbled in a tunnel of suffocating energy that pressed on his chest until he gasped for air. When he managed to gain a breath, it was so dry it sent him into a coughing fit. Seconds later, he fell from a sky so bright it burned his retinas. His eyes watered and the pain was excruciating, but he kept them open so he might at least try to see where he was about to land. It was no use, though. All he could see through the blur of tears was a landscape of red that quickly rose to meet him before he landed. He hit on his left shoulder, dislocating it before bouncing to his knees, busting both kneecaps One more bounce into the air landed him flat on his back. The air knocked out of him and his broken bones already knitting back together, he groaned.

“What the fuck?”

He laid there for several moments before he was healed and able to survey his surroundings. Pushing himself to sitting, he scanned the landscape.

Nothing.

A sea of rocks that ranged from pink to deep red, and sand surrounded him. In the distance, he noticed a small range of red mountains. He used his senses to scan for life as he rose to his feet and that was when he spotted the bones scattered in piles. While no life came back from his scans, he knew the bones belonged to other immortals. The keyword there being immortals since they were extremely hard to kill, yet something had. He stepped closer, checking the ground under his feet as he bent to pick up a femur. From initial contact, he gleaned it belonged to a fae who died maybe a decade ago. He gently laid it down, being respectful of the dead, and wondered what this place was and how in the fuck he ended up here.

The wind picked up and blew hot sand across his skin and he decided he had enough. Waving his hand, he summoned a portal, except nothing happened. Again, he tried, but was met with the same results. His anger increased that someone dared to force him to this desolate world then think to keep him here. Who would be so brazen? Was his mother behind this? He focused on a pile of rocks several yards away and flashed.

“Well, that seems to be working,” he announced into the hot wind as he stood next to the stones. He scanned his body and concluded he seemed to have some of his power, but for some reason, couldn’t produce a portal. The heat from the two suns bore down on him and caused him to sweat. He thought of a tall glass of cold water and, thankfully, it appeared in his hand. He drank while he contemplated his next move. Standing here would not cut it. He had to assume that like most places, night would come eventually and that was when bad creatures tended to prowl. His best bet was to inspect as much of this world as he could and seek adequate shelter. Hell, he didn’t even know if he was in another realm or on a different planet at this point. What he knew was someone owed him some damn answers.

He stepped into view and was, without a doubt, the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. He was also a spitting image of Argathos, and Gwen had to question if the god of vision had a son he’d never spoken of. The male’s gaze reminded her of melted chocolate, and he seemed to take in everything around him with the wonder of a child. The way he filled out his clothing, however, said he was no child but all adult male. Likely sensing he was being watched, his beautiful eyes landed on her, and her breath caught. It was silly, really. No man had ever made her heart skip a beat, but he had, and he did. She recognized the same feelings that had grabbed her earlier during her fight with the valkyrie. She also acknowledged this vision was taking place in the past rather than the future. As she extended her arm to reach for him and he her, the air charged with an angry power.

Gwen scanned the area, trying to find the source, but soon realized it came from outside her world. Before she could warn her sexy male, he vanished. Had he left on his own or had the power behind that anger taken him?

Jerking awake and straight into a sitting position, Gwen palmed her chest and tried to sort out her vision.

“What the hell?” She grabbed the glass of water from the nightstand and took a large drink. Finally slowing her racing heart, she went over what she had seen and felt. The feelings were ones that could not be denied.

That male was her mate.

But why did he look like Argathos? Where had he gone? And had the angry power been the one to take him away? Before she could even put the pieces together, a knock came at her door. She glanced at the clock and saw it was two in the morning. She might have questioned who was there, except she recognized the power that stood on the other side. Untangling herself from the sheet, she jumped from bed, deciding her shorts and tank were sufficient to cover her and practically ran for the door. Flinging it open, she met the god of vision’s gaze. His forehead wrinkled in worry.

“Come in. I’ve never known you to knock before.” Usually, he just appeared.

“I knew the hour here was late and didn’t want to simply drop in on you.” He stepped inside and his mere presence charged the atmosphere. The god was the most handsome of the brothers, in her opinion. His brown eyes were always filled with warmth, but right now they reflected concern, and she had to wonder if it had anything to do with what she had seen.

She gave a bow, then indicated to the couch. “Have a seat. Can I get you anything?”

“No. You are most gracious.” He didn’t bother to sit but stayed standing and faced her. “I have a very delicate and perhaps dangerous assignment for you.”

“Would it involve your son?”

His mouth dropped open before he quickly recovered and recomposed himself. “You know?”

“Vision, and since he looks just like you, it was an easy guess.”

He gave a curt nod. “Maybe we should sit for this.” He walked to the couch and took up a space there. Gwen decided on the chair across from him. Rather than speak, she simply waited. Argathos was her favorite of the gods, but then he had been the one to give her the gift of vision as a babe. The god was a seer, and she often went to him for advice on the gift she was still honing some four hundred years later.

“You recall the fate of my wife, Brianna?”

“Of course. She was killed because they considered her a slave and that is what started the war in your world.”

His eyes grew even sadder. “Yes. But I was the only one who knew she was with child at the time. Only a few months, therefore she wasn’t showing yet.”

Her heart ached. “I am so sorry.”

His smile was broken, and he looked as if he were recalling a painful memory. “We were going to make our announcement that very night, then she was murdered.” He pulled in a breath. “Several hours ago, I sensed a powerful being enter the mortal world. I know this sounds insane, but everything inside me said it was my son.”

“Not insane. I felt something earlier this evening as well and then tonight I had a vision and put two and two together. It was your son I felt earlier and then later saw him in my vision.”

He frowned. “You felt him, you say?”

She licked her lips. “I felt my mate.”

Once again, he allowed his mouth to drop open. “And you believe they are one and the same?”

Her gaze never left his. “I know it down to my soul. The question is, how? How do you have a son if he wasn’t even born when Brianna was murdered?”

“I don’t know. When I sent Brianna to the afterlife, I know she was still with child.” He dropped his gaze to the floor. “Gods are powerful, as you know. My only conclusion is that someone switched my son with another.”

“Who would do such a thing and for what reason?” While she knew gods held a lot of power, this seemed over the top.

He shook his head. “I do not have an answer to that either, but soon after I felt him, he was gone again. I want you to find him and bring him to me.”

That was a plan she could wrap herself around since she had already decided she was going to find him. She was actually excited to have something else to do other than bounce people out of a nightclub. Her life needed meaning right now and this would be a perfect distraction, but Argathos was better equipped to find his son than her. “You know I’m happy to assist, want to help, but wouldn’t you find him faster than me?”

“I’m not so certain of that, considering you are his mate. Besides, I need to meet with my brothers. Tell them what has happened so we may figure out who is responsible for taking my son.” The room filled with anger before he reined it back in. “Of course, I will provide whatever assistance I can.”

“I understand and I will do everything I can.” She chewed her lip. “Though I did just promise Marcus I would come visit my niece. She’s been asking for me.”

“You must keep that promise.” He smiled. “The child is growing up so fast.” He rose. “Come to me once you are rested and I will prepare you for your journey. Also, you may be away for some time, so your visit will be an excellent opportunity to tell the others I have tasked you with an assignment. They will not ask questions and it will explain if they cannot find you.”

“Of course.”

He gave her a slight bow. “Until we meet again.” Then there was nothing more than pinpoints of white light where he once stood.

She was wrapped too tight to go back to bed. Tucking her feet under her, she curled into the chair and closed her eyes, thinking about her vision and conversation with Argathos. It seemed like a crazy idea that someone would switch a baby that was only a few months in the womb. The even bigger questions were who and why? Her heart raced as she recalled the angry power she had felt. Where had her mate gone and how the hell was she going to find him? She tried to latch onto anything that might help her. Her visions had gotten more accurate over the years, and maybe there was something she had missed. After several deep breaths, she focused on the memory of his face. The warm gaze filled with curiosity. The soft lines of his face and the dark shadow that covered his jaw. She bet his smile was incredible. The need to find him was a drive more intense than even her own survival. She would do anything to protect him.

Absolutely. Any. Fucking. Thing.

“I will find you. I promise,” she whispered.