Broken Butterflies (32 page)

He walked back up the stairs in a blur and shut the door.

“You can’t do this. I hate you!” Ilisha screamed at the top of her lungs.

Ilisha yanked at the chains with all her strength, they wouldn’t budge. She tried to slide the cuff off her hand, but to no avail. This confused her knowing the new strength she had.

The chains were long enough to allow her to slump to the floor.

“I swear to God I will kill you.” Her teeth ground together as she spoke.

A few hours later the door at the top of the stairs opened. Bram carried down a plate with a sandwich and a glass of water.

“What now, did you poison my food?”

“Ilisha, do you really think I would poison your food?”

“Why not? So far you’ve turned out to be a liar, deceiver and kidnapper. Why not murderer, too?”

“I have no intension of killing you.”

“Yeah okay, I feel like an invited guest. Love what you’ve done with the place.” Ilisha brushed the collar with her hand and shook the chains.

“You came of your own accord and I asked you not to leave.”

“This is the last trick of yours I plan to fall for.”

“Why don’t you just call Damon so we can get this over with?” Bram ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

“Get what over with?”

“You know a war is coming; may as well start it.”

“I don’t need to call him he’s been in my head the entire time.”

“So what’s his plan?”

“Nice try.” Ilisha rolled her eyes.

Bram knelt down in front of her. “Know this; you are not safe with me at night. I would keep your smart mouth at a minimum.”

She remembered the shadows that converged behind him. “You’re letting them inside you?” she asked, shocked.

“I don’t have a choice. Damon cast me out. They expect me to join them.”

“You need to fight them.” Ilisha could see the pain in his eyes.

“There’s nothing to fight. I have a new fate.”

The cabin rumbled and shook on its foundation. Ilisha looked up and dirt sprinkled in her eyes. The door at the top of the stairs didn’t open; it flew from the hinges with Bram riding it through the air. Damon jumped the entire flight of stairs, his feet landing on either side of Bram’s head.

Ilisha wiped the dirt from her eyes, which caused her chains to rattle. Damon’s head whipped toward the noise and his mouth fell open. With Bram still rolling around on the door he made his way to her.

“You tied my wife up like some kind of animal,” Damon whirled around and yelled at Bram.

“I had no choice,” Bram said coughing.

Damon rushed at Bram. His hands dug into his clothed chest and slammed him against the cement wall. It crumbled like sand. The house above rocked violently.

“Damon, stop this. The house is coming down!” Ilisha yelled.

Damon looked above him. The house shifted and slammed down. Windows on the main floor shattered. Cement blocks crumbled as the house pitched to the side.

While Damon was looking up at the house Bram reached in his pocket and tossed a key across the floor. The clang caught Damon’s attention. He looked over his shoulder and saw it glistening in the light.

Damon dashed for it. He slid on his side like a baseball player as the house shifted again.

“Get me out,” Ilisha said fighting the chains.

Damon stuck the key in and unlocked one arm. With a loud pop the cabin listed to the side and slid three feet. At the opposite end of the basement, where Bram had been, it dropped down and hit the floor. Shards of wood and glass ricocheted out.

Ilisha and Damon covered their heads. The structure above them was creaking and whining. He got the other arm restraint unlocked and stuck the key in her collar.

“Why didn’t you just yank them from the wall?” Ilisha yelled irritated.

“Do you really think Bram would use normal chains? If they could be yanked from the wall you could have done that.”

The house came down with force and gave them just enough room to crouch down. This time Damon used his strength to punch a hole in the foundation line, opening it just enough for them to climb through.

When the light and fresh air hit Ilisha she breathed in deep. “Where did Bram go this time?”

“Ran like the coward he is,” Damon replied.

The cabin crumbled behind them and they both jumped back. A plume of dust and debris lofted into the air.

Damon looked at her, his tongue resting on his upper molars and his eyebrows raised. “Want to tell me how you ended up here?”

Ilisha could tell he was pissed. “It was a dream, but it ended up reality.”

“I told you he would do this.” He paced.

“He said he needed my help.”

“Ilisha, I know it’s in your nature to help others. You have a big heart, but you also need to be smart.”

“Tell me about the chains,” Ilisha said hoping to distract him.

He stopped and faced her. “They’re infused with power, just like my dagger. They belonged to the wall and could never be removed from it.”

“Belonged to the wall?” Ilisha said grinning.

“Yeah, as dumb as that sounds to you.” Damon threw his hands up and began to pace again.

Ilisha caught movement from the corner of her eye and whirled around. Walking from the tree line was a tall, red headed angel. Damon acknowledged her briefly. As she got closer Ilisha took her in. She was very statuesque. With a perfect complexion and deep emerald eyes she looked like a model for a makeup line. She was dressed all in black. Cargo pants covered her long legs and she wore combat boots. Her top was a shelf bra tank covered by a leather jacket. Her long auburn hair blew in the breeze.

Recognition hit Ilisha. “Hi, Caligula.”

“Majesty.” She grinned and bowed, then ditched the customs and wrapped Ilisha in a hug.

“It’s good to see you again,” Caligula said.

“It’s been way too long,” Ilisha said letting go.

Caligula looked over Ilisha’s shoulder at the destroyed cabin. “Where’s Bram?”

“Ran,” Damon responded.

“Damn, I was hoping he was in the pile of rubble with a broken neck.”

“Let’s get back to the house.” Damon took Ilisha’s hand. He went invisible and the ladies followed suit.

As they flew home she thought about how mad Damon was. Ilisha knew the only reason he dropped it was because Caligula showed up. She would have to own up to her mistake.

Ilisha opened the fridge and got the pitcher of water, but Damon insisted she sit. He warmed her up some food and used the largest glass in the house for the water. He placed it in front of her and ran his hand over her hair softly, followed by kissing the top of her head.

“We’ll talk later,” he whispered in her ear and took a seat beside her.

Caligula helped herself to the fridge and sat down with a glass of juice. “It’s time to act,” she said and took a drink.

“I agree,” Damon said. “Not that I really want to do this, but Ilisha, I need you to use the bond with Bram and find him.”

Ilisha choked on her food. “What?”

“We need to settle this, and that means finding him.”

“So far he has only contacted me. I haven’t a clue how to contact him. If he doesn’t want to be found he’ll block me out,” Ilisha insisted.

“I have faith in you.” Damon took her hand. “I promise I won’t let you do anything that will put you in harm’s way.”

“Oh come on, Damon, you are using her as bait,” Caligula countered.

Damon leaned on his elbows and stared at his sister. “You think I enjoy this?”

“Enjoy, no, but just make sure your need for revenge isn’t for the wrong reasons.”

Damon stood quick and his body was a blur. “I should have killed him when I had the chance.” He curled his fists into balls.

Ilisha was used to their sibling fights. They could argue with the best of them. Damon was very intimidating and most people cowered around him. Caligula stood there chastising him like he was timid little boy. Damon respected his sister, and though she was lower in rank than he was, he listened to her opinion. Ilisha rolled her eyes at them and took another drink of water.

Damon turned toward Caligula who was now leaning against the counter. “Find Azriel, I need to speak with him.”

“What makes you think he’s just going to come at your beck and call?”

“Because he failed me, that’s why!” Damon stormed out of the kitchen.

Caligula took his place at the table. “My brother doesn’t like being double crossed. He pouts like a baby sometimes.”

Ilisha changed the subject. “Why would Azriel and Bram team up? They both wanted opposite things.”

“They are both on my brother’s hit list. It would be smart for them to align, though I doubt it will save either of them.”

Damon came back in and leaned against the door jam. His tall, large, frame took up most of the space. “Caligula, please find Azriel for me.” Ilisha could tell he was forcing pleasantness in his voice.

A crooked smile spread across Caligula’s face. “Of course, Majesty.” She bowed once and was out the back door in a blur of black and red.

Damon sat back down and took Ilisha’s hand. “Do not follow a prompt from Bram again.” His words were sharp and stern.

“It’s not like I did it on purpose. On top of that, now you’re asking me to seek
him
out.” Ilisha said annoyed.

“Yes.”

“Tell me why, and Damon, I want the whole truth this time.”

“If he insists on playing with you I want the ball in your court. Believe me I don’t like this at all.”

After Damon had asked her to get into Bram’s head he changed his mind. “I just think it’s to dangerous.”

“You’re doubting me again; I can create an illusion so real for him that he will question reality.”

Not waiting for Damon’s response she created one for him.

Ilisha didn’t move, she stayed in the corner of the living room. An illusion of her got up off the couch and walked across the floor to Damon. The manifestation smiled down at him sitting in the chair and seductively unbuttoned her shirt.

Ilisha glanced over from the corner to make sure he was looking at the illusion and blocked out all sight of the real her.

The illusional Ilisha got down on her knees and pulled him to the edge of the chair so that he was half laying, half sitting. Her hands slid up his legs and across his thighs, landing on his zipper. The real Ilisha smiled as he gasped. She controlled what happened and the hologram put her mouth on him.

“Holy…” was all Damon got out. He stood and walked through the manifestation. His hair was plastered on his head in some spots and others stood straight up. The shirt he was wearing was unbuttoned and his pants undone and hanging open. He had a look of pure lust on his face.

Damon rubbed his hands over his face and blinked wildly to compose himself and Ilisha chuckled.

“I’m glad this is funny to you, but can you please reveal yourself now,” he said through ragged breaths.

Ilisha let the entire illusion fade away and sat on the couch. “Was that real enough for you?”

He wasted no time and took hold of her. Yanking her off the couch, he put her on the floor and tore her clothes from her body, followed by his own.

Sitting on his knees he turned her over so her back faced him. He positioned her knees just in front of his own. Damon thrust himself into her and wrapped his arms around her torso. With nothing to grip onto, Ilisha dug her fingers into his arms, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Ten minutes and a few rug burns later they sat catching their breaths.

“I think the answer to your question is yes it was very real to me,” he said.

Ilisha chuckled and picked up her clothes.

“Caligula will be here soon,” Damon said getting dressed.