Chapter 12: 12: Hybrids, Sex, and Xanax

Fiona

“I want to see the photos right now, Rowan!” He scrutinized me and I saw the pity in his eyes. I’d had enough pity today to last a lifetime, and I hated it.

As he held the envelope against his chest, I felt light-headed, like I would faint. Rowan stood, still clutching the yellowish envelope, showing its age, but made no move to hand it over. After untangling myself from Kat, I struggled on weakened legs to the desk. I placed my palms on the wood. “Hand them over!” Tears welled again in my eyes. “Don’t make me take them from you!”

Instead of giving in, he moved around the desk and faced me. “Are you sure now is a good time to look at these, lass?” He arched his brows and grimaced.

“I want to see them now!” I turned, facing Kat, who was standing beside Rian. “And you...” With narrowed, wet eyes, I shouted, “You knew all this, Katrina! I thought you were my best friend, the sister I never had, but the sister of my heart! How could you keep this from me?”

Kat cried anew, and Rian placed his arm around her waist. “I wanted to tell you, Fi, and I needed to unburden myself from carrying this... this torment all alone! How do you think I felt going through all this alone?” she wailed as Rian tried to console her. “Don’t you get it? Think about it, Fiona. Why do you think I never told you, huh?” Kat wiped at her eyes, her chest heaving, and her nose running from the outburst.

“That bastard, Quinn, would be my guess,” Rian announced, glancing at Kat and me.

“Yes...” Kat’s face crumbled. “He threatened to kill Fiona if I ever told her!”

“Jesus!” Rowan shook his head. “I knew he was an evil bastard, but this... this is beyond evil.”

“Fiona...” Kat ventured. “Please, you must believe me, Fi! You know I’d never hurt you. I was trying to protect you!”

I sat on the floor and cried, sobs wracking my body, and realized none of this was Kat’s fault, but it was all too much—the shock—to think straight. Warm arms engulfed me, pulling me to my feet and into an embrace. “Don’t cry, lass. Everything will be fine. Let’s get away from here and forget about Sexflex for now. We need time to figure out what happened and what he has done to all of you.” Rowan’s voice held tenderness as he pushed my hair out of my eyes, wiping away my tears with his thumb.

As much as I loved the feel of his arms around me and his gentle touch, I shifted away from him. “No! I know how important this is to you and the safety of your pack. I’ll be fine. We can continue searching for information on the drug. Let’s try looking through his computer.” I nodded to the laptop on the desk.

“He’ll have a password on it, love,” Rian said. “Listen, Rowan is right. We need to get you both back to the house, and you and Kat can have a proper talk.”

Wiping my nose with the sleeve of my shirt, I nodded. “I’m sorry, Kat, but I felt overwhelmed.”

“I know, and it’s okay. That was an enormous blow, and I would have reacted the same.” Kat gave me a watery, sad smile.

“So here’s what we are going to do,” Rowan said, taking charge like an alpha. “Leave your father a note and tell him after your wild experience that you and Kat are taking a brief holiday somewhere...”

“Will he believe that?” Rian asked.

“He won’t like it...” Kat replied, shaking her golden locks.

“No, but he will believe it. I’ve been telling him I want to go to New York,” I said, and a plan took root in my head. “He knows I’m upset, and he’ll think I’m trying to punish him.”

“How often does Quinn go out of town? Will we have another chance to sneak back in?” Rowan asked.

“Check his planner on the desk.” Kat pointed to a brown leather-bound book.

Rowan leafed through the pages. “Bingo. He is leaving again on Wednesday, and I’m not sure where he’s going, but he has three days marked off.” Rowan studied the planner, his forehead marred in concentration. “I don’t know if it means anything, but he’s leaving during the full moon.” He looked up at us.

“It means he’s going hunting,” Rian stated.

Rowan smacked his forehead. “Of course he is. What was I thinking? The bastard can’t resist a full moon.”

As I listened, my father’s wickedness sickened me. But was he my father? I wasn’t sure about anything anymore. I just wanted out of this house, especially this room. “Rowan...” I crossed my arms and glared at him. “I still want to see those photos.”

“You have my word that when we get to the house, I will hand over the envelope. Now, let’s get out of here. Do you girls have some essentials gathered?”

“Yes. I kept my word about being prepared. Come on, let’s get out of here.” As I looked around the vile room, I shivered.

When we left the house, I let out a sigh of relief. The fear of my father—or whoever that monster was—showing up was too much to bear. I sat thinking over everything I’d learned, but only grew more confused. Was I part fairy and human? Did I belong to Cormac Quinn, and did he kill my mother? Was she really my mother, or was that another lie on his growing list? Did she help my father with his devious deeds? And was she even dead? If not... why would she leave me with that evil beast? I didn’t know what was real anymore, but I would find the truth. My entire identity was a farce, and I did not know how to put the pieces of my life back together.

“Somebody say something,” Kat said. “This silence is deafening.”

“I think we are all in shock,” Rian announced.

That was a colossal understatement. “I am beyond shocked and have so many questions! How will I ever get the answers?” I held my face in my hands, fighting tears when a thought occurred. “Wait... Are you taking us back to your house?”

“Aye,” Rowan announced with his eyes focused on the road.

“But you said we shouldn’t stay at your house, remember? You said it would put your family and pack in danger...”

“I know what I said, lass, but plans change.” He glanced at me with a smile, then back at the road. “Your letter should suffice, and I doubt he will think you came back to hang out with some mangy werewolves.”

Rian and Kat giggled, but I was too upset to find humor in his words. “Well, if you’re sure…” I studied him to watch his reaction, which seemed sincere and comforting since I’d had enough pity for one day. And putting his family in danger to protect me and Kat was gallant, but my father had created enough damage. “My father or whoever he is has caused your pack enough grief, and I don’t want to add any more.”

“Relax, lass. We are almost home.” The word home felt nice, and I daydreamed of him and his house being my home, but it could never be. Cormac Quinn, regardless if he was my paternal father or not, ruined my chances, and being human and part fairy didn’t help. My musings caused me to feel like I was on the verge of a meltdown. How much more could one person take?

Deep breaths, Fiona. In through your nose and out through your mouth, I chanted to myself and tried to focus on the scenery. I felt the familiar knot in my tummy, and a flash of heat consumed me, and I knew nausea would come next if I didn’t calm down. While I was prone to anxiety attacks, I hadn’t had one in a while, and I didn’t want it to happen in front of Rowan. When breathing through it refused to work, the urge to pull off my sweatshirt was all-consuming as beads of sweat popped along my forehead. “I’m sorry,” I said through ragged breaths and tore off the offending garment, pulling it over my head, leaving me in a black tank top. “I’m hot, and I might get sick.”

Rowan glanced at me with concern, and Kat yelled, “Roll down the windows! She’s having a panic attack!”

“Christ! Are you okay, lass? Should I pull over? What should I do?” He eyed me, frowning.

“Pull over, bro,” Rian said. “Does she need a doctor, Kat?”

“No,” I whispered as Rowan pulled onto a side street. “Just need air.” Kat ran around and helped me out of the SUV. She pulled my hair back just in time before I spewed my stomach contents onto the grass, gravel, and weeds.

“That’s it, love,” she whispered near my ear. “I need a cloth or a napkin or something real quick.” She held her hand out, waiting.

Rowan grabbed the fast food napkins from the center console and leaned over, handing them to Kat. “What else can I do?”

“Nothing, but she needs her medication. Fi, do you have it with you? Did you remember to pack it?” Kat asked me.

I wiped my mouth and gulped air as tears from vomiting ran down my cheeks. “Yes. They are in my Fendi bag.” Embarrassed and spent, I backed up to the seat and perched on the edge. I couldn’t bear to face Rowan yet. Kat scoured through my bag and found the small green prescription bottle, then placed a little blue pill in my hand.

“Take it, now!” She narrowed her eyes at me and crossed her arms over her chest. Kat knew I hated taking them, but needs must. The medication made me drowsy and downright loopy, but they were a sure fix for an anxiety attack.

“I don’t have any water,” I moaned like a petulant child.

“Just let it melt under your tongue, you big baby,” Kat scolded me and watched as I placed the nerve pill in my mouth.

“Is she going to be okay now?” Rowan looked past me to Kat.

“She’ll feel better soon.” Kat rubbed my shoulder and smiled.

“I hope so.” I pushed up on my palms and situated myself in the seat, holding onto the napkins and staring straight ahead. Kat closed the door, and I let my head fall back on the headrest.

When Kat was back in the vehicle, Rowan asked, “Are you sure you’re okay, lass? Should I get you a drink or water?”

“I’m fine. Just take me home, Rowan, please.”

Sometime later, I awoke confused and thirsty, but it didn’t take long to remember where I was and why. It was pitch black, and I reached over to feel for Kat, but her side of the bed was cold. I wondered where she could be. I couldn’t remember much after taking that blasted pill, just a hazy memory of Rowan carrying me inside the house back to his mother’s bedroom and Kat getting me settled. She should have been with me since it seemed late, but perhaps she slept elsewhere.

I reached for the bedside table in search of my phone, but it wasn’t there. “Shit,” I whispered, climbing out of bed with care. I still felt light-headed and weak, but combining a panic attack and a little blue pill would do that. My feet hit the floor, and I stepped into my bag. Good, I thought, while digging around inside, and found my cell phone. It was two a.m. Sunday morning. So where the hell was Kat? After everything that had happened today, being alone in a strange place and not knowing where she left me feeling uneasy.

Now that I had my bearings, I needed the bathroom, something to drink, and to find Kat. After relieving my bladder, I stepped out into the darkened hallway, and although not familiar with the house, I knew where the kitchen was and tiptoed, quiet as a mouse, using my phone to guide me. The light switch was inside the archway, and I flipped it on as I entered.

“Fiona!” Rowan whispered, startling me. “Are you all right, lass? Can I get you something?” He sat on a bar stool at the island counter with his hands wrapped around a mug.

“Gosh!” I exclaimed, my hand splayed over my chest. “You frightened me.” The effect of the medication still had me dazed, and I grabbed the counter to steady myself.

“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t expecting anyone this late. How do you feel?” He jumped off the bar stool and strode over to me, his intense penetrating eyes peering into mine. The concern etched on his face made me blush.

I couldn’t meet Rowan’s stare anymore. I saw too much in his expressive red-rimmed eyes and glanced at my phone. “Much better, thanks, but I woke up thirsty.”

With a gentle touch, he took my elbow, leading me to the table by the windows, and held out a chair. Sometimes he was a gentleman, and it caused me to fall for him again. “Now, lass... you relax, and I’ll grab you some water. Are you hungry? You missed supper.”

“No, I don’t think my stomach could handle food yet, but water or a soda would be grand,” I replied over my shoulder and glanced at the inky sky, noticing the twinkling stars and the moon so bright and beautiful, casting its peaceful glow.

He handed me a bottled ginger ale and sat across the table. “Thank you.” I took a large gulp of the cold, fizzy drink. “Ahh, much better.” After a few more sips, I noticed Rowan staring at me and felt self-conscious. “Where’s Kat?” I asked, hoping to divert his attention from me.

“Kat...” His brows lifted in confusion. “In bed, I would presume.”

“Did you put her in a guest room instead of with me?” I asked with a pout.

“No, Rian put her belongings in your room while we got you settled, and she went to bed after we ate Chinese takeout.”

My heart sped up at the implication, and dozens of dangerous scenarios entered my mind. “Well, Kat isn’t in our room! Oh, what could have happened to her, Rowan?” I jumped up from the chair, glaring at him. “Don’t just sit there! We have to find her. What if my father—”

“Take it easy, lass,” Rowan interrupted. “Nobody has breached our security. She’s somewhere in this house or the guards would have alerted me.”

My breathing and heartbeat slowed down, and I realized I trusted him. “But where in the house?”

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out. Do you want to come or go back to bed?”

“I’m coming,” I said, taking one last sip of my soda before following him.

“Let’s wake Rian so he can help us search. It’ll be quicker, and you can get back to bed. I can tell you need more sleep.”

Bloody brilliant! I must look like a proper mess. At the top of the staircase, he halted at the first door on the right and grabbed the handle.

I pulled on the back of his t-shirt and whispered, “Are you not gonna knock?”

“No, Fiona. I’m waking him up so we can find your wayward friend.”

I shrugged. Well, that’s just rude.

Rowan opened the door and flicked on the light. “Oh, for feck’s sake, Rian!”

After gasping, I placed my hand over my mouth, trying not to laugh. I didn’t react as shocked as Rowan because I knew Kat...

“Jaysus, Rowan! Some privacy, man!” Rian growled, groping for the sheet to cover himself and Kat, but it was too late. We had seen it all... every private, down-and-dirty detail.

I do hope you're enjoying the story so far and would appreciate any feedback. This is a new genre for me, and even after hours and hours of research, I'm nervous about putting it out here. I'm also not 100% thrilled with the title and any ideas would be helpful. I have 18 of these second-draft chapters to upload, but I need to jump back to writing (The story is about halfway finished). I'm going to start updating an existing chapter once I finish writing each new one, so I can update on a regular basis instead of posting all 18 and making you guys wait.

Cheers, Lady Deanna