Page 29 of Visionary

“…the head of the vampire family! Ceril, this isn’t going to work.” The voice wasn’t familiar, but it was deep. It could have been any of the beings Ceril kept around his table.

The doorknob twisted, and Aiden pushed me back toward the corner of the hallway. I now knew it was Cleo who pulled us back around a corner. When I heard the door close, Aiden turned to me. “Tall angel, blue hair.”

“Tirah,” I said with finality.

“You really think she will help us?” Aiden asked skeptically.

I shrugged. “There’s only one way to find out, right?” When I stepped out around the corner of the hallway

Tirah was holding her phone. “Tirah?”

When the angel looked up, her eyes were wide. “Severn?” A soft yellow aura began pulsing around her. “Severn, what the fuck are you doing here?” Tirah quickly walked over to us, putting her phone in her pocket. “You cannot be here.”

Tirah tried shoving us back toward the door we entered the hallway through.

“Stop. Tirah, please.” I wasn’t above begging. She wanted to help. I knew she did. “Help us get Vea back safely. That’s all we want.”

“Yeah, and he wants you, Severn. You!” She threw her hands up. “Do you even know what he’s doing? He’s a fucking maniac!”

“We are aware,” Aiden said. “Please, just help us.”

“He has her tied up in your studio.” She gestured to the far corner, down another hallway.

Aiden turned to look at me with a questioning expression. “Is that the room we are planning to leave through?”

I nodded.

“Take Tirah. Cleo and I will sort things out here.” Aiden kissed me on the forehead before walking toward the door Tirah exited from, Cleo closely behind with her weapon ready.

“Come on.” Tirah and I began walking quickly to the other side of the hallways. As soon as the door to the studio was clear, two werewolves stood guard at the door. Their attention was focused on Tirah and me at first until they quickly looked in the opposite direction.

“Who the fuck are you?” One of the barrel-chested beings pushed off from the wall and began walking away.

The other werewolf looked directly at Tirah and me. “Tirah, right?”

“That’s right. I have Severn.” Tirah jerked my arm. “I need to tie him up in there for Ceril.”

“Ha,” the being scoffed. “On whose orders?” When he rolled his eyes, he crossed his arms. The muscles in his biceps were so large it looked comical when he tried to cross them.

“Ceril’s you dipshit, who else.” Tirah’s sass was unmatched.

A loud thud sounded from where the other werewolf had stepped off too. “Oh fuck,” The meaty being said under his breath. “Okay, whatever. Just lock the door when you’re done.” He popped the door open. With long, slow strides, he walked off toward the inevitable fight that was happening between the werewolves, Milo, and Des.

Stepping into the studio again, the smell of wet concrete, paint, and blood hit me like a brick wall. Horrible memories came flooding back. All of the times Ceril tortured me, hung me in this room, and forced me to create things that I loved for his personal gain. So many times I hung in here and just wanted to end it all. But all of that brought me to where I am now. All of that brought me Aiden and brought me these new possibilities of a family that actually loved and cared for me as the being I am and not what I can do for them.

As soon as Tirah flipped the light switch, I saw Mitz, chained to the chair I used to sit in when I painted. The chains were covered in blood and rust. Never cleaned from when they were used on me. When he looked up, his glasses were shattered, and a red scarf was tied around his mouth. His buzzed bright green hair was bright in the dull room and so unexpected. I was so used to seeing him in a beanie. Running to him, Tirah pulled the scarf from his mouth.

“Severn, you have to leave. Please, go now.” Tears began streaming down his face. Tirah stood and turned around, her eyes widening.

Following her line of sight, I saw her. Vea hung from the metal bar that Ceril would hang me from. She was naked, tied up with leather straps and chains. She had been whipped and beaten. Her neck was cut so deep her head was barely hanging on. Her blood had spilled all over the concrete floor.

Swallowing, I pulled out the cellphone Aiden had given me and sent my very first text message to Aiden.

Me

VEA IS DEAD.

EPILOGUE