Trembling With the Strings

Darius’ P.O.V.
“This is ridiculous! I need to be looking for her, not sitting around the damn house!” I told my father. I was going to go insane if I didn’t have my Gracie in my arms in five seconds.

“Terrorizing the entire town is not the way to go about this!” he reprimanded me, slamming his fists onto his desk. I cringed.

“I know that,” I grumbled. “Can we talk later? My mate and my son are missing, and I need to find them! You can kill me when I get back, but not until my family is safe. Please!”

My father sighed, giving me a stern look. “Do not go up to random houses and break their doors in. It startles humans, Darius. And jumping through someone’s window is not a good wake-up call either. Understand?”

I nodded feverishly. “May I go now?”

He nodded, and I nearly torn the door from its hinges as I slammed it behind me. I ran to the front door, nearly throwing it into the kitchen. But I saw a startled Bryce standing on my doorstep, his hand raised as if he had been getting ready to knock on the door.

“Where’s the fire?” he chuckled, pushing me back into the house.

“Now is not the time!” I snapped, shoving past him, but his hand crashed down on my shoulder.

He jerked me back. “Darius, what’s wrong?” He probably saw my tortured expression. “Where’s the lady?”

“I don’t know!” I panicked, those words making me realize it even more. “I promised to protect her, and she could be dead! I don’t know where she is! I can’t find her!”

“Shit,” Bryce mumbled, releasing me.

“I know! So shut up and help me look!” I headed for the door, but he caught me again.

“I might know where she is, but I pray for her sake that I’m wrong.”

“What?” I asked, my voice a mere whisper. Could it be worse than I thought?

“Have you seen Lyndell lately?” he asked me, shifting from foot to foot anxiously.

“Not since I almost killed him. Why?”

“What’d you do with Gracie’s mom’s body?”

“How did you know about that?” I asked, beyond confused.

“Just answer me!” he hissed. I normally would have yelled at him, but, if this had to do with Gracie, he would get to live.

“I don’t know. I didn’t do anything. I assumed someone else took care of it,” I muttered.

“Shit,” he repeated. “Shit, shit, shit!”

“What?” I begged. He wasn’t helping!

“I didn’t want to tell you about this; I didn’t want to get involved anymore than I had to in order to keep you and the girl safe. Hear me out, okay? Then we’ll storm the place and take back your woman.”

“You’ve got thirty seconds,” I lied. I knew this was important by the urgent look on his face.

“Okay. Well, I never liked Lyndell. But I didn’t have anything against him until he started messing with Gracie.” My lip twitched into a sneer. “He just wouldn’t stop! So I told him to back off, and he told me to mind my own business. That didn’t help his cause.

“But then I noticed something. He was watching Gracie, as if he was studying her. Then, when her mom got into the picture, he started talking to her. That was weird enough, but I caught them leaving together. An affair wouldn’t be too outrageous, but it seemed strange. So I followed them.

“Her mother was determined to kill you, and Lyndell didn’t want anyone to have Gracie if he couldn’t. They teamed up, but kept their motives secret. The baby only brought them closer. They both wanted the baby to die.”

“They’re not killing my son!” I growled, trying to leave. He stopped me.

“I’m not done. I killed her mother after she poisoned you. Lyndell had gotten the poison for her, but he had been under the impression that it was to make Gracie ill or something. I killed her, and I made sure you two would see it.”

“Then why did it say ‘Not even a mother’s love can save you?’” I asked.

“Because it can’t. She was trying to ruin your relationship, so I took care of it for you. I guess Lyndell must have saved her with some witchery and vampirism. That boy has some damn good connections, I’ll give him that. I didn’t want to get directly involved with this because then I wouldn’t be able to keep such a close eye on Lyndell; he would be expecting it. The pair killed Gracie’s father in an attempt to make Gracie think it was you, so you two would split up. He also wanted to honor the contract with Drakken, and they couldn’t have that, could they? Darius, I didn’t want to make you worry over nothing, but I think Gracie’s with them…”

I took in a shaky breath, leaning against the wall before my legs could give out. I had never fainted before in my life (other than the coma induced from sickness), and now was certainly not the time.

“My son has been talking to me, Bryce. They’re in a lot of trouble,” I choked out, evening out my breaths. “I’m going to try to find Lyndell okay?”

“Alright. I’ll come with you. I think I know where they are.”

“That pretty boy is fucking dead if he touched a hair on her head,” I muttered, more to myself than him.

Baby, I’m coming. Just, please… Just hold on.