“Where the hell is Raine? She’s never around. What has her so occupied?” Marcus shouted at the witches. The sisters glanced at each other and he could’ve sworn a knowing look passed between them, but his cell buzzed.
“Jake, what’s the latest?” He kept watch on the sisters but listened to the news on Henry. “Just bring him back in one piece.”
Marcus ended the call and placed his phone down on the desk. He picked up the picture of Ella and Nate. Social media reported daily one alarming incident after another in which vampires or shifters were harming humans. Governments around the world were demanding a global summit to tackle the crisis that was spreading like a virus, increasing crime and panic worldwide. He rubbed his forehead, trying to find a way ahead, and sighed.
“Ella was able to reach out to me more than once when I was lost. And there’ve been times, I’ve sworn, I’ve heard her voice calling to me.”
“Drayton, it’s natural to think you hear voices of your wife. She’s been missing for a month,” Zephra said.
“Look, I know how I sound. I didn’t believe in any of this mumbo jumbo, magic crap. If I couldn’t see it with my own eyes, I didn’t believe it. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth of it. But all that changed the moment I met Ella. She made me see things I refused to see before. She found Steel by walking in the spirit realm. There must be a way. I can do this. We’re the same.”
The women exchanged glances and broke apart, each wandering around the quiet office, deep in thought, until Zephra swiveled to face him with her arms folded.
“Maybe—but Ella is the witch, Drayton. Her abilities aren’t the same as yours. She has a natural talent. I know she’s created fire, called on the rain, and traveled into the spirit realm. I suspect she has harnessed the other elements, too, without even realizing it, and she possesses the healing gift. If the Morrigan latches on to that kind of power, there’ll be no stopping her.”
“More of a reason to find Ella, and fix this.” He replaced the picture on Steel’s desk and crossed his arms, ready to listen and do whatever the witch instructed him. His idea may be a long shot, but right now it was all he had.
“I suppose we can try. But we can’t do it here, Drayton. First, it has to be somewhere with a strong sense of Ella. Your home, perhaps. But I’ll need to cleanse the area first. Make sure it’s safe. Give me an hour and I’ll be ready.” Zephra was about to leave but she stared at him.
“Have you thought what you’ll say about Boston if we find her?”
Sucking in the air around him, he wiped his mouth. Having that conversation consumed him day and night. The guilt weighed heavy. What could he say that would make the fact he had slept with the Morrigan tolerable? There was nothing. The feeling of disgust and betrayal sat heavy on his chest. He worried the truth would mean the end of his marriage.
“When we find Ella, I’ll find a way. But getting her back is my priority right now.”
The witch nodded and opened the door, followed by Isabella. But he caught her arm. It hadn’t escaped him that Isabella had been unusually quiet and reserved in the room, and he needed to speak with her.
“Would you stay a moment?” Marcus asked.
“It’s okay. I can manage on my own,” Zephra said to them both.
The door closed and he eyed Isabella closely. After the doctor, the need to know what was going on with his team was of paramount importance. He didn’t want any more blood on his hands. The witch-turned-vampire glided around the room, not looking at ease and keeping her back to him. God, he felt old. Being the commander was like being a father to the team, solving all their problems when he needed them to focus on their jobs, not their fucking personal lives. The irony of that smacked him right in the face.
“What’s going on, Isabella?”
Finally, the witch faced him. “It’s been a month, Drayton, and we’re no closer to discovering Ella’s whereabouts. What if she can’t be found? What if she’s gone? The Morrigan is ruthless. She doesn’t care about anyone, save herself. I lost my human life because I thought I could go up against her alone. What if…”
Marcus marched over and grabbed Isabella by the shoulders, unable to listen to another word. “Don’t. I know what you all think. I’ve gone over the possibilities myself. But I know right here, inside, Ella is alive.” He placed his hand over his heart. “She’s out there—I feel it.”
Isabella looked right at him, her green eyes searching his face. She squeezed his arm. “Then why isn’t she reaching out to give us a clue where the hell she is?”
Marcus dipped his head and shook it. The fact his wife hadn’t made contact in some way haunted him. But he refused to give up. She could not be dead. If the Morrigan simply wanted that, she would have left her remains, and not taken her as Zephra explained.
“Look, you have to believe that she’s alive and that we’ll find her. Ella wouldn’t be happy if we gave up searching, and I won’t stop until I find her. I have a favor to ask. After the situation with Elizabeth, it’s clear we need to stick together more than ever. Jake’s a mess, even though he doesn’t show
