SWNOVELS Chapter 30
Rain pov.
"Bing, would you call River again?" I watch the screen as it rings and then goes dark, sighing in frustration. I've been trying to call her all day and while I know she's upset she could also be hurt, and I have no way of knowing because I can't portal home. I slam the pan down on the cutting block, spilling a little of the sauce I made but I don't think Morgan is going to miss the droplet.
"Frustrated?" I look up, finding my little human standing at the entrance of the kitchen, the sparkle of joy that was in her eyes this morning gone. It seems like we both had a hard day.
"River's not answering." I tell her, watching as the frown settles between her eyes. "It's fine. She'll be okay."
"Do you want me to go and check on her?" I almost except but then I think of how River treated her the last time, so I shake my head. I have no idea what my sister will do to her when I'm not around. She won't be so stupid as to harm her, but she can definitely make her words cut. She's good at insults.
"No, let's just have dinner." Morgan nods, taking the utensils I set out and goes to set the table while I plate up the food.
"Do you want to do something fun tonight?" I think back to our fun of last night and she must catch on because she laughs. "Not that kind of fun, although we could add on to the fun when we get back." She beams, slowly regaining the sparkle in her eyes.
"Ge back from where?" I pour her some wine and she takes a healthy sip, swishing the liquid around in her mouth before swallowing.
"It's a surprise. Let's eat." We finish our meals quickly and then she rushes us to get ready. When we're done I'm dressed in a pair of jeans, a polo shirt and a fancy pair of dress shoes and she's in a red dress that clings to her breast and waist and then flares out. When we're on the freeway I take the time to just watch Morgan, liking the way her hair is curled in big spirals and she's wearing a lot more make-up. There's a smile on her face and I find myself smiling as well, relaxing into the passenger seat and enjoying the drive.
"Where are we?" I ask as she pulls into what looks like an abandoned parking lot. She drives inside and I'm shocked to see all the fancy cars. It takes us a minute to find a spot to park and I'm on edge when we step out, wondering what the hell this place could be.
"Relax, Rain." Morgan laughs, taking my arm and leading me further into the lot. We walk for a bit before I spot a large sliding door and when we arrive, she knocks three times slowly, three fast and twice slow and takes a step back. The door slides open, and a man is waiting for us behind it, he holds out a scanner and scans our wrists before handing us masks. Morgan's is a glittery red one to match her dress while mine is black and plain. They cover our faces entirely but they're comfortable so I can't complain about them. When we step inside, I am amazed by what I'm seeing. Creatures from all the sectors walk around, looking at various things, some I recognize and some I don't. "Welcome to utopia, Rain." Morgan says, throwing her arm out in front of her in a wide circle.
"What is this place?" I ask as we walk by a stand with robot parts and another with what looks like spices I've never seen. A Fairie flies above my head so I have to duck not to get hit and Morgan laughs.
"It's like the trading grounds but only for owners. Nothing seedy happens here, every transaction is monitored, and you can have as much, or as little fun as you want to." We pass some more stalls, and I stop by one where a wolf walks out without his shirt, and I recognize the fresh tattoo on his back as he walks away.
"What happens there?" Morgan grins and motions for me to step inside where a Fairie with long blue hair stands up from a chair, a bright pink mask with swirls decorating her face.
"Looking to get some tattoos?" I look at Morgan who shrugs.
"Do you want a tattoo?" I think of the brand on my back and nod. "Where?"
"My back." I can't see her expression behind the masks, but she nods.
"Great, take off your shirt and straddle the chair." The woman says. I nod and do so despite the actions reminding me of the day I got branded. "Woah." She looks at Morgan who shakes her head. "What would you like me to cover it with?" "I actually wanted to remove it." Morgan tells her and the woman scoffs.
"You're much better covering it up. They get iffy about brands being removed. It's not a violation but watch some uppity suit up at Glaze-Control try and turn it into one." Morgan and I laugh, leaving the Fairie to look between us like we've lost it.
"How about a nature scene?" Morgan suggests and the Fairie nods, getting out all her ink and making herself comfortable. She cleans my back and soon after she starts. The needles driving into my skin feel like nothing compared to the hot metal I was branded with. What feels like hours later, and probably is, the woman finally announces that she's done while cleaning my skin again.
"You're a wolf, you heal fast so you should be fine by the time you get home." She says, instructing me not to put my shirt back on for the time being. When we leave the tent there's still life outside, but Morgan leads us towards the exit. We hand our masks back to the attendant and head outside, finding that it's pitch black. I quickly lead us back to the parking lot, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up the faster I move.
"Rain." Morgan whispers and I look at her to find her looking at something behind us with wide eyes. When I turn around, I see three men standing there, their eyes glowing an unnatural shade of green. "Run!" Morgan screams but it's too late. One of the men is next to us in a blink of an eye, ripping Morgan away from me and the other two has me on my knees in seconds. I try to fight them off, but their grip is debilitating as they start to drag me away. "No! Leave him alone!" Morgan screams and the last thing I see, and feel is the absolute terror in her eyes and pain shooting down my back before everything goes black.