Fates Divided: Halven Rising

Derek rounded the corner, heading for the room they’d given Elena. And staggered to a stop. Something wasn’t right. Keen wasn’t guarding the door.

Had that bastard screwed up again?

The sinking feeling in the pit of Derek’s stomach spread to his chest. His heart raced as he leapt through the wall.

The room was empty.

Several hours had passed since he’d last seen her. Between his sleep of the dead and the time it had taken him to go to the lab and now back to her room, she could be anywhere. And he had no idea how to reach her.

Just like in his dream.

Where had they taken her? If they hurt her, he’d… What would he do? Let them rot and die from the disease Elena risked her life to cure? The thought was tempting.

Derek had nothing riding on finding the antidote, except exposure of who he really was. And that had become minor in the scheme of things. Right now, the only thing he cared about was finding Elena and keeping her safe.

He stepped back into the hallway, and started searching each door he passed, sticking his head through the wooden surface. He’d search the whole damn place if that was what it took to find her.

All the rooms in this corridor were empty, though. He turned and searched down another passageway, and another. Finally, he spied a hallway of occupied beds. All the people sleeping inside were men. Fae, from the size of them. Most hadn’t bothered to remove their clothes. They had simply fallen face-first onto their mattresses, booted feet and arms dangling off the sides.

Half the rooms in the hall were empty and half were occupied. Were they working on a cure for the virus in shifts?

Derek left the men’s section and a few minutes later encountered two Fae women approaching him down a different hallway, a tall Fae girl—about his height—and Beatrice.

The tall girl yawned. “Where were you this evening? I thought we were on the same schedule?”

“I had to take care of something,” Beatrice said. “I’m going to the lab now. Go to bed.” Beatrice opened a door for her. “You look like you’re about to fall over.”

The tall girl nodded. “I feel like it. You shouldn’t work through your rest periods, though. Without sleep, you’ll be no help. Talk to Leo. Someone should take your place in the lab when you’re on official business.”

“I’ll be fine.” Beatrice urged the girl through the door. “Good night.”

The girl walked inside in a daze and Beatrice closed the door behind her. Beatrice stared at the surface for a long moment, then she spun and turned in the direction the two women had come from, disappearing around a corner.

Derek checked each of the rooms in the hallway, finding a similar scenario to the men’s quarters. Half the rooms were empty, the other half housed sleeping women.

Unlike the men, the women took the time to cover their clothed bodies with a blanket before passing out. And none of their limbs dangled off the sides of the beds.

That was one good thing about Fae dorms: extra-long beds. He was short compared to most Fae men. He actually fit on his bed with room to spare, which was probably why he’d slept so long, dammit.

At the rate his body grew, there was no telling how tall he’d end up. Already, the baggy clothes he’d purchased a few weeks ago fit him better. He’d have to ask Keen about the growth spurt—just as soon as he got his hands on the bastard.

Where had he taken Elena?

Derek decided to skip the rest of this corridor. It appeared to be only Fae women catching a couple hours of sleep. He needed more active areas—the labs the tall girl had spoken of. If they had taken Elena anywhere inside Emain, it would be the labs.

Derek jogged around the corner Beatrice had turned down—and nearly ran into her.

“Derek,” she said as he skidded to a stop inches away. She stood with her shoulder against the wall, as if waiting for him. “Show yourself, so we can—talk.” She gave him a small smile.

The way she’d snuck up on him was disturbing. He needed to be more careful. Humans couldn’t see him, but Fae were getting surprisingly good at it.

Derek solidified and glared at Beatrice. “Where’s Elena?”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Don’t you know?”

His hands clenched at his sides. “If I knew, would I ask?”

“I’m happy to tell you where your little friend is”—she glanced conspiratorially from one side to the other—“but not here. Let’s talk in your room.”

Derek stretched his neck and let out a deep breath. “Don’t screw with me, Beatrice. I don’t have time for it. Tell me where she is.”

“I will tell you where I last saw her, but we must go someplace private to discuss it. I’m certain you would not want the others knowing what I know.”

Derek shut the door to his room. “We’re alone, Beatrice, now tell me.”

She walked to his bed and sat on the edge. She put a finger to her lips. “Come closer, so I can whisper it in your ear.”

Derek’s jaw clenched. She was jerking him around.

There weren’t any cameras in the rooms as far as he could tell, but Fae had powers. Who was to say they couldn’t listen in without him detecting it? Whispering seemed stupid, but right now Beatrice was his best bet at finding Elena.

He did as she requested and sat on the bed next to her. With his elbows braced on his thighs, hands dangling between his knees, he kept his head forward so she could talk close to his ear.

She leaned in and her voice took on an odd, lilting tone. “Elena is not here. She is with Keen at a party off campus.”

Beatrice ran her finger down his cheek. He wanted to pull away, but he couldn’t move.

Panic coursed through his veins. She was doing something to him. The most he could manage was one word. “Where?”

She leaned closer. “Kiss me and I’ll tell you.”

His mind jerked in repulsion, but he couldn’t get so much as a foot to slide away. In fact—against his will—his body leaned closer.

“You fight it,” she whispered. “How interesting. Most don’t know I am doing it, but I sense you know. It must be difficult to have lost control.” Her voice held mock remorse.

She placed her slender hand along his jaw and turned his head toward her. She kissed him, and he couldn’t do anything to stop it. Beatrice moved his hands to her sides, running them up and down her body. “Touch me. Caress me like you caress Elena.”

“No,” he managed to get out, but he couldn’t get his hands to stop touching her. He felt like a puppet, while his mind lashed out.

His hands sought her chest and traveled down to her stomach, and around the small of her back.

Beatrice leaned closer and moaned in his ear. “Feels so good. Kiss me like you kiss Elena.”

His mouth responded before his mind could fight it. He growled against her lips in anger.

She giggled and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her body to his. He ran his hands up her sides to her shoulders and pushed her down, pinning her to the bed, one of his legs wedged between both of hers.

“Yes,” Beatrice hissed, while Derek’s mind bellowed, thrashing against the chains that held him prisoner.