The first year of college wasn’t going exactly as planned. His friend group was as small as it always had been. Theo just wasn’t very good at making friends. Until he started to meet his mates. The four men that fate had decided Theo belonged with.
And didn’t fate have a whole list of things to throw at Theo? Being part of the chosen for this generation. The person that was supposed to be on the side of good and fighting evil.
Yeah, Theo wasn’t a fighter but that was what Alek, Wylder, and especially Mitch was for.
Maybe things weren’t going as Theo had predicted but it hadn’t been bad.
Now that he was away from his mates, Theo wished that he’d pushed harder to have more time with them. It didn’t matter that Theo and Wylder had classes. They could have been staying with Dario and driving back to campus. Even if he had to get up early. It would have been worth it.
Mitch used a portal to travel from the human realm to hell. He could have been there with them as well. And Alek mightbe focused on their destiny but Dario had made him a very nice office. When Theo got home, he was going to make dang sure that they did not spend another night apart again.
Reaching the top of the hill, Theo breathed out a sigh of relief. Going down had to be easier. Could they rest here? Garrett was tired and so was Theo. His feet hurt from the sharp rocks that Theo had to step on to get up the hill as they poked the thin sole of his shoes. Okay, Theo was a little concerned that it hadn’t been rocks but bones under his feet.
He was not going to ask questions or even think about that. If he was stepping on people’s bones, then no wonder the spirits were coming at them in all directions.
The spirits hadn’t touched them.
Mybe they couldn’t.
Being on the unseelie side of the realm was scary but truthfully Theo would be frightened no matter where he was. It wasn’t inside him to be fearless. That wasn’t really Theo. And he was fine with that. Theo didn’t need to be the hero in the story.
Steve stopped peering down the hill as Bo seemed to freeze in place.
Theo walked to Bo’s side and immediately spotted what had stopped the troll.
Two dozen men dressed in black robes stood in a semi-circle with weapons out and pointed in their direction.
“What’s going on?” Theo questioned Steve as he didn’t seem surprised by the welcome committee.
“Betrayal,” Bo rumbled out.
Steve turned to Theo and smiled. It was not a nice smile. “You really shouldn’t have trusted me. Now you get what you deserve and I get my reward.” He skipped down the hill to approach one of the other cloaked figures.
“Steve!” Theo shouted. Hellcats! Theo should have trusted his gut. He’d known that there was something wrong with Steve. And Theo had followed Steve directly into the path of what appeared to be an army.
Ignoring him, Steve waved back toward the three of them. “Theo Bailey delivered as promised.”
Theo groaned although he wasn’t even surprised at the betrayal. It was just seeing Steve so happy about being a snake made Theo mad. He didn’t know when and he didn’t know how but Theo was going to get his revenge one day. Plus, Steve had also put Garrett into danger and that wouldn’t sit right with Josh
The cloaked figure drew the hood back revealing an attractive dark-haired…fae. He had to be fae with those sharp ears and unusual eyes. There was an otherworldly appearance to the fae. More so in their own realm.
“I am Bywater Gilmore,” the cloaked figure stated loudly. “The summoner. Theodore Justin Bailey, come to me.”
Theo tried to dig his feet into the soft soil but he was walking forward against his will.
“No, friend!” Bo grabbed his arm.
The cloaked figure, Bywater, threw a glowing red ball at Bo, who hissed, releasing Theo.
Once again Theo was walking as summoned.
“Theo!” Garrett ran toward him.
Bywater once again tossed a glowing orb, but this time, when it hit Garrett, the gargoyle turned to stone midstride.
“Garrett!” Theo fought the compulsion. Not that it did him any good. He could no more stop walking toward Bywater than he could summon his mates for help. And it would be the perfect time for his wonderful mates to show up.
Like right now.
