The Shifter and Her Human Mate

Chapter 7

Ellie's POV

*TW: violence*

After I allowed Marshall and Simone to re-capture me, they put me in the cellar for three days. Other Fae women were in the cellar with me; I couldn't see them but I heard them moaning and screaming for help. I counted at least fifteen stone cells when I was down there.

Simone was the main person who watched us and reported anything amiss back to him. She starved us and gave us little water to weaken us. I had to really sell my pitiful act and act like I learned my lesson to get out of there.

While I could have easily used my powers to escape the dungeon and try to find something I could use to stop Marshall, I decided against it. Too many Faes were arriving to fight in the Witch Ruler's war and I had no idea what powers these Faes had.

After I got out of the cellar, Ariana informed me that we and other Faes werel going to be traveling to Washington State to attack the Fairy King. As we packed what little belongings we had, I didn't miss the look of horror on Ariana's face.

"I told him Ellie, the Witch Ruler can't be trusted and he's going to get us all killed! Marshall won't listen. He thinks this is a quick and easy way to not only unload the Faes who are too unhealthy to work anymore, but capture more Faes from the Kingdom in one swoop! We can't fight! We've never been trained, yet we are supposed to go up against our own kind who have been well-trained AND are rumored to have alliances to werewolves?!" Ariana huffed. I said nothing and listened to her vent.

"Ellie, I want you to promise me something." Ariana turned around and faced me.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"The moment it begins to get bad, use your ability to save yourself." Ariana looked at me in desperation.

"I'll try, but I don't think I'll get far." I said quietly. Ariana has done nothing but try to quietly help me since I got here. I don't think I'd have lasted this long without her guidance.

Ariana took my hands. "Not many of us will. But you can." After we finished packing, we joined the other Faes outside in a large open field where two large planes waited. I looked around expecting to see Marshall but couldn't find him anywhere.

"Where is Marshall?" I whispered to Ariana.

"With that f**ker Luca Lombardo!" She whispered back.

"Ariana, if he's not here, we can try to get away!...." But then I stopped my train of thought when I saw who was waiting beside the cars. There were at least twenty men lined up with machine guns!

"That's Marshall's private army. Do exactly what they say, Ellie. DON'T let your guard down with them for a minute! When we get on the plane, don't say one word!" Ariana whispered as we came up to the second plane. The guard looked at both of us with contempt.

"Get inside, w****s!" He told us. We kept our heads down and boarded the plane. As we were seated, I looked at Ariana who quietly took my hand. She stayed right beside me the rest of the flight. I leaned my head against the window and slept at intervals, trying to ignore the guards on the plane walking back and forth.

About four hours later, we made a descent into a massive open clearing with mountains in the background. As beautiful as this place was, I couldn't appreciate it with how scared I was.

"Sergei, line all these women up!" One of the guards commanded of his co-worker. Sergei ordered all of us into two lines, then took a count.

"Exactly 89, sir."

"MR. SHERMAN! WE'RE MISSING ONE!" Marshall was walking towards all of us with his hands held up. All of a sudden, I couldn't move! I tried to move my hands and turn my head but couldn't! I could still hear, however. We all watched as the guards dragged a young dark-haired Fae to the center of the field.

"Ahhhh, there you are Brennan! My little Runaround Sue! Well this is your last time running away!" I watched in horror as Marshall raised his hand and Brennan, was literally split in half!

Marshall stared at all of us, grinning with such demonic evil I couldn't bear it. Finally, he unfroze all of us with his one hand but kept the other raised. Brennan's screams of agonizing pain pierced through the air, growing softer and more garbled by the second.

"I'll let y'all decide what else I should do with her! Leave Brennan here without legs, or should I put her out of her misery?" Many Faes fell to their knees begging Marshall to put Brennan out of her misery. I stared at Brennan, silently praying to Goddess Aine to take Brennan quickly to ease her suffering. About thirty seconds later, Brennan took her last breath.

"Son of a b***h!!" Marshall spat, rolling his eyes at Brennan and kicking at one of her dismembered legs.

"She was troublesome right up until the end! Bones, take two men and take care of Brennan. The rest of y'all follow me!" The guards nudged us and forced us to march out of the clearing into the forest, Marshall leading the way. Ariana stayed by my side.

"Ariana, did you know?" I whispered as soon as I could tell the guards were a safe distance away.

"No." Ariana was trying to stay composed, but had utter terror in her eyes.

Once we got through the forest we came to a meadow where a man and woman waited. Immediately I could tell they were both witches, though the man was very large for a male witch. He had salt and pepper dark hair and dark brown eyes. The woman beside him looked just like him and was very beautiful.

"Marshall, you have exceeded my expectations!" The man smiled at Marshall who beamed with pride.

"Welcome to Washington! My name is Luca Lombardo, or who is known as the Witch Ruler! This is my mother, Sophia. First things first, you have likely heard by now I am declaring a war against the Fairy King Arlen Miller. Marshall has told me all of you have something against King Arlen?" He and his mother stared hard at us.

"He's a monster!" I heard one cry out.

"Look what he did to my face!! I WANT HIM DEAD!" That had to be Simone.

"What abilities do you all have?" Sophia asked us.

"I can cause rain!"

"I have smoke magic!" One of the faes cried.

"I can make the earth move!" I stared at Simone in disbelief.

"That b***h is lying through her teeth!" Ariana whispered at me through clenched teeth.

"Ariana, now is as good as any to tell you. I don't camouflage just into objects. I can become a clone of any person I touch!" Ariana slowly turned her head towards me.

"Then do it while they are distracted. Afterwards make your way out of the crowd and into the forest!" She urged me.

"What about you? You can come with me!" I whispered.

"I can't Ellie. I'm too old and I'll slow you down. Just go and don't turn back, no matter what!" Ariana grabbed my hand and I stared at her.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because you're the last chance I've got at redemption and not going to Fairy Hell for my sins. Go now!" She hissed and I didn't hesitate. I whispered my Fae prayer and when I saw Ariana smirk, I knew the transformation was complete.

"Good luck, Ellie from Belfast." Ariana smiled softly at me. I looked around quickly and eased my way out of the crowd and into the trees.

No, I can't leave Ariana here! I grabbed the first large tree I could find and climbed it as high as I could go, then shifted back and blended in with the tree. This gave me a safe vantage point where I could observe everything going on. Thankfully no one noticed me missing yet. I listened to Simone tell Luca why she was banished by the Fairy King.

"My fated mate, Charles Hicks, was a horrible man. I fell in love with another man and made plans to reject Charles. But Charles found out before I could reject him and killed my lover! So, I killed Charles out of revenge. The good king's reasoning for punishing me was because I didn't formally reject my mate. Even though Arlen knew good and well Charles was an abusive piece of s**t, he took his precious Fae law's side and punished ME! I've waited close to ten years for my vengeance! AND I AIM TO HAVE IT!" Simone screamed.

Even the most gullible Fae could see the holes in Simone's story. Any Fairy King would have banished Simone just for falling someone else.

But this was the Witch Ruler and he wants to fight a war. So I'm sure he believes Simone's stupid story and her assertion she can make the Earth move.

"Everyone, I will not lie to you. We had one battle already and lost almost half our witches. We are up against not only Faes, but Gypsies and wolves! If any of you have magic such as firepower, electric shock, anything that can disarm someone quickly; step forward now!"

The Faes all turned around to look at each other. Then f******g Simone piped up with: "Where is Ellie!"

"Where is she?!" Marshall screamed frantically, looking all over for me. It took everything in me not to laugh out loud at how insane he looked.

"Who in the hell is Ellie!" Luca demanded.

"A little Fae b***h I smuggled out of New Orleans! Freaking Aiden Starr almost got her when he and his brother put me up to a sting last week, but I cornered the little s**t at the airport just before she got on a plane back home! ARIANA!!!"

OH GOD! I watched in horror as Ariana came forward. Marshall marched right up to her and smacked her in the face. "Ariana, you are those girls' keeper! Now, where in the hell is Ellie?!"

"I don't know, sir! She was with us when she got here!" Ariana cried.

"She can't have got far! Let's search for her!" Sophia commanded.

"It won't matter. Ellie Gallagher is going to be very difficult to locate." Marshall said.

"WHY!" Luca shouted.

"She's got the gift of some kind of camouflage. She can blend in with her surroundings. Hell she could even be hiding in one of these tree trunks!"

Luca turned towards the meadow and I watched in terror as he unleashed fire through the bank. When he turned to the forest I was about to flee, but his mother stopped him.

"I can't sense the girl, Luca. She isn't here. And I sense Ariana was lying through her f*****g teeth!!" Luca stormed over to Ariana and snatched her up by her neck, holding her midair.

"What do you know!" He snarled at her.

Ariana began to laugh. "You will never find her, witch-wolf!" The entire meadow echoed with screams of horror as they watched Luca burn Ariana into ash!!

Marshall stormed over to all of them. "Now y'all saw what just happened to Ariana! Anyone else hiding anything?" All of them shook their heads.

"I can't worry about this s**t, Marshall! Come on!" I watched as Luca grabbed an older gentleman...and vanished right into thin f*****g air!!!

Once everyone left the meadow, I re-manifested and walked to where Ariana's ashes were. Wiping tears away, I bent down and whispered the Lord's Prayer, thanking Ariana for keeping me as safe as she could. I silently asked Goddess Aine not to send Ariana to Fairy Hell, then got up and followed the trail towards my fate.