Timeless

Chapter 11

Manny would have fallen to his knees had Frankie not caught him first. "Manny, what's

wrong?" "My blood feels like it's going to boil me alive," Manny moaned.

Looking around, Frankie saw nothing but land and wild flowers, until he turned, "Is that a castle."

Nodding, Pascal replied, "We're back in the pixie realm." "Manny needs rest," Frankie insisted. Avery looked around, then said, "Why don't we go to the castle for an hour or so? This will allow Manny the time he needs and gets us out of the open."

Frankie lifted Manny in his arms and began walking. "Wait," Ollie said grasping Frankie's arm. Frankie looked down at the smaller man, saying, "What is it, Ollie? We need to go." Ollie looked at Avery. "We can picture where we found Manny the last time we were here.

This way, you can just transport us there, if that's okay? There was a nice bed there and we're then out of sight." Nodding, Avery replied, "Good idea." Seconds later Frankie found himself in a really nice room with a large plush bed against the

wall. Pascal rushed to the bed and pulled the covers down so Frankie could lay Manny on the bed and cover him. His eyes were closed and his breathing was labored. Turning to the others, Frankie stated, "We should think about going back to Angelo's.” Avery looked at his best friend. Frankie could see the fear and concern on the young man's face, but then he shook his head, saying, "Manny needs Rune. Maybe the best thing would be for

Pas, Ollie, and I to continue looking for him, and you guys stay here." "We're getting closer, Frankie. Rune’s energy signature is stronger with each pop we've

done. I know we're going to catch up to him quickly," Ollie insisted. Frankie looked at Manny and knew there was no way that his mate could continue on this

way. Sighing, Frankie replied, "I really think we should go back to our realm, Avery. Time moves much slower here than it does in our realm and Angelo will s**t purple kittens if Manny isn't

around for his twenty first birthday." "But this place is safer than──"Ollie's words were cut off when the sound of glass

shattering was heard below them. Frankie stood up and went to the door, but didn't open it. He looked down, to his right, left,

and then at the door once more. "s**t, we need to get out of here, now!" "What? Where in the hell do you suggest we go? Manny is in no shape to pop from place to

place. You said so yourself," Avery hissed. Quickly making his way back to Manny, Frankie pulled the covers down and lifted his mate

as gently as possible. However, a low, pain filled moan still escaped the young man's lips. "I know beautiful, but we must go. Soon you will be safe and comfortable." Turning back to Avery, Frankie spoke low so as not to alert the intruders below them. "There are about twenty menbelow us right now, looking room to room, and approximately ten more making their way room to

room on both sides of us. If we don't go now, it could be too late."

"How do you know this?" Avery asked wide eyed with fear.

Ignoring Avery's question, Frankie asked, "Avery, can I show you a location and you send

Pascal and Ollie to it without taking them yourself?"

Avery looked at Manny and the sound of crashing doors getting closer had Avery giving a

jerky nod, saying, "Yeah, I think so, but I have to warn you, I've never done it before."

Frankie went to Ollie. " We have to try, Avery. It's the only way to slow these assholes down

and get Manny to safety. Can you hold him for me, Ollie?" Frankie asked

"Hol──Oomph──I guess so," Ollie huffed.

Pascal rushed to his brother, whispering, "I can help." Taking some of the burden of Manny's

weight from his brother, asking, "What are you doing, Frankie?"

Frankie touched Avery. "Do you see where I want you to send them?"

Once Avery nodded, Frankie looked at Pascal. "Avery is going to send you to my home.

Make Manny comfortable. If we are not there in the next five hours, call Illan and tell him what

happened. Avery and I are going to do what we can to slow these assholes down so they don't

follow us to my place."

Avery closed his eyes and barely touched Ollie. Seconds later they were gone and the door

to the room flew open, at the same time Frankie's blue and gold phoenix burst free. Frankie took a

deep breath and let out a fire stream, killing the first three men. Avery tossed what looked like an

energy ball at the fourth and fifth. All five men were on fire and backing up. The sound of them

screaming as they flipped over the railing was the last they would ever make.

An electric bolt scraped Frankie's right wing. Turning, he blew another stream of fire that

was immediately blocked with their shields. So, he shot a laser beam from his eyes that cut right

through the shield, killing the men in his path. Seeing a blast making its way towards Avery,

Frankie blew a fire stream in that direction, stopping it before it could hit the young man.

More men were rushing up the stairs and Frankie knew that they were going to be in big

trouble if they didn't do something. Frankie drew in a deep breath and started a fire stream from

left to right as Avery began to chant spreading his hands wide.

A large black hole began to form behind the soldiers. Frankie drew in another deep breath

and blew a fire stream as hard as he could. The soldiers did as he suspected they would──they

backed up and fell into the hole. When the others saw what was happening, they went to move

forward, but Avery swung his hand in their direction causing the rest of the men to be tossed into

the black hole. Avery clapped his hands together and closed the opening so hard it began to make

the castle shake and rocks begin to fall from the ceiling above them.

Frankie quickly shifted, grabbed Avery's arm, yelling, "We need to get out of here, now!"

Avery closed his eyes and Frankie fell to his knees when they popped into their new

location. Looking around, Frankie saw the rock fireplace against the arched out, wall size

windows that circled the entire room, overlooking the lake area surrounded by forest. Frankie

sighed and thanked the Gods. He was home.

Not wanting to rush into Manny still feeling the anxiety of the fight he and Avery just went

through, Frankie stood up on shaky legs and quickly sat in his favorite light beige, Sanna Tufted

arm chair, and dropped his arms on his spread legs as he leaned forward and just tried to takedeep even breaths.

"Damn, this place is amazing," Avery said looking around.

The sound of rushing feet had Frankie looking up, and he couldn't stop the slight laugh from

escaping at the sight of Ollie holding Frankie's Nineteenth Century Cutlass sword, yelling, "Take

another step and I'll cut your balls off!"

"You do know that is only a decoration? It isn't even sharp," Frankie said while still

laughing.

Ollie brought the sword down, saying, "All the more painful. Damn, you guys scared the shit

out of Pas. We didn't expect you for a few more hours."

Frankie pointed to Avery, saying, "Merlin over there is far more amazing than I think even

his mates know. He took out practically the entire army by himself."

"You saved my a*s back there, Frankie. Thank you," Avery said still looking around.

"How is Manny?" Frankie asked in concern.

Ollie shrugged. “He’s resting. Pas is with him now if you want to go and see him."

Shaking his head, Frankie replied, "I don't want to disturb him. I just need a few minutes to

get past our last encounter. I don't want my anxiety to transfer to him. He has enough going on right

now."

With a perplexed look, Ollie replied, "I’ll just go let Pas know that everything is fine out

here."

Sighing heavily, Frankie stood up and walked to his bar cabinet and pulled out a glass, then

poured himself two fingers of whiskey and downed it. Damn, his hands were still shaking.

Frankie had never been much of a fighter. Hell, he didn't even want to be a cop. But when Frankie

had told his old man he wanted to be an artist, his father had looked so hurt. As far back as

Frankie could remember his family had always been in the police department. Hell, his mom had

been the secretary of the department when she had met his dad. Not wanting to hurt his dad,

Frankie had turned his love into a hobby and joined the police academy. His mom and dad had no

clue he had continued to paint and that he was the world-renowned artist, Phoenix Lee.

"Damn, did you paint all these?" Avery asked.

Looking in Avery's direction, Frankie smiled softly. It was a picture of Angelo and Morgan

sitting in the diner with Manny, the three were laughing. Frankie remembered that day well. It was

when Manny had first been adopted by Morgan and Angelo. Frankie had thought Manny had the

most beautiful smile he had ever seen and came home to immediately paint the vision in his mind.

"Yes, I did."

"You're f*****g amazing, Frankie. How come I never heard anyone say you were an artist?"

Avery asked.

Pouring himself another drink, Frankie replied, "Because they don't know."

Avery turned around in shock. "What the hell? Why not? You are──Wait a minute." Leaning

closer to the picture of Crystal Frankie had done when he had first arrived here, Avery gasped,

"You're Phoenix Lee? I mean, seriously? I love your work, Frankie! Illan and Justice have a bunch

of your stuff all throughout our home. You have some of the best landscape paintings I have ever

seen in my life. It's like the canvas comes to life."

Frankie sipped his drink, as his cheeks pinkened. "Thank you, Avery. That means a lot. I

didn't know Illan and Justice bought my work."Avery turned to Frankie. "That's because you keep yourself separated from the rest of your

blaze. It's one of the things that keeps Justice up at night. He knows your unhappy, Frankie, and he

doesn't know how to help you. He thinks you don't trust him or even like him as your leader."

Frankie's eyes widened in shock. "I love Justice as my leader. I couldn't ask for a better man

to lead our people. It's he who doesn't trust me, not the other way around, Avery."

"Why do you say that?" Avery asked going to the bar and grabbing a water.

"When everything with the fairies and elves started in Crystal, I was never asked to help.

Hell, I didn't even know about Day and Ethan being prophecies to our people and Angelo was

supposed to be a close friend. I have been on the outside looking in most of my life, so why

should I be surprised?" Frankie ended with a mutter.

Avery turned to Frankie. "You make that choice, Frankie. Your blaze wants nothing more than

to help you. They don't ask things of you because they know you are struggling with something and

you won't let them in. Maybe it's time you walk through that door you've kept closed?"

"You mean like the one you have with your mates about your powers?" Frankie asked with a

raised brow.

"That's different," Avery muttered.

Frankie snorted, "Why don't you explain that to me."

Avery sipped his water, saying, "Illan and Justice are both big time alphas, Frankie. Well,

Illan is even more so, but the point is, they look at me as the omega type. If they find out that I'm

more powerful than them, then what? Where do I belong in our mating? I don't want to be an

alpha. I like where I am in our mating. They cuddle with me, show me how cherished I am every

day, love on me in so many glorious ways. I like my status in our mating. If they find out the truth,

then what?"

"Avery, your mates more than love you. I should know, I can see things like no other. It's my

gift, and I have seen the love so deep within them for you. Hell, I even painted it," Frankie

replied, walking a short distance down the hall, Frankie entered a room and came out with a

canvas, handing it to Avery.

Avery looked at it, and Frankie heard the young man gasp, "Oh!"

Frankie looked at the piece Avery held, feeling pride in his work. Illan was in front of Avery

looking down at him, with love shining so bright, and Avery's image was seen in the eyes of his

mate, as Justice held both his mates from the side, looking at them so intently with passion and

need.

Avery sniffled and wiped his eyes, asking, "When did you do this?"

"The night you killed Levi," Frankie answered.

Avery looked up. "You are truly gifted, Frankie. This is amazing."

Smiling, Frankie downed the rest of his drink. "It's yours. My gift to you, for all you have

done for my mate."

Shaking his head, Avery went to argue, but Frankie was not about to take no for an answer.

"Avery, I want you to have it. Please."

Avery wiped at his eyes once more, saying, "Thank you, Frankie."

Frankie went back to the bar but Avery followed asking, "Tell me what you meant about your

gift?"

Sighing, Frankie sat his glass down. "My gift is about sight. I have the eyes of a telescope. Ican see to the farthest star if I choose. I can see the smallest blemish on a person's skin. I can see

through any surface." "You mean like x-ray vision?" Avery asked.

Nodding, Frankie explained, "If it has anything to do with eyes, I can do it." "Like that laser thing you did to those men earlier?" Avery asked. Nodding, Frankie shrugged. "I've never actually used that on anyone until today. Normally, I

use my gifts for my art." Pascal screamed and Frankie and Avery rushed to the room Manny was in and saw a large

green man looking down at his mate. Frankie fisted his hands to his side, growling, "Rune!" Rune looked up. "I am here to help my son."