Alpha Ch. 08

Ealasaid felt her chest tighten, her breathing became laboured and she looked to Drago in panic but he wasn't there. She was standing alone in a grey landscape. She opened her mouth to call out but no words came. Her throat felt like it was closing and she clutched at her neck.

"Eala." Drago's voice broke through the fog and she blinked.

He stood in front of her, his hands holding her face gently and concern in his eyes. She shook herself and looked around. They stood in a desolate landscape. Rolling grey hills stretched as far as she could see and the air pressed closely around her.

"Eala, are you alright?" Drago gently tapped her cheek and she dragged her gaze back to him.

She brought her hand up to cover his. "I'm fine. What is this place?"

"Purgatory." Anton stood a little way away from them staring at something behind them.

Ealasaid and Drago turned to follow his gaze and as they watched a huge stone door materialised.

"And that is the entrance to Hell."

"Hell?" Drago couldn't help but sound incredulous.

"Well one version. Everyone has their own personalised eternity of damnation." Anton stepped towards the door, his voice was flippant but Drago could hear the tension beneath it.

"Then whose is this?" Ealasaid asked.

"Mine." Anton placed his hand on the door and it swung outwards.

Before any of them could say anything the sound of music reached them. Anton shook his head with a derisive laugh.

"What is that?" Ealasaid listened closely to the faint words now audible over the music.

"Giacomo Puccini. He must be excited to see me."

Anton walked through the door, leaving Drago and Ealasaid to follow him. The door lead to a high ceilinged hallway. It was painted a deep read and lit by flickering lamps, the light causing their shadows to dance along the walls. A strangely familiar scent reached Ealasaid and she was struck by a deeply buried memory. It danced just out of her reach before she gave up frustrated and concentrated back on her strange surroundings.

The music grew louder as they walked and eventually they approached a second door. This one was made of a dark wood and Anton paused when they reached it.

"He's behind there." Anton's voice was quiet and Ealasaid took his hand in her own.

"We're with you, no matter what happens." She encouraged him.

Anton steeled himself and pushed the door open. Anton went first, then Ealasaid and Drago stepped in last. Looking around he frowned at the familiar surroundings.

"Is this a theatre box?" He asked.

"The most elite in the world." Anton answered.

"Has the day truly come?" A strange voice came from the seat in front of them.

They watched in silence as a tall figure stood and turned to greet them. His skin was dark like Anton's as was his long dreadlocked hair. He wore half of it pulled back into a plait while the underneath hung loose down his back. The similarities between the brothers were striking. Both were tall and muscled. They had the same easy smile and both had one dimple that made their face look friendly and warm. The only difference was their eyes. Baal's eyes had two iris' and two pupils in each eye and they shone a deep, blood red.

"The Prince of Hell has returned to his home." Baal held his arms wide.

"Hello brother." Anton didn't move.

"Come now Ipos, aren't you happy to see me?"

"Don't call me that." Anton's fists clenched and his teeth gritted in anger.

Baal rolled his eyes. "Are you really not in the least bit happy to see me?"

"I wouldn't exactly say happy."

"After all this time, you still haven't forgiven me." Baal let his arms drop.

"You would have had to apologise first, I'm still waiting on that."

"We can get to our family business later. You haven't introduced me to our guests." Baal's attention fell on Ealasaid and his eyes widened.

Holding out his hand he beckoned to her. Drago instinctively pulled her back away from the Demon. Baal laughed.

"Do not worry, no harm will come to you during your visit to my home. You came for information and that is what you will leave here with but I would be a poor host if I didn't at least introduce myself."

"Then you can start with me." Drago stepped forward and held his hand out.

Baal laughed again but shook the hand proffered to him. "Drago LaBelle, I have heard a lot about you. Even here, in my little slice of Hell you are spoken about with nothing but respect."

"I must be doing something right if even the people I kill are still respectful." Drago forced his tone to remain light. He didn't want Baal to know that he was shaken by the words.

"To be respected like that can be a great thing. Your ancestors knew it, as did mine."

"What do you know about my ancestors?" Drago felt his stomach clench.

"I know about all of your ancestors. They all end up here eventually." Baal turned his attention to Ealasaid. Again he beckoned her forward and this time she went to him.

He took her small hand in his own and his red eyes roamed over her body.

"You look exquisite Miss Fairbairn; may I call you Ealasaid?"

She nodded. His gaze didn't make her feel uncomfortable but she still shifted under his scrutiny. It was as though he was looking inside her, at everything she had ever done.

"You really are a rare beauty. It is a pleasure and an honour to have you in my home. Please, won't you sit?" Baal gently urged her into a seat and settled himself beside her. Anton sat beside his brother and Drago took the seat the other side of Ealasaid.

"Tell me my dear, do you enjoy the opera?" Baal directed his question to Ealasaid who shook her head. She was watching the stage in front of them, it was completely empty save for the figure of a woman. Ealasaid felt a chill run through her, something about the woman was off. She was nothing more than a shadow, a silhouette in a flowing dress and long hair that lifted around her head as though she was in water.

"I've never been to the opera." Finally, Ealasaid answered and Baal flashed her another warm smile.

"You will love it; this is my favourite part."

A haunting voice filled the theatre, Ealasaid shivered and leant forward in her seat. Drago watched her with interest. She had looked like this that night at the ballet, completely entranced in what was happening before her.

All too soon the song was over and a chorus of applause came from the seats below them. Ealasaid peered over the front of the box but there was no one else in the theatre. Baal clapped, joining in the with applause.

"I must thank you all for allowing me to enjoy that. It has been a very long time since I have had anyone to watch the opera with me. Now I'm sure you have questions for me. It would be rude to talk here; I would hate to ruin the rest of the performance for the audience."

Baal stood and motioned towards the door. "If you would follow me we can speak somewhere more suitable."

Drago looked at Anton waiting for his reaction. Anton stood and together the three of them went back through the door. They came out into a warmly lit parlour. There were several plush looking armchairs and two large sofas arranged around an ornate wooden coffee table. Along one wall was an old fashioned bar and they watched at Baal settled himself on the sofa.

"Can I get any of you a drink?" He waved his hand towards the bar but Anton held his hands up.

"Baal stop. This isn't a social call." Anton's voice was frustrated and he stepped forward menacingly only stopping when Drago placed his hand on his friend's arm.

Baal nodded slowly. "You're right. It's just been so long since I've had anyone come to me willingly, even if it is under unpleasant circumstances."

"Don't try any of that guilt trip bullshit." Anton was shaking in anger and the brothers stared at each other across the room.

"Ipos, I understand," Baal started but Anton cut him off.

"Don't call me that and don't give me that 'understanding' shit. You knew exactly what you were doing when you took him from me and you know exactly what you're doing here! I knew this was a mistake."

Baal sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "This is a personal, family matter brother. If you really want to talk about this now then that is your choice but I have tried for years to talk with you in private, I think that would be better."

Anton was quiet for a moment and when he next spoke his voice sounded petulant. "I'll have a whiskey."

Anton dropped into an armchair seeming to accept the fact that they would be there for a while. Drago followed suit and took a seat on the sofa opposite Baal and Ealasaid joined him. Her hand rested on Drago's thigh and she pressed against his side without thinking. The warmth of his body was a soothing familiarity and she moved even closer.

Baal clicked his fingers and a shadowy figure rose from the ground behind the bar. Without speaking the shadow collected a tray with a bottle and four glasses and brought it over to them. Placing it on the table it poured each of them a glass before seeming to dissolve back into thin air.

"What was that?" Ealasaid asked.

"One of my more permanent guests. Everyone needs a bit of company right?" Baal forced a smile.

Ealasaid felt a wave of sadness hit her. She actually felt sorry for the man in front of her, he seemed to genuinely miss having others around him.

"Well I've dragged out the niceties as long as I can. Please, any question you have for me I will answer as honestly as possible." Baal made direct eye contact with Ealasaid as he spoke and a chill went through her.

"What is an Entari?" Ealasaid asked without thinking.

Baal swirled his drink as he thought about his answer. "The Entari is a race of creature that most people thought extinct, not too unlike you my dear. They are feared by many, revered by all and if they were to return we would all be wiped out."

Ealasaid leant forward. "What do you mean wiped out?"

"Entari's are vicious, cold hearted beasts. They think of nothing but violence. They hunt other creatures, not just for food but for sport. The creature they don't kill they keep like pets, it's all about control. The only creature they seemed to gravitate towards was the Fae." Baal looked meaningfully at her and Ealasaid felt a shiver run through her body.

"Why are we talking about this?" Drago cut in and Baal smirked.

"You haven't told him?"

Drago looked from Ealasaid to Baal in confusion. "What does he mean? Told me what?"

"I didn't know what to do. It was such a slim chance I wanted to be sure before I said anything to you." Ealasaid took one of Drago's hands in both of her own and her silver eyes stared pleadingly at him.

"Said anything about what?" Drago squeezed her hands and stoked her palm soothingly with his thumb.

"The whole time they had me in the Order, they just kept asking where you were. I thought it was just because they wanted to get you back, you were the only person ever to escape and I thought they wanted to punish you for making them look weak but it was something different. They thought you might be an Entari."

Drago was silent. His eyes darted around the room waiting for someone to speak and when they didn't he laughed.

"This is some kind of joke right?" He waited for anyone to join with his laughter.

Ealasaid took a deep breath, she was terrified to tell him what she knew but she had no choice. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to say anything until I knew more. I started researching as soon as I got back and then you told me about the Sickness, the symptoms of the Sickness and the symptoms for the beginning of change to Entari are basically the same. Scars that come from nowhere and burn. Tell me you haven't felt it."

Drago touched his arm without thinking. "I've felt it but why didn't you tell me?"

"Because if I was wrong it would be like hearing you were dying all over again. I didn't want to give you false hope, I didn't want to give any of us false hope. Maybe I was being selfish but I couldn't go through that again. When you told me about the Sickness I felt like my world had ended, I didn't want to have to be the one to give you that news if the Order was wrong about what you are. I'm sorry"

Drago pulled her to his chest, feeling her shiver in his arm. Kissing the top of her head he shushed her gently.

"Hey, it's OK Little One. I understand, I'm not angry."

"You're not?" She glanced up at him and he smiled as he kissed the tip of her nose.

"Course not Ma Petite." He turned his attention back to Baal. "So were they right, am I an Entari?"

"The Entari are a creature like no one has ever seen. There is talk of one other but he is allusive. He once worked for the Order but last I heard he deserted and took his children with him."

"Children?" Drago perked up at the word.

"Yeah, real sick guy. Used to make people call him Daddy." Baal sipped his drink as he spoke.

"The Entari, can they control people?" Ealasaid asked. She had moved to the edge of the sofa as she listened intently.

"They can do more than control people. They can take over everything that you are. They can control what you think, how you feel; even physical things like how you age. They can take over everything that makes a person themselves and no one would know." Baal sipped his drink again. "You sound familiar with this aspect."

"Daddy sent one of his children to our home. We have her safe but we didn't know what he was or how we could help her. Is there a way to stop him from getting back to her?" Ealasaid moved even closer, her bright silver eyes fixed on Baal.

"An Entari has one known weakness." Baal spoke and Anton scoffed.

"Let me guess, another Entari?"

Baal smirked. "Let me build up the suspense brother. You know how I love to tell stories."

"Stop fucking about Baal! This is serious." Anton's voice was grating through his throat and Baal held up a hand to placate him.

"You're right. Yes, another Entari is the only weakness but if the Order is right, then we have another Entari with us now." Baal looked at Drago.

"Well, how do we know?" Drago asked.

"There is a way to find out, if you are willing to try?" Baal sipped his drink and his voice sounded excited as he spoke.

"What is it?" Drago edged forward. His arms were no longer wrapped around Ealasaid and she shivered as an ominous dread settled in her stomach.

"I would have to kill you."

"What the fuck Baal, this isn't a joke!" Anton stood and began to pace the room. His hands were twisting in front of him and his jaw was clenched in anger.

"Only temporarily of course. If you are an Entari you'll come straight back. If you're not, then I'll bring you back. You won't even know what's happening." Baal hadn't taken his strange eyes off Drago and the smirk still curved his mouth.

"Then do it. I have to know." Drago stood and Ealasaid leapt to her feet beside him. She clutched at his hand and pulled him round to face her.

"Drago don't. Who knows what might happen." Her voice was trembling and Drago felt her flinch as Baal spoke again.

"Don't worry, he will be fine. I promise you that." Baal tried to reassure Ealasaid.

She looked to Anton, silently pleading for help. Anton focused on his brother and stepped close.

"If this doesn't work you can bring him back, you promise?" Anton's vice was grave. Baal stood and held his hand out to Anton. The brothers linked their smallest fingers and then pressed there thumbs together.

Ealasaid couldn't help but scoff. "Are you fucking serious. A pinky promise, that's enough for you?"

"He's my brother and I trust him."

"Yeah but should you? He's done something to you and I can see it still hurts. What would stop him from taking Drago from me?" Ealasaid fought back the tears at the thought of losing her Mate.

"Eala that was an old Demon promise. It means more than you think. We can trust him on this." Anton tried to reassure her but she still looked panicked.

"What if you can't bring him back?" She had moved in front of Drago so she stood between him and Baal without thinking. Her grip tightened on Drago's hand and he could feel her trembling.

"I can bring him back." Baal sounded eerily calm and Ealasaid couldn't help but trust his words.

Drago turned her to face him and dropped a kiss to her forehead. His hands held her neck gently and he stroked her cheek.

"It's going to be fine Little One. I promise."

Ealasaid nodded. Although he couldn't possibly know that, she felt better with his reassurance. She knew that no matter what happened he would always find a way back to her.

"Ipos, you might need to catch him."

"Catch him?" Ealasaid asked but before she could say anything else Baal reached out and placed his hand on Drago's chest.

Instantly Drago went limp and Anton darted forward to catch him. Laying his friend down on the sofa he looked to his brother.

"Is it done?" Anton asked.

"I stopped his heart brother, he isn't getting any deader than that." Baal sounded amused.

Ealasaid couldn't breathe. Her body had gone cold and she could feel herself shaking. Looking down into Drago's lifeless face she fought to draw a breath. When Anton noticed he stood and she knelt in front of the sofa touching Drago's hand.

"Eala, it's OK Little One." Anton spoke softly.

"You have to bring him back. This isn't right. He's so cold."

"Shh baby." Ball gently touched her shoulder and she turned her head to look up at him. "That's a good sign. It means the change is starting."

"But he's so cold. Tavish was this cold and he never came back. Anton, help." She called out to Anton, needing something to anchor her to the world.

Without missing a beat Anton pulled her to her feet and held her tightly to his chest. Her hands clutched at his suit jacket desperately and he held her tighter as he tried to soothe her. He could feel her shaking and he tried his best to calm her.

"It's OK. This is good. He wouldn't have gone this cold if the change wasn't starting." She felt his voice rumble through his chest and the beating of her heart slowed.

"Are you sure?" Ealasaid looked back to Drago's lifeless body.

"I'm sure. I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to him and I will keep that promise." Baal said and then sipped his drink as he looked from Ealasaid to Drago. The look on her face stirred something deep within Baal's stomach and he placed his drink on the table before gently touching the small of her back.

Ealasaid stepped out of Anton's grip and took a deep soothing breath.

"So what now?" She looked at Baal.

"We wait." Baal pulled her close and she felt a shiver run through her.

"How long?" Anton asked, his stormy eyes were fixed on his Alpha and Baal released his hold on Ealasaid.

"No more than a few minutes. He will be confused when he wakes up though, he might not recognise you. The change takes a lot out of a person." Baal looked at Ealasaid meaningfully.

"Will it be anything like mine?" Ealasaid thought back to moment she had come round from the change. The burning of her skin, the crashing of her thoughts through her head and the overwhelming urge for violence.

"I don't know. No one has ever seen an Entari change and lived." Baal clenched his fist and felt the unseen figures that followed him everywhere surge to life. The spirits of the dead wouldn't be any match for an Entari but they would give them enough time to get away.

"Then how do you know what brings the change on?" Ealasaid's mind was filled with questions and she stepped closer to Baal without thinking.

"The birth of the Fae or the Entari can only come about after the death of another part of the self. If we had left the change to take its effect in its own time you would have watched Drago waste away before you until he died. Then he would have come back. This much we know for certain."