FIONA
I screamed out as Leslie threw me down on the floor, some of my hair ripping from my head. I got up immediately, running at her, just as Lotus chains wrapped around my wrists, dragging me back.

"Konrad is going to have fun with you. I hope you understand, Fiona. I have to. I need to be in his good graces." Leslie said, her brown eyes almost apologetic.

Her apologies could go to Hell with her. Lord knew I'd be sending her there the first chance I got.

"My family trusts you!" I screamed.

She couldn't give me to Konrad. She couldn't. I wouldn't beg, but God I had never felt like begging more than I did in this moment. The moment I was given to Konrad— my life was over. He'd rape me, torture me, make me want to die. I couldn't go there.

"He'll kill me!" I screamed at Leslie.

She wiped tears from her eyes as she put a hand up. "I'm so sorry." She ran from the room. She bounded up a series of steps before slamming a door shut.

All of the light cut from the room, drenching me in blackness.

The lotus burned my hands but I didn't care— it only made me pull harder— fight stronger. I screamed as I pulled the chains, demanding them to break. They didn't, and they wouldn't.

I gave up and snarled at nothing but the emptiness in front of me.

"I'll fucking kill you!" I screamed out. "You're dead, Leslie, DEAD!" My breathing was so heavy I sounded like a bull trapped behind a gate— I felt like a bull trapped behind a gate. And when I got out, Leslie's body was my china shop.

Once I stopped rattling my chains and calmed down, I heard the faint sound of someone crying. It almost sounded like a little girl.

"Hello?" I said out.

I heard chains rattle from behind the wooden wall next to me. Someone tried to move closer to me but ended up crying more.

"Sophia?" The little girl asked.

"No, my name is Fiona Dawn," I responded, my heart drooping. How old was she? "Here, back away from the wooden wall?" I didn't mean to sound like I was ordering her, but I wasn't used to talking to children. Sure, Zach, but he was so different from other kids. He was a Dawn, just as tough as the rest of us.

I heard the girl shuffle.

I positioned myself so I could kick at the wall. And that's what I did. On the first kick, the flimsy wooden wall between us exploded back.

A little girl came into my view, curled into a ball. Her eyes were deep brown, her skin tanned and dirty. Her long dark brown hair cascaded down her frail frame.

"What's your name?" I asked. She looked as though if a flower landed on her she'd shatter into a million pieces. I needed to be more soft.

The girl gulped. "Gracie Barron."

I almost backed up from her. "Barron?" I asked.

She almost cried again. "Yes," She whimpered out.

"Oh no, it's okay, it's okay. I'm friends with Arlis." I think Constance mentioned something about him having an adopted kid, a kid she actually liked. "Constance is my cousin." Maybe I could gain some trust.

The girl perked up. "Like my Aunti Connie?" She asked.

I nodded, smiling slightly. "Yes, her."

The girl backed up as the door opened. She cowered away and I felt a part of me heat up.

What was Leslie doing with her?

Leslie came down with water and a plate of food. She set it down in front of me. While there was a day in my life I would once kill for her Cajun food, now all I wanted was to throw it in her face.

Leslie turned to glare at Gracie. "Are you going to stop screaming for your daddy?" She snapped.

Gracie tried to growl but it just came out adorable.

"Oh yeah, such a Barron." Leslie rolled her eyes.

I lunged out and head butted her, breaking her nose under my forehead. She backed up, stumbling into the wall.

She shot me a disgusting look, grabbing the plate of food from in front of me. She flipped the plate over and rubbed the food into the disgusting ground.

"There's dinner." She stood up and kicked the glass of water over.

She moved back upstairs, enveloping us in darkness once again. I hoped she was crying to herself, wondering why nobody would ever love her.

I looked over at Gracie who had stopped crying. "That was cool," She muttered.

"Yeah? You liked that?" I asked, smiling to myself. "I'll get us out of here, Gracie, I promise." I would. I wouldn't leave without her.

She tipped her chin up. "My dad's gunna rip her head off when he finds me."

I barked out a laugh and then nodded. I understood why Constance liked her now. "I'm sure he will," I said jokingly. If Alpha Arlis hadn't found her already... I figured our savior options were left to me.

I'd get us out of here.

"How old are you?" I asked her. Even with me being 161 years old I still had a hard time telling how old underage supernaturals were. She looked 12, but she could of been 6.

"Seven," She responded. "I'm seven."

I widened my eyes. She was definitely Arlis's kid. She was seven and already knew her dad could and would rip someone's head off for her.

"That's a fun age!" I tried to joke but I only sounded like a crazy woman.

She giggled. "How old are you?" She asked.

"161," I answered.

"Oh," She looked down, fiddling with her fingers. "Well you're very pretty for an old lady."

Prison wouldn't be so bad with her, would it? I made a tic-tac-toe grid in the wood shards on the ground. "Have you ever played tic-tac-toe?" I asked.

Everly used to love this game when she was younger. Zach did too but playing it with him sucked, he always won. Maybe, if I wanted to help her, the way to do that would be to keep her distracted.

"No."

"What!?" I shouted. "Okay, here are the rules." I started to explain the rules.

Water was leaking onto my jeans, the smell of the food mixed with feces and piss was stinging my nose, but we'd be okay.

BECKER
Sophia walked into the living room and laid on the couch, her eyes barely staying open. She woke up two hours ago after a seventeen hour sleep.

I shook my head as she shivered.

"Sophia?" I said, my voice quiet and soft. I was related to her— wasn't I? She was my... well she was my niece. And Everly's boyfriend was my nephew. Huh.

She jumped up, scared, before she realized who spoke. "You."

"Becker," I told her my name. She was so young, not even old enough to understand the full effect of the war going on. 8 years old. Just a baby in the scheme of things.

She looked down at her hands. "I don't know how much more I can give," She cried. "Please don't take any more from me."

I widened my eyes. "Oh, God no." I walked to her and cradled her in my lap, squeezing her too me. "No, no I promise not to."

I closed my eyes as I cradled her.

She cried into my chest, her wails making me want to get up and kill Konrad right then. But I couldn't. I had to think about the other kids trapped here, just like her, or in worse positions.

She eventually fell asleep, me cradling her, keeping her warm. Konrad didn't care enough to turn on the heater, and it was freezing outside.

I didn't want to move, in case of scaring Sophia away. I ran my hands through her hair, letting her sleep.

If she needed sleep, I'd give it to her. Konrad was draining her, using her power, and then not giving her the necessary days it took to recharge. He was taking what she didn't have.

Sophia stirred awake, screaming.

I rocked her in my lap, trying to shush her. "It's okay, you're okay." I cooed.

"I want my brother." She continued to cry, and I felt a couple of my own tears fall.

"I know, I know. He's not here yet, okay?" I had to help her while she was here. I tried to help as many of the kids as I could.

Of course, many of the kids who were here, their parents were here too— forced to work for Konrad.

Konrad walked past us, not even glancing at us. He sickened me, he made me want to vomit.

I set Sophia down gently next to me. "Konrad!" I yelled. A tiny part of me felt weird calling him that. He had been "dad" for a full 95 years before he betrayed me and my mom.

My history with Konrad was complicated, but I knew I hated him. I knew I hated everything he stood for, no matter what he once was.

"You need to stop— you're killing her." I nodded to Sophia.

He looked at her and then back to me, his eyes glinting in satisfaction. "Good." He said and then continued to walk.

I wanted to stand up for her further but I couldn't— not without risking the balance I had created. I was fully invested in every side of this war. I could be here, protecting and helping the prisoners. I could look over Arlis and Constance if they were here— alongside my other family. I could be in on Konrad's plans, aware of all of his moves.

But that also came with a price tag. I had to work for Konrad, I had to do unspeakable things to the same people I helped.

I looked down at my hands. They looked clean, but they weren't. I tortured a woman so badly yesterday she just... died.

She just died.

And there was nothing I could do except apologize as she called me a monster.

Because I was.

Sophia shivered as I sat back down next to her. "It's so cold." She said, her body shuddering.

I looked around for a blanket, or a jacket, or something. But there was nothing. I tilted my head at my hands. No, there was something.

"Wanna know a magic trick?" I asked her. When I said magic trick, I really meant magic trick. She could use her magic to keep herself warm.

She looked up at me through tired lashes. She looked a lot like Colin with dark hair and wide brown eyes. "What?"

I cupped my hands together, forming a bowl. "Follow my lead," I said.

And she did. She cupped her small hands into a bowl.

"Calefaciat." I whispered and a small fire lit into my hands, warming my entire body. It wasn't hot to the touch, the flames would never spread or burn me. All they did was spread warmth through my entire body.

Sophia jumped back. "What is that!?" She asked curiously.

"A warmth spell. Look, cup your hands again, and say calefaciat."

She brought her hands back. "Cali fat cat." She said and groaned when nothing happened.

I laughed. "No, sweetheart, cal-uh-faw-see-et."

She rose an eyebrow up. "This isn't going to work."

I hung my head. "Yes, yes it will. Try again."

She groaned but tried again anyways. "Calefaciat." A little fire formed in her hands, and all she could do was stare at it. "It's so pretty." She said, smiling. "I did it!" She shouted.

I held up my hand to give five her. She tucked her fire to her. "No, I don't want to scare it away."

I chuckled. "Okay, we won't scare away your fire."

She stared at it a while longer before looking up at me with her big brown eyes. "Do people call you Beck Beck?"

I shook my head.

"Oh— well... I'm calling you that now. I like my nicknames. Like, I call brother Collie even though he hates it." She laughed.

She didn't look at me like I was a monster. Maybe I wasn't too far from saving. Maybe I could make it out of this.

Becker really is just my favorite character, hands down. From this book and from 1987. He's just a magnificent little jelly bean. Magnificent little dead jelly bean. :(