Page 37 of Elora and the Crow

CHAPTER12

The northern fae complex was a sprawling community about two miles from Parsons Woods. The houses were of the cookie cutter variety, and the complex would have looked like any other typical suburban neighbourhood if not for the thick metal fencing topped with barbed wire and security cameras that surrounded the entire place.

Jonah stopped at the complex entrance. Three more cameras lined the front gate, and as he stepped out of his car, they tracked his movements with slow precision.

He stopped beside a small black speaker mounted to a steel pole embedded in the ground just outside the gate and pushed the speaker's silver button.

A voice crackled out from the speaker. “No soliciting allowed.”

“I’m here for Caleb,” Jonah said.

The silence went on for so long that Jonah almost pushed the button again in case the connection had been lost.

“There’s no Caleb here,” the disembodied voice finally said.

“Tell him his brother wants to speak to him.”

“Told ya, there’s no Caleb here. Get lost, shapeshifter.”

Surprise rippled through him, but he kept it from his face with practiced ease. The only way they could know he was a shapeshifter is if Caleb had told them, and Caleb would never have willingly told anyone what Jonah really was. He knew how dangerous it was for him.

Caleb was obviously under the fae’s influence, and it took everything in Jonah not to shift into an animal form that was small enough to squeeze through the fencing so he could rescue his brother.

Just shift to a bird and fly over it.

Unease immediately rippled through him, and bile burned his throat. Yeah, that was a big fucking no to bird shifting. He’d had enough of flying to last him a goddamn lifetime.

“If you know who I am, then you know the fencing won’t stop me from entering,” he said evenly. “I’m not leaving until I speak to Caleb.”

After nearly a minute of silence, he was getting ready to shift when the voice said, “Leave the car.”

The gate clicked and swung open with a rusty squeal that made his teeth vibrate. He stepped inside the complex, the gate closing behind him with another brain aching squeal.

He didn’t even have to wait a minute before two fae marched down the street toward him. One had dark hair, and the other was blond, but they were both roughly the size of tanks, and their bodies were thick with muscle. They wore matching outfits - green track pants and grey t-shirts with a “Fantasy Gym” graphic on the front. Neither wore jackets despite the cold weather.

They stopped in front of him, their dark eyes assessing and finding him lacking.

“You aren’t welcome here, shapeshifter.” The slightly bigger blond one grunted.

“Let me speak to my brother, and then I’ll leave,” Jonah said.

The blond glanced at the brunette, who rolled his eyes but nodded. “Come with us.”

Jonah followed them down the quiet street. The sun had set, but the street lights cast a warm glow. The crunch of snow beneath their feet was the only sound. Light glowed from the houses they passed, and he saw a few curtains and blinds twitching, but there were no fae on the street.

They turned a corner and stopped in front of a building with a modest sized parking lot. A large sign out front indicated it was the Westbrook Community Hall and that Thursday night’s Bingo would be at six instead of seven.

His lips twitched at the idea of the fae gathering to play Bingo, and the brunette gave him a sharp look. “What’s so fucking funny?”

“Nothing,” he said. “Where’s my brother?”

The fae just grunted and headed toward the building. Jonah followed them across the parking lot and into the building, the warmth a welcome relief from the cold.

The fae led him into a room that held three more fae - two men and a woman. Although shorter than the four men, the woman was just as muscular, and she gave Jonah a cool look as she folded her arms across her torso.

“You’re the shapeshifter?” She looked him up and down. “I expected… more.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” he said. “Where’s my brother?”

---