Everyone stared at Amylia after she’d announced that our chief kidnapper was her ex-husband, but no one was stupid enough to accuse her of being involved, not when she was locked up with the rest of us. However, it was obvious that they had a lot of questions, though she didn’t seem like she was going to answer them. Instead, Amylia collapsed to the floor and sat there in silence with a stunned expression on her face.

“I know that man,” Dr. Merchant finally said, drawing all eyes to him, all save Amylia’s.

“There seems to be a lot of that going around,” Traci pointed out with a wry smile. “I mean, you know him and that Conrad guy.” She pointed to Amylia. “She knows him and that blonde guy too.” Then she pointed to me. “And Erin knows the blonde girl.”

“So, who here knows the other woman who was with them?” Trey asked with a faint chuckle. “Anyone?”

“I certainly don’t know him well,” Dr. Merchant protested. “I met him several weeks ago when I was investigating your bloodlines… I was trying to find out more about Robert Dupree when I somehow got his attention.” He gestured to the door.

“Of course,” Amylia muttered. “Of course that would draw his attention.”

“He approached me,” Dr. Merchant said. “He said his name was Gregor and that he was a sorcerer. Then he told me that he knew Robert Dupree. Of course, I asked him every question I could think of, though until now, I didn’t realize… He was very unclear on many of his answers, and only now do I realize that I gave him far more information than he gave me. I was so eager to talk of what I’d discovered that I told him nearly everything I’d discovered about your bloodlines.”

“But why?” Kaylie asked with a worried look. “Why is he after us?”

I gulped, looking to Amylia but not saying anything. If that truly was her ex-husband Gregor, then that meant he was my ancestor as much as she was. I felt a little shaken at that, and though I wanted to tell the others, I couldn’t do that without breaking my promise to Amylia.

Since Amylia didn’t look like she was about to say anything, I said, “They said they wanted to find the patterns for our Were forms.” I got blank looks from everyone except for Amylia, who didn’t look at me though she did not faintly. I let out a sigh and then explained, “Every Touched has a special talent…like a single spell that they can cast automatically. Sorcerers can copy these talents and make spells out of them.”

“And you think they’re trying to copy our Were forms?” Darek asked.

“That’s what it sounded like to me,” I admitted. “But as far as I know, Touched can’t copy Were forms. They’re completely different.”

“Then why the fuck are these assholes even trying?” Jake demanded angrily, yanking on his chain again.

“Because,” I answered thoughtfully. “As mythics, we all have special abilities… I can fly, see in the dark, and I can absorb…extra energy. Darek can talk to trees and Kaylie can create all that fire without being hurt.” I paused at that to shrug. “It’s sort of like our Were forms also have Touched talents. These guys must think that if they can create spells based off our Were forms…and perhaps merge and combine them like we can spells, then they’d have some pretty powerful other forms that they can use. Now, imagine having all that built in and then being able to use magic spells on top if it…”

“It could make them very powerful,” Dr. Merchant said with a look of realization. “And this Gregor used me to find the rest of you…”

“But why us?” Traci demanded. “There are other mythics out there.”

“But so many gathered at one time?” Amylia asked, slowly getting to her feet again. “A large group of mythics gathered together in one place would make for an easier capture. And everyone here but Doctor Merchant shares a blood link…”

“And you,” Trey pointed out. “You aren’t even a Were.”

Amylia paused at that with a dark expression as well as one of guilt. “Gregor also has a very personal interest in this bloodline,” she said carefully.

“There is also the mystery of why there are so many mythics in one bloodline,” Dr. Merchant said thoughtfully. “And why there was such a recent surge… Gregor must think that if he can discover the secret of this…”

“Then he can discover why some Weres become mythics,” Darek agreed, giving Dr. Merchant a curious look. This was also why Dr. Merchant had been studying our bloodlines, to discover why mythics are different from other Weres.

“We need to escape,” Amylia said, looking around with a deep scowl. “Unfortunately, not only are we chained but we are also trapped in ward circles…magical cages.”

“So that’s what these are,” Traci mused as she looked at the circle around her.

“Yours are all formed to keep you physically contained,” Amylia mused. “Mine is formed to seal off my magic as well.” Then she looked to me and smiled. “Erin…you do not have the magic seals on yours. It appears that they didn’t know you were a sorceress as well when they took you.”

“A fat lot of good it will do,” I pointed out bitterly. “I didn’t have any of my tokens on me when they burst in…”

“Erin,” Amylia said with a look of disappointment. “I would have thought you would have learned to always keep tokens at hand.”

“It was first thing in the morning,” I protested weakly. “The only token I’ve got is Vera.” I held up the bracelet which was still bound around my wrist.

Amylia smiled faintly. “They took all of mine from me while I was unconscious, so you have more than I.”

I shrugged at that. “Yeah, but this spell won’t do much good. Besides, Monica will probably remind them that I’m a sorceress too…”

“If she thinks about it,” Amylia mused. “She isn’t a sorceress and probably doesn’t know the difference in our ward circles. But you are correct in that we must find a way to escape soon.”

We were all trying to consider what we could possibly do to escape when the door opened again. This time, it was Conrad and Monica who came in. Both of them were hesitant, almost a little scared.

“I’m sorry,” Conrad said. “I didn’t have any choice.”

“Why?” Dr. Merchant demanded. “Why are you helping them?”

Conrad grimaced, looking as though he really did feel guilty for this. Then he looked up with an expression of defiance.

“My mom was hurt bad in an accident,” Conrad explained. “Gregor found me and told me that if I helped them…they’d help me. He used magic to heal my mom and even paid her doctors bills.”

“Please, help us escape,” Dr. Merchant pleaded.

Conrad shook his head. “If I did that, they’d go after my mom. Besides…” He glared at Dr. Merchant and added, “They kept their part of the deal so I’m keeping mine. I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”

Monica looked around the room, taking in each of us being chained up. There was an odd expression in her eyes, almost one of guilt. Then her eyes settled on me and there was nothing but fear and anger.

“You’re gonna get yours,” she said. “You’re gonna get what you deserve…monster.”

“Funny that you’re calling me a monster,” I spat out bitterly. “You and your friends here are the kidnappers.”

“You threatened to EAT me,” Monica yelled.

I just met her glare and responded, “No, I threatened to eat Teressa…after you all jumped my friends for no reason.”

“We were trying to get you out of the Academy,” Monica hissed back. “Your kind doesn’t belong there.”

“Bullshit,” I exclaimed. “You and your friends were after me before you even knew I was a Were. The only reason you all came after me was because Teressa was jealous.” I glared at Monica and added, “The only reason any of this started was because Teressa wanted Todd and she wouldn’t accept that he wasn’t interested in her.”

“You…you,” Monica sputtered, glaring at me furiously. “You FREAK.” Then she backed away from the door, muttering, “I don’t even know why I came down here…” Then she paused at the door, looking at Amylia with a guilty expression and saying, “Sorry,” before leaving with Conrad.

“You have got to tell me what you did to piss her off,” Traci said once Monica was gone.

“I existed,” I pointed out grimly.

A few minutes later, the door opened and this time Gregor came into the room by himself. He paused long enough to look us all over with a grim expression but it was obvious that his attention was mostly aimed at Amylia. He slowly walked to her circle.

“Amylia,” he said, pronouncing her name as though it was some sort of profanity.

“Gregor,” she greeted him with nearly as much venom. “This is madness. Let us go.”

“I think not,” Gregor responded grimly. “I went through a great deal of trouble to find and capture these monsters. I certainly wasn’t expecting you to be at that gathering, but I’m pleased you were. It saves me the trouble of having to look for you.”

“Then let them go,” Amylia ordered him. “It’s me you want.”

Gregor just laughed at that, though it wasn’t a pleasant laugh. “You’ll get no favors from me. You turned my son into a monster and corrupted my entire bloodline.”

“What the hell did you do to this guy?” Jake demanded.

“They don’t know,” Gregor said in surprise, giving Amylia another dark look. “Even after all this time, you still continue your deceptions.”

Amylia met Gregor’s eyes and carefully responded, “My mistakes do not excuse your actions…then or now. You tried to murder our son, and now this…” She gestured around the room, her eyes flashing with cold fury. “You know who they are. How could you DARE harm them…?”

“You stole my heir from me,” Gregor spat at her. “You contaminated a once great Touched line. It only seems right that I use this to help restore the Touched to greatness.”

“Gregor,” Amylia hissed.

Gregor ignored her and turned to walk back to the door. “Make no mistake,” he said with a cold anger. “Your lies and deceptions took something of great importance from me. It is only fair that you help make amends.” And with that, he left.

“What was that about?” Traci demanded.

Amylia didn’t answer. Instead, she sat down again and sat there with a dark look on her face, and one of immense guilt. It hurt just to watch her and I wished I could do something to make things better.

A few hours later, the sun set, and though there were no windows to see this, I could feel it in my very bones. As a Were, I was very sensitive of this, as was every other person locked up down here.

“I have an idea,” Darek suddenly announced.

“What?” I asked, pausing when I saw that he was starting to change.

As I watched, Darek was shrinking, his skin was turning green, and he was turning female. In less than a minute, he had become a dryad, 4 foot 6 girl with green skin and long pointed ears.

“There aren’t any trees to talk to here,” Trey pointed out with a roll of his eyes.

“No,” Darek agreed pulling his now smaller foot out of the shackle. “But I can do this.” He…now she climbed out of her oversized clothes and tried walking out of the circle only to stop at the edge. “It’s like trying to walk through an invisible wall.”

“At least you got out of that fucking chain,” Jake said, already beginning to change as well.

Jake pulled his foot out of the chain before he’d even finished changing. By the time he’d finished and had become a six inch tall pixie with golden skin, the he could have easily crawled through the entire shackle. Instead, he flew around inside the circle but was unable to pass through any more than Darek was. He tried flying over the invisible wall, but it seemed to stretch all the way to the ceiling.

“I guess that’s out,” I mused in annoyance.

At this point, nearly everyone else was starting to change as well. Dr. Merchant had turned into a sabertooth tiger and got his foot freed from the chain. Kaylie had become a phoenix and slipped her foot out just as easily.

I stared at Trey who had transformed as well and looked beautiful as a mermaid. He, she had long dark blue hair and a shimmering blue scaled tail. Of course, the shackle had fallen away as Trey no longer even had feet.

Traci had transformed as well and she…he was pulling his hooves through the shackles which were not designed for his current body. I would have begun changing as well but there was no way I was going to risk doing that at the same time Traci was a satyr.

“Come on and change,” Traci said, giving me a smirk while pointing his large erection straight at me.

I blushed brightly and said, “Not until you change back.”

Everyone tried getting out of their circles, but when they found that they couldn’t, they began changing back to their human forms. Once Traci had changed back, I let out a sigh and willed my own transformation.

“Oh yes,” I purred when I’d finished my transformation. I stretched my wings as much as I could and then got to work slipping my own hooved feet from the shackle as well.

“Hot damn,” Jake said, staring straight at me.

“Don’t make me hit you,” Kaylie told him from her own circle.

Just then, Dr. Merchant exclaimed, “Amylia?”

I stared at Amylia, who was standing up and in the middle of transforming. Her hair was growing longer and more pearlescent, just as her eyes were growing larger and more vibrant. Her entire figure changed, becoming taller and more willowy. When she finished, she was once again the elf that I’d only seen once before.

“Holy shit,” Trey blurted out. “You’re a Were…”

“I thought you were Touched,” Dr. Merchant accused with a look of clear suspicion.

“I am Touched,” Amylia responded in her melodic voice. She stood up straight and responded, “But I am also a Were.”

“Amylia,” I whispered, stunned that Amylia would transform in from of these people after she’d gone through so much trouble to keep her secret.

“Like Erin,” Amylia said, gesturing to me and giving a faint smile, “I am a hybrid. I am both sorceress and mythic.” Then she paused for a moment, giving me a look as though hoping for support. I nodded my head faintly. “As you can see, my reasons for attending the party were far more than merely escorting my student. My reasons were far more personal.”

“Damn,” Darek exclaimed, staring at Amylia. “You really are a mythic…”

“A humanoid mythic,” Dr. Merchant gasped.

Amylia bowed her head for a moment and took a breath. “Gregor is a fanatic, but he is correct in one thing. I have been keeping my secrets for too long.”

“What are you talking about?” Dr. Merchant asked. “What secrets?”

Amylia stood up straight and slowly looked around the room, looking at each of us mythics. She gave me a faint smile before she announced, “A long time ago, I was known as Amylia Dupree.” Then she took a deep breath before saying what I knew was coming next. “Robert was my son.”

Everyone stared at her with their mouths open, being just as shocked as I had been when she’d told me this. I just gave Amylia a reassuring smile, knowing that this must have been extremely difficult for her. But I was very grateful that she had.