Finding Alex

I finished my food, and I looked at the large window looking on to the balcony. Outside was a symphony of colors that no one else saw. And for once I didn’t feel like getting sick. I could hear the birds on the balcony near the bird bath. The wind howled at this height but the majority of it was wrapping around the building. Aerodynamics at its finest.
I thought about the best way to keep my family safe. Breaking glass was going to be difficult. But the image of a rune came to mind. It might work. I stood up and moved over to the windows and looked out and felt alone in this world. If I felt alone, I couldn’t imagine how Alex felt. My kids would never feel that way – none of them wold.
I pulled fire and air and a little earth and made the rune on the window. It sort of just formed without little effort. Like all my magic was working together for the first time. It was refreshing, but the second it blazed to life with magic I had to close my eyes as the patterns all changed in a flash of glory and nausea. That wasn’t going to work in battle.
A voice in my head urged me to look at my work. You must. it said.
I opened my eyes and saw the changing patterns. It will be a challenge, but you will get it.
I sank to the floor, I couldn’t look any longer. Eddie came over and pushed his head into my hand. It will get better.
My life depended on it. It better I thought to myself.
I knelt on the floor for uncountable minutes before I pulled myself up. I had to go find Alex. Opening my eyes hurt, my head hurt. My body and everything else was just there. Hunter was standing in the hall pacing before me, he held up a sandwich for me. I reached and picked up my son. “Thanks bud. Do you know where Alex is?”
He shook his head. I held him close to me. He felt safe in my arms. I wanted to keep him safe. “You listen to everyone okay? You be safe.”
He giggled in my ear. “I’ll always be safe with you Daddy. Alex too.”
“You know something I don’t?” I asked.
He pressed a kiss to my cheek and wiped his hand across the prickles on his lips from my beard. “No. But I love Alex too. I want to call him Daddy too.”
“I think he’d like that bud.” I said. “Go find Lake okay. I’m going to try to find Alex.”
He squirmed down and scampered in the direction of the media room. He knew where everyone was which meant that Alex wasn’t really here.”
I ran my fingers over the tattoo’d rune on my left arm and felt my love. I could find him anywhere. I just had to follow my heart. I didn’t want to leave the confines of the compound, but I needed to find Alex.
The Night Life building was home, but it was also magical, the real world didn’t have any protections. I wasn’t sure how I was going to react but I was going to Alex. I knew where he was. I didn’t need the run and magic to find him. I knew where he’d gone to. I only hoped I didn’t catch him packing, I wasn’t sure I could handle it if he left me again. Though I’d left him enough times the past few months too. I wasn’t sure Alex could handle it either. And the bounty on my head wasn’t going to go away. The message I was sending probably wouldn’t work, but it was worth a shot.
My thoughts carried me down the elevator and out the front door of the Night Life building. Jae and Seraph were my tails. I was suprirsed Ryan hadn’t opted to come. He was more welcome than the body guards, but the tailed me and didn’t interfere so I was alright with that.
Alex’s building wasn’t far from the Night Life building. And I was surprised by the way the world looked outside of the magic walls. It was calmer, cooler, less bright. I didn’t know if it was the sun or if it was less magic. I was beginning to think it was less magic. As much as I wanted to protect my family maybe magic wan’t the way to do it. Would Hunter do better out here? What about Cass? I would need to talk to Alex about that. The twins were good in the real world – Quinn too. It was just mine, and Matt that were going to have problems. Me too – but…
I opened to door to Alex’s building. “Don’t come upstairs.” I said. “Wait down here. Joe will keep ou company.”
Jae gave me a look that said he was going to argue and then he stopped himself, “Yes, Boss.” He understood. This was not my home. At least he had better. This was Alex’s. He ruled here. No bodyguards required. We were in human worlds now.
I walked the few flights to Alex’s floor and hesitated at the door in the stariwell. I knew Alex knew I was coming. But I was scared to find whatever it was I would find. I opened the door tenatively afraid Alex would be on the other side to tell me to go to hell. But there was nothing there just my imagination.
The short walk to Alex’s apartment had me fretting. The moment his door came into view it was a jar and I didn’t like that. It could be many things. And I was afraid of what it could mean -truley. But I knocked on the door anyway. I didn’t hear anything inside. Even though I could hear the heart beats all around me. I took a deep breathe and tried to stem the panic that was overwhelming me.