Spark of Intent

by Harper Wylde

  “So you’re saying that Rini wouldn’t be allowed to be here or formally adopt a child—my child—even if she was the one raising them?” He winced, but nodded.

  “The rarer the shifter child, the more likely they are to be placed with a higher ranking family. If you chose not to keep a child you bore, you would not be allowed to have Rini or potentially even Theo’s mother raise that child. They would most likely be placed with a member of the Council’s immediate family.” Gaspard’s tone was light, though his words were serious.

  Rage about it later. Damien’s voice was stern in my head. You cannot object here, remember that. You are under scrutiny.

  “Huh.” The word came out more of a squeak than an actual comment, but it was enough. Gaspard’s smile was encouraging.

  “You won’t be attending that part of the ceremony, Nix. The bids are finalized. It’s time that we review them and you meet with your matches. If you’ll excuse us, Hiro.” Gaspard hovered a hand over my lower back, guiding me away. I looked over my shoulder, wanting to stay with Hiro rather than leave to meet men I had no interest in. “This meeting is meant to be casual. It is simply a get-to-know-you gathering.” When I lost the last visage of Hiro to the crowd, I turned my attention back to Gaspard. “You are allowed to reject the potentials if there is no connection nor desire between you. However, unless there is a very specific reason, I highly suggest you do not. You need the Council to see you making an attempt, and there are some very high level, very connected shifters in your bids. Theo will not be there due to his own obligations to Molly—he will be guarding her room the same way I will be guarding yours. You have some privacy as I will not be viewing the meeting, but I am right outside of the door should anything occur. Ciarán will also act as a guard; you will do well not to reject him immediately.”

  “Some of these guys are actually interested in me though, and they can’t bid on anyone else until I reject them. Isn’t that, well, cruel?” Gaspard lifted a shoulder, an elegant half-shrug.

  “It is expected. Parties who bid realize that the girl will likely keep extra bidders in her circle. It raises her status and gives her extra options. It is why they are selective in their bids. Families plan their strategies for an entire year before this event, Nix. You will have thrown a wrench into their carefully scheduled plans.” We circled the room, Gaspard nodding and smiling at everyone who crossed our path. “Do you have anyone in mind that you are intent on rejecting?” I figured I wasn’t allowed to say all of them so I just shook my head.

  “Good. Do not be afraid to use your status, Nix. You outrank almost everyone that will be in that room with you.”

  “Almost everyone?” Who had bid on me that I wouldn’t outrank?

  Gaspard sighed, glancing at me quickly as we continued to meander. “Councilman Williams has a son. He has placed a bid for you.”

  “I’m aware. He mentioned it during our dance.” I still didn’t understand what that meant for me.

  “His son is not a bad choice for you, Nix. He is not known to be cruel and has the potential to be a Council member himself in the future. Basilisks are still incredibly rare, though not quite to the extent of a Ceraptor or Phoenix. Between that and his father’s seat on the Council, he would technically rank on your level, not below you. You still have the right to dismiss him as a potential suitor. However, you will need to do so politely. You do not need to defer to anyone in that room. Even if your behavior is not technically correct in our standards, they may not object.” He paused, turning to stare into my eyes, his mouth drawn tight. “You need to remember that. In that room, you are in charge. You do not back down. A shifter female’s choice of her mate is an important milestone. Divorce is not possible here, Nix. Your choice is for the duration of your lifespan.”

  I gaped, unprepared for that explanation. “You guys don’t have divorces? What, but—” I sputtered. “What if you fall apart? What if there’s abuse?” Gaspard sighed, but didn’t turn away from my questions.

  “If you fall apart, you live apart. Children born from affairs are frequently ones that are given up during these events. You will still be considered mated, however. Our culture takes abuse very seriously, especially in cases of a very rare shifter. Execution is a distinct possibility.” I knew as much from Michael’s execution, although that had come years too late. “Shifter females are expected to be strong in choosing a mate. The choice not only reflects on them but on their entire line. Those who are not ready are encouraged to extend their courtship periods or refuse all bidders until they reach a point at which they are ready. Their choice brings honor or shame onto their families, as well as the family they mate into. Some choose to make side deals—arrangements to bear young with several of their bidders to increase the status of both families without an actual mating. If that is your choice, the Council will definitely support it. We need to increase your breed’s numbers, however you choose to do so.”

  “So, I can either choose a lifelong mate out of the males that a male family member has picked for me, or I can choose not to get married but sleep around with the intent of getting pregnant as many times as possible?” This was completely surreal.

  “It is a different culture. You need to stop thinking of yourself as human. You wouldn’t move to another country and judge them on their laws regarding marriage. Stop judging us. You are one of us, whether you like it or not. It is different, yes. There are reasons behind it, however, even if you don’t understand nor empathize with them.” He pointed over his shoulder to a door partially concealed by a curtain. “It’s time. Remember what I said. Show your strength. Remember your duty.” With a smile he waved his hand, ushering me forward. My mind was spinning as I walked away from Gaspard and his blunt revelations.

  The room wasn’t quite as full as I had expected, only about a dozen guys who appeared to be in their twenties were spaced throughout the room. Ciarán was sprawled upside down across a chair, chattering away at some of the various men in the room, some of whom seemed amused, while others seemed irritated or even pissed at the cheerful Celt.

  “Oh, shut the fuck up, imbecile.” A guy standing beside Ciarán spat the words at him, reaching out as if to shove him, claws extending from his fingertips. My Phoenix hissed and I threw out a hand, a stream of fire racing from my fingertips to form a barrier between the asshole and Ciarán who hadn’t moved from his ridiculous position.

  “You dare to touch one of my potential mates?” I spat the words, not dropping the wall of flames. As I approached and gained a closer look at the male in front of me I groaned. “Oh god, it’s spiky hair guy.” The aggressive jerk was the same brunette with spiky hair that I had seen at the party the Council had thrown me at the Ishida’s, the one who interfered between Killian and me. I racked my brain, but either due to whatever drug may have been in my system that night or simply my lack of interest, I had no memory of his name.

  “My name is Griff Mallia.” The claws that had been decorating his fingers had been absorbed, his skin flawless. Apparently, I was supposed to recognize and give deference to that name, but it meant absolutely nothing to me.

  “Neat little claw trick you did there, spiky hair.” I toyed with the flames, calling ropes to twine around the jerk. “You didn’t seem to learn your lesson when we met before. I have no idea why you thought bidding on me would be a good idea.”

  He sneered, looking me up and down. “My uncle is Councilman Maldonado. I bid on you at his direction, and it was foolish of Gaspard to approve such low level matches for you in comparison.”

  I cocked my head to study him, my Phoenix hissing and pushing to the forefront. “Interesting. Gaspard did not mention you when advising me of my matches. Apparently, he didn’t think too highly of you.”

  “You step above yourself.” The quiet voice surprised me, drawing my attention to the slender young man in the ill-fitting tuxedo that I had noticed earlier. While at first I believed him to be speaking to me, I realized he was addressing Griff. “Counci
lman Maldonado is no true blood relation to you. He honors your family with an association. He will not be pleased to hear you claim him as a blood relative in order to increase your status.” Griff paled slightly at the accusation, but continued to stand his ground, the claws lengthening and retreating as he studied my dancing flames.

  “What’s with the claw trick?” I didn’t want to press my advantage yet and kick him out. This guy needed to be taken down a few pegs.

  “It is a talent many griffins possess.” The slender young man spoke again, disdain clear on his face as he studied the other man. Ciarán still had yet to move, humming to himself as he danced his fingers in time with the flickering of my flames.

  I groaned in disgust, shaking my head. “Seriously. You’re a griffin named Griff and you gave me hell for being a phoenix named Nix? How self-centered can you get? At least mine’s only a nickname!”

  “Griff’s a nickname, too.” He bit the words out at me while sneering at the other man.

  “I am Cedric Vivier.” The slender young man sent me a smile and sketched out a small bow. “Griff is correct. His name is actually a nickname. It does stand for Griffith. However, he does not usually go by his fully given name.”

  “What the hell are you even doing here, Ced? A werewolf and a Phoenix? You’re only one step up from an animal, pup.” Cedric flushed but did not lower his head.

  I opened my mouth to blast him when a young man stepped forward and grabbed Griff by the collar. “One step up from an animal? Are you insane? Almost all of us shift into some form of an animal. You turn into a fucking bird! What right do you have to look down on anyone else?” I considered the young man who had a grip on him, racking my brain in my anger. He was Councilman Williams’ son, I realized.

  “You know what I mean, Joshua.” Griff nearly whined the words. “Animal shifters have no other powers. At least the loup-garou can partially shift and many have additional skills. I know Ced can shield, but really, he aims far too high for himself. You know it too! Did you ever think you would be bidding on something the pup did?”

  “Joshua, was it?” I interrupted the male posturing before Griff got himself strangled. “Please release the bird brain.” My Phoenix chirped in irritation, though she recognized the insult wasn’t aimed at her. “First you insult my friend at a party. You proceed to attack another friend of mine with your claws out. You then go on to insult animal shifters and my other potential mates. What in the world made you think that this was a good idea in any manner?” I stepped forward, weaving my strands of fire around him, not allowing him to step further towards the door. Gaspard had told me to own this room, and this asshole was going to be my start to it. “My best friend is a bear shifter and one of the kindest, sweetest, and best people I have ever met in my life. What you turn into has absolutely no bearing on how I view you—as an asshole. I want you out of this room. Now. You will never be my mate. I will do my best to ensure you do not mate with any of those young girls in that room tonight. If what I shift into is so popular, I’m sure I can convince them to listen to me. Get the hell out of here before I make you. If I ever see you causing trouble again, I will go to Councilman Maldonado myself and tell him your claims. I doubt he’ll be as forgiving as I am. Better yet, I’ll just kick your ass myself.” I flicked my flames out like a whip, grazing his skin—not enough to leave a true burn, but enough to mark him in warning.

  Griff swore, glaring at me as he threw the door open. Gaspard lounged casually against the outer frame, his brows arched as he studied the cursing man. “Well, it appears she has taken my advice in regards to you at least. You can let your father know it was your own poor behavior that ruined this match, boy.” Griff stomped off and Gaspard closed the door quietly behind him.

  I drew in a deep breath, turning to face my matches. “Well, that was fun!” Ciarán’s bubbly voice drew my attention to him.

  I sighed, cocking my head to study him. “How in the world do you not have a headache? You’ve been upside down since I walked into this room, Ciar.” He just grinned and waved his fingers at me.

  Cedric eyed the pair of us. “You two are familiar?” He kept his tone light, and there didn’t appear to be any censure in the words.

  “I’m friends with his brother,” I confessed, shaking my head. “He’s a little bit insane, but he’s a good guy.” I studied the remaining men and made a decision as I sat in a high backed chair to rest my aching feet. I pulled my pretty shoes off, digging my toes into the soft carpet as I massaged my arches. “I recognize a few of you,” I admitted as I took in those who stayed, “and have been encouraged to get to know you all. I figured this is going to be the easiest way. I am still learning about the culture in this society, but no amount of time I spend in it is going to change certain things. I do not think that being a Phoenix entitles me to be considered more of a person than another shifter. I do not think that animal shifters are below me. My best friend, as I have said, is a bear. That friendship means more to me than any of you are capable of knowing. If I were to choose one of you for a mate, nothing you could say to me would convince me to end that friendship. If that isn’t something you can deal with, you may as well leave now.”

  A fair haired young man with sallow skin moved from the wall. He nodded sharply and exited the room without any further conversation. I admired his ability to keep his mouth shut, though not the reason he had left. I knew this would probably make its way back to the Council, and it may not be the wisest course of action. From what I had seen, though, it wasn’t going to cost me all of my matches. “If any of you feel that way, feel free to leave as the last two have. I can’t say that I know exactly what I want. If you would prefer removing your bid and trying for someone who is definitely looking for a mate, please, go ahead. I won’t hold it against any of you. If you choose to stay, maybe we can become friends. If more develops…” I trailed off, letting them fill in the blanks. There was no reason for them to know that more would never develop, that my Phoenix and I had already made our choice and this was simply the game.

  “Not all of us hold onto the old ways.” Joshua’s voice was low, his eyes serious as he observed the men in the room. “Culture has to change, or it will die out. It would be an honor to get to know you, even if it’s just as a friend. I stay.” Murmurs of assent ranged around the room as I looked from male to male. Some appeared uncomfortable, maybe even irritated at my proclamation, though they all nodded or murmured to confirm they were not leaving the room. Whether they were staying because they actually believed in the same things I believed in, whether they hoped they could change my mind, or whether they were staying due to family pressure, I wasn’t sure, but I figured more could be dismissed in time. I had made enough waves tonight.

  “Sit up, Ciarán,” I called over to him. “Let’s all start getting to know each other. Who watches Marvel movies?” I let the superhero debate erupt around me, and sank into my chair, fighting sleep and the desire to check in on my guys.

  Thirty-Nine

  Ryder

  The soles of my shoes clicked along the wooden flooring of the Lodge as I strode from the throne room. These events never changed, and suddenly the collar of my shirt felt as if it were strangling me. Reaching up, I loosened the purple tie that matched the color of my hair, and flipped the button at the collar open to allow myself to breathe. Bloody hell but those girls were annoying. They were nothing like my Nix. My beautiful, strong, sweet mate. My Ceraptor and I wanted nothing more than to claim her and whisk her out of that ballroom away from her admirers. Her very male, very mythological admirers.

  I wished I had the balls to tell her how much I cared about her, but the timing hadn’t been right yet. I wanted it to be romantic… candles and moonlight. However, I couldn’t deny that our first kiss, although not done to plan, had been fucking perfect. I wanted to give Nix the world. I hated that she was in that room right now, looking fucking gorgeous, and being auctioned off to men who had no right or claim to her.

&nb
sp; She was mine. My brothers’ and mine. I walked confidently out the front door of the Lodge and into the night, letting the cool air calm me. Being a ceraptor didn’t lend me the imperviousness to the cold that some of my brothers’ alters had, but it would take a while before the chill cooled me enough to hinder me in any way.

  My footsteps quickened, nearly silent on the grass as I rounded the building and headed for the medical center. I carefully retraced the steps Nix swore she remembered taking before she was drugged and kidnapped.

  My eyebrows furrowed as I started off into the forest encompassing the medical center. A nearly overwhelming urge to turn back washed over me, and I realized that the area was heavily warded. Since Nix had been caught snooping around here, they’d probably extended the barriers and added extra protection, rendering the medical center inaccessible. Only those with a higher clearance could pass the wards—and would be needed to escort those without proper access across the barrier. And the only reason to add the extra protection was if they were hiding something they didn’t want others to see or know about. Even high ranking mythologicals like me. I wasn’t naive. I knew the Council held many secrets. You didn’t grow up in the Lodge, in the care of the Council, not to realize that there were questions you didn’t ask and rules you didn’t break—even as a child.

  I crossed the distance to the edge of the forest, using the darkness as cover. Zinging power electrified my skin, and I took a step forward as I tested the invisible force field.

  Bloody hell! I closed my eyes and focused on the barrier. It was strong, but I could push through it. As a rare mythological, there weren’t many ways they could keep me out. I had access to nearly everything, and now that I wasn’t that young kid, I wasn’t as scared of their punishment as I once had been. There had been many areas that were off limits when I was growing up, and now I wondered what secrets they were trying to contain. Why protect this place? The forest and whatever lay beyond beckoned me.