by LeAnn Mason
That was a whole lot more than I’d planned to say, and I felt my own forehead crease in confused concern. Why did I tell him that? My eyes flitted to Ebony, as quickly became a habit, and I noticed she sniffed at Jason. Anywhere she could reach, she lifted her snout to smell him. She really had a hard-on for him, it seemed. Perfect. My wolf has a thing for assholes.
“Look, don’t leave.” Jason surprised me with those words and the heavy sagging of his shoulders. As if a heavy weight had suddenly settled on him, he struggled to stay upright. What could have caused such a change in him? “I—I’m sorry. I’m just… confused.”
“What exactly are you confused about? I don’t want to be a burden, let alone in anyone’s debt. I spent the last ten years under someone’s thumb. I am not doing that again.”
“But…” Confusion lit his eyes, twisted his mouth. “No one is asking you to.”
“I can see it in Gloria. Nothing that woman does is free.” I needed to move on. I forced my feet to turn away from Jason and back toward the town where I could get my thoughts in order and formulate my next move. I needed a plan before I left this protected land.
“Well, I can’t argue with you there.” I could hear the smirk in his voice as his footfalls fell in step behind me. We only made it a few steps before he stopped me again, a hand on my elbow this time. “Listen, I think you should stay.”
“Why would you say that? I figured you’d be all too eager to get rid of the girl who drew a knife on you and brought witchy-wolves to your town? I don’t think we’ve been civil to each other for more than two seconds unless you count your wolf. He seems to like me well enough. Funny, Ebony seems to like you, too…” I blushed. I didn’t mean to say most of that. Again. What was it about this guy that obliterated my filter?
Jason sighed deeply but didn’t drop his hand as he did his eyes. “Look, I’m sorry about, well, being a dick. I just don’t know what to make of you... and my wolf? Well, he’s… partial to you. I think I’m taking out my confusion on you, and you don’t deserve that. I’m sorry. I do think you should stay in Grimm Hollow. It’s one of the safest places for you. And maybe I could help teach you a few things. You know, if you wanted.” It was unexpectedly cute how flustered the big man got, trying to spit out those words. His large hands rubbed nervously at the back of his neck.
The sun filtering through the treetops lent to the fluttery feelings I got when I stared at this particular wolf-man, giving him an almost haloed effect. It reminded me of that golden burst of magic I’d seen when he shifted. “Did you know that your shifter magic looks about how I imagine pixie dust?”
“What?”
Oops. “Never mind,” I mumbled.
“Look, you don’t want to be a burden or a liability. If you want to fight for yourself? Stay. I’ll teach you everything I know.”
I couldn’t get a bead on this guy. I wasn’t sure why he’d offer to help me or if I could stand to be in his proximity for said learning. I either wanted to lick him or hit him. “Why would you offer that? What’s in it for you? Why do you care if I stay?”
He huffed and rolled his eyes at me, pushing past me to, presumably, start back toward town. “I don’t want your death on my conscience,” he gritted out irritably. “C’mon. I’m sure Gloria is about ready to send out the rest of the Sentinels to snag you. Nick hopefully already reported back, so we may have a slightly longer window than normal. Do you agree to stay in town if I teach you how to defend yourself?”
Honestly, what did I have to lose? I had nowhere to go. No money. No diploma and no possessions. Oh, and I could see people’s auras… and their magical animal counterparts. Yeah, totally normal everyday kind of girl. “If I can train and live… on my own. Pay my own way and get a job, then yes. I’ll stay.” Ebony liked that answer, liked that she’d get to spend more time around the source of her infatuation. I’d not realized that a wolf could… purr, but that was the closest description I could come up with to match her sound of approval.
“Can you teach me about… the wolf?” I asked hesitantly. I needed to get a handle on my new reality, the reality that seemed to include me sharing my skin—and my mind—with an honest-to-god wolf.
His steps faltered. “So, you do have a wolf.” He said it like it confirmed what he’d thought but that he didn’t understand it. Shooting a quick head nod at me, he picked up the pace again. “Yeah. We can work on that, too.”
We didn’t speak while we moved through the woods, once again following alongside the creek from yesterday. It was a great trail-marker, something that I could use to tell my proximity to the town and whatever had squeezed me earlier. That had sucked.
Finally, we emerged from the trees along the same length where I’d entered earlier in the day. Where, for a few brief moments, I enjoyed myself and found beauty in life. Maybe I could find a balance, a way to enjoy the good and take the bad in stride. Fight rather than run. Hunt and not be hunted.
I vowed then and there, on that green expanse stretching before a hidden town full of secrets and magic, that I would be the master of my own destiny from there on out. A predatory smile crept across my face as we moved back through the town toward Gloria’s.
It was my turn to hunt.
CHAPTER 14
J ason was a real sweet-talker when he wanted to be. He argued with Gloria that my being a Shaman, and now partial-Shifter as opposed to a Witch, might make me more suited to housing somewhere where those skills could be furthered. I stood back and let him have it, only giving my two cents when asked. Gloria agreed, with the stipulations that we met weekly to discuss progress and that I learned about the magical world and how things were run in Grimm Hollow.
Being at the end of my high school career, with only a semester left until I graduated, it didn’t make much sense for me to worry about school with so many other things going on. Instead, it was agreed that I would be set up with a tutor at Grimm Hollow High and would start the following Monday. In general, I didn’t do well with people, so the arrangements were a relief.
Mae had been my only real contact outside of the coven, and even then, I hadn’t seen her much. She’d been in all of the advanced classes. Every once in a while, I’d been able to sneak away and meet Mae for a few minutes under the guise of doing some other errands. I’d lived for those stolen moments. The thought of attending school made me miss Mae even more. I wished I could be going to her school, that I could still have her in my life. The prospect of facing all of this newness alone was daunting. I wasn’t sure I could handle it. “I’m kind of glad it’s only tutoring in magical things. I’m not sure I’d do well meeting too many new people,” I whined to myself as I gathered the minuscule things that could be considered “mine” from the room I’d stayed in the night before.
“Will I see you there?” I asked Sasha hopefully as she began pulling items from the closet. “Wait, those aren’t mine.” I didn’t want to get in trouble for stealing. I figured Gloria wasn’t the type to appreciate being taken advantage of, and I knew that I’d be in trouble if I provoked her ire.
“Oh, these are yours. They were magicked just for you. Gloria told me to help you grab everything,” the little pixie said sincerely, continuing to gather clothes and settle them onto the bed. When she’d retrieved them all, she set about pulling them from the hangers and folding them neatly into a suitcase I hadn’t noticed until then.
That wasn’t mine, either.
“I’ll bring back the suitcase once I’m settled at Elsie’s. Promise,” I vowed. Gloria sent me away with more clothes than I’d ever had in my life. I didn’t know how to repay her, and I was afraid to find out. “Sheesh, I feel like I owe Gloria so much.”
“She thrives off that,” Sasha whispered, and her beautiful light-green aura almost seemed to suck back into her body with the words. Interesting. This sweet, innocent girl definitely had some friction with the matron of the house. I could imagine Gloria exerting her dominance against someone so pure.
“I
do. Go to school, I mean.” Pretty green eyes that were almost a jewel shade of her hair peered back at me from beneath overgrown, leaf-colored bangs. A deep sadness lurked in their depths, just for a moment before it fled. “I don’t really have any friends.”
I straightened, deciding that I would change that. “You have me.” I needed friends, too. I could relate to her situation, more than she probably realized. “You know, I think we’re a lot alike. And we need to stick together. You game?” I saw a lot of myself in this girl. We both needed someone we could rely on.
Sasha’s light-green aura pulsed, pushing against me. “Yeah… I think I am.” The girl was radiant when she smiled. So much light and goodness lit her from the inside that she had an almost gravitational pull. “Here.” She handed me the nearly full suitcase. It was almost as big as her and probably weighed as much as she did. I was surprised she could lift it. “I’d be happy to show you around the school, but associating with me won’t win you any fans.”
“I don’t need fans. I can tell things about people.” I hit her with my best listen to me stare. “You’re good people.” She dropped her eyes to the floor, a pretty pink blush stealing over her cheeks. Figuring I’d leave on a high note, I moved toward the doorway, a little reluctant to begin my own new adventure. Did I make the right choice to move into a residence with a long-lost relative? I wasn’t sure I was ready for all of the bonding attempts I anticipated, but I couldn’t stay under Gloria’s roof. I didn’t want to be in her debt. I didn’t want to be in anyone’s debt, but I’d need to earn my keep before I could truly venture out on my own.
Would that be in Grimm Hollow? Only time would tell. But for now, I would take what was given and focus on making myself the best I could be. The thought of training with Jason had a war brewing inside of me. Would attraction or irritation win out? I knew both would be present but didn’t know which would prevail. I just hoped that neither kept me from becoming my best self. I needed to learn everything I could from anyone who knew about my brand of magic.
I was a little excited and a lot anxious about all the new changes in my life. My steps faltered as I descended the staircase. My eyes connected with Elsie’s warm, dark-chocolate irises from the base of the stairs once I’d recovered from my near face-plant. Looking around as I came to stand near my relative, I noticed that Jason wasn’t anywhere in sight. Figures he’d bail the moment he could. I was a little disappointed, I couldn’t lie.
“Are you ready?” Elsie soothed as she wrapped an arm across my shoulders and turned me toward the wide foyer.
Gloria waited in front of the door, chin raised and shoulders square, a regal brick wall we needed to navigate before I would be released. I smiled politely as we stopped before her, figuring I’d extend some manners. “Thank you so much for everything, Gloria. I really appreciate it. I’ll repay you once I have a job and income.” My manners were a bit rusty. I hadn’t been polite in Seth’s company. Discreet was probably a more accurate description of how I went about my days, just trying to fly under the radar as much as possible. Anything to escape a beating or spell practice session.
It took Griffin actually trying to kill me for me to buck up and leave that life. Was I a coward for staying with such horrid people for so long? It was so very hard to break from the only thing I knew, especially after such a long period of my childhood.
“Happy to have you, Allya. I hope you enjoy Grimm Hollow. My door is open anytime you need.” With a flare of that red-orange aura, she dipped her chin once and stepped to the side, allowing our exit.
“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.” I walked out into the late afternoon sun. A chill rose in the air as the sun descended, a brisk breeze brushing my face and clinging to my nose. With a shiver, I brought up the cloak’s hood and looked about while I waited for Elsie and Gloria to finish their farewell.
Small, bright business fronts on brick buildings crowded the Main Street, at the end of which stood Gloria’s sprawling mansion of a coven house. The sheer size and placement of the estate showed just how prominent Gloria stood in the community. There were more people than I would have expected milling about the street and along the businesses, definitely more than I’d seen out before.
I wondered just how many people called Grimm Hollow home and how much real estate it took up. I'd yet to venture away from this street except to go into the woods. I hadn't seen any neighborhoods or apartment buildings. Where were those? And what about the school? I needed to start asking questions if I considered staying here long-term.
Was I considering staying long-term?
Jason's beautifully stern face flashed in my mind, and I had to concede that I was, in fact, considering the hunter's plea. I still had no idea why he cared, no idea who he was, really. So much to learn… “Elsie? What can you tell me about Grimm Hollow?”
As we walked away from the busy main thoroughfare and out along a thin side-street—like everything else I'd seen—exquisitely manicured, I realized I'd probably find out just where the residential section of Grimm Hollow was and how to get there.
“Well, it is one of the largest magically concealed towns in the United States. We have several different species of supernaturals who choose to call Grimm Hollow home. The main groups are magic users, Shifters, and Vampires. There are a few Fae sprinkled about as well.”
The old woman was surprisingly spry. Several times, the arm she'd looped around my elbow the only reason I kept pace. “Vampires?!” I squeaked. A firm tug on my arm made me realize I'd stopped walking. “Seriously, Elsie? Vampires are real?”
Shooting me a sideways look, now that I'd drawn back to her elbow, she pursed her lips. The gesture added more lines to the corners of her aged mouth. Shorter than me, her raven-black braids shot through with silver. Her features were the epitome of what people thought of when you said “Native American”—or at least what I'd always thought of—and I half-expected to see feathers and beads adorning her person in various places.
They weren’t.
“I wonder if, in time, you could ever consider me family,” the old woman lamented before smiling ruefully and clearing her throat. “Yes, really. Vampires are real, though much of the lore about them is incorrect. While they do need blood to sustain themselves, they are highly disciplined so there are very few incidents. They are born, not made, and have no issue with sunlight. Nor will they sparkle.” Her eyes crinkled with humor at her joke, and I was surprised that the old woman was up to date with teen trends.
“Here we are,” Elsie chirped. We had stopped in front of a cute little stone cottage set back from where we stood on the sidewalk. The roof pitched on the side, window below framed by wooden shutters. A massive and perfectly groomed garden situated between the walk and the front door. A short, white picket fence completed the iconic look.
It reminded me of my grandmother's house, the memory pushing my eyes to tear.
Elsie noticed. “Are you okay, dear?”
I needed to keep myself under control. No one needed to know anything about me and my life. I just needed to get what I could and get back out. That would be easiest for everyone involved. My conviction faltered when intense hazel eyes popped into my mind unbidden. Had that been Ebony's two cents? I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. I'm totally blaming you for that one, Wolfie. Easier to blame the sidekick than to entertain the thought that I wanted to stay around.
“C'mon, let's get you situated, and we'll go get some dinner. I didn't have anything going when Jason called, but now I'm starving and don't want to wait. What do you say? Dinner out sound good?” My stomach outed me by rumbling loud enough to be mistaken for Ebony's growl, and I flushed when Elsie flashed me a knowing grin. “By the sound of that beast, we better hurry.” Elsie chuckled, taking the stone path to her doorstep.
I couldn't help my answering smile. I didn't want to let myself be swept up in the sweet helpfulness and understanding Elsie exuded, but I had a hard time of it. The woman kept surprising me and was just too easy t
o be around… so far. I didn't doubt that would change once we got into the heavy topics such as why she'd never come to Grams’. Sobering, I solidified my vow. Get in. Get what you need. Get out.
CHAPTER 15
T hirty minutes later, we were being seated at a cozy booth in a cozy diner situated back on the main drag. Clean, tidy, and it smelled divine. My eyes greedily roamed the menu as my stomach, or Ebony, continued to growl its emptiness at anyone within earshot. Thankfully, Elsie seemed to be giving me some space for the moment, so I could focus solely on filling my vociferous belly. Her silver-shot dark braids were all I could see around the gleaming menu she had propped in front of her face. I chuckled lightly at just how obvious she was in her indifference.
Her kind, age-lined eyes peeked from above the makeshift divide and crinkled further at my mirth. This woman, my… great aunt, would be easy to trust, to want to be around. That very fact made her dangerous to me and my plans of going it all alone. Maybe, though, she’d help me regain some of what I’d lost so many years ago in those woods. Maybe I’d crack the door, just a bit.
“So, what am I needing to do to earn my meal?” It was a pretty busy restaurant, at least then, and I saw pops of color all around me from all of the auras I glimpsed. Another reason to hide behind my menu like Elsie, the foremost being that everyone knew Elsie. They all knew each other, but no one knew me. It made me the sole focus of quite a few eyes from around the joint. I liked the idea of hiding away just then. It made me realize that Ebony and I were most likely going to strive for a more solitary lifestyle. People made us… jumpy.
“Nothing, dear. I am your guardian as of now. Your welfare and happiness are my responsibility.” Elsie finally lowered her plastic divider to the table but didn’t look at me, instead speaking toward the table.