by R. E. Butler
Mishka rose to his feet and came around the table to where Bell and Kelly had stopped just inside the door. “Welcome, Kelly. I’m Mishka, it’s nice to meet you.”
She took his extended hand and shook it. “Thanks for seeing me on short notice.”
His golden gaze flicked to the book, lingered for a moment, and then returned to meet her eyes. “We have much to discuss. Please, sit.”
She and Bell took two empty seats near Mishka and the woman who introduced herself as his beloved, Harmony.
“Do we need to introduce everyone, or do you know them from Bellamin’s memories?” Harmony asked.
Kelly smiled. “I know everyone.”
“It’s weird, right? It feels almost criminal to have immediate access to so much knowledge,” she said with a smile.
“Definitely.” She set the book on the table and everyone’s gaze latched onto it. At Mishka’s prompting, she explained how the book came to be in her possession.
She opened it and handed it to Mishka. “Fascinating,” he said. “You can really read it?”
“Yes. It doesn’t make any sense, though. It’s just symbols and their meanings. A key code.”
“I’m furious that I gave the original book to Restik, even though it was worth it at the time to keep our people safe,” Mishka said. He passed the book to Brone who glanced at it and then gave it to Arissa. While the book was passed from person to person, Temple used a tablet and turned on a projector, which showed an image of the bookstore.
“So,” Temple said, starting a video, “after Bellamin told us how the book came into your possession, I pulled up all the available videos from the street cameras.”
Kelly looked at the video, which showed a blurred person dropping the box at the door and disappearing. “That’s a different angle than Margot and I were able to access from the business across the street. Where did you get this from?”
“I hacked into the street cameras and all the security cameras from businesses on the street,” Temple said.
Kelly hummed in appreciation. “Margot said it was either a vampire or a shifter to have moved so fast like that.”
Temple nodded. “I agree. But there’s something more going on here. Look what happens when I slow it down.”
The video crawled by, frame by frame, but the person’s face and body remained blurred as if someone had smudged them out.
Mishka clicked his teeth together. “Arissa?”
“It’s possible it’s a protection spell, but I’ve never seen one that can do that kind of thing. It’s like they’re covered with a film.”
“Whoever it is, they didn’t want to be discovered,” Traz said, folding his hands over his chest and settling down in the leather chair. “Which begs the question why?”
“Exactly,” Mishka said, turning from the screen. “If whoever this person is knew that Kelly was the Key Keeper—something that no one knew even existed as far as I know—then why didn’t they talk to her directly and let her know what the book meant? And more importantly, why didn’t they want to protect her?”
“You mean from Restik’s coven?” Kelly asked.
Mishka nodded. “We believed the coven dissolved when Restik was killed. There was no evidence that they were in the States, let alone that they’d stayed intact under the leadership of Danlier, whoever he is.”
“So no one even knew there was a code book for the Book of Aramnapor?” Kelly asked.
“Not as far as we know,” Ven said. He motioned for the tablet with his hand and Temple pushed it down the table to him. After a few moments, an internet browser appeared on the projector screen and he opened a page about the coven. “A lot of what we know is based on speculation. When the book was in Mishka’s custody, we did a deep dive for information on the coven but didn’t come up with much. What we do know is that the Aramnapor coven was started by Aram, a male turned in his early thirties by a warrior back in the 1300s. He found a mate in a female named Napor, and they broke ties with his maker and started their own coven, merging their names. They turned family members but were very selective in whether their members were allowed to turn humans as mates. The coven was small, but it amassed a great fortune over the centuries, and came to the States in the 1600s and took over a vast territory.”
A map of North America appeared, which was marked for different covens’ territories. “You can see that while they didn’t have the numbers, they had control of the largest territory and defended it successfully for decades. And then something happened to them.”
“What?” Kelly asked, looking from the map to Ven. “They were killed off?”
He nodded gravely. “We don’t know which covens attacked their boundaries, but it was a coordinated effort by more than one. They wanted to break up the territory, secure the Aramnapor coven’s vast fortune, and dispel the members. It’s not out of the ordinary for covens to go after each other for territory. While it doesn’t happen all that often anymore, it happened a lot back then. The quest for power makes people do unspeakable things sometimes.”
Kelly looked back at the map. Her eyes stung as she thought about the coven under attack. She didn’t even know them, but she felt connected to them with the book. “What happened to them?”
“This is where things get fuzzy,” Traz said, taking the tablet from Ven and putting up a new image on the screen of a large, leather-bound book. She immediately recognized it by the symbols as the Book of Aramnapor. “Members of the coven were killed during the takeover, and the rest fled. We don’t know where to, though, just that they went into hiding, along with their fortune. The attacking covens split up the territory amongst themselves, but they never found the rumored wealth. A few hundred years later, the book surfaced during a skirmish along the East Coast, along with a letter written by Aram.”
“I saw the letter in a vampire museum in Europe,” Mishka said. “It was destroyed in a fire in the early 1900s. The letter said that Napor and Aram hid the treasure and bespelled a book with information related to the contents and location of the treasure, as well as the history of the members. And he also created a Key, which would be passed down to future members of the family line. It was bespelled as well, ensuring it would find its way into the hands of a Key Keeper in each generation.”
“Aram and Napor are dead?” Kelly asked as the Key book was placed back in her hands by Bell.
“As far as we know,” Brone said.
“That’s so sad,” she said. “So does this mean I’m somehow related to him?”
“Him,” Cella said, finally speaking from where she sat next to her tribrid mate, Cyrus, “or someone in his coven. He was so selective in who he allowed to join the coven that often it was only one person in a family, which meant the remaining family members were mortal and continued on with their lives—marrying and having children and so on. Because your blood unlocked the Key book, it means that you were meant to be this generation’s Key Keeper.”
“And with technology being what it is,” Kelly said, “I inadvertently gave Danlier the location of the Key book.”
“He can’t use it without you, so I wouldn’t worry about you being killed for it,” Brone said.
“I wasn’t worried until you said that,” she said, dryly.
The vampires chuckled.
She put her hand on the book and looked at Mishka. “Margot said you’d know where she went for safety.”
His golden eyes widened for a second. “Yes. The female in question lives with the bears. Why Margot went to the bears, I don’t know, but we can have you and Bellamin escorted there. I’ll call to let Adriel, the bear king, know you’re on the way.”
Kelly looked at the book and then at Bell. “We go find Margot and see what she has to say, and then what?”
He shrugged. “I don’t think we can know until we actually talk to her. Our next steps will be determined by what she has to say.”
Mishka nodded. “Exactly. We’ll send you with a large group of guards to ensure your
safety. You and the Key book must not fall into Danlier’s hands. Because we don’t know what exactly is within the book itself, it could hold information about untold wealth and power, which would make him a dangerous enemy to have.”
“I’ll keep her safe,” Bell said, pushing back in the chair and rising to his feet. “With the family and coven’s help.”
Mishka nodded.
Kelly stood, and Harmony gave her a hug. “Be safe.”
“I’ll do my best,” Kelly said.
“Here,” Arissa said as she joined them. She handed a bracelet to Kelly that had a pink stone in the center of a braided band. “I know you have a protection ward from Margot, but here’s another. You can never have too much magical protection. Mine won’t make you invisible, but it will alert you to danger and help to keep you safe.”
Kelly put it on, feeling the warmth and power that flowed from it. “Thank you.”
“Ready, beloved?” Bell asked, taking her hand.
“Kind of? I mean, yes.”
He gave her a quick kiss. “I’ve got your back. I won’t let anything hurt you.”
Blowing out a breath, she smiled at him. “Let’s go meet some bears.”
Chapter Fifteen
Bell and Kelly headed down to the garage with several family members and other coven guards. Vehicles were lined up near the exit.
“Why are there so many vehicles?” Kelly asked.
Bell opened the second-row door of the third vehicle in line when Brone gestured at it. “We never go anywhere alone, remember?”
“Right. But there’s like six vehicles. When we came here, it was only Dylan and John.”
Arissa sat in the front seat and turned around, smiling at them. Brone got behind the wheel. “You know about The First Church of Humanity, right?”
She nodded.
“They’ve followed our people and caused problems. The bears would be furious if we brought those assholes to the den and made them a target, so we need many eyes on the road to ensure we’re not followed. And on the off chance we’re attacked on the drive, we’ve got lots of warriors on our side.”
“Geez,” Kelly said. “I don’t understand why the church won’t leave you guys alone. I saw Bell’s memories of the things they’ve done. It’s crazy how they’re willing to harm innocents to try to get their point across that you’re dangerous. They’re the dangerous ones.”
“Exactly,” Arissa said. “But they don’t see it that way. Their leader, Jason, is a lunatic.”
“The last thing he did was blow up the restaurant?” Kelly asked.
Brone nodded as he followed one of the SUVs out of the garage. “Yes. He’s been quiet, but that’s when he’s the most dangerous. We broke up the Cleveland branch of the church when we discovered he was targeting the SyBl deliveries. He retaliated by bombing the restaurant, and then following Cyrus and Cella to the tiger pride’s territory. Cyrus stopped that problem, but we haven’t heard anything since. It’s been a couple months.”
Bell put his arm around Kelly, and she snuggled into him with a sigh. “It would be wonderful if we could stop Jason. Without him, the church would most likely dissolve without his particular brand of craziness.”
“I hope that happens soon,” Kelly said.
“Us too,” Arissa said.
An hour later, they reached an enormous farm. Two houses stood nearby, along with a large red barn. The vehicles lined up near the barn as the doors slowly opened. Bell got out and took Kelly’s hand as she climbed from the vehicle.
Native American men, dressed casually in flannels and jeans, stood in the open doorway, their arms folded over their chests.
Bell and Kelly walked toward them with Arissa and Brone. The rest of the vampires stayed back, keeping an eye out for problems.
“Thank you so much for meeting with us, Adriel,” Arissa said. “This is Kelly and her beloved, Bellamin. Where’s Elizabeth?”
“Here,” a feminine voice said, sounding breathless. She came from behind them with twin men. “Sorry, lost track of time.”
Elizabeth and Arissa embraced. “Immorality agrees with you, my friend,” Elizabeth said.
“You’re looking fabulous as always,” Arissa said.
“Hey Brone,” Elizabeth said.
“Elizabeth,” Brone said, his voice devoid of emotion.
Kelly looked at Bell in curiosity, and he mouthed, “I’ll tell you later.”
Introductions were made by Adriel, the bear king. Out of the shadows of the barn walked three men and Margot, who hurried across the barn floor to give Kelly a hug.
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” Kelly said. “I was worried.”
“Sorry, my dear,” Margot said. She took a step back and smiled at Bellamin. “I’m thankful you’re beloved mates. It will help keep Kelly safe.”
Bell nodded.
“So what’s going on? Why did I have to come meet you here?” Kelly asked.
“Well, first of all, because the bears are fiercely protective and Danlier would be a fool to come here looking for me. And second, because I knew that I needed to find someone in the Medes Realm.”
“The what-now?” Kelly asked.
“The Medes Realm is a separate realm from ours, like the Fae Realm. Only people who are from that realm can open a portal to it,” Margot said.
“So who here has access to it?”
“We do,” one of the three males who’d come with Margot said.
Two of the males had to be seven feet tall—one had a shaved head and one had short-cropped hair. Bell scented the air discreetly. They smelled like bears, but not the kind that lived in the den. They smelled ancient.
The third male—who had long, white-blond hair with silver streaks in it—was dressed like he was from the Middle Ages in a tunic and trousers with laced-up leather boots and a sword strapped to his back.
“My name is Rysk,” the bald male said. “And this is Tyrant. We’re from the Medes Realm, but joined the bear den in this realm after we’d come through the portal with Adriel’s daughter, Daeton, when she last came for a visit. Margot came to us earlier today and asked if we’d take her to the Medes Realm to find him.” Rysk gestured to the white-haired male.
“I’m Atlas,” the male said. His gaze was directed to Kelly.
“Why do you feel familiar?” Kelly asked, her head tilting slightly.
His light brows winged up and he inhaled deeply, his eyes flashing from navy to metallic silver. “Because we’re family.”
Bell looked between the male and his beloved. “I’m confused. You’re Kelly’s family? How is that possible?”
Atlas looked at Bell briefly. “You’re her beloved? I can sense your bond.”
Bell nodded.
Adriel interrupted, “Perhaps this is a conversation best handled underground.”
“Of course,” Brone said.
They all walked down a set of wide, wooden stairs under the floor of the barn and into the bears’ living area. Bell had heard of the underground city, but he had no idea how impressive it was. Large tents filled the area, along with rows of fruits and vegetables with grow lights overhead. Cooking fires were blazing near some of the tents, with males and females bustling about. The whole place smelled amazing—like roasting meats and vegetables—and for a moment he wished he could eat real food.
“My stomach is growling right now,” Kelly whispered. “This place is spectacular.”
“Thank you,” a female said as she joined them.
Adriel put his arm around her. “This is my mate, Filene. Let’s adjourn to one of the meeting tents.”
“I’ll put a meal together,” Filene said with a smile before disappearing and calling some people to help.
They entered a large tent that contained a long table and chairs, with chandeliers full of candles suspended from the tent’s support beams. Elizabeth lifted her hand and said a word that Bell didn’t recognize, and the candles blazed to life.
“Wow,” Kelly said.
“Mine is earth,” Arissa said.
“That would be neat to have powers like that,” Kelly said.
“It has its benefits,” Arissa said with a smile.
Bell looked at Atlas who took a seat across the table from them. “So explain again how you’re related?”
He nodded. “My sister was the beloved mate of a member of the Aramnapor coven. She was a snowy owl, so when she mated, she took on his immortality and joined the coven.”
“So you’re an owl?” Kelly asked.
“I’m a Pegasus.”
Bell’s brows lifted. Pegasus were one of the few supernatural creatures who were born immortal. He’d never actually known of a Pegasus in existence but wondered if that was because the male lived in the other realm.
Atlas chuckled. “Trust me, I’m quite used to being an anomaly. My father was a Centaur and my mother was a snowy owl. In essence, I’m a Centaur with wings, except I’m immortal. My sister was all owl, though. So how much do you know about the coven and the two books?”
“Only what I’ve learned from the vampires in the last few hours,” Kelly said. “I never heard anything about it at all before the book came into my possession.”
She told him what they’d been told about the coven’s history and the books.
“Well, you know a lot more than I thought you would, to be honest,” Atlas said. “Margot told me what she’d shared with you, but it wasn’t much.”
“That’s because I didn’t know anything else,” Margot said. “But after hearing what the vampires shared with you, I’m glad you went to talk to them before coming here.”
“Mishka had the original book?” Atlas asked. “Do you know how he came to be in possession of it?”
Brone cleared his throat. “Mishka has a fallen angel who looks for antiquities for his collection. He came upon the book many years ago and stored it, until he gave it to Restik to appease him when he threatened to bring war to our coven over a slight.”