by R. E. Butler
They hugged briefly, and she felt a familial love bloom for the Pegasus shifter who’d saved the day by showing her how to access memories. Without him, they might still be engaged in battle or had casualties.
“We’re family, Kelly. No matter how far back in the generations I am, we’re together now, and that means your safety and Bellamin’s are of the utmost priority. I’ll meet you at the storage facility after sunset. Be safe and sleep well.”
They left with the coven, and Kelly turned around in the bench seat of the SUV and stared at the barn until it disappeared into the darkness as the vehicles sped away. The good news was that both books were in her possession and they had plans for sunset. Turning back around in her seat, she yawned and leaned against Bell, who immediately put his arm around her.
“It’s been a long night,” he murmured against her hair.
She peeked up at him. “Did you ever imagine that first night we met that you would be in a battle against another coven over a book?”
“Never in a million years. You are one amazing female. And I feel entirely, humbly honored to be your mate.”
“Me too.”
She settled against him, the books a comforting, heavy weight on her lap, and closed her eyes. She was exhausted to the center of her being but managed to stay awake until they made it back to the apartment. They stripped and climbed into bed together, her eyes so heavy she couldn’t keep them open a moment longer once Bell’s arms were around her and the lights were off. She’d woken up the previous sunset not knowing she’d be part of a battle, and now the enemy coming for her was dead and she had her ancestor’s books in her possession.
It was positively the craziest thing that had ever happened to her.
And she couldn’t wait to see what adventure the next sunset brought her way. As long as she had Bell at her side, she knew she could face anyone and anything.
Chapter Nineteen
Bell and Kelly were up before sunset. She’d called Selma to tell her about the events of the previous night and he’d called Mishka to check in about the trip to the storage facility. He’d never been there, but he’d heard rumors about a secret place for his collections. Darien, the fallen angel, collected antiquities for Mishka from all over the world and other realms. The male came into the club from time to time to meet with Mishka, and once a month, he and several males escorted Arissa to the Wiccan store for her weekend shifts before the sun set.
“Darien is coming with us,” Mishka said. “He stopped at Margot’s to pick her up and they’re already here at the club and waiting. And I spoke to Adriel and gave him the location. They’ll meet us there.”
“Thank you for handling everything,” he said.
“It’s my pleasure. I’m very curious about the translation.”
Bell glanced toward the bedroom where Kelly was finishing getting ready. He kept his voice low so it didn’t carry. “Do you think she’s in any danger?”
There was a brief pause. “At the moment, no. In all honesty, the book is extremely valuable but solely because no one knows what it actually says. For all we know, it’s a recipe book.”
Bell snorted. “You don’t really believe that.”
“No, but I’m just saying that right now I think Kelly is safe. Adriel assured me that every single member of Danlier’s coven is dead. Danlier himself was killed by the Hunter, and the reason for his attack against the den was not put into her report to the Council.” Mishka clicked his tongue. “All these years, I thought the original book was lost when Restik was killed. I had no idea that the coven was still active or that Danlier was searching for the Key book. My belief is that he was the only one searching for it, and he certainly wouldn’t have shared her location with anyone outside of his coven. Which is good for Kelly.”
“I just want to make sure she’s safe.”
“I understand. Every beloved male wants the very same thing for his mate.” There was a brief pause, and then he said, “I think you and Kelly should move into one of the chambers under the club.”
Bell’s brows rose. “Really?”
Mishka hummed. “She’s the guardian of a mysterious treasure. While we’ll do everything in our power to ensure her safety, the safest place in the coven is the chambers. We have several empty chambers, the two of you can choose one and I’ll have Brone set you up with security codes to access the private elevator. She’s precious and valuable, and you both deserve the best. And I think this warrants an exception to the ‘family only’ rule.”
“Thank you so much, I’ll speak to Kelly but I’m certain she’ll agree.”
“Agree to what?” Kelly asked as she walked into the family room.
Bell ended the call with Mishka and turned to face his beloved. “First, as soon as the sun sets, we’re heading to the club’s garage. And second, Mishka invited you and me to move into one of the chambers under the club.”
“I thought only family members lived in them.”
“He’s concerned about your safety. And I agree. The apartment complex is safe, but the club is far more secure. He said this warrants an exception to the ‘family only’ rule.”
“Do you want to live there?”
“I want you to be safe. The safest place is the club. So yes, I do.”
She stared up at him for a moment and then smiled. “Okay. I think we should do it. Keeping me safe keeps you safe because our lives are tied together, so it makes sense.”
“I’ll let Mishka know.”
He rested his hands on her hips and placed a kiss on her lips. She was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved gray shirt. She’d pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. His gaze fell to the ring on her index finger and she touched it.
“It’s called a druzy.”
“What is?” he asked.
“The way the stone glitters. It’s quartz, but there are tiny crystals on the surface that make it look so sparkly.”
“It’s pretty. And kind of gothic.”
“Yeah.”
She’d told him about Jovina’s memories and how they’d helped her figure out how to access Bell’s memories of fight training.
“I dreamed about Jovina,” she said.
“You did?”
“Well, a dream or a memory, I don’t know. It was of her and her beloved with their baby. He was a natural vampire.”
“Ah,” Bell said. “I figured from what you told me he was either a young vampire who could still have a child or a natural one.”
“Do you regret not having children?” she asked.
He grabbed her coat from the small closet by the door and helped her put it on. She lifted the two books and put them in a leather satchel Mishka had sent over for her, which she strapped across her chest.
“I didn’t know that newly-turned vampires could still sire children, or I might have tried to have young while I could. It just wasn’t common knowledge. I don’t regret it, per se, but I do think it would have been nice to have young at some point. Now, I’m way past the time when I could sire a child. Does that make you sad?”
“A little. I always thought I’d have kids someday, but it wasn’t like I grew up longing for a baby or anything. When you and I mated, that part of my life was closed, and I’m okay with it. I’d rather have you.”
He drew her close and kissed her.
They headed down to the lobby as the automatic shutters opened, revealing the coming night. There was a crowd lined up around the block at the club, and they skirted past it to go in through the employee entrance and down into the garage. Margot was there and greeted them, giving Kelly a hug.
Three SUVs were idling by the exit and several males were inspecting them with mirrors and electronics.
“What are they looking for?” Kelly asked.
“GPS trackers, listening devices, and the like,” he said. “We’ve got security measures in place to prevent that kind of thing, but the church has proven to be very effective at getting past our defenses.”
Kelly hu
mmed as they watched the males circle the vehicles. “Why do they hate vampires so much? In your memories I’ve seen some of the deadly things they’ve done to try to cause problems for the coven, but what’s driving them?”
“Hatred,” Mishka said, coming to join them. He smiled in greeting and then said, “The leader, Jason Finnegan, hates all vampires because he lost his parents to a skirmish between two covens. He believes all our kind are dangerous animals and should be put down.”
“They were collateral damage,” Bell said. “A sad byproduct of the wars between covens when they fight for territory. It doesn’t happen a lot, but they can devastate a city if humans get in the way. There are church locations in every state wherever covens are. The bigger the coven, the more they focus on it.”
“Since this coven is the biggest in the Midwest, it makes sense they’d spend a lot of time on it. But what’s their end game? Just driving vampires from the States or is it more sinister?”
“They definitely hate us one hundred percent,” Bell said. “They’re fanatics and can’t be reasoned with. We were fortunate to be able to take down the Cleveland church’s main group because of Cyrus and his powers. For sure, they’ll want to retaliate, so we’re keeping an extra-close eye on everything.”
Kelly frowned. “Is Selma safe?”
“Our understanding is that the church doesn’t care if people want to work for the vampires,” Cyrus said when he jogged up to join them. “It’s when they want to become a vampire or mate one, that they have an issue with them.”
“Sounds like they’re splitting hairs,” Kelly said.
“Meh,” Cyrus said. “Humans. I met your sister the night Bell made a scene in the check-in room.”
“I did not make a scene,” Bell said with a snarl as Kelly giggled.
“You so totally did.” Cyrus clapped him on the shoulder and said, “But it’s cool. You were looking for your beloved,” then stepped away.
“I believe we’re ready,” Mishka said loudly.
Bell looked at the males who were with them. Brone, Temple, and Ven were outfitted like soldiers in all black and loaded with weapons. Darien had a sword strapped to his back and was talking to Cyrus in low tones nearby. Merrix and Dylan were there too, and he walked to them as the others split up into the SUVs.
“Hey, what are you two doing here?”
“Brone sent out a blast text and asked for guards,” Merrix said. “I thought it sounded like fun. I’ve never been on a guard detail before.”
Bell knew that although Merrix was a young vampire, he’d been a soldier when he was human.
“Thanks for coming,” Bell said. “Both of you.”
“Happy to,” Dylan said. “It beats standing at the reception door all night.”
“Indeed,” Bell said.
He and Kelly climbed into the third row of one of the SUVs, with Merrix and Dylan in the seat in front of them, the vehicle driven by Temple with Ven in the passenger seat. The SUV slowly pulled out of the garage, following the lead vehicle. They circled around downtown, watching whether they were being followed or not, and when it was apparent that all was well, they headed for the storage facility. He knew from Kelly’s memories that she loved books and working at Margot’s bookstore. They’d talked a little bit about how her life was changing now that she was a vampire’s beloved. While he might be able to handle her occasionally heading out with a guard before sunset, he didn’t think he could deal with it on a regular basis, and she’d said she knew she’d need to quit. Margot didn’t stay open late enough into the evening to make it worthwhile for Kelly to continue with the job.
He hoped she’d be able to find a position within the coven that she enjoyed as much as she did working at the bookstore.
They reached a large building that looked like an industrial warehouse or a factory. The exterior had manicured lawns and landscaped sitting areas as if there were employees around at all hours, even though he knew it wasn’t staffed aside from guards and was covered from roof to foundation with security cameras.
A few vehicles were parked in the parking lot, belonging to the bears. Atlas and Kelly embraced, and he shook Bell’s hand. “Are you ready, Kelly?”
Kelly smiled. “I am, and I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I am as well.”
She tilted her head. “Are you going to stay in this realm?”
His brows rose. “I hadn’t really given it any thought. When Margot sent for me, I didn’t expect anything to come from it. I certainly never thought I’d be helping to battle a coven for a book, or that you’d be a distant relative. I guess the simple answer is I don’t know yet.”
“I hope you can stay for a while. I’d like you to meet my sister, Selma.”
“I’d like that.”
“If we can help you find a place to stay, let us know,” Bell said. “You’re my family now too.”
Atlas nodded sharply, his eyes glimmering with emotion. “I’m honored and humbled.” He pressed his fist to his chest and bowed his head slightly.
At Mishka’s urging they headed into the building, where they passed through several security doors requiring passcodes, before stopping and donning paper booties and protective gloves.
Kelly paused inside the main room, her eyes going wide like dinner plates and her mouth dropping open. “Holy crap.”
Bell let out a low whistle. “Mishka, this place is amazing.”
Mishka practically preened. “Thank you. We’ll go to one of the reading rooms for the translation.”
He led the way to a small room. The floors were dark hardwood, and there was a square table in the center of the room with four chairs, and a small wooden bench against one wall. It was a sparse room, without any wall hangings or exterior windows.
Bell pulled out a chair for Kelly and she sat down. He took a seat at the table, along with Mishka and Atlas. She set the books side by side and placed her hands on them. “I don’t know how long this will take.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Bell said. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Margot, Rysk, and Tyrant sat on the bench, while the others stayed outside of the reading room. Kelly looked stressed suddenly, and Bell put his hand on her.
“This is your birthright, sweetness. We’re all here for you.”
“Thank you.” She gave him a half smile and exhaled sharply. The metallic tattoo on her fingers was glowing brightly as she opened the books. The pages began to glow, the symbols rearranging themselves as if they were alive. While he still couldn’t read what the symbols meant, it was clear that Kelly could. She began to read out loud.
“This book contains the history of the Aramnapor coven, named for its master, Aram, and his beloved mate, Napor. Within this tome is the family tree of the coven members, the territory lines, battle history, and the spell to access the protected realm where the coven’s wealth and treasure lie. Only the Key Keeper may access the realm and remove the cave’s contents. If the Key Keeper dies and the next generation’s Keeper is not yet alive, the book will disappear into the protected realm, to be returned through the magic within the pages into the hands of the future Keeper.”
Kelly lifted her head and her eyes were glowing, the blue he loved so much eclipsed by bright gold. “I’m going to skim the history and family tree, because I want to get to the information on the treasure. But how crazy is it that the book can hide itself and reappear for the Keeper?”
“I think it explains why it was in the bottom of the box of books left on the doorstep,” Margot said.
Kelly leaned back and looked at her friend. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that the book is magically spelled to find its way into the hands of the Keeper in each generation. I believe that whoever dropped off the box of books unwittingly put the Key book in the box along with the other things. I don’t think it was done intentionally. The book caused it to happen.”
“It’s almost like it’s alive,” Kelly said, her fingers moving on the page
of the Key book like she was petting it.
“No, but it’s certainly magical,” Mishka said. “I agree with Margot. The book is spelled to land in the hands of the Keeper in every generation.”
Bell smiled at his beloved. “It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard in my life, but it also makes sense in a weird way.”
“That’s exactly how I feel,” she said.
She turned her attention back to the books, turning the pages so they lined up, the Key book providing a magical symbol database to unlock the words on each page. An hour later she said, “Here we go.”
Bell straightened from where he’d slumped a little in the chair, playing a game on his phone. “You found the map?”
“It’s not a map exactly.” She cleared her throat and rolled her shoulders. “Aram is writing about the amassed wealth the coven has, from gems and jewelry to weapons and gold. They were attacked by a coven who specifically came after their treasure, having heard about the size and scope of it from a group of traveling elves who had helped Aram make a vault that could be moved from place to place with the use of a wagon and horses. One of his coven members died in the battle, and Napor begged him to either get rid of the treasure by giving it all away or finding a better place to hide it. A place where no one but the coven would be able to access it.
“Aram made a pact with a Wiccan who created a hidden place within the Fromuls Realm. The hidden place, what Aram referred to as ‘The Cave’, wasn’t visible to the naked eye. Only Aramnapor coven members could see the cave and get inside safely. To protect the location of the treasure, Aram and the Wiccan created two books that were magically imbued with protective qualities. The first book contained the way to access the cave and was written down in a language of symbols that Aram and Napor created themselves. The second book was the key to translating the symbols. The Wiccan gave the Key book to Jovina, bespelling her family line, including her infant, with the ability to open the Key book with a drop of her blood and translate the first book. When Jovina was killed, her baby was a teenager. The book appeared in her possession, and she took it and went into hiding, worried that she’d be killed after translating the book.”