by Lauren Dane
Max stayed glued to her side every moment he could. He was fully agitated with the situation and wanted to take her home. To their home where she’d be surrounded by four walls and much less a target than she was out in the open in a crowd.
His mother kept sweeping Kendra off to meet this or that person, usually with Renee on her other arm. The two sisters filled the room with their own kind of light and energy. He and Galen sort of orbited around their women as the evening went on.
Right then, though, he saw something he needed to attend to.
“Carlos, a word if you please.” He’d worded it like a request, but no one made the mistake of believing it was optional.
“I know what you’re going—”
“No.” Max cut him off. “You don’t. Which is why I’m next-in-line and you’re not. Don’t speak. You’re not here to speak. You’re here to listen. Kendra is my wife. She shares my position and rank, and she is welcome in our world. Whether you like her or not is utterly inconsequential to me. You have a right to like whoever you please. You don’t have a right to invade Kendra’s space without repercussions. And by that I mean from her. She’s not only carrying a cat, she’s a powerful witch in her own right. I’ve seen her use it, and you would be wise to keep your mouth shut and leave her alone if you don’t like her.”
His brother began to speak but Max held a hand up. “I said no. You have been warned, by Kendra herself and now by me. Do not do this. If you push her to react you will shame yourself and the family.”
“She’ll shame herself if she can’t handle a challenge. I know the rules, Max. Do you?”
He let his cat show in his eyes, let him glint in the lengthening incisors. “I’m warning you. After she’s done with you, I’ll be right there. Do not attempt to harm what is mine or I will defend it. There can be no mending that rift. I will no longer have you as a brother if you do this.”
“And if I shame her, she’s not fit to lead. She’s not one of us. She’s not human. She’s not even fully a witch because she’s taken a cat. What does that make her and why do you not see it as a threat?” Carlos stormed off and Max rubbed his hands over his face.
“It had to be said.” Galen stood next to Max, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Carlos leave the deck.
“He won’t listen.”
“Then she’ll make him. You know she can.” Galen paused. “Over time, I’ve come to believe this behavior in the jamboree is beyond destructive. You can’t have this sort of attitude toward the spouses our cats bring into the jamboree. Renee handled it and she’s proud. But she shouldn’t have had to. Now that I know the extent of what she endured, I have to say, Max, if Carlos calls out a member of this jamboree’s ruling line, he needs to be triumphant or weeded out. Not a single member of this jamboree should ever doubt that another member has his or her back. This is bigotry backed by bullying. You’re the next generation. The change is starting, don’t allow us to backslide.”
Max realized Galen was right. Gibson had said something similar only a few days before. But he didn’t want Kendra to have to deal with this insanity. He wanted to protect her from it, not use her to achieve his ultimate goals.
“You want to protect her, yeah, I got it. But she’s next-in-line. If Carlos nips her tail, let her bat him the fuck away. And when that happens, if the circumstances are what he’s playing at now, he needs to be excised from this jamboree. This is how I will vote. I want you to know this as my brother and as the male who will lead us next. And when I vote so, Armando will vote so. I don’t know where everyone else will fall, but I know enough to understand there will be a majority.”
Max looked Galen head-on. “I admire that bit of politics, Galen. Truly.” He did and Max needed to hear it. It meant Galen was officially siding with him in the division Max felt fairly sure would come. And it was Galen’s way of saying he’d draw the heat, to share the burden when the time came.
He’d have to speak to their father about it, as was his duty, but he’d keep it anonymous. His father would pretend he didn’t know who the parties were, but Max would be letting his father know his stand as well. Cesar would attempt to work it out, but Carlos was stubborn. Max doubted he’d back down.
Kendra leaned toward Renee as she watched Max and Galen speaking across the yard. “That’s about me.”
Renee nodded. “Totally. And that dickbag, Carlos.”
“Carlos.” Kendra said it with disdain. That was one de La Vega who fell way far from the tree. “Also, nicely done. Dickbag is a very worthy insult. I made a mental note and everything.”
Rosemary narrowed her eyes. “Can’t abide bullies. Don’t you back down the next time he comes at you. You are allowed to hold your ground. If you don’t he’ll always see you as prey. Yes, yes, I know they can hear me. Good. They should. Anyone who’s even considering threatening you should hear me right now. If he comes at you, you defend yourself and your man. This is your family now, it’s your duty. Bigotry is as stupid as it is deadly. Don’t you forget that.”
Renee sipped at her juice. “Yeah. Carlos has been leaving me alone. Ignoring me and stuff, but at least not in my face. We’ve even gone out on his boat multiple times and I’ve left not feeling like I needed to punch someone. Tonight he seems really agitated. Rosemary is right. They—you—aren’t human. I’m not totally human. Don’t forget the rules that’ve governed shifters, like most others, have been geared toward protecting them against the threats of the outside world. Namely humans. You have to speak in language he’s going to understand. I tried being nice, it worked on most of the jamboree. But on others, I had to find a way to push back when I had less power, dramatically less power. But if I had let them push me around, they’d never have accepted me. You have to kick some ass if he brings it to you, wind his damned clock.”
Touched and speechless, Kendra simply hugged her sister and her aunt. “Thank you both for being here for me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Good thing you’ll never have to know.” Renee winked.
Beth walked by, sneering, and Kendra sighed. “Maybe it’s because she’s not getting it all regular and stuff.”
“How do you explain the rest of her life then? No, she’s just bitter. Sour. And not even in a good way like Lemonhead candy.”
Laughing, Kendra looked to her sister. “You’re on a roll tonight.”
“Well, I happen to get it quite regular.” She huffed on her nails, buffing them on the front of her shirt.
“I’m starving. Meatballs were awesome. Cake was awesome. Now I need some of those chicken skewer things. This is all standing-up food, right? No sit-down dinner thing?”
Kendra headed toward the huge buffet table.
Beth materialized at her side and Kendra did her best to ignore her. Of course Beth wasn’t satisfied with that. “You might want to have some vegetables. Max has never gone out with a fat woman before.”
“You’re like herpes, you keep coming back. Beth, please don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re a bitch. Excuse me while I take my fat ass to grab another chicken skewer. I’ll think of you while I’m eating it. Also, Max isn’t dating me, I’m your new sister. Please try to contain your excitement.”
Beth grabbed her arm, digging her fingers into the skin. The crowd who’d been talking and laughing grew silent.
“I’d knock you back into the fence if you weren’t pregnant. Do you care nothing for the child you’re carrying? What kind of crazy, vicious creature are you?” Kendra pried Beth’s fingers back, harder than she had to, but breaking a finger wouldn’t hurt the baby, just Beth.
“Let go.”
“No.” She bent Beth’s wrist back until she winced. “Now, how about you leave me alone instead? Hm? You don’t like me. I get it. It used to be that I was human, but as I’m not, it has to be something else and at this point, I
don’t care what it is. I’m not playing these stupid games with any of you.” She looked around and gave Max the if you stop me I will make your life hell face. “As it happens, I find this all totally ridiculous and boring. You think you’re special because you don’t like me? Pffft. Bitch, please, get your ass in line. Lots of people don’t like me. All this puffery and proving myself to a bunch of people who have no intention of liking me anyway is just dumb and I don’t play.” She moved quickly when Beth tried to cuff the side of her head.
Kendra leaned in close. “You have no honor to act this way and endanger your pregnancy. You shame your family. Take your meds or start a blog like everyone else. But don’t think the baby you’re carrying will protect you if you try to hit me again.” She pushed Beth away and turned to Max. “I’m out of here.”
Imogene smoothly approached and hooked her arm through Kendra’s. “Walk with me, Kendra, please?”
She barely held back her annoyed sigh.
“I know this is difficult. It’s a time of transition for the jamboree. From old ways to new.” Imogene kept her voice down as they moved away from the crowd and into the house. “Have I shown you my sitting room?”
As if she’d agreed, Imogene led Kendra up the stairs and down a long hall lined with photographs.
“Some of these pictures are Renee’s work.” Kendra paused to look at a shot taken of Cesar and Imogene as they leaned their heads close, with eyes only for the other. It was staggeringly intimate.
“Your sister has great talent for seeing inside people.” Imogene closed the door and indicated Kendra sit on the couch.
“She does. I don’t want to be rude. I appreciate the welcome you’ve given me. But I’m not going to take it from Beth like you’re going to ask me to. That’s not going to happen. Ever. I’m no one’s convenient whipping boy. In the future, I won’t be at these mixed events for the entertainment of people who should stop gawking and get some manners. Your children included. You can’t ask me to prove myself and defend myself and whatever and then add, but not when it’s my daughter who’s been acting like a monster.”
Imogene paused. “It took your sister a few years to get up the nerve to say all this to me.”
She shrugged. “She’s nicer than I am. She wanted to be loved and accepted for the wonderful person she is. She loves Galen a great deal and wanted to prove herself to his family the same way any other spouse brought into this family has to.” Kendra leaned back, crossing her legs.
“And you don’t think you should have to?”
“I really like you, Imogene. I respect you and I love your son. So I’m going to be blunt here, because I think it’s what I owe you. As a matter of fact, I don’t. I don’t think anyone should have to be treated like crap so your daughter and her bigoted little crew can feel better about themselves.
“I think further isolation and this silly notion that no one is as good as a cat is just absurd. I’m sure if you applied black, or male, or something like that, people wouldn’t tolerate it. And it shouldn’t be tolerated. I’m all for accepting that you are not human and therefore different rules apply. I understand keeping things in the family to avoid unwanted negative attention. By the way, from humans who are essentially preaching the same thing your daughter is. You simply lose credibility when you act the way those who seek to harm you act.”
“The irony of that does not escape me.” Imogene sat back with a sigh.
“I accept what Max is. What I am. I’m eager to learn about this entirely new culture. I’m eager to meet the rest of the family and to be part of it. But I’m not going to endure this totally outrageous acting out by your children, simply because that’s always how it’s been done. It’s stupid. I’m not doing it. I did lots of things for a long time to keep from rocking the boat. I won’t again. Beth is a problem. She is undisciplined and abusive. Carlos’s outburst this evening, right after a possible threat to the jamboree was intolerable and put everyone, especially the children here, at risk.”
Imogene’s features, which had been inscrutable, relaxed. “And so what do you think should be done?”
“You’re their mother, handle it. Spank them. Kick their asses. Put them on a time out. I don’t care. More than their mother, you’re their alpha. All this acting out has become normal and in my opinion, that’s not helpful or conducive to a strong jamboree.”
“Are witches so free of drama then?”
Kendra laughed. “God no. Suspicious, bitchy, covetous, fearful. But that doesn’t erase the danger I felt tonight. I’ve been feeling. The danger that almost got my sister killed. That killed my mother. I will not end up dead and forgotten like that. Not without a fight. I aim to drag my brothers and sisters out of the dark ages and into the present. I have a battle on my hands and I really can’t say I plan to play silly dominance games with anyone.”
Imogene’s face brightened as she smiled widely. “Oh he did such a good job with you.” She patted Kendra’s knee. “You’re going to lead my jamboree into the present too, aren’t you?”
Ah. That was the reason for this little chat. It’d been to test her and her resolve to lead the jamboree with Max.
“Not without your help and support. Do I have that?”
“Beth is my child. As is Carlos. I don’t love them any less than my other children.”
“That’s none of my concern.” She shrugged. “And that’s not what I asked.”
“You missed your calling. Should have been a lawyer like Max,” Imogene said with a laugh.
“No thanks! I’d rather have my classroom with twenty third-graders any day.”
“Cesar and I are behind you and Max. We meant what we said earlier. Yes. The cats like Beth need to feel listened to, but they don’t have to be tolerated when they cross lines.”
“So why do you do it?”
“She’s carrying my grandson. She’s my baby, even when she’s an ill-tempered brat who passed her childhood long ago. But I’ll deal with her if you’ll allow me. Carlos.” She sighed. “Well, he’s another story. I’d thought he’d calmed down. He seemed to be tolerating Renee, even being civil and respectful. Tonight was disturbing. I’m afraid you’re going to have to knock him on his hard head to get him to listen. Cesar will speak with him about it.”
“It’s not up to me to allow you to do anything. You’re this jamboree’s alpha. You don’t need permission.”
“And you’re next-in-line. One day soon I will hand my family over to you and Max, if I can’t trust you, if I can’t speak to you, I wouldn’t do that.”
“I can’t speak for Max. I don’t think it’s appropriate to be involved in any disciplinary issues with his cats. There are things he has to take care of and I respect that. I just don’t plan to be coming to any events where I have to deal with all this drama. Max is certainly free to do it, it’s his family. But I bent once, so far I lost my way back to myself. And I did it for a man. I let his family take everything from me. I vowed to never go there again. I love Max and I’d die for him, but I’m not giving him my life, if you understand the distinction I’m not making very clear.”
Imogene looked at her for some time without speaking until she nodded. “You’re making yourself very clear. I respect what you’re saying. I do hope you give us all another chance and stay for the rest of the evening, especially as it’s supposed to be about you. I think the point has been made, or I hope it has. I really enjoy having you around. My kids, but two of them, certainly seem to like you. You’re good for Max. You help him see beyond his job, his duty, you help him understand duty applies to his whole life, not just his role as next-in-line.”
Kendra smiled. “All right, thank you. He’s good for me too. We’ve got a lot more getting to know each other to go, but he’s worth it. He makes me happy.”
They stood and walked out together to where Max paced in the family room
even as he looked down at the video game the kids played on a nearby television and gave his input.
Max had been waiting, not so very patiently, but he’d managed not to storm in and demand to know what was happening. While he’d waited, Gibson had come in to let him know they’d swept outside, only to find no one there, but fresh tire tracks at the top of a nearby rise where there was a nice view of the de La Vega house set back from the street.
Gibson had taken Jack with him, the wolves’ expertise and input on this was very much appreciated.
Max could see Kendra and his mother had reached some sort of amicable accord. The panicked knot in his belly eased slightly.
“Your lovely Kendra has agreed to give us another chance.” Imogene kissed her son’s cheeks. “You chose well.”
He smiled at his mother. “I agree. Kendra, have you met this motley band of monkeys yet?” Max turned and motioned at the room full of kids.
“Not yet.” She moved into the room. “Oh, Mario Kart! I love Mario Kart.”
“You wanna play?” One of the older boys handed a controller her way.
“Yeah!”
Chapter Twelve
The drive back to his house—no, their house—was quiet. She and his mother had laid down some sort of law between them in their little conference but neither had given him any details.
After Kendra had so very powerfully owned her new role and told Beth off, she’d left with his mother. Max had then told Beth and her husband to leave. Cesar did not contradict this, though Max did see his father on a long walk with Carlos later.
“I’m sorry,” he said as they pulled into the drive, waiting for the garage door to open.
“For what?” As she eased to face him, the slap of heat that lived between them stole his breath.
“Christ. You turn me upside down.”
A smile touched her lips. “You’re apologizing because I turn you upside down?”