The Chosen One Universe Volume Three: An MM Paranormal Fantasy Shifters Series

by Macy Blake

  “Nope.”

  “What about elemental magic?”

  “Like fire, water, earth, air? That?”

  “Exactly. Mostly it’s referred to as elemental magic, but those of us with the gift are known as awen. It’s more common than you think, but mostly, awen don’t have enough power to do much, and then, we’re only as powerful as our coven. Needless to say, there aren’t that many really powerful covens around because it takes four powerful awen to make one.”

  “But you guys are,” Nick said.

  “Yes. Mom made sure of it. When I was little, she knew I’d be powerful like her. She has a decent coven, but they didn’t really help her much. Honestly, she’s a lot stronger than the rest of her coven.”

  Nick grumbled again and sat up. “So how do you get a coven?”

  Keziah grinned and began mixing ingredients in the bowl with his hands. Whatever it was, it looked disgusting.

  “Well, if you’re anyone but my mom, you wait for fate to bring you together and birds sing and butterflies flutter about and you know in your heart that it’s right.”

  Nick snorted. “And your mom?”

  “She pretty much searched the continent until she found kids about my age who were also strong, and she also figured out a way to make this place. She brought all our families together so we grew up here, and she’s brought in a few other people since then so we were well-rounded. Her words. Not mine.”

  Jedrek was fascinated. He’d never known all of this. “She’s fierce.”

  “Yeah,” Keziah said proudly. “She is.”

  “So which element are you?” Nick asked.

  “You tell me.”

  Keziah began rolling the mixture into little balls and placing them on a baking sheet. Jedrek couldn’t deny being curious, but Nick was still using him as a pillow so he didn’t move. He really wanted to know what was in the bowl, though. He stroked Nick’s hair and waited as his mate pondered Keziah’s request. His mate. Jedrek liked the sound of it. He tightened his hold on Nick’s hair, drawing his attention.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  Nick grunted and turned his attention back to Keziah. “You’re fire. Like Jedrek and the hellhounds. You smell like… fire. So does your mom.”

  “Yep.”

  “And that Rowan guy. He’s earth. He smells like trees and the forest. And… am I earth too?”

  “Yep.”

  “Yeah. Leandra smells like warm trees. That’s weird. But that’s what she smells like, and I figure I’m the same as her. The wolves smell like trees, too. But more… forest.”

  “Exactly. Most true shifters have earth powers.”

  “Most, but not all.”

  “Nope,” Keziah said. “Not all. Because we like to keep things complicated.”

  “Hmm. So how does my brother fit into all this? I mean, you guys are with the fire goddess. And he has the sisters who I guess have…minions, too. What’s the word?” Nick looked up at Jedrek.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Like minions of the goddess, who report to her or whatever. What do you call them?”

  “Technically, we’re her animal to call. Each goddess has specific creatures whose magic is associated with theirs. There isn’t a word for us. Not that I know,” Jedrek explained.

  “Only the goddesses?”

  “Yeah.”

  “But how come there are four types of magic and only three goddesses? Oh, does the mother goddess count as one? And how come my brother doesn’t have, you know, minions?”

  “We aren’t minions,” Jedrek complained.

  “Power is passed from mother to daughters,” Keziah said. He’d switched to cracking eggs in a bowl, but he looked deep in thought.

  “But isn’t your coven all guys?”

  “Yes.”

  “This makes no sense.”

  “Awen can be men or women,” Keziah said.

  “Someone needs to make up their mind.” Nick wiggled around, moving to the new spot where the sun was shining through the windows. When he finally settled, he looked up at Keziah once more. “Tell me more about this place.”

  “My mom won it in a poker game.”

  “No shit?”

  “No shit. A lot of awen use their gifts for good, and we sell stuff. But it doesn’t exactly make us millionaires. Mom has a wicked good poker face, though, and ended up with cash and this land. I guess someone in her coven had a vision about it or something. She’s a little vague on those details.”

  That news didn’t surprise Jedrek at all. Zaire was often vague on details.

  “But she got it before I was born and built us a house here. Then she started doing other stuff. She wants us to be self-sufficient as much as we can, because letting people through the wards isn’t awesome. Of course, after Henry and Sam were attacked, she had us working like crazy to figure out a new way to make wards. Now, no one can enter the wards who mean us harm as long as my coven is together within them.”

  “Huh. That’s good.”

  Jedrek hadn’t known that. He wondered if Meshaq did.

  “Yeah. She wanted us to figure out a way to make the wards at the clinic stronger, and we did, but not as strong as ours. No way was she making my coven stay there with as many sick shifters as are coming in and out all the time. She thought about having Vaughn and Sam come here with the kids so we’d have more kids to grow up with, but she told me later that she knew there was no way Vaughn would give up his practice and leave his pack behind, so she didn’t ask. And the kids needed their dads, so even though they had a little more risk, she let it go.”

  “What happened to Henry and Sam? What attack?”

  “Mrs. Foote kidnapped them,” Jedrek said. “Created a portal in the living room of their house and took them.”

  “Bitch. We really need to find her.”

  “Yeah,” Jedrek said. “We really do.”

  “Breakfast is almost ready. You want to get dressed?”

  Jedrek glanced down and realized belatedly that Nick was laying on the floor completely naked. He chuckled and Nick glared up at him. “If I could shift like you, this wouldn’t be an issue. It’s not fair.”

  “That’s because hellhounds aren’t shifters like you,” Keziah said. “They get their power directly from the goddess. They shift…I guess you’d say they shift magically and not physically. The same result, but a different process.”

  Nick growled as he rolled to the side and stood. “Then pants should be optional.”

  “I’m not complaining,” Jedrek said. He tried not to leer but was pretty sure he failed.

  “I’m not either,” Keziah said.

  Jedrek smirked when Nick smacked his own forehead and left the room. Jedrek watched him go, enjoying the view the entire way.

  Nick

  After breakfast, Nick worked on a grocery list while Jedrek showered. He’d started to go in with him, but then he’d be all sex-stupid again and he really wanted to talk to Leandra. The questions from Keziah had helped him fill in a few blank spots, but he couldn’t help wondering what prompted Zaire to make sure he spent time with the other lion shifter. She had a plan. If he’d learned nothing else in the Q&A with Keziah, it was that his mother always had a plan. He checked the recipe for the sausage ball things Keziah had made them for breakfast and added the ingredients. Between him and Jedrek, they’d eaten the whole batch. They should learn how to make them. Possibly in bulk.

  He’d tried suggesting that Keziah just get them a bunch of microwave dinners, but Keziah had paled before informing him that there wasn’t a microwave in the kitchen. Apparently, microwaves were bad. Or something. Nick wasn’t sure. Maybe they just disapproved of his general laziness when it came to cooking? It didn’t matter. From the sounds of things, Keziah was going to make sure they had food and that was all that mattered. Although… would it be rude to put more lube on the list? They were going through the bottle Jedrek brought pretty fast.

  Jedrek came back into
the room, dressed and with his hair slicked back. He’d trimmed the sides and Nick liked it. He abandoned the list and grabbed Jedrek instead.

  “Can’t get enough of you,” he murmured before he nipped at the edge of Jedrek’s lips.

  “Same,” Jedrek replied. He pulled away though, and Nick growled in protest. “We promised Keziah we’d talk to Leandra. She’s anxious and he’s worried.”

  Something in Nick flipped at the words and he managed to pull back. “Fine. But we’re continuing this later.”

  He grabbed Jedrek’s hand and dragged him outside. The kids were still playing, but they ran for them when they caught sight of him. The cubs were still in their shifted form, and they bounded up to Nick and batted his legs.

  “They want up,” Sophie said as she held up her arms to Jedrek.

  Nick stared at them.

  Jedrek picked Sophie up and gave Nick an expectant look. He sighed but leaned down and managed to wrangle the twins into his arms.

  “Who are you?” Sophie asked.

  “That’s Nick the lion,” Jedrek said.

  “Oh. Nick can change into a lion like Ariella and Lionel can?”

  Jedrek nodded. The little girl stared at him again.

  “I wanna be a lion, too.”

  “No can do, Soph. You’re supposed to be a little girl.”

  Her lower lip began to wobble and Nick looked on in panic. He couldn’t handle crying kids. He could barely manage the two wriggling in his arms and trying to climb onto his head. He heard a growl and the cubs froze. He looked toward the sound and found Leandra staring at her kids. They settled after the noise, draping themselves over him like he was their own personal climbing tree.

  Keziah and Rowan came out of one of the houses down the street and began walking their way. “Who wants to go check on the strawberries with me?”

  Three little heads perked up.

  “We can pick some and make something in the kitchen,” Rowan said.

  Before Nick could even process the words, the cubs had leapt from his arms and were high tailing it over to them. Sophie wiggled her way down from Jedrek and ran over, too.

  “Smooth,” Jedrek muttered.

  “This whole communal living thing is weird.”

  “Bad weird?”

  Nick took a second to think about it. He wasn’t used to being around so many people, that was for sure. He’d spent a lot of time alone over the past few years. “No. Not bad.”

  “Just different.”

  “Yeah. I mean, I’m pretty much a loner, so being around so many people is… well, not what I’m used to.”

  “I get it. We should probably do a patrol, make sure the wards are stable.”

  “I take it that’s a hint to get moving.”

  Jedrek lifted his brows and Nick sighed. All he wanted to do was go find a sunny spot, convince Jedrek to shift with him, and maybe curl up together and take a nap. Was that too much to ask?

  “Leandra, let’s walk,” Jedrek said.

  Nick grumbled again. They started walking toward the gate and she settled into step beside them. They hadn’t made it half way down the street when she spoke.

  “I don’t want an alpha.”

  Nick huffed. “Good. Cause I don’t want a pack. Pride. Whatever.”

  She scowled. “You don’t?”

  “God, no. Why would I?”

  Jedrek sighed. “Is this really the conversation you want to have?”

  Nick turned to glare at him. Then noticed that Leandra had done the same thing. Jedrek held up his hands in surrender and stepped back. “Fine, do this your way.”

  He started walking again, and Nick followed.

  Leandra moved back beside him again. “Every alpha wants a pack.”

  “Not this one.”

  “You should want a pack.”

  “I don’t.”

  Leandra sighed.

  Jedrek did, too.

  “What? The only thing I want is a sunny spot and my… Jedrek. And lube. Jed, can we add lube to the grocery list or is that weird?”

  Jedrek coughed. “Well, it’s weird now.”

  Nick glanced at Leandra who was looking at him like he was from another planet. “What? Lube. It’s a requirement for the kind of sex we’re having. And I want a lot more of it. Hence, more lube.”

  Leandra stared at him like he was a lunatic for a minute longer, then she burst out laughing. Jedrek wrapped his arms around Nick from behind and lowered his head into Nick’s hair. It only took him a second to realize Jedrek was laughing at him, too.

  “You’re both assholes.”

  Leandra laughed harder. “And assholes need lube.”

  Jedrek made a weird choking sound, so Nick elbowed him in the stomach. “A man has needs.”

  It took them a second to stop laughing, but when they did, Leandra gave him a look and started walking again. He grabbed Jedrek’s hand and stayed with her.

  “You don’t… want to have sex with me, do you?”

  Nick flinched. He couldn’t help it. What was he supposed to say to that? “Uh, no? I mean, it’s not you. It’s me. I, you know—” Nick pointed awkwardly at Jedrek. “And you’re pretty and all, but—” He again gestured to Jedrek.

  “So you’re gay?”

  Nick floundered again. “Well… I mean… technically no? I mean, bi for sure. But Sawyer says I’m pan. There was this whole thing about Captain Jack and aliens, and honestly, I’m not sure I understand.”

  Leandra didn’t look comforted by the news. “So you might want to have sex with me one day.”

  “I mean…” Nick looked to Jedrek for help. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to say here.”

  “The truth,” Jedrek said softly. He flared his eyes at Nick, but it wasn’t in anger. It gave him confidence to say what he wanted. That he wouldn’t screw up if he spoke the truth.

  Nick’s eyes flared in return, and he turned back to Leandra. Everything was sharper through the lion’s view. Leandra stepped back.

  “Look, I don’t know what all this mate stuff means, okay? But apparently Jedrek is mine. It’s new. And I don’t know shit about shit right now. So will I want to have sex with you some day in the future? Maybe. How the fuck should I know? I don’t know what I’m having for lunch today. But for now, big guy here is all I want to have sex with and, no offense but Jedrek said to be honest, the thought of having sex with you kinda makes me feel sick. So there’s that. But, um, no offense.”

  Jedrek coughed out another laugh and Leandra stopped walking again.

  Nick sighed and turned to her. “I’m terrible at this.”

  “No. You’re actually not,” Leandra said. “Zaire said you didn’t know anything about lions or prides or packs or anything.”

  “I didn’t even know most of this shit was real until yesterday. I was raised with a bunch of other kids who didn’t know anything and… yeah. It’s not like I had some lion dad to show me the ropes or whatever. Papa Smith was what I had, and he was human. I think.” Nick turned to Jedrek. “Please tell me my parents were human.”

  Jedrek raised a brow. “Sorry to break it to you, but I doubt it.”

  “Shit. Does Sawyer know?”

  “Probably not. You should ask him.”

  “Dammit. How’d she end up with three of us if she wasn’t something different? You’re probably right. Papa just put up with us all, though. He was cool like that. A go with the flow guy. Could fix anything you put in front of him, though, as long as it didn’t involve food in the kitchen. Mama Thea said my loathing of all things cooking-related was from him.” A pang of sadness went through him once more at their memory. Their loss was fresh in his mind, a wound that never fully healed. Even though he had his brothers, Nick still picked up the phone to call Mama Thea sometimes before he remembered she wouldn’t be there to answer.

  Jedrek tugged him close and he breathed in his warm scent. A feeling of calm flooded through him, and he breathed again, chasing the elusive, amazing scent that was Jedre
k. “Damn, you smell good.”

  “We’ll call your brothers later,” Jedrek said. “Check on them.”

  “They said they’d call if there was any change.”

  “I know. Let’s call anyway.”

  “Yeah. I don’t want to nag.”

  “They need you to nag. Be a big brother.”

  “You have brothers?” Leandra asked.

  “Yeah. They’re both kinda hurt right now, but they said I should come and get this magic shit figured out. It’s important. I’ve been trying to find the people who held me captive as a kid since… well, since I was a kid and escaped.”

  Leandra made another noise. “You were… one of them.”

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s what would have happened to my cubs if I hadn’t escaped. They would have…” Her voice broke and Nick stepped closer.

  “But that didn’t happen. You got them out. And now Zaire thinks you can help us find them.”

  “I will. As long as…”

  “If it puts your kids at risk, then we don’t do it. Period. They aren’t getting their hands on any other cubs. Not on my watch.”

  They walked again, reaching the gate and turning to walk along it. Jedrek’s eyes stayed flamey, and he seemed to be inspecting the wards.

  “Can you see the wards?”

  “Yes,” Jedrek said.

  “Can I?”

  “Probably not. You should try.”

  Nick focused and let the lion take charge again. He didn’t shift, though, even though he’d kind of offered to let the lion out. “Huh, that’s weird.”

  “What?”

  “I think I’m communicating with the lion side or something.”

  “That’s what happens. He’s part of you, not separate.”

  “It should be seamless,” Leandra added. “You should not be able to distinguish between the two sides so easily.”

  “I guess I’m learning.”

  “I cannot see wards,” Leandra said. “I can feel them.”

  “Yeah. I feel ‘em. But… no, I can’t see anything but fence.” He turned back to Jedrek. “I kinda want to run.”

  “So let’s run. Leandra?”

  She glanced between them for a second before making her decision. She nodded. Nick grabbed the hem of his shirt but then paused. “Oh, uh, yeah. This whole getting naked thing is weird.”