by India Kells
She had convinced Violet and Valeria to go downstairs, which gave her a small respite to gather her thoughts. Even in her whirling mind that only wanted to protect the people downstairs, her friends, she knew her own vulnerability. Being blind sucked, but even seeing, it was a threat that no one could really predict or see coming. Not until it was revealed or discovered.
Puzzles pulled at her. And this particular one would not only reveal her foe, but probably who she really was. Fascinating and frightening at the same time.
Taking a deep breath, she opened her bedroom door and made her way downstairs. Chatter and laughter could be heard, and it righted her world. Family. The one thing Sera had sorely missed in her life, she had found here. First with Val and Vi, and then with Asher and the entire Sanctuary. And Ian.
He was her greatest puzzle. Sera couldn’t regret what happened in his mind, she wanted it too, but the real world wasn’t the same. There were rules and codes and restrictions. For most of her life she abided by them. Reading the books, studying her world, being invisible. And for what? She was in danger, nonetheless.
From a very young age, she learned that action and energy were closely related. What you do moves something in the grand scheme of things, with results and consequences. Being good, sacrificing her desires for what she was told was right, amounted to this. And what if she changed paths?
Still deep in thoughts, she jumped when a hand touched her shoulder.
“Easy, Sera! It’s only me, Hunter. I’ve called your name twice, but it seemed that you were far away.”
“Thanks for the arrhythmia! Gosh! I have a lot to process, my brain has a tendency to shut everything else out when that happens. It’s just that it doesn’t remember that I can’t see anymore.”
“Yeah, I tend to do the same thing when working a case.”
“Speaking of case, I know the town is still emerging from a record snowstorm, but won’t you be in trouble for disappearing? And what about your apartment? Any news?”
“The fire department went there, and I texted my boss to tell them I was okay, helping a friend. He told me to keep him posted. I must say that I wouldn’t have been let off the hook so easily in Chicago. Another thing I appreciate here. So far, they’re still working the scene. I’ll learn more later, but we both know that it was arson. It’s just that I doubt anybody would believe me if I ever talked about an unknown magical creature setting my building on fire.”
“Yeah... I doubt it too.”
“And I need to stay and help your friend, Patricia. I spoke to Asher and we’re planning for something a little more secure. He told me that werebears are even more unpredictable than werewolves. I can’t wait.”
Sera reached for his arm. “Don’t take any risks. Shifters can be very dangerous. You’ve seen it firsthand.”
“Oh yeah. Asher was talking about bringing a few more Sentinels in, whoever they are. And what about your hand?”
“Oh, better. With the healing spell and the salve, I’ll barely have a scar.”
Hunter shuffled on his feet, as if hesitating. “I have to ask the question, even if I’ll probably sound like a complete moron, but that bite, won’t it affect you? Turn you into a werewolf like Ian?”
Sera smiled, laughter bubbling up. “No. It’s not that simple. Among magical beings, we can’t so easily change someone. Our own magic protects us. As for humans, they are at greater risk, and most of the time, it’s even worse than in your movies. That’s why I’m asking you to be careful. You have magic in you that I can help you find out more about, if you like. When we’re out of the woods and I don’t have that menace looming over my head.”
“I don’t know yet if I want to know... I mean, it’s not as if it’s something that would physically change me or pop out of my hands.”
Sera didn’t dare to confirm or deny his thoughts. In her experience, magic was anything but predictable.
“As you wish. But know that if you ever need help, I will be there for you.”
“Thanks, Sera.”
“There you are!!” Violet came around the corner like a tornado. “And we’re all starving in the kitchen while you chat. Come along.”
Grabbing her hand, her wild friend almost made her run to join the rest of the troop. Normally, she would scan the room, but her tired mind wasn’t up to the task. Instead she relied on voices. Violet and Valeria were chatting up Asher about some sauce. Hunter had followed her into the kitchen. And Ian came closer. He didn’t have to speak, simply his scent and heat enveloping her were clue enough. He stayed there, close but not touching, probably as hesitant as she was. Unsure of what to do.
“Sit, please. I made chicken subs with cheese sauce.” Asher came and put plates on the table.
“My dear boyfriend is trying his hand at another recipe. Eat at your own risk.”
Sera heard a butt slap and giggling. It was wonderful to hear Valeria so happy. Her life had been so gloomy and difficult, an obstacle course at every turn. She deserved happiness.
People took their places all around the table, and Ian sat on her left and Hunter on her right.
“Please, it’s a do-it-yourself kind of meal...” And when the Sanctuary Master stopped talking, Sera bit her lip in laughter. Poor man, he must have realized the ordeal for her, to fumble around the plates to get what she wanted. In fact, the whole situation was so funny, she burst out laughing, quickly followed by everyone around the table.
“No worries, Asher. I’ll let everyone serve themselves and I’ll dip my fingers afterwards. I’m sure everything will be delicious. It’s Valeria who can’t cook.”
Something flew by her head and Sera arched an eyebrow. “Whoever attacked the blind woman will pay dearly.”
The muffled sound of Violet smirking made her smile. When she started hearing chewing sounds, she extended her hand to reach for the bread when Ian stopped her. “Your sandwich is on your plate. Careful, I think I over did it with the sauce.”
On her right, Hunter pushed a bunch of napkins under her hand without a word, confirming the sauce tsunami.
Deciding that a fork and knife would be a wiser choice, she started cutting away. “Do we have any news from Finn since he left?”
Violet sighed. “He remained within my radar for a while and then disappeared. I think I sensed him around this morning, but not close enough for me to be sure.”
Hunter finished his bite before he spoke. “How can you sense him? Is it because you gave him blood?”
“No, giving blood doesn’t establish that kind of connection. For that you need to exchange blood. Which I did with him last year.”
“For what purpose?” It amazed Sera that there wasn’t any trace of horror in the cop’s voice.
“We didn’t know the guy, and I’m not very trusting of vampires in general. And as he was close to Valeria, I exchanged blood and told him I would gut him if he ever threatened her. I thought I would be right and cut the link by ending his life. Unfortunately, he’s not a bad guy. Let’s leave it that way. He’ll resurface when he wants to. That’s the way of the vampire.”
Sera nodded. “Indeed. They have their own agenda. What about Patricia? Should we try to help her out next?”
Asher moved around, taking her hand to give her a bottle of water. “You’re not going near Patricia, Sera. Particularly if there’s a risk she reacts like Ian. We discussed it with Hunter earlier. We’ll adapt the gym, making sure it can act as an enclosed area so if Patricia goes wild, we’ll be able to keep her there. And I’ll add a few more Sentinels as back up. That way, Hunter will be protected, and Patricia won’t hurt herself or anybody else for that matter.”
Ian inched his hand on the bench to touch her thigh. It was a simple contact that she understood. They hadn’t had the chance to talk, but she knew he must feel awful for what happened earlier, even if she didn’t hold him responsible for any of it.
Placing her hand on his, she turned in his direction.
“Ian, can you tell us what
happened? Why you lost control earlier?”
The werewolf went rigid beside her. He tried to remove his hand from under hers, but she simply followed and linked her fingers with him. He didn’t relax but didn’t try to pull his hand away either. The energy coming from him was pulsating guilt.
“I was trapped in the house. The house I shared with my mate, Julie, and our pup, Amelia.” His voice stayed even, but his hand jerked a little.
“I couldn’t get out of the house and trust me, I tried. I knew that house like the back of my hand. When Sera appeared, I didn’t know if she was real or not. Shadows had been haunting me. It was crazy. And we heard the water running and she told me about the possibility that it was my way out. And then she vanished.”
Sera schooled her features as heat crept up her neck. Thank goodness he didn’t make any weird allusion about what they were doing before that point.
“Alone, the water sound intensified, but I couldn’t pinpoint it, until it started flooding the entire house. It was quick. And the water wasn’t clear, it was dark, almost gelatinous. I tried to knock out the window or the door, but nothing would even budge. When I drew my last gulp of air, I thought it was the end. My lungs burned and, just before I blacked out, it was as if something dragged me even deeper down. I felt my wolf come up and I tried to fight it. It was like being trapped in the dark without any way to know up from down. It was the voices that I heard first, as I was battling this invisible enemy. And Sera’s voice. At that moment, I barely had a hold on my wolf and he attacked, trying to get free, to go to where I heard her voice. But unfortunately...”
Sera offered him a smile. “I’m alright. If it was necessary to bring you back, I don’t mind.”
This time, Ian didn’t try to remove his hand, and Sera felt an unusual heat spreading through her chest.
Asher exhaled loudly. “If it happened to you, it will probably happen to Patricia when she comes back. We need to prepare. How are you feeling now, Ian?”
He seemed to shrug. “Fine. Tired, hungry. Not quite grounded yet, but nothing a run won’t cure.”
That said, calm seemed to spread even more at the table, now that the Sanctuary Master was reassured about his own unusual pack. It wasn’t to stay that way for long as Sera knew the next step, the question about the threat looming over her. The shadow may not be on Sanctuary grounds, but it was lurking nearby, she could feel it in her bones.
“Sera?” Valeria’s voice made her way to her mind and she shook her head, realizing she had been lost in her own thoughts again. All eyes were on her, she could sense it. Pulling her hand away from Ian, she pushed back from the table and stood.
“Sorry about that. I’m lacking sleep. Please finish eating. I’ll go lie down for a bit. If everything is safe, of course.”
Asher, Ian and Hunter stood as one, but she gestured for them to sit.
“I can tell you that my Sanctuary is safe, Sera. Ian will help me coordinate with the Sentinels, and as most of them are shifters, they are less susceptible to magic than others. And Hunter will keep an eye on Patricia. Go rest. We’ll discuss a plan of action later. As a matter of fact, I propose we call it a night and reconvene in the morning. We all need to rest.”
Valeria and Violet made a move in her direction, but Sera shook her head. “Thank you, girls, but I know the way. Good night.”
The more she walked away, the more she longed for Ian to follow her, to beg for him to take her in his arms so she could fall asleep surrounded by his steady energy, making her feel for a moment that nothing would ever go wrong, and that despite the danger, everything would be fine. Too bad she knew better.
Chapter Eighteen
Ian was distracted, and taming his mind was almost as difficult as ordering his wolf to do something he didn’t want to do. The winter sun had set early and the moon made the snow shine like a jewel, with the cold air tingling his nose. As he ran as a wolf, with his Alpha by his side, the landscape appeared as out of a fairy tale, but still, his mind was elsewhere. Sera.
Strong, resilient, intelligent, resourceful, fearless Sera. It hit him in the gut when she appeared pale and tired at dinner. It was so easy to forget that she hadn’t the stamina of a shifter. And with everything that had happened, he shouldn’t be surprised.
He almost followed her retreating form to her room, but the need to protect her, to make sure the Sanctuary limits were secured pulled him away. Sera was safe inside the house, with Valeria, Violet and other Sentinels close by.
Ian pushed himself to finish reassigning the Sentinels and make sure everything was secure for the night. At last, Asher gestured for them to return to the house, and he bounded forward with newfound energy. The several hours he spent securing the perimeter had been beneficial for him. The more he ran, letting his body exhaust itself, the more settled he became.
As the lights of the mansion appeared as a beacon, both wolves slowed down and transformed just before they entered the house.
Ignoring the cold on their naked bodies and the snow under their feet, both men entered the quiet kitchen, barely lit by the stove light. Still breathing hard, Asher went to the fridge and looped a water bottle at his Beta. He then closed the door before gulping the liquid down.
“I think we’re as prepared as we can ever be. Good idea to put our most experienced guards on the outer areas. And with the scouts, we should be able to see it coming, whatever it is.”
Ian nodded but wasn’t totally convinced. “Don’t treat that thing like any other threat, Asher. The magic that comes from it may not affect us shifters, but it can use our environment against us every time. I was prepared to fight and be attacked, but not against falling trees that almost crushed me.”
Asher seemed to ponder that thought. “Violet has set a few safeguards around the house. That should help. Valeria has made sure everyone stays inside the Sanctuary for the time being, to make sure nobody is at risk. The weather helps, although that wouldn’t stop the shifters. And now, the next step is to know why this thing is going after Sera.”
And it was Ian’s wish too. “What do you know about Sera? Has Valeria told you anything about her?”
His Alpha shook his head. “Not much more than you. Valeria is quite close-mouthed about her friend. And Violet is the same. Apart from what we already know, that she’s believed to be a seer and that people who normally protect seers are after her to take her to wherever it is they go, we’re flying blind.”
“And that plays against us. Against Sera. I don’t like it, Asher. How can we protect her with so little information?”
Asher came forward, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I doubt Sera is withholding information from us, Ian. It’s not what I sense from her.”
Ian frowned. “What did you sense then?”
He hesitated a moment before looking at him dead in the eye. “I think she’s scared of who she is.”
“That’s nonsense, Asher.”
“No, listen to me. I haven’t known Sera for long, but what I know is that she’s highly intelligent, and if she wants to find something, there’s nothing that will stop her from finding it. So, tell me why, after so many years, she still has no clue on her origins, or the powers that she yields.”
That made Ian pause. Asher had a point. She believed herself to be a seer, and decided to fight it, which turned her blind. But was it only a belief or the truth?”
“We’re making assumptions, Ian. And I’ve learned the hard way what that can do. I prefer now to know the facts and face them head on. I suggest we let her rest for tonight, and tomorrow morning, we come up with a plan. I suspect Valeria and Violet want to protect her too, not forcing her to do anything. Unfortunately, we’ve all come to the turning point.”
“I agree. It won’t be easy, but we don’t have a choice anymore.”
Again, Ian turned his head toward the hallway, pulled to her.
“You have feelings for her.” That statement brought his attention back to his Alpha and friend.
&nb
sp; “Are you going to lecture me about how shifters and witches don’t mix? About how I should abide by the High Council rules and step away?”
Asher lifted his hands in appeasement, and Ian realized how his voice had hardened. Taking a deep breath, he moved his shoulders to relax them. “I know all about the rules, Ash. But with her... I can’t explain it. Since Julie, she’s the first one who stirred something inside me, who forced me out of the darkness. It was irresistible. I know I can’t have another mate in my life, but... I can’t do anything but seek her presence. Sera has brought me more peace than I ever thought possible after grief and almost unbearable pain. What do you want me to do?”
Torn inside, he swallowed hard and raked his fingers through his hair. “I can’t give her up, Ash. Even if she pushes me away, I don’t know if I...”
Words got stuck and he swallowed some more. Asher nodded and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms.
“I understand more than you know, Ian. I was lucky that Valeria had shifter blood in her, even if it’s weredragon blood. Otherwise, it would have been a battle. But you know what? It would have been worth it. Sera may not have shifter blood in her, and you may not be able to offer her the status of mate, but if it makes your life better, if you think you can be happy with her and her with you, I wouldn’t stop you. Hell, I would stand beside you in front of the High Council if it would help your cause.”
The words appeased something inside him. Ian knew the universe was giving him another chance. It was imperfect, according to shifter standards, but he knew how perfection could blind you or be taken from you swiftly. Who was he to turn his back on this possibility of happiness? Or being with Sera if she would have him? Damn the High Council if they opposed them.
“Tomorrow is another day, Ian. Go rest.”
Asher passed by him and gave him an encouraging slap on the arm before disappearing into the living room. The house was so calm, so peaceful now. Ian knew he had to sleep. The battle was just beginning, and he would need all his strength to see it through. For Sera’s sake.