by Janelle Peel
Stacks of books littered the table around me; mocking me for thinking that it would be that easy.
A day walking Vampire? Dhampir? I’d never heard of such a thing existing outside the movies. It sounded like a joke, but it definitely wasn’t to the Council. They were pissed.
If I’d never heard of it, then that left only one place where the information could possibly be…
The Archives.
Forbidden to those who weren’t of the highest caliber, they were sealed from most Mage’s eyes. Only a select few would have access besides the Councilmembers themselves. Obviously, they were out. But what if I could get my hands on a key from someone else?
Shelving the books on autopilot, I racked my brain for anyone that would have access…
I wondered about Sora’ parents for a moment then immediately dismissed the idea. They would probably throw me out the second I knocked on their door. It didn’t matter that Sora and I were the best of friends in our childhood, she was shunned. Period. They didn’t even say goodbye to her the night the Council guards came and took her away. Rumor had it that they’d even stripped her name from the listed bloodlines in the ancestry tomes.
My thoughts swirled through the limited number of Mages that would have a key as I made my way back to my room. Maybe if I got some rest, it would come to me.
Blaze
“Well, at least that kind of worked out,” Sora mumbled against his chest.
He chuckled as he traced the slender muscles of her bare back. “My life has taken on a considerable amount of excitement since you came into it.”
She tensed, “Is it really that bad?”
“Of course not,” he kissed her brow. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
She relaxed and whispered, “Do you know anyone else that would have any information that could help us?”
“No,” he grumbled, frustrated by his lack of resources.
“I talked to Mel, he’s never heard of what’s going on either. He’s going to put Rowe on research duty.” She yawned, “I’ve been trying to figure out what possible reason the Goddess could have for making Nat a Shifter. Any thoughts?”
“Only one,” he hesitated. “Mel seems to fancy her. I admit, I have limited information on the Pack and their Mates…”
She connected the dots and rolled a shoulder. “It’s possible. She’s just so young, it worries me.”
Blaze smirked into the darkness, remembering her sass in the dining room. “I think she’ll be alright. She might be new here, but something tells me Mel might have bitten off more than he can chew. She’s a dominant.”
She giggled, “True. Ironic, really. Nat was so timid when she got here, she even mouthed off to me yesterday. It reminded me of Viv.”
He pulled her closer. “If anyone can bring her out of her shell, it would be Viv.”
Tenderly, his fingers walked down the length of her arm and began peeling the blanket down to her waist. Cupping her face with his other hand, he tipped her lips to his and purred, “Enough talking, Love. I need my Mate.”
Her cobalt eyes swirled in the darkness, lit from within by her magic just before she kissed him.
Natalie
A soft whine drew me from a deep sleep. Blinking, I sat up and tipped my ear to the darkness.
Another whimper sounded at the foot of the bed.
“Bex?” I whispered.
Her cold nose touched my shoulder a moment later, followed by a soft yip.
Reaching out, I touched the soft fur of her ruff. “What is it, Babe?”
She padded to the door on silent paws and rubbed her back against the wood.
Ah, she probably needs to go outside.
Quietly, I stood and grabbed my blue fluffy robe off the chair and threw it around my shoulders. I wasn’t exactly indecent, but panties and a tank were definitely not okay to go outdoors in.
Bex whined again, impatiently waiting for me to hurry up.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming.” I said, opening the door.
She took off like a shot down the stairs while I scrambled to keep up.
By the time I’d caught up with her, she was standing sentry at the double doors leading out to the front of the mansion. Her head tipped to the side; seemingly irritated by my slower pace.
I giggled, “Yes, four legs are faster than two, but I don’t want to parade around the house half naked. I need you to stay close, okay?”
She chuffed, affronted that I had thought to remind her.
My eyes immediately watered at the too bright sun as I opened the door. Goddess, it felt like it’d been weeks since I’d seen it. Blinking back the tears, I opened it wider and let Bex slip through.
As soon as she hit the bottom step, she leapt behind a shrub for some privacy to do her business.
I smiled fondly and settled myself on the stoop to wait.
The bush rustled just before a black nose poked out. Bright blue eyes stared at me for a moment before she yipped softly, then took off across the grass and into the sunshine.
I chuckled as she ran circular laps for a few minutes, always staying within my line of sight.
She trotted back, her tongue lolling in a wolf like grin. Her ear flicked just before she grabbed the hem of my robe with her sharp teeth and tugged.
My brow lifted. “Oh, you want to play, do you?”
Her tail swished. She pulled harder and growled.
Rip!
Immediately her ears flattened and she dropped her rump to the ground. Gently releasing the material, she looked up at me with an abashed look on her face.
“Hey, it’s okay,” I soothed. “It’s just a robe.”
Her tail thumped in acknowledgement.
“It’s pretty early and I’m not exactly decent under here.” I said, tugging on the belt at my waist. “Can we play something else?” I yawned, “Or go back to bed? I’m tired.”
She snorted, unhappy with my excuse. Lifting her nose, she stood in a regal pose and chuffed.
“I know what you want missy, but I don’t even know how I shifted the first time. It’s not like I have anyone out here to show me.”
Her chest heaved a frustrated sigh. Pivoting on her hind legs, she loped off to the corner of the house.
Dammit, I thought, standing to follow her. I really wanted to go back to bed.
Grumbling to myself, I rounded the corner and stopped dead.
White chin length hair met my eyes, framing a small pale face with her lips tipped up into a tiny smirk.
My jaw dropped as I took in her pert nose and striking blue orbs.
“Bex?” I queried, glancing at her skinny nude body.
She bobbed her head once and lifted a hand toward me.
Slowly, I came out of my stupor and clasped her fingers. She was the size of a five-year-old child, maybe six if she gained some weight.
Her hand squeezed mine once to stop my ogling.
My cheeks heated, “Sorry. It’s just kind of a shock is all.”
She jerked her chin to our joined hands and waited for me to focus. Her other arm rose and she placed one finger in front of her lips. “Shh,” she whispered, then shifted.
The air around her shimmered briefly for a moment, similar to that of a mirage. A sharp zing of magic pulsed up my arm. Faster than I could track, I held a paw in my hand.
She wiggled out of my grip and yipped excitedly as she pranced on the grass like she’d just done the best magic trick ever.
Snorting to get my attention again, she cocked her head and looked at me imploringly.
Hmm, it was magic. Biting my lip, I replayed the sensation while I flexed my fingers. Shrugging, I looked around and stripped. Finished, I laid my robe on the grass and sat. If this actually worked, I didn’t want to ruin the one thing that would cover me back up.
Her cold nose touched the skin between my breasts where the center of my magic lay.
Figuring she meant I needed to start there, I closed my eyes. Violet light flickered int
o view. Slowly, I called to it. The flames tightened into a ball and expanded again. Unsure of what I should do, I silently said Wolf.
Nothing happened. Lifting a lid, I peeked.
Bex stood, her face just inches from mine. Her breath tickled my nose and she woofed softly in encouragement.
Redoubling my efforts, I concentrated and repeated the thought twice more. Purple light flashed. I lifted a hand to my face and poked my nose with a sharp nail. I threw up a prayer to the Goddess that it had worked and opened my eyes.
Bex chuffed softly from three feet below my vantage point. A mischievous grin flashed across her mouth before she turned and ran.
What a little shit, I thought, and raced after her.
Mel
Nature called, waking him. Stretching, he got out of the warm king-sized bed.
Finished with his morning business, he flushed the toilet and padded to the door. He debated for a moment, promising himself that he was just going to check on them.
Two steps into the hall, he froze. Nat’s door was open.
In a panic, he entered the room and inhaled. Where were they?
He rushed out of the room and took the stairs in five-foot leaps in his haste to find them. His bare feet skidded on the carpet of the foyer, barely stopping his large body in time before slamming into the front door.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he turned the handle and stepped out into the morning sunshine.
Their scents came to him on the breeze and he relaxed. They were out here. Bex probably had to use the bathroom, he thought with a grin.
Just then, a streak of white zipped across the lawn near the perimeter fence. A sleek black shape closed the distance between them effortlessly.
He smiled, watching as Nat overtook Bex and made the smaller Wolf eat her dust.
His Wolf brushed soft fur beneath his skin, begging to go play.
With a sigh, he agreed, but only if his Wolf was cautious. He didn’t want Nat to get her ruff up over the intrusion.
His Wolf chuffed softly in reply.
Quickly, he shucked his borrowed sweat pants and shifted.
Sora
Unable to sleep, I decided to get up. Not knowing what was going on in my life was slowly driving me mad.
Blaze’s arms tightened around my waist as I attempted to untangle myself from his embrace.
“What’s wrong?” He asked.
I sighed, “Nothing. I can’t sleep. I’m going to go practice some magic.”
Releasing me, he sat up on one elbow. “Do you want me to come? We can close the roof and use the courtyard.”
I smiled and kissed his cheek. “No, go ahead and rest. I was going to go outside. It’s been ages since I’ve seen the sun.”
He chuckled softly, “Me too. Take a Protector with you, please?”
“Sure.”
Once he’d settled, I finger combed my hair and padded to the wardrobe.
Dressing in my favorite ACDC tee and grey jeggings, I pulled my pink Chucks on. No bare feet outside for me today. Deftly, I wove my hair into a side braid and brushed my teeth.
My upper lip lifted at my reflection in the mirror. I looked exhausted. Nothing for it now, I thought with a shrug, and left our suite.
It was so weird being up this early. The house was eerily quiet as I made my way to the foyer and out the front door.
I paused on the steps and shot off a quick text to Mason.
‘Hey, I’m going to practice magic outside in front of the mansion. Got a Protector or Felidae handy? Blaze wants me to have a babysitter.’
He replied almost instantly, ‘On it. Syn will meet you shortly.’
‘Thanks.’ I typed back.
Hmm, who was Syn?
A white blur flashed through the grass, drawing my attention. Probably Bex I thought, and waited to see if Mel or Nat were close by.
Scratching at the door caused me to turn. Curiously, I turned the handle and froze.
Amber eyes stared up at me from a black feline face near my chest.
“Syn?” I asked after I’d shaken off the shock.
She bobbed her head in acknowledgement and nosed the door open wider.
Goddess, she was massive! Her thick tail swished back in forth in agitation as she settled onto the stoop. A yip sounded in the distance and her ears twitched while she drew in short puffs of air through her mouth. Rumbling a growl, her black pelt rose. She stood and slunk down the steps.
Oh shit! Bex!
“Syn!” I whisper called. “Syn, no.”
One rounded ear flicked back at me as she continued to stalk through the grass regardless of my warning.
Fuck. I closed the door quickly and took off after her.
My eyes scanned the field in search of the little white Wolf.
Bex zipped into view again, followed closely by a pony sized brown Wolf.
Syn growled again and took off, heading straight for the smaller Wolf.
I stopped and called to my center, praying to the Goddess that I wouldn’t be too late. Violet flames lit my arms at once.
Everything happened so fast after that.
Bex caught sight of the Panther and immediately tried to stop. Her startled cry drew a terrible howl from Mel that was quickly answered by another from further behind him.
Syn’s back legs bunched, readying to pounce on the white pup.
Without hesitation, I threw my arm up. Instantly, the earth answered my call and rippled between hunter and prey. Faster than my enhanced sight could track, where grass had been before, a thirty-foot-high dirt wall now stood.
Syn was too far into her jump to back out, so she pushed off the dirt wall with all four paws. Landing, she looked back at me and hissed in disgust.
Oh, hell no. “SHIFT!” I commanded.
A shocked naked woman knelt where the Panther had stood. I barely spared her a glance as I flashed the twenty feet around the wall to check on Bex.
Mel growled at my abrupt approach while standing guard over the smaller Wolf. Nat rumbled a warning at him and approached me.
I sighed in relief and extinguished my flames. Nat looked from me to the wall and back. “Kind of a shocker, huh?” I asked with a smile.
She chuffed in amusement.
“Right, well, I didn’t know you guys were going to be out here. I came to practice some magic,” I waved a hand at the wall. “Looks like it works.”
Purple light flashed and a naked Nat crouched before me. She stood with a grin, “Yeah, it definitely works. That was pretty badass.”
My cheeks pinked. “Thanks. Blaze insisted I have a babysitter, so Mason sent Syn.” I hooked a thumb over my shoulder and shrugged.
“It’s okay,” she said. “No harm done. We were going to head back inside anyway.”
A rumble sounded behind her. Turning on her heel, she addressed Mel sharply. “I said we are going back in. Do you have a problem with that?”
Mel lifted his upper lip briefly, then seemed to think better of it and removed his massive bulk from atop the white ball of fluff.
Bex’s blue eyes met mine and her lips curled into a wolf like smile. I had to agree, it was pretty funny seeing a tiny thing like Nat put the big ass Alpha in his place.
I sobered. We were going to have to find a way for the Pack and Felidae to work together.
“Nat?” My brows furrowed, “I’m going to call Syn over. We have to get past all of these,” I waved my hands helplessly, “old issues and grudges.”
She nodded in agreement. “Mel, Bex, come over here and behave.”
Mel’s ears flattened briefly as he padded over to her side. His massive form towered over her smaller stature and he chuffed in disapproval.
Bex settled on her rump near Nat’s feet and snorted.
“I know,” Nat said, placing her small hand into his chocolate fur. A totally different kind of rumble emitted from his thick chest in response. Throwing me a wicked look, she said, “We’re ready.”
I snickered. L
ooks like someone was wrapped around her little finger.
“Syn!” I pitched my voice louder, “Come meet the newest members of our Clutch.”
Soft footsteps whispered over the grass behind me and I turned, catching my first good look of the Panther Shifter.
She was close to my 5’9’’ height and lithe. Her black hair was sheared to within an inch of her scalp. Porcelain skin made her look almost ethereal, but the amber color of her eyes ruined the effect. Every bit the predator, she looked over our assembled party with shrewd eyes.
Lifting a brow, I barked, “Meet Nat, Bex and Mel.”
She tipped her head a fraction in acknowledgement, giving no ground or hint of subservience.
That pissed me off. I ground out, “Apologize.”
Her eyes tightened at the corners and her chin jutted out defiantly. “Sorry,” she muttered.
Squaring my shoulders, I faced her fully. “You could have harmed Bex, which is completely unacceptable. Not only that, you deliberately disobeyed my direct order.”
Her shoulders rounded as my words penetrated her thick skull.
“We have no time for your petty squabbling. Listen, and listen well. A war is coming. If we are to survive, there will be changes made.” I tilted my face back to Mel, “Changes made by everyone. You will have to learn to work together.” I stepped back and addressed them both, “Are we clear?”
Syn dropped to her knees and bowed her head, “Yes, Mistress.”
Mel lowered his belly to the grass and bobbed his head.
“My words are to be passed on to both the Pack and Felidae. If anything like this happens again, there will be consequences.” My gaze found Nat’s and my brows lifted imploringly.
She removed her hand from Mel’s ruff and nodded. “It will be done.”
I took a deep breath, “Good. You guys go back inside. I have to try to fix this,” I patted the rough wall, “thing.”
A thought occurred to me, “Mel?”
He paused midstep and looked back at me with his golden eyes.
“I know we agreed you would take care of the Pack on your own, but that is not an option any longer. The Pack is moving in with the Protectors and Felidae. You will begin training together immediately.”
If I hadn’t been watching I would have missed his shift. The air shimmered briefly before he switched back to his human shape. “Yes, Mistress,” he said as he turned and flashed me his bare ass.