by Lia Davis
"How did you have time to do all this last night?" I asked as he pulled the potions out.
"I don't sleep much." He pulled the coffee table back over and arranged the bottles. "A very reduced need for sleep runs in my family."
"It's really annoying, cause he wants us to stay up with him half the time," Peter called from the kitchen, where he stirred something in a pot.
"Find what you need?" I asked.
He nodded and rifled through the cabinets until he found the pepper, adding some to the pot.
"Okay, I'm going to give you a series of potions. They're relatively minor. A couple of them we even keep on hand all the time at the manor because they're so run of the mill. But they might help clear your mind."
The first bottle he unstopped was lilac. "This is a simple reset potion. It's good for causing the body and mind to let go of anything it's hanging on to. It can't cure sickness or anything, but say I have a stomach bug, and nausea lingers. It's strong enough to push away the last of the germs. Or, if you're stressing about something, it'll help you achieve peace about whatever is worrying you."
"You could make a fortune selling this," I muttered.
He laughed. "We do. It's something we keep on hand, but it's a family recipe. We sell it to witches all the time. So far nobody has successfully reverse-engineered the exact recipe."
"His family makes most of their money from selling potions," Dorian said as he watched me sniff the lilac brew. "Among other things."
I shot him a wide-eyed look before downing the liquid, scared it would taste horrible.
My worries were in vain. It tasted like vanilla. And maybe a touch of nutmeg. I smacked my lips. "That's yummy."
"Yeah, that's part of the reason we sell so many. We make sure they taste good without losing potency."
Nothing happened. We waited until after we ate Peter's lunch before trying another. When I still didn't feel any different, Sterling shrugged. "Nothing worrying you, then?"
Peter had made mac-n-cheese and baked chicken. Simple but delicious. I took a bite before replying. "Of course it is. I'm super freaked about this whole situation."
"The potion should've helped you feel more confident about the outcome. I was hoping it might dislodge whatever is causing that fog in your brain and give you clarity."
Suddenly, I felt a probe at my mind, without warning and not really gentle. I lashed out at it, mentally grabbing hold of whoever it was trying to gain access to my mind. They tried to retreat, but I yanked as hard as I could.
"Meda?" I heard Peter's voice but couldn't focus on anything but figuring out who was in my mind.
"Sterling!" Dorian shouted, but I ignored him, slamming my hands down on the table and yanking harder. I'd be damned if I'd let someone into my mind without permission.
Magic surged into me, filling me from tip to toe. I let go of the thread of magic I'd been pulling, and it settled down into my brain, becoming my own. My eyes flew open, and I staggered to my feet.
"What happened?" I yelled. Power roared through me. Sparks shot from my hands. I looked down at them and realized Sterling was on the floor, Dorian and Peter hovering over him and trying to wake him up.
"What did you do?" Peter asked, looking up at me. "Holy shit, Meda you're glowing."
Chapter Seven
Peter reached up and grabbed my sparkling hand. "Get down here and fix him."
I fell to my knees beside the table and took Sterling's head in my hands. "I didn't know it was him. I didn't recognize him at all."
That potion had to have jacked up my perception somehow. I'd recognized him last time with no problem and welcomed his presence.
I'd never tried to get into anyone else's mind, besides my sisters. All our time with teachers had been spent learning about defense, not offense.
Still, it couldn't be all that different. I focused on Sterling, projecting my thoughts the way I would with my sisters. Our connection was so natural, it took me several minutes to fully realize that it was he who entered my mind. The worst was the fact that I somehow took his magic into me. How the hell did I do that?
Sterling laid so still and quietly. My chest tightened. Did I kill him? Please no. My first instinct was to call out to Poppy, but I couldn’t do that. He’d tell Dad and I didn’t need my parents involved. I brushed a few strands of his russet hair from his face. "Sterling, please wake up. I’m so sorry."
I hugged him to me and rocked back and forth, trying to figure how to push his power back into him. I brought his palm to my lips and pressed a kiss to it then closed my eyes.
"Meda, what are you doing?" Dorian asked, but I ignored him.
Peter, I was pretty sure, touched my arm, then jerked back a second later as my fire rose to the surface, consuming me and covering Sterling in my flames. Fire could be deadly, but it also had the power to heal. He wouldn’t be hurt by my heat, though nobody else would be able to touch us.
After taking a few deep breaths, I entered Sterling’s mind again and pushed his power into him. It took more effort than the first time. I tried to push the energy I stole from him, but it rebounded, bringing the magic with it.
Sobs burst from me. I can’t fix it. How the fuck can I fix it?
The air around me shifted and new energy filled the room. I jerked my gaze up and snarled at whoever had materialized inside my dorm. When I met the disapproving gaze of my grandmother, I cried harder. "Lilipad, I killed him."
Lilith’s features softened and she moved forward, stepping around the sofa to reach us. Her long black hair cascaded around her shoulders. She wore a white floor-length dressing gown, and I wondered if she’d been getting ready for bed.
Lilipad brushed my hair from my face and ignoring my flames, cupped my cheek before she kissed my forehead. "My Firefly, he is not dead. But you did steal his magic." She had immunity to them. She’d always said if I wanted her to be hurt by them, she would have been.
Relief eased some of the tension in my body. He wasn’t dead. "I tried to give it back but it rebounded. It’s like I can’t separate it from my own."
Peter stilled beside me, and when I glanced to him, I noted how he stared at Lilipad. He knew my grandmother was the Goddess of Night and Queen of Hell, but I wasn’t sure they’d ever seen her in the flesh. His wide eyes moved from her to me, bouncing back and forth.
Dorian, on the other hand, paced behind me. Being a vampire, he’d seen my grandmother before. At least I thought he had. Maybe when he was very young. Dorian stopped moving and knelt down beside me so he faced Lilipad. "My queen, please help us. I’m the last one who deserves an answered prayer, but please. We can’t lose him."
Lilith stared at him for several long moments then looked at Peter, then Sterling before focusing on me. "You will have your hands full with these three." A ghost of a smile lifted her lips. "Sterling is your fated mate, as are Peter and Dorian. You have the power to save him. Don’t try to separate the merged power and energy. That would be impossible at this point."
"What can I do?" I started to panic. If I couldn’t give his power back, then he would die. He was a witch and his magic was his life essence just like my wolf and vampire were mine.
"Claim him. Bind your magic and souls together." Lilipad stood just as Poppy materialized behind her. "Your powers are growing as I predicted. I warned your mother they would. It has begun with you."
I could smell the fear in Peter and Dorian at the sight of Satan standing in the common area. I ignored them, my grandmother’s words rolling in my mind. What starts with me? I didn’t have time to decipher Lilipad’s cryptic words. "Are you going to tell Mom and the Niswi?"
Lilipad shook her head. "No. You need to figure this one out on your own. You girls have to learn to deal with what is to come. It’s the only way you will grow."
"Your parents worry too much, anyway." Poppy wrapped his fingers around Lilipad’s upper arm. "Come Lil, you’ve said too much." He glared at my guys, even the unconscious Sterling in my lap. "I’m wat
ching you."
Before I could tell Poppy to stop scaring my mates, he and Lilipad vanished, leaving Peter and Dorian looking like Satan had just scared them to death.
Oh, wait.
With a heavy sigh, I glanced down at Sterling. Now that I knew he wasn’t dead, I could focus on him more instead of panicking about his death. Claim him? "What if doesn’t want to mate me? I’d be forcing him into something he didn’t want."
Peter leaned into me, and Dorian kissed my cheek. "He wants it, believe me."
I glanced at Peter, and he nodded. That was all the reassurance I needed. After all, they knew Sterling better than anyone. Once my mind was made up, my fangs ached and lengthened. My fire raced in my veins, and my wolf pranced. I didn’t give my mates a warning, I just struck, sinking my fangs into the bend of Sterling’s neck. His blood rushed in my mouth, and I groaned at the rich, sweet liquid as it coated my tongue and slide down my throat. My wolf howled, claiming Sterling as hers, now and forever.
As if the mixed magic had a brain of its own, it swirled inside me and rose up, pushing at my mind. I opened to Sterling, once again melding our minds together. Instead of trying to separate the power and energy, I nudged it toward Sterling. It flowed freely as if it had just been waiting on my permission all along.
Sterling gasped and wound his arms around me, pulling me on top of him. Then he rolled to pin me under him and rotated his hips into my core. Desire rushed through me along with happiness and a mating bond that connected me and Sterling.
Extracting my fangs, I licked the puncture marks so they started to close up. I stared into my mate’s desire filled, drunken gaze and smiled. "Hi."
He crushed his mouth to mine. His body trembled, and my tears returned. "I’m so sorry," I mumbled against his lips
"Shh." Sterling pulled back and locked gazes with me as he smiled. "That’s a lot of power you carry around."
I frowned and he nipped at my nose, then stood up, taking me with him. An impressive move considering we started with him lying flat on the ground. He really had been working out. "Don’t be sorry. We’ll deal with it. I’m not mad at you claiming me or the fact that it seems your alpha wolf trumps my power." He laughed and hugged me close. "I’m yours any way I can have you."
I sagged into him, pressing my cheek to his chest. "I’m not sure how I took your magic or why."
"I think the potion may have been too strong for you, or you are just sensitive to it." Sterling motioned to the sofa. He’d admitted I was his alpha, yet he still gave commands. I found that oddly comforting. I saw it a lot with Mom and Dad. They were both Alphas and shared the ruling and order giving. My other two Niswi fell into place as their betas. It worked for them.
Would that be how things would work with my mates? I guessed we’d figure it out over time.
In the current moment, we needed to figure out what was going on with the students and my blackouts. Once I thought about it, the students did seem a little drained and not just under a trance. Fear rolled in my gut. I met Sterling’s gaze. "What if I’m the one who is placing people in their weird trances?"
Peter shook his head, “Why would you do that?"
"I don’t know."
Dorian frowned. "Just because you can do it doesn’t mean it’s you. I’m guessing someone wants you to think you did."
I wasn’t sure that made sense either. It was likely because there was no way I’d hurt people like that, not even unconsciously. "But who would do that?"
"No clue" Dorian cupped my cheek. "Are you okay?"
I nodded and leaned into him. Sterling watched us, and when I met his gaze, I saw desire in his blue depths. He picked at a few strands of my hair on my shoulder, comfortable with me in Dorian’s arms. When were we going to get around to talking about how this arrangement would work? "Is there anyone who had been tranced or whatever that you can talk to or go see?"
"Yes, actually. Kerry. She recently dropped out of school, which is so not like her." I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed her number. We weren’t close but we’d had each other’s number since high school because we had hung out with the same groups.
A woman I assumed was Kerry’s mother answered the phone. "Hi, this is Meda. I was wondering if Kerry was home?"
There was a pause then her mother said, “Yes, she’s home."
"Is it okay if I come over?"
"Yes, you are always welcome. It might be good for Kerry to have visitors. She’s been acting a little oddly." The concern in Kerry’s mom’s voice sent a jolt of dread through me.
"I’ll be over soon." I ended the call and stared at my mates. There was no need to repeat what she’d said. Dorian and Peter’s hearing would have allowed them to hear the conversation, and Sterling sat close enough to have heard it.
Dorian jumped to his feet and headed toward the door. "Let’s go see if we can find out anything." I looked around but couldn’t think of a reason we couldn’t go right then, so I followed him, Peter and Sterling on my heels.
As soon as we got to the door it opened and Calista bounced inside. Yes, she bounced. I frowned. The girl was too damn perky.
She gasped as if startled and not expecting us to be standing there. She stumbled a few steps and Peter reached out and grabbed her hand. I knew he was just being nice and helping her steady herself so she wouldn’t fall, but I couldn’t stop the growl that rumbled out of me. Calista heard it, even though it was too low for witches to hear. Sterling hadn’t made any indication that he’d heard it. She cast me a dark look before batting her lashes at Peter and squeezing his hand. "Thank you."
Peter let go of her and wrapped his arm around my waist. Calista lifted her backpack higher on her shoulder then flipped her blonde curls over her shoulder. "You going out?"
I spoke before the guys could. I didn’t want Calista knowing what we were doing. "Yeah, straight to Hell. To see Gramps. Wanna come?" I cocked my head at her in fake enthusiasm.
Her features darkened then paled. "I’m good. You go right ahead."
I laughed and exited our top floor suites. Whenever I was in Calista’s presence, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to mess with her. I simply couldn’t stop myself. It was too fun watching her reactions. Plus I didn’t like her much. Yes, it was a little mean-girl-ish of me, but I didn’t care.
"You shouldn’t pick on her." Sterling opened the passenger door of his black BMW for me.
I shrugged. "There’s something about her I don’t like. Maybe it’s because she’s too perky."
Sterling laughed. "She does seem a little flakey." He leaned into the car and kissed me, then closed the door and rushed around to the driver side. Peter and Dorian climbed into the back seat and we were off.
I just hoped Kerry was all right, and I really hadn’t done anything to her.
Calista
I watched them leave and snarled. Meda thought she was all high and mighty because she was the all-powerful heir. I was starting to see why my father wanted them out of the way. The triplets were too cocky and too powerful to rule the Collective.
They needed a reality check and to be taken down.
Moving away from my bedroom window I pulled out my phone. Dad answered on the first ring. "News so soon?"
"Hi, Daddy. Just checking in. The spell is working. Meda believes she is responsible." Glee at how easy it had been to infiltrate the triplet’s space and fool them and their sentries filled me.
Before making my presence known to Meda and her new mates—they had been a surprise—I stood outside the door, using a spell to conceal my scent, and listened to their conversation. Poor Meda believed she had hurt people. Ha. I was just getting started.
"Good," Dad said. "Keep her believing it. This may be easier than we thought. Soon the High Alpha and her mates will get what they deserve."
I ended the call and tossed my phone onto my bed. I had one more thing to do before I could set my trap for Meda. She’d regret teasing me and thinking I was weak.
Chapter Eight
Kerry's parent's place looked exactly as it had in high school. We hadn't been close—Kerry hadn't been close to anyone, really, but we'd had a couple of sleepovers here over the years.
In a society as small and tight-knit as ours was, we had to all try to be friends, or friends would be very hard to come by. I liked to think my sisters and I succeeded in being friends with most everyone at school. They were our people, after all, and we would lead them one day.
Well, mainly me. But still. Those two would be helping me whether they liked it or not. One perk to being a triplet is that you don't have to take on everything yourself. Including running the entire paranormal world.
The scope of my reign had broadened with the mating of Sterling. We hadn't even stopped to talk about what it meant or how we felt about it.
It should've been monumental, rhapsody, pure bliss. Instead, it was a lifesaving measure. He'd popped up fine, and we were going on about our business as if nothing had happened.
The matter needed some discussion.
I pulled myself out of my thoughts and stepped out of the car before her parents wondered why we were sitting in front of their house staring at it.
Kerry's mom answered, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember her name. "Hi, I'm Meda, from Kerry's high school."
She stuck out her hand and did a little nervous bow as we shook. It was a move I saw a lot. Nobody knew how to approach me or my family. We weren't exactly royalty, but then, we weren't exactly not royalty either.
"Karen," she whispered. "I'm so glad you came to see her. Maybe you can snap her out of whatever is going on in her mind."
"I hope to try. I noticed she was behaving oddly at school and thought maybe we could help figure out what's up with her."
Karen's shoulders sagged in relief. "You noticed it too? Her father thinks I'm crazy. But they were never close. She just couldn't open up to him, and he didn't know how to pull her out. But that's another story. I don't recognize your friends?"