by Harper Wylde
I sat shell-shocked on the couch, as my other mates slowly appeared from whatever hiding places they had found. “She’s like a little whirlwind, isn’t she?” Killian asked, sounding exhausted as he dropped down in her vacated seat. “But she’s always been kind to us. She adores Damien, and us by association. Besides, while she doesn’t know it yet, she is going to be your mother-in-law and a grandmother to our future children. It wouldn’t hurt you to get to know her.” I gaped at him as he talked about babies and our future, and while I wasn’t quite ready to be a mother yet, my heart swelled over the fact that my big, surly Celt had been the first one of my mates to mention it. Killian blushed under my scrutiny and the men around me snickered at his embarrassment. “What? You wanted more of a superficial answer? Fine! I’m sure you can always use another shopping buddy,” he said with a wicked grin.
“Oh, bite your tongue,” I scolded, as Ryder smacked him over the head with the remains of his cookie, making Killian swear as crumbs rained down over him and the couch.
“Yeah, if anyone’s going shopping with her, it’s going to be me,” he objected, darting out of the way of the blow Killian aimed at him.
“And me!” Joshua jumped into the room from the staircase. “I’d love to see what kind of clothing I could find for her,” he commented with a wink that had me swallowing from my suddenly dry mouth.
Damien rejoined us as Joshua and Ryder began to bicker about the best stores to take me to. He lifted me up to settle me onto his lap, then murmured, “Thank you, Nix. That made her year.”
“Well, what’s family for?” I inquired quietly, tucking my arms gently around his neck. “Besides, Killian’s correct. I will be her daughter, even if she doesn’t know it yet.” Damien hummed his approval, pulling me tightly against his chest.
“Come on guys,” Damien announced to the rest of the room. “It’s almost Thanksgiving, we need a plan.”
“Oh, I have plenty of things I want her to be thankful for,” Joshua quipped with a wicked grin. Hiro hummed his approval.
“You and I need to talk,” Hiro told him, eyeing me up and down. “I think we’ll come up with some creative ideas.”
I just hoped those ideas involved an orgasm and very soon. I was definitely getting spoiled.
Twenty-Four
Nix
“So, what exactly are we doing here?” I asked, panting slightly as I hauled a giant box, as I followed closely behind Rini while she trailed through the snow with strong, confident steps. Joshua chuckled, not struggling at all with his own load, and even outpacing us by several feet as we chatted.
“Taking dinners and other supplies to some of the other families here in the commune,” she explained again.
I rolled my eyes, struggling to maintain a good grasp on the box that I knew held a large turkey and some side dishes. It was still warm as it pressed against me, and I pushed heat from my body, encouraging it to stay warm despite the chill in the air. It’d be sad if one of the family’s dinners got cold. “I got that, but I don’t understand why we’re doing it.” I pushed harder, trying to encourage my heat across the distance to wind around Joshua—I was sure he had to be cold in this chill.
“You’ve never done Thanksgiving volunteer work?” she questioned, shooting a teasing wink over her shoulder.
I paused for a second, before hurrying to catch up. “Actually, no. This is a first.” I had always been the one on the receiving end of the volunteer work. The thought niggled at me, but I didn’t open my mouth to say it. Food, clothing, even hygiene products had been dropped at Michael’s door by well-meaning neighbors. “I guess I just didn’t expect Thanksgiving to be a big holiday here.”
She shrugged before shooting me a quick look, and I moved closer as she said, “Technically, it’s not. This holiday is about showing our respect and appreciation for the Council and the gifts they’ve given us throughout the year, rather than the Americanized version of Thanksgiving. Other countries celebrate their versions on major holidays for that culture.” I knew I was gaping at her and she wrinkled her nose. “Well, it got a bit too obvious when big groups of us got together to celebrate holidays that humans didn’t know existed. After a while, it became easier to change the date of our celebration rather than to try and continue to lie to the humans around us. Besides—” She lowered her voice, the whistling wind nearly carrying it away as she added, “I secretly think they like it better this way. They get a bunch of honorary holidays instead of just one.”
“So, it’s not really Thanksgiving?” I inquired, confused and a little nauseated. It was kind of twisted and sick that a Council who did so much harm to its people forced them to have a feast day celebrating their existence and so-called help.
“It’s the same kind of deal, really. We’re supposed to say what we’re thankful or grateful for. Families and friends gather for a ton of incredible food,” she explained, breathing in deeply as she sought the scents from the boxes.
“So we’re, what, a delivery service?” I asked, my mouth watering slightly as the scent of mashed potatoes washed over me.
She sighed, hitching her box tighter against her chest. Maybe it was the snow or just the holiday, but few others were walking around the compound, and those who were carried on with their own activities, taking little notice of the three of us despite our heavy burdens. “A lot of the families can’t afford their own meals,” she told me softly. “Or they’re too busy with Council duties to be able to cook them. Instead of families missing out, we provide things they need.” From the way she stressed the word we in that sentence, I was quite sure she didn’t mean herself and her mother. “Some of these boxes contain medical supplies, clothing, even school things.” She shrugged, the movement hampered by her own box. “It’s our goal to take care of each other as best as we can. That means helping as much as we’re able, whenever we’re able.”
“I guess I really hadn’t thought that much about it,” I admitted, shame bringing heat to my cheeks. “I mean, I know Gaspard and the guys said that the stipends shifters receive vary based on rank, but I guess I never really thought about poverty or anything like that here.” Had I really become that shallow since moving here? I had lived through years of abuse, poverty, desperation… I had seen firsthand how corrupt and villainous the Council was, and yet the fact that they let some of their people go hungry seemed almost more shocking in a way—more, well, humanly evil.
“Everyone gets a stipend, but unless you’re hosting rare mythologicals, it’s not much. We receive charges from the Council—taxes, I guess you’d call them—that we have to pay. Even without rent or mortgage payments, it can get really hard to make ends meet, especially when most of us are limited to jobs that the Council approves. If they don’t want you working in the human world, then you don’t. We require permission for almost everything we do. The only thing they don’t really care about are the matings between us. They used to, my mom said, but I think it just became too much work for them. Now, they only really care if one of us is seeking to mate a mythological.”
I could see the flush of anger on her cheeks and the grim, angry set of her mouth, but her eyes told a different story. Sorrow, even exhaustion haunted her eyes, and I wished my arms were free so I could give her a hug. “Is that why so many…” I let my words trail off, unwilling to speak them, even out here where there shouldn’t be any listening ears. For all I knew, there were spells in place that would whisk my words away to some eavesdropper.
“Yes. Too many of us go hungry or without the basics. That gets hard, especially in the winter. We’ve hosted Theo’s family here at the commune, but he’s not considered an extremely rare shifter, so our stipend isn’t as big as, well, it needs to be. Especially since the Council makes sure that Theo’s family gets it first.” Her eyes softened, and she indicated the box with a nod of her head. “Angela filled that box herself. She makes sure to stretch every penny they get as far as it will possibly go.”
Guilt tugged at my stomach, the
lure of the food no longer as strong. “I should have done more to help,” I whispered, more to myself than to her.
Rini arched a brow at me. “You seem to consider it your duty to sacrifice for everyone, do you realize that? You’re a person, you’re not meant to be a martyr for everyone. There’s nothing wrong with taking care of yourself and your family. Hell, you’ve only been in Alaska since, what, August? Three months now? What changes did you exactly expect to cause in that time?”
“I’m not being a martyr,” I muttered stubbornly.
“Oh, really?” she challenged me. “Are you receiving compensation from the Council?”
“Well, sort of,” I admitted. “I mean, a few weeks ago Councilman Williams gave me—”
“A few weeks ago,” Rini jumped on the point. “When you’ve been busy with other things,” she added pointedly, my mind flashing to Denali as I shivered. “So before that, you were as broke as, well, me. So then what do you think you should have been giving, your time?” she pressed, her eyes solemn when they met mine. “What do you call learning about this culture, going to school, attending the Gala, experiencing new things…” Her eyes slid to Joshua for a moment before flashing back to my own. “Were you supposed to sacrifice your body? Well, I don’t need to point out how often you’ve done that, if not for all of us then for some of us.” Memories of my recent deaths over the last few months had my blood running cold as an echo of pain ran through me. “As much as I love you, Nix, you don’t put a high enough value on your own life. Your focus is, and always has been, on what you can do for others. It’s okay to be selfish once in a while, to take what you want and to let yourself be happy.” There was a wistfulness in her tone, and as her eyes returned to Joshua, I was pretty sure that statement wasn’t meant for me alone. “You’re no one’s martyr, Nix.” Rini’s words were barely louder than a breath. “Never let them tell you otherwise. You’re not our martyr, you’re our guiding flame.”
The sound of a car door closing was nearly as loud as a gunshot in the quiet, snow-muffled street, drawing our eyes to the side. It took me a minute to recognize the figure wrapped in layers of protective clothing, and Joshua beat me to it as he said, “Dad?” in an astonished voice.
“Joshua, good.” If I hadn’t been confused enough, Councilman Williams almost seemed relieved to find his son here. “I’m sorry to interrupt your day, but the other Council members have extended an invitation to you and Nix to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. We need to leave right away.”
Joshua studied his father with narrowed eyes. “Families rarely attend the dinner. Why now? And with no notice!”
Councilman Williams shrugged. “It’s been a… busy few days,” he hedged with a nearly concealed wince. Whether it was the cold making his expression more open and readable or something else, I wasn’t sure. I was positive he was referring to their failure at Denali, and part of me wanted to taunt him though I wisely kept my mouth shut.
“I’m not sure I’m prepared for a fancy dinner,” I rushed out. “I’m not dressed for it.” I would have waved my hand at my jeans and t-shirt if it wasn’t for the box I was carrying, but it wouldn’t have mattered as there was no way he’d be able to see my outfit under my thigh length, purple coat. “I’m actually supposed to head home and meet up with Gaspard,” I embellished smoothly. It wasn’t exactly a lie, since Gaspard had mentioned he’d be coming to see me. “Besides, we were delivering all of these.” I nodded to the boxes we held. “Is it really necessary?”
“I’m afraid I must insist,” Councilman Williams replied, more stilted than I had ever seen him before, causing me to cock my head. “Joshua, come along.”
“Dad, we—” He began, but the Councilman merely shook his head.
“It’s Thanksgiving. Time for family, right?” Something was off, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I wondered if they’d found out about Denali, though I thought we’d covered our tracks too well for that. It was hard to get an accurate read on his face through the scarves and the falling snow.
“Rini?” I queried softly, indicating my box with a shift of my arms.
“I’m stronger than I look,” she assured me, lowering her own package to let me stack mine on top. “Besides, my stop’s right up here,” she added, inclining her head to a nearby home where faces decorated the window, peeping through the sheer curtain as they watched the activities in the street.
“Okay,” Joshua yielded slowly. “Give me a second.” He marched toward the door Rini had indicated, and set his box on the stoop before joining me at his father’s car. “We’ll see you soon, Rini,” he said with a smile. “I’m sorry we couldn’t help with the rest.”
“It’s okay. I’ll take care of everything, don’t you worry.” Her voice was muffled now behind the cardboard. “Have fun, Nix.”
The air was still tense as we settled into the leather upholstery of the car as the heater pumped out hot air in wild gusts. The quiet was straining to an almost palpable level as the minutes ticked by, before Joshua broke the silence. “I’m surprised they requested the pair of us,” he probed as we approached the Lodge.
“The other Councilmen have been pleased by the amount of time you’ve been spending together,” Councilman Williams explained, getting stiffly from the car. Joshua opened my door, offering me his hand to lift me easily from the soft interior. “I believe they’re hoping for an announcement soon.” From the probing look he gave us, I guessed he was hoping for an announcement as well. I merely smiled as vacantly as I could, batting my eyes until Joshua bumped into my hip to stop my antics.
The servants were quiet as we entered, pale and somber as they refused to my meet my eyes despite taking our jackets and other outerwear. Could that mean many of them were a part of the rebellion? That would explain their reluctance to meet my gaze and give anything away—well, that, or they could still have the images of me burning one of their companions into ash superimposed onto their brain. I shuddered at the memory as the flawless, white marble of the entryway mocked me.
“Joshua,” Councilman Williams interrupted suddenly. “Real quick, before we escort Nix into the dinner, I needed to see you in my office. Just a quick family matter,” he told me with a smile.
Joshua paled minutely as he said, “Mother?”
“No, no, boy, nothing like that,” he assured him. I wished I could place a supportive hand on Joshua’s trembling arm, but with our every move monitored, I hesitated to be so blatantly open with my affections. “It will only take a moment, and we can move forward with the meal.” The words were tossed over his shoulder as his long strides ate up the hall toward his office. I paused outside of the entryway, letting Joshua step inside with his father. I heard the soft murmur of voices through the thick wood, though I couldn’t be sure of the words due to the muffling. A minute later, Councilman Williams stepped outside, shutting the door behind him with a snap and a shake of his head. “I hope you’ll forgive my son,” he commented with a grimace. “He merely needs a few minutes to reclaim himself before going in front of the other Council members. I’m sure you understand.” Councilman Williams was looking slightly ashen, though it could have been a trick of the lights. I nodded, but fear crept up my spine. I wondered what news could have been so bad that Joshua wouldn’t join me right away.
“I’ll wait for him, it’s no problem,” I assured him quietly.
“I’m afraid we must be going,” Councilman Williams urged, and I took a step backward, though I couldn’t put a finger on what was causing my unease. “Councilman Maldonado was most specific that you were to be seated before the feast could begin, and they have been waiting for some time. It took longer than we had expected to find you.” It was my turn to blanche, but I nodded slowly. I may thumb my nose at the Council when I could, but even I wasn’t foolish enough to piss off Maldonado while I was without allies on his turf.
“Let’s go then. I’d still like to get home this evening,” I replied, following after Councilman Williams as he lead
me from the offices and back through the cold, winding, marble halls. The massive, wooden doors of the throne room were pulled open by stony faced servants, revealing large wooden tables, set with gold, silver, and crystal, so that the whole room glowed with warmth. It didn’t help, however, and I swallowed against the nausea, hoping it wouldn’t be too big of an insult when I did no more than push my food around my plate.
“Ah, Miss Annika,” Councilman Stepanov greeted in his high, hissing voice. “Please, be seated. We have been waiting on our guests of honor so that the celebrations could begin.”
Most of the Council was already seated at the head table, only Councilman Rahal and Councilman LaCroix were not yet at their places. Even Councilman Ishida was present, though he was far more rumpled than I was used to seeing him. His usually perfect hair was ruffled and his suit didn’t appear to have been ironed—the wrinkles visible from here.
“Have a seat, darling girl,” Councilman Khan directed with a forced smile, as he waved a hand to indicate a raised seat of honor in front of the giant, silver, covered dome that hid the turkey. Councilman Williams walked me to the chair with a guiding hand hovering at the small of my back, and he pulled my chair out for me, settling me into my seat before taking his place at the head table. I was grateful that he hadn’t mentioned the obvious shaking of my body, though it was only a small mercy.