Born of Embers

by Harper Wylde

  It was honestly a surprise that humans hadn’t yet discovered our existence. Sometimes it was hard for shifters to control their powers, that control coming with time, age, and practice. It wasn’t unheard of for shifters or part-bloods to do something stupid like shift in plain sight or create a tornado, flood, or other disaster. Even worse was when a slip of power accidentally killed a human. The Council had a hell of a time tracking down part-bloods and cleaning up messes to protect our existence. Full-blooded shifters were usually born within one of our communities or packs but if a shifter mated with a human and a part-blood was born… well, those were harder to track. Ideally, the Council would recognize a part-blood when they were infants and move them in with shifter families. The bloodlines had become so diluted, however, that children with small amounts of shifter blood were occasionally overlooked. Although most of them couldn’t cause much trouble or be an exposure threat to shifters, they were still considered problem children by regular humans due to temperament issues from their suppressed creature or small amounts of power that would appear when they were upset or angry. If, after an analysis by the Council, they were determined to have only miniscule amounts of shifter blood or to be a breed that wasn’t close to extinction they were generally left among humans to continue living their lives with their little bit of supernatural.

  I shook myself from my musing as I pulled into the pick-up lane at the airport. A girl around my age watched as I slowed down in front of her, checking her phone and eyeing my car. Well, she definitely wasn’t what I was expecting, I thought to myself as I studied the girl casually waiting for me and trying to ignore the chill in the air. Her long black hair was iridescent, as though blue-black silk was flowing down her back. Her skin was a deep gold. A part of me wondered if that color covered every inch of her skin and whether the Alaskan weather would rob her of the glow. I hoped it wouldn’t. Mentally slapping myself, I stepped from the car as I saw her turn to gather the scant belongings beside her. Odd, I had thought she was a student at the college but instead of the usual stacks of luggage that were necessary to cover a semester away from home, all she had was a bulging backpack and a single, wheeled case. Her clothing was definitely not suitable for the climate although it appeared that she had tried to dress warmly in faded blue jeans, tattered white sneakers, and a black windbreaker. I shook my head. Stupid tourists. It was the ones like this who were focused on their looks and unable to comprehend what they needed to do to protect themselves from the weather that were the first ones to leave the state when the snow began to fall.

  “This everything?” My voice came out gruffer than I had expected. As I reached forward to brush her hands from her bags, I noticed she had small slices across her palms. What the fuck was that from? Before I made contact with her skin, she handed the bags over. They were incredibly light and I wondered if she’d only packed girly crap like makeup and hair dryers. I yanked my chin toward the car, indicating she should take a seat while I stowed her luggage. She looked me up and down, studying me slowly with her eyebrow raised high. Apparently dismissing me, she turned her back and entered the car, her phone still in her hand. I huffed as I slammed the truck. I hated when girls were glued to their cell phones. As I got into the driver’s seat I glanced again at the destination she had listed. She had only specified the campus, not a particular dorm or building. “Is there a specific place on campus you’re heading?”

  The girl didn’t even bother looking at me as she stared out the window, watching the streets fly by. “Anywhere on campus is fine. My bags aren’t heavy and I want to get a feel for the campus.” Her voice was cool and disinterested, as if it were a hardship for her to talk to me. While I wasn’t personally offended, my Puca took great offense. He didn’t deal well with people who acted as though he was uninteresting or as if they felt superior to him. His desire to prank her, to make her pay attention to us, to fear and respect us, was riding me with such strength I could barely control it.

  Despite my best efforts I could feel the tell-tale tingling in my fingertips that meant my Puca was releasing his illusion powers. I dared a quick glance in the rearview mirror and saw her studying the landscape flying past the windows. Hopefully that meant I had kept enough control, and he hadn’t managed to do anything too large or noticeable. Despite my attempt to wrangle it, the tingling extended further down my fingers where they gripped the wheel, and I could feel the warmth seeping from my fingers into the atmosphere. Behind me I heard a small chuckle and I looked back, not daring more than a quick glance so I could keep my eyes on the road. “What’s so funny?” I snapped the question, pissed at her for making me lose even a little bit of control over my other half.

  She just rolled her eyes, continuing to look out the window. “Somebody tried to set up fake bears to scare the tourists. I wonder if anyone has been stupid enough to think they were real.” Her voice was sweet and rang with amusement. Well, I guess I knew what my Puca had been up to. His interest was now fully on the girl in the backseat of my car. Quickly he flashed me a vision of what illusion he had set up on the side of the road—a black bear and a grizzly fighting. The bears were much bigger than they would have been in real life. Blood had been oozing everywhere and the ground was torn to shreds.

  “What makes you think they were fake bears?” I wondered how she could see through my illusions.

  When I glanced in the rearview mirror I saw her smiling as she snickered in the backseat. She was still looking out the window so all I could see was the golden glow of her profile peeking behind the velvet strands of her hair. “Multiple things. First, even though I’ve never seen live bears in person, I know there is no way they would be that big. Hell, the one in the airport should be able to give tourists a decent gauge on how big bears are, even if some are larger than others. Second, if they were fighting over territory, I doubt it would be right next to the road in an obviously highly populated area where their food sources would be limited. Third, they were most definitely fake—they sparkled.”

  That definitely caught my interest. “What do you mean they sparkled? Like, Twilight?” I wanted to slap a hand over my mouth when the words tumbled from my lips.

  Huge, dark, shocked eyes turned to meet mine as I continued to stare at her in the rearview mirror. She burst into rolls of laughter, half bent over and holding her stomach as the warm, smooth sound filled the car. “Did you seriously just make a Twilight reference?” she teased. “Should I be worried, Edward? What? Instead of wolves and glittering vampires, you have sparkling bears?”

  I scowled, though even my Puca was amused at my expense. Damn, she didn’t know how close to the truth her statement was. “The name’s Killian, not Edward.” I huffed and glared at her. “I was trying for a reference a girl like you would recognize.”

  Her eyebrows shot up and her face hardened. For some reason, my Puca went on the defensive, letting out a low growl as he studied the girl currently glaring at me. “Excuse me? A girl like me? What exactly did you mean by that?” I was thrown off by the fact that she wasn’t screeching or crying the way most girls did when they felt insulted. Her voice was low and hard, a definite challenge. There was something about her—something that pushed at me and aggravated my Puca.

  “Nothing.” I muttered, trying to ignore the need to tell her off. Why did she get to me this badly?

  She leaned forward, invading my space. “Oh no, you don’t get off that easy, Killian.” She stressed my name as she leaned over the back of my seat. “You said a girl like me? What exactly could you have meant? Someone intelligent? You wouldn’t know about my intelligence since you have barely done more than bark at me. Someone who isn’t gullible?” She poked my shoulder as she spoke, goading me as she continued to chew me out. “The fact that I didn’t fall for whatever stupid trap you locals try to pull with those dumb bears—didn’t scream and throw myself into your arms in fear—actually means I’m not an idiot. By sparkly I meant that they shimmered, you could see through them if you looked. Kin
d of like a hologram or something. Yes, I’m a girl. Yes, I’m new to Alaska. No, I don’t look like an Alaskan because I’m from Orlando and don’t have that kind of clothing readily available to me. So stop being a judgmental ass who just wants to get your kicks from scaring girls!” Her voice was hard as ice, slicing into me as she spoke. How had she guessed what I had been thinking? My Puca had retreated, leaving me to bear the brunt of his joke. For some reason he seemed to be… almost cowed by this little girl. It made absolutely no sense.

  “What are you?” I couldn’t stop the words from slipping past my lips. She had to be a shifter. There’s no way a normal human could make my Puca feel guilty for his antics. He had no problem being known as a judgmental ass.

  She snorted, leaning back in her seat. “Weird way to ask a name, dude. I’m Nix. See, it’s not hard to be polite now is it?” Her tone was dry as she spoke, turning her eyes back to the window. I was mildly relieved to see the campus coming up ahead of us. This was just way too weird. I needed to grab Theo and the others. If we had an undocumented shifter on campus we would need to get a handle on it quickly. It was obvious she had power. The wave of heat that had rolled over me when she scolded me, prickling my skin and shaming my Puca, could not have come from a normal human girl, a part-blood, or even a normal shifter. She had power, and from the looks of it, she had absolutely no idea what or who she was.

  Four

  Nix

  I strode through campus toward my assigned dorm still fuming over the jerk in his Hummer. I had known that jerks weren’t exclusive to Orlando, but I hadn’t expected to run into one immediately! My hands were shaking from the anger and adrenaline that had surged through me when I confronted him. I had decided long before I left Orlando that I was done with being a victim. I wasn’t going to take anyone’s bullshit, especially not some cab driver who glared constantly and had zero people skills. It was part of the reason I decided to move so far away. I needed a fresh start and getting into the University of Alaska had been my salvation.

  I stopped at that thought and looked around. I was finally here, thousands of miles away from my abusers and free at last. Free. I was fucking free! Taking a shaky breath, I tipped my head to the sky and sent my thanks into the universe. The air was crisp and fresh as I breathed deeply and savored the moment. I had learned to enjoy every good thing that came my way, and making it this far away from Orlando—I wouldn’t call it home ever again—topped the list. I had dreamed of this moment each time Michael hit me, every time I died and came back to my body, every time I woke up drenched in sweat remembering the feel of my foster brother’s hands and mouth on my body as I fought to get away. I had a terrible past, but that was all behind me now and I was working to move forward.

  With my newfound freedom in mind, I kept walking until I found the brick building with the name of my dorm plastered along the side. I wished I had been able to live alone on campus, but all of the single dorms had been reserved for upperclassmen and the resident advisers on each floor. I wasn’t thrilled about sharing a room, but I knew I could handle myself even if the person I got placed with was anything like some of the other foster kids I had bunked with in the past. Pulling the metal and glass door open, I stepped inside and looked around. The common areas were furnished with patterned couches, loveseats, and chairs and there were students milling around as they checked in and socialized. After checking in at the main desk, I made my way toward the door that led to the stairwell. In some ways I was lucky that I didn’t have much luggage with me. It would make the climb easier and cut out the long wait at the elevators. On the other hand, I hated not being prepared to weather the cold. I was in desperate need of a shopping trip that included a nearby thrift store, because it had taken almost all of my savings just to buy the plane ticket, my phone, and get myself across the country.

  Deciding to put my financial worries to the back of my mind, I hauled my limited luggage to the fourth floor. The dorm I now called home was co-ed and I maneuvered past a few boisterous guys as I climbed the stairs, forcing myself not to cringe at the contact. It wasn’t like I had never been around the male species. I’d had to attend school, go to work, and function like a normal human being, but after my foster brothers’ abuse, dating and relationships had never come naturally. I’d tried to have a few flings since, figuring I would reclaim my sexuality, but so far, those had ended in disaster. I learned the hard way that guys looking for a one night stand weren’t in the mood to help a girl get past her demons, and with physical touch sometimes causing flashbacks, it was something I was still working on. Luckily, the dorm’s floors were divided by gender with the first and third floors being set aside for the boys, and the second and fourth floors being assigned to the girls. Hopefully, that would give me the separation I needed to feel comfortable.

  The hallways looked how I imagined most dorms did. Green and beige carpet lined the cream colored hallways with wooden doors every few feet. Consulting the welcome packet I held in my hands, I made my way to the correct room number and slid my key card in to open the door. I was greeted by a small, plain, common room with three more doors leading to different areas. On the far right was a little bathroom, complete with a toilet and walk-in shower, and the two doors on the left opened to small private rooms. I would miss having a tub to soak in but I was happy to have a place to call my own. I was shocked and elated at the privacy I hadn’t expected to have. Walking into the room on the left, I took my backpack off and set it on the bed. Turning in the space, I instantly fell in love with the tiny room. It was the nicest room I had had in more years than I could remember and what made it even better was the fact that it was mine alone.

  Deciding to unpack and stake claim to the small space, I pulled my belongings from my backpack before setting my suitcase on the bed beside it. I barely had enough clothing to fill half of the tiny closet, but at least it made the room look lived in. The closet didn’t have a door and I was embarrassed by how few items were on display.

  My mind unwittingly wondered what Killian would think of the meager belongings hanging in my closet and anger quickly swamped back into me. It was clear to me that he had been sizing me up when he picked me up at the airport, and I hadn’t met his approval. He didn’t think I had enough with me to survive in Alaska, and truthfully, I didn’t. I think that’s what angered me the most—that he wasn’t wrong. What he didn’t know was that I was a survivor and I would not give up easily. I wasn’t planning on going back to the lower forty-eight.

  I tried—hard—to push the image of his red hair, striking green eyes, and built physique out of my mind. There was no way I was going to waste my time thinking about Mr. Surly and Sexy. Dammit, why did I have to remind myself that he was good looking? He might be hot on the outside, but he was an ass and I wouldn’t likely be seeing him again anyway.

  Before I could let my mind wander any further, the door to the living space banged open and deep voices floated through as three men entered the now crowded dorm suite. Panic surged up inside my chest before I quickly tamped down on the emotions. You’re not a victim. You’re alive and in Alaska. I chanted the phrases over and over, calming down each time I repeated them, as I watched the tallest, broadest men I had ever seen carrying suitcases and boxes through the doorway.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to stay with us? I don’t like the idea of you living alone.” A dark-haired man spoke as he carried a large, brown cardboard box into the room.

  An exasperated sigh was barely audible behind the three guys shuffling around the cramped space. “I’m hardly alone. The hallways are full of people. This is my college experience. We’ve talked about this.” The voice was quiet, feminine, and had a beautiful pitch to it. Grumbles rumbled out of the guys as she spoke. I wondered if they were her brothers. It must be nice to have an overprotective family. My heart ached as I watched them together. Before I could escape to my room a short, pixie-like girl wove her way through the barricade of men and stopped in front of me. She was slend
er but had a healthy glow. Her hair was cut short, curls framing her fae-like face.

  “You must be my roommate!” A huge smile spread across her face. “I’m Serena, but please call me Rini. Everyone does.” She reached out and pulled me into a soft hug that was over so quickly I barely had time to register it, let alone react.

  “I’m Annika, but everyone calls me Nix.”

  “Nix. I like that! They couldn’t have paired us with anyone better, right?” She smiled at me as she motioned back and forth between us with her hand.

  “Um… I guess?” I murmured. “I mean, you seem very nice, and, um…” I trailed off with a small shrug. I didn’t know how to talk to people apparently. Shit. I was botching this whole encounter. The one thing I didn’t want to do was piss off my new roommate, who I had to live with for the next year. I was desperate for a normal living situation.

  I watched as her expression grew confused and her brows furrowed on her pretty face. She had russet colored hair that framed her face and accentuated her dark brown eyes. She leaned forward into my space and inhaled before righting herself. Did she just sniff me? I’m sure my face was a mixture of disbelief and laughter. I wanted so badly to like this girl but I didn’t know what to make of her. A melodic laugh bounced off of the hard walls of the common room as her face lit up and she started to speak. “You don’t have to worry. We’re the same. It will be so nice not to have to have secrets in this room!”

  Her excitement was palpable as she looked around and motioned for the guys to follow her into the only unoccupied space left. I stood there shocked and speechless. What did she mean that we were the same? What secrets? It wasn’t possible that my reputation had followed me here already, was it? How did she know about my past? When she said we were the same I couldn’t help my reaction as I squeezed my hands together into fists. This wasn’t happening. Deep breath, Nix. Everything is probably fine.