“I got a sinking feeling immediately, like a pall of darkness descended over the Coven. I knew something was coming. I ordered all the witches out, except for a scant few to try to keep the circle open. For those who left, I demanded they not show themselves again until I called for them.”
“Was your daughter among them?” I asked.
“Of course,” she answered, her eyes scanning the horizon. “Protocol is for them to split up in groups of ten, each journeying to a different safe place.” She turned to Marcy. “You said you’ve reached out, but none have tried to get a hold of you?”
“No,” Marcy answered, bowing her head, trying to appear unruffled. But I knew the fact the witches hadn’t let her know what had happened to her niece had bothered her. “They’ve been loyal to you, and let me tell you, I’ve tried everything to wring information out of them. I’ve called Covens all over the world. Not a peep of anything. I’ve been worried sick.”
Tally patted Marcy’s shoulder. “We will remedy how they treat you as soon as I find them. I give you my word. Thank you for trying to locate Maggie. But for now, we must find out where she is.”
“How do we do that?” I asked.
Before Tally could answer, Marcy interrupted, “The witches have a bat signal. It can only be sounded by the most powerful witch among us, but when we hear it, we are required to answer.”
A single eyebrow rose. “That’s pretty cool.”
“That, and I need a phone,” Tally said. “I don’t need three hundred witches descending on your doorstep. I’ll send out the signal and add a phone number.” She gave me a wink as she held out her hand. Nick walked over, set a Pack phone in her outstretched palm, and gave her the number. “After all, this is the twenty-first century. We have adapted.”
“When you’re done, there’s a lot I need to fill you in on,” I told her. “Mainly that you have a seat on the Coalition, which is forming in approximately a day and a half. Ceres wanted to take the seat for her own, which is why you were kidnapped.”
Tally nodded briskly. “I figured it was something of the sort. After I sensed the change, my witch’s power gathered and solidified, warning me and indicating it would protect me. I trusted it to do the job.” She turned and began to chant something into the sky.
The witch signal had begun.
I glanced around for my father and found he was about to face off against Julian. They were both in their human forms, a ring of wolves surrounding them. James stood by my father’s side.
The challenge was just beginning.
“This fight should be over before it starts,” Ray said, stepping in line with me as I walked toward the ring.
“I agree. My father issued him a challenge earlier, and he denied it, hoping Ceres would defend him. You can see how that turned out.” Her bloodied body still lay where Rourke had left it. I had no idea if she could regenerate from such an injury, but if she could, it would take time. Selene, the only other goddess I knew, had recovered from decapitation. We would figure it out later.
“If Julian wins, he’ll have another challenge in front of him,” Tyler growled, joining us. “There is no way he’s surviving this. Either Dad finishes it, or I do.”
I nodded. That was the inevitable outcome. “I just hope the fight is quick,” I said. “We’ve got a lot to figure out.”
“Honestly, Jess, all you need to do is keep those babies safe,” Tyler said. “That’s literally your only job. We’re not going to let you do much more, so don’t even think about it.” He grinned. “I’m going to be an uncle. That’s incredibly cool.”
“Babies?” Ray peered at me. “It seems we missed more than you’re letting on. We were only out cold for a couple hours.”
“Ceres’s winning move was to threaten my unborn children,” I said. “I’m barely pregnant. It couldn’t have happened more than a day or two ago at most.” My guess was when Rourke and I had been intimate in the cabin the night Juanita and I had talked. I left off explaining to Ray what would likely happen to my daughter when she grew old enough. Just thinking about it, I had a lump in my throat. I was going to have to take time to process it all, and everyone didn’t need to know the details. “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” I said. “But Tyler’s right, protecting them will be my number one priority.”
My father’s voice boomed out as we took our place around the circle. “Do we fight as men or wolves? It’s your call, Julian.” Alphas had the choice to fight in their wolf form or human form. Anyone lesser fought in their human forms.
“I will defeat you in either form, so I care not,” Julian snarled.
“Then we fight as wolves,” my father declared. Fighting in their true form meant it would be a bloodier battle, the most intense of its kind, but quicker. The loser usually had numerous fatal wounds.
My father wanted to make a bold statement in front of Julian’s wolves. It was a smart move, but would be harder to witness.
Rourke came up behind me, settling his arm around my waist, holding on protectively. He hadn’t had time to undress when he’d shifted, so he’d shredded his clothes. Yet, it seemed he’d found something to wear in the bunker, at least on the bottom half. I twisted my neck and arched an eyebrow in his direction. “Your new digs are a little tight, wouldn’t you say?” I said, inspecting him.
He snorted. “That’s because Julian is smaller and weaker than I am. This was all I could find.” He made a show of adjusting himself and grimaced. “I hope this doesn’t take too long. I need to go change.”
I relaxed against his shoulder, and his grip on me tightened. I’m not ready to talk about it, I told him. I hope that’s okay.
He kissed the top of my head. It’s fine. We have our entire lives to figure it out, he replied, his voice soothing. You’re going to be a wonderful mother, by the way, and I promise we will get through whatever they throw at us.
I know.
He was right.
But I was more worried about the interim and having to make peace with everything before I met Enid face-to-face. She’d been shrewd to demand an audience with me, because, once we met, she would know where my heart lay. She would know if I was willing to give up her sister when the time came.
Rourke and I would have to be united in our decision, which would take an emotional toll on both of us. I just hoped we had enough time to process it all before tomorrow night.
My father and Julian shifted into their wolves. My father stood a foot taller than Julian, his dark coat glittering in the sun. He was imposing and regal. “On my count, you will fight to the death,” James announced. “Three…two…one…begin.”
My father took the first strike, his jaws breaking one of Julian’s hind legs quickly. It was a tactical move that would ensure this fight didn’t last long. Julian should’ve been expecting it, but clearly his mind was on other things. I was certain he still hoped Ceres would bail him out.
“What do you think she promised him?” I murmured to Rourke. “What could a Pack Alpha need more than what he already had?”
“It’s hard to say,” Rourke answered. “But I bet she promised him some sort of position of power on the Coalition. Maybe jurisdiction over all werewolves in the entire world. Who knows? Whatever it was, it wasn’t worth it. He’s not going to last long.”
My father had Julian’s neck in his jaws. Julian broke away and scuttled backward, growling ferociously, snapping at my father, blood dripping down his gray fur. They circled each other as Marcy, Kayla, and Jax joined us. Jax was back to his normal size, pants intact, everything else missing.
As the fifteen-year-old came up to me, I reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You were incredibly brave today,” I said. “Thank you for putting yourself in harm’s way for my benefit.”
He blushed and kicked the dirt. “No problem. I was happy to do it, especially since you saved me.” He looked up shyly. “And, um, if you need a babysitter, you know, after your kids are born, I’m happy to help. I used to babysit back at the
apartment complex when our neighbors had to work late. I’m pretty good at it.”
“I’m sure you are, and I will take you up on it. They couldn’t have a better friend or protector in you.”
“I can’t believe I missed the face-off against Ceres,” Marcy said, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I can’t say I’m sad at the final result. She had it coming. What I don’t understand is how she knocked us all out. I mean, I should have had some way to guard myself against her. Her spells are not that much stronger than mine.” She scratched her head. “I don’t get it.”
My eyes were on my father as I answered. “It seems Ceres had a little help from an angel named Romy. She’s the one who knocked you out. Ceres mistook what she did as help. I guess it was Romy’s job to see that this battle took place, but not to harm anyone in the process.”
Marcy made a show of looking around, placing her fingers on her forehead. “How many angels live in this place? They’re coming out of the woodwork. I’ve never even heard of one before now—I mean, I’d heard heard of them, but I didn’t think they actually existed.”
“I’m right there with you,” I murmured. “I guess I didn’t have an opinion about them one way or another before. I think they’re here because their power is concentrated, and the new Coalition is forming.” I thought about it for a second. “Although, Leo lives here, so that might not be right.”
My father had Julian on the ground, his jaws pinning his neck.
It would take only another moment for him to snap it, which was a lethal blow for a wolf. If there was no communication from the body to the brain, a wolf couldn’t survive. Though, a powerful Alpha could potentially heal from such a wound, so steps would have to be taken after the fight to ensure that didn’t happen.
“This fight is fairly grisly,” Kayla commented. “Are they usually this bloody?”
“This coming from a girl who plays with dead people,” Marcy said. “To tell you the truth, I’ve never seen one either. But I think Callum is making a point with Julian. My man just better not get too close to the fray. I don’t want one hair on his body damaged.”
“James can take care of himself,” I said. When Marcy gave me a look, I replied, “Don’t give me the hairy eyeball. I get it. If Rourke was that close to the fight, I’d feel the same way.”
In the next instant, it was over.
There was absolute silence for a few moments.
“The winner of the challenge is Callum McClain.” James’s voice carried over the crowd. “If there is any wolf who opposes this outcome, they must speak now.”
No one said a word.
My father lay down and began to shift back. We watched as Julian’s body did the same, as wolves did in death.
I was just about to head over to talk to my father when a figure in the distance moving toward us caught my eye.
Ray tapped me on the shoulder. “We’ve got company.”
Sure enough, a small, hairy figure with insanely spiked hair, wearing a white robe and carrying a large book, was headed straight at us.
29
Jeb showing himself to the masses was new. This wasn’t going to be a secret meeting. “It’s time for Eudoxia, Tally, and Naomi to meet Jeb,” I said. “After all, they’re going to be interacting with him a lot in the near future.”
Naomi stood off to the side with Danny. “I will go with you, of course,” she replied, but her voice held curiosity.
I inclined my head at Danny. He hadn’t told his mate about her position. It was time to fess up. He cleared his throat. “Um, yes, about that. I haven’t actually had time to mention anything. It’s been a bit of a blur since this morning.” He took Naomi’s hands in his, meeting her startled gaze, smiling warmly. “Love, it seems…well, it seems you have a seat on the Coalition. Eudoxia will take the place of the fae, and by default, you are the most powerful vampire in the land, so the seat is yours.”
To say that Naomi was startled by this announcement was an understatement. “I…I don’t understand,” she stuttered. “Surely it is not my place, and there are others stronger and more powerful than I to fill it.” Naomi was reserved and shy, but she was also honest, straightforward, and trustworthy. Traits I valued at the highest level. She was perfect for the job and would make an impressive vampire advocate, but she was going to need a little convincing.
“There’s no mistake,” I told her. “You have ingested my blood, which in turn has given you incredible power. More power than any other vampire, save Eudoxia. And too bad for her, but the Vamp Queen can’t take two seats. So the power found the next logical replacement.” I peered at her. “Surely you’ve had some inkling,” I said gently. “Tally said her power tightened around her. Have there been any indications the vampire power has chosen you?”
Power was tangible, something Naomi couldn’t deny.
Naomi clasped her hands. “Oui. A very strong surge came to me while I was being held captive, but I set it aside, thinking it was a trick of Enid’s. That she was trying to urge me to break out of our space, only so she could harm us afterward. I would not risk Jax’s life in that way, so I dismissed it.”
“Is it still there?” I asked.
“Come on, speak up,” Eudoxia demanded, walking up to us. “The ambassador awaits. I cannot believe the power chose you—someone so inept—but if it’s so, we need to know right now.”
Naomi leveled her gaze at Eudoxia, her former Queen. There hadn’t been much respect there to begin with, and there certainly wasn’t now. Naomi slowly lifted her arms. I felt a rush of power, almost like a mini-cyclone, brush by us as it rushed to her, forcing her hair to billow up. “The power is mine,” she stated evenly. “It has chosen me, and now I command it.”
I darted a look in Eudoxia’s direction. Her face remained impassive, but I knew she was pissed. “You once wielded that same power,” I pointed out to the Vampire Queen. “Do you sense its loss now?”
Eudoxia seemed surprised by my question, but that might be because she was only half listening. “Of course not,” she scoffed. “When I came into my fae side, it more than doubled whatever piddly power I once had. I am stronger than ever.”
I narrowed my eyes.
Sure thing, Eudoxia.
For someone who coveted power, she missed it like sunshine on a cold day. “Does that mean Naomi is now in charge of your Coterie?” I asked. “It would make sense that the vampires would follow the most powerful vampire, not the most powerful fae.”
Eudoxia shot me a steely look, one I was used to. “I guess we will see when this is all said and done, won’t we?” she said. “Once we take our vows, the rule will be clear. Until then”—she glared at Naomi—“things stay as they are.”
I felt proud as I watched Naomi strengthen her resolve. “The vampires are mine,” Naomi stated coolly. “I am certain of this. If you wish to challenge me, so be it. But I will meet the challenge on their behalf, as they deserve a Queen to look out for them and not one who looks out for her own interests, as you have done all your life.”
Before Eudoxia could reach apoplectic, I stepped between them, spreading my arms. “Okay, ladies,” I said. “This discussion stops here. No need for any more challenges today. Let’s see what Jeb has to say. I’m sure he can clear up some of this. Whatever the Coalition—and the power—dictates, we agree to that as law moving forward. Petty disagreements can’t get in the way of forming the most powerful leadership in the supernatural community. Especially when it’s needed so badly and we’ve gone without for so long.” Eudoxia made a move toward Naomi, and I stopped her. “If you fight Naomi, you fight us all.” I flexed my power in front of her, so she would feel it.
“You got that right,” Tally’s voice interrupted. “Nobody has time for your little power skirmishes, Fae Queen, or whatever your title is now. Take your change in status like a woman and stop complaining about it. Once we pledge our vows, and we share power, we will all be sufficiently strong—more so than any other supernatural in the l
and. If that’s not good enough for you, I don’t know what is. Maybe we should consider replacing you. If you’ve done your research, you know that can happen, and the ambassador here can back me up.”
Jeb cleared his throat. He’d managed to get closer than I’d thought without us hearing. “The witch is correct,” he stated, his voice cracking a bit as we all turned. The pressure to keep us all in line was rearing its head. “A Coalition member can be removed, but it would take a majority vote and sufficient power to depose that person. It states right here”—his book flew open, his fingers ran along a page—“in order to do so—”
“Enough!” Eudoxia raged, her fists clenched, her pallor edging toward red. “No one is removing anyone. We are not even a Coalition yet. This talk is nonsense.”
I grinned. “Everyone, this is Jebediah Amel, the High Ambassador to the Coalition, and apparently a secretary of sorts.”
“I am most certainly not a secretary,” Jeb retorted, offended at my careless introduction. Not a great place to start. “I am the administrative assistant to the leader of the Coalition, which is you.” He glanced pointedly at me. “I am also the scryer who keeps all eyes on the community and reports back about what needs to be done. It is an incredibly important position, one that my father held and his father before him.”
“And you’re a keeper of the forms,” I joked. “In triplicate. Because this is a business, is it not?”
“What names her the leader?” Eudoxia asked, crossing her arms, not being fooled by my lame attempt to defuse the situation.
The first of many sticking points, and we hadn’t even started. Before Jeb could answer, I did. “I already declined the position. I’ve informed Jeb that this will run as a democratic committee.” I stared hard at Eudoxia. “I will continue to turn down the leadership position. There are five of us, which means we always have a tiebreaker. We will conduct our business as a democracy. End of story.” I continued to hold eye contact with her, daring her to say otherwise.
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