Three hybrids? A high-pitched female voice drifted from the smaller tiger, and laughter edged her words. No wonder they called an emergency meeting, she snarled.
Daniella! His voice blared into their collective minds. Dominic let out a bone-shattering roar, his ears flattened against his thick skull, and his lips curled back to reveal a mouthful of razor-sharp white teeth. Silence, he snarled, and his hackles rose as he reprimanded his sister. Tell them that the guests have arrived.
Daniella bowed her head low in submission to her brother, but her glowing eyes never left Layla’s. Apologies, she hissed as she backed up, turned, and stalked to the entrance of the structure.
Layla didn’t buy it for a second. Guardians of who? She touched her mind to William’s, using the private connection that only he could hear. That bitch is no fan of hybrids.
William didn’t flinch. We shall see.
Forgive my sister’s impertinence. Dominic’s sharp voice came through loud and clear. She’s new to the position of guardian, and sometimes she forgets herself. Please follow me. They are ready to see you.
They followed Dominic back to the now open doors of the Council building. Layla didn’t take her eyes off Daniella, who stood to the right of the open doors and tracked their every move with the same intensity a tiger in the wild might track prey.
They stepped through the doors, which immediately closed behind them, leaving Dominic and Daniella alone outside to fulfill their duties. Layla was relieved to put some distance between them and the guardians.
The entryway they stood in was wide open, and the curved walls of the steel skin of the building arched over them like a silver rainbow. The black-and-white marble floor stretched out to the white wall in front of them, and there wasn’t a stick of furniture, a lamp, or a picture. There weren’t any doors or windows either.
Nothing.
It was a white room—barren of everything—except the six of them.
“So what the hell is this?” Kerry asked out loud. She took her knit cap off and smoothed her long dark locks as she looked around the empty, cavernous room. “This place sucks, and I have to tell you, I’m unimpressed.”
Dante sighed and linked his arm around her waist. “Tell us how you really feel, princess.”
“Sorry, Dante.” Samantha raised one gloved hand. “I agree with Kerry. Major suckage.”
Malcolm chuckled and kissed the top of Samantha’s head. “Suckage? Is that even a word?”
Layla smirked. She liked them better and better by the second. Anyone who could diffuse tension from a situation like this was someone she wanted to hang out with. She glanced at William to see if he was remotely amused by their friend’s reactions but he wasn’t. He remained perfectly still and kept his sights fixated on the blank white wall.
“So where is everyone?” Layla asked, wondering if she wanted to know the answer.
William looked down at her through the eyes of his clan, and to her surprise, linked his fingers with hers. Those moon-glow eyes zeroed in on her, comforting her, reassuring her, and all without saying a word.
His eyes twinkled, and he whispered, “Revelamini.”
The floor vibrated beneath their feet as the white wall disappeared into the floor. Layla gasped and looked from the vanishing wall back to William, who looked remarkably pleased with himself.
“Okay, that doesn’t suck,” she said through a shaky breath.
“That doesn’t suck, but you do, William.” Kerry leaned over and gave him a friendly smack on the arm. She winked at Layla. “Your friend here is full of surprises.”
A smile cracked Layla’s face. “That is the understatement of the century.”
As the wall disappeared, the Council’s meeting space came into view. Layla’s smile faded. Suddenly, the tigers outside seemed like a walk in the park. The cavernous space reminded her of pictures of lost caves in the mountains of Transylvania or something.
The three couples crossed the threshold and stood at the top of a flight of stairs. Looking around, she fleetingly thought that this is what it must look like from the top of a Mayan pyramids. The steps ran all the way around the four sides of the structure, and there had to be at least thirty steps leading down to what looked like an arena from Greek and Roman times.
I bet thousands of people would fit in here, she mused to the others.
Generations ago, they did. William’s voice touched her mind gently. The clans would gather in this arena once a year, but when the Caedo began to hunt us down, everything changed. The Council has continued to use it for their meeting place, and anyone who stumbles upon the structure would mistake it for a heated barn or a storage facility.
The rectangular space at the center of the arena was lined with five pairs of raised platforms on either side, and at the far end was what looked like a larger pair of platforms. Behind the platforms at the head of the arena were two enormous carved stone statues of a roaring lion and a snarling tiger.
Despite the size of the mostly empty space, it was quite warm, and the comforting scent of pine lingered in the air.
Where is everyone? Layla touched his mind gently. I thought they were here?
They are here, but you won’t be able to see them until they want you to. William expanded his thoughts to include the others. The prince and a few of the elders have the ability to cloak themselves and those around them. It’s an advanced visualization ability.
That’s new, Dante said with clear irritation.
No, but it’s been kept secret for a reason. He glanced at Layla. You can imagine how valuable this can be against our enemies, and it’s even more valuable to us if they don’t know about it.
What else are the elders keeping from us? Malcolm’s voice bit into the conversation, and he pulled Samantha tighter against him. They lied to us about being able to mate with humans, they kept the truth of the Vasullus from us, and now, they’re covering up certain abilities. He glared at William. What’s next?
Nothing that I’m aware of. He turned his serious gaze to each and last of all on Layla. I promise you. You now know everything that I do, but I have a feeling there are more secrets within the Council.
The six lined up across the top step. Layla squinted as her eyes adjusted to the lower light level. She tried to get a bead on what was waiting for them down in the seemingly vacant arena. Before she could ask William anything, the floor beneath her began to vibrate, and the wall closed behind them.
Panic swamped Layla. She couldn’t help but feel like they were being buried alive. She gripped William’s hand and was sure she may have actually drawn blood, but in his usual steadfast manner, he stayed the course and remained the calm in the storm.
“William,” Kerry asked quietly from the right side of the stairs. “Did you do that?”
“No.” William’s jaw clenched, and he flicked his gaze to Layla. “Richard and the rest of the Council are the only ones who can control the environment within these walls.”
“Like I said, major suckage,” Samantha murmured.
“It’s game time,” Layla said in a strong, clear voice.
The six moved down the steep staircase at a slow and steady pace. As they got closer to the bottom, Layla took in every inch of the arena they were about to stand in. The floors and pedestals looked like they were made of smooth, white marble. Everything was pristine and put together so perfectly, it almost looked as if it had been carved out of one gigantic piece. There were no seams anywhere—it looked as if it was part of the same stone.
The closer they got to the bottom, the more invisible the outer walls became. When she stepped foot onto the snow-white floor and looked up to see how far they’d come, her breath caught in her throat. The walls, doorway, and ceilings had vanished, and they were surrounded by an inky black sky, dotted with what looked like millions of stars.
>
“Where the hell are we?” Layla breathed as she and the others looked around in awe.
A vaguely familiar female voice drifted through the cavernous room and into the recesses of Layla’s memory.
“You are home.”
Chapter 17
The room shimmered before their eyes, and seconds later the empty platforms were no longer vacant, and an exotic menagerie was revealed. Layla couldn’t help but think of Noah’s ark. Two members of each clan stood atop each platform, except for the last pair on the right—it was an elderly man and woman she could only assume represented the Vasullus. She gripped William’s hand for dear life as she took in the mind-blowing scene.
“Holy shit,” breathed Kerry.
Layla couldn’t help but agree with her sentiment. Tigers, panthers, wolves, bears, and falcons lined the left side of the space, and she noted that these animals were larger than any that would be found in the wild. Eagles, foxes, coyotes, cheetahs, and two humans stood on the opposite side and were equally imposing figures.
All of the Council members turned their glowing eyes onto the six visitors with razor-sharp focus, and their energy waves pulsed with strength that Layla hadn’t ever experienced. At the head of the arena sat two mammoth lions, and she knew that the male with the thick dark mane had to be Richard, the prince.
She braced herself against the onslaught of their power and willed herself not to pass out. She glanced at Kerry and Samantha and was relieved to see that they looked as stunned as she felt.
Her attention immediately went to the two cheetahs that stood next to the human couple, and an instant sense of belonging embraced her. She locked eyes with the smaller beast and knew that it was Bianca, her aunt—the woman manipulating her life.
“Hello, Bianca,” Layla said in a surprisingly strong voice.
Verto. Their collective voices cried out in unison and rang clearly through their minds. The cavernous space sparked with static electricity as all the Council members shifted into their human state. Enormous, polished black armchairs materialized behind them. They all sat regally without saying a word. She noticed that each had a gold ring on the right hand, just like the one Bianca used to create the wax seal.
Silence hung heavily in the air, and the tension grew with palpable force. As Layla’s eyes scanned the room, she knew with certainty that there were Purists staring back at her. She could practically taste their hatred. But which ones were they? She prayed that their plan would work and force the haters to come out into the open.
“Step forward, friends.” Richard’s deep voice boomed through the massive space as he waved them forward.
Layla studied the leader of the Amoveo. His long dark hair was the same color as his mane, but he had large blue eyes, which she suspected was unusual for a member of the lion clan. They smiled back at her brightly, and her nervousness eased.
In a black sweater and a pair of jeans, he was dressed more like a soccer dad than the prince of an ancient race. He radiated power and was one of the most beautiful men she’d ever laid eyes on. Based on his energy, Layla sensed he was an ally.
However, the blond woman to the right of him didn’t look as welcoming. Her glowing pale yellow eyes stared down with obvious disdain.
The walk to the other end of the arena felt like forever with the Council members tracking their every move in stony silence. She swallowed her fear and kept her sights set on Richard, the individual she was sure wanted to help.
They stopped about ten feet in front of Richard, and William bowed his head in deference to their leader. “Thank you for calling the Council together, my prince.” William’s cool, calm voice streamed steadily through the room. “We are honored that you accepted our request for a special meeting.”
“It would seem that it’s long overdue,” he replied as his bright blue eyes flickered over them but lingered on Layla. “After the unfortunate experiences suffered by Samantha and Kerry, I informed the Council members about the Purist activity and made it quite clear that prejudice of that nature would not be tolerated. I must admit that I was quite surprised to learn about you, Layla. I’m not a big fan of surprises.” His voice was edged with anger, and he leveled his stern gaze at Bianca. “Care to explain yourself, Bianca?”
All eyes turned to Bianca, who didn’t look a day older than she had almost twenty years ago. She was indeed the “social worker” who had brought Layla to Rosie’s farm. Tall and thin, her strawberry blond hair was swept up in an elegant French twist, and her glowing, golden eyes looked back lovingly at Layla. She was dressed impeccably in a dark skirt suit and reminded her of an attorney from Law & Order.
“Yes, my prince.” Bianca rose from her chair and clasped her hands in front of her. “Layla is the daughter of my brother, Francis. His mate was human, and although she was a gifted psychic, she was unable to handle the power of her gifts. Like many of her kind with unique abilities, she succumbed to madness, and eventually death. Francis had heard rumors of other hybrid children, and of the violence that had befallen their parents.”
Her voice, soft and melodic, floated over Layla like a warm blanket, and her heart tugged with unexpected emotion. William, sensing her need for comfort, pulled her into the shelter of his body, and stroked her arm reassuringly. He may have only been doing it out of duty, and when they left this place, he may never do it again, but she was grateful for it now.
Bianca’s eyes filled with tears as she turned to Layla. “He wanted nothing more than to raise you as his own, but he feared for your safety among our people,” she said in a quivering voice. “Francis was poisoned. We still don’t know who did it, and our healers tried to save him but nothing worked.” Her voice broke with emotion. “On his deathbed, he told me about you, and made me swear that I would find you and keep you safe.”
“Safe?” Anger and frustration clawed at Layla. “You have manipulated my life, lied to me, and moved me around like some pawn in a twisted game of chess.” Her eyes narrowed, and heat crawled up her back. “Would you mind telling me and the rest of us,” she said with a sweeping gesture to everyone, “exactly how you knew where to find a ‘safe house’ that just happened to have two other hybrid children living in it?”
“What?” The baritone voice boomed through the room, and Layla could swear she felt it to her bones. It was the male representative from the Bear Clan, and he was pissed. “There are safe houses for hybrids? This is treason! How dare you keep information like this from the Council?”
“Silence!” the prince shouted and stood. “Artimus, you will hold your tongue.”
Layla watched as Artimus’s bearded face turned red with anger. His eyes glowed jet black, and his thick, meaty hands balled tightly into fists. He said nothing but sat his hulking frame back into the chair. The woman next to him was younger and radiated a different energy. It wasn’t as thick or strong, and she looked oddly familiar.
“Artimus, please,” pleaded the young woman next to him.
“Shut up, Marianna,” he roared.
“I’d watch the tone you take with my sister.” Dante’s voice cut through the room and carried an unmistakable threat.
Sister? Layla looked from Dante to Marianna as she put it together. Marianna is the twin sister Kerry had mentioned, the one who took their father’s place on the Council.
“Is that a threat?” Artimus growled and flicked his hate-filled sights on Kerry. “Half-breed lover.”
Dante growled, and his eyes shifted to the eyes of his clan as Kerry held him back. “He’s not worth it.”
“Enough! I will have silence.” Richard glared at Artimus. “Do not forget your place.” He sat down and turned his serious eyes back to Bianca, who was staring wide-eyed at Artimus. “Answer Layla’s question, Bianca. I’d like to hear the answer myself. How did you know where to find this safe house?”
Layla held her bre
ath, and you could hear a pin drop in the place as they all hung on every word. Bianca took a deep breath and gazed around the room. “There have been rumors that several men in Francis’s generation mated with humans. One was his childhood friend from the Timber Wolf Clan, James. They confided in one another about their unusual mates and heard rumors of others. When James was killed by the Caedo, Francis kept track of his mate and their twins, Raife and Tatiana.” She smiled at Layla. “Before my brother died, he told me where to find them.”
“Are there other safe houses?” Richard asked intently, and his eyes flickered bright blue. “Do not lie to me, Bianca.” Layla shivered from the threatening tone, and in that moment, there was little doubt of his strength.
“I have only heard rumors, your majesty.” She dipped in a low curtsy. “I swear it to you on the honor of the Cheetah Clan.”
“Honor?” Artimus spat. “What the hell would the Cheetah Clan know about honor? Your brother bred weakness into our race with a feebleminded human, and you helped cover it up.” He rose from his seat and glared at the six of them. “And these three—” He pointed at the men accusingly. “They disgrace their clans by doing the same damn thing with these half-breeds.”
“Artimus,” Richard warned. “Sit down.”
“No,” he bellowed. “I will not sit down. I am sick and tired of keeping my mouth shut, and so are the others.” He turned his dark eyes to Dante. “You know who had honor? Your father! Brendan gave his life to keep our race pure, free of human blood, and look what you did? You hooked yourself up with a half-breed.”
“You bastard,” Dante growled.
“What?” Marianna stood and looked frantically from Artimus to Dante. “You said Daddy died protecting Samantha!”
“Ha!” Artimus laughed loudly and leered at Samantha as Malcolm pushed her securely behind him. “Protecting her? He wanted to wipe her off the face of the earth. Your father died honorably trying to snuff out the half-breeds before they could spread like a disease through our people.”
Untamed Page 24