Unhuman Acts

by Candace Blevins

  We agreed to have it the second Saturday in October going forward. Specifically, Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning, so the vampires could attend as well. Lauren was already back at Cambridge, but I asked her to try to keep that weekend open so she could come home.

  When the day finally arrived, Mordecai wanted me to flash everyone at Homewood to the park. He was still making sure I was seen as a person with power, and I was still mostly listening to his counsel. He wanted our arrival to be a bit of a spectacle, and I saw no reason to drive. We all stood on a coffee-table-sized rock, and I flashed Nathan, Cora, Chase, Lauren, and me to the side of the field. Mordecai was already there, sitting in a circle of chairs with Apollonius, Aaron, Zeke, Duke, Brain, Patrick, Kenny, Lewis, Horse, and Martin.

  The balance of power had shifted in so many ways, but it was all good. Kenny was doing well as Alpha of the Chattanooga pack. Patrick and Briana had somehow helped their pack heal and come back as a strong unit, but I knew it’d been hard. They’d lost more people percentage-wise than any other organization on our side.

  Chairs were added to the circle, and I looked around. Most of the women were either setting up the food or supervising kids on the playground, but Nathan directed me to a chair, so I sat between him and Mordecai. Lauren headed to the playground and hugged Wednesday, and then was play-attacked by all the little lion shifter kiddos Wednesday was watching over. Soon after, the dragon triplets saw her and came running as well. I focused on the people in the circle, knowing Lauren would be fine on her own with the kids for a while.

  We had an enjoyable day, with a game of softball between rounds of eating. When the adults finished playing, the kids wanted to play, so the parents organized it and then we were all thoroughly entertained by the game.

  Kane showed up with the Atlanta lions about the same time the Atlanta RTMC chapter arrived, and I hugged another couple dozen people. Kane and Cora had grown closer over the year — nothing sexual, but a true friendship.

  The food was put away before nightfall, and we had more room for the vampires when they arrived. I was pleasantly surprised to see Abbott and Gavin had returned for the evening as well.

  Josef, Moira, Jayce, and others with human or shapeshifter partners who couldn’t leave yet had stayed behind with Cora. Some of Marco’s vampires were already here — the ones who couldn’t stay in New York much longer without drawing questions. It’s easier to look young longer in the present day by giving the impression of having work done, but that still can only last so long.

  I hugged many of the vampires when they arrived, and that included Abbott and Gavin. I was still fond of them. I didn’t exactly miss them, but it was good to see them and find out how they were getting along.

  Cole, Jayce, and Moira brought Sergei, who I noted spent a good amount of time with Matty and Spence.

  My heart went out to Spence. He’d taken the loss of the flock hard, and I’d flashed to him twice a week for months to talk to him before I’d felt comfortable turning him over to another therapist who was familiar with supernaturals, and who I thought could help him.

  I was also aware that Queenie hated Alaska, but she was prepared to stick it out to fulfill her obligations to Gavin. Watching her with her friends made me want to intervene with Gavin, but my instincts told me not to. If she were truly miserable, Abbott would do something. If nothing else, being Queen of my own realm had taught me to trust other leaders I respected to do right by their people.

  Dawg and I had dinner every once in a while. Nothing major, just catching up with each other. We didn’t have sex anymore, but our friendship had survived. I sat beside him a short time on this night, which probably got the rumors started again, but I’d long since stopped worrying about those.

  I looked for Ryan, but didn’t see him. Neither did I see Jupiter. Pretty much everyone else I expected to be there was, though.

  I was hanging out with Gabby, Angelica, and Harmony when Kendra, Moira, and Fawn joined us. Cora showed up as well, then Sophia and Briana, Queenie, and even Holly. Lauren was sitting with me, and it didn’t matter she was the only human. We were all strong women, and it was good to just sit and talk with our group. Eventually, however, a tug-of-war game came into being. Men against women. Lauren bowed out and I didn’t insist she stay — she sat with Gen, Gabby, Matty, Sergei, and Spence, so I knew she’d be fine.

  Mordecai appointed himself the referee, and we put Kendra at the front with Queenie right behind her. I ended up between Cora and Sophia. Part of me wondered if they were protecting the once-human-and-still-breakable one, but I didn’t argue. I could speed my own healing now, but it was still a lot easier to injure me than a shapeshifter or vampire.

  Sometimes, a tug-of-war game is over before it even gets started. That wasn’t the case on this night. Eric supplied the rope, so it didn’t break, and that meant we battled with the men nearly twenty minutes before we finally pulled them over the line and won. It turned into a game of stamina. Or, perhaps just a contest of who was more hard-headed. Either way, we won.

  I flashed Chase and Lauren home a little after midnight, so when the evening was finally over around three in the morning, I only had to flash Nathan and Cora back to Homewood, since Mordecai could take himself. I took us back on the rock, though, so we’d have it when we needed it again.

  It was a pleasant evening, and Lauren was on the patio with Chase and two of the hawk shifters who were watching over the land while we were gone.

  “I was tired,” she told me, “but I’m too wound up to sleep. Can ya’ll sit out here with us?”

  Nathan walked to her and kissed the top of her head. “We can. I’d like to hear how things are going for you at Harvard this semester.”

  He sat down beside her while she told him all about this semester’s play, and the fact she was planning to audition for the lead.

  I sat on a loveseat with Cora and leaned into her while I listened to an animated Lauren tell us all about what was going on with her. I already knew most of it, and my guys and Cora knew the highlights, but we let her talk so we could pick up the gems we didn’t already know.

  When I’d first joined the supernatural world, it’d been just me and Lauren, with Xiaolan as a short-term family member while she was in the States for college. Now, my family was Lauren, Cora, Nathan, and Mordecai. Chase had fit in well, but he lived in the farmhouse and was generally only with us for meals and other pack activities. These two hawk shifters were around a lot. Ex-special forces, they were well suited to act as guards, and we paid them well.

  It didn’t matter what happened in my life, it always came back to this. Family.

  Mordecai is the lover I’d never dreamed possible, but he was everything I could want and then some. He was devoted to me. Honest. He owned my heart, but I owned some of his, too.

  And what could I say about Nathan? Even when I hadn’t liked him, I’d respected him. Now? He was my heart. My life. His lions were mine. My wolves were his, as were my top people on Alfheim. Not literally, we couldn’t boss each other’s people around, but we’d have both done whatever was necessary to save them, if they were in danger. And yes, the packs belonged to Cora, but we were bound, so they were my wolves too.

  And my dear Cora. My best friend. I didn’t know what I’d do without her. On the rare night I was without either of my men, Cora and I often slept together and talked into the night. We were partners in every way except the sex part, because... no. Nothing wrong with swinging that way, but I didn’t.

  The hawk shifters left to do another check of the grounds, and Chase bowed out and headed for the farmhouse. Nathan had sat next to Lauren on a lounge chair, and she fell sideways on him, fast asleep.

  It didn’t matter that all five of us weren’t at Homewood every night. We were still family, and this was our home. Nathan and Mordecai might own other houses, but they spent more nights here than anywhere else, and they both had a closet here.

  We’d fought for peace, and we’d held it for a yea
r with no hints of the other side forming another uprising. We’d done what we set out to do, and now we were all home and safe.

  A flash in the sky caught my attention, and I watched a shooting star light everything up and then die out. I’d had to become more powerful than I’d ever imagined in order to secure the safety of my loved ones, and the power had come with a lot of responsibility, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

  My family had grown, and that was what made me rich. Not my bank account, or the crown I held in another land. This. My family. I didn’t know what the future held, but for now, I was content to enjoy my very own happily ever after.

  Dear Reader,

  This is the final book in the Only Human series, but this doesn’t mean Kirsten’s story is finished. I plan to focus on other books in this universe before I figure out whether I want to open up another series for Kirsten. She isn’t human anymore, so any continuation will be a new beginning. As you may have guessed, the necklace will play a big part in the ongoing story, and it’s the only plot thread I didn’t tie up all pretty. If I don’t go forward with Kirsten, you’ll see how things wrap up with the necklace within one of the books in a sister series.

  As of this writing, July of 2019, I’m not certain which book will be the first ‘after the battle’ book. Chase’s story might be a good place to start, or perhaps Queenie is going to be released from Gavin and return? RaeLynn’s new life with Blake in Asheville might make it into the Dark Underbelly series. Alternatively, I could return to the RTMC and perhaps it’s finally time for Bobcat to get his story. Cora’s story will be coming up, but it won’t be the next book I write. I need to let the conclusion of Unhuman Acts settle in my psyche before I can be certain of what comes next.

  Thank you so much for coming along on this crazy ride with me. It isn’t over yet, but Kirsten finally has her hard-won peace.

  For now, anyway.

  Series Connections

  The Only Human series has a few sister series, which means you can read about many of the characters you’ve met while reading Kirsten’s story.

  Aaron and Sophia’s story plays out in The Dragon King.

  For those curious about Ranger, Mac, Jonathan, and Bethany, you’ll find all the juicy details in Acceptable Risk.

  You can read more about how Harmony and Brain got together in Brain. Their story gets added to during Razor’s book

  It took three books for Angelica and Bash to find their happily ever after. Once you finish their story, you may want to read Angelica’s dad’s story, titled Bud.

  And, of course, you can find Gen and Duke’s story, Horse and Gabby’s, Razor and Matty’s, and Bubbles and Lexi’s.

  We didn’t meet Kendra’s true love in this book, but you can read her story in Riding the Storm.

  Joseph and Ronnie’s story plays out in Unhallowed Murder.

  And finally, you can read about Isaac’s HEA in Safeword: Arabesque. This is an uber-kinky contemporary (not PNR) supernovel, in a totally different series.

  Stay up to date on Candace’s new releases by signing up for her newsletter.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Bash v1.

  Bibliography

  If you enjoyed Unhuman Acts, you may also like other books set in the same universe, though in different series.

  Chattanooga Supernaturals series, paranormal romance:

  The Dragon King (Aaron Drake’s story, and the first time we meet Duke and Brain)

  Riding the Storm (Kendra and Eric’s story)

  Acceptable Risk (Bethany, Ranger, Mac, and Jonathan’s story)

  Careful What You Ask For (Britches story)

  Hallowed Destiny – Forged by Darkness

  Uncaged (Ghost’s mother’s story)

  Cocky Queen

  Unhallowed Murder

  Unexpected Gifts

  Only Human series, urban fantasy

  Only Human

  An Unhuman Journey

  Of Humans and Monsters

  Defining Human

  Edge of Humanity

  Infinitely Human

  Unhuman Acts

  Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club Series

  Duke

  Brain

  Bash Volume I

  Bash Volume II

  Bash Volume III

  Horse

  Nix

  Gonzo (where we first meet Britches/Briana)

  Ghost

  Bud

  Razor

  Bubbles

  McGyver

  The Dark Underbelly of The Chattanooga Supernaturals

  Pride (A short story featuring The Lion King)

  Indentured Freedom: Owned by the Vampire (Gavin)

  Leashed (Abbott)

  An Elegant Weapon (Bran)

  A Dark(ish) Faerie Tale

  Slave

  Lady

  Consort

  Queen

  The Safeword series, intense BDSM contemporary romance

  Safeword Rainbow

  Safeword: Davenport

  Safewords: Davenport and Chiffon

  Safeword: Quinacridone

  Safeword: Matte (Sam and Ethan Levi’s story, we first meet Frisco and Cassie)

  Safeword: Matte – In Training

  No Safeword: Matte – The Honeymoon

  No Safeword: Matte – Happily Ever After

  Safeword: Arabesque (Frisco, Cassie, Isaac, and Cam’s story)

  Safeword: Mayday (TBA)

  Check out other books by Candace Blevins at candaceblevins.com.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Bash v1!

  Bash Excerpt

  What do you get when you mix a bad-assed werewolf biker with a beautiful she-wolf who grew up as the MC President’s daughter?

  Sparks.

  Angelica was raised not only as a biker’s daughter, but as Bud’s daughter — the president of the Atlanta RTMC, which meant she had dozens of ‘uncles’ who made sure she was safe, happy, loved, secure.

  Needless to say, her virginity was still solidly intact when she left for college.

  She goes to school up north, where no one knows she’s a biker’s daughter at heart, and she thoroughly enjoys her time as a civilian. She gets rid of her pesky virginity right away, but is mostly a good girl while she buckles down to get her degree, staying at school even during the summers to take as many classes as she can fit in.

  She’s a different person when she comes home with her Master’s degree, and in spite of her intention to remain a civilian, some of the bikers don’t seem so much like uncles anymore.

  This is volume one of a three-book story.

  Chapter One

  Eight years ago

  Bash

  “Got an assignment for you, prospect.”

  “Thank you, boss. Won’t let you down.”

  The president of the RTMC looked so casual, sitting at his desk, but the expression on his face was anything but.

  “You may think this is a shit assignment, but I’m entrusting you with one of the most valuable pieces of my life. You fuck it up, I’ll gut you and end you.”

  He stood and walked out of his office. I followed him into the shop area, past the bikes to one of the car bays, and he stopped in front of an antique MGB. “There’s two more, wrecked to hell and back, on the rear lot. I’m givin’ the lot of them to my Angel for her fifteenth birthday tomorrow, and she’s gonna be responsible for turning them into a single-functioning vehicle if she wants something to drive when she turns sixteen.” His eyes were dark as he studied my face. “I know you have particular talent here, so when I can’t be available to help her, she’ll have you. You are not to put this car together for her. I don’t want you doing the work, just supervising and helping.”

  He ran his hand through his hair and added, “Brain was responsible for takin’ her to school and pickin’ her up after. Now that’s your responsibility.”

  Brain had been a prospect until two days ago, and now he was a fully patched member. This might be a shit assignment, bu
t at least I knew it could still lead to getting my colors, someday. I’d been a prospect for nearly three months and I was so sick of going on beer runs, watching the bikes while the club members went inside somewhere, or whatever other shit job needed doin’. This might actually be a welcome change.

  “I’ll email you a link so you have access to her online calendar, and you’ll need to keep up with when she has cheerleader practice, or track or soccer practice, or math club, or whatever the hell else she has goin’ on. You’ll either take her home or to the shop. Anywhere else, you clear with her mother or me. Use a cage while it’s cold, but if you aren’t picking her friend up, too, it’ll be fine to pick her up on your bike once the weather warms.”

  He shook his head, looked away a few seconds, and then back to me. “I assigned Brain to her ‘cause I knew he was old enough and smart enough to keep it in his pants. My baby girl’s a virgin, and she’s gonna stay that way for a long time to come. You’re gonna be the chauffeur when she and her friends wanna go to a movie, or when she wants to go to a friend’s house. You’ll be spendin’ a lot of time with her, and being friendly will be a helluva lot easier than not. Got no problems with friendly hugs, but you ever get a hard-on for my baby, you’ll never get another again — if I castrate you with silver, it won’t grow back.”

  The menace comin’ off him took the oxygen out of the room, but even though my wolf desperately wanted to challenge him, I forced my eyes down. My temper had gotten me into so much trouble at home, they’d had to send me away to keep me out of prison. This was my last chance, and I liked these men. I wanted to be a part of them. I wasn’t going to blow it.