My life would never be the same, I would never be the same, and running free with Kat and Benjamin…For the first time in a long time, I was happy.
Chapter Five
An hour later, I stood bent over and laughing, sucking in gulps of air. Kat sat nearby, and Benjamin leaned against a tree, grinning like a madman. We’d raced each other along the mountainside, like gleeful children in a schoolyard. I was shocked and overjoyed to see Kat let go and enjoy herself, showing me a side of herself I never thought to see.
“Fuck, that was amazing!” I stretched up with my hands on the back of my hips and my head back, breathing in the misty night air.
“Sure was, girly.” Benjamin clasped his hands behind his head, his long bangs hanging over his closed eyes.
Kat stepped up next to me and knocked her shoulder against mine. “I didn’t realize how badly I needed something like that. Running from the hunters and getting our clan to safety has been a huge weight on me. Edgar too. My relaxing has made Edgar feel a little better, but I can tell things are tense. We need to get back.”
Filling my lungs one more time, I savored the forest scents before following Kat. We walked at a normal pace, reluctant to return to the reality that awaited us at the campgrounds. Benjamin tossed little showers of sparks in the air as he went, smiling at me as I strolled beside him.
“You’ve got some pretty neat party tricks.”
“Thanks. Your new tricks aren’t so shabby either.”
“No kidding. What’s up with that?”
Moving ahead of us, Kat turned and walked backward, neatly avoiding anything that could trip her. “I’m not sure what’s going on with you, but it’s probably best to keep this to ourselves until we can speak with Edgar. I must say though, the extra oomph you gave me was wonderful. I can’t even imagine how you must feel.”
I’m not sure how to handle this Kat. She’s being so… nice.
“It’s just so awesome! I feel like I could do anything. You have no idea how fantastic this is. Before you turned me, I was lonely and miserable, and even after it still was rough. Even though I don’t feel anxious or depressed like I used to, I wasn’t really happy. Now, it’s like everything is brighter and fuller. My senses are more open, I have these new powers, and we don’t seem to be so tightly linked anymore. No offense, but I feel freer now.”
“None taken.” Kat smiled softly and turned back around to walk beside me. “The bond is a major reason for my choosing to not have fledglings.”
“Edgar doesn’t really allow it anyway,” Benjamin said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
My eyebrows shot up. “Why?”
“Trust… and maybe a little bit to do with control.” His mouth twisted in a brief frown. “A smaller clan is easier to maintain and keep safe, but we’ve had some issues with fledglings in the past. We only turn those that want and need it, but they must already have the trust of the clan. Since we don’t get close to others generally, there are so few that we trust.”
“I can see why that is, especially after meeting Cassandra. She’s a doozy.”
Kat growled under her breath. “That bitch gets under my skin. I kind of want to scratch her eyes out.”
Benjamin and I stopped and stared, jaws slack.
Kat did a double-take when she realized we weren’t with her. “What?” She shrugged, smirked, and resumed walking.
I turned and blinked at Benjamin, he blinked at me, and we both burst out laughing.
“Come on, you two.”
Jogging after her, we fell quiet as we caught sight of the campgrounds.
Chapter Six
Edgar sat in an armchair in the second-floor sitting room. This one didn’t have the myriad of buckets to catch the lingering leaks from the weeklong rain showers we’d endured. We’d passed Chima at the bottom of the stairs, and Isabel stood at the top.
The first floor had an eerie atmosphere with the only light coming from the candles in the witch circle and the sun-topped staff. Other than the circle, Chima was the only other person down there. The rest of our guards patrolled outside the cabin and the upper floors.
I searched for Nick but found Elena standing by the window on the opposite side of the room. She tipped her head in the direction of the hallway in response to my questioning look. A glance down the dim hall revealed Nick watching out the window.
Clearing my throat noisily got his attention. He spun around with worried eyes and sagged with relief. I smiled at him and turned back to Kat. She scowled at me, but I could sense she wasn’t nearly as irritated as she would have been before. My relationship with my sire had taken a turn for the better.
Kat stepped over to the chair and placed her hand on Edgar’s shoulder. “Darling.”
He flinched as if he’d been yanked out of a deep thought. “Kat, my dear, you’ve had an interesting night. You as well, Mercy.” He appeared pensive, not quite focusing on either of us.
Benjamin pushed past us and went to kneel before Edgar. “Are you well, sire?”
“Well enough. I believe we have come to a tentative arrangement. Cassandra is not happy, but the others seem appeased.”
“Have they agreed to postpone the vote?”
“They did agree to wait another night to give us time to gather more Kin community. I will attempt to gain more time at our next meeting, but I cannot predict how hard Cassandra will push back. She is determined to be queen.”
“Edgar,” Kat murmured. “We need to speak with you in private.”
He blinked and focused fully on her. With a nod, he patted Benjamin’s hand that sat on his knee and stood.
“Isabel, would you be so kind as to replace Chima at his post and send him to my room please?”
She gave him a curt nod. “Yes, sir.”
Speaking quietly into her comm, Isabel signaled to another guard that jogged up the stairs to take her place. She disappeared down the stairwell as Edgar led us to his and Kat’s room. He tapped Nick’s shoulder before opening the door.
Letting Kat and Benjamin enter before me, I gave Nick a little smile. He placed his hand on the small of my back and closed the door behind us. Two seconds later, Chima entered with Elena and I saw two guards take up Nick’s post.
The room was a bit cramped for all of us. Edgar sat on the squeaky bed with Kat. Benjamin flopped into a cushy chair near the bed, and I pulled over a padded bench from the end of the bed. Chima stood at the head of the bed while Nick took the window and Elena planted herself in the innermost corner of the room.
The bedroom had the same rustic look as the rest of the building, mirroring my own room across the hall.
“So, what events led to your delightful adventure earlier?” Edgar’s eyes brightened as he peered at Kat.
“Mercy got into some trouble,” she replied quietly so only those in the room could hear with our supernatural ears. “She managed to rescue herself by the time we found her.”
His amused expression darkened. “Are you saying you had to search for her?”
“I am.” She nodded slowly, worry flickering in her violet eyes. “Mercy, would you mind?”
I scooted my bench a little closer to them, my knees nearly touching Kat’s, and recounted my abduction by the horny hunters. Whenever I revealed something about my new abilities, Edgar nodded and looked at the floor in thought.
Every once in a while, I glanced up at Nick or Elena to find them staring hard at me. Chima just kept his face still and watched the door, but I could tell he was listening too. My body wanted to squirm under the scrutiny, but I forced myself to sit still with my hands clasped tightly in my lap.
“That is quite the interesting tale, my dear,” Edgar murmured, staring off into the distance. “An interesting and somewhat familiar tale of sorts.”
“What does this mean?” Kat squeezed his wrist lightly, her concern flowing across our bond stronger now that most of the energy I’d gained from earlier had been used up in our mountain run.
“My sire, Mar
tinus, was powerful beyond imagination. The gifts that Mercy has gained this night are much like his.”
“How’s that possible?” Benjamin sat forward with his elbows on his knees and a look of fascination.
“I believe Mercy’s survival instinct brought forth dormant gifts that would not have manifested until she had a few centuries under her belt. When a fledgling is turned, they gain a few innate gifts. Coercion is a constant, developed as vampire-kind evolved, but the others are random. Sometimes a fledgling will inherit similar gifts as their sire or an ancestor, other times it is a roll of the dice.”
“You think I inherited these powers from Martinus?”
“That is my best guess, yes.”
“How does this affect us then? My bond with Mercy became muted but her energy gain seemed to overflow into me.”
“I assume that is due to how new your bond is. I felt a small surge as well, so it may be that as these gifts grow in her, we will experience some changes too.”
“So, Otherkin don’t have the same issues with their powers?” All this new information had me craving more.
“Nightkin and Otherkin are quite different in many ways, similar in others. Vampires and were-creatures are alike in how they are made, but when a were is made, any gifts they will have are gained at their making. The Fae are born with their gifts which are inherited from their parentage.”
“What about witches?”
“Witches are human, but their powers come from their ancestry. Many millennia ago, Fae intermingled with humans, or possibly one Fae. Only the oldest of Fae know the truth, and the witches are the reason why Fae are forbidden from breeding with non-Fae. But, this intermingling created a dominant bloodline that gives a witch their magic. Most often, witches come from the same heritage, but occasionally, one is born from a recessive gene that passes over many generations.”
“Wow,” I whispered, sitting back and nearly falling off the bench.
Kat smirked, and I blushed, glancing around at the watching faces.
“Uh, so… what are these powers that I suddenly gained tonight?”
“Well, we know you already had an affinity with air, which is unique to you. From what you’ve told us, it seems you have the gift of telekinesis, at the very least. That combination grants you the ability to levitate and fly, but also to move objects—and people—with your mind. You have exhibited remarkable strength with these gifts already. I can only imagine how powerful you will become as you age.”
“And the bond?” Kat prompted.
Edgar frowned, staring at the floor. “Yes, well, that I cannot explain.”
“Could it be—”
Julius burst in the door with Danielle on his heels. “Edgar!”
Chapter Seven
“What is the matter, Julius?”
“I’ve just returned from a round of prowling and heard something disturbing. Cassandra has gathered her witches and Bull’s pack in the recreation hall at the other end of the campgrounds. She also has some of the smaller packs that follow Bull. She is attempting to sway them to her side, and I’m afraid they seem to be bending to her.”
“That bitch!” Kat jumped up, putting her hand on Edgar’s shoulder protectively. “We don’t have enough vampires or Otherkin on our side to oppose her.”
“Chima,” Edgar said in an angry but controlled tone.
“Yes, sir.” The werelion stood at attention, his amber eyes shining with ready determination.
“Bring the Lyons clan here. Sunrise is coming. I prefer that we gather in one place with our combined forces to guard us as we sleep.”
“Right away.” Chima nodded once. “Nick, wake the rest of the team. I want all hands on deck today.”
Nick rushed out the door after Chima.
“We will need to be ready for a fight with Cassandra. I didn’t want to believe Bull would turn against us. I am sorely disappointed.”
“You can’t predict what someone will do when they’re in love.” Benjamin rose slowly with a sigh. “Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if she cast a spell on him. That woman is power hungry.”
Kat grunted agreement. “She’s probably just using him since he has so much sway with the other packs and the solitary shifters.”
“I can feel the change, Edgar,” Danielle murmured, grasping Julius’ hand. “By sundown, we may not have any allies remaining here.”
“That is disheartening, indeed, but she agreed to give me another night.” He peered up at Kat, his eyes still shining with hope. “We will find others to balance the scales.”
“My darling,” Kat said, kneeling in front of him, “I’m not sure we will find enough Kin to side with us. The wolves will all side with Bull, the solitaries and Fae have gone to ground, and as you know, vampires are quite adept at hiding. Queen Xandrie and the vampires on the council were the only ones who knew where to find all the clans.”
“Danielle,” he said, “were you able to reach the Bellingham coven? Would they be able to locate the hidden clans?”
“Yes, sire, I’ve spoken to Anaria. They will arrive tomorrow evening. I don’t know if they can locate Nightkin, but I’ll ask as soon as they get here.”
“Thank you, Seer.” Edgar bowed his head reverently to Danielle who gave him a sweet smile in return.
“Unless the Bellingham coven can even our odds,” Kat said, her hands on her hips, “we may need to consider leaving.”
“Why would we do that?” He stared up at her confused.
“I don’t trust Cassandra. I believe she’ll do anything to get her way.”
Benjamin held his hand out to Edgar. “Sire, I’m inclined to agree with Kat. We should think about our safety. We’re outnumbered in this house of wolves.”
“I’m not sure I can agree with you. Without the shielding, we will be defenseless against the hunters.” Edgar rose and clapped his hand on Benjamin’s shoulder. “For the time being, we are safest here. We will bring more Kin to the camp and have a fair vote.”
No one else in the room seemed to share Edgar’s optimism. We followed him out to the sitting room just as the Lyons clan arrived. Tabi edged to my side where I hovered near the hallway, trying to stay out of the way.
Rudy sauntered over with a grin as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “What’s cookin’, sweet cheeks?”
I gave him a playful scowl. “Cassandra is stirring up trouble. We’re all bunking here for the day.”
“Yeah?” He smirked and waggled his eyebrows. “You got room in your bed for me?”
“Uh, no. Tabi is staying with me. You’re probably going in with Benjamin.”
He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Ah, well, you can’t say I didn’t try.”
“Is it bad, Mercy?” Tabi was shy and quiet like I was before vampirism boosted my confidence. It made me wonder how she was before her turning seventy-five years ago.
From what she’d told me, Tabi had lived on a secluded farm in the middle of nowhere America with an extremely strict father. Her mother died during labor with her. When a drifter came around, looking for work on the farm, it turned out he was less a farmhand and more a predatory vampire. Her father didn’t survive, but timid, pretty Tabi did. Sort of.
I slipped an arm around her shoulders, tugging her close. “It’s not great, but our sires have been around for centuries. They’ll get us through this.”
I hoped my words sounded more confident than I felt.
“Darlin’.” Nick stood in front of us, staring down at me with worried eyes. “It’s almost sunrise. The elders can push on a little longer to discuss the situation, but we should get you and Tabi settled now. You’ll have two more in with you, so we need to arrange cots before they’re forced to sleep.”
“Who else will be in my room?” I didn’t mind sharing, but I liked to know who I was sleeping with.
“Remi and Willa.”
Tabi wrung her hands. “Where will David be?”
“He and Yvette will be taking my and Chima’s r
oom.”
I slid a hand up his arm, feeling goosebumps rise under my fingertips. “Where will you sleep?”
“If we get time to, we’ll find a spot on the floor.” He winked suggestively at me. “Maybe I’ll curl up at your feet on the bed.”
“That’s right!” I slapped his chest. “I forgot you can just turn into a wolf. You’re welcome to whatever space you can find on the bed.” A coy smile curled my lips.
Rudy snickered, and Tabi giggled. I rolled my eyes at them and spun around, heading to my room. Edgar and David’s quiet voices faded, but Kat’s rose here and there as she fretted over her sire and mate.
Nick shut the bedroom door behind us, locking out a chuckling Rudy. Elena waited by the window while two Lyons’ guards, Efram and Killian, occupied opposite corners. Tabi blushed at the sight of Killian. He tipped his head to her, his mouth turning up at the corners.
What’s with these shifter guards? I’d have thought vampires would automatically connect with each other. I suppose that’s a bit species-ist of me. I shook my head at myself, chuckling under my breath.
“What’s so funny, darlin’?” Nick crouched in front of me as I plopped down on the bed.
“Nothing worth mentioning.”
Over my shoulder, I saw Killian in a similar position, comforting Tabi who shivered and hugged herself. I am so glad I’m not that easily frightened anymore.
“Mercy.” Nick stuck his curled finger under my chin, turning me to face him. He searched my eyes with his pale blue gaze. “You can’t go running off like that. I was worried sick. With the meeting taking the turn that it did, Chima wouldn’t let me come after you. I don’t really understand why they let Kat and Benjamin go off without a guard detail either. Things are so volatile right now.”
“I’m sorry, Nick.” I looked away, ashamed for not feeling as guilty as I probably should have. “I needed a break. I’ve been a vampire for such a short time, and all these things have changed inside me. My skin feels so tight, and being cooped up in this place only made it worse. I had to get out and catch my breath.”
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