by I. T. Lucas
“Yeah, Tessa told me that the venom works together with semen to induce transition.”
“The romantic involvement was the reason I didn’t tell you. I knew you weren’t ready for that. Or for the sex.”
“I’m not.”
“You know that Julian is completely infatuated with you and thinks that you’re his one, right?”
Ella’s eyes widened. “Why? He doesn’t even know me. I know he likes me, and I like him back, but we talked for what, one hour, two?” She rose to her feet and started pacing. “That’s not enough for anyone to fall in love. It’s this.” She circled her hand around her face. “That’s all he and everyone else sees. Not what’s inside.” She pointed to her chest.
“Perhaps you should allow him to get to know you, and you get to know him. Physical attraction is what brings a couple together in the first place, not some intellectual or metaphysical connection. But if they are lucky and discover that they also like the person inside the attractive cover, then love can bloom. It’s not going to happen without spending time together, though. That’s why I think you should give Julian a chance and go out with him. He’s a very nice guy, and thanks to him you’re free. Not that it’s a reason to date him, but maybe it’s just another reason to give him a chance.”
Plopping down on the bed, Ella covered her eyes with her arm. “Maybe I should. I don’t know. Julian is so handsome, and he seems so sweet, but what the heck can he see in me other than my face? He’s eight years older than me, and he is a doctor. We have nothing in common. I wouldn't even know what to talk to him about.”
“You did fine over dinner. And you’ve started this whole thing with the fundraiser idea. You can talk to him about that. Don’t sell yourself short, Ella. You have a lot more to offer than your pretty face.”
As Ella lifted her arm off her eyes, there was a cunning look in them. “If I go out with Julian, would you start your transition?”
“What does that have to do with anything we’ve talked about?”
“Eva said that you’re waiting for me to get better before you attempt it, and that the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be. I don’t want you to endanger yourself because of me.”
“Oh, sweetie. That’s not the only reason I’m dragging my feet about it. The truth is that I’m scared.”
“You’re scared because you think that you’ll be leaving Parker and me alone.”
“Well, that too. But I also don’t want to die just when I’ve found happiness again.”
Bracing on her forearms, Ella pinned her with a hard stare. “You’re not going to die, Mom. Stop being such a pessimist. Fate didn’t bring you and Magnus together just so you could break his heart.”
Vivian grimaced. “As much as I would like to believe that, I don’t put much faith in fate.”
“At least promise me that you’ll give it some thought.”
“I will.”
“For real?”
“Yes, for real.”
30
Ella
“Mom, can I do the dishes tomorrow? I’m going to be late for archery practice with Carol.”
Ella rolled her eyes. Parker and his excuses. He’d probably eaten dinner slowly on purpose so he could get out of doing the dishes.
“Sure, sweetie. Say hi to Carol for me.”
As usual, her mother had fallen for it. Or maybe not. Poor kid was braving growing fangs, which Magnus had confirmed hurt like hell, so he deserved a little slack.
“Ella, do you want to come and see me shoot arrows?” Parker asked. “Last time, I hit the bullseye eight times out of ten.”
He’d asked her to come with him to the gym several times already, but the place was teeming with immortals, and Ella hadn’t been ready to interact with them yet, so she had declined.
Except, it had been a good day so far, and meeting Tessa and Eva had been not only fun but uplifting and encouraging as well. Even Brandon, the clan’s media specialist who she’d expected to be intimidating, hadn’t made her feel uncomfortable. He hadn’t looked at her with pity in his eyes, and he hadn’t leered either. At most, he’d shown mild curiosity.
If everyone reacted to her like Brandon had, she could handle new introductions.
“Okay. I guess it’s time I met the famous Carol.”
“You could’ve met her at the café on day two,” Vivian said. “But you didn’t want to come.”
“I will, the next time you go. I think I’m ready to meet people.”
Her declaration was met by three happy faces and a thumbs up from Magnus.
Ella’s heart swelled a little.
Her family.
As long as they didn’t push her too hard, thinking that they were doing it for her own good, it was nice to have her own cheering squad. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell them that she loved them, but that would’ve led to a mushy moment with hugs and tears, and Parker was running late.
Besides, it would’ve weakened her just when she was finally feeling strong.
“Come on, Parker. We need to get moving if you want to make it on time.”
On the way to the pavilion they didn’t encounter anyone, and as they exited the elevator on the gym level, Ella braced for some awkward hellos and fake smiles. Not everyone was as cool as Brandon.
But there was no one in the corridor either.
“Where is everyone?” she asked.
Parker pointed to one of the doors. “Most people are in the classrooms, taking self-defense lessons, and some are in the gym and in the shooting range. But don’t expect them to stop their exercise routine and come say hi to you.”
“I would appreciate it if they didn’t,” she murmured under her breath.
“Back home, you used to be friendlier.”
Crap. She’d forgotten about his super hearing. “That’s because I knew all of our neighbors, and I worked in a diner, where I had to be friendly, or I didn’t get tips.”
“Maybe you should get a job at the café? Wonder told me that it was the best and quickest way to get to know everyone.”
Ella ruffled his hair. “I don’t think they are hiring.”
“You can ask Carol. Or I can ask Wonder tomorrow. I’m going to her house to study.”
Ella smirked. Wonder was pretty and sweet, and Parker had a crush on her, which the girl was utterly oblivious to despite it being obvious to everyone else.
Upon entering the shooting range they kept walking past the firearms booths and continued to another hall, where a lone figure was shooting arrows from a very cool-looking bow and hitting the bullseye every time.
“Wow. She’s good,” Ella whispered, so as not to break the shooter’s concentration.
“That’s Carol, and she has noise-canceling headphones on, so you don’t need to whisper.”
The woman released one arrow after another, hitting the target's center every time without fail and making it look so easy and effortless that Ella was tempted to try archery herself. Except, she was sure that it wasn’t as easy as it seemed. Unlike a firearm, a bow required muscle power.
Parker waited to approach Carol until the target retracted and the electronic scoreboard flashed her impressive results.
Taking the headphones off, Carol shook out her curly hair and turned around with a big smile on her face. “Ella, finally I get to meet you.”
She handed the bow and headphones to Parker, then walked over and offered her hand to Ella. “I’m Carol.” Tugging on Ella’s hand, she pulled her into a tight embrace.
For a small, curvy woman, Carol was incredibly strong, and as the air was squeezed out of Ella’s lungs, she tapped the immortal on her back. “I can’t breathe.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Carol let go. “I forgot that you’re still a fragile human.” Pursing her lips, she gave Ella a thorough once over that thankfully didn’t hold even the tiniest trace of pity. “A situation which should be rectified as soon as possible.”
Ella tilted her head in Parker’s direction. �
�I’m not in a rush.”
“Right.” Carol smiled and turned to him. “Ready to start your practice?”
He lifted the bow up in the air, already assuming victory. “Can’t wait.”
“Let me program the target sequence for you.” She walked over to the control screen and typed a series of instructions. “Put the headphones on.”
Parker arched a brow. “Why? It’s not noisy in here.”
“As I’ve told you before, it helps with concentration, which is the most important component in your skill set.” She turned to Ella, including her in the explanation. “When you shoot, you need to be in the zone, and that means the outside world has to disappear while you’re at it. Once it becomes second nature to you, you’ll be able to slip into that state even with distractions. But until then, use headphones during practice.”
“Yeah, I get it.” Parker put the bulky things on and reached into the arrow bag, pulling the first one out.
For several moments they watched him shoot, and as he finished the first round, Ella gave him the thumbs up. “I thought he was boasting, but he’s really good,” she told Carol.
“I know, right? He has a natural talent for it.” She turned and motioned to the row of chairs lined up against the wall. “We can be more comfortable watching him from over there.”
She waited for Ella to sit down. “I’m here mostly as a supervising adult. It’s rare that I need to adjust his form. At the rate Parker is going, Brundar will have to take over his training soon.”
“Who’s Brundar?”
Carol arched a brow as if Ella should’ve known that. “He’s one of the head Guardians and the clan’s weapon master, which probably makes him the best in the world.”
“If he’s so good, why would he want to waste time on my kid brother?”
“Training a new prodigy is a privilege. Besides, everyone likes Parker. I’m sure that even stoic Brundar won’t be able to resist his charm.”
That was good to hear. Apparently, her little brother was becoming the darling of the clan. She just hoped it wouldn’t go to his head. It would be a shame if Parker turned into a self-entitled brat.
“Are you also training to become a Guardian?” she asked. “I know that you’re running the café and that you’re teaching a self-defense class. That’s already a lot.”
Carol chuckled. “I’m a busy, busy girl. Doesn’t leave much energy for hunting. But perhaps it’s a good thing.”
Despite her mastery with the bow, Carol looked so delicate and sweet that Ella couldn’t imagine her shooting arrows at living things.
“Hunting? Like in animals?”
Laughter bubbled out of the immortal’s chest. “Some claim that all men are animals. So yeah.”
With that angelic face, there was no way Carol was a killer. Not of animals and not of people.
Ella shook her head. “I don’t get it. I’m sure you don’t mean that you’re an assassin.”
Snorting, Carol slapped her thighs. “Aren’t you just precious. When immortals talk about hunting, we usually refer to hookups. I don't know whether you’ve noticed, but we are a highly sexed bunch, and since most of us don’t have mates, we have no choice but to seduce humans for casual sex. That’s why we call it hunting.”
Ella glanced at Parker, making sure he still had the noise-canceling headphones on. “Julian told me about the mates problem. I hope more Dormants can be found for all of you.”
He hadn’t told her, however, about the highly sexed part, and since she hadn’t interacted with clan members much, Ella didn’t know whether Carol was exaggerating or not.
“I hope so too. But until then, a girl has to do what a girl has to do, and this girl likes to hunt—men, that is. Animals, not so much. But I’m starting to realize that I’ll have no choice if I ever want to go on the mission I’ve been training for.”
“Now you’ve lost me completely. You said you’re not a Guardian and not training to become one, right?”
This time it was Carol who glanced Parker’s way before answering. “I have a special set of skills that makes me perfect for a particular secret mission, but my trainers are not going to clear me for it unless I prove that I can be ruthless. And the way they expect me to prove it is by killing an animal and then cutting out its heart.”
Ella grimaced. “That’s awful. Are you actually considering doing it?”
“I want to go on that mission. I figured that I can kill something nasty, like a coyote. Sometimes at night, I can hear a pack of them howling as they attack some poor animal and its horrible squeals as it’s torn apart. At those moments, I don’t have any qualms about getting a rifle and taking them out.”
“It’s just nature. If they don’t hunt, they don’t eat.”
“I know. Still, I think they are horrible, and I have no problem killing at least one to prove that I can be a badass.” She narrowed her eyes at Ella. “Which I totally am.”
There was a determination in that beautiful cherubic face, and even though Carol was teasing, Ella could sense the steal in those blue eyes that on first impression had looked so guileless.
“Oh, I believe you. You don’t have to prove anything to me.”
A sweet smile replaced the hard stare. “You’re smart. Most people just look at the exterior and think that I’m soft, which is actually one of my biggest assets. No one expects me to be dangerous.”
“Are you?”
Carol shrugged. “I’m not a soldier or an assassin, if that’s what you mean, but I can make one hell of a spy.”
Ella arched a brow. ”Is that what your mission is about, spying?”
“Yeah. But other than providing proof of my ruthlessness, some technical issues are preventing it from getting approved.”
“Can you tell me about it, or is it a secret?”
31
Carol
To buy herself a moment, Carol tucked an errant lock behind her ear. Her mission wasn’t general knowledge, and the fewer people who knew about it, the better. But no one had told her it was a secret either, probably because it was self-explanatory.
The head Guardians knew about it, as did Turner and Bridget, and obviously Kian. But so did Robert. And if it was okay to tell an ex-Doomer about the plan then why not Ella?
Except, maybe it hadn’t been okay to tell Robert?
But what the heck. Something about the girl tempted Carol to share her secrets. Could it be the eyes?
Looking into them, Carol could understand Julian’s obsession with Ella’s picture. Ella’s gaze reminded her of Edna’s, just without the age-old wisdom and without the judgment.
With that accepting and understanding expression on her angel face, she must have people pouring their hearts out to her all the time.
But there was more to why her gaze was so compelling. Ella’s eyes were intense, penetrating, soul searching. Either that, or the girl was just very short-sighted and in need of corrective lenses.
“Do you wear glasses or contacts, Ella?”
“No. Why? Do I squint?”
“Not at all. In fact, now that I think about it, you don’t blink much at all. Did anyone else ever notice that about you?”
Shaking her head, Ella blinked twice in quick succession as if to prove Carol wrong. “Sometimes, when I concentrate really hard, I forget to blink. It’s kind of like holding my breath. But it doesn’t happen often. I guess I was so excited to hear about your secret mission that I forgot to blink. Can you tell me anything at all about it?”
“I can tell you some of it, but it has to stay between the two of us. I’m starting to think that too many people know about it already.”
“Like who?”
“Kian, naturally, some of the Guardians, Eva, Turner, probably Bridget too. My ex-boyfriend, who happens to be an ex-Doomer.”
Ella’s eyes widened. “I thought the Doomers were the clan’s enemies.”
“They are. But there are exceptions. Dalhu, Amanda’s mate, is one, and Robert, who is now
happily mated to Sharon, is the other.”
“Eva’s Sharon?”
“That’s the one.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did two Doomers become part of the clan?”
“Dalhu left the Brotherhood because he fell in love with Amanda. Robert did it to save me from his sadistic commander.”
Ella recoiled. “Do I want to hear this story? Or more to the point, do you want to tell it?”
Shrugging, Carol glanced at Parker who seemed to be getting tired. “What happened to me isn’t a secret. The entire clan was mobilized when I was kidnapped. It was just a dumb misfortune. I happened to be in a club’s parking lot when a bunch of Doomers showed up. They grabbed me and brought me to their sadistic commander who tortured me for information.”
She smiled sadly. “I played the ditsy blond part so well that he believed I had no idea where the clan’s headquarters were. But then he tortured me just for fun.”
Looking paler than a ghost, Ella put a hand on Carol’s arm. “I’m so sorry.”
Carol released a shuddering breath. “It was a dream come true for the sadist—an indestructible fuck-toy he could whip and rape as much as he pleased because by the next morning she was as good as new.”
Why the hell was she telling this young and impressionable girl all of this?
People knew the dry facts about her abduction and about Robert helping her escape, and they also knew that she had been tortured for information that she hadn’t revealed. But Carol hadn’t talked with anyone about what had actually happened to her. Not like she was doing now.
Perhaps enough time had passed and talking about it didn’t bring the memories to the surface as it had in the beginning, or perhaps it was the special something about Ella that was pulling the words out of her throat.
Now that she’d started, though, Carol felt compelled to keep going. “No matter what he did to me, my body would heal by morning, but my mind would’ve eventually snapped if not for Robert. At first, he brought me powerful painkillers to help with the suffering, and eventually he helped me escape just before the clan attacked the place and freed the other girls that had been imprisoned with me.”