“Come, child. I will not harm you.” Agartha motions to me. “Keegan, it is time for you and me to come to terms and agree upon a plan between clan and coven because turning the Kindred, my granddaughter, over, isn’t a viable option.”
I sit on the edge of the chaise next to Ethan.
“We should hear her out.” I take in the features of the pale-faced woman, searching for any resemblance no matter how slight. “W-were you who I was supposed to meet—later at the house?”
“Yes, child.” A sadness washes over her face. “You arrived alone and vulnerable, a regret I cannot change; however, with help, I can now ensure your safety.”
“Tell me what you need. What you ask of me?” Keegan shifts weight from one foot to the other. He resembles a caged animal reluctant to stay in one place.
“Continue protecting her. She is special. We all know this. And once her abilities surface—”
“Abilities? There’s nothing special about me. I’m as plain as they come.”
“No, dear.” A smile dances across Agartha’s lips. “Your powers will surface now that you’re no longer cloaked. Both clan and covens, alike, will seek to exploit you and your gifts.” A touch of sorrow flashes across her eyes then vanishes as quickly as it appeared. “A predicament your grandfather and I feared most.”
“What would you have my clan do—have me do?” An unreadable mask covers Keegan’s face.
A wolf like grin tips the corners of her lips.
“Accept her into your clan. Claim or mark her as one of your own. That is what Roman would have done.”
“By asking this, you’re forcing me to go to battle with both my brethren and Wiccans.” Keegan shakes his head. “A path I cannot take.”
“I know what I ask of you,” she says. “But I also know lupines, lycans, and Wiccans both fear and respect you. Some will oppose you, but most will offer loyal support—whether they agree or not—because of the influential pull you have in all communities. Keep in mind, neither side wants to face war, again.”
“What do you mean again?” Wouldn’t people know if supernaturals had been at war?
“Even if I agreed to go along with your plan, the Kindred must submit, willingly, to being marked, to being claimed,” says Keegan. “And she is not yet at the age of consent. Who would offer approval on her behalf? You?”
“Yes. As Wiccan and head of the Order, it’s well within my rights.” She clears her throat, then smooths her hair back with a single wave of her hand. “And there’d be no need to reveal the blood connection between Sadie and myself. No one must ever find out who sired her.”
“What does that mean?” The information swirls around in my head.
I try to make sense of it all, but the connections float out of reach.
“Simply put, a Shoshone clan member leaves his mark on you.
“Meaning what, exactly?” My temples throb, and I furrow my brows.
“Claim you as a mate.” Agartha sits erect, shoulders back.
She makes me think of the nuns at the church who took care of me until the age of five—those were days I wish I could forget sometimes.
Keegan approaches and sits on the arm of the couch. “Or mark you as a potential mate similar to an engagement.”
“What happens?” I peer at Ethan. “What would you do?”
“If I were to claim you outright? I suppose during coupling, I would sink a canine tooth into your willing flesh.” Ethan licks his lips. “And my saliva would run into your blood, making you mine.”
“Or he could mark you with a single bite without sexual contact, which is more appropriate at her age and Ethan’s.” Keegan glances over a shoulder out the window. “More are converging outside, Wiccan and lupine alike.”
“Wait. You want to bite me?” Memories of Ethan teasing me, saying he wouldn’t bite unless I wanted him to, swirls around in my head.
“Yes.” Ethan brushes his hair back and out of his face.
“What the fuck?” I leap from the couch. “That’s why you said what you did, isn’t it?”
Ethan nods. “When I said it the first time, I was joking. But the second time, the wolf in me wanted you. He had hoped to mark you, to claim you in time.”
“How many others have you marked or still have your mark? Hell. How many females have you all staked a claim to?”
“You have this all wrong.” Keegan holds his arms in the air, motioning for me to calm down.
“Don’t try to shut me up.” Anger seethes in my belly, growing in intensity.
“I’ve been with many women over the span of my life”—Keegan rubs his chin—“but I’ve never left my mark or claimed any of them as a mate.”
“Span of your life? What the hell does that mean?” I draw in a calming breath through my nose, not really sure I want to know the answer. “On second thought, don’t respond. I’ve had all the information I can process for one day.” I turn and glare at Cole. “And what about you?”
“Don’t look at me.” Cole shakes his head. “I’m not ready to settle down. And I’m sure as hell not looking for a mate to fuck for eternity.”
“What?” I pace back and forth.
Agartha grins. “Wolves mate for life, Sadie. When they stake a claim, they’re monogamous and faithful to that person, forever.”
Standing, my grandmother smooths the flowing layers of her skirt.
“However, there are options. You and Ethan share a strong attraction, even now, it’s palpable in the room.” She shifts her gaze to Keegan then to Cole. “Am I correct?”
“Yeah.” Cole rubs the stubble on his face. “It’s been that way since she first stepped foot inside. The scent is stronger now.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” My cheeks heat up.
Flashes of me and Ethan in the laundry room roll through my thoughts.
“Hear me out.” Agartha takes me by the hand, then sits once more. “Join me.” She pats the couch cushion next to her.
I slip on to the sofa. Is she a cookie making grandmother or something else entirely?
“Ethan doesn’t have to claim you outright.” She pauses. “He could mark you as Keegan had suggested earlier, which signifies a waiting period, engagement of sorts, of one year or until the marked reaches the age of consent—eighteen in your case.”
“And then what?”
“At the end of that term, if you agreed, he would then claim you, make you his own—similar to marriage.” She pats my hand.
“And if I didn’t want to be claimed? What then?”
“You’d be turned over to the proper authorities,” says Keegan. “And the wait would’ve been in vain.”
“If I agreed to marking, I’d have until the age of eighteen—two more years—to figure this all out. I mean, we could come up with something else. Right?”
“In theory, yes.” Keegan takes in a deep breath then rubs his jaw. “But even if Ethan were to leave his mark, it wouldn’t be enough.”
“I don’t understand.” My gaze bounces from Keegan to my grandmother and then back to Keegan. “But you all said—”
“He’s not high enough in the clan”—Cole pops his fingers, one at a time—“Or old enough. He’d need approval from his eldest living family member, as well as the blessing of the alpha leader of the clan.”
“His mother and Keegan?” A headache throbs behind my left eye.
“No, the eldest living male member’a approval. In this case, since our father didn’t have any brothers, that’d be me. Not to mention the blessing of Keegan, our alpha.”
“You’d also need a high-ranking Wiccan member to sanction the union since you’re Kindred.” Keegan turns his attention to Agartha.
“Yes. I figured that much.” Agartha hovers a few inches off the floor. “Which is why she must be claimed by all three of you.”
“Nope. Not gonna happen.” I shake my head for emphasis. “I’m not doing that.”
I’d like to develop the ability to fly or teleport—then
I could get the hell out of here.
I back away from Agartha, inching closer to the middle of the couch. “I’m not about to let everyone in this room bite me. And just so you all know, sex is off the table, completely. I am so not going there or doing that. Not happening. Period.”
“It is true, all three must mark you,” chuckles Agartha. “But you needn’t sexually join with any of them.” Her cheeks hold a rosy glow. “They only need to bite you to seal the deal.”
My jaw drops. Did I hear her right? Sure, bite the new girl—the more the merrier.
“Hey.” Cole holds up his arms. “I didn’t say I was—”
“Silence.” Keegan’s voice booms, and the room falls silent. “If turned over, what will happen to the girl? She has the right to know?”
“As an anomaly”—Agartha casts her gaze to the floor
“Anomaly.” I choke on the word. “What the fuck! There’s nothing abnormal about me.”
“Now is the time to listen.” Agartha shushes me with the wave of a hand. “The Order seeks to use you for breeding, to see if they can produce additional Kindred offspring by harvesting your eggs, which is no different from what the wolf clans have in mind. Not to mention, the Order has a lab set up. They’re ready to study you—to test and measure your abilities as they develop and grow.”
Her words leave me grasping for a retort.
“Additional Kindred offspring, male or female, could tip the balance of power in the clans and covens, alike. This could bring an end to all treaties currently in place,” says Keegan. “It would rip our culture wide open and expose us to humans.”
“Yes, which is why Sadie’s grandfather and I protected her all these years.” Translucent sparks of light dance on the tips of Agartha’s fingers. “If she isn’t sheltered by your clan—by being marked or claimed—she’ll be taken. And her confinement will stir the workings of a war. So, what will it be? Will you protect her, or incite war and risk the downfall of our culture, or even perpetuate the extinction of our very existence?” She shifts her gaze to Cole. “Even you can’t argue that plight.”
“Fine. I’ll aid in this endeavor.” Cole points at me. “But only if she agrees.”
“What do you say, Ethan?” Agartha extracts a decorative silver tin with leaves etched in it from her purse. “What are your thoughts?” She opens it, grabs a mint like diskette, and then pops it into her mouth.
“I think mine are transparent, but I won’t force her either,” replies Ethan.
“The question should be answered by the Kindred.” Keegan gestures to me. “It doesn’t matter what anyone else has to say.” He faces me. “It all comes down to what you want.”
“God. I should’ve never answered the request to go to the principal’s office or listened to the attorney.” I draw my knees to my chest and cover my face. “If I hadn’t, none of this would’ve happened.”
For a brief moment in Dr. Gus’ office, I had considered going on the run, especially after learning about the incarceration of the Greene family. But the lure of meeting family, of finally belonging, had sucked me in.
Now, here I sit with no voice or choice again, which fucking sucks.
“Child.” Agartha kneels in front of me. “It was never a question of if they would discover you, but a matter of when.”
“The witch is right.” Keegan glances out the window, following movement outside.
“Binding your powers offered a bandaid approach. And it was only a matter of time before you encountered both clan and coven members.” She clears her throat. “Upon contact with all supernaturals, especially lupines, lycans, and Wiccans, they would have known you were different, and that you’re not entirely human.”
“What? How?”
“By smell.” Ethan scoots back against the couch cushion, placing an arm behind me.
“They’d have known you weren’t full lupine either, which would’ve made you a target.” Agartha turns to Ethan. “Help me up, whelp.” She extends a hand.
As instructed, Ethan rises and helps my grandmother to her feet.
Grandmother. The word sounds odd, even in the private confines of my head.
“Make a choice child and quickly.” Agartha pats my knee. “Time isn’t your friend today nor ours.”
“Make a choice, really?” I shake my head. “There aren’t any, not really.”
My selections, limited at best, now breathe down my neck like flames slithering around a burning building—consumption’s only a matter of time.
One thing’s clear. I don’t want to be a lab rat, and I sure as hell don’t want to cause a bubbling war, nor to be the blame for countless lives lost, including my own.
I’ve already taken one life. Even now, I don’t understand why it had to happen in the first place.
Standing on shaky legs, I draw in a deep breath then exhale slowly.
Hmm. A lab rat poked and prodded or marked by a shifter.
“If marked, where would I live?” I can’t bring myself to look at the one person in the room who shares a paternal connection with me. “And with whom?”
“Not here.” The words tumble out of Cole’s mouth.
“The ranch.” Agartha places a hand on my shoulder.
I swallow hard, struggling to maintain my composure. “With you?” My words come out barely above a whisper.
“No. Child.” She cups my chin and holds my gaze. “With a guardian assigned by the Order.
Pulling away from her touch, I fight the tears threatening to spill over the threshold of my resolve.
“Can’t say I’m surprised.” I slide away from her as far as I can without running into Ethan. “You didn’t want me then, so why should it be any different now?”
“If that is what you think”—she closes the gap between her body and mine—“you understand nothing.”
“Really? You tossed me out like a stray.”
“All I have done over the years was to keep you safe. Why do you think you ended up here and now? It was to protect you.”
“Yeah, right? You didn’t even bother to meet me at the house.”
She pauses, then lets out a long sigh. “Things didn’t turn out as I had hoped, and I cannot change that, but you’re here now.”
An image of a six by six room with unbreakable glass walls, and a sterile smell, flashes before my eyes. The only structures, a twin bed bolted to the floor and a toilet, offers little to no privacy.
“I’ll do it.” My voice quivers. “I’ll, uhm”—I wipe sweaty palms against my shirt—“I’ll submit to being marked, but not claimed. And once it’s done”—I hold her gaze—“I want nothing to do with you ever again.”
Chapter Twelve
Ethan Cotter
“SO, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?” Sadie chews on her quivering lower lip.
“Now, I bestow my blessings for this union.” Agartha claps her hands together. “There is much to do.”
She’s agreed to marking, to becoming a member of the clan, which seems like the lesser of the two evils, but I can’t help but wonder what complications will grow from that choice.
“I’ll let the clans, covens, the Order, and the Creed of Council know the Kindred has until dawn to complete the requirements of the marking ceremony.” Agartha makes her way to the door and opens it. “Keegan, you have my blessing. I now leave you and your clan to proceed.”
Keegan walks to the door, locks it, and then draws the curtains closed. He approaches Sadie and offers a hand. “You’ll need to wear something else.”
“Why?” Hesitantly, she takes his hand and stands.
“Because Cole and I will need access to your body to mark you.”
She looks from Keegan to me, then back to Keegan. “Wait. Where exactly will you mark me?” Suspicion grows on her face along with a hint of apprehension.
“Here.” Keegan presses a finger to his chest. “About three inches down from your collarbone.”
“Give me a minute. I have an idea.” Cole walks out of the room. W
hen he returns, he’s carrying a plush, white bath towel. “You can wrap this around your upper body.”
Sadie takes the towel from Cole.
“Uhm. I’ll be back.” She retrieves the sports bra from the coffee table and tucks it between the towel.
“Where’re you going?” Keegan brushes a curtain to the side and peers out the window.
“Bathroom.” Turning away, she makes her way down the hall. The click of the door lock resonates.
“This is all kinds of fucked up.” Cole paces, walking a straight line from the hall to the kitchen and back.
“Calm your inner wolf,” says Keegan over his shoulder. “It could be worse.”
“Yeah. How’s that?” Cole pauses his trek for a few seconds, waiting for me to move out of the way.
“Your mother could be home.” A slight grin tugs at Keegan’s lips.
Cole glances at the watch on his wrist. “Her shift was over hours ago.”
“Yeah. She’s lock up tight in the diner doing inventory”—Keegan rubs his jaw—“unaware of what happening under her roof.”
“Man.” His mother losing her shit isn’t something he’s looking forward to. “She’s gonna go off like a nuclear explosion when she finds out.”
“And it’s your fault, again.” Cole jabs a finger into my chest.”
“What the hell would you have me do? Turn her over? Fuck that? They’d do all kinds of shit to her. Experiments.”
“Enough. No one’s touching her.” Keegan’s voice booms. “So, stop the fuckin’ bickering.”
What the hell have I gotten her into?
The bathroom door clicks, and the living room falls silent.
Her steps, slow and irregular, draw closer. At the entrance from the hall, she stops. She’s wearing the towel tucked around her body, and the shirt hangs from her hand. The straps of her pink sports bra stand out against her skin.
“Come here.” Keegan motions for her to approach.
Sadie makes her way over to where Keegan and Cole now stand. I’m not sure if I should join them or wait.
“Uhm.” A tremor makes her hands shake. “Will I become like those things . . . the ones at Roman’s?” Fear keeps her in place.
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