by Rinna Ford
Once we were all seated, Ainsley continued. “Murder is fairly common among shifters, shifters tend to be aggressive and territorial, some kinds more than others.” He gave me the side-eye.
“What do you mean by that?” I questioned.
“Nothing. Just that dragons are known to be the most aggressive of all the shifters. And they tend to hoard things so they become very protective of their stuff.”
“Huh.” I settled back against the cushion. “Ainsley, are you a part of a pack?”
Ainsley and Devlin eyed each other, and I wondered how close they really were. They seemed to have a lot of silent conversations, ones that only people who knew each other very well have.
“I am,” he finally answered, “but it’s a lot like a person with an absentee ballot. I’m a member of my family’s pack, but I don’t live with them. I come when they call and they’re there for me if I need them.”
“Do most shifters stay in packs?” I then asked. Ainsley’s situation was pretty different, I was sure, but I felt any more questions about that would be too personal, and I’d just met him.
“Yes, all but tigers and sharks,” Devlin answered. “There are wolves, dragons, horses, bears, tigers, and sharks. Wolves, horses, and bears are the most prominent, and dragons are the rarest.”
I took in a deep breath and let it out. We were getting to the important information. “What are dragons like?”
“Dragons are the strongest of the shifters,” Devlin said.
“Hey!” Ainsley interjected, making me grin.
“Well, they are,” Dev laughed with me, “if for no other reason than their sheer size.” He turned back in my direction. “They’re also the most protective because they’re natural collectors. They hoard objects, land, people…”
“Tell me about my dad,” I blurted out. I looked back and forth between both men who were once again having a silent conversation. This lasted longer than the other times, and I was getting a little worried. “Is there something wrong?”
Devlin moved forward in his chair until his elbows were on his knees. He had a serious expression on his face, and I knew he was going to finally tell me what I wanted to know.
“Your father’s name was Eric Von Brandt.” Was. Devlin said was. I swallowed as that sunk in. “He was a giant of a man,” Devlin weakly smiled, “and he loved you and your mother very much. Emelia, there’s something you need to understand about our world before I go on. You see, mixing of the races is forbidden. Shifters can only procreate with another shifter, caster with caster, and vampire with vampire; although vampires can’t really have children, but they can make them. But, that’s a story for another time.” Tears began to form in Devlin’s eyes as he paused.
Ainsley spoke up so Dev could get his emotions back under control. “Your parents loved each other even though their relationship was not allowed. Paranormals are not even allowed to date outside their own race, so what your parents did was extremely taboo. They kept their relationship secret, but then you came along.”
“Your mother had you, but never revealed who the father was,” Devlin added, his voice thick with emotion. “Everyone assumed he was another caster because your mom would never dare have a baby outside of the race.”
“But you knew, didn’t you?” I asked my uncle.
He nodded. “Lucia told me when she was pregnant. I was the only person she told. Your mother raised you as a caster, and Eric pretended to be a friend of the family. He helped you and your mom out so you were close to him, but you never called him, ‘dad.’ It was too dangerous to risk it, even though he wanted to hear that word come from your mouth more than almost anything else in this world.”
“How did he die?” I then asked. I didn’t want to know, but I needed to.
“Shifters don’t shift until they reach puberty,” he said. “You were twelve and hadn’t shown any signs of being a shifter until you began to go through puberty.” Oh my God. “You shifted in front of a shifter on the Council, the father of one of your friends. He reported it and the Council sent men to bring you and your mother in.” My eyes welled up with tears because I could guess where this was going. “Your father died protecting you and your mother. Your mother took you and ran straight to me, here. She cursed you with the mark which wiped away your memories and repressed all of your powers, caster and shifter, making you appear human. She gave you to me to hide and went back to be with Eric. She watched as they executed your father. They would have executed Lucia too if she wasn’t the mate of Councilman Michael Ironshot. She was spared and he took her with him.”
Oh my God. It was just too much. Tears rolled steadily down my cheeks and I made no move to wipe them away. This was why Devlin was stalling. What happened to my family was horrible.
“When my mark is finished,” I said in a small voice, “I’ll get my memories back as well?”
“Not all at once,” Dev replied, “but eventually they’ll return to you.”
I looked down at my hands. “Good.” I wanted memories of my parents more than I had wanted anything else in this entire, messed up world. I needed to see their faces in my mind and remember how it felt to be held by them. My parents loved me and had sacrificed so much for me, for each other.
Without another word, I rose from my place on the couch and walked upstairs to my room. I needed to be alone to absorb everything I had learned.
Sleep did not come easily for me that night.
Chapter Six
Tap. Tap. Tap.
My eyes popped open and I jumped out of bed to try and find the source of the sound. I heard the light tapping again, and knew it was coming from the window. Pushing back the curtains, the boy from my previous dream was staring at me from the opposite side.
“Emi, let me in!” he whispered.
I pushed on the window making it rise up on the frame. “What are you doing, crazy?!” I harshly whispered back as he crawled through and into my bedroom.
“I couldn’t sleep,” he smiled wide and I melted at the sight of it.
I hit him on the arm and he playfully winced. I knew I couldn’t hurt him with a weak hit like that, but I wanted to show him that I wasn’t happy that he was there, even if I really was. “So you thought you’d wake me up?”
“You weren’t sleeping, Emi,” he laughed. “Don’t lie and pretend that you were.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and turned away slightly. “Even if I was awake, you shouldn’t be here. My uncle says it’s not appropriate for boys to be in my bedroom.”
“And why not?” he asked. The boy moved so he was right in front of me again, but this time closer. He leaned down so his face was even with mine. His smile was contagious, and I couldn’t resist it. “I’m your best friend, aren’t I?”
“Stop it, Xan,” I finally smiled and lightly slapped his arm again. His smile got bigger because he knew he had me. I could never deny him, and I knew I never would.
I woke up the next morning resolved to be proactive about my situation. Yes, it was completely shitty, and I was sure I didn’t know all of it yet so first thing on the agenda would be to learn the rest. Then, I’d prepare for when my mark finally finished and everything I lost came back to me.
Plan in place, I quickly showered and dressed before heading downstairs to find my uncle and Ainsley. I didn’t have to look very long for them as they were both in the kitchen, Ainsley cooking up some breakfast, sans shirt and Devlin drinking a cup of coffee at the table.
I took a moment to take in Ainsley in his half-naked glory. He was definitely gorgeous with his shoulder-length golden hair, tanned skin, and lean muscles, but I knew he wasn’t for me. For one thing, he only had eyes for my uncle. It was obvious the way he and Devlin revolved around each other that they were a couple. Sexuality was a private thing for most people, so I decided not to comment on it unless one of them said something to me. Devlin, in particular, seemed like a private sort of person, and I respected that. So, I just sat down next to my uncle an
d stealthily appreciated the half-naked man who wasn’t related to me in the kitchen cooking breakfast.
“Hey, sunshine,” Ainsley smiled as he took another plate out of the cupboard. He placed some eggs and toast on it then handed it to me. “How are you feeling this morning.”
I took the plate from him and deeply sighed. “Determined,” I replied. I looked at my uncle. “I want to know the rest. Everything.”
“Are you sure?” he sat forward putting his elbows on the table. “We hit you with a lot of stuff last night. Are sure you don’t want to process that a little more?”
I shook my head. “No, I need to know the rest. Please, Dev.”
“Okay, Firecracker, but after breakfast. I want to start working on training today, so you’ll need your strength.”
“What kind of training? I don’t have any abilities yet.” I took a bite of toast as Ainsley added some bacon to my plate. He gave me a playful wink and returned back to the stove to put more bacon in the hot pan.
Devlin shook his head in exasperation and lightly laughed at Ainsley’s antics. “You’re right,” he finally said, “you don’t have any supernatural abilities yet, and other than being able to shift into a dragon we don’t exactly know what you’ll be able to do, but we want to be prepared. So that means we’ll work on your fitness and hand-to-hand combat skills, along with teaching you more about paranormal basics. Does that sound alright?”
I nodded my head as I stuffed a forkful of eggs into my mouth. Amazing. Ainsley was an even better cook than Devlin. But, I wasn’t going to tell either one of them that. I chuckled at the thought of Ainsley gloating and Devlin pouting. My uncle definitely seemed like the competitive type.
I helped Devlin clean up after breakfast while Ainsley, unfortunately, went to finish getting dressed. I wasn’t crushing on my uncles’ boyfriend, mate, whatever, but I did like looking at him. He didn’t seem to mind either.
It must be a shifter thing. Always being half-naked, I mean. Or maybe it was just an Ainsley thing. He was larger than life and I could tell that people automatically gravitated toward him. I envied that about him because I’d always been in the shadows, at least from what I could remember about my life.
“Dev, tell me more about mates,” I said to my uncle as I handed him the last of the dirty dishes. “You said my mom’s mate is on the Council. I don’t understand how she wouldn’t be with her mate from the moment she found out about him. Wouldn’t he be her perfect match? At least that’s what I would want in a mate if I didn’t have the option to choose someone for myself.” I blushed when I realized I was rambling and not giving Devlin the opportunity to speak.
He smiled at me and shook his head. “It’s okay, Emelia. No, you’re right about it all. Mates are something fate ordains, and the paranormal that fate chooses for you is supposed to be your perfect match, at least that’s what we’re told from a young age.” He laughed, but I could tell he didn’t believe it. “Our mates are supposed to be from our own race,” he continued, “and once a paranormal bonds with his or her mate, they become stronger.”
“What happens if someone doesn’t bond with their mate?”
“Nothing,” he replied. “I mean, it’s painful to be rejected by your mate, but only in a way that someone who is supposed to be perfect for you, doesn’t want you. It won’t physically harm a paranormal to go their entire life without a mate. I’m living proof.”
“So, you never found your mate?” I decided to ask about his personal life since he sort of opened the door with his last comment.
He hesitated for a few seconds before answering. “I did find her.” He looked out toward the fireplace as if his mind was wandering somewhere else, but he kept talking. “Her name was Irna and she was a sweet girl. She would have been perfect for me if I wasn’t gay.” He gave me a small self-conscious smile, but he had nothing to worry about with me.
“So you denied her,” I said trying to keep the conversation moving.
He shook his head. “I tried to make it work because that was what was expected of me. She knew though.” He turned his head back to look at me and lightly smiled. “She confronted me the night before we had decided to bond, and it was her decision to part ways. She’s now living her life in Europe somewhere.” He scrunched his eyebrows. “I think she’s happy. I hope she’s happy. She deserves it, that’s for sure. But man, I was grateful that fate decided to send me someone understanding enough to know that being with her wouldn’t change my feelings and desires.”
I nodded in agreement. But then, something occurred to me. “Will I have a mate? I mean, I’ll be neither shifter nor caster, at least not fully.”
He wiped his hand over his face and rested his palm over his mouth while he chose his words. “Ainsley and I have talked about it,” he said behind his hand, “and the truth is, we don’t know. Even if you do have a mate, you won’t know right away because paranormal women don’t feel the urge to find their mates as men do. You would feel a pull if you’re in the same vicinity as your mate, but that’s it.”
I nodded my head again and then lowered it. I didn’t realize how much I’d wanted the idea of someone being my perfect match. The idea that I may not have that, made me sadder than I expected. I’d never really wanted more than my one-night-stands when I thought I was lonely Anne Smith, and that made it even worse.
Deciding to move on and think about something else, I asked, “Is my mom’s mate her perfect match?” I needed to know what kind of person he was, and what that meant for her relationship with my father.
Devlin huffed and shifted his position. “Your mother’s mate’s name is Michael Ironshot, and he’s the lead caster on the Council. There are three members of each race on the Council, one being the head of their race, and Michael is ours. He knew your mother was his mate from the moment she turned eighteen. He is my age, older than Lucia. I went to school with him, so I knew him well. I was devastated when he tried to claim her. So was your mother.”
“He’s not a good person then.”
Devlin shook his head. “Michael Ironshot is the worst kind of person imaginable, and I would have never, ever thought fate would match Lucia with him. He’s cruel, vicious, and has zero tolerance for rule breakers. You can imagine how much he likes me.” He laughed dryly.
“So how is it possible? How could they be mates if they’re so opposite?”
My uncle sighed as if he’d been trying to figure out the answer for a very long time. “I really don’t know. I’ve speculated that dark casting is at work, like with the dreamling that nearly killed you. Maybe he somehow influenced fate to give him the person he wanted most in this world. I really don’t know, kid.”
“Maybe she is meant to make him a better person.” I was grasping at straws. I knew it, but I had to try. I so wanted to believe in the idea of mates and how they were supposed to be the best possible person for you, even though I probably wouldn’t have one.
He huffed out a laugh again and my forehead furrowed. “Firecracker, that’s a nice thought, but I find it really hard to believe that Michael Ironshot could be influenced by anyone, even his mate, even your mom. He’d always been obsessed with Lucia, from the time they were both children, but no one has ever been able to have control over Michael. Ever.”
“Well, shit.” I leaned back against the counter, dejected.
“Your mom loved everyone, she’s that kind of person, but she despised Michael. She denied him many times over the years and told him she would never agree to mate with him. She was fifty years old when she was taken by Michael, and he claimed they were mates when she was eighteen. You can do the math.”
“Oh, wow.” That was a long time to be rejected over and over again. It also made me question his sanity. I mean, why would someone do that to themselves for thirty-two years? “I bet he made her life hell.”
“Firecracker, you have no idea. Lucia didn’t have any friends in the caster community because of him, and she didn’t have many from the other race
s either. Eric saw how mistreated Lucia was and began helping her out. I imagine that was how they had the opportunity to fall in love.”
I sighed as I considered everything I’d just learned, remaining quiet. The more I learned about this new world and my place in it, the more I felt the pull of it. I needed to know everything.
“I think that’s enough for now,” Devlin told me as he studied my expression. He pushed himself away from the table and began walking toward the door. He turned the handle opening it and stopped before walking all the way through, turning his head to face me. “You coming?” he asked with eyebrows raised.
“Coming where?” I asked.
Dev’s smile turned devilish. “To train.”
Chapter Seven
I did physical training with Devlin and Ainsley every day for the next three and a half weeks, from running ten miles a day to learning fighting techniques. The two men never took it easy on me, even though I was still technically a human. On the days I was really sore Dev made this handy little salve to help with my aching muscles. It was pure heaven in a Tupperware container.
During my downtime, which I didn’t have much of, Dev taught me about life as a caster and how to make things like the salve that I loved so much. When Devlin first told me about casters, I assumed he meant what humans call witches. In some ways, I was right. Casters are typically magic users, they are born with magic and through that learn how to cast spells and make potions, like the salve. But like all races, humans included, there are those in the caster community that are naturally stronger than others. Those paranormals are able to use gifts like premonition, telekinesis, and mind reading. Casters can also live up to six hundred or so years naturally. It just blew me away how long paranormals lived. I wondered what that meant for me being a part of two of the three races.
Like Devlin and Ainsley said many times, they weren’t sure what I’d be able to do as a caster, especially since my mom had bound my powers just as they were beginning to manifest. However, they knew almost with complete certainty that I would shift into a dragon, or at least partially into one because my first shift had set off the chain of events that led to me being cursed. I knew that it wasn’t my fault, I mean, who could control something like that? But, I still felt guilty that I was the cause of all that pain, suffering, and death my family had experienced fifteen years ago.
