Magaestra: Loyalties: An urban fantasy series

by Katherine Kim

  “I understand. I have no desire to get kidnapped, thanks,” Faith said into his shoulder. After a minute, she sighed and stepped back, then reached up and kissed his cheek and turned to leave the room. “I’ll go make that call now.”

  Aldric watched her leave and didn’t turn back until Leo’s voice broke into his thoughts.

  “All vamped out and she still kissed you? Nice, cuz.”

  Aldric didn’t even look at the computer, just reached out and closed the lid as his uncle chuckled.

  8

  The soft knock on the door made Faith blink. She had been trying to read, but the words on the page kept disappearing in a swirl of worries about her sister being in the hands of a man that made Eldridge and Aldric so nervous. A distraction was very welcome.

  "Come in?" she called.

  Aldric peered around the door, his eyes worried. "I wondered if you were sleeping well after all this, and saw the light under your door."

  His fangs and claws had receded again, and he once again looked like the slightly awkward man who had tried to comfort her after her sister was first taken. Not that she was frightened by his vampire side, not any more. She knew that he could be violent and deadly-- hell, the first she had ever seen of him he was killing rogue werewolves in the kitchen of her cabin-- but that only came out when he was protecting the people he cared about. The shy, slightly goofy man standing in her doorway, chewing on his lip was the man he was in his heart.

  "You can come all the way in, Aldric, it's okay," she grinned. "I don't bite."

  Aldric groaned and rolled his eyes. "That joke is as old as I am."

  Faith laughed. "It's probably older, I'd guess. How are you doing?"

  "How am I doing?" The bed dipped as Aldric sat down on the edge and turned to her. "Our home was attacked. Ten of my people are either in the clinic tonight with Madeline, or in rooms downstairs, recovering. Jake shifted almost a decade earlier than he should, by all rights. My good friend the chief of our clan is so stressed out that he's growling as he paces in his office, and my uncle is concerned that we are seeing the beginnings of another world war. I am tired. And anxious."

  Faith reached up and rubbed over Aldric's shoulders. The muscles under her hand were hard and bunched up more like rocks than a living body, so she shifted around to her knees and started to knead them, making Aldric release a groan that gave her all sorts of ideas that were not at all appropriate for the moment.

  "And I am very concerned about you and Kaylee, and your sister as well." Aldric sighed. "And Detective Lincoln. Leo is digging into Cherro and his coven right now, trying to determine how his people are involved with the Goldfang Stalkers," Aldric said.

  "That's good. I trust Leo will find anything there is to find," Faith said.

  "I will not allow anything happen to you, Faith. Or to Kaylee," Aldric said, twisting to look up at her. His eyes were fierce again, but there was more control there, now, as well.

  "I know. And I know that Marc and the rest of the clan will protect us as well," she said. She sat down and leaned on him, and he turned around to wrap his arms around her. It felt warm and safe and she wished that she could just stay there for a few months or years and let all this mess wash away without their involvement.

  "What are you reading?" Aldric asked after a long while.

  Faith groaned and shrugged. "I honestly have no real idea. I think the hero got knocked out in some sort of daring raid and now the heroine has to go rescue him or something. It was all blurring together every time I tried to focus on it tonight."

  Aldric flipped the book over and chuckled. "Ah, yes. She can get in to save him because she's not a vampire and doesn't need to be invited. Funny the myths that have stuck so hard surrounding vampires."

  Faith grinned. "You never come in here without an invitation."

  Aldric huffed a breath and glared at her for a moment. "Of course, I don't. Because my mother raised me to have good manners and to treat everyone with respect."

  Faith laughed out loud and sat back. "She did a fine job, then. I'm sorry I can't tell her so."

  Aldric reached around to wrap his arms around her and rested his chin on her temple, and she snuggled in sharing the comfort.

  "She would have liked you very much, I think. You're fierce, and you don't let any of us intimidate you," he said, and the words warmed her as much as his arms did. "You're not afraid to fight when it is necessary, or to scold me, either. Mother would especially have enjoyed that. So many in the clan are still afraid of me, simply because of what I am and the stories they have heard."

  "They haven't met you, then," Faith said. She heard the sadness in his tone and thought about how he often stood to the side during clan gatherings. She may not have been here for long, but she had noticed that the newer sentries had been nervous and wary around him, even when he was encouraging and helping them sort out schedules and settle into their roles.

  A small smile crept over Aldric's face and Faith leaned her head against his shoulder.

  "I came in to see if you needed comfort, and it turn out that you are the one who is comforting me," he said.

  Faith shrugged. "I feel like we kind of both need some comforting tonight." She shifted her weight a bit and tugged, pulling him down to snuggle on the bed. He settled on his back, one arm behind his head, with his booted feet hanging over the edge. He still wore what she thought of as his work clothes– the black tactical pants and boots that all the enforcers wore and a dark grey t-shirt.

  She arranged him how she liked and he chuckled quietly as she tucked herself into his side, resting her head on his shoulder, and she didn't mind one bit when he wrapped his arm around her back. Aldric, it turned out, was a very cuddly vampire.

  "This is a lot easier to do when you're not recovering from massive blood loss with stitches all over," she said.

  "Indeed," he agreed. He pulled in a deep breath and sighed slowly, making her head shift against him. "I am worried for your sister. If Cherro and his coven are working with the Goldfangs, rather than just a few of his vampires running off to play mercenary, then I shudder to think what may be happening to her."

  Faith shivered and was glad of Aldric's strength when he squeezed her tighter against him.

  "I've been trying not to think about it too much," Faith admitted. "And then there's Kaylee..." If anyone went after that little girl again, she didn't know what she would do.

  "I have increased the security for her," Aldric said. "For you as well, but Kaylee especially will have two guards with her at all times. One of them will be an enforcer. Ori sounded very excited to be assigned to play with the kids for a shift."

  Faith smiled at that. "He just wants free access to those puppy dog eyes the kids have been working on. He wants to get more cookies."

  "Very likely," Aldric's own grin came out in his voice. "But you've seen him fight. If anyone comes for her he will not hold back."

  Faith just nodded. She had seen them all fight, and she had seen them all wounded as well. It wasn't something she had enjoyed.

  "I don't want to see any of you hurt again."

  Aldric sighed again and kissed the top of her head. "I don't want any of us to be injured again either, but I'm afraid that it is likely that we will be. Even without the added concern for your safety, this pack war is a vicious thing. Alpha Molin is not well regarded, nor is he known for his diplomacy. He is barely any better than a thug, using violence and fear to achieve his own goals."

  "Is everyone okay? I know you're back from visiting the clinic, and I helped everyone from the attack last night get settled, but everyone from this morning?" Faith had made sure that four clan members had more to eat than they needed, even to heal, and settled them all in rooms downstairs. She fussed over each of them and made certain that they were all comfortable.

  After all, she felt like this pack war was somewhat her fault. Well, her family's fault at least. If Honeyford hadn't gone after Kaylee, the Goldfang Stalker pack wouldn't have b
othered with the Frostwalker Clan at all, but since Kaylee was in Frostwalker territory when Honeyford caught up to them... Faith felt like they had brought this war down on the clan.

  "I can almost hear you thinking,” he said, hugging her close. "Do not blame yourself for the actions of others. The blame for these injuries does not lie with you, or with your sister, or with your niece. It lies squarely with those who would attack a peaceful people and threaten innocent children."

  Faith sighed. "I know that in my head, I guess," she said. "Anyway, everyone here is okay, mostly. Elena's arm will take a few days to finish healing up, she told me. The gash went deep and actually scored the bone, apparently."

  Aldric nodded. "I spoke to her, also. She seems rather taken with you, though. Told me that you treated all of them like royalty since they arrived this afternoon. Thank you."

  "Well, they're injured. It was the least I could do. They're out there keeping us safe." Faith shrugged off the praise.

  They let the quiet wash over them and soothe some of the ragged edges from the day. Outside, an owl called and the wind whispered through the trees. Faith knew that there were twice as many sentries pacing through the woods out there now, and at least one enforcer. Probably two. Tamika had taken the attack on the clan house personally, and was likely prowling around out there herself.

  "Faith," Aldric spoke quietly, as if he wasn't sure what words to use. "Should you be attacked, you must do everything you can to get away and stay safe. Promise me?"

  "I will." Faith nodded. "Ken is coming here tomorrow to go over a few things, and Marc said that we could have the presentation room in the basement to ourselves to work in, so nobody else can confirm any rumors."

  Aldric nodded and his cheek rubbed against her head.

  "We were lucky that the people here this morning who saw what he did were already aware of your skills. I trust our clanmates, but the more people that know a secret, the less likely it will stay secret for long," he said. "And Detective Lincoln's is not ours to tell."

  "Yeah," Faith said. "Anyway, I'll ask him right off about defensive and offensive spells. We can work the rest out later, but I think things that can keep us safe are the most important things right now."

  Aldric nodded again. "Do you suppose it is anything more than a coincidence that now, when there is so much conflict, is the time that not only do we find another mage, but he reveals himself to us voluntarily?"

  Faith could tell that he was choosing his words carefully again, and turned the idea over in her mind. "Do you think Ken is a spy?"

  Aldric didn't answer immediately, and she felt him tense up under her hands. "I... I think I do not believe in coincidence. He has lived here for years, certainly long enough to question why I still look so young. But he has never indicated that he knows about the clan. Why would he not only reveal that he does know about us, but also that he is himself a member of the paranormal community, if you will? What has changed?"

  "You don't think he simply wanted to protect innocent children?" Faith asked. The scene from that morning flashed through her mind again, and the fact that blighthound had even gotten that close to Kaylee and Jake made her sick. She sat up and swallowed hard.

  Aldric sighed and sat up as well, grimacing. "I don't know what to think, to be honest with you. I was wary of him when we thought he was merely human. He was a man to be concerned about due to his dedication to his job. Now?" He made a slightly helpless gesture.

  There was a look in his eyes, though, that reminded Faith that yes, he was a sweet, kind, warm person normally, but he was also the head of security for a clan of paranormals more than capable of defending themselves. Aldric was not a man who would let a threat go unanswered, even without calling on his vampiric speed or strength.

  "You don't trust him," she said. It wasn't a question.

  "I do not," he answered with a sigh. At least he was honest. "I have some concerns about his goals and intentions. I am, however, glad that you have a mentor that can answer your questions. I am aware that not having any resources to turn to regarding your magic has been frustrating you."

  "You get very stiff when you're dancing around something," Faith huffed.

  "I simply do not wish to see you hurt either by deed or by word," Aldric said. He grimaced and got off the bed to pace to the window and glare at the trees. "I also must consider the security of the clan as a whole. I have no idea what this man is capable of. Yes, I was alive when the last of the known Magaester lived openly. Yes, I knew a Magaestra, here in this clan, but I was a young man. I didn't ask about her magic or what she was able to do with it. I asked about her cookies, and her stories, and complained to her as one would a respected elder."

  Faith tipped her head and considered. "This is really bothering you, isn't it? That he didn't tell at least Marc what he is."

  Aldric didn't answer, only grunted softly at his own reflection in the window.

  "Well, I will be careful,” Faith said. She got up and slid her arms around his waist and peeked around his shoulder. He turned and wrapped his arm around her again and she leaned in. It amazed her, how she could find such comfort in the middle of so many terrible events.

  Aldric just bent down and kissed her hair again, and they stood there, staring out into the night.

  9

  Aldric strode to the truck where Tamika waited and opened the door. He called his goodbyes over his shoulder and reminded the security on the porch to keep alert.

  "We know, boss. We know," Kenya waved him off. "Ori and I got it here. Y'all go hunt up some clues so we can nail these assholes."

  He shook his head at her but climbed into the truck without any further fuss. The engine roared to life and Tamika grinned as she pulled out into the gravel of the drive. The trees shaded them from the worst of the summer heat as they headed down to the road.

  "She's going to be fine, you know," Tamika said. "That Faith has a fast mind and she's clever. And Marc is there in case Faith needs backup."

  Aldric glared at his friend, and she just cackled.

  "Sugar, you got it bad," she said when she caught her breath.

  His shoulders sagged and he let his head drop back onto her truck's headrest. "I don't especially trust Detective Lincoln. I think it is far too coincidental that we have known the man for years but suddenly now is when he reveals himself to us."

  Tamika chuckled again. "Well, he's been hiding himself just like any smart magic user. Just like Faith and her sister were."

  Aldric peered through the trees as they turned onto the paved road. the Clan House was hidden now by dense woods, and though Aldric knew that there were a dozen wolves between here and there, he couldn't detect any of them.

  "He could have come to us at any point, though. We've known each other– well, we have known about each other for at least a decade," Aldric pointed out.

  Tamika sighed and shook her head, and when Aldric glanced over at her, she was grinning.

  "You just don't like him cause he's getting close to your lady," she said with a snicker. "We'll keep an eye on him, sure, because he's new to our home, and you are right at least about being extra cautious right now. I can understand not telling us about his magic. Still, his attitude is a bit much. But you know as well as I do that Faith's been chafing at our lack of knowledge of human magic."

  Aldric grimaced. Tamika was right, at least as far as he would admit to himself. He had never been a jealous person, and he had no intention of admitting that he was jealous now, but Faith did need somewhere to learn about her heritage from, and the only option right now seemed to be Lincoln.

  "So, we're just checking on the Latham's cabin, then running the borders?" Tamika changed the subject after he stayed silent.

  "Yes. I doubt there's been any more trouble at the cabin, but it is empty now and their scents are all over the area there. I want to be certain that nobody has tried to break in again."

  "And it's close enough to the border that we can run it easy enough from
there," Tamika nodded. She turned onto the small access road that would take them to the cabin Faith and her sister owned. It was there that Aldric had found Faith and Kaylee under attack by rogue werewolves, and that Crissy had been taken by the same wolves.

  Tamika pulled over to the side of the access road and jolted him out of his thoughts. He was about to ask why she had stopped when she pointed at the road, and the fresh tire tracks. He narrowed his eyes and then got out of the truck. After peering at the tracks, Tamika returned to the truck and after a moment, rejoined him, still shaking out her fur.

  He backed off and let her nose around the tracks, then with a canine shrug, started slinking down the road towards the Latham's cabin. No good scent then, just the smells of a car. An SUV, he guessed, but not a new one from the clear outline of a patch on one of the tracks.

  They picked their way through the trees at the side of the road, following the trail right to the cabin, and Aldric snarled quietly when he saw the old truck parked there. He had been right to think of checking in on the property after all. He let his humanity fade back and his vision sharpened, the warm shapes of live bodies resolving for him in what was the kitchen area, he thought.

  He tapped Tamika on the shoulder and nodded toward the back of the cabin when she glanced back. Her great dark grey head bobbed once in acknowledgement, and he slid forward, watching, his ears straining to hear anything. When a door slammed and feet stomped their way, Aldric smiled.

  "I keep tellin' you, they ain't coming back here. That bitch and the kid are shacked up over at the Alpha's house. We're fine here, man." The voice was irritated, as if this argument had been had repeatedly. Aldric's smile grew wider when he realized that the squabbling men were not paying even the slightest attention to their surroundings.