“Oh, we both know that membership to any of the Councils isn’t kept as quiet as it should be. I’m sure you know I’m a member.”
“So you are Aella Dentro,” Eden said, laughing nervously, but also looking somewhat relieved. If Tony had to guess, this was who Eden was looking for by coming here, but it also seemed like she didn’t already know the woman. Which raised more questions than it answered really.
“See, you do know who I am,” Aella said with a smug satisfaction.
“It’s hard not to,” Eden replied. Tony made another mental note to ask her about this later. He had no idea what was going on, and he’d quite like filling in; though he also didn’t want to make a scene, so later was the better option.
“Could we take a walk? There’s a couple things I’d like to run by you?” Aella asked, and Eden relaxed slightly against Tony’s hand.
“Sure,” she said, slipping away from Tony a fraction. He felt her loss almost instantly, and wanted her back within touching distance. Eden gave him a look that said she was sorry, but that she knew he was in safe hands, and he tried to send her a reassuring smile. He didn’t want her to miss out on what she came here to do for him.
“See you in a bit, Sis,” Aella said, waving to Lia and Kem as the two women walked off.
“Something tells me that combination is going to be trouble,” Kem muttered under his breath.
“Trouble could be fun,” Tony replied, not taking his eyes off Eden as she walked away. As far as he was concerned, he was already in trouble, and he didn’t care one bit.
7
Eden almost couldn’t believe that she was standing in front of one of the most powerful women in the paranormal community. Not only that, but Aella wanted Eden’s help with something. Though she couldn’t for the life of her fathom what.
“We need your help with the necromancers,” Aella said after glancing around to make sure that they were alone.
“I’m sorry?” Eden asked, not sure what she meant.
“The support groups. We need something like them. For some reason, the necromancers just aren’t taking to them like the vampires did,” she explained.
“Probably because vampires want to be good for the most part,” Eden said wryly, thinking of all the rumours she’d heard about the necromancers. Not one of them was good.
“True. And while Rory Evans is trying her best, she’s just not made of the right stuff,” Aella said, sighing. Eden frowned. She didn’t even know who Rory Evans was. “She’s the necromancer who started this whole mess. And mated to one of the Shifter Council members. If you ask me, she’s far more cut out for living among shifters,” Aella said, probably having read something on Eden’s face. It was obvious that she was skilled at reading people; if she wasn’t, then she’d never have gotten this far up the political ladder.
Cogs started turning in Eden’s mind over Aella’s other words too. If this Rory person was a necromancer, then that meant that non-shifters could mate with shifters. She wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing, or a bad one, given the circumstances.
“And she’s not a shifter?” Eden asked cautiously. Aella shook her head.
“Not that I’m aware of, and with how hopeful her mate is, I think we’d all know if she’d changed,” Aella said, giving a wry smile.
“So non-shifters don’t become shifters by mating?” Eden asked, already feeling slightly relieved.
“Not necessarily. My sister can shift now, and she isn’t tethered to her tree anymore either,” Aella replied with a curious look on her face.
“But not everyone can?” Eden wrung her hands together, feeling irrationally nervous.
“No. But if you want to know more about shifter mating, you’re better off talking to Arabella Reed. She knows far more than I do. Far more than anyone does really,” Aella admitted. Eden hadn’t expected her to admit that she didn’t know something. “Why all the questions?”
“I’m a shifter,” Eden blurted out. She didn’t know what made her do it. Maybe it was because she’d held it all in for hundreds of years, or maybe it was just that she subconsciously knew that she had to reveal that piece of information in order to find out what she needed to know.
Aella’s mouth opened and closed in shock.
“You can’t be,” she said finally.
“I am.”
“I know shifters are long lived, but not long lived enough to have met Queen Victoria,” Aella said, disbelief plain in her voice.
“I didn’t actually meet Queen Victoria, I just saw her from the street,” Eden huffed. This always seemed to happen when anyone discovered how old she was. Or how old any vampire was for that matter; they always wanted to know about the famous people that they’d met.
“But if you’re a shifter, then how?”
“I’m both,” Eden said quietly.
“Not possible,” Aella countered immediately.
“Do you really want me to prove it?” Eden said, raising an eyebrow.
“No. I’ve seen Lia shift, and it would be a shame to ruin your dress,” she said, holding out her hands in surrender. Eden smoothed down the fabric of her midnight blue dress. It held no sentimental attachment for her, but having to walk around naked for any part of the night wasn’t a good plan.
“It would.”
“How does no one know you’re a shifter?” Aella asked curiously.
“Because I’ve never told anyone.” Eden shrugged, trying to make out like it was no big deal.
“In 200 years?” Aella sounded shocked as she asked the question.
“And more,” Eden replied. “I’d have been shunned by both societies. Probably still will be if this gets out.”
“The shifters wouldn’t,” Aella said softly. “They’ve become a lot more lenient under Arabella’s influence. Ironically, she’s also become more lenient since mating with Bjorn. They have a good thing going at the moment.”
“You say that…” Eden stopped talking as Aella held up her hand.
“I’m saying it because it’s true. One of the Council Members is mated to a non-shifter. There’s rumours that another is heading the same way; though Dana Stephenson has always been her own person,” Aella said. Eden tried to hide her surprise at discovering that Dana had been appointed to the Shifter Council. Normally, someone as outspoken as her wouldn’t be considered for any political role in paranormal society; maybe the times really were changing.
“Even so, they’ll probably draw the line at inviting a vampire in,” she muttered.
“I think they’ll surprise you. But let me ask you something, why are you telling me any of this?” Aella asked, her eyes begging Eden to sate her curiosity.
“I need your help,” Eden admitted. Aella waited, not saying a word. “I think I mated with someone, but I’m not sure. It’s been a while since I let my shifter side out.”
“That’s not good, Eden.”
“I know, it’s awful of me to trap him…” Aella held her hand up to stop Eden speaking again.
“I wasn’t talking about you mating with someone. If it’s the man you came here with, then I don’t think he’s going to be at all disappointed by being trapped with you. I meant that it’s not good to bottle your shifter side up. It needs to run free,” Aella clarified.
Eden bit her tongue. She wanted to ask what Aella actually knew about being a shifter, but stopped herself in time. Not only did Eden not truly know herself any more, but Aella was actually trying to help her. It was unfair to attack the woman for it.
“I need to know if I’ve mated with him. And if it’s permanent. I can help you with the necromancers in return,” Eden offered. She meant it too, and not just because helping would mean she’d get help in return, but also because she truly wanted to help the necromancers get back on their feet. Having a whole people out of sorts was never good, especially when those people were capable of terrible things if they wanted to do them.
“Do you want it to be?” Aella said, not acknowledging Eden’
s offer. Not that her lack of words meant anything. Aella would likely remember, and hold Eden to it regardless.
“I don’t know,” Eden replied, not meeting the other woman’s eyes.
“I think you do.”
8
“You’re a vampire?” Kem asked curiously, but Tony didn’t sense the same level of shock as he had the previous time Kem had asked.
“Yes,” Tony replied.
“When did that happen?” he asked, leaning back against a stone pillar. Lia watched him move, and Tony found himself envying the couple; despite not knowing anything about their relationship. But the way that Lia was looking at Kem was the way he wanted a woman to be looking at him. And not just any woman either.
“Last night,” he answered, trying for nonchalant and most likely failing miserably. A low growling sound came from Kem’s direction, making Tony jump slightly. It was one thing knowing that the straight-laced accountant he worked with was a shifter, but quite another hearing evidence of it.
“Oh, there’s Nita,” Lia said, waving to a dark-haired woman across the room.
“Don’t scare her too much,” Kem said, trying to lighten the tone with her. Lia just smiled.
“She’s mated to your brother, it’ll take more than me to scare her off,” she threw back, before kissing Kem chastely and wandering off into the sea of people. Kem watched her walk away, a love struck look in his eyes.
“You have a brother?” Tony asked, hurt that there was yet more that Kem had never told him. That kind of thing was the perfect small talk for an office. He must have told everyone about his cousin and the antics they got up to as kids.
“Yes, though he’s been away for years,” Kem replied, something dark crossing his face. Tony decided it was best not to pry; clearly there was more to Kem’s relationship with his brother, and clearly it wasn’t all good.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“So’s Vic,” Kem muttered bitterly. “So, the vampire you’re with…”
“Eden,” Tony supplied without being asked, though he suspected that Kem had remembered her name anyway. His attention to detail was verging on legendary in the office.
“She the one that turned you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you want it?” Kem asked, looking genuinely curious.
“I didn’t even know it was happening until it was done,” Tony said honestly, causing a growl to come from Kem again. “It wasn’t Eden’s fault,” he added hastily.
“Then who’s was it?” Kem demanded, his eyes flashing. Tony had to assume that it was his animal being close to the surface that caused it, but he didn’t know enough about shifters to be sure. Hell, he didn’t know anything about shifters.
“Some guy called Todd. He attacked someone last night, and I got in the way. Eden saved me,” he attempted to explain while the other man just frowned.
“And you’re just fine with it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. Tony just shrugged.
“My choice was vampire or dead. Not sure about you, but I’d take life anyway I can,” Tony said, not realising quite how true his words were until he said them. “Besides, I think I finally found something to properly live for,” he added, staring off in the direction that Eden had gone.
“Ah yes, they do that to you.”
“Vampires?” Tony asked, looking back at Kem sharply.
“Women,” Kem corrected.
9
“Hey.” Tony’s voice came from behind her, and his arms slipped around her waist, pulling her back to him. Eden rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying the warmth of his body behind her, and remembering the feel of the two of them together. In all her years, she’d never experienced anything like she had with Tony.
“Hey,” she whispered softly.
“Are you okay? You didn’t come back inside,” he said, equally as quiet, almost as if he was worried that he’d break the moment.
Eden looked out over the rest of the garden. They were standing on a fancy stone terrace, which was raised above the rest. To their left was a perfectly manicured lawn, but to the right was a wild looking forest, which even in the soft glow of moonlight looked awash with colour.
“Sorry, I was thinking.”
“Anything I can help with?” he asked. His voice was so sincere that Eden badly wanted to believe that it was genuine concern and affection she could hear.
“I’ve held on to a secret for so long, I no longer know what to do with it,” she admitted. Tony didn’t move, and continued to hold her close to him.
“How long?”
“More than two hundred and fifty years,” her voice cracked at the end. She wasn’t sure of her exact age, but that seemed about right. Once she’d reached a hundred, she realised that it didn’t actually matter to anyone. Especially when she only looked like she was in her early twenties anyway. In general, she’d found that people treated her based on her appearance rather than her age anyway. It was one of the reasons she’d dyed her hair pink; she was fed up of people thinking she was just an empty-headed bimbo.
“That’s a long time to keep a secret. If you want to share it, you can,” he whispered into her ear, and sending shivers down Eden’s spin.
Slowly, she turned around so that she was facing him, without leaving his arms. The faint hum of music was clear in the background, and without really thinking about it, she started to sway. Tony caught on quickly, and she looped her arms around his neck, slow dancing like they were at a school dance and not a black-tie party for the paranormal elite.
“I’m not just a vampire,” she said after a few moments silence.
“Of course you’re not. We can’t be defined just by what we are,” he said earnestly, the look in his eyes suggesting that there was far more feeling behind them than there should be given the short time they’d known each other.
“I mean I’m not just a vampire, because I’m a shifter too,” she said, admitting it aloud for the second time in the night, and the second time ever. This felt different from telling Aella though. The two of them continued to dance, Tony’s expression not changing from the caring one from earlier.
“Is that possible?” he asked softly.
“Yes. Well, in my case yes. It’s not supposed to be,” she replied.
“How did it happen? Are your parents…”
“My parents were both shifters,” she said, cutting him off. “Vampires can’t have children. We’re made not born.”
“You’re a shifter by birth?” Tony asked, looking like he was deep in thought.
“Yes. I was turned into a vampire when I was twenty-three. Or at least I think I was; I don’t actually remember.” She’d been abandoned soon after her turning, and had never actually met her maker. Which was one of the reasons why she’d only ever made two vampires throughout her life. She didn’t feel like it was fair to change someone’s life forever and then abandon them. She knew how much that sucked from experience.
“Can you still shift?” Eden laughed at his question despite herself.
“Of all the things you could say, that’s what you’re going with?” she asked.
“It doesn’t change who you are, Eden.”
“I suppose not,” she muttered. She hated how much she’d let her secret rule her life, and had for a fair while if she really thought about it.
“Can I see?” Tony’s voice perked up at the end, and his eyes lit up with excitement.
“Me shifted?” He nodded enthusiastically. She thought for a moment. Her initial reaction was to say no, but that was more of a knee jerk than anything else. In reality, she really wanted to share this with Tony. There was definitely something between them, and following on from her conversation with Aella, she thought she knew what it was.
“Please, Eden. I’d really like to see,” he said, his eyes betraying just how true that was.
“Okay,” she conceded. “But not here.”
10
If anyone had asked him if a centuries old woman c
ould get nervous two days ago, then he’d have said no. But watching the formidable woman that he’d seen Eden be in the past twenty-four hours, look so vulnerable, had changed his mind.
He sat down on the sofa in her living room, removing his bow tie and loosening his collar. He didn’t know what to expect, but wanted to at least be a little more comfortable when he saw it.
In front of him, Eden stood still fully dressed, but not moving. In fact, it looked as if she was muttering to herself. He was about to offer her some words of encouragement when she lifted her hand to the back of her neck and untied her dress, letting the dark blue material slither to the floor.
Watching intently, Tony’s mouth went dry at the sight of Eden with her dress pooled at her feet. He almost forgot about what she was about to do, wanting to pull her into his arms instead of waiting for her to shift.
Eden tittered nervously, sending the rest of her clothing to the ground as she did, and shaking her hair out from it’s neat bun; which just made matters worse for Tony. The tousled strands reminded him of their time in bed, and if this wasn’t important, then he’d definitely be taking her back their right now.
“Sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve done this,” she said, her words almost lost, but he could still hear them.
“You’re fine, Eden,” he said with a reassuring smile.
Eden closed her eyes, and he watched intently, but even so, he missed the change, and suddenly there was a brownish red fox standing in front of him. Except that it wasn’t like any kind of fox that he’d ever seen. Eden’s ears seemed longer than a normal fox’s, and her legs seemed more elegant. He suspected she also stood taller than most foxes; but he couldn’t be sure of that. He hadn’t exactly spent much of his life around foxes of any kind.
Standing, he closed the gap between them, before crouching down to Eden’s level and letting her nuzzle into him. Her fur was surprisingly soft, and he buried his fingers in it, loving the new sense of connection he had to her. Regardless of anything else, Eden was special, and always would be.
The Paranormal Council Complete Series 1-5 Page 19
