by V. Vaughn
We’re silent for a moment before Linda asks, “How do you stand living with them?”
While I bristle at her tone of disgust, I know I need to hide my anger. “Honestly, I didn’t even know I was living with werebear at first. They act like people most of the time.”
“But when you found out. You didn’t leave.”
“No.” I think about Val and how in love I am with him. But I’m sure that mentioning someone who is my Achilles’ heel isn’t a good idea, so I say, “I love my job and like who I work with. I didn’t see any reason to go once I knew.”
“Huh. Gotta say I don’t get it.”
I chuckle. “Yeah. If I didn’t already know them as people first, I don’t think I would either.” My chest tightens as I wonder if I’m ever going to go back to my life I’d come to love. And my voice cracks when I ask, “What’s going to happen to me?”
Linda takes a deep breath. “I’m not sure.” I hiccup with a sob I can’t control, and she adds, “You’re not going to die.” She groans a little as she stands up. “That much I do know. So don’t waste your energy on tears.” She gathers my garbage and turns her back to me to put it in a bag.
Her voice was stern, so I say, “Thanks for bringing me the sleeping bag and cookies.”
She glances over her shoulder at me. “Sure. I’ll be back in the morning with more food.” When she walks away, I watch the flashlight’s beam fade. But instead of letting the tears that burn in my eyes fall, I mull over what I learned. Buck is the name of the man who came the first time, and he’s likely the leader of the group. Linda is probably the only female. It’s clear she’s not respected by Buck, and I think it’s a reflection of the man’s feelings toward women.
I notice I’m finally warm and pull the sleeping bag off me to zip it up and crawl inside. I wad up the top part to form a pillow, and it’s soft under my head as I tuck my knees up and lie down on the floor of my cage. I have no idea how the information I gathered can help me, but I do know one thing. Linda is lonely, which makes her emotionally vulnerable. I’m going to do everything I can to be a friend to her. I may not be able to shift and fight like a Ouellette warrior, but I’ve got nice covered. And maybe that’s the only skill I’ll need.
Chapter 7
Nadia
Caitlyn’s cheeks are flushed from the alcohol running through her system. We’re watching a romantic comedy, and when the couple kisses with a tenderness that makes me want to cry, Caitlyn groans. “It never happens like that.”
I used to feel the same way, but now that I’m with my true mate, I know it can be as sappy as the movies make it out to be. “Sure it can.”
“Your first kiss with René was that romantic?”
I chuckle as I recall the way René and I met. We both knew instantly we were true mates, and our first kiss happened before we spoke. It was filled with hungry passion fueled by primal lust. “Not exactly. We had other things on our mind.”
Caitlyn raises her eyebrows, and I reply with a sly smile that makes her giggle. She says, “I forgot about true-mate attraction.” She leans forward from the couch to grab her drink. “You’re lucky, you know.”
“If you knew the life I’ve led, you might not say that.”
“I mean true-mate love. It doesn’t work that way in the human world, and I’m destined to be tossed around from guy to guy or be alone.”
I frown because that’s not the impression I get from the humans I’ve interacted with. Sure, there are definitely men who view women that way, but many want love with trust and respect too. I wonder if Caitlyn ever had a boyfriend, and shudder when I imagine what she probably endured with the Eradicators. I ask, “Have you ever been in love?”
She gulps down her mouthful of margarita. “No way. I don’t need that kind of headache in my life.”
I know she was sent off to boarding school when it was apparent she couldn’t shift, and after living as a werebear for her childhood, I suspect being thrown into the human population was a major adjustment. I run my finger around the edge of my glass to gather salt and lick it before I ask, “What was prep school like? Movies make you think it’s full of skinny, beautiful mean girls.”
“It kind of was. Well, they’re not as pretty as on TV, but they sure think they are.”
“I imagine it was difficult making friends, considering you came from a clan and couldn’t exactly tell them about it.”
“It was. I got good at pretending my quirks were because I’m Canadian, but I was definitely an outcast.” She lifts a tortilla chip to her mouth and crunches on it. “That’s why when the headmaster told me about a special internship he thought I would be perfect for, I was so willing to go. I was thrilled to spend my senior year somewhere else.” Pain flashes across her face before she downs the rest of her drink. Caitlyn stands and asks, “Want another?”
I’m probably going to regret her alcohol consumption later tonight, but it’s getting her to talk, so I say, “Sure. I’ll make them.” If I keep hers weak, I may be able to prolong the loose-tongue phase before we get into trouble.
As we walk to the kitchen, Caitlyn asks, “What was high school like for you? You grew up in the Arctic, right?”
I gaze at her, and while my first instinct is to hide my pain, I think it’s better if I let it show. “Hell.” Ten years ago, the De Rozier clan was dying off and was led by a man who had little regard for anyone but himself and the contents of a liquor bottle. The ice cap we lived on was melting, and by the time I was seventeen, most of us had to stay in bear form and lived off the land. “My clan was close to extinction.” As ice cubes clink in our glasses, a low growl forms in me, and I can’t help the sarcasm that comes out. “I wasn’t shopping for prom dresses either. I was too busy trying to find a baby seal to eat.”
Caitlyn’s jaw drops, and I wince. Most clans have adopted the human version of food to meet their basic needs. “I’m sorry.”
“No. That’s okay. I get being bitter.”
The counter is hard on my bottom when I lean against it, and I approach a delicate subject. “I felt your emotions when I was in your head. You haven’t had it easy either, have you?”
Caitlyn’s brow knits for a second before she says, “When you shifted me into a bear, that was freaking cool.”
I smile and pretend she didn’t avoid my question. “I’m glad you liked it. And I’m glad you got mad enough to make it happen, because otherwise...” I leave my sentence hanging with the hope she’ll jump in about the Eradicators. We barely made it out alive when she shifted in reaction to her fear that Julie, the woman who raised her, was about to die at the hands of the hunting team she was a part of. Fortunately, when Caitlyn became a bear, I took control of her body, because we got shot. I recall pushing us through the pain to get away and know it was because of my warrior training that I was able to do so.
“I know. Thanks. You saved my life.”
I lift my drink, and our glasses clink. “Our lives.” When Caitlyn doesn’t speak, I say, “It must have been hard to live with people who hate werebear so much. Did they know you grew up thinking you were one?” She shakes her head, and her eyes shine with tears that threaten to fall. I take the opportunity to dig deep. “Do you hate us too?”
She drops her gaze and whispers, “No.”
I reach out and touch her arm. “Hey.”
Caitlyn yanks her arm away from me, and while tears stream down her face, her eyes blaze with anger. “What was I supposed to do? The family I thought loved me threw me away like garbage.” She swipes at her cheeks and sniffs. “At first it felt really good to be with people who hated the kind that hurt me so badly. But it didn’t take long for me to figure out the Eradicators are not good people. Only it was too late for me to do anything about it.”
I recall riding in the back of the truck with the team that was hunting Julie. Caitlyn was scared and felt inept. As one of the few women, she was treated like a second-class citizen, and it did a number on her confidence. “Men like B
uck wouldn’t let you leave, would they?”
“No. Every once in a while, someone would run away, and Buck would make an example out of them when they were caught.” She wraps her arms around herself as if she’s cold. “Think about what they’d do to me. I can’t go back even if I wanted to.”
“The good news is you don’t have to. You are welcome in this clan, Caitlyn. You have your father, and I know Rachel wants to get to know you too.”
She scoffs at me. “I’m human! I’ll never fit in with the Ouellettes.”
“Not true. Rachel is human, and so is Kelsey. Jean Luc gave your sister’s boyfriend, Val, permission to bite and change her into a werebear.”
Caitlyn’s face is blotchy now as she frowns. “What do you mean she can change into a werebear? I’ve never heard of that.”
“I hadn’t either until I moved to Maine. Apparently, it’s something that was only discovered a couple years ago.”
“So if a werebear bites me, I can shift?” Her eyes widen with hope.
“Yes. So if that’s something you want, we can find a way to make it happen.”
Caitlyn scowls and lets out a small huff that makes me think she’s rejecting the idea. But then she sighs and takes another sip of her drink. I think she needs time to process what I just told her, so I say, “C’mon. We’ve got another movie to watch.” I lead the way toward the living room and contain my grin. I’m getting through to her. If Caitlyn can begin to hope for a happy life in the clan, it won’t be long before she’ll be willing to tell us everything she knows about the Eradicators. And while that is important, the part that makes me happiest is that Caitlyn may be able to open up her heart to her family’s love and begin to heal.
Chapter 8
Tally
When Kimi brought Victor up from the dead last night, she tapped into my magic to provide him with a life force. I’d much rather be working on strategies for beating Sinclair and Cassandra, but since I’m the only one strong enough to sustain Victor, I’m being drained of my magic as well as part of the energy that keeps me alive. Bella’s cool hand strokes my cheek. “Hey, hon. How are you feeling?”
“Like Izzy made me do a double session at the gym. I’m not sure how I’m going to make it another few hours.”
“Let me give you some of my magic, Tally. Please.”
Bella has been offering all day, and I know that while it wouldn’t restore my powers, it would make me feel much better. But it would also make her weak too. We’re vulnerable enough as it is. “No.”
“Jace and Xavier are here as well as Lucian and Leanne. Besides, there’s no way Cassandra could know about Victor.” Bella takes my hands, and the warmth of her power tickles my skin as she teases me with it. “Just a tiny bit won’t hurt.”
I yank my hands away before I can no longer resist the temptation. “Please stop.” My eyelids are heavy, and I speak barely above a whisper. “If I took too much, the guilt would make me feel worse than I do now.” I sigh with my sleepiness as I close my eyes. “It’ll be over soon.”
When I wake later, I think it’s because I’m hungry. I’m too weak to sit up, so I call out, “Bella.” My voice is hoarse, but she’s by my side in an instant.
Her brow is knit with concern. “Tally. Kimi and Victor are missing.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost midnight. That’s two hours past when the spell should have been broken. Are you getting any energy back?”
“No. He’s definitely still alive.” I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly as my stomach clenches with hunger. “I’m starving.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back with something to eat.”
Something must be wrong. Kimi’s a stickler for being on time, and I’m sure she’s also worried about what this is doing to me. Kimi felt awful about what had to be done, because she was the one who planned to give Victor her magic to stay alive. When we discovered she wasn’t strong enough, I insisted he take mine. Bella forced her to comply with the logic that we couldn’t be sure to get another chance at finding a spirit who would have the information we need.
I push myself up to sit before Bella returns with soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. My hand shakes as I take a bite and moan at the flavor of buttery bread and cheddar. I don’t hear Leanne and Lucian bickering and assume they’ve gone to bed. After I consume enough food to tamp down my hunger, I ask, “Where are Xavier and Jace?”
“Jace is in the kitchen, and Xavier is sleeping.”
I smile as I think about silent Jace. When he first became one of my guards, he rubbed me the wrong way. Not only does he economize words, but he stuck too close for comfort instead of practicing the fine art of invisible surveillance like some of the other warriors assigned to me. But we’ve grown accustomed to each other, and I find I like having him around. I squint at Bella, because teasing men is her specialty, and I wonder if she’s been keeping Jace’s cheeks a constant shade of red. “You’re not torturing him, are you?”
“Me?” She chuckles but sobers quickly. “Actually, no.” She plops down in the chair across from me. “I’ve been too worried about you and now Kimi.” Since Kimi was one of those responsible for Victor’s death, he could very well want revenge.
We’re in the Northeast Kingdom of Maine, where Bella’s, Kimi’s, and Victor’s clans reside, so I know Victor’s wife must live within miles of here. “I’m worried too. I think you should get Lucian and Leanne up and go find her.”
“No. The last thing we need to do is spread ourselves thin. You need protection, and Kimi would have my head if we didn’t stay here.”
“But she’s got to be in trouble. Have you tried calling her?”
“Of course, but you know how she is with phones.”
Kimi refuses to text and rarely takes calls since she turns her phone off and forgets to charge it most of the time. “Do you have a number for Lily? Or maybe we could call Tori.” Tori is the Veilleux alpha and would be able to communicate with Lily telepathically since she has the ability to do so with her entire clan. She might even be able to communicate with Victor if her power transfers to the undead.
“I’ll call Tori.” Bella gets up and makes her way to the kitchen as I spoon up some soup. The sweet flavor of squash and apple fills my mouth, and I wonder what could have gone wrong. If Victor found a way to kill Kimi so he could be alive longer, I’m in trouble. The problem with black magic is the consequences are usually severe. In this case, Victor could deplete me of everything I’ve got to the point I’d die. I take another mouthful of soup, but it’s sour on my tongue, and the spoon clatters in the bowl as I push it away.
Bella has come back to the living room, and she speaks in the phone. “I’m sorry to wake you, Tori, but this is urgent. I’m going to put you on speakerphone because I have Tallulah from the Ouellette clan here.”
I say, “Good evening, Prima Veilleux.”
“Call me Tori. What’s the problem?”
Bella says, “We need to find Lily.”
When Bella doesn’t say anything else, Tori says, “Bella, I know you’re not nearly as flighty as you pretend to be, so I know you aren’t calling in the middle of the night to invite her to an impromptu pajama party. What’s going on?”
I nod at Bella to indicate she should tell Tori everything.
She sighs. “We performed a ceremony tonight that brought your father to life--” Tori gasps before Bella continues, “So we could get important information. In exchange, Kimi took him to Lily so they could spend time together.”
Tori lets out a low growl before she asks, “Do your alphas know you practiced black magic?”
I jump in. “The problem is that Victor and Kimi haven’t returned, and they were due back over two hours ago.”
“Do you two have any idea what kind of man you unleashed?” Her voice is deep, and I imagine the anger flashing in her eyes as she reins in her bear’s desire to shift. “Besides the fact you reunited true mates who haven’t seen each other in over t
wo years. Did you really expect my father to pay attention to time?”
Bella says, “We expected Kimi to, because...”
“Because what!” barks out Tori.
My voice shakes with my weakness as well as the shame I feel for our predicament. “Victor is using my magic and life force to stay present. I can’t stop it until he returns to me.”
Bella says, “And if he’s gone too long, Tally will die.”
“Right now, that’s the least of my worries. My father was not a nice man, and I--” Tori stops her rant and takes a deep breath she blows out slowly. “Stay put while I take care of this.” A loud roar sounds just before she cuts us off.
Bella says, “Well, that went well.”
She bites her lip as I shake my head. Jean Luc will be angry that I used black magic, but he trusts me, and I know I’ll be able to explain. Marion Robichaux, Bella’s alpha, isn’t as understanding. I ask, “Will you be punished for this?”
Bella nods. “Probably, but that’s not what I’m worried about.” I raise my eyebrows at her as she begins to chew her fingernails. Her eyes are glassy with moisture, and she says, “What if he plans to find Cassandra and cut a deal with her so he can stay alive?”
Victor had a huge following who believed the Veilleux clan should rule the Northeast Kingdom. We could have just created a serious problem for Tori and the other clans in the Kingdom as well as alerted Cassandra and Sinclair that we’re aware of the gypsy clan’s alignment with the hunters. I swallow down the bile that rises as I think about the danger we are in. As awful as all of that is, one fact makes my throat tighten, and I find I’m struggling to breathe. None of it will matter much to me if we don’t find Victor soon, because I’ll be dead.
