by Bree Moore
Escape wouldn’t be as simple as walking to the border, then. Harper would find a way out. Surely others had.
“A flyer, huh?” Zeke leaned forward, arms resting on the table in front of him, golden-brown eyes shining. “Is she a drake, Lilith?”
“Fortunately, no. Harper is a bird shifter with raven or crow-like wings. Be nice while she adjusts.”
“Chirp, chirp,” one of his muscled buddies mocked. The table erupted in laughter.
Harper threw off her hoodie and flared her wings, knocking a plastic pitcher of juice off the counter to the ground. She dove forward, landing in a crouch on their table amidst the remains of their breakfast.
Her hand darted out and gripped the guy’s jugular. A peculiar sensation built in her chest, like she had taken a deep breath and was about to burst into song. She felt instinctively that if she released that pent-up pressure as sound, no one in the room would survive.
Chapter Four
Harper
Harper licked her lips. The wolf whined like a pup, and his hands scrabbled against Harper’s vice-like fingers. Her feathers beat back against the others at the table, holding them at bay. Fur grew on her victim’s knuckles, and Harper tightened her grip. He froze, mouth open as he gasped, revealing pointed canines.
“I’ve met one of your kind already this morning, and it wasn’t pleasant, so forgive me if I’m on edge,” Harper snarled.
“Harper, that’s quite enough,” Lilith snapped, her voice rising to a higher pitch.
“I’ll handle it, Lilith.” A thick hand landed on Harper’s shoulder. “Down.”
The single word carried a weight that tugged on Harper’s insides. She unclenched her hand and the werewolf collapsed, gasping against the bench, his golden eyes resentful. Zeke’s hand pressed down, and Harper slid off the table, dusting off her hands and shaking her wings.
“How did you do that?” She demanded.
Zeke shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets. “Alphas have a way, even outside their species.”
“That’s what wards are for,” Lilith emphasized, her lips drawn in a thin line.
Harper turned her head, meeting every stare with a steely one of her own as she slowly drew her wings back in. She wasn’t here to make friends; hopefully now that was clear. She let her gaze linger on Zeke. He seemed unperturbed by what had just happened, sliding back into the breakfast nook bench with his packmates. He also seemed like the kind of person who would know about Quinn, but who might understand too well why Harper asked. He caught her gaze and stared her down until she looked away.
She needed someone observant, friendly, and a bit naive to ask about her brother. A few others stood out, including one girl who gave Harper a hesitant smile as she walked past her out of the kitchen. Harper made a mental note to find her later.
Lilith cleared her throat, breaking through the tension in the air. “Would you like breakfast?”
Harper pressed her lips together. Between the scent of strange food and tension in the room, she couldn’t imagine eating.
“We’ll continue our tour then, shall we?” Lilith took Harper through another hallway. Halfway down, she paused and put a hand on Harper’s shoulder. “I thought after what happened with Keith you might understand why we have to work hard to control our instincts and not attack fellow residents. I know you’re tightly wound after everything that has happened; you feel scared and insecure, but you should know that from now on, any incident will go on your Naturalization record. I’ll let this one pass.” It sounded like the same deal she gave Keith, which was fair enough. Harper simply nodded, and Lilith’s hand dropped.
The hallway opened up to the front entrance landing. Two closed offices stood on either side of the front door, and Harper recognized where she had been brought in the night before. To their left rose the staircase to the upper level.
A group of loungers leaned against the railing. One had bright magenta hair and a half-shaved head. Her eyes were a vivid, glowing pink. What the hell could she be? The girl moved her hands and fingers in strange, rapid gestures. The others laughed and signed back. A deaf paranormal? First Harper had heard of it. She turned to ask Lilith about the girl, but the witch was already several steps ahead.
Harper’s shoulders ached. She rolled them and swung her arms back, grasping her hands behind her and stretching as she walked. To her right, the wall opened up in the middle of the hallway, guarded by a banister, and looked down into the first level at the center of the house. Harper’s heart lifted a little at the height.
The feeling was brief, and any shot at flying out of here was just an illusion. She looked down into a common living area of sorts, where several others mingled and chatted, while some read or stared off into space. There was a television mounted to the wall, though the screen was blank. Three fireplaces and at least twenty different couches, chairs, beanbags filled the massive common area. There was no sign of Quinn.
Lilith’s voice drifted to Harper from farther ahead. “Stay with me.” She rounded a bend, and Harper rushed to catch up. Her quick, short steps carried her past an open doorway, and she realized Lilith was inside and had to backtrack. Harper hovered in the doorway, staring into the brightly-lit room.
Violet stood across the room, draped in loose fabric with her permed brunette hair down. Harper recognized her from the night before. The witch ground away at some leaves in a tiny stone bowl and muttered to herself, not looking up as they entered the room.
Lilith cleared her throat. “Our newest resident to see you, Violet.”
“Not during the retrograde, Lilith. I lost too much time processing her. You know I need to take advantage of this window. Could you do it?”
Harper sensed deference in Lilith. What was a group of witches called? A coven? Violet must have been the leader then, but Lilith was still in a position of leadership in the camp.
“You know I’m not as skilled at personal wards, Violet. If you’re available later, I can bring her to you then. Besides, you usually like to give them the rules yourself.”
“You give her the tour, and the rules. I’ll ward her around dinner time.” Violet’s tone made it clear that it wasn’t up for discussion. She put a stick of sorts in her mouth, one hand grinding away at leaves in the stone bowl in front of her while the other sketched marks on the table with chalk.
Lilith ushered Harper into the hall and shut the carved wooden door behind her.
“Sorry about that, Harper. This is a once-in-fifty-years opportunity for Violet to prepare some unique and potent remedies and spells. I’m afraid it makes her a tad edgy. She’s normally quite warm and friendly. For now, I’m your guide. Perhaps you have some questions you’d like to ask me?” She smiled so hopefully that Harper struggled to maintain her typical uncaring attitude. Lilith waited a moment before launching into what sounded like a script. “Camp Silver Lake is one of three hundred branches of the American Paranormal Naturalization Program. Similar programs exist internationally, but ours has been deemed the best for its sixty-percent Naturalization success rate. It’s the highest in the nation, and second highest worldwide.”
Harper’s stomach churned. They thought they had accomplished so much. “What happens to the other forty percent?”
Lilith waved her hand. “Don’t worry about that now. You’ll find out in your classes. You’ll attend classes every day. No grades, just pass or fail. You will also meet with Mr. Miller—whom you’ve already seen—twice a week for the first few months here. Attendance is required. If you choose not to participate or show no sign of compatibility with Naturalization within the allotted time frame, you’ll be shipped off to a higher security location and programs where you’re treated with a lot less leniency.” It was the same old “new home” lecture Harper had received in every place she’d ended up. She could hear the same tone in Lilith’s voice telling Harper to “make this place work, they only get worse from here.”
Harper’s stomach
clenched. She didn’t want to make any place work without Quinn.
Lilith stopped in front of a closed door, her blonde hair swinging down her back as she faced Harper. “You’ll have a roommate assigned once we know where you fit in here. Don’t get used to having it to yourself.” Lilith cocked her head. “I don’t know what you’ve heard about these camps or the Naturalization programs, but you should know that the media doesn’t always portray things accurately. We’re all just like you here. With the exception of Mr. Miller and Dr. Hartford, but only because the state requires that a human be the one who determines whether you’re compatible. The rest of us know exactly what you’re going through. All of the staff have been through Naturalization. If you ever have any questions don’t hesitate to ask.” She smiled warmly.
“So, wait, if you’re Naturalized, how come you can do magic?” Harper asked.
“I struck a deal with the devil, so to speak.” Lilith winked. “I work for the government, so they get to take advantage of my abilities. Most of which I utilize to keep everyone in the camp safe and secure.”
“So, you’re like a warden?”
Lilith laughed, and her laughter was musical. “I guess you could see it that way. I prefer guardian.”
Harper had the feeling that if she stuck around long enough, she might grow to like Lilith. But Harper couldn’t stop thinking about Quinn. If Violet got a hold of her with those wards, whatever that entailed, she wouldn’t be able to leave. She needed to find out if her brother was here, and if not, break out. If Harper succeeded, she might have a chance of disappearing before they tracked her down again, and she could find him. Then they could find their parents together like they’d always planned.
Lilith opened the door and walked inside the room. Harper followed, noticing two narrow bunk beds pushed up against opposite walls. A lot of space for one person.
“This is one of our most warded rooms. It will act as your protection until you have a personal set of wards from Violet.”
“Why all the wards? Why not just let us kill each other?”
Lilth blinked. “Contrary to popular belief, we’re preserving the paranormal population, not culling it. There are people who want that, but just as many find us fascinating individuals who make life a lot richer.”
Harper hadn’t considered that. she wasn’t sure how she felt about it, either. Why all the strict laws, then? Why the camps? Some humans might have liked paranormals, they might have even thought they were interesting, but humans were still afraid of what they could do. That wasn’t likely to change any time soon.
“If you ever have questions about all this, or just need someone to talk to, you can come to me day or night. Violet seems aloof now, but she’ll be more available once the retrograde is over. Mr. Miller is here as well, though usually not on weekends.”
No way in hell Harper would trust them with anything. Well, except perhaps Lilith. Harper had to admit her respect for the witch was growing. She didn’t force answers. Although, she could already know everything about Harper and just be waiting for her to reveal it in her own time. Harper cursed mentally. It was foster care all over again, except at a whole new level.
Harper realized Lilith was waiting for her response. “Where is your room?”
“The blue door we passed next to the apothecary, where you met Violet this morning.”
The buzz of a cell phone vibrating startled both of them. Lilith took her cell phone from her pocket and checked the screen. Her face paled. “I’ve got a grocery delivery happening any minute. They have to be escorted to the cabin from the border or those rogues I told you about will get to the truck before I do.” She glanced over at Harper. “I’ll take you back downstairs. Kamri will look after you.”
“I’m fine here. You said it was safe, right?”
“I’d rather you weren’t alone on your first day. Come on,” She gestured. Harper thought about putting up a stink, but Lilith had been so nice that she didn’t want to fight it. They passed the lounging signers on the stairs, circumvented the kitchen and took another hall to the open common area.
Guitar music played, ethereal and distracting. Harper almost didn’t hear what Lilith said next.
“Kamri has the bright red hair. There, see her?” Lilith point to a freckled girl with cardinal-red hair.
Harper grimaced. “Thanks.” She needed a bodyguard like she needed a tooth pulled.
“Just be yourself. This is the one place you can do that.” Lilith pressed a hand into Harper’s shoulder, then leaned in.
Harper braced herself for more inspirational drivel.
“Your brother isn’t here. He escaped.” Lilith squeezed Harper’s shoulder one more time and ducked through the doorway.
Harper stood, gaping, a tingle traveling through her spine and making her head spin in giddy circles. He’s not here. Quinn isn’t here. And Lilith knows. What kind of torture was that, leaving her with the knowledge that her brother had been here, that she’d missed him? Why hadn’t Lilith said anything earlier?
The music broke through Harper’s dizzying thoughts and drew her further into the room against every instinct she had. She stood behind the couch, hoping no one would notice her, and lost track of all thought as she listened to the strummed song. The guitarist was a man with shaggy black hair and super pale skin. His face was pretty, slightly pointed and utterly flawless.
Harper’s jaw dropped when she realized he was the one singing. The voice was high and feminine, and she had assumed one of the girls in the room were accompanying his playing. This guy had a heaven-sent voice—the best Harper had ever heard. When he looked at her, she saw emotions swelling in his gaze like an ocean tide. He had more raw feeling his voice than Harper had in her entire body. What had he seen in his life?
The last notes of his song faded in the air completely before the group erupted in cheers and applause. The guy ducked his head, but she caught his smile beneath his curtain of hair. She heard his name passed around.
Ian.
Harper was so caught up in the after-effect of the musical spell he cast that she almost missed it when someone finally noticed her.
“Hey, new girl. Join the circle. Most of us don’t bite.” The words came from the girl sitting at Ian’s side. Kamri. She flicked her ponytail over her shoulder. It was deep red with a black underlayer. Her freckles gave her a cute appearance, but she bared her teeth in a way reminiscent of Keith. Another werewolf?
“Kamri does. Watch out for her.” A joking voice piped up from behind Harper. It was the girl who smiled at her in the kitchen this morning.
“Do you have a name?” Kamri asked. She sat close to Ian, the pinky of her hand barely touching his. They seemed shy with each other, occasionally glancing and looking away. Beginning stages, then. What were the policies on relationships here? In the real world, paranormal “breeding” wasn’t illegal, but they took your kids if you had them. Probably put them in one of these camps from birth.
Harper let the thoughts go and looked up. “I’m Harper.” She left off the part about Lilith wanting Kamri to watch out for her. She could take care of herself.
“And what’s your superpower, Harper?” Kamri asked. She was bold, unafraid, but controlled. All the others looked at Harper. They must have missed her display in the kitchen earlier. If they didn’t know what she could do, they wouldn’t be expecting it.
Harper pressed her lips together. Groans erupted around the room.
“Where do these ones come from?” The girl from the kitchen turned her green eyes on Harper, flashing with an emotion she couldn’t read. She swept back her hair, black with blonde highlights. “None of us are going to judge you. We try to live together like a family, you know? We’re all each other’s got. This is a place you can show off. Be yourself.”
That “be yourself” crap again. And family? Please. Harper hadn’t bought into that since she was ten. The girl looked disappointed when Harper didn’t answer, but st
uck her hand out anyway. Harper couldn’t stand seeing it hang in the air like that, so walked around the couch to her armchair and took it. She gave Harper’s a gentle shake.
“Anita. Witch.” She smiled. Harper attempted to smile back, not sure she succeeded, and released her hand.
Another voice came from behind Harper. “Kamri, werewolf.”
She spun around and met those bared teeth. How could someone with freckles look so intimidating? Ian lifted his head beside her, brushing his hair from his eyes. He raised a hand from his guitar.
“Ian. Siren.” His voice had a normal tenor tone, now. Siren. That explained his singing.
“I thought sirens were women? And, like, half-fish?” Harper wasn’t known for her tact.
The room went stiff for a moment, then Ian smiled. “Most are female. Males are rare. Guess I’m lucky.”
Harper’s hand dropped away from her face. “Don’t you need to live in the water?”
He gave Kamri a look and she smiled warmly at him, then answered Harper’s question for him. “We have a pool. He spends some time in it but can walk around on land like anyone. He doesn’t have a tail either. Mixed parentage. A selkie and a siren. His shifting follows his selkie blood.”
Harper nodded as if it made any sense, but her head spun. Selkie? She’d never heard of that. “Your singing was incredible.”
Ian blushed and ducked his head again.
“Cheri’s our other siren. You might have seen her. Magenta hair and glowing eyes?”
The girl from the stairs. Harper remembered.
“She’s crossed with a Seer of some kind, I think,” Anita piped up from behind. “Her voice is out of this world, like Ian’s, but she’s a bit more…nefarious with it. Violet warded her against speaking.”
“The little mermaid,” someone else said. Everyone burst into laughter. Even Harper smiled.
“Not mermaid. Siren. And don’t let her hear you say that. She’ll predict your death and leave a note on your pillow,” Anita said, but she was smiling.
