by Lauren Dane
“Good idea. Why don’t all us witchy types go to breakfast and fill each other in? Akio can sit with us because, well, come on, look at him.” Renee put her arm through his.
“I can make breakfast here,” Galen muttered.
“Not the same. They need this time,” Max said quietly.
When they’d all left, Max called Gibson, who quickly put another two guards on the restaurant and said he’d be right over to discuss the situation regarding Renee and Kendra’s father.
When they had ordered, Rosemary turned to Kendra. “Before we talk about this extraordinary man you’ve fallen for, I want to talk to you about something you said back at the house. You’re part of my life and you always will be. I don’t want you to ever feel like I don’t want to be involved in your life. You’re only my niece in name, in reality you’re my daughter and so is Renee. I cherish that. Being part of it is not an imposition, it’s my pleasure.”
“How do you always know what I need to hear?” Kendra asked her aunt.
“I’ve told you this from the start, silly woman. But now you can hear it and for that I’m grateful. I can tell what you need to hear because I know you.” Rosemary looked to Renee. “I’m only just getting used to having you around again, and it’s wonderful to grow together and build a family with me in it. I love you both and I always have.”
After some hugs and the arrival of the food, Kendra told Renee, Mary and Rosemary the whole story of how she’d come to have a cat living inside her. Aside from the fucking parts that is, she wasn’t going to share that with her aunt and Akio, for goodness sake.
“I didn’t plan it at all. It just happened. He didn’t do the change on purpose. In fact, he didn’t even break the skin when he bit me.” She pulled her shirt away a little bit more to show the mark.
Akio’s mouth turned up into a smile. “Always looks so beautiful,” he said before going back to his giant plate of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, breakfast potatoes and two bagels.
Mary jotted down notes as they spoke. “I’ll see what I can find about this sort of transference. It can’t be too common because we’d have heard of it. But it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility. Perhaps it’s because the mix of magicks between different types of others is loaded with possibility. It could be that Kendra had been opening herself to him, to his energy and also other energies and essences as she trained with me. That could have made such a transfer of magicks far more powerful than it would be otherwise. It seemed to me that she’d changed when she was at my house on Friday, even. The way she worked her magick had changed.”
“Interesting. I’ll speak with Imogene this evening to see if their history has any such stories.” Rosemary stirred her coffee.
“If I may interrupt for a moment,” Akio said. “The oldest Warden female is somewhat of an elder among her people. She may be a good resource as well.”
“Oh great idea. Yes, I’d love an introduction.” Rosemary looked back and forth between Renee and Kendra. “I’m sure she’d be a lovely help and perhaps in the future we can work together.” Again, her aunt paused. “I’ve been thinking about moving here permanently.” Rosemary sipped her coffee.
Kendra’s heart lifted. “Really? That would be wonderful. But what about your job? Your house? Uncle Roger?”
“I miss you, sweetie.” She smiled at Kendra and then to Renee. “And I want to know you more. I can’t do that if I’m on another coast. Your uncle has his own life, his own kids and family, grandchildren now. He’s happy in San Jose so I don’t see any reason to disrupt that. But there are airplanes and he likes the east coast so he’ll visit. You two are my children, and one day, you’ll give me grandchildren. My job is a job, I can get another job here. In fact, Mary and I are thinking of expanding her shop and we wanted to talk to you two about how you’d feel about it. We’d need your help.”
Kendra smiled. “How we’d feel about having you here with us? Duh. We’d love it. I miss you. I do want you to have a life, but I can’t deny that I’ve missed you.” And she had, so much. The talk she’d had with Max had really cleared things up in her head.
Rosemary looked back and forth between Renee and Kendra. “We’d like you to help us work with others like us. To train them in other forms of magick, defensive magick.”
Kendra laughed. “Yeah, I want in on that. I was telling Max about this too. I think it’s criminal not to admit we need the help and we’re not prepared for what’s coming. He’s worried, it’s what male shifters do. But he respects my space, respects what I believe in. He’ll be behind me on this, though we may have to endure extra guards.”
“I’ll do whatever I can too,” Renee added.
“Part of it will be for you to learn and then teach others. That’s a manageable task. We don’t have the resources to undertake something huge. So we teach and those we’ve taught will teach.”
The excitement of what her aunt and Mary were speaking of began to build. “This could be a way to unite and work with other groups who’ll be possible targets as well. Why shouldn’t witches learn the magicks of other paths when it comes to healing and defense? We’ve erected so many walls and right now, that’s part of why we’re such big targets. There are more of us than them and yet, because we don’t interact, the balance shifts away from our favor.”
“I’d love that!” Renee leaned in closer. “I would love to learn healing magicks from other traditions. There’s so much out there, wow, this could be massive.”
Kendra realized this could be a great way for Renee to continue to gain confidence with her own magick. She’d be an excellent teacher and leader. “You’d rock that job, Renee. You have so much you’ve learned on your own. You created your own form of intuitive healing magick.”
“That’s right! I hope those boys of yours are prepared to share you in your spare time.” Mary grinned. “The shop has plenty of room for you two to participate in all this.”
“Of course, that makes you not only a visible target, but an extremely attractive, visible target.” Akio leaned back in the booth. “You would be like a buffet to those out to find you and take your energies.”
“Maybe so. But we can’t all hide. It’s not protecting anyone. They’re finding us anyway. And we’re weak in our ignorance. They don’t hesitate to learn and use whatever energies they can against us. It’s insane not to at least work with others who share our goals and philosophies to protect ourselves. I’m not advocating that we go out and use magicks that are derived from pain or despair. But we damned well better figure out how to pull ambient energies from the space around us so that we can do it when they make a move against one of us. If not, we’re just being victims. I’m not a victim.”
The corner of his mouth twitched up. “Indeed. But I am not your mate.” He looked to Renee. “Your mate, an alpha werewolf and your other mate, an alpha cat. Oh and yours, Kendra, the next-in-line alpha. What you propose to do will put you in more danger, especially in the beginning. It would be wise to remember that when you speak of this to your men.”
Rosemary nodded. “Their safety is paramount to me as well. I’m moving here to be part of keeping them safe. And many others like them.”
Mary spoke then. “The shop and the house are warded. Both are totally safe. And Kendra is right. Our own silly prejudices have kept us ignorant. We have to do something or we’ll be in far more danger next year and the year after that. Our children will be in danger. Shifters too. Any of us who are imbued with magickal energies.”
“Let me talk to Max about it before anything else gets planned. He’ll feel like I’m going around him and I’d feel the same in his place. He’ll resist. Big time. But in the end, he’ll respect me and support my choice.”
Renee agreed. “Me too. Galen and Jack have been on high alert with all this stuff for months so I need to approach the subject with caution. They’re smart men, they’ll hear me out, but I have to do it my way.”
“Good idea. So, is tonight like a weddin
g ceremony?” Rosemary asked.
“I have no idea. Max just told me it’s some all jamboree meeting thingy. I’m sort of reeling. Not that I doubt any of my choices. I don’t. But it was totally unexpected. I can’t quite believe it, but I’m glad for it.”
Chapter Eleven
“No.” Max stalked into her apartment where she’d only moments before tucked her finished work into her case.
She knew he’d be this way, so she just looked up at him. “You know, I said we could discuss it more fully when I finished my work.”
She’d laid out the plans they’d all made over breakfast as he’d driven her to her apartment. She’d only gotten him to agree to table the discussion for the time being so he could think over everything she’d told him. Oh and that she’d move in with him. Worked out pretty nicely, she’d thought. He got what he wanted—her aunt could take over Jack’s place when Kendra moved in with Max. And she could finish up her prep work for the coming week.
“Discussion does not equal you storming in here saying no. You’re supposed to have mellowed after you thought over things for a few hours.”
He looked at her, blinking his eyes and probably wondering why she hadn’t simply done exactly what he said. It was almost cute the way he just assumed everyone would do his bidding without question.
“No. Kendra this is fucking insane and you can’t possibly think I’d support it.”
“Pfft. Of course I think that. And you will. You know it. Right now you’re all, grrr, she’s unsafe, let me wrap her in cotton and hide her in my sock drawer. It’s who you are. But you’re also the guy who is a keen lawyer, an intelligent, accomplished man who understands what it means to lead. I have to lead here, Max.”
She felt him through their link, his agitation, annoyance, his fear for her. But also his pride in her.
“Damn it.” He took her hands, drew her close. “Don’t do this. I can’t get behind any plan that puts a big, neon target around you. Complete with a map.”
She fought for patience. “We all have paths to walk. My mom’s path was short. And tragic. But it led me here. To you, Max. To what we have. I’m not stupid. I’m not going to be careless. We both know Gibson put more guards at the school anyway. And I’ll be living with you, in our house. At the side of a seven-hundred-pound jaguar encased in a man the size of a redwood tree. I’m safe with you. I’m safe at school and I’m safe at Mary and my aunt’s shop. I need to do this. This is my path. I get that you’re worried. I understand it’s dangerous. But we both know I can’t not do this.”
This is what pussy got you. Max knew trouble would come from this little slip of brunette heaven at his side.
Let me do this, Max. I need to do this, Max. Damn it all to hell. Yes, he knew, he’d known from the moment she began to talk about the danger witches faced without understanding their full potential. She’d have to do something about it. It was her way. He admired it even. But how could he sit by and watch her put herself in danger this way?
And then of course, when he’d been about to resist, she’d brought up all that stuff about honor and leadership.
He was pissed off that he could do nothing but go along with this stupid plan. Because she was right and he hated that too. Fuck the rest of the world, she was his and she would be in danger even more after this. Perhaps from her own people.
So there he stood on his parents’ doorstep, utterly beguiled by a woman who was totally insane. Worse, he admired her strength, her fire and independence. She wasn’t going to just turn tail and run, she wanted to fight.
She noted his annoyance. Most likely feeling it via the link and gave him the side eye. Stupidly, his cock thought she was even sexier when she was annoyed right back.
“Stop it. Your parents are going to see how pissy you’re being. Geez, we had sex twenty minutes ago, you promised it would cheer you up. Now I’m going to figure out it was just a diversionary tactic and a way to have sex all rolled into one. You’re destroying my fantasies about you.”
He would not let her make him smile, damn it. “Don’t think you can get out of this by referencing the sex, which you clearly remember exactly how much I enjoyed.”
She turned, her body brushing against his, those big, green eyes wide and sexy. “Do you think I’d do that, Max? A man like you could never be distracted by sex.” Of course she used her sexy voice and rocked her hips forward, grinding herself against his cock.
“Witch. Be careful what you go stirring up there.” He tried to sound gruff, but she knew as well as he did that she got to him.
“Or what?”
“Oh for God’s sake. When will one of you start thinking with the right head?”
“Hi, Beth. Lovely to see you. I only have one, so I’ll volunteer.” Kendra poked her head around Max’s body so he turned to keep himself between them. “Thanks so much for coming tonight to celebrate me and Max. I feel very welcomed to the family. But you’re early. Is that to celebrate me even more?”
Max wanted to smile, but he didn’t. Beth’s sneer was a mar on her otherwise lovely face. Her issues with humans had simply become part of her, like a sickness. They’d all tried over the years to help her, and by that point, Max was done. He’d let Kendra deal with most of it, but if Beth got out of line, he’d handle it. He and Galen were united on that point now that the full extent of what she’d done to Renee had come to light.
“We’ll see you inside.” Kendra waved before turning back into his arm so they could go inside. Immediately the sound of family surrounded him, righted his sense of being off balance after his disagreement with Kendra. Helped him find his center and there she was, had been all along.
“You’re the center of everything for me.” He kissed her temple.
She smiled, bright and full of pleased surprise. “What a lovely thing to hear. Thank you, Max. I love you.”
She tiptoed up, her hand on his chest, her lips brushing against the side of his neck as she pressed herself to him, hugging him tight.
She hadn’t come out and said it yet. But it sounded natural from her lips and he knew it lived there, even before she’d said it. Still, he needed it.
“I love you too.”
“Let’s do this.” She winked.
“Kendra!” Cesar de La Vega came into the living room from the kitchen, clapping his hands before holding them open.
Kendra hugged his father. “You look very snazzy tonight.”
“Thank you, baby. Imogene loves me in the navy pinstripe and who am I to refuse her when she looks so pretty?” Cesar waved to Max’s mother, who appeared to be refastening a barrette for one of Max’s numerous nieces. She smiled at the sight of them and indicated they come over to her with an imperious tip of her head.
Cesar nodded at Max, a father to his son saying you did well for yourself.
“We’ll grab your mother and head into the office for a few minutes before the rest arrive.” Cesar took Kendra’s arm, winking at Max. “I’m stealing your woman. I promise to give her back. Later.” His father drew Kendra away, her hand tucked in the crook of his arm.
“He wants to say no. He can’t.” Cesar laughed at that. Kendra had to grin at how well father knew son.
“I’m sure he trusts your ability to protect me if it came to that.”
Still, Max trailed along, right on Kendra’s other side.
“Smart girl.” Cesar patted her hand as they reached Imogene, who strolled along with Max, right behind them.
“I see your father has fallen for your wife.” Imogene cocked her head as she looked up at Max. “Whole lot of stuff for you in just a few months, eh?”
“True, Mami. All that came before was training for now.”
They entered his parents’ massive home office, closing the door behind them. Here, in the heart of this house was the jamboree’s power center. Gibson had a full office on the grounds as well, right next to Max’s. His father rarely invited his children into the office, instead doling out occasional meetings there a
s incentive for good behavior. Old school and very clever.
The office of the jamboree, the job leading it was bred into him, heart and soul, blood and bone. He’d been raised to honor it, to understand it for the gift and responsibility it was. Both to him and to the cats he’d lead someday.
Kendra would have no way of knowing this and yet, she gave the space respect the moment they entered.
“First we wanted to say welcome to our family. As Max’s parents. Our son is a good man, a strong cat, and he’ll lead this jamboree into the future. That’s a tough job, one that will oftentimes put him in conflict with his own and with humans. We trust you to have his back, to lead with him and hold this jamboree close. We couldn’t ask for more in anyone our children brought into our family.” Imogene leaned down and Kendra, eyes downcast, rubbed her cheek along his mother’s jawline.
“See there? Already she’s a queen.” Cesar took Kendra’s hands. “Now, as your alphas, we wish to welcome you to our family. To our jamboree as not only our daughter, but as the next alpha here. We have every confidence in your values, your judgment and your abilities. There will be trouble. I’m sorry to say it, but I believe it. Kendra, you’re going to have to underline the point yourself. This is how our culture works. They’ll respect you if you can handle yourself.”
“Max told me what to expect.” She held her back straighter. “As did my sister. What happened to her is inexcusable. She didn’t know she had her magick to protect her. I do. And I will. No matter who it is. I will not be threatened.”
Imogene looked to Max, her smile was sly.
“Of course, I’ll do my level best to win them over with my sparkling wit.”
Cesar laughed, kissing her cheek. “Of course you will.” His father looked to Max. “Now that you’re married, the jamboree will look to you more and more for leadership. You’ve done a fine job so far, but at this point you’ll need to be my proxy at the intra-jamboree nation. You’ll fill the seat in Imogene’s place. Kendra, once you’ve got a better grasp of our national and international political situation, you will need to accompany Max to these meetings. You will need to choose your own committee assignments. Imogene will begin to instruct you on all this.”
