“Well, are you sure people are sneaking things to you?” Evelyn stared down at her pie, really enjoying eyeballing it for some reason. Jacqui thought it might melt Evelyn was staring at it so hard.
“Of course I am, how else would things keep popping up?” Jacqui took her first bite of the pie and moaned, it was just so good.
“I didn’t bring this pie, Jacqui.” Evelyn’s words came out as a mutter and Jacqui didn’t hear her.
“Pardon?” Jacqui looked up.
“I didn’t bring this pie.” Evelyn spoke louder, looking at Jacqui finally.
“Of course you did. Don’t be silly. How else would it have gotten here?” Jacqui thought it was a bit silly to try and trick her but thought Evelyn had to be making an attempt to. How else had the pie got on the table?
“What else has shown up, Jacqui?” Evelyn was quiet but her words reached Jacqui.
“I guess, well, mainly coffee and food. It’s always showing up when I’m thinking about it. Usually just a passing thought but then there it is. People really are sneaky, Evelyn, I don’t know how they know what I want but maybe it’s intuition?” Jacqui still wasn’t putting any stock into what Evelyn had said, thinking she was joking.
“Nothing else?” Evelyn reached over to Jacqui, making her look up.
“No, just food and drinks.” Jacqui finally looked up at Evelyn again with concern. What was going on here?
Evelyn waved her hand and the dirty dishes and empty bowls disappeared, the cheesecake moving to the center of the table as a candle appeared.
Jacqui’s eyes went wide and she moved back in her chair, sitting up straighter.
“What the heck?” She looked at Evelyn in astonishment. “How did you…”
“I’m a witch, Jacqui, the same as you.” Evelyn danced her fingers around, flower-filled vases appearing wherever her fingers pointed with a tap. “Are you sure you can’t do this?”
Jacqui watched the room fill with roses, peonies and orange blossoms. The smell became too strong after a few moments and Evelyn swiped her hand at the room, everything but two vases of orange blossoms disappearing. Jacqui’s head was swimming. The sights, the smells, far too much for her to take in.
“What else…whoa…I need to lie down.” Jacqui wobbled over to the bed, falling down onto the hard, thin mattress. The mattress squeaked in protest but Jacqui didn’t care, the camel’s back had just broken.
“It’ll pass, honey, I promise. It’s just shock.” Evelyn came to sit beside of the young woman she felt was almost her daughter. “Your mother bound your powers when you were a baby, but she apparently set a spell to free you when you married the man you were going to spend the rest of your life with.”
Evelyn stopped with a sigh of sadness. Stroking Jacqui’s pale blond hair, she looked down at her stricken face. “I know this is a lot to take in so I’m not going to leave for a few days but there are things you have to know, my dear. Things we need to arrange. It’s not typical for a witch’s powers to be bound as long as yours have. You may never gain your full powers or you may get them all of a sudden. You have to be ready.”
Jacqui could only look up at her mentor in confusion. She knew it was true, she’d seen the evidence with her own eyes. But to believe she’d be capable of those sorts of things?
“Whoa.” It was all Jacqui could think to say.
“I know, honey. I know.”
“So… why? Oh, why didn’t Mom use her powers then? It obviously comes from her. Dad would have used it all selfishly, we’d never have had the life we had if he’d been a witch. Whatever. Why didn’t Mom save us from that life?” Jacqui’s words came as they occurred to her, erratic and fast, one thought leading to another.
“Your father used her up. He insisted she bind your powers so he could save them for later but he used hers up. I tried to warn your mother, I tried to stop their union but, well, you can’t stop a young witch from doing as she pleases. And she had you. Binding your powers greatly decreased hers and soon after your father was investigated. Getting him out of all that finally broke your mother’s powers. She couldn’t save you and she couldn’t unbind yours.” Evelyn was still stroking Jacqui’s hair, hoping to ease the pain the words were bound to be causing.
“So every bit of it was my father’s fault? He created our downfall?” Jacqui’s eyes were dry but she felt the sting of tears in her nasal passages. Her eyes just refused to cry any more for that man.
“Basically. When I found your mother she was heading down a rough road. It’s not often we find magical children abandoned, your mother came from a good family to begin with. She retained some of her refinement and I thought I could save her. She found your father instead. I often wonder what would have happened if I’d left her on her own.” Evelyn sighed and produced two glasses of scotch with lemon and ice. She handed one to Jacqui as she sat up.
“I have a feeling my father was in her future no matter what path she took. That man was like a plague.” Jacqui sipped at the strong drink, letting it burn down her throat smoothly.
“I suspect you’re right. That’s part of the reason I’m here. Cade cannot know about this.” Evelyn wouldn’t meet her eyes again, Jacqui noticed.
“I understand. Believe me, much better than you may know. I saw what my father did to my mother. To me. I won’t allow that to happen to me.” Jacqui’s back straightened and her face tightened.
“That’s my girl.” Evelyn patted Jacqui’s shoulder and sighed again. “I guess that’s all for tonight really. All I had to tell you anyway. What do you have to tell me?”
“Nothing really. Our relationship has become sexual, things are weird, but a lot of that is just who we are. We’re both reserved people.” Jacqui went back to pick up the cheesecake.
“I’m going to eat this, then I’m going home.” She smiled at Evelyn who came to sit with her.
“Not on your own you aren’t. You’ll be sick as a dog, honey. Let me help.”
The two spent another hour discussing Jacqui’s life since she’d moved to Kansas and what she might expect over the coming weeks. Evelyn also gave her the contact information of a professional witch teacher, a woman who usually taught children but occasionally picked up the occasional stray. Evelyn gave Jacqui one more warning before she left, her arms tight around the young woman.
“You must not tell this secret, Jacqui. I know you know the consequences but I have to give you that warning. Keep this to yourself and try not to reveal yourself. It’s absolutely important.”
“I understand, Evelyn. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jacqui walked away from her friend and watched as Evelyn shut the door. Her entire life had just changed. Again.
Chapter Seven
Cade
Cade watched his wife leaving and rubbed his left hand over the back of his neck. He had no idea how to handle the current situation. Oh, he knew how to keep her safe, but keeping her out of his head was a totally different matter. The Mungons and their plans were a problem he had to soon deal with but for now, his wife pushed everything else out of the way.
“They’re in the woods then?” Cade turned back to his brother Jadrian, the man the exact opposite of Cade and his other brothers.
“Yes, we’ve found fifteen slaughtered cows so far, all torn to shreds. It’s the wolves.” Jadrian’s smooth voice was low and warm, a contrast to the icy coldness of his light green eyes and blonde hair. More golden than Jacqui’s platinum. Jadrian’s hair fell into his eyes. He always needed a haircut.
“That fucking motorcycle gang of werewolves. Why did they have to come here!” It wasn’t really a question and Jadrian didn’t bother answering.
“I have men out with the herds now. I expect they think they can do as they please, they’re used to being the big dogs over in California.” Jadrian waved his drink in the general direction of the state.
“They haven’t met shifters then. Not our kind that turn into whatever we choose when we choose. Take them out. I’m not having this in our territory. Take out
any you find stalking our cattle.” Cade rubbed the back of his neck once more, not looking forward to more battles but he knew a war was coming. The Mungons were pushing the entire magical world into it.
“I’ll see to it.”
“Jadrian,” Cade called out to his brother before he could walk out of the door.
“Stay away from the Phlebos. They’re trouble.”
“I can handle it. I promise.”
“All the same, keep Jacob with you from now on. He’s level-headed, he’ll keep you out of trouble.” Cade’s tone brooked no argument and Jadrian hung his head.
“Sure, Cade.”
Cade knew his brother couldn’t be into drugs but Damesha had seen Jadrian’s death. Cade had to try to prevent that as well. Fuck, he thought, it’s too much. Where’s Jacqui?
He wanted to lose himself in her arms, between her thighs. The hurt look in his brother’s eyes as he left was another dart into his armor, darts he was starting to not be able to repel. This is why he’d wanted a wife in name only. He had little time for mooning over a woman. He also didn’t want to end up like his parents, dead because their souls couldn’t be together.
It was at that moment Cade realized it was already too late. That’s why he’d let his walls fall the night before. He’d known it from the moment he’d seen Jacqui appear in the room as Damesha was giving birth. His soul had chosen Jacqui but he wouldn’t allow himself to acknowledge it. Until now.
Cade sighed, alone in his office once more. What could he do? He was soul-mated and couldn’t change that. He could control who knew it though. Leaving his office, he went to his suite of rooms on the same floor as Jacqui’s. Just beside hers. Pressing his hand to the wall he wondered if she’d made it back yet. Leaning his forehead against the wall, he pictured her in her room, pale skin wrapped in black lace, her lips a deep slick red and felt his body respond.
He pressed his body to the wall now, wondering if she was in the room, waiting for him. Cade’s blood surged in his veins and he wanted to press himself through the wall. He was so hard it was almost painful. He’d had other women in his bed, been in their beds, up against walls; he’d had his share of women, but none had ever gotten to him like this. Jacqui had a power he couldn’t resist.
Lights playing over the ceiling let him know a car was in the driveway and he went over to the window to see who it was. Security would handle it but he wanted to know if it was her. Looking down from behind a curtain he saw her legs slide out of the car, their pale length shining in the darkness. He inhaled slowly as the rest of her followed.
Jacqui stood and turned, her torso leaning forward to speak to Kane and Damesha in the front seats. He wanted to bend her over his desk like that, her round tight bottom stretching the material of her pants before he pulled them off. His hand clenched in the curtain, his hardness even more painful.
He placed his hand over the rigid bulge, trying to ease it with a stroke or two but that only made it worse. He needed her, not his hand. He’d wait until she came up then go to her. She’d accept him and let him in, even if he had all but ignored her all day. She knew he was busy, that he had duties to tend.
Jacqui finally turned away from his brother and walked up the steps. She looked sad, shell-shocked. What had Evelyn told her to produce that look?
Cade watched her, anticipating having her in his arms once more when his phone buzzed.
“We need help, the back fifty are burning.” A text from Jadrian.
Feeling like a prince trapped in his castle, Cade responded and then went down to his office to call in some of the other clan members. A fleeting memory of Jacqui’s face in the moonlight stole Cade’s breath but he reminded himself she knew who she’d married. He knew who he was as well, he reminded himself.
He’d made the right choice for his soul when he decided on her, that was obvious, but had he made the right choice for his family, for the people that depended on him when she distracted him so easily? Cade wasn’t just the head of the family, he was the head of his clan, the laird, the king of his realm. Love could fuck all of it up.
Picking up the phone once again he started making phone calls and knew he wouldn’t get much sleep tonight either. Memories of the night before and worry over his clan would war in his head as he fought to stay awake. He might have a moment of peace to relieve some of his tension, if he was quick about it.
Cade dismissed the idea, stretching out in his chair, pushing the seat back as he stretched his spine. He couldn’t take a moment to pleasure himself knowing his clan members were out there fighting a fire, maybe fighting for their lives while he was trapped in his castle. Taking one more deep breath, Cade let his head fall back against the leather of the office chair. Just one moment of peace, that’s all he needed, just one.
Cade jumped in the chair twenty minutes later, a loud knock at the door letting him know what had startled him out of his nap. Scrubbing at his face with large, well-used hands, Cade looked at the door. He had a feeling the knocker wasn’t coming with good news.
He wanted to tell whoever it was to go away, leave him in peace, but this was the role Cade had accepted at far too young an age. This was what he’d been prepared for and would give his life up for. He supported well over two hundred people in his clan, he protected them and he served them. He kept the wolves at bay, literally. Especially werewolves.
Kane pushed through the door when Cade called out, telling him to come in. Closing it quietly, Kane took a seat across from Cade and closed his eyes for a moment.
“I take it you were out with the fire patrol then?” Cade could smell the smoke in Kane’s clothes and see black soot on his cheeks and neck. It looked to have been bad.
“Yes, I went out when I got back with Jacqui. Damesha wasn’t happy about it but I had to do something. I couldn’t sit there while it burned.” Kane sounded exhausted but Cade liked this new Kane. Damesha had changed him, made him gentler, kinder, and easier to deal with because he wasn’t always angry anymore. Cade appreciated her for that, if nothing else. Although he was coming to appreciate her for far more than that, Elspeth for one. Her devotion to the clan was another.
“Wives will never be happy when their men go out into danger. What did you learn?”
“It’s all burned now, we’ll have to buy hay for the winter from somewhere else. Or feed, whatever you want to feed the cattle, we’ll have to buy it.” The cattle were raised to feed the clan, to supplement their costs of living in such a small secluded area. Everyone in the town was either a shifter or the partner or child of a shifter.
“Our ancestors knew what they were doing, the clan will provide the feed.” Cade remembered the history he’d learned, a history that was kept from Damesha when she was researching the original Elspeth. Elspeth came into a town that didn’t want her, or the other slaves, in their town. They mixed with the native populations, learning how to survive the frontier with them. The native clans slowly turned the new people into parts of their clan and Cade and his siblings were the result; a mixture of African, Native American, and white. Most of the other people in town were a similar combination of ancestry but some liked to pretend that mixture was so far back it was pointless to even consider now.
The former slaves had come together with the native populations to form a plan. Eventually, they bought out non-clan members or interbred with them. It was in everyone’s best interests, now, to keep quiet about the clan’s origins, who and what they were, and where they were exactly. In the name of staying hidden from the non-shifter world, it was forbidden to speak to outsiders about what they really were.
That secrecy sometimes caused members problems, like Kane when Cade refused to allow him to marry Damesha at first, but it was for the good of the clan. Cade had learned to be cold, hard but balanced as he’d grown into his role as clan leader. Sometimes he could bend those rules but until Kane had forced his hand with Damesha, he’d been unwilling to bend on allowing outsiders in. They were too much trouble and no matter
how much people thought they were in love as soon as they started telling secrets, divorces could be deadly for his clan.
Rumors about shifters had abounded for generations. Hunted for sport in centuries past, the clans had gone into hiding, and now rumors led scientists in search of “specimens” to produce super-soldiers. The shifter world wanted to live only in peace as other humans did. Rumors were dangerous. Rumors had been spreading about Cade’s sexuality lately, which was another problem. Homosexuals couldn’t lead the clan because they couldn’t produce children of their own bloodline. There had been talk lately of changing this rule but it hadn’t been considered yet. That was part of the reason he’d married Jacqui, to dispel the rumors.
Cade had simply not planned on passing down his bloodline because he hadn’t wanted to marry or have a family. A spouse and children would make him weak. He’d given in when the rumors started and found a wife that he thought would be perfect for the position. Jacqui was changing those ideas as she thawed his walls and he tried to thaw hers. Before he’d met her the clan encompassed his world and he devoted himself to his duties. Now she was distracting him, taking away some of his devotion but that couldn’t be a bad thing, could it? Clan leaders were expected to produce a family; he wasn’t meant to devote his entire being to the clan was he?
Jacqui, with her icy shell and cool gaze had started a fire in him, a fire meant to melt the ice out of her heart. He’d wanted an ice queen but now he wanted to thaw her, to make her melt for him. That couldn’t be bad because it was melting him too. Or was it a danger for the clan?
His overall devotion hadn’t changed, he knew that, he’d still give his life for the clan but would it put Jacqui’s life in danger? He knew he wouldn’t, he’d give his last dying breath for either one. He just had to find a way to balance it all.
“So why are you here then, Kane? You could have called to tell me all of that.” Cade looked at his brother with a probing gaze, he knew there was more to this visit.
Cade (Alexander Shifter Brothers Book 2) Page 8
