The Paranormal Research and Rescue Institute Books 1-3: Books 1-3 in the Paranormal Research and Rescue Institute Series

by Lora Edwards

  Teagan had dreamed of this place before, peaceful dreams. She had, in fact, planned to put a library in any home she bought, modeling it after the one she saw in her dreams, the one she thought was only in her head, not realizing it was a memory.

  “There you are my girl.” Teagan turned as her grandfather’s voice boomed across the large space, a wide smile on his worn face. “So many times, I have sat at this table and imagined you here again. I have waited so long to have you in our place again.”

  At her quizzical expression, he continued, “Yes, my girl, our space. When you were small you would come spend hours with me in this library, just looking at the books, smelling the pages, or looking into the window and giggling. This was your special place just as much as it was mine.”

  Teagan again looked at the beautiful window, its stained glass seeming to glow. She walked toward it as memories flooded her brain, memories of watching the scenes in it change to reflect the different lands that lay on the other side.

  Carefully placing her hand against the glass, she felt it pulse and warm as if it was a living thing, and a bright burst of happiness coursed through her, as if the window itself was welcoming her back.

  Teagan gasped as it grew even warmer and with a tinkling sound, blurred and swirled as another landscape appeared, grass waving in the wind, grass that changed from lavender to blue to sea green and back again.

  Teagan’s eyes widened at the sight. She knew from her old memories that she was looking at a meadow in the land of the fae; where her father’s family was from and where, if he was to be believed, she was royalty. Teagan felt laughter bubble up her throat then spill out, tinged with a slight hysteria. At the sound, creatures that had been grazing on the grass lifted their heads and looked toward her.

  “Unicorns, how could I have forgotten the unicorns?” Teagan said breathlessly as the majestic creatures stared back at her. Their hides changed with the color of the grasses to offer them camouflage, and their wide, knowing eyes looked over as if they could see her through the glass. As one, the herd bent their forelegs and she heard a chorus of strange silky voices sound in her head: “Your majesty.”

  Teagan stepped back in surprise, removing her hand from the window. The scene no longer looked real, and with a musical tinkle, the glass settled back to a still picture of lavender and unicorns, their heads bent in tribute to her.

  “Wow, just wow,” Teagan whispered as she looked at the stained-glass image.

  “The creatures of the fae realm have missed you as well. The unicorns are a proud and stubborn race, and they took to you as a child. It does not look as if they have forgotten you.”

  “How is all this possible, and how do people not discover them, not know about all of this?” Teagan looked at her grandpa with wide eyes.

  “There is the Teagan I know and love, full of curiosity and questions. Let’s get us a spot of tea and some cakes. We will have a bit of a chat over tea. Llewellyn, Teagan and I would like some tea and cakes, if you think you can manage it,” he called over his shoulder.

  An older man came out from behind the stacks. He had kind hazel eyes and was dressed like a professor in a plaid shirt, pressed chinos, and a sweater complete with elbow patches.

  “That can be arranged Hugh, just give me a moment. And I must say, it is lovely to see you Teagan. You have grown into quite the beauty! Your grandfather has shown me pictures over the years, of course, but they do not really do you justice.”

  Teagan stared at the short, sprightly man as another set of memories battered her. This man was a brownie, a kindly, lesser fae that loved to tidy and keep house. He looked the same as he had when he had told her the stories of the brownies, slipping her cookies and cakes behind her parents’ backs.

  Teagan felt a tear run down her cheek. She had loved this man almost as a second grandfather, and she knew he loved her. So much had been taken from her. She walked over and hugged the man, taking in his strange yet familiar smell of lemon furniture polish and peppermint. She remembered he always carried the candies in his pocket, and that he collected teapots.

  “Llewellyn, it is so good to see you,” she choked out around her tears. “I have missed you so much.”

  “Now my dear, don’t judge your parents too harshly. They were young, and they did what they believed was best for you. Here, dry your tears and take a peppermint.” He handed her a linen handkerchief from his pocket, along with a piece of candy. “Go sit with your grandpa and I will bring some tea and treats.” He squeezed her hand and gave her a nudge toward the table where her grandpa sat, waiting.

  They sat in silence while they waited for the tea and cakes; Teagan needed the time to start to process everything she had seen and heard. She felt a low, simmering anger toward her parents for keeping all this from her, for making her forget people she loved and who loved her. But she realized there must have been real danger for them to take her from all she loved. It was obvious it was not a decision her grandfather had encouraged, which explained the tension between him and her parents at times, when she was a young girl.

  Llewellyn returned with the tea and cakes, poured and fussed as he was wont to do, and then left them alone with their thoughts.

  “Bout done stewing are you girl?” Hugh asked her with one raised eyebrow.

  “I have so many questions, I do not even know where to start.”

  “Well girlie, let me help you with a few. I will not be talking to you about why your parents decided to take you away—that is a tale for them to tell you when they are ready. I will tell you that you are part witch and part fae and coming from powerful families made you unique. We started to see some amazing things from you, even as a small child. Some felt that made you very dangerous.

  “There are not many of you out there—half fae, half witch—as the two races don’t see eye to eye and discourage matches between them. But, your mother was always a feisty sort, and once she met your father, that was it for her. She would have done anything to stay with him and to keep you safe.

  “There, on the other side of that bewitched glass, is the way to your father’s people. You be wary of those fae—they are manipulative and tricky. They’ll most likely tell you the same of us witches, but the fae really can be a crafty race.

  “Your father is royalty. His father runs the largest kingdom in Faery, making you, my dear, royalty. You were also born into one of the oldest and most powerful witch families, making you important in both magical worlds. Some on both sides were angry about the breeding of a witch and a fae, and more so when it was obvious that you had inherited powers from both. Some were concerned that you would be controlled by one side or the other, that you would be a powerful weapon to be used, so be on your guard. I may not have agreed with your parents’ decision to take you away, but they did have sound reason for doing so.

  “You are at a crossroads, my girl, and only you can make a choice of which way to go. You can stay and be part of the institute, or you can go back to your life in the States. I will train you to use your magic, and the rest is up to you.”

  “I have a choice,” Teagan asked.

  “You have always had one, and now you have to make that choice. I have set a meeting for you with Mr. Armand, the director of the institute. He assigns our missions.”

  “Missions? What are you talking about?” Teagan frowned at him.

  “Go to the meeting my girl and find out. Then you must choose to join us or go back to your normal life. The meeting is at 10 tomorrow morning. If you decide to stay and learn, come find me and we will begin.”

  “Now, it is time for my afternoon meeting with the witch council. I love you Girlie, always have, always will, whatever you decide. The car is waiting outside to take you to your hotel when you are ready. If you choose to stay with us you will have an apartment here. For now, go back to the hotel and think. That is one of the things you do best.”

  Chapter 5

  Teagan carded her way into her room at the Savoy. She had so
much to think about and so many decisions to make. She felt as if her brain was going to explode with all the new things she had learned about herself and her family over the past few days, and all of it was fantastical stuff that no one else would believe. Teagan had all these old memories that felt new to her swamping her brain, and her heart hurt for all she had missed out on, growing up.

  To know that the loneliness she’d endured was not needed, that she could have grown up surrounded by other people, hurt her. Why would her parents do it? To keep her safe? The institute appeared to be like a fortress—was that not enough? Teagan stayed up throughout the night drinking tea and then wine, letting her mind wander over the possibilities ahead of her.

  By morning, she had made her decision. The same car and driver came to pick her up and take her back to the institute for her meeting with the director, Armand Draconus. She wondered what supernatural power he had; with a name like Draconus, she was betting vampire. She could not believe she was actually entertaining the notion that vampires were real. A few days prior, they had been firmly relegated to fiction and folklore, but that was before she found out she was part fae, part witch.

  Pulling up to the institute, she smiled and thanked the driver then walked up the stone steps, enjoying the sound her feet made as she did so. There was much history in that building, and so many feet had crossed those stones before her. Teagan was anxious to find out what she could do to contribute to the institute and what kind of “mission” someone with her background could possibly help with.

  Teagan stopped at the desk just in front of the lobby where a short woman sat on a high stool, tapping away at the keys of a computer. “Hello, I am Teagan Faelyn. I have a meeting with Mr. Draconus at 10.”

  The woman looked up from her task and Teagan’s eyes widened—the woman’s eyes were a pewter grey color and were slits, like a cat’s, the pupils an eerie yellow color.

  “Yes, his office is up the grand staircase. Go to the left and you will see a set of polished, black double doors. His office is through there. Have a nice day.”

  Teagan nodded in her direction, wondering what kind of supernatural she was.

  “Shifter, dear,” the woman called out as Teagan started to walk away.

  Teagan turned back. “I apologize, I didn’t mean to stare.”

  “It is quite all right. You are new here, you will get use to us in time—if you decide to stay, that is.”

  Was everyone in this place aware of the decision she had to make?

  “We are like a small town—gossip travels fast. You’ll get used to that, too.” The woman gave her a decidedly feline smile and turned back to her task, the rapid-fire sound of her keyboard continued again.

  Teagan turned to the stairs, jogging up them. She did not want to be late for her meeting. Turning left, she saw a large set of polished black doors, carved with twin dragons breathing fire. Dragon shifter, not vampire? Teagan thought as she pushed through the doors into an elaborate waiting room.

  Crimson and gold shone from every surface. There were chairs covered in red velvet with tarnished bronze tacks and a fainting couch in the corner. The floor was the same polished black as the doors. A shiny black desk dominated the room, and behind it sat one of the most beautiful women Teagan had ever seen.

  Of Asian descent, her skin was luminous, her straight hair flowing down her back in a cascade of onyx, her exotically shaped eyes accented by black kohl. Her shapely figure was encased in a tight black dress and sparkling gold shimmered at her neck and ears.

  “May I help you?” Her smoky voice flowed across the room to Teagan, who was staring, momentarily speechless.

  Teagan cleared her throat. “Yes, I have an appointment with Mr. Draconus at 10.”

  “Have a seat, he will be with you shortly.” The stunning creature picked up the receiver of the sleek multiline phone on her desk and whispered into it. Hanging up, she picked up a jet-black nail file and began to file her long nails, which were painted a shiny gold.

  Teagan looked around the room at the obvious luxury, a gilt-look that definitely fit a dragon.

  The large black doors she had entered through, opened again and a familiar man stepped through them. Teagan sighed—what was Ovidia’s annoying friend doing there? What was his name…Bran, is that right? The woman at the desk looked up and her expression darkened. She smoldered—actually smoldered, a curl of smoke sliding out of her nose as her eyes darkened. “Bran.”

  The one word in her smoky voice sounded like a threat.

  “Cleo, please tell me you are not still holding a grudge.” Bran put on his most winning smile, but it did not completely hide the tinge of anxiety that still showed on his face.

  “You should not anger a dragon, Bran—there are consequences.”

  “Babe, it was just a fling, you know that. I am not the commitment type, and we talked about this,” he said as he leaned on her desk, laying it on thick as his dimples popped out.

  Teagan snorted and looked forward to watching the dragon shifter devour him piece by piece. To Teagan’s surprise and horror, a smile spread across her face. Was she buying his routine?

  “Bran, you are too charming for your own good.” The smile that spread across her face reached her eyes, and Teagan watched as he learned farther across the desk.

  “We still on for tonight,” he asked her in a husky voice, full of promise.

  “Oh yes, we are definitely still on for tonight,” she answered, in a similarly husky voice.

  Teagan cleared her throat loudly, feeling as if she was intruding on their very private moment. They ignored her then Bran stood up and jerked a thumb at the closed inner door.

  “He ready for me?”

  “Yes, he said to send you in as soon as you arrived.”

  Bran gave Cleo one last wink and opened the door into the office. A few minutes passed then Cleo looked up at Teagan as if she’d just remembered she was there. “Oh yes, you may go in now as well, Princess.”

  Teagan rolled her eyes in Cleo’s direction and opened the door into the inner office, where the decor was shockingly different from the reception area. The director’s office had sleek lines with a modern feel; whereas the waiting room looked like a cross between Aladdin’s cave and a Victorian bordello.

  “Quite a change, I know, but Cleo is a dragon, and she was given free rein to decorate her space so that she would feel comfortable.” The man behind the desk addressed Teagan with a small smile on his lips.” Come in, have a seat. Bran and I were just discussing the upcoming mission, one I think your expertise would be helpful with, and that you would quite enjoy.”

  Teagan surveyed the enigmatic man behind the desk. His raven black hair brushed the collar of his black dress shirt and his dark brown eyes were fringed by thick black lashes. With his patrician features, he looked every inch a vampire, more of a Dark Shadows type than say a True Blood type, but it was obvious that he was a vampire. “What do you know about the function of our little institute here?” Armand asked, watching for her reaction.

  “Very little. My grandfather alluded to some kind of missions that you conduct, and Bran looks like high-paid security, but other than that, I am completely in the dark.”

  Bran snorted a bit. “Princess, you have so much to learn. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.”

  Teagan frowned in his direction, as did Armand. “Teagan, I know you have had a lot thrown at you in the past few days, and I am about to ask you to widen your mind just a bit more.”

  “Try blow the top off of it,” Bran muttered under his breath as he crossed one leg over the opposite knee. Armand gave him another severe glance and Bran just shrugged.

  “I am sure you have heard this referred to as the institute. The full name is the Paranormal Research and Rescue Institute. Our primary goal is to monitor the timeline and make sure supernaturals are not disrupting it or exposing our existence to humans. This can have disastrous consequences such as the Salem witch trials, the Inquisition, and the plague that
swept over Europe, to name a few. After these events occurred, our organization was founded and the timeline is watched carefully. We have teams that go out and eliminate threats to the best of our ability. Researchers back them up and give us information about the timeline, and a police presence punishes supernaturals that disrupt things or bring undue attention to our existence. Are you with me so far?” Armand asked, noticing the dazed expression on her face.

  “Time travel…you expect me to believe you can travel through time?”

  “Teagan, after all you have seen and heard the last few days, it is really that much of a stretch that time travel could be possible,” Armand asked her before sitting back in his chair and allowing her some time to contemplate this new information.

  Teagan thought about it, and was it really a stretch that time travel could also be possible now that she knew there were other worlds and beings?

  “Okay, say I accept your time travel explanation, what does it have to do with me? Do you need help with research? That would be my guess, as my PhD in history would be in line with that position.”

  “That would be a natural assumption, Teagan, but no, we do not need your help with research. Not all supernaturals believe as we do that humans are something to be protected. Some believe humans are nothing but prey, something to be used and discarded. At times, these supernaturals get out of hand and attract attention toward the supernatural community, and when this happens, they have to be stopped. In your studies of the murder cases of Jack the Ripper, you have become somewhat of an expert, yes?”