“We can walk back with you, make sure you get there,” the woman offered.
“No need. Enjoy your hike.” I didn’t pause as I passed, effectively ending the conversation. They hesitated before continuing.
They were concerned about my safety out here all alone, I joked to Billie.
I heard. She sounded amused. We're flanking you just out of sight. We'll rejoin you in a few minutes.
True to her word, they trotted into view before we reached our destination. We traveled the last few minutes together. One by one they stretched and shifted into their human forms and began dressing.
“Careful now, Sadie!” Amy mocked the Humans. “Something dangerous could jump out and eat you!”
“I already did.” Billie replied smoothly. Amy giggled and I blushed brightly. Fully clothed, we set out for the car.
Chapter 10
“Wish me luck.”
“With what?” Her question caught me off guard. I'd been daydreaming while looking out the window on the foothills.
“Not kicking Richard's ass at work today,” she scowled.
“Ah. Good luck. Do you think he'll get into it at the firm? That seems kind of risky.” I didn’t want to think about Richard.
“I doubt it. But my temper is running short with him since he threatened you.”
I nodded, still hurt by the way he treated me. I understood why he’d said such ugly things to me, but it haunted me. “He's your best friend,” I remarked vaguely.
“That doesn't make it easier,” she replied scornfully.
“No, that makes it harder. For both of us. He's still your best friend.” I reminded myself as I said it. My face tightened, and she saw my conflict.
“I don't know if you're safe.” She spoke the words that plagued her frequently these days. She expressed her concern softly despite the anger behind it.
“I don't feel like anyone's coming after me right now. Angry, yes. Coming for me, no. I'll be okay. And if someone does, I think I can handle it now.”
“Really?” Her eyes brightened at the pronouncement.
“I didn't panic when Richard threatened me. I felt in control of myself.” Her Wolf training understood the balance. To be in control of one's power also meant not hurting others unintentionally. She felt better hearing me say it.
“That's a relief. I still don't like leaving you. Richard's not the only one who thinks you're a threat.”
I reassured her. “I'll be fine. Besides, at work he gets to see that you're the same Billie that you've always been.”
“Um, hot-blooded, temperamental, and controlling? How's that supposed to help?” She poked fun at herself.
“You forgot strong, smart, loyal, and protective. He respects that about you.”
“I don’t like losing my temper,” she admitted. She didn’t even like to acknowledge she had a temper.
“You want to keep your mate, your best friend, and your pack. Billie, when have you ever failed at anything?” I encouraged her with a soft kiss. “Will it help if Richard doesn't sense me today?”
“Maybe.” She mulled it over reluctantly.
“Then let’s spend the day apart and let him see that you are still you. If anything happens, I can call you. Otherwise I'll go for a jog, take a long hot bath, and read a book.”
“I miss you when you’re not in my head. I'll be more productive, but I'll miss you today.” She smiled but the joy didn't reach her eyes. With the incessant worry for my safety, the light contact we enjoyed helped to reassure her.
With Billie headed to work, I began stretching. Our mental contact helped to reassure me too, but a little space between us would be useful. I wanted to tell Billie everything, and guilt over lying to her plagued me. Only Kato's vision of her death held my tongue. Accomplishing my task and getting rid of the Mages would solve a lot of problems, so I focused on the next step. Nathan's owner hadn't contacted me yet. Despite my impatience, I couldn’t think of a way to hasten the meeting.
A route at the base of the foothills sounded comforting. I wanted to talk to Kato, and I knew better than to call him. So jogging where I'd seen him last made me feel closer to him. With the hills to my left, I relaxed into the steady rhythm of exercise and the cool morning air on my face.
A strange sense of foreboding had surfaced, rising in me since I awoke. I didn’t know what to make of the new sensation, and it escalated as soon as I left the house. I didn't have long to wonder. Just before rounding a corner, I sensed her. Someone had been watching me all morning. I’d always been the one watching, never experiencing it from the other side. It made me appreciate the way others responded to me in a new way. I slowed to a walk to catch my breath.
Excitement at meeting a Mage face-to-face for the first time warred with anxiety. My earlier impatience fled, and I suddenly didn't want to meet this woman at all. Turning a sharp corner, I saw her standing at one of the trailheads, waiting for me.
Her brown eyes burned cold, and she postured like someone accustomed to having anything she wanted. She looked to be about my mother's age, perhaps a bit older and dressed like a blueblood. Dyed blond hair hung in light curls just past her shoulders, coiffed just like the rest of her. She made obvious effort to impress those around her.
Meeting her eyes, I acknowledged her. We appraised each other warily as I approached. She disapproved, and her disdain might have been insulting if I believed she treated anyone otherwise. “Who are you?” I asked the Mage without preamble.
“Cassandra. And you are?” She spoke her name as if offended I didn’t know it, a light southern drawl to her words. I couldn't tell if she omitted her last name to protect her privacy or because she didn't think she needed one.
“I'm Sadie.”
She appraised me again visually while mentally probing. Annoyed, I automatically pushed her out, startling her and raising her interest. She'd revealed her mind to me in her attempt. It felt viscous and more complicated than any I’d felt before. My barriers rose.
Her smile didn't reach her eyes, and I thought of a cat smiling at a mouse. “I apologize for my rudeness. I'm simply curious about you.”
“That makes two of us.” I plunged into the conversation despite feeling warning bells tingling up and down my back. Not knowing how to gauge the level of her power bothered me, and I sensed only selfish ambition in her intent. “You're a Mage, aren't you? You're like me.”
She laughed a little and spoke as if to a child. “Of course I'm a Mage. Like you. What else would I be?”
“You're the first one I've met.” I’d chosen to keep my story as close to the truth as possible.
Her eyebrows raised, and her eyes widened. Curiously, she shifted into a motherly countenance, and I felt sorry for her children if she had any. “Oh, dear child, you don't even know who you are? How is that possible?”
A woman walking our way turned down a side street. She used her power to deflect the pedestrian away from us. I preferred to keep our conversation private as well. “I don't know. I was adopted by Humans. I only heard the word Mage recently.”
“If I'm the only Mage you've ever met, how is it that you know about us at all?” She knew of my association with the Wolves and tested my honesty. To my surprise, I could read her like I could read anyone else. Strangely, she didn’t notice, and I didn't dare peer any deeper than the surface.
“The Wolves told me what I am.” I gave her the simple truth but did not elaborate, letting her see my caution.
She scoffed, waving a hand in dismissal. “Wolves are clueless. I doubt they had anything useful to say.”
I shrugged, not wanting to admit she was partially right. They didn’t have much useful information about Mages, but I wouldn’t call them clueless - far from it. “It's confusing, but at least they know something. Humans just think I'm a freak.” Her opinion of Humans wasn't much higher than that of Wolves.
“I'm surprised the Wolves let you live,” she replied dramatically.
“They're still deba
ting, but for now they've decided not to kill me.” Some of my irritation showed through, and it came across as dry humor. For once, my defense mechanism served a valuable purpose.
“That's very unusual. How is it that you came to be associated with Wolves?”
This part of my story could be tricky. I had to give her a realistic explanation without hitting too close to the truth. “I met a woman, and we started dating. We figured out what each other was when I saved her from dying. Since I saved her life, the Alpha gave me a pass.”
“You couldn't tell she was a Wolf?” Her condescension made my skin crawl.
“I didn't know Wolves existed until then,” I snapped at her. “How was I supposed to understand what I was sensing?”
She took offense to my tone, and I reminded myself to be a little nice. “Have you claimed her?” I didn’t respond immediately, and she asked again impatiently. “Have you made her yours?”
“Like Nathan is yours? No. Not exactly. I, uh, helped her overcome her distrust of Mages when the relationship was about to implode. And I've had to plant a few suggestions to keep things under control with her pack.” The simple lies came out easily, a skill learned through many years of hiding my abilities from the people around me. I didn't let any guilt surface where she could see it. She had to believe I held no loyalty to the Wolves.
She smiled broadly, buying the lies completely. “Then you're on your way to claiming her. I'll let the others know she's off limits.” Apparently I’d hit the lottery with the lie. Claiming Billie made me one of them while protecting Billie from them.
“Others? How many of you are there? Why haven't I met any of you before?”
“Wolf territory is dangerous. No Mage has lived here since they moved in, so it's unlikely you would have run into one of us. That's all going to change. Right now there are three of us, and as we take back this area our numbers will grow.”
“I'd like to meet them,” I said eagerly.
“You will,” she replied slyly.
“Will you tell me about Mages? About who I am?” This played into her arrogance while giving me an opportunity to learn about where I came from.
“I would be delighted to,” she drawled. “Come, let's walk.”
Glad for the movement, I stepped into rhythm beside her. The low foothills trail made for an easy walk, though she found it rustic and tiptoed through the trail. “Mages are a step above Humans in the evolutionary ladder. You've figured out we can read and control thoughts? We use our brain to its highest potential, much more than Humans and Wolves. Humans know nothing about us, except for the ones we've claimed.”
“What do you do with those you've claimed?”
“Anything we want, of course,” she pronounced as if obvious. “They provide for our needs. I have a few just for income, and I live very comfortably off of them. I keep a few others with me to cook, keep house, and fill my bed. Humans help us keep track of the Wolves since they can sense us somehow. That's why I was so surprised they didn't know you're Mage.”
I ignored her veiled question. “What about Wolves? You have Nathan.”
“Ah, yes. He's a fine pet. Wolves are such primitive creatures. It takes more to claim their minds than it does a Human. They're worth the effort, though. Your redhead will make a good pet someday.”
I managed not to bristle when she referred to Billie as my pet. “How is it done? How do you claim someone?”
She believed I wanted advice on claiming Billie, and her assumption gave me the information I sought. I wanted to understand how collaring worked so that I'd never accidentally do it. “Humans are easy. Your Wolf will take more time. Keep planting suggestions that maleate her mind to your will. A person's barriers go down during sex, so that's a perfect time for it. Take it slow and keep her surface mind intact so even she doesn't know what you're doing. Wolves are stubborn. They fight it more than Humans, so don't push her too hard. And be careful that the pack doesn't get suspicious. They'll kill you in a heartbeat.”
“Got it. You said mine is off limits. Are there rules about pets?”
“Oh, most certainly. I'm glad you asked, because you've already broken one.” I glanced at her in surprise. “You meddled in my pet's mind. As soon as you knew he was mine, you should have left him alone.”
“Reading someone's pet is taboo?” I liked the idea. It protected Billie.
She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “It's like putting a camera in someone's bedroom without their permission. My pet is my property and off limits to anyone else.”
“Oh. Sorry, I didn't know.” I paused for a moment. “So I don't have to worry about someone stealing Billie from me?”
“It happens, but not often. We don't tolerate that kind of behavior.” Her surface thoughts told me she violated that courtesy whenever she wanted.
“Good. She's mine.” Cassandra smiled conspiratorially at my possessive tone. I didn't believe she would refrain from reading Billie, but it gave me leverage. “What can Mages do? I've controlled minds a bit, and I read people pretty easily. But it's just been trial and error my whole life. What is the extent of our powers?”
She enjoyed lecturing and answered my questions easily. “Some Mages are more powerful than others. The mind works on many layers - we call them strata - and the deeper strata require more power to penetrate than the outer ones. We tend to speak of three strata. In reality, they’re not that clearly defined, but it's a manner of speaking about them. Humans and Wolves are similar in many ways. Their minds are very primitive and uncomplicated. The Wolf mind is more rigid and hostile, which makes it more difficult to control.
“The outer strata are easy to penetrate: emotions and active thoughts, basic illusions. All Mages can reach the outer strata with some proficiency. The middle strata are where unconscious thought, memory, and behavior are reached. Different Mages can reach the middle strata to different levels. You're reaching into the middle strata when you plant suggestions in your Wolf's mind. The power of the Mage determines how well we can read, alter, or control.”
“Is there a deeper level?”
She hesitated before answering, her lips pursing. “It takes incredible power to reach the lower strata. Not many of us can do it.”
I didn't have to feign my worry. “What can they do?”
She stopped and almost touched me before pulling her hand back. Her eyes burned into mine, and I almost tasted her fear. She whispered. “Anything they want. Kill with a thought. Know anything about anyone. The rest of us can read each other, and we can erect barriers to prevent even that much. Barriers mean nothing to a Kratos, and they’re the only Mages who can control another Mage. They can turn one of us into their pet if they want. You don't want to mess with them. You don’t want to meet one.” She knew a Kratos, and the Mage terrified her.
Fear rose within me, but not for the same reason as in her. “Got it.” We continued walking, to my relief. “I know that word from somewhere. Kratos?”
“It's Greek for power.” She didn't like talking about it, so I didn't ask more.
I changed the subject, searching for more useful information. “What's the deal between Mages and Wolves?” I asked. “Why are they so scared of us?”
She waved her hand dismissively. “Wolves are incapable of grasping our superior minds. It scares them. So they growl and attack like the beasts that they are. Wolves are just an infection in the human race. A regression to their primitive form. They're little better than dogs, but their strength and speed is useful. They make great bodyguards.”
“I would imagine so.” I acted impressed.
“Your redhead has quite the reputation as a fighter. She'll be a good asset when she's fully claimed.”
“She's already becoming more protective. She growls more these days.” The joke pleased the offensive woman and lightened her mood as intended.
“What are your plans for this pack?” she asked abruptly, hitting the topic she’d planned on starting with. She’d come to size up the compe
tition.
“I don't have any particular plans for the pack. I just want Billie. What about you?”
“I like to play my cards close to my chest,” she winked.
“I can accept that if it doesn't include stealing my Wolf.” By playing the possessive owner, I could keep her manicured talons away from Billie. It might also give her a reason to need me.
“The redhead is yours. We won't take her from you. We may ask to use her, though.”
“Use her for what?” I asked curiously.
“She's the Beta. Once she's claimed, you'll have access to anything we want to know about her pack. She's strong enough to protect us from the others. Plus one of our group hasn’t committed to joining us, and a beautiful Wolf would convince him.”
My eyes hardened, and I tensed. “Sexual favors are off limits. The rest is negotiable.”
She laughed as if I'd said something childish and amusing. “Oh, sexual favors are always negotiable. When you see something you want badly enough, you'll trade.” Her absolute confidence in my greed spoke volumes about her character.
“Don't count on it,” I grumbled.
She laughed even harder. “Let's see how far you've come without proper training. Show me something you can do. I want to see what you're made of.” She sounded like an annoying aunt asking a five-year-old to count to ten.
“Like what?” I didn't want to show this woman anything. If my suspicions about Kratos was true, I couldn't let her know the scope of my power.
“Whatever you want. Your choice.”
I hesitated, thinking what I could do without giving myself away or hurting anyone. She'd mentioned illusion as an outer strata power, so that should be safe. Dropping my recent illusion, I let her see the healing bruises on my face and arms.
She startled at the abrupt transformation, the first honest reaction I'd received from her. “Dear God, what happened to you?” Interestingly, she lost her southern accent in her surprise.
Psyche Honor (Psyche Moon) Page 10
