Fragile Brilliance (Shifters & Seers)

by Blackwell, Tammy

  The coyote was an arrogant prick who believed he could protect her. Apparently, Coyote Charlie didn’t share Human Charlie’s memories of how many times he’d failed to keep the people he cared about safe.

  “I did what I had to do,” he said, although he wasn’t sure if he was telling Scout or the animal inside him.

  “Why?” Scout asked. He stopped pacing, and she pulled herself up into a sitting position. “Why did you have to throw away the girl you loved, Charlie? Is this one of those self-punishment things?”

  “I never said I loved her.”

  Scout lifted one shoulder. “Doesn’t make it any less true.”

  Charlie closed his eyes, blocking out Scout and sealing his emotions inside where she couldn’t see them. Of course he loved Maggie. She was amazing. She was talent, passion, hope, and courage all rolled up in one beautiful package that loved comic books. If Charlie had been asked to create the perfect woman, he would have made Maggie. He missed sound of her laugh and the way her skin felt beneath his hands with an intensity that scared him, but even more, he missed just being with her. They could talk for hours about nothing and it would still be one of the best conversations of his life.

  “It doesn’t matter. She’s better off without me.”

  He heard the springs of the mattress creak, but he didn’t dare open his eyes to see what Scout was doing.

  “Says who?” she asked, her voice coming from just a few inches to his left. He risked a glance to discover her standing at his shoulder, her arms crossed over her chest.

  “Being with me is like painting a giant target on her chest,” he said. “We’re Alpha Pack, Scout. And we’re not exactly a conventional, well-liked one, either. People are going to constantly be coming for us. Whoever Davin was working with is still out there, and I doubt they’re just going to sit idly by for the next thirty or forty years while we go about our business. One of these days, they’ll strike again, and I don’t want her in the cross-fire.” He swallowed down the ball of emotion lodged in his throat. “I can’t let anything happen to her, Scout. She has to be safe. I can’t live with myself if she’s not.”

  “And you think throwing her out into the world all alone without anyone to look out for her is going to keep her safe?”

  “She won’t need protecting if she’s not with us.”

  “That’s a bunch of crap, and you know it.” Scout jabbed him in the chest with the Iron Finger of Death so hard he knew it would leave a bruise. “The world is filled with scary, bad shit. Just because she’s out there in the ‘human’ world doesn’t mean she’s safe. She could get hit by a car or shot by some asshole with a daddy complex tomorrow just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Charlie felt like someone stabbed him with a knife dipped in acid, but Scout didn’t stop. “And do you honestly think shutting her out is going to make people forget she lived with us for four months? She could still be a target, Charlie. The only difference is, this time you’re not going to be around to help her when she needs it.”

  Scout was either going to have to shut up, or he was going to punch her in the throat.

  “She deserves better than me.”

  “She deserves someone better than a guy who loves her as much as she loves him? Explain to me how that works.”

  Yep, he was definitely going to have to punch Scout in the throat.

  “You don’t understand!” He didn’t mean to scream it at her like a petulant teenager, but it happened that way all the same.

  “I don’t understand complicated, angsty relationships? Seriously?” Scout took a deep breath, and when she released it all the annoyance and aggression bled out of her body. He felt the fight drain out of him as well, and then Scout was wrapping her arms around his waist. He hugged her back, fighting to keep all the moisture in his eyes where it belonged.

  “I’ll screw up. She’ll get hurt because of me.”

  “She’s hurting without you,” Scout said. “I’m not the most observant girl on earth when it comes to relationships. I mean, I was completely blindsided by Jase and Talley, so that tells you a little something about how obvious these things have to be before I catch on. But even I can see how much you two belong together. Don’t give up on what you guys could have without a fight, Charlie. You’ll regret it the rest of your life.”

  “I love her,” he confessed out loud for the first time.

  “I know.” She gave him a tight squeeze before pulling back to look him in the eye. “Now you just need to make sure Maggie knows it.”

  Chapter 34

  Maggie looked at the email on her screen and counted the zeroes yet again.

  Five. Five zeroes and no decimal.

  The room tilted slightly to the left

  Apparently Chase had taken a few photos of her vase and sent them out to different collectors before delivering it to the hospital. Three different people interested in purchasing it had contacted her, but none of them had been as generous in their offer as Mr. Tony Henson of Marquette, Michigan. She allowed herself a moment to think about all of the things she could do with the money, knowing the whole time it wasn’t happening. The vase was one piece she would never sell. Too much of her heart was bound in that clay. It had started as an ode to her grandmother, but it ended up as so much more. It was the time she’d spent with the Alpha Pack. It was all the evenings she’d wrestled cramped hands while painting the intricate pattern while Charlie worked on his comic. It was a reminder that she was a survivor, that she could overcome whatever the world threw at her.

  Her computer chimed, letting her know she’d received a new email. She clicked over, eager to see if someone was making an even more outrageous offer than the obviously insane Mr. Henson. Her heart rate doubled when she saw the name of the sender and her fingers shook as she clicked it open. The message only contained a link, and even though she knew clicking on random links was the best way to get your computer fried by a virus, she clicked it anyway.

  Twenty minutes later she was so engrossed in a webcomic about a coyote who falls in love with a rabbit she nearly fell off her stool when someone knocked on the door.

  “Just a minute,” she called out, quickly sending Joshua a text message to let him know someone was at the door. He’d installed surveillance cameras all around the small office the Alpha Pack had ever so kindly turned into an off-campus studio for her as a Christmas/farewell gift. It was a fifteen minute walk from her dorm, but having it meant she’d never have to step foot into Rosa Hall again. The day she’d moved back to Chinoe, Joshua had shown up with an armload of equipment. A few hours later, she had cameras set up around both her new dorm room and the studio. He was supposed to patch the feeds to her computer and phone, but that wouldn’t be finished for another few days. Since she was a bit skittish after her recent brush with death, Joshua told her he would monitor everything until the transfer could be made.

  “Why is Joshua sending me a text message asking why I’m knocking on your door?”

  The world completely froze at the sound of his voice coming from outside.

  “Charlie?” She sounded like Minnie Mouse on helium. Awesome.

  “Can I come in?”

  She nodded and then realized he couldn’t see through the door or undo the seven different locks she’d installed with the help of her drill and some YouTube videos. Her hands shook as she fumbled with the obstacle course of chains and tumblers. It felt like it took an hour for her to get the door open, but once it started swinging back she decided it wasn’t nearly enough time. She didn’t know if she could face him after all this time.

  “Hey,” he said, looking even more beautiful than she remembered.

  “Hey.”

  He pointed at the drizzle falling from an ominous gray sky. “I don’t know if this stuff is snow, ice, or rain, but it’s really cold and nasty.”

  “Oh! Sorry!” She hopped back, nearly falling off of her platform shoes. He steadied her with a hand on her elbow, and she felt the shock of his touch all
the way to her toes.

  Charlie dropped his hand and wiggled his fingers as if he’d felt it too. “This is nice,” he said, looking around the studio. “I like the way you’ve Maggied it up.”

  “Maggied it up?”

  He nodded absently, still examining the tiny room as if fascinated with every detail. “The scarfs on the windows and covering the lamps. The artsy, high-brow comic book panels on the wall.” He flashed her a full-fledged grin, which caused all sorts of fluttery feelings in her stomach. “The thin layer of dust covering everything.”

  “It’s a ceramics studio. The dust is mandatory.”

  “Well, to me, dust equals Maggie.”

  It was a ridiculous statement, and not necessarily a flattering one, but it made Maggie’s face burn with a blush all the same.

  You’re supposed to be angry and hurt, not gobbling up the scraps of affection he’s throwing out like you’re starving for them.

  Except she was starving for them. For him. It was why she’d left the Alpha Pack in the first place. She knew she couldn’t be around him without losing her heart to him yet again. But it seemed getting rid of the Alpha Pack was easier said than done. They’d all called or texted her over the break, Talley and Joshua both begging her to reconsider moving back to the farm on a daily basis. She’d kindly tried to explain she was cutting her ties with the Shifter world when Scout called her on Christmas day, but the Alpha Female told her in no uncertain terms there was no out.

  “Once you’re one of us, you’re one of us. We’re like a family. Even if you hate our guts, you’re still stuck with us.”

  Maggie tried to be annoyed, but it was hard when people were throwing out words like family.

  “I sent you something earlier,” Charlie said, dusting off a seat before sitting down. “Did you see it?”

  “I did. It’s good.” The art was a little rough around the edges, but there was no denying his talent. Charlie had a unique style that pulled the reader in completely and opened up the story in unique and amazing ways. “It’s not what you’ve been working on for Stroud. When did you start it?”

  “The day after Christmas,” Charlie said, using his finger to push the dust on the table into a line. “I realized I hadn’t given you a present yet, so…” His head stayed bent toward the table, but his eyes rose to meet hers.

  “Charlie…” What was she supposed to say? What was he saying?

  “I love you, Maggie.”

  Oh. That. That was what he was saying.

  And that was the room spinning around her.

  Awesome.

  “Maggie, I don’t mean to be pushy, but I’m freaking out a little right now. I’m going to need you to say something, anything. Just talk instead of looking at me like you don’t know who I am.”

  “What about Scout?”

  Charlie eyebrows folded in together. “What about Scout?”

  “You love her, and I…” Maggie took a deep breath to steady her voice. “And I can’t live with being second best. Not with you. I love you too much.”

  “Second best?” He got up and came over to where she was standing. His hand lifted hers off the table, which she thought was a really bad idea. It was the only thing keeping her noodle legs from dumping her butt into the floor. “You’re right. I do love Scout.” Those were not the words she actually wanted to hear. “But I don’t love her like I love you.”

  Well, that was better.

  “How do you love me?”

  “Like Superman loves Lois Lane.”

  “Lois Lane? Not Wonder Woman?”

  Charlie’s face broke into a grin. “Definitely not Wonder Woman.”

  “Is this a Maggie-is-freakishly-short thing?”

  A finger trailed down her jawline. “It’s a Maggie-is-way-more-important-to-me-than-Wonder-Woman-is-to-Superman thing. He only ends up with Wonder Woman in storylines where Lois doesn’t exist. When given a choice, he always chooses Lois.”

  His hand shifted so it was now cradling her face. His face grew more serious as his thumb trailed over her bottom lip.

  “Lois makes Superman whole,” he said. “That’s how I love you. I love you like you’re a part of me that’s been missing. And I know I’ve screwed up everything, but I’m not going to give up on us, Maggie. I will keep trying over and over again to show you how much you mean to me in case one day you can forgive me.”

  She could have told him she forgave him the moment she began reading his comic or that he made her feel complete, too. But she didn’t tell him either of those things because her mouth had much better plans. He shivered against her as her lips coaxed his apart, and then it was her turn to quake as his tongue slid against hers. They teased and tasted each other, exploring parts of one another they’d missed over the past month and discovering new ones. By the time they came up for air Maggie was sitting on the table, her legs wrapped around Charlie’s waist. She dropped her head to his shoulder since her muscles had turned to jelly.

  “I’ve missed you,” she said against his neck.

  Warm lips pressed into her hair. “I missed you, too.”

  Maggie burrowed further into Charlie’s embrace, wishing this moment could go on forever. She had been an outsider her whole life, but with Charlie’s arms wrapped around her, she finally felt like she belonged.

  “Your room is still waiting for you at the farm,” Charlie said, his fingers tracing lazy circles over the tattoo on her side. “A few Seers from Romania have already moved in, but Scout wouldn’t let any of them take your room. And she had Makya put fresh sheets on your bed this morning.”

  Maggie pulled back so she could see his face, a list of reasons why her moving back in with the Alpha Pack on her lips, but she forgot every single one when she saw the hope lighting his eyes.

  “We’re ready for you to come home,” he said.

  Home. It should’ve sounded wrong, but it wasn’t. Somehow Fenrir Farm had become home for Maggie. She missed the rolling hills and her ridiculously opulent bed almost as much as she missed her friends.

  And if having the Alpha Pack as friends wasn’t the exact opposite of how she saw her life going, she didn’t know what was, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

  “Maybe I should wait,” she said, trying to be reasonable despite the urge to immediately run back to the dorms and pack up her stuff.

  She saw the disappointment in the downward turn of Charlie’s mouth, but he quickly shrugged it off. “If that is what you want. Just as long as you’re back by February, it should be fine.”

  “February?”

  “Yeah, we’ll be having our next hustings on the day of the new moon in February. Liam is going to officially induct you as a Taxiarho.”

  “Taxiarho?” Maggie wondered how long this conversation could go on with her just repeating the last word Charlie said.

  “Taxiarho. Official member of the Alpha Pack. The rank just below Stratego.” The corners of Charlie’s mouth tilted up slowly, no doubt in response to Maggie’s state of complete and utter shock. “I’m guessing Scout forgot to mention how she officially declared you an Alpha Pack Potential?”

  “I can’t be a Taxi-whatever. I’m a Thaumaturgic.”

  “And Joshua is an Immortal.” His fingertips slid down her arms until they were tangled with her own. The weight of his hands on hers helped ground her, which was a good thing since she felt like she was in some dream world where she was tapped to join the most powerful Shifters and Seers in the world and was loved by the strongest, most amazing guy she’d ever known.

  If this was a dream, she didn’t want to ever wake up.

  “Pack isn’t about who can Change or See,” Charlie said, his eyes locked on hers. “Pack is about building a family and having a place where you don’t have to hide who you are or what you can do.” He lifted their joined hands, using them to wipe away the tear trailing down her cheek. “You belong with us, Maggie Mae McCray. Say yes. Say you’ll join us.”

  She didn’t say it, but only be
cause she didn’t trust herself to speak. Instead, she nodded her head, and then Charlie was kissing her, saving her from having to say anything more.

  Acknowledgements

  The first thanks has to go to Victoria Faye Alday, cover designer; Gwen Hayes, story editor; Leslie Mitchell, copy editor; and Sarah Pace-McGowan, Comma Police, for making me look good. The world would know what a bumbling idiot I am if it weren’t for you guys.

  Also helping me look smart was Johnny Jones, world’s greatest high school art teacher and knower of artsy things; Amy Chase, talented ceramicist and cheese-fry sharer; Dr. Joe Lowery, mad(ly helpful) scientist; and Joe Peel of Clairborne Farms. Many thanks to you all for helping with my research.

  A big heap o’thanks goes to Kathryn “Kitty Kat” Sills for doing all the frustrating formatting work so I don’t have to.

  As always, the Beta Fish were instrumental in both inspiring this book and keeping it cool. Thank you to Samantha Newman, Tori Story, Amy Orman, Tory Driskall, Claire Harmon, Tessa Northcutt, and Emily Dunbar for being awesome. And even though she’s not technically a Beta Fish, Erin Lowery alway offers valuable feedback early on in the process, so thanks go her way, too!

  Samantha Young, thank you for replying to my emails and not filing a restraining order.

  And finally, thank you to my family for supporting and loving me, even when it’s hard.

  What can the future hold for a girl whose days are numbered and a boy whose life has no end?

  Infinite Harmony

  Shifters & Seers

  Book 2

  Coming

  November 2014

  The Timber Wolves Trilogy

  Destiny Binds

  Time Mends

  Fate Succumbs