Half-Blood Descendant: A Paranormal Series (Half-Bloods Book 1)

by Natasha Brown

Emery must have picked up on Aerilyn’s displeasure because she rushed up, grabbed her hand and dragged her into the kitchen. “All of this will be moved into my room by morning. But before you get your panties in a twist, drink this. Aren’t all teachers lushes anyway?”

  A cold, uncapped beer was thrust into her hand, which Aerilyn lifted to her lips to take a swig. She had to admit, Emery knew the right steps to ease her anxiety.

  “There,” Emery said, crossing her arms. “You don’t look so pissed anymore. Why are you so on edge? Did another prepubescent horndog try to grab your junk again? I’d like to see them try that with me.”

  Aerilyn noticed the faucet dribbling a steady stream of water into the stainless-steel sink and shut it off. She sighed and shook her head. “I’ve adjusted to living on my own. Not used to sharing my space with anyone.”

  “Not even with your bestie?” Emery batted her eyelashes. “This’ll be great. I’ve been wanting to show you how to loosen up—how to live a little. We can start tonight. When was the last time you got any action? Had some heat between the sheets?”

  Her friend winked at her. Emery had an unquenchable appetite for men. She seemed unconcerned about finding a mate and settling down. Not that Aerilyn was ready to get married, but having a one-night stand wasn’t in her personality. She lifted the beer to her lips, feeling her cheeks flush. “The last guy to see the inside of my bedroom was Ryan.”

  “Oh my God—he was such a tool. I’m so glad he moved to the Bay Area lodge. What was that, like three years ago?” Emery squished up her face. “I’m taking you out tonight.”

  Aerilyn glanced at the oven clock to check the time. “Actually, I’m meeting Jax soon.”

  “Oooo, he’s a tasty morsel.” Emery’s red lips slid into a suggestive smirk. “And he’s a shifter. A cougar no less.”

  “I’m his guardian,” Aerilyn said defensively. “It wouldn’t be appropriate.”

  Emery rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but he’s no youngling, right? How old is he?”

  “Thirty-one.” Aerilyn avoided looking at her friend. “Doesn’t matter. Dad wouldn’t stand for it.”

  “As Ryan found out,” Emery muttered under her breath.

  Aerilyn plucked a business card off the fridge and handed it to Emery. Her friend’s eyebrow rose as she read it. “A matchmaker? Have you called yet?”

  “No,” Aerilyn answered with finality. “Dad gave it to me. Guess she’s the one who matched Mom to him. They love each other, but—”

  Emery interrupted, “But that’s like having an arranged marriage. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to settle down with one person for so long. I mean with our lifespans, marriage could last a thousand years—that’s way too long to wake up beside the same face every morning.”

  The thought wasn’t as off-putting to Aerilyn as it was to Emery. She admired her parents’ relationship. It was something she hoped to have someday, but she didn’t want it forced on her. She knew her dad’s heart was in the right place. He wanted to see each of his children mated with purebred shifters to ensure the continuation of their family line. He wanted to know his only daughter would be taken care of.

  She took back the card and put it on the fridge with a magnet. “As far as he’s concerned, anyone with less than ten generations isn’t good enough for his little girl.”

  “No mutts? But they’re so… energetic and wild.” Emery arched a brow with a devilish grin. Then, observing Aerilyn’s mood, she grew serious. “Listen, maybe it isn’t so bad. Maybe the matchmaker can find ‘the one’ for you.”

  Everyone knew Alaric was overbearing. If he expected something, it was best to deliver. As sassy as Emery was, she didn’t suggest Aerilyn dismiss her father’s wishes to run off with anyone less than a tenth-generation shifter. She knew better.

  Aerilyn ignored her friend's hopeful sentiment as she emptied half the bottle of beer in one long swig and set it on the granite counter. “Will you feed Petey for me? I need to get ready to go.”

  “Sure thing, Lyn.” Emery followed her out of the tan kitchen and into the living room. She touched the leaf of a hanging plant and sniffed it. “Where you headed tonight?”

  “The Rusty Tack.” Aerilyn slipped off her shoes and leaned over to pick them up. Then she paused. “Why?”

  Emery cast her an apologetic frown. “We have a job to do, but we’ll try not to get in your way. After Deane brings the last of my stuff, we’ll drop by. You might trust Jax, but your dad doesn’t.”

  “Right.” Aerilyn turned around to walk to her room.

  Emery’s voice called after her. “I want him to be innocent too. Either way, there’s a freak who attacked an old lady, and we can’t have that. Your dad just wants you safe.”

  She knew her friend was right, but she’d grown tired of living under the weight of her father’s thumb.

  Jax sat in a booth near the window and gazed at the darkening street outside. The bar was filled with loud conversations, classic rock music and colorful neon lights mounted on every wall. He didn’t know why they were meeting in a public place if everything was so secretive and questioned whether he’d get many answers tonight.

  The door opened. He looked up and saw a tall, well-dressed couple walk into the dimly lit room. The woman was strikingly attractive with long red hair. Her date led her to the bar and cast a glance Jax’s way. The man’s shoulder-length hair barely reached his suit jacket and covered much of his face. The pair seemed more fit to dine at the Italian restaurant across the street than with the locals in this offbeat bar.

  Jax drummed his fingers on the wood table. Once again the door opened, and he spotted Aerilyn at the threshold. He tried not to stare at her as she wove her way between the other tables.

  She slipped off her jacket and hung it on the hook at the end of the booth. She stopped beside him and asked, “You haven’t been here long I hope?”

  He noticed the curve of her waist and the smell of her hair and shrugged. “Long enough to get some people-watching in.”

  She slid into the booth, sitting across from him. “Have you ordered?”

  “I was waiting for you.”

  Aerilyn grinned at him. “Thanks. So, did you enjoy the burger last night?”

  He sniffed. “It was good, but I’ve had better.”

  “Have you?” Her eyebrow lifted, and he remembered how fond she was of the place. His honesty could have been mistaken as an insult, but he didn’t much care.

  Although she’d turned him in to the Genus Society, he got the feeling she’d been looking out for him when she’d stood up for him last night. He couldn’t make heads or tails of it all.

  “I’ve eaten in a lot of burger joints, but I prefer cooking my own.”

  She laughed in response. “I can’t boil water.”

  Aerilyn didn’t seem to notice how uncomfortable he was sitting across from her. That, or she was trying to put him at ease with her friendly manner. He took another deep breath and waited to see where she would take the conversation.

  She looked toward the bar and waved at the woman behind the counter. Then she leaned in to whisper to Jax, “The Rusty Tack is a shifter-run establishment. One of many in the area.”

  Jax tore his focus from her brown eyes to stare at the bartender in surprise. He studied the people around him, eating their meals and drinking their pints, while trying to imagine who of them could be shifters, if any.

  When he returned his gaze to Aerilyn, she was watching him. He felt very much like a child, innocent and naïve, when only a day ago he’d felt in control of his world. He didn’t like relying on anyone else for anything.

  He clenched his jaw and shook his head. “It’s strange thinking I’m not the only one.”

  “Is it a relief?” She raised her glass of ice water to take a sip.

  Jax sat back in his seat to press his spine against the cushioned booth and crossed his arms. “Just the opposite. I prefer being alone.”

  “If it’s all you know, I suppose that
makes sense.” Aerilyn turned to face the waitress who'd walked up to the table to take their order. “I’d like a pint of pale ale and your bacon burger with fries.”

  He did a double take. She looked more like a wine sipper with her trendy hairstyle and clothing. She misunderstood his surprise and defended herself. “I have a fast metabolism—and I didn’t eat lunch today, so I’m starved.”

  Jax blinked. “You didn’t strike me as a beer drinker is all.”

  The waitress tilted her head and exhaled, waiting for his order.

  He looked up at her. “I’ll have the buffalo sandwich, and a pale ale, too.”

  They both watched the woman walk away. The loud sounds of glasses clinking, music thumping and laughter filled the silence between them until Aerilyn faced him to ask, “I bet you’re wondering why we’re meeting here.”

  “It crossed my mind,” he answered.

  She tucked her hair behind her ear and shrugged. “I wanted to make you feel at ease. To show you we aren’t a threat.”

  “That’s not the impression your dad left me with,” Jax retorted.

  Aerilyn leaned forward, folding her arms on the table. “Think about it. You’re new around here and your landlady thinks she was attacked by a cougar. It’s my dad’s job to uphold our laws and keep people safe. He’ll do what it takes.”

  “Including accusing people of attacking old ladies.” He crossed his arms and clenched his jaw.

  Aerilyn gave a nervous grin over her shoulder before leaning in again and whispering with a glint in her eye, “I understand you’re pissed, but could you lose the attitude? Is this how you treat someone who stuck their neck out for you?”

  He grumbled in response, unwilling to admit any fault while he was feeling so defensive.

  The waitress returned with their drinks in hand and slid them across the table, avoiding eye contact. He picked his up to take a sip. Tiny bubbles tickled his lip as he drew in a mouthful of the crisp, refreshing ale.

  When he returned his glass to the table, he waited for them to be alone again and muttered, “You look like you’re regretting sticking up for me.”

  She groaned and wrapped her fingers around her pint. Aerilyn lifted her brown eyes to study him. “I don’t regret it, but the sooner you understand I’m not against you, the sooner we might be able to get somewhere with this.”

  He made a face and gestured at them both. “What exactly is this?”

  “What? Guardianship?” She frowned.

  He stared at the darkened street outside and the cars that were stopped at the light. “Yeah.”

  “Ah.” A softened grin touched her lips. She waited for him to meet her gaze before she continued, “I don’t know what you’ve figured out already, but I’ll teach you about your abilities and more about our world. I won’t be giving you any tests, so you don’t have to worry about that. I’ll try to make it as painless as possible.”

  “I’m not afraid of pain,” he said in defense.

  “Of course you aren’t.”

  The bartender brought their dinner to them, and Aerilyn was quick to pick up the bottle of ketchup and bathe her fries in the red condiment. She ate hungrily, unashamed of herself. He watched her for a moment before digging into his sandwich and taking a bite.

  After swallowing a mouthful of her dinner, she paused to say, “Tell me about yourself.”

  “What do you want to know?” He narrowed his eyes. Just because she was pretty didn’t mean he was going to start divulging his innermost demons along with his hopes and dreams.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. What about your family? Have any siblings?”

  Jax shook his head and took another bite of his burger. “No siblings.”

  Aerilyn watched him. He could tell she was waiting for more, but he was unwilling to share more than he had to. An amused grin touched her lips, and she laughed. “I’ve got two older brothers. If you think my dad’s bad, just wait till you meet them. Ryker treats me like a baby to this day, and Finn thinks he’s God’s gift to women.”

  He was relieved to have the focus of the conversation fall off him. Plus, he was curious about her life. He wondered if she was as spoiled as he suspected she was. Aerilyn reminded him of the girls in school who'd thought they were better than him because he lived in a mobile home outside of town. The type who’d laughed at him when he'd asked them out.

  Jax wiped his mouth with his napkin. “They live around here?”

  “Yeah,” she answered. “Ryker works for the police department, which is useful to the Society. He was matched when he was young to another shifter, Laura. They live downtown not far from Mom and Dad. And Finn’s up in Boulder. He’s a lawyer, does a bunch of work for our chapter representative.”

  He frowned at her, not understanding. She picked up on his confusion and clarified. “Genus Society is a worldwide order. Lodges can be found in cities and towns in every country. Leaders like my dad run the lodges at the city level. They’re appointed by chapter representatives, who oversee larger territories. The chapter representatives are elected by their resident members and in turn, the representatives vote to select a grand consul who represents their country. The grand consuls meet yearly to discuss laws and to settle grievances.”

  Jax blinked back at her, more confused than when she’d started.

  She waved her hand. “Don’t worry. It’ll make more sense the more you’re exposed to it. At the end of your guardianship with me, you can be inducted as a member into the Society.”

  “What if I don’t want to be?” he asked.

  She was moving way too fast for his taste. This club sounded controlling, and that was something he detested. Freedom was his way of life. And he wouldn’t give it up for anything.

  Aerilyn set the remains of her burger on her plate and wiped her mouth with her napkin. She glanced around and leaned in. “I can see it in your eyes—you know you’re nothing like the mundanes who surround us. We’re special, different. Do you think they’d protect your rights if they knew you existed?”

  “Mundanes?” he questioned.

  She blinked and gestured to the people around them. “Yeah, our name for people without abilities.”

  He looked around the room at the other patrons going about their business, unaware of their conversation. He’d grown up knowing no one would protect him—no matter what he was or wasn’t. He could depend solely on himself.

  Jax crossed his arms. “And what makes you think I have more protection with your Society than I have on my own?”

  “Like it or not, you’re a part of our world and have to live by our laws. We can offer support.” She reached her hand across the table to touch his wrist. “We live longer lives than the mundanes. Don’t you think people might notice if you lived in the same house with the same name, barely aging for generations? Genus Society is a large family built to protect our kind from the mortal world. Relocation, new identity assignment, cleanups and transferring funds are what we do best and something we’ve been doing for over three thousand years.”

  Jax tried to ignore the warmth of her skin on his. “I take my home with me wherever I go, I don’t stay anywhere long enough for anyone to care about me, and unlike you, I have no fortune to protect.”

  She withdrew from him and nodded. “Sounds like you’ve got it all covered. But do you really want to live a solitary existence now that you know you’re not alone?”

  He didn’t get the opportunity to respond because a voice interrupted them. “Oooh. Things sound like they’re heating up. Call the fire department.”

  He’d been too absorbed in their conversation to notice Emery walk up to the table. Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail, and the same red bandana she’d worn yesterday was tied around her head. She reached over and plucked a fry from Aerilyn’s plate and tossed it in her mouth.

  Deane walked up behind her and nodded to Jax. “How are ye?”

  “Fine,” he muttered back, avoiding eye contact.

  “Sweet E
motion” by Aerosmith came on, and no sooner had the first bars played than Emery closed her eyes and began to sing along. The table of people nearby stopped to stare at her, though it was beyond her notice. She raised her arms in the air and snapped her lids open. “Gah, I love this song. It was between becoming an enforcer and a rock star for me.”

  “Sure it was,” Deane said, shaking his head.

  Emery slid in next to Jax, forcing him to move over to make enough room. She eyed his remaining dinner but didn’t help herself like she had with her friend’s plate. Jax watched Aerilyn scoot over so Deane could sit beside her. She gave the enforcer a friendly smile in welcome, and a wave of jealousy washed over Jax.

  “Nice to have you in the neighborhood, tomcat,” Emery practically purred beside him.

  He tried to ignore her forward stares and observed the way Aerilyn positioned herself beside Deane in such a familiar way. The broad-shouldered enforcer proceeded to use his lilting accent to ask Aerilyn, “How are ye today, love?”

  “Oh,” Aerilyn’s eyes traced by Jax before she faced Deane. “It was a long one. Nothing I can’t handle.”

  Jax half expected the two to hold hands the way Deane talked to her so endearingly. It made him sick, but it didn’t really matter. It wasn’t like he cared. Aerilyn was just a babysitter looking after a pathetic new stray. He’d never been anything more than that to anyone.

  He looked away in time to see the attractive couple he’d noticed earlier walk from the bar toward their booth. The redheaded woman smiled at them and blinked her piercing green eyes in his direction. When she stopped, he noticed her creamy, flawless skin, high cheek bones and the aroma of mint that seemed to perfume the air. Jax glanced behind her at the long-haired man. Light markings gleamed on his neck. They were too artistic to be scars and too iridescent to be tattoos.

  “Excuse my interruption.” The woman looked around the table. “Do you live in this township?”

  Jax detected a subtle accent—one he couldn’t place. Beside him, Emery frowned at the angelic woman. “I do now. But I can speak for myself when I say I’m not a swinger if that’s what you’re asking. Though I’d be willing to give my number to your hunk-of-a-man.”