Ford led me into the living room. Rao and Serena were looking on with grins as Will and Rafe were sitting in the armchairs with their mates in their laps. Aria and Moran were getting ready for the announcement.
They would use Aria’s ability to make sure no one interrupted the message they were putting out. All scouting and search parties had been recalled for the announcement as well. This was important for everyone.
Rao wanted to make sure the wolves in the state knew they had a second option for a pack once everything was over. He said would dissolve the Helvegr Pack and create a new pack altogether, with himself as Alpha and another of Ford’s cousins, Douglass, as his Beta. Rao thought Bryant would be an excellent workmate for Serena. The Beta’s spouse was often the right hand to the Luna.
[Ford]When Thursday came, I had trouble keeping Conric under control. I could feel the wolf dancing inside of me. It almost made me laugh. We’d never been able to entice a female wolf. We were large and scared most of them away.Werewolves tended to stay away in wolf form, too. Not wanting to get Conric attached and have to hurt him by leaving when they found their mates. We understood. It still meant that he was lonely and I wasn’t the type of comfort he needed.Conric knew it was just for the three nights of the full moon, but he was excited for it all the same. I was happy for him. I’d been able to have women other than my mate before, sometimes we’d do it in half wolf form, but Conric hadn’t gotten to have the full experience.
[Reggie]--Three days later --It was finally time! I was excited. I woke up feeling my full strength for the first time in weeks! Anders told me to wait until training to bring out my demon form. He wanted to have all of the demons there to help, in case it was actually too early.I practically floated through breakfast and assertively pulled Ford into his apartment to feed me. He commented that he’d never seen me as aggressive as I was that morning. It led to a vigorous and potent feeding.-In the barn for training, Anders reiterated what would need to be done if I felt the bloodlus
[3rd person]Ford was thinking about Reggie being a Vasilia. She had to be on their side, or he would have felt the killing urge. The other rulers agreed.The fact that she was definitely on their side, was great news. Even though she’d assured them she wasn’t being used, they knew the gods and goddesses that watched over them wouldn’t allow someone being used by an enemy to live long.It occurred to Ford that, maybe her being a Vasilia was why she felt like Madison. Why it was so easy to imagine Madison when he was with her. Then, he remembered. He’d been holding back, thinking she was a normal concubus. He could use his full strength.
[3rd person]It was an hour before dusk when they met in Madison’s field. Gavin had a large backpack with him and Reggie carried a tent and a bag of her own things. She needed to be prepared.If the fae king became fertile while she was out, she would have to take a break and go deal with him. Gavin told her he’d keep working while she was gone. Reggie appreciated it.They entered the woods. Gavin followed as Reggie led the way to the clearing they’d set up camp in. The area she led him to was perfect.It was a large enough space for the tent to be erected. A stone circle outlined an area for a fire and wood was stacked near
[Reggie]I walked out of the in-between and into a forested park. I was wearing my traditional demon outfit with the sarong and sandals. My wings stretched out behind me.Even though I’d had my demon form back for a couple weeks, I still hadn’t flown. I sniffed the air. This wasn’t close enough.After walking for a while, I found a minor drop off I could use to take flight. It just made it easier than trying to take off from the ground. I ran and jumped off, gliding for a while before I started working my wings into flight.The cool wind off the ocean gave me a little chill. I enjoyed the briskness. I couldn’t remember if I&rsquo
“Let me make this call, Reggie. Then, I’ll gladly take you up on your offer.” Rhys smiled, indicating his cellphone.I nodded and he called his secretary. I wandered away while he took care of his business. I looked at the art decorating the walls, moving silently sideways and examining everything closely.There was a painting of a woman in a green tunic standing in a battle field. The fight raged around her, but she was calmly standing with a raven perched on her hand. Her hair was blood red and flowing behind her, her skin pale as sun bleached bone.“The triple goddess. Morrigan. Goddess of war, fate, and kings.” Rhys murmured behind me, his arms snaking around my waist.“One o
[Ford]As the sun rose, I was sitting by Madison’s tree. I picked a few cherries and was telling her about everything that happened the day before. Without Reggie there to distract me, I was able to spend a lot more time tending the field and tree.I started having trouble sleeping three days after she left. I made the effort to eat, but meal times weren’t as much fun without Reggie there to make me laugh or challenge me to eating competitions. I was fairly certain Madison sent Reggie to help me get my strength back. Part of me knew I had to be stronger than I was.Conric missed Reggie, too. He said no one could scratch like she could. Aria tried, but she scratched too fast and unevenly. We knew there wouldn’t be much time left with Reggie when she ret
[Reggie]I opened my eyes and smiled. I’d gotten a lot of my memories back. I remembered friends from childhood, my parents, my sisters, my first boyfriend, and the first time I met my mates.It wasn’t completely clear. I couldn’t remember names, and faces escaped me, but the facts and feelings were all there. It was more than I had before and I was going to cherish every bit of it. I was so close.“Good morning, pheata. Are you hungry?” Rhys asked.“I could eat, but my mother always told me you shouldn’t do heavy physical activities after a meal. So… I think we should definitely have sex again before we go.” I purred.
[Heather]I was a little surprised when I got an invitation to go to the private tenth anniversary celebration of the end of the Helvegr War. In the end, it had been a three-day fight between the resistance and the False Elites. There had been some coverage on the second and third day, once we found out where the battle was being fought.It had been a shock to the world when Indira and Madison Coto were seen in footage. They’d later explained that a massive spell had brought both sisters back to life, one that was nearly impossible to work. Scientists had asked to meet with them, but both sisters declined citing their history with the camps as why they weren’t comfortable.In the years after the fight, humans had grown more accepting of supernaturals. They lived just like we did, had families like we did, and only wanted the same things we did. All of the distress in the different communities died down after a while.I was the main media conta
“You thought you could distract me? What a waste of an opening to use it on your precious mate, instead of on getting away or attacking me.” Devere snarled.“It’s not a waste if the person I love lives. You were never going to get what you wanted because you’re self-involved and self-interested. How disappointed must your sire have been to have created such a useless vampire. Your ambition is lacking talent and follow through. You don’t take risks.” I snorted as I flipped him over me.I rolled his body and locked his arm behind him. My foot was in the middle of his back.“This is a great position from this side.” I laughed.He started calling me names. In the end, he’d weakened himself. No one was really eager to feed a vampire. The blood he fed on was weak from food rationing, lack of sunlight, and general poor health that comes with living underground for so long.Pulling as hard as I co
We soon had everyone set. It was about four in the afternoon, that would give us three hours until the sun started setting, and another hour after until any vampires made their way out. It would work in our favor.There were several advantages to attacking so early in the day. The first was the lack of vampires, the second was that the enemy wouldn’t expect us since they were all on the vampires’ schedule and slept during the day. Our demons were all recently fed and theirs were on rationed energy because of a lack of partners.If everyone was out fighting, the vampires wouldn’t have a chance to feed before joining which would make them weaker. We didn’t need a fair fight. The only advantage we ever gave them was letting them know when the fight would happen. If they chose not to be ready for it, that was their problem.I was dressed in traditional demon garb and standing next to my nude mate as our witches stepped forward. Ford shifted t
It was the day after my birthday. For the second year in a row, I was preparing for a battle. This time, I knew what I was truly up against and the fight ahead of me. It wasn’t a last minute preparation, but one a year in the making.The feeling in the compound was a mix of excitement and fear. A lot of the omega level and non-dominant shifters elected to stay and protect the families, children, and weaker species that couldn’t join the fight. No one faulted them for it.We dominant members were made for this. Battle was in our blood. The demons were all chomping at the bit to get out there and do some damage.I saw Garrett and Celia in the gathering area where people were saying goodbye to their loved ones. Tony and Gail were holding each other tightly. I knew she wasn’t going, even being a full demon, Gail was not a fighter.Rena was kissing Rao and Indie goodbye. They each put a hand on her slightly bulging belly. Dennis gave her a bi
[Madison]I was curled in Ford’s arms when I heard shouting from the living room. Aria and Jeremiah were having a disagreement. They had been for a few days.Though both tried to get me involved, I refused. He wanted her to stay here with Val and Serena instead of fighting. Aria wanted to be in the battle with us, supporting as much as she could, even though she wasn’t much of a fighter.That was his main argument. She never excelled in the fighting strategies that were being taught to demons. In the special classes that Indie was running, she was falling behind.My Aria may be a strong woman and a fighter of sorts, just not the kind that you look to in battle. I knew she would be a lot of help with her abilities as a Eulalia and a siren. I wasn’t going with one side or the other.If I did that, Ford would start trying to get me to stay behind as well. He would site the fact that the vampire already killed me once. T
[Serena]Rao, Indie, and Dennis came with me to see the glimmer dragons for a check up on the baby. Everyone was excited. They wanted to hear the heartbeat.Because I was mixed siren and demon, it was assumed that my pregnancy would be as long as Aria’s had been. We wouldn’t be able to tell until it was safe for us to leave and see a doctor with an ultrasound machine. I knew it was soon.The clinic was set up in the old pack clinic, but we had a field clinic that was used for training. Neither one was fully equipped, but this was better for taking care of people in a set up that they were familiar with.We all waited in the exam room for Marnie to be free. She was taking care of my prenatal stuff. One of the other dragons came and drew a vial of blood for testing.I was nervous. I hadn’t planned on a baby so soon and I had no idea how this even happened. We were being safe. I was going to fight alongside my mate. Now
I was laying out in the sun chairs on the deck with Indie, Aria, and Serena. After having my picnic with Ford a week and a half ago, I’d instituted mate bonding times for me and Indie. She wanted to be planning things with Rao, but I got her to understand.When I pointed out that our mates were feeling like they were only important when we fed, she stopped fighting against it. We set aside an hour a day to just sit with our mates or play with them and talk. It was the best idea.Serena stopped wearing a fake smile and was practically glowing. It added more to my relationship with Aria and Ford. There was time the three of us spent together, time we spent with Jeremiah and Yvonna, and time that was just one on one.Other demons saw this and followed suit. Soon the whole camp would probably be having time with their mates where they would just bond. I thought it would increase morale exponentially.Rao and Indie impressed me. They grew closer and real
[Madison]I cleaned up after training and started heading out to the main dining room to have lunch. Ford was standing in the entry with a large basket. I raised an eyebrow and wandered toward him.“What’s going on, honey?” I asked.“I’m takin’ you on a picnic, baby.” He replied with a slight smile.“A sexy picnic?”Ford laughed. “Not this time, baby. There are too many kids around here and I don’t want to go to the in-between. We’ve been spendin’ so much time workin’ on battle plans, trainin’, and keepin’ you full of energy after all the extra trainin’ you’re puttin’ yourself through. I just wanna be with you without all that junk. And without… Aria. I miss the time we were alone.”There was a strain in my eyes like I was going to cry. I’d been so obsessed with getting everything over with in the
We went downstairs and I said goodbye to Jeremiah as Madison approached. She was smiling so brightly. I knew she was happy that we were finally going to mark each other. I was too.“Take care of our girl.” Jeremiah said to her.She hugged him. It didn’t seem forced. I was glad that they were friends. It would make our relationship easier. I knew it was what Madison wanted from me and Ford.The time he and I had to bond over the last few months really helped. I don’t know that I would have gotten over my jealousy as quickly if Madison had been around. Seeing them together since she’d come back had brought some of those tinges back, but I’d been able to fight back.“Of course I will. Just like you did.” She replied. “Well, not exactly.”They let each other go and she reached out for my hand. I grasped her hand and she pulled me to her. She placed a gentle kiss on my lips.“Are y