Four
Roman Eliot
“Well?” Roman opened his eyes, and looked into the face of Glinda North. The exceptionally pale, pretty woman smiled at him. “How’d your little summoning go?”
He smirked. “She’s coming.”
Glinda smiled. “Good.” The witch waved her hand, making the candles flicker out and the lights turn on by themselves. “It’s about time. You’ve been chasing this girl for far too long.”
He sighed. “You’re telling me.”
“Was the subway the first time that you’ve confronted her?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“What do you think was different this time?” Glinda asked.
Roman shrugged. “I’m not even sure. It was different this time. Before, if I got close, it was like she ran away. As if she sensed someone following her. But this time, I was able to get close.”
Glinda paused, and tilted her head to the side. “That’s strange.”
“Strange how?” Roman asked.
“It sounds like there’s something that is alerting her of what’s happening. Maybe something magical.”
“You think?”
Glinda nodded. “You’ve been in the same city for years. I know you hired me to find her when she was traveling for a bit, but she’s been in New York for quite a while now. You should have been able to get close to her.”
“When I tried, she’d leave before I could approach her. I always thought maybe she was more attune to werewolves because of what happened to her.”
The blond made a face. “I don’t think so. That’s not something that happens. There’s no way for humans to sense werewolves. Unless they’re mated to each other. Maybe she did sense something, but she didn’t want to accept it. That I’ve heard of. If someone doesn’t feel comfortable about a mate bond, it can have consequences. But it’s fine. You’ve done something to make her come here, clearly.”
“Yes, I lied.”
Glinda raised an eyebrow. “You lied?”
He nodded.
“What did you lie about?” Glinda asked.
“I told her that I could help her get revenge for her parents,” he answered, “Her parents were killed by a rogue werewolf, and we never found the bastard. I don’t even know where to start.”
Glinda shook her head. “You might have to start searching for a way to get her that revenge.”
“I’ve tried. I’ve looked into her parents’ deaths plenty of times, but I’ve never been able to find anything. Even my father looked into it. We have no idea who the rogue wolf was.”
“Are you sure it was a werewolf?”
He paused. “I was always told that is what it was.”
Glinda stared thoughtfully at him. “Maybe there was someone that wanted to make it seem like it was a werewolf. I know there are some humans that aren’t particularly keen on humans and Powerists being together. What if someone knew that Nora was your mate before you did and was trying to keep the two of you apart and they somehow faked a werewolf attack?”
“How could they do that?” he asked.
“Werewolves aren’t the only Powerists that can shift, Roman. And you’re powerful enough in our community that someone might have had a vision about your future and didn’t like it. I can look into it for you.”
“You really think I should?”
Glinda nodded. “It shouldn’t have been this hard for you to confront her about you being her mate. There are other forces at play here.”
Roman raised an eyebrow. “Witches?”
She shrugged. “Anything’s possible in our world. You can’t forget that.”
He hesitated. He didn’t like the idea of prying into something that could cause trouble for Nora. She’d already had enough of that in her life. His intention of claiming her as his mate was to make it so that the world knew that she was his. So that she wouldn’t have to go through something so terrible again.
But if it helped her move on, if it got her in his arms, he would do whatever was necessary to make her his. Even if it meant delving into dark places that might unsettle him. Nora deserved to see justice for her parents. Rogue wolves were wolves that left their packs. That refused to follow orders. That still craved the old ways---back when being a werewolf meant being a creature of uncontrolled rage and power, and killing anything or anyone in your path. They rejected their packs and the rules put forward by them to survive in the modern world.
“Yes,” said Roman, “look into it for me. I’ll pay you handsomely for it.”
The blond witch smiled at him. “Consider it a favor. I’ve got more money than I know what to do with. Good luck. I don’t think that girls going to be easy to win over.”
He sighed. “Thanks. I think I’ll need all of the luck I can get.” Then, he left, off to wait for Nora to arrive.
FiveNora Connolly “Are you seriously scared?” Winter asked. Nora looked up at the massive sky-scraper apprehensively. The Stellarum was one of the oldest buildings in New York, and almost as tall as The Empire State Building. The windows were made of gold, and when the sunlight hit it just right, it shone brightly. You could see it from practically any point in the city “Terrified,” Nora answered. The golden tattoo with Roman’s name inked on her skin had yet to leave. From everything Nora knew about mate marks, which was what the tattoo was called, they never did. Roman would have one of his own, too, so she supposed that was something of a comfort. She hadn’t known what to expect by going to see him. So, all she’d brought with her was her purse. Robin reached out and squeezed her hand. “You’ll be fine.” “Right.” Nora peered up at the building again. “What do I do?” “Ring the bell?” Robin suggested.
SixRoman Eliot He could feel her the minute that she was in the building. He paced, anxiously in his study. The office walls were made of mahogany and there were bookshelves that lined the walls. He had his laptop set up in there and should have been answering e-mails but all he could focus on was her. He could hear her heartbeat pounding against her chest. She was nervous. Something about that excited him. He didn’t want her to run but the thought of her being nervous because of him left him unable to sit still. There was a knock on the door. “Roman?” Aion called. “Yes?” he asked. Roman wondered if Nora could hear the excitement in his voice. He hoped not. He wanted her to take him seriously, as someone that could protect her. “Nora Connolly is here,” he said, “and she brought a friend.” Roman almost chuckled. He knew that where Nora went, Winter did too. He had his own suspicions about Winter and h
SixRoman Eliot He could feel her the minute that she was in the building. He paced, anxiously in his study. The office walls were made of mahogany and there were bookshelves that lined the walls. He had his laptop set up in there and should have been answering e-mails but all he could focus on was her. He could hear her heartbeat pounding against her chest. She was nervous. Something about that excited him. He didn’t want her to run but the thought of her being nervous because of him left him unable to sit still. There was a knock on the door. “Roman?” Aion called. “Yes?” he asked. Roman wondered if Nora could hear the excitement in his voice. He hoped not. He wanted her to take him seriously, as someone that could protect her. “Nora Connolly is here,” he said, “and she brought a friend.” Roman almost chuckled. He knew that where Nora went, Winter did too. He had his own suspicions about Winter and h
Seven Nora Connolly It was a silly, little, demand. To want to have her best friend stay there. But Nora had already lost someone to a rogue wolf once. She didn’t want to think of what would happen to Winter out by herself now that she was the mate of a werewolf. Let alone someone as important as Roman. “It’s important to me that Winter is safe. The best way to do that is to let her move in here.” Roman shook his head. “I can’t allow for that, Nora.” “Why not?” she asked. “Is it because she’s human?” “No. There are plenty of humans that live here with their mates. But Winter doesn’t have a mate, and that could cause trouble. The kind that could end up with her hurt. If you’re truly worried about her safety, I could assign her a security guard.” “A security guard?” she repeated. “Who would that be?” “Aion,” he said without a beat. Nora raised an eyebrow. “The werewolf with zero personality?” He nodded. “He might not be the one you go to for a fun time, but he is the one that y
EightRoman Eliot It was decided that for now, Winter and Nora would share a room. Since Winter wasn’t entirely yet comfortable with Ares, he wanted to do what was needed to make her feel safe. Even though he hated the idea of not having his mate in his bed. She was so close, and yet he couldn’t be with her the way that he truly wanted.“Check the closet,” Roman told her as he showed the girls the room, “it will have everything you need while you’re here. The Stellarum is enchanted.”Winter had already beaten Nora to the closet. “Oh my god!” she exclaimed, any worries about Ares long forgotten, “Nora, come here!”Nora glanced at Roman then went over to the closet where Winter stood. The closet was huge. A walk-in that seemed to be filled with everything. Designer dresses ranging from summer to cocktail to award show. Lounge wear. Workout gear. Casual. The clothing styles seemed to adjust to whoever was nearby the racks and they were completely different from when Winter stood next to
NineNora Connolly “He didn’t give us any guidelines,” said Nora, “do you think this is too fancy?”She glanced at herself in the mirror. It wasn’t every day that she went to fancy events. Although she didn’t know if dinner with werewolves could exactly be called a fancy event. Except everyone knew that the residents of The Stellarum were rich and glamorous. The Eliot’s were the kind of people that went to places with red carpets and where would give away a couple grand for fun. Winter smiled at her. “You look great.”Nora glanced down at the dress that she was wearing. It was sapphire blue, with a full, tulle skirt, and rhinestones sewn into it so that it looked like the night sky. The dress was strapless, and more revealing than she was used to wearing. “It looks like it’s too much.”Winter shook her head. “You look fine,” she said.“Are you sure that you won’t come down with me?” Nora asked. “I didn’t even want a mate to begin with and now I’m stuck with one. And you were always s
TenRoman Eliot Roman has had many dinners with his pack before. They all gather in the dining hall, lined with tables so everyone that lived in The Stellarum could eat together. Young and old alike. Although for werewolves, that line usually blurred. Shifting made it so that they lived long lives. As long as they could shift, it was hard to kill them and they usually healed swiftly from most things.His mother and father were at the head of the table, centered in the middle for everyone to see. He entered with Nora on his arm. The dress that she had picked was perfect for her. He had dreamed of this moment. Nora meeting his parents, in that exact dress. It was why he had bought it.His father stood when he saw him. “My boy!”Roman smiled at him. His father, Remington Eliot, was a tall man, who had short, greying hair and gold eyes. The same gold that all alphas and their heirs had. “Dad,” he said with a smile, “This is Nora.”He smiled over at her. “Nora Connolly, you have no idea h
ElevenNora ConnollyNora couldn’t remember the last time that she was angry. Over the years, she had become numb to it. Maybe because she was angry all of the time. It was hard not to be when you had one, constant thought in your mind.My parents were killed. She did think about other things. But it was always there, in the back, where it shouldn’t have been. And for some strange reason, the universe thought that it was funny to pair her up with a werewolf. One of the monsters that had killed her parents in the first place.Although, was it?Maybe the universe had paired her up with a werewolf to keep her safe from the rogue wolf that wanted her dead. She had no idea. All she knew was that she was in The Stellarum, a place filled with them, and it was also the last place she thought she would be. She was also helplessly lost.“Need help finding your way?”Nora jumped at the sound of Aion’s voice. He stood behind her, his arms crossed over his chest. “Oh. Hi. Come to drag me back to
Forty-six:Roman Eliot "Just, for the record, I hate high heels," Nora told him, "And don't get used to me going to fancy events." Roman smirked at her. "This is for your cousin." "I know." She smiled a little. "Are you comfortable with this?" "I should be asking you that. Your family were the ones that were originally in charge of this coven. You're the one that's giving up something." "I'm fine," Nora said, "I've still got my magic. I've got you. Winter's going to make a great High Priestess. We just need to work together to make sure that Merrick doesn't come back and try to take over again." "You don't feel like running?" Roman asked. It had been a little over a month since they had managed to make Merrick disappear. He hadn't heard from Glinda, but he suspected that she was doing everything she could to try to save him from himself. That was what you did when you were in love with someone. It was
Forty-five:Nora Connolly Nora didn’t listen well. When you spent your time fending for yourself, listening to what others wanted was usually the last thing on your mind. Roman dressed hurriedly and was running down the stairs. Nora, who was becoming more comfortable with her magic, snapped her fingers and was dressed within seconds. She ran down the stairs with him. “Nora!” someone was screaming her name. It took her a second to register that it was Winter. And that was only because she saw her being levitated up in the air against her will. “Traitor!” this was shouted by Merrick. He was dressed all in black, his long coat swirling around him as wind filled the house, rattling it to its core. “Did you really think you could steal my power?” “Merrick!” a voice from behind him called. Nora turned and was startled to see Glinda standing there, a look of desperation in her eyes. “Merrick, stop this. This is not your destiny!” Me
Forty-fourRoman Eliot Potions took a long time to make. Which meant that there was at least two days for them to wait as it simmered. No one knew they were there yet so it was time to take an opportunity for them to lay low and figure out a plan. It also gave Roman a chance to connect with Nora again. “Are you still feeling good about this?” Roman asked. The two of them had found one of the rooms, and were staying in there. There were even some old clothes that they’d changed into. “Yes,” said Nora, “I think making Winter the High Priestess makes a lot of sense. She knows The Coven. I don’t. And I think…I think it will give her and Ares a chance to work through some things.” He smiled at her. “It’s nice to see you understanding how important mates are now.” She smiled back. “Well, it helps that I’ve got a pretty great one that comes calling whenever I’m in trouble.” The two of them had crawled into bed. The room they were in
Forty-threeNora Connolly She was going to help Winter take back The Night Coven. There was still a lot about magic that she didn’t understand. But she liked the idea of helping her cousin get what was rightfully hers. The Night Coven wasn’t her world. She’d stumbled into it by accident. Even though her family had been part of it, they had run from it. And she had to think that there was a reason for that. Still, she would do whatever it took to help get it back from Merrick. Nora stood in front of the grimoire, staring at it. It was an old book. With pages that had been weathered from time. The name Connolly was emblazoned on it in silver, with stars that surrounded it. She reached her hand out and let it hover over the top of it. “Are you okay?” Roman asked. Nora bit her lip. “I’m fine.” He was holding her right hand, and stroked it lightly. “You don’t sound fine.” “After everything that happened with my parents
Forty-twoRoman Eliot Roman stared. He knew ghosts existed but he had never seen one up close. Werewolves were more about keeping magic in line. Less about using it. Although since he was part warlock, he wasn’t entirely sure now if that were the case. What did a werewolf with magic do? More importantly, could a coven and a pack exist together? The idea of humans knowing about the Powerists was that it should have made life easier for people. Not bring more conflict to them. “Is that even possible?” Roman asked. “Witches and werewolves working together? I always thought we were supposed to keep them in line.” The old woman shook her head. “The idea was, when we revealed ourselves to the humans, that there was safety in numbers. If we could help each other, then there was less chance that they would try and hurt us. And by presenting a united front, together we could actually make progress happened. A lot of this stemmed from your mom, Roman. Elaine
Forty-one:Nora Connolly “I’m sorry, you want to what?” Winter looked at her completely baffled. “Swap my powers with you.” Winter tilted her head to the side. “You don’t want magic?” Nora shrugged. “What am I going to do with it? I mean, I barely know how to use it and I’m a werewolf’s mate. There’s no reason for me to have magic.” She was surprised when Winter looked at her with rage. “You have no idea what you’re talking about!” Nora raised an eyebrow. “I figured this would make you happy. I don’t want to be with Merrick, you don’t want to be with Ares. I’ll give you my power. This fixes everything.” She shook her head. “No. That power was given to you for a reason, Nora. You can’t just give it up. I know that you don’t want to be with Merrick, but being with the High Priest is an honorable thing. The Goddess wants you to work with Merrick to help the world.” “Then why was I mated to Rom
Forty:Roman Eliot Even though Roman was a werewolf, magic was something that he had never truly understood. Werewolves were about nature and instinct. Some aspects of their life were magic---like Endymion, the god of the moon that gave them their powers. But using magic itself wasn’t something that Roman had any clue about. That was why he went to Glinda. She was the one that could find lost things, or make a potion to cure a common cold, or enchant someone who was annoying him to get turned into a garden gnome or something else equally annoying. What he didn’t realize was how much weirdness went into it. At the moment, he was sitting in an empty room of The Stellarum. His mom was currently lighting candles, and smudging the room and there was some kind of circle of herbs around him like he was a chicken about to be cooked. After she had explained that Roman was part warlock, and related to The Night Coven, he had been dragged to the empty room by her. Then, t
Thirty-nine:Nora Connolly Nora didn’t know what she expected when she was at her grandmother’s house. Especially considering that she hadn’t known that there was a family home to begin with. Her memories of being a kid involved moving from city to city whenever something went wrong in her parent’s life. Although now that she thought of it, she couldn’t remember what it was that had gone wrong. “Ready to go in?” Winter asked. “This place has been vacant for years, and it only opens with blood magic from a direct descendant.” She looked up at the house again. It towered over them, a large, Victorian thing that was pink and black with rainbow glass windows. She didn’t think she would ever be ready when it came to facing her past. But there was no point in running from it. She was standing right in front of it. Even as she stood there, the houses magic made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Come in, come in, it seemed to whispe
Thirty-eight:Roman Eliot He tried to remember what he knew of his mom’s past. He knew that when she first found out she was his dad’s mate, she hadn’t bene happy about it. She’d been in love with someone else. He also knew that she came from some place in upstate New York and that her family hadn’t approved of the whole thing which was why they hadn’t seen them in ages. He knew his mother. But at the same time, he realized, he didn’t know his mother. He knew Elaine Eliot, the pack Luna. He couldn’t say anything about Elaine Eliot, the girl, or Elaine Eliot, the young woman. She had always been this fearsome force that he knew better than to make angry. “Are you going to knock?” Aion asked. He turned to glare at his friend. “Yes, I’m going to knock.” “Okay, because you haven’t done it. And you know that she’s the one that has the clue to finding Nora. Do you not want to find her?” “Of course, I want to find her!” he snarled.