Page 33 of Bitter Discord

We waited as the two cars parked. The first was a gorgeous woman gliding as she walked. It was unclear who she was or where she was from. I had sent out plenty of invites, but not all the RSVPs I was sent back had the names I put on them or names at all, so I didn’t know this woman or have the ability to place her. I hadn’t recognized Coyotl, so I was hoping I would hear her name and know more.

The second was a man, European, most likely Irish, based on his complexion, freckles, and hair. He didn’t glide. He stalked, a predator looking for a meal or on guard for a fight to break out. He threw a glare at the other werecat, then one at me and Zuri in the door.

The woman reached the door first.

“I go by Marcia, now. I am daughter of Tezcatlipoca,” she said, holding herself regally, much like Zuri often did. She had what I could only guess was a Spanish accent or something similar.

“I go by Zuri, now. I am daughter of Hasan,” Zuri said, greeting her before I could. Something was different with this introduction. Not only the wording but it was the largest indicator of what was strange.

“Yes, I know you’re both daughters of the man who thinks he’s a god among werecats,” Marcia said softly, as if we were beneath her in some way.

“He doesn’t believe he’s a god or anything of the sort. He certainly doesn’t claim to be the child of one. Once, we sat at a campfire together when my twin and I were very young. He told us the story of the time he had met a god.”

“Really?” Marcia raised an eyebrow.

“He was left unimpressed,” Zuri finished. “Borna werecat, I knew how to smell a lie before I could walk. He wasn’t lying.”

Marcia hissed but smiled.

“And you wonder, cousin, why you have no friends.” She turned to me. “Jacqueline, daughter of Hasan.Rebelde.” She walked past me, promptly dismissing me after saying my name and not shaking my hand. “I will find my own way.”

“It’s in the basement. Don’t find your own way anywhere else,” Zuri ordered.

“Holy shit, Zuri,” I hissed, knowing we still had a greeting to do. “Cousin?”

Zuri shook her head again.

I stepped up to greet the man slowly coming to the door. His eyes were already werecat, his pupils thin slivers in the light of day.

“Well, that was entertaining,” he said with a nasty look. “Lonan, son of Nevin. I live outside of Phoenix.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, putting my hand forward. “Jacqueline, daughter of—”

“Yeah, I know who you are,” he spat. “Ask me if I care. I’m not going to touch a werewolf-fucker,” he growled, looking at my hand.

I let it drop, refusing to show my fury or embarrassment.

“If you’re here to do violence, leave now,” Zuri ordered, keeping her cool as she put herself shoulder to shoulder with me, filling the door. “This city belongs to our family. Any act of aggression will be met with force.”

“I have a lot of respect for your family, Zuri, daughter of Hasan. I have no respect for her. I’m here to make sure better heads in your family know her shit needs to be stopped. I’m not going to kill her. I just don’t want to touch her.”

“Basement,” I ordered, moving out of the way. I had known some were coming with that idea and would be hostile. I had signed up for this.

He nodded and walked between us when Zuri moved as well. There was no one else yet, so I took the chance to close the door.

“Do we offer them refreshments?” I asked.

“Is there anything downstairs for them to use on their own?” she countered.

“Yeah, a breakroom with a fridge and mini bar, both fully stocked.” I sighed. “Might smell a little like werewolves.”

“Of course, and they’ll have to tolerate it.” Zuri rubbed her forehead. “Quick history lesson. Please don’t interrupt. I can tell you more later. I have had three sons. One from Change, a human boy I adopted but never opted to Change, and baby Amir. You know the one I had to kill, my Changed son. Seye was the son of my middle son. When his father was on his death bed from old age, Seye demanded I save him. I said no.”

“Holy shit.”

“I adopted a wonderful boy, saw him into adulthood, saw his life fulfilled, and was happy for him. I have no regrets about that son. Willneverhave regrets. Like Mischa, I don’t talk of him frequently only because he’s gone, and it was a very long time ago. Unlike her, I did a better job accepting it. Seye… ran off to become a werecat. Back then, old age was only about fifty, if they were lucky. Seye was only in his twenties. He came back a decade later and tried to kill me. I defeated him but let him live. We were fine for a time, not quite sure how to deal with each other… until he demanded I involve myself in the human slave trade.”

“And you said no.”

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