Page 30 of Bitten

Yet there was a sense fate had brought all five into the city.

No matter how many times they wiped the humans’ memories and sent them on their way, the humans just kept returning for some reason.

“Of course, your mates want them here. Reese desires his friends close,” the king spat. “If I were in his shoes—and just found out beings like us are real and live inside a hidden city—I think I’d want my friends close, too.”

Theis nodded. “All three are starting to get what they keep calling cabin fever. Reese assures me it’s benign and not a true illness. Something about being indoors too long.”

The king turned to Noah. “What are your thoughts on the matter?”

It didn’t escape Theis’ attention that the king was including his mates’ input into his decisions. The King of Midnight wasn’t one for sharing. Theis had to smile at the change in his king already. It was clear the monarch held his mates’ ideas in high regard.

“The five arrived for a reason,” Noah said. “Reese proved to be Theis and Colm’s mate. Hart was a natural witch, and ended up being bound to Solomon and Garret. The other three wouldn’t have been able to board that train unless their fates brought them here for some reason.”

“I concur,” Theis said. “They’ve given me no reason to suspect they’d be a threat to the city.”

“We don’t allow unmated humans inside our walls. We never have before, and allowing them to stay sets a dangerous precedent,” the king said before sighing. “Another dangerous precedent.It never ends.”

“Have you banished humans before?” Noah asked.

“It’s rare, but occasionally there are some who’ve shown up like these five did. Unannounced and without knowledge of what led them here,” Theis said. “Although we’ve never seen quite as large a group as this, not of my knowledge.”

“Perhaps it’s time you start reconsidering their status. Set a new precedent. If there have been others, then these humans likely feel the pull of the magic of this place. They aren’t drawn out to the middle of nowhere for no good reason,” Noah said.

“I’ll have to agree with our king,” Eilam said. “The streets of this city are dangerous enough for the beings here. Without a mate’s protection, humans would be easy targets. And that’s assuming they are mates. We don’t know what they are… so bringing unknown entities into the city right now isn’t wise. We have our hands full enough as it is.”

“Look at Bear Mountain and the inn,” Noah said to Eilam. “It was established to be a beacon. A place for humans to come closer to our world and for our people to potentially find our mates. Human mates seem to be drawn to the places where their mates are. Perhaps we need something like that here. A waystation of sorts—a place where humans who come can be protected just outside the city.”

“That’s not a half-bad idea,” Eilam said. “A small inn near the entry where humans can stay if they happen to arrive near Midnight.”

“I’m not opposed to developing that idea further,” the king said. “But that doesn’t help us now.”

“You could build it in a matter of moments,” Noah said.

“It’s the human world. I have to be much more careful about using my magic outside the city. It’s a lot of work—humans have so much red tape when it comes to land and permits and whatever else their bureaucracies need.” The king walked closer to Noah and wrapped his arms about the shifter’s waist. “The amount of magic I’d need would exhaust me—and we’re not in a place where I can be exhausted. Once the vampire threat is calmed—then we can discuss it again.”

“True,” Noah said. “So that leaves us back at the main question. Do we wipe their minds for a third time and send them on their way? Each time we’ve done that so far, they’ve managed to find their way back—without the memories of this place. We can’t continue to play with their minds. There could be lasting effects we’re not aware of.”

“What do you suggest, my Sergeant-at-Arms?” the king asked Noah. “As Theis said, we can’t continue to imprison them. If we can’t let them go, what do we do?”

“We either release them into their own world without wiping their memory or we find them temporary guardians inside the city,” Noah said. “Until they find their mates.”

“Releasing them into the human world without wiping Midnight from their minds is unacceptable. I won’t further endanger my subjects,” the king said. He paused, looking thoughtful. “Guardians? They would be with the humans at all times?”

Eilam shrugged. “Pairs would be better. Already mated pairs. They can offer a space for them to sleep and then protection when the humans go out into the city. Escorts, to a point, helping the men get from point A to point B without harm. It would give our visitors some sense of freedom to explore the city and make it feel less like a prison.”

“And give us the opportunity to see where their fates lie. We only allow them temporary shelter. Say—a six-month VISA—as we give other species,” Noah said. “We often demand short-term visitors have a sponsor within the city, so it wouldn’t be so different than what we ask of others.”

“It’s not ideal, but it could work,” Theis said. “One could remain with us. We’d only need to find two more pairs.”

“Hart’s mates could potentially be the second,” Noah said.

“I will agree to this—as long as the humans agree to stay with their protectors.” The king said. “If they refuse, our only alternative is to wipe their minds and send them on their way. They will be told the dangers and can choose for themselves.”

“We shall make it happen,” Noah said, nodding to Eilam and Theis.

“Good. That’s settled. Now, we craft a way to spin the story of my uncle returning to the castle so we control the narrative. If the vampires are behind this, I won’t allow those creatures to bring my rule to an end.”

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