Page 56 of Home to the Hollow

Sliding into the long drive next to the Cobra belonging to Boone, I turn the motor off. I’m not sure why Magpie called a meeting, but Lucy sounded worried. I’ve been busy with my practice because school is starting next week, so I haven’t been around as much as I would prefer. The influx of both normal patients and the special ones has consumed me—being the only doctor in town is rough this time of year.

Spring ismuchworse, but the beginning of the school year is a close second.

I worry about our magpie.

Being a teacher at WFHS is going to put her in the middle of several vicious circles, and I don’t want any of them to use a loophole to make her aware of things she doesn’t need to know until its time. My power tells me she’s getting closer, but the women in this town already have her in their sights because of the past. It’s a very thin tightrope to walk, and I hope Lucy and Boone will help me maintain the status quo as long as possible.

The thought of her being hurt bothers me more than I care to admit. Before I got assigned here, I tomcatted around Asia consulting for various communities of supes. I’d just graduated med school at State, and the Society felt I was best positioned to work with young emerging supes there because I attended secondary school in Japan. Traveling around to meet different species and struggling teens appealed to me, so I happily obliged.

I couldn’t turn down the assignment if I wanted to, but I’ve always appreciated that they used my talents for something positive. My kind has a long history of being placed in problematic positions because of our abilities. The suicide rate for my species is much higher than average, and my parents were both casualties of such an arrangement when I was a teenager.

Sighing, I shake my head to clear the threads of pain from my psyche. The past is the past, and dwelling on pain has solved nothing. True healing comes with acceptance of the good and the bad, and my assignment to Whistler’s Hollow was specifically to allow me to do so. Not because of my parents, but because of the young shifter I lost in China.

Guardians never get over losing a charge, and I suppose I haven’t, either.

I open the car door, swinging my long legs out to roll to my feet. The vintage gullwing Mercedes SL 300 fits me like a glove, and I paid more for it than my first house.

However, in this town, you stick out if you drive a normal car, and the Society wants us to blend in as much as possible. It keeps the illusion of being a cookie cutter rich Southern town when visitors float through for various reasons. We have to set expectations for the young possibles—to be one of us is to present a certain image to the world. It helps us stay hidden and survive.

At least, that’s how it is at Project Chimera HQ in America. The enclaves I visited in Asia had vastly different rules, and I assume it’s about respecting cultural norms. Whatever it takes to hide in plain sight, that’s what the Society aims for.

I walk up to my magpie’s door, hoping she doesn’t have bad news. Lucy’s grown quite fond of her, and I think they may have completed part of the bond. He won’t talk about it, and I understand why. He and Boone both had no choice, but they can’t run around blabbing about a process Jolene doesn’t understand. If it gets out, someone will tell her out of spite and ruin a deeply special thing for them.

Petty jealousy shouldn’t be how Magpie finds out that information.

“Prez!” Jolene says, throwing her arms around me as she opens the door before I can knock.

My brows furrow. She’s not this effusive normally, and I don’t smell alcohol. At least, not fresh booze anyway. Why is she so affectionate? Magpie gestures to the stairs, and turns to climb them, her ponytail bouncing behind her. If I wasn’t suspicious before, I am now.

“Not that I’m opposed to going to your nest, magpie, but I’m curious why a meeting with all three of us is being held there?” She stops on the stairs, giving me a blinding smile. Her green eyes dance with a fire I haven’t seen before, and her gaze hits me in the chest like a lead weight. My breath catches, and I just stare at her like a virgin in a strip club.

“We have things to discuss, McSteamy. Follow me and you’ll see,” Jolene smiles again and my heart damn near stops.

What is she doingto me?

Rubbing my chest, I ignore the source of my powers as it awakens. Whatever changes Magpie’s gone through, she’s not ready for the truth about all of us, and if Reiki takes control, there won’t be a choice.

I follow Jolene into the bedroom, my eyes seeking Lucy first. He gives me a surprised look when he feels how close Reiki is to the surface. His nature is less volatile than mine because it’s not singular, and he’s used to me having precision control. Edgar is pacing frenetically, and I don’t know what’s up his ass, but he needs to lock that shit down. He’s well known for losing control of his powers.

“I asked you to meet me here because we need to set some ground rules,” Jolene says. She’s twisting her fingers nervously, but her expression is determined. “I’ve never… well, I’ve done SOME of this before, but not like this. You’ll have to be patient with me.”

“Just talk to us, sugarplum. What has you in knots?”

That’s Lucy to a tee. He’s the antithesis of what everyone assumes his people to be, and I smile as he reaches his hand out to get our woman to settle on the bed next to him. As soon as she sits, it’s like all the tension ebbs out, and she clasps his hand.

“I want to define our situation. This is the first time since college that I’ve even considered having people in my life regularly—I mean, outside of Seer, which isn’t the same. That story is long and I’ll share it with you later, but it taught me to be guarded. So you three are the first people—male or female—to stay in my life for more than a night in years.”

Lucy looks taken aback, but I suspected as much. Our girl has struggled with things that should have been easy, and while it amused me to watch her hide it, this is a big step. Edgar crosses the room, dropping to a knee.

“Tell us what you need, drugar,” he murmurs as he looks up at her.

Thatwas unexpected. I almost feel like I should alert the press. The alpha of all alphas just kneeled in front of a woman he bullied out of town fourteen years ago. I’d need pictures to prove this happened if I told anyone. “I agree. We need to know what you want, Jolene.”

Her lips curve into a pout as I use her real name. “This is hard for me. It requires trust I’m not sure I’m capable of, and vulnerability I never show. But… I want this,” she gestures at us awkwardly, “to work. I want all of you, and I won’t settle for less. I don’tknowwhy, because I haven’t wanted anyone to stay around since Trevor. I’ve been happy taking what I need and moving on. The thought of anyone touchinganyof you has my gut twisted into knots, though.”

“Sugarplum, you know what I told you at the farm,” Lucy says, squeezing her hand before bringing it to his lips. “I’m yours.” I arch a brow, and he chuckles. “And Prez’, of course.”

Boone nods, taking her other hand in his. “Drugar, I told you yesterday how I felt.”

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