Page 45 of Shadows of the Soul

Norbert and Hudson dropped the cubs inside the room and slammed the gate closed. The little terrors ran to the bars and growled, saliva dripping from their mouths.

Norbert scanned the room, found a wooden stool, collected it and placed it down in front of the bars.

“I’ll send someone down with food,” I said. “And a more comfortable chair.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Norbert said, settling himself on the stool. “And a good book, if I’m not putting you out.”

“Genre?” I asked as the rest of us started to exit.

“Oh, anything with a hero and a heroine. No sparkly vampires, but almost anything else.”

“You like fairy tales?” I asked, pausing with my foot on the steps.

“Who doesn’t? With mystery and a good old-fashioned love story, anything seems possible.”

“That it does, doc, that it does.”

***

Hudson and Dave finally left for their pack business. Sebastian was busy entertaining a princess. Rebecca kept watch over Aunt Liz, while Maggie kept the good doctor entertained with endless snacks and paperbacks.

That left me sitting on my sofa to ponder the shit storm in my room. The vines had grown thick; the sun was a mere blot of light through the windows. I contemplated cutting them down, but experience suggested they would grow back thicker and stronger. The magic fueling them possibly fed off the violence of their cut down. I needed to find their source, which meant finding the practitioner. I couldn’t read the living, which meant I needed a body. That was dark, wishing for death so I could solve my problems. It was a slippery slope I didn’t want to climb on. Which meant I needed help of the magical variety.

The orb of bright white light pulsed and expanded. I could no longer close the door and the walls had sustained cracks as they fought and lost the battle against the pressure. My options were limited; I could gather my aunts, fess up to my extracurricular activities and hope they didn’t murder me for my trespasses against the natural order. Alternatively, I could tell Hudson—I was starting to believe he would accept my genetics and support me—but I didn’t think there was anything he could do about the portal into heaven hanging out in my house. There was a third option—involve the head bitch. She had access to lore and researchers, which made my head spin. But the second she recognized me for what I was, I’d be dragged so deep into The Order’s archives, I wouldn’t see the sun again. I would be tested, experimented on, and ultimately killed.

My phone rang, disturbing the silence. I glanced at it. How the hell did she know? It was uncanny and a little creepy.

I hit the accept button with a sigh. “Grandmother,” I greeted.

“Cora, how is the relationship with The Principal proceeding?” The Principal, not Hudson. My grandmother wanted to know if I’d successfully whored myself out to the head honcho.

“He still lives in the stables. He helped to rescue Dayna, and I believe he is invested in my welfare.”

Silence stretched. I checked the phone to see if she was still on the line. Yup, still there.

“All of this,” she said. “I already know. Tell me what I don’t know.”

Indecision burned within me. She was asking me to leak pack secrets, like the explosion of wildies. It was a betrayal I wasn’t interested in committing. But I needed to give her something, something she would find out sooner or later, anyway.

“I slept with him,” I blurted.

My grandmother sighed. “Cora, the game is only afoot if he hasn’t already won the prize. I needed you to keep him interested.”

I bristled. “He remains interested.”

“Men like Hudson Abbott do not settle for a small town elemental. His mate will be a strong shifter, able to give him the offspring he sees in his future.”

I blinked. Someone else voicing my fears was like gasoline to my burning doubts. She laughed. The sound was bitter. “Did you honestly think that would be you, Cora? Oh my, you have a lot to learn.”

“Did you call for something, Grandmother?”

“We may as well strike while the iron is hot. There’s a ball you need to attend.”

I glanced at the wall as the fissure widened and tiny pieces of plaster dropped to the floor. “I’m kind of busy right now.”

“Nonsense. Whatever ailments the shifters have, they can wait.” I grimaced at her put down of my bread and butter earnings. “And Rebecca owes me for continuing to shield her - so she can run the guest house on your behalf for one evening.”

“How did the negotiations go?” I asked. I needed to judge if I had to hide Rebecca somewhere else.

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