Chapter 13 Alaric
Alaric
Silence sat heavy on my shoulders. Arron and Jamieson had left an hour ago. Both of them heading home to their families. Loving families who cared about them and their safety. Unlike mine.
Dad’s message sat on my lock screen, unopened. The first few words told me all I needed to know.
The Lovecrafts’s daughter, Petronella, was two years older than me. She worked in an administration role at the Mage Council’s offices. We’d met a few times, and she seemed nice enough, if rather insipid. But personality didn’t matter to my father; it was her powerful bloodline he cared about.
Not as powerful as the Blake line, but close.
If he’d invited the Lovecrafts to dinner, he was pushing for a new engagement. I debated reminding him we hadn’t buried Kinara yet, but what was the point?
All he cared about was me siring an heir. A grandchild he could control and use to further his political ambitions.
Petronella Lovecraft was skilled in illusion magic, which was something my father could use to his advantage. If I went home this afternoon, I’d be married by Beltane, and likely a father by next winter solstice.
I shuddered at the thought.
The witch and her mate were still on campus. Her familiar had appeared on my window ledge ten minutes ago, chattered and swished his tails at me, and then vanished. I took it to mean he thought I needed to go to her.
Dammit, did I even have a choice? Letting the witch disappear on some foolish mission to find a long-lost vampire was dangerous as fuck.
Yes, the bear shifter could hold his own against potential threats.
As could the lunatic incubus. But what they probably hadn’t factored in was the unpredictable nature of the witch’s magic.
She had a habit of setting fire to things.
Without my guiding her, she might kill them all. And worse, land herself in the magical penitentiary, where my father would treat her like a lab rat.
I couldn’t let that happen.
Even if I wasn’t willing to accept the soul-bond, I refused to let her suffer the same fate as my mother.
With my mind made up, I grabbed my coat and overnight bag. The others might not want me joining them on this insane quest, but tough fucking shit.
“Your fourth mate is here, pet!” Zane yelled when he opened the door and saw me standing on the deck outside the bear’s cabin, my bag in hand.
“I’m not her fucking mate,” I hissed, glancing around to make sure nobody had heard him. I hated that fucking incubus. Not only was he a perverted douche, but he also gave no shits about running his mouth off. If my father’s spies overhead him calling me the witch’s mate, I’d be in big trouble.
“Sure thing, Fritz.”
I stared at him. What the fuck had he taken? “My name’s not Fritz.”
He shrugged. “You fry things with your lightning, which makes you Fritz.” He smirked. “If it makes you feel better, Maverick is care bear and fish boy is self-explanatory.”
“And what’s your nickname? Dick-for-brains?”
“Oh dear.” The incubus tutted while pulling a sad face.
“So little imagination. Poor Raven. Good thing she has me to spice things up in the bedroom or our poor little pet would die of boredom.” I clenched my fist, fully prepared to floor the bastard, but he stepped back out of range with a grin.
“I’ve changed my mind. Your nickname is vanilla popsicle. ”
“Zane! Behave!” Raven’s sweet voice washed over me like honey, soothing my frazzled nerve endings.
“Yes, pet.” He winked at me before pulling Raven in for a kiss. She squeaked in protest, but I sure as fuck didn’t miss her breathy little moan when he released her. The bastard smirked and sauntered back inside, leaving me hard as fucking stone, despite the subzero temperature out here.
“Um, I thought you’d left.” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. I took in her snug sweater that molded to her perfect tits and her tight jeans that hugged her perfect little ass. Bad idea. Luckily she didn’t look down as I moved my bag to cover the bulge in my pants.
I’d told her I was planning to leave the minute we returned from casting the location spell. And I had intended to do that.
But here I was, about to throw my life away for the sake of a witch who already had two, three, or maybe four mates.
I huffed out a sigh. “You’ll need my help on this stupid quest to find a vampire who is probably already dead.”
Her expression hardened. “If you think I’m wasting my time, you may as well go.”
She was wasting her time, but that was neither here nor there. Something prickled in my periphery, and I half turned to see my father’s brother walking toward the cabin, the witch he’d had at his side last night trotting along behind him.
Raven’s face froze. From the way the color drained from her cheeks, she looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.
The bear shifter materialized at her back without her saying a word.
The older mage scanned me from head to toe when he arrived. His expression remained bland, but I caught the undercurrent of tension emanating from him.
“Raven. Are you ready to leave?” he asked, ignoring me.
My brow furrowed in confusion. “How do you two know each other?”
“Adam’s my guardian,” Raven explained before she cocked her head in surprise. “Do you know him?”
“He’s my uncle.”
“Wait…what?” From the way her eyes widened in shock, she hadn’t known her guardian was my father’s brother. Understandable. Adam had been off the radar for so long I doubted anyone remembered Dad had a brother.
Adam waved his hand dismissively. “We don’t have time for fond family reunions. It’s time to go home, Raven.”
Maverick growled. “She told you last night she’s not going anywhere.”
Adam rolled his eyes while the witch with him sneered at the bear. I still wasn’t sure who she was to my uncle.
“Yes, yes. I accept she’s your mate, so you can come too.”
“How kind.” My uncle scowled at Maverick’s sarcastic riposte, but he didn’t try using magic on the shifter.
“Maverick works here at Starfall, so he can’t just leave,” Raven pointed out. “And besides, he’s not my only mate.” She gave my uncle the fakest smile I’d ever seen. “Great news, eh?”
“That’s impossible!” Adam spluttered with a frown. “Only shifters have more than one mate.” He turned slowly, acknowledging me for the first time. “Why are you here, Alaric?”
“He’s her mate too,” Zane piped up from behind Maverick. The bear rolled his eyes while Raven looked like she hoped the ground would swallow her up.
“The jury’s out on that one,” the bear muttered before whispering something in Raven’s ear. She stiffened her shoulders while refusing to look at me. Not that I blamed her. I’d done nothing to deserve the mate bond.
“Does your father know?” A vein throbbed in my uncle’s temple, and he seemed worried rather than disgusted. Probably because he knew exactly how badly my father would react.
“He is unaware,” I confirmed through gritted teeth. Adam exhaled in relief.
“It would be better for everyone if he didn’t find out,” he said. Like I didn’t already know that. I almost rolled my eyes but thought better of it. There seemed no point in pissing my uncle off, given we’d only just met. I needed all the allies I could get these days.
Did he know about my mom? I wanted to ask him, but now was not the time.
“I don’t plan on telling him.”
“Tiberius will find out eventually,” he warned. “My brother has spies everywhere.”
“I know.” Until Raven appeared and sent my life into freefall, I’d mostly ignored his creepy little acolytes, but since the soul-bond made itself known, I’d been careful to stay away from the likes of Demelza.
She was all too happy to pass on gossip to her father, who’d happily use it to curry favor with Dad.
“Look, Raven. If you come back with us now, we can discuss the ramifications of having multiple mates and organize visits once I’ve reinforced security around the farm.”
“I’m not going anywhere!” Goddess, the witch was stubborn. The way she stamped her little foot almost had me smiling.
Adam was less amused. “I’m trying to keep you safe, Raven!”
“We can keep her safe, mage.” I watched in fascination as fur sprouted on the bear’s arms and his tee stretched to breaking point. “I suggest you listen to my little mate. She’s no longer your responsibility.”
“She’ll always be my responsibility!” Adam’s eyes flashed in anger as he clenched his fists.
I wondered what his magic affinity was. Dad had fire and ice magic while I was a storm mage.
Adam was likely a double elemental mage as well since the goddess had blessed my grandfather with both fire and earth magic.
From the way the air heated around the mage, I guessed fire magic, but he could have other unusual talents like I did. The Vane family tree had many such anomalies.
Adam’s gaze softened as he focused on Raven. “I promised your mother I would protect you, sweetheart. Please come back with me.”
“Emotional blackmail,” Zane scoffed. “Nice.”
Raven looked torn, which tugged at my heartstrings despite my desire to keep my distance.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t.” Her lip wobbled as her eyes grew glassy with unshed tears. “I have my bear and…friends…now.”
Was she friend-zoning me? I wasn’t sure I liked that, even though I’d done everything to push her away.
Adam closed his eyes for a moment before nodding in resignation. “Promise you’ll contact me if you need help. Anything at all, Raven. I’ll always be there for you, no matter what.”
Adam hugged Raven before turning to me. “Be careful, Alaric. Your father is very single-minded in his ambitions.” An understatement if ever there was one.
“I am aware.”
He pushed a piece of paper into my hand. “This is my number. I’d like it if we stayed in touch.”
Meeting him yesterday had been a shock, but it was becoming clear my father’s brother was nothing like the monster who’d sired me. Thank fuck.
“Thank you. I’d like that.”
He nodded and patted me on the shoulder. “Make sure you keep Raven safe,” he said to all of us. Zane rolled his eyes while the bear chuffed irritably.
“That goes without question,” he said. “I would die for my mate.”
“Hopefully it won’t come to that,” Adam said with one final glower at the lot of us before he and the sour-faced witch left.
“Little mate, call your familiar. It’s time to go before the headmaster closes the wards to first-years.”
Raven nodded, and a few seconds later, her familiar appeared.
“Time to hit the road, fun crew!” Zane slapped me on the shoulder.
I resisted the urge to smite him with a lightning bolt.