Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
Shae’s List of Life Goals
7. Have lots of sex. Lots of good sex.
(Addendum: Maybe have all this awesome sex with a smoking hot Wolf Boy.)
Shae
There’s a strange buzzing noise in my ears and everything around me fades away as I try to process what my grandmother said.
On my shoulder, Haku flaps his wings and then nudges my chin with his head. “Master Shae? Are you okay?”
My body can’t stop trembling, and I let out a shaky breath that I didn’t realize I was holding.
My mother’s still alive? How can that even be possible?
Coral studies me with sad eyes. “I’m sorry this is such a shock. I thought you knew how death worked among our kind.” She shakes her head. “We should have realized how bad things were becoming when Bryce wouldn’t even let Tempest bring you to the Silverstorm Island to visit us after you were born.”
“We realize now that he wanted to erase our existence from your life,” my aunt adds, clenching her hands into fists in her lap.
A big, warm hand rubs circles on my back, and I lean into Griffin, not bothering to think about what my actions mean right now. All I know is that I need his warm steady presence to keep me grounded.
“If…” My voice cracks. “If my mother is still alive, she’s probably being held captive somewhere, much like I was.”
Coral frowns, anger sparking in her eyes. “You’re right. We must investigate your father and stepmother in greater depth, find anything that will give us a clue as to where Tempest could be.”
I turn my attention to Dallas. “Can you help us? If my mother’s still alive, then we need to find her and save her.”
“There’s no way Tempest would have abandoned her son,” Coral adds. “Not even for that worthless man who was unfortunately fated to be her mate.”
“We’ll put as many of our resources into investigating this case as possible,” Dallas agrees. He crosses his huge, muscular arms and strokes his beard in contemplation. “There’s a disturbing pattern here that I don’t want to ignore.” He turns his gaze to me. “If Margaret and your father have kept both you and your mother captive for so long, who’s to say they haven’t done it to others?”
I freeze, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.
There could be others?
Griffin whines low and anxious, obviously distressed by this idea.
Cal’s expression turns dark. “Dallas is right. No doubt they saw the potential to keep using vulnerable Otherkind to fulfill their own greedy desires.”
“Otherkind have many abilities and unique powers that humanity can never attain themselves,” Ruby adds softly. “The trafficking ring we’ve been investigating for months has opened a window into a grim underworld full of unscrupulous folks willing to enslave and exploit Otherkind for their rare abilities.”
Griffin growls deep in the back of his throat, his tail bristling in outrage.
For some reason, I reach out and stroke his thigh before giving it a gentle squeeze in a silent effort to help him calm down.
I realize my mistake when he stares at me with startled amber eyes and an open mouth.
“Uh—” I start to say.
Before I can figure out what to add to that, he busts out into that toothy grin of his, rocking the sinfully hot dimple I can’t ignore.
My cheeks warming, I yank my hand back and look away.
Gah! Get a grip, Shae!
Harper gets to his feet in a graceful movement that reminds me of a dancer. I don’t know if his fluid elegance is a characteristic of vampires in general or Harper in particular. He remains the most mysterious member of MEOW Squad for me, but I admire how composed he always seems to be.
He gifts my grandmother with a shallow bow. “Thank you for coming here and speaking with us. I believe our next course of action is quite clear, so I’m afraid I’m going to excuse myself while I begin working on tracking down every bit of information I can about Margaret and Bryce, starting with records of any real estate or other properties they own or manage. There’s no time to waste.”
Coral inclines her head in response. “Thank you for contacting us. We are so grateful for this long-awaited reunion. We thank you, and all your team, for saving my grandson.” She turns to Emma, who’s stayed silent the whole time. “Young Potion Master, we must express our deepest gratitude for the role you played in ensuring Shae could finally escape from that awful prison of Bryce’s making.”
Emma waves one hand as if to stop them. “Oh no, I hardly did anything. Honestly, I wish I could’ve done something much sooner.” Her shoulders slump and she flashes me a guilty look. “But I’m ashamed to say that I was scared to go against Margaret.”
Her words produce an unexpected twinge of pain in my chest. “Em, I don’t hold anything against you. You were stuck between a rock and a hard place. All that matters is that you risked your own safety and helped me in the end. I’ll owe you for the rest of my life.”
“Shae.” Her eyes glisten with tears.
Dallas stands and claps his hands together loudly. “Okay, MEOW Squad! We’ve got work to do. I think this is the perfect opportunity to let Shae talk alone with his family, so let’s adjourn to the planning room.” He turns a meaningful gaze at the reluctant Wolf Boy clinging to me. “That includes you, Griff.”
Griffin’s ears immediately droop along with his shoulders. “But…”
But the Bearkin stands firm. “I get how you feel, Griff, but you know this is what Shae and his family members need right now.”
I’m glad Dallas said something. Even though I’m a bit nervous to be on my own with them, I need to do this.
Griff turns his puppy-dog eyes on Dallas, but the big man remains unmoved, and my respect for him skyrockets. I know I couldn’t resist those eyes.
Biting his bottom lip, Griff turns to me and grasps both of my hands. He holds them up to his chest where I can feel his heart beating rapidly. “Don’t leave,” he whispers.
I blink at him. “What?”
“If they ask you to go with them, please don’t leave. Not yet.”
Fear and anxiety are written all over his face, and I don’t know what to do with this.
Before I can respond, he lets go and gets up to follow Dallas, his head bowed and his ears and tail drooping sadly as he exits the living room.
Coral chuckles softly. “Your mate is most amusing.”
I startle. “Wha… I mean, how could you tell?”
She arches a white eyebrow at me. “I can see the magical bond that ties you together.” She narrows her eyes. “I can also tell that you haven’t accepted the bond yet.”
“Oh, uh, well, we’ve only just met. And I don’t exactly have a positive opinion of the whole concept.”
She sighs. “Your mother’s situation was a terrible tragedy.”
“So you can see where my reluctance stems from.”
“I’m sorry that’s the only example you’ve witnessed, my child. In our sept, there are many loving fated-mate couples.” She shakes her head. “I’m sure finding your mate the moment you escaped from purgatory was the last thing you expected. But you’ll need to make a choice, and sooner rather than later.”
I swallow, my throat dry all of a sudden. “What do you mean?”
“It isn’t healthy for fated mates if either one does not accept their bond.” She turns her gaze out the window and toward the sea. “A fated mate is a rare and special gift, one that the magic of this world chooses for us. To accept and embrace that bond is to welcome that divine gift and all the good things that come with it.” Her countenance hardens. “But to reject the bond and spurn the sacred gift comes with consequences.”
I gulp. “What kind of consequences?”
Anemone breaks her silence. “The one who rejects a mate bond is often tainted and warped by that decision. It is like denying a fundamental part of oneself. Your father, for instance, was not always the horrible man that he is now. He was weak, yes, but he had the potential to become a better person. If he’d accepted the bond with my sister, things would have been very different for all of you.”
“A rejected bond attracts darker forces, ones that are drawn to whoever forsook the connection,” Coral explains. “Bryce’s mind and soul have been corrupted over time because of his actions, and he has become nothing short of monstrous.” She shakes her head. “There is no turning back for him now. Eventually, the darkness will consume him.”
“Wh-what about my mother?” I hold my breath, dreading her response.
Her smile is sad but understanding. “To my knowledge, she never rejected the bond between them, so the darkness will not gravitate toward her. Not having the bond fulfilled will mean a part of her and what she could have been will always be missing, but she can live a good and happy life among the sept even without Bryce.” She frowns. “No doubt your father’s betrayal started her on a process of letting go long ago, and once she learns of your treatment, she’ll never be able to forgive him.” Coral glances away, her countenance troubled. “I can only hope she hasn’t been broken by whatever hellish nightmare she’s been enduring all this time.”
Anemone tucks a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. “What Tempest truly needs is to be among her people. We can help heal her wounded heart and mind, but we must find her first.”
I swallow back a wave of nausea because I can’t imagine her circumstances for the last fifteen years have been any better than mine were.
Coral moves to take a seat beside me, then slowly reaches out to cup my cheek with one hand. I’m surprised to find that her soothing touch is one that I accept without hesitation.
Haku trills on my shoulder and starts to vocalize a wordless song in the back of his throat.
“Ah,” Coral says, “your drake remembers the Song of Homecoming.”
Anemone nods. “No doubt he misses singing the songs of his people back on the island.”
I tense at her words. While he’s rarely spoken about them, Haku still remembers and loves his kin back there. He’s been separated from them for far too long.
Coral strokes my cheek with her thumb. “My dear grandson, I am heartbroken for all the pain and suffering that you’ve endured. I would like you to come visit. We can provide the healing magic you need.”
“How?” Now I’m curious. What on earth could she mean?
She smiles. “Sirens have many different abilities. Within our sept, we have a Spirit-Healer with the power to mend the wounds of the mind and the soul. While your friends have been instrumental in getting you resources from the human world, I believe a visit to the place of your mother’s people would provide a deeper level of restorative treatment.”
“Even though I’m not a full siren?”
“Of course. The Spirit-Healer can use her powers on anyone with siren blood from our sept. Plus, I believe that being among your kin for the first time will speak to the side of yourself that your father and stepmother sought to control and contain.” Coral’s eyes glisten. “It will also give you time to get to know me and your aunt better.”
“Please let us do this for you,” Anemone adds in a soft voice. “Our failure to find you and protect you for so long weighs heavily on us. We want to help in the ways we can.”
What they’re suggesting sounds nice and all, but they are still strangers, and I have no idea what I’d be in for on an island full of sirens—not all of whom might be pleased to have me there.
Wolf Boy’s urgent plea from earlier also echoes in my mind.
“This is a lot to take in. I’m just not sure…” I trail off hesitantly.
Coral and Anemone look at one another before turning back to me.
“We’re not asking you to permanently relocate,” Coral says. “Not yet, at least. Just a short visit. A week, perhaps?”
The idea’s tempting. I’m intrigued to see what the sept’s like and learn more about my heritage. The Spirit-Healer I’m not so sure about, but I’m willing to meet with her.
I decide to voice my main concern. “I’ve never really had much interaction with sirens other than my mother and now both of you, so I don’t know how welcoming everyone will be to someone like me.”
“You are and always will be a member of our sept,” Coral replies.
Anemone nods. “The sept welcomes all those from our community bloodlines, as well as their mates and other loved ones.”
My curiosity is piqued but the prospect of going alone is rather daunting.
Griffin’s face flashes in my mind and I try not to groan at the obvious implication. This fated-mate nonsense is getting harder and harder to deny.
“Could… could I bring someone with me?”
Coral’s features soften in understanding. “You may certainly bring your mate. We would welcome him with open arms.”
I don’t even have to speculate. I know Griffin will say yes. In fact, I can already picture his bright smile if I ask. No doubt he’d be even more excited than me about visiting the island.
“We’ll come, but I’d like a few days to prepare if that’s all right.”
“Of course. We can work on making arrangements on our end during that time,” Coral says. Both she and my aunt beam at me with obvious pleasure.
As if signaling it’s done with all this talk, my stomach starts growling. We all laugh before hunting down the sushi that Harper promised for lunch so we can enjoy a meal together for the very first time.