Page 23 of Of Flame and Fate
Gemini rubs his jaw, chuckling as he straightens his SUV. “When did this happen?”
“Malaysia,” I say, laughing.
His grin fades as he inhales deep. “That wasn’t Tye,” he murmurs.
“What?” I turn around, but Emme’s found someplace else to look. I’m dying to know who she was with. I was certain it was Tye. But something about the way she curls inward makes me back off.
“Ah, so getting back to Destiny,” I say, unable to keep the worry from my tone. “Seeing how anyone who has ever opposed her kind dies in some tripped-out way, she should be safe. Between her powers and what history has shown, it’s like she’s impossible to kill.”
“But she’s not,” Gemini says. “It’s true that no one has ever succeeded in killing a Destiny. That doesn’t mean she can’t be killed. We can’t assume she’s safe nor can we abandon her without protection.”
“I suppose you’re right,” I say, thoughtfully, remembering the shifters and how they’re feeding the assassins their blood. Some prick could try and off her. Destiny, while not exactly normal, is very human, and God knows she has a heart.
I roll my shoulders when another wave of magic pushes through me. The defenses are similar to the ones surrounding our house and capable of blowing any threat to smithereens. But the ones around our house are welcoming since we’re a part of it.
Mate or not to the second in command, and sister-in-law to a pureblood Leader, my sisters and I still don’t feel welcomed, and these magic wards reflect their dislike.
I lean back into the comfortable leather seat, thinking matters through and trying to come to grips with it all. Normally, it takes forever to get up the mountain. Tonight it doesn’t take long enough. I hate what’s happening—the greed, the constant battle for supremacy that wages between “us” and “them”—there’s no end in sight, not even with the exorbitant amount of loss on both sides.
My eyesight sharpens and my nerves go on edge the moment the stone fortress that surrounds the Den comes into view. I don’t see theweresstalking in the shadows along the perimeter, but my body and magic sense their presence.
“They’re friendly,” Gemini assures me when he glances in my direction and catches sight of my eyes.
What he means is they’re part of the Pack. Friendly is a loose term around here and not one I’d ever use to describe awere. The fact that they’re prowling outside Den walls is indicative of their need to protect and readiness to kill.
I blink several times, trying to clear the unusual way my irises blanch when preternaturals draw too close. But it’s not until Gemini strokes his hand gingerly against my cheek that I finally settle. It’s not that I think thewereswould attack me unprovoked. It’s more that I recognize we’ll never quite fit in, regardless of how hard we try.
We reach the tall wrought iron gates at the main entrance. Slowly and gracefully they part, allowing us through and onto the hundred acres of land secured behind the fortress. As the tree line breaks further up the road, the sea of lush green grass that usually greets us by day opens to waves of inky black.
Each blade of grass glints with silver, illuminated by the full moon pushing through the cluster of clouds stretching across it. I expect the usual, youngweresin their beast forms racing along, their large paws indenting the thick sod as they practice tracking those who threaten the earth.
I never told Gemini how much I like watching the youngweres. Their energy during their lessons is a perfect blend of innocence and excitement, and the thrill of the hunt, that’s something altogether different. They want to be the good guys, and are enthusiastic about learning their duties. I don’t know another species like that, I suppose that’s why I have such a strong respect for them.
Tonight, that enthusiasm and innocence is gone, replaced by a sense of seriousness I wish they didn’t have to know so young. It’s no longer playtime, too much shit is going down. I catch traces of their eyes as Gemini careens forward, their large bodies huddled along the taller stalks of grass and slinking through the thick forest in silence.
“The kiddos are out late,” I say.
“They’ve been pulled for watch,” Gemini says. “Every student will be required to work in shifts for the next few weeks. Perhaps longer depending on what happens next.”
Even with all the magical booby-traps and protection spells the property has been saturated with, and the olderweresskulking outside the Den walls, it’s not enough. The Alliance isn’t taking any chances.
I only hope they don’t take any chances when it comes to Celia.
“Did you know?” I ask, my voice unusually quiet. “That any of this was coming?”
“We’re always suspicious when something occurs out of the ordinary,” he says, reaching for my hand. “And as a whole,werestend to be more paranoid, given what our species has been exposed to.” He kisses my hand. “But whatever doubts remained vanished following the assault against Genevieve.”
“And the attack against Uri was the final nail in the coffin,” I reason. “Seeing how high his rank and how insanely dangerous he is, I’m sure that put everyone on edge.”
“It did,” he agrees, his voice lowering as we pull into the main campus.
The Den originally resembled a fancy ski resort catering to those of lavish means. Since the war, and everything that happened in between, what originally was designed to be a school for werewolves expanded, becoming a safe haven forweresof all species
A large fountain at the center of the campus seamlessly joined the new buildings with the old, and small paved streets separate each block. I was worried when the expansion began that the area would lose its elegance and prestige. But thewerewho designed it wanted to stay true to the original vision, maintaining its beauty as well as its opulent reputation.
Three-story buildings, adorned with stone steps that lead to wraparound porches with stout granite pillars and outdoor fireplaces, line each row. The landscaping is subtle, not that it needs much. A few shrubs here, a tree there, and sculptures made from boulders and petrified wood strewn in between. Just as the vamps have their share of wealth so do theweres, and they’re not afraid to shine a spotlight on all they’ve accrued throughout the centuries.
Ordinarily, there aren’t many cars lining the streets. The majority of residents park in the underground garages that double as reinforced bunkers in case of an invasion. Tonight, a parade of Hummer limos and high-end cars that must have had a bitch of a time burning rubber up the steep mountain path hug the curb, their presence showcasing just how many have gathered seeking protection and adding to the heaviness drifting in the cool night air.