Page 25 of Truth

I closed my eyes, cursing all the fates as I tried to stifle the urge. “You can not close your eyes when doing magic, Kitten. It leaves you open and vulnerable.”

Well, I’m definitely open. I opened my eyes, “Sorry.”

“Widen your legs.” Michelle snorted at Lenin’s command and I glared at her direction. His palm brushed my inner thigh as he adjusted my stance, “Good. Now I want you to think of the energy around you and pull it. Wrap it around you. Blanket yourself in it.”

I pulled, nothing happened. I nudged, nothing. I sent out a plea to the universe around me and asked for some help, nothing. “I can’t do it.”

“You can.” His palm laid against my stomach, “Ask it to come to you, concentrate on this spot.” With his warm palm touching me, it was nearly impossible to concentrate on anything but that spot. Still, I concentrated on what he was asking me to do, and though at first I felt nothing, a slow warmth began to build. “You are doing it, Little Kitten.”

His voice was proud as he spoke to me with praise. “What do I do now?”

He removed his hand, and I felt the instant loss, “Find a target point, think of what you desire and expel the energy from your body.”

As it turned out, the instructions were easier said than done. I spent hours outside, only to conjure up a few sparks and fizzles. There had to be other elements from which I could drive my power, but I hadn’t figured those out just yet. Instead, I did what he said repeatedly, each time consuming more and more of my energy until I felt like I could barely lift my own limbs.

“We will continue tomorrow.” He announced, “You did well. Tomorrow we shall start with herbs. Simple magic. Protections.”

Simple. Yeah, fucking right. This magic right here was supposed to be simple, and Oak and I were barely hanging on. Michelle seemed to fare a little better, the damn whore. “I might be dead by tomorrow.”

Lenin looked concerned, “My protection is strong and so are your men, no harm will come for you.”

Sometimes I wanted to pat him on the head like one would do a puppy. “It was a joke.”

His brows pulled together. “A joke. Because your body is overexerted with exhaustion?”

“Yeah. That.” I sighed.

Lenin nodded once, “Then I will bring you tea.”

Tea. Because I’m sure that’s going to help and make all the difference between life and death. He turned on his heels, walking long strides toward the house. He was almost to the door when I shouted, “And send out Ellis!”

“Ellis? What do you need him for?” Oak groaned as he lifted an arm to scratch his neck.

“I do not want to walk back to my room. I’d rather be carried.”

Oak made a sound of consideration, before shouting to Lenin, “And Sterling!”

“Sterling? What do you want him for?”

“In case someone needs to drag me into the building.”

We both groaned as our bodies crumbled to the grass covered ground, our limbs falling into a tangled mess together. I sighed, the sound disappearing into his chest. “Fair enough, vampire. Fair enough.”

Chapter 13

LENIN

I passedthe vampires Sterling and Ellis and sent them outside to help our mate before carrying on to the kitchen to put a kettle of water on the stove for tea. My mate made me proud, and her Oak didn’t do so bad himself. For someone who had never grown up around the possibility of magic and paranormal beings, she was strong in her desire to accept and learn, despite her meltdown.

I, however, did not lie. I saw the truth. I could feel it when she was near. Her genetics are shifting, altering, adapting. The child she would bear would be phenomenal like her mother, and strong like her fathers, and I for one could not wait.

I had just taken my herbs out of my satchel when my mate and his friend walked in. His friend's back instantly straightened, his eyes assessing as he looked toward me, waiting to find out if I was a threat. He seemed like a good protector, a good friend.

When Justice’s eyes met mine, he froze and cleared his throat. “Horo, this is Lenin. The man they call Truth.”

The smaller wolf’s eyes widened, “You found him?”

Obviously they did, as I am standing in front of him, but maybe the small wolf’s eyes are not that strong. “I am standing here, so they did locate my home.”