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“I spoke to Anita last night. Her sister found her. Even though her sister swore she wouldn't lead her parents there, Anita's freaked out. The rest of us are going to meet up at a new location to discuss things. We decided to shut down the website for now. This scattering approach hasn’t worked, so we think we're better off together. Strength in numbers and all that. I told her a little about you. We think it could be beneficial for you to join us.”
Onyx was uncomfortable knowing Kipp had discussed her with someone she didn't know. How much information had he given her, and could it lead the Edmunds to her? Or now that she knew more about things, could it lead someone worse right to her? She said a small prayer of thanks that she hadn't told Kipp anything about where Cole lived. It was a good cue to be mindful of how much information she shared about her life. She had never openly stated Cole had been her professor. For the time being, the less he knew about the both of them, the better. Having the Edmunds betray her trust had given Onyx a new, less trusting outlook on life.
“What happened?” Onyx wasn't sure what he meant by “found.”
“Posey begged her to come home. It seems her parents now say she doesn't have to mate with anyone if she doesn't want to. They are open to the possibility of Anita mating with me.” Kipp wrinkled his nose. Even though he professed strong feelings for Anita, it was obvious the outdated term offended him.
Onyx suspected it was a ruse. Would the Edmunds have eventually come to their senses and accepted that she and Denny were not going to get together? Not bloody likely considering what they had done to Bessie. That didn't mean every werecat in the world was just as crazy and bloodthirsty.
“What did she decide?” Onyx asked.
His pained expression told Onyx he didn't like Anita's decision. “She's considering meeting up with her sister.”
Onyx figured this girl must not have much of a backbone, but she kept her opinion to herself.
Kipp sensed the disgust in her expression, because his voice was sounded defensive. “She's very close to her older sister, Posey. She misses her...and there are other issues.”
Onyx felt like a jerk. How many times had she wished for a sister or brother to share things with? Being separated like that must be terrible. She was proud of herself for not prying into the “other issues.”
It turned out they weren't able to get on the same flight as Kipp. Cole and Onyx flew back home and promised to drive the hour north to the hideaway the rebel cats were staying in within the next few days. At their last meeting in Rome, Kipp all but begged Cole to work on a protection spell. For reasons Onyx didn't understand, Cole seemed reluctant. At the last moment, he agreed and loaded some extra magical supplies into the car.
Chapter Seven
As they drove down the sleepy, tree-lined street, Onyx thought things looked ordinary enough. Nothing about the house shouted, “Hey, shifters are hiding out here!” but even to her, the magical energy roiling off the building was palpable from half a block away.
“Good thing I brought supplies. They need to cloak this place before they're discovered,” Cole muttered. He smoothly slid the car into the driveway and came to a stop. Onyx stretched and stepped out of the car. Kipp bounded down the stairs to greet her, embracing her in a generous hug.
“I'm so glad to see you!”
Startled by his outburst of affection, Onyx nodded. Knowing how Cole felt about Kipp made her uncomfortable in his arms. She gently extracted herself as Cole came around the back of the car. Ever the gentleman, Cole hid any irritation he might have been feeling and shook Kipp's outstretched hand.
“My man, Cole! Good to see you, buddy.”
Cole raised an eyebrow. When Kipp turned to show them into the house, Cole looked at her and mouthed “buddy?” Onyx gave him a playful shove toward the door.
All levity disappeared as soon as they entered the house. The tension was thick. Weak light filtered through the heavy drapes. Two women who looked to be about Onyx's age and two guys sat around a kitchen table talking in hushed voices. The guys also appeared to be within a few years of Onyx's age. Only one of them looked up as they approached. She stood up and walked over to put her arm around Kipp. She had to be Anita.
Onyx studied Kipp's girlfriend for a moment. She was pretty but had a hard look to her face. Onyx wondered if it had always been there or if the stress of being on the run had done it. Anita was dressed very casual, which made sense. Kipp said they spent most of their time lounging around the house. Her jeans and bright green T-shirt fit her narrow figure snugly. Anita's black hair was cut in a short, blunt style that emphasized her high, sharp cheekbones. While Onyx assessed what felt more and more like the competition, Anita tilted her head and looked at Onyx, skepticism etched in her features.
Uncomfortable with the silent assessment Anita was making, even though she was guilty of doing the same thing, Onyx cleared her throat.
“Shoot. Anita, this is Onyx Knight and her boyfriend, Cole. Nyx, this here is the love of my life, Anita Holiday.” He planted a kiss on Anita's cheek, and some of her icy exterior seemed to melt away. She gestured to the kitchen and offered them a drink.
“Water is fine,” Onyx answered.
After everyone's hydration needs were taken care of, and the small talk was out of the way, they got down to business. Cole and Onyx joined the others at the kitchen table.
Kipp remained standing a few inches behind and to the left of his girlfriend's chair. Anita pointed at the others and rattled off their names in quick succession. “Martha, Molly, Oscar, and Deacon.” Deacon was the only one who stuck out a hand. Molly gave her a bright smile. Martha lifted a hand in a half-hearted wave. Oscar looked up from his computer screen and nodded.
Not one to waste time, Cole started the discussion. “You have to do something to cloak this place. I could smell the magic from quite a distance. Any magic-maker or shifter will easily be able to detect you.”
Anita narrowed her eyes and regarded him for a moment before answering, “What do you suggest, wizard?”
Cole ignored her sarcastic tone. “I can do a protection spell, but all of you need to be here when I do it. Is anyone else staying here on a regular basis?”
Anita turned to look at Kipp before answering, “No.”
Cole eyed both of them coolly. “You're sure?” Onyx knew he was worried the spell wouldn't work if they were keeping secrets.
Kipp shifted from foot to foot and looked down at Anita. “Well, her sister, Posey, keeps saying she's going to come stay with us, but we haven't seen her yet.”
Anita didn't seem to appreciate the revelation. What the hell was that about? When they were in Italy, Kipp had said Anita was going to meet up with her sister. Now all of a sudden she was inviting her sister here when they weren't sure where the sister's loyalties were? Here Cole was trying to help them, and they were hiding stuff from him already, possibly putting all of them in danger.
“Look, we can just go back home if you guys don't need his help.” Onyx slipped her arm around Cole's waist. He shifted against her to let her know he appreciated the support.
“No, please don't go.” Kipp sounded genuinely concerned.
Anita made a slashing motion with her hand. “You need us as much as we need your boyfriend, Onyx.” Martha and Molly nodded but didn't say anything. Deacon shifted in his chair and took a sip of coffee. Onyx was pretty sure she saw Oscar roll his eyes.
Curiosity piqued, Onyx asked, “Is that so?”
“Well, you're new. I bet you have trouble controlling your urge to shift. We can help with that. You need to be around your own kind.” Anita cast a disparaging look in Cole's direction.
Onyx bristled at Anita’s open hostility toward Cole. Then she remembered the itching and tingling sensations that had danced through her hands in Rome. It alarmed her how close she’d been to losing control and shifting on the spot. To make matters worse, it wasn't the first time. The ramifications of an unplanned shift out in the open would be horrendous. May
be there Anita’s words held truth.
“You might be right,” Onyx responded in a neutral tone.
Anita gave her a haughty smile. Onyx heard Cole sigh rather audibly next to her.
“I know I'm right. I've been doing this longer. I've known about this longer.”
Onyx clenched her fist under the table in an effort not to slap the smugness right out of Anita.
Apparently sensing the tension, Kipp interjected, “Anita's father is the Alpha of our group.”
“Was. Most likely, they stripped him of his duties when I fled.” Anita cast a pointed look in Kipp's direction. She seemed to place a majority of the blame for their predicament on Kipp, which seemed unfair. Onyx's dislike for Anita continued to grow in leaps and bounds.
For now, she needed to play nice. “You're right. I haven't even known about this for a year yet.”
Anita nodded. “You need us.” She jerked her head in Cole's direction. “Being around him all the time isn't healthy for you, although I can see why you'd want to be.” She punctuated the come-on with a raised eyebrow. Onyx growled low in her throat, and Anita shrugged.
Cole spoke up, “Well now that everyone's uncomfortable, can we get to the cloaking spell? The longer you guys are unprotected, the longer you're in danger.”
With those words, some of the tension seemed to dissipate. The group gave the impression they were relieved to have something else to do. While Anita walked Cole through the house, Kipp moved into the chair next to her.
“I'm sorry. Anita is shaken up by all of this. She's really very sweet.”
“I'm sure she is.” Onyx tried to be gracious.
“Her parents prepared her for this long ago. She couldn't wait to turn twenty so she could shift.”
Onyx was shocked. “Did you know too?”
Kipp looked away, suddenly shy. “Yes. I found out when I was a kid. Snooping. I never told anyone I knew about it until Anita and I started seeing each other. Her parents have been preparing her to take over our clowder since she was little. They never told her she would have to mate with this guy, Barry. Maybe if they had, things would have turned out different.”
Onyx took a minute to ponder that. Finally, she asked, “What about you? Who were you supposed to mate with?”
“Me? It didn't matter. My family is far down the social ladder.” He snorted. “Only the top kittens have mates arranged for them.”
“Oh.” Stating it that way made Onyx uncomfortable for a reason she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Cole chose that moment to finish the tour and come find Onyx. “I'm going to have everyone move into the living room for the next part.”
Deacon frowned. “Is whatever spell you're about to do going to trigger us to change?”
Cole tossed his head back in surprise. “No. I don't think so.”
“My parents always warned me to stay away from magic-makers because they could trigger an unwanted change.” Deacon ran a hand through his hair and looked down at his sneakers. Oscar shook his head and shrugged. Onyx got the impression he didn't take anything too seriously. They could all use a little bit of that right now.
“I suppose it's possible, but I've never had it happen to me before,” Cole answered.
“I've been with Cole for the better part of a year and...” Onyx trailed off. Was Cole the reason she sometimes felt she couldn't control her urge to shift? She thought back over the times the impulses had hit her. Except for the last time, she had been on her own for each incident. “He's never initiated an unwanted shift.”
With a turn of his head, Cole regarded her carefully before speaking. “I think it will be fine.”
Something was up. That long pause Onyx gave when trying to reassure Deacon did not sit well with Cole. Was she holding something back from him? He thought they talked about everything, but something was clearly bothering her, and she had never told him about it. He watched her speaking with Molly for a moment. He'd definitely need to ask her about this later. Right now, he had a task to do. It was imperative that he set the thoughts aside to discuss when they were in private. Concentrating on the ritual at hand was most important. With deep breaths, he began to clear his mind and center himself. The first part of the ritual called for him to walk the entire house. He asked the shifters to wait downstairs in one spot while he completed the work.
When he made his way back downstairs, Anita waited for him, arms crossed over her chest. “Well, wizard?” The negativity jarred him.
This had to end now. Anita's bad energy was going to weaken the spell. “What's your issue, Anita?”
The direct approach seemed to deflate her. She looked down at her feet. “You know as well as I do that shifters and magic-makers have never been allies.”
Cole chose his words with caution. “I wouldn't say never. There have been short-lived alliances in the past.”
She raised one delicately shaped eyebrow. “Really?”
“Here and there, yes. Some have even managed friendships.”
The revelation had a dramatic impact on her attitude. “Onyx obviously trusts you.” She phrased it more like a question.
“Yes. I love her very much.”
Anita dropped her arms to her side. “I was worried Kipp had a thing for her. He's talked about her nonstop since he got back from Rome. But I feel better now that you're here.”
Cole wasn't sure what to say to that. He was guilty of the same thoughts. He waved a hand toward the living room. “Can we get on with it now?”
It was clear from the slight scowl on her face Anita liked to be in charge, and she didn't appreciate being bossed around by an outsider. However, she acquiesced with a nod of her head and entered the living room. Cole waited a moment before following. He tipped his head up at the ceiling. “Goddess, give me strength.”
Molly was a doll. Onyx couldn't fathom why Kipp would choose Anita over her. Once she loosened up, she was quite witty. Onyx tamped down a slight jealousy of Molly's rose-gold hair and clear blue eyes. Almost like fire and water contained inside one person, with a personality to match. It didn't take her long to realize that Oscar was also enamored of Molly's good looks. It appeared there was at least one thing in life he took seriously. Even though he didn't add a lot to their conversation, his eyes never strayed far from Molly.
Molly and Onyx were giggling together on the couch when Anita re-entered the room. She took a seat next to Kipp and placed a hand on his thigh in a possessive gesture. With a sharp look and brittle smile, she nodded at Onyx. Martha and Deacon made their way over to the rest of the group. Martha smoothed her hands over her skirt before sitting down. Deacon sat next to her and pulled her to his side.
Cole clapped his hands together, startling the group. None of them had heard him enter the room. He noisily rubbed them together before declaring it was time to begin.
“I need everyone to relax and take deep breaths. It would be helpful if you all sat together and held hands, or touched in some way.” He nodded at Deacon and Martha with a smile.
Molly reached out and took Onyx's hand. Onyx reached over and squeezed Oscar's hand and nodded at Cole. When Cole began chanting, Onyx leaned back against the soft cushions of the sofa and closed her eyes. She sensed Molly do the same next to her. Something about Cole's words sent her into a trance. The soothing scent of incense filled the air. Before she knew it, she was running.
The sensation of the cool earth under her paws was exhilarating. Her muscles flexed and stretched as she scurried through the outdoors. Not out of fear, just for the sheer pleasure of running. Soft paws sounded next to her, and she looked over to see Kipp. She couldn't understand him but was comforted by his presence. They sprinted side-by-side into tall grass. The rough blades whispered against her fur, swooshing as she parted and dashed through with no sound. They were stealthy, moving with purpose.
Once the haze parted, Onyx realized she was back in the living room. She must have fallen asleep. She looked around at the other weres. Everyone else s
eemed to be waking, as well. Her gaze collided with Kipp's. Kipp maintained the eye contact and gave her a strange look. Why on Earth had Onyx dreamed about Kipp and not Cole? The dream left her feeling unsettled.
Anita's sharp tone cut through the fog. She jumped up and jabbed her finger in Cole's chest. “What the hell did you do to us, wizard?”
Onyx admired how nothing ever flustered Cole. He calmly pushed Anita's hand away. “It was the protection spell. There was no malevolence intended. Now nothing that means to cause harm to the group can pass that threshold.” Cole pointed at the front door.
“Like hell,” Anita spat. She turned and stormed out the front door, slamming it violently behind her.
Molly rubbed her hands together and smiled. “Well, Cole, I don't know what you did, but I feel wonderful.”
Cole nodded as if that had been the intended effect.
Deacon and Martha were slower to wake. They looked at each other and blushed. Onyx wondered where there dream journey had taken them. Cole looked away and cleared his throat. “Onyx, you okay?”
She wet her lips before answering, “Yes.”
Without calling attention to themselves, Deacon and Martha slipped away from the group and headed up the stairs. Onyx watched them and snickered.
She caught Cole's eye and raised one eyebrow, then chuckled softly as one corner of his mouth quirked up in response.
Molly left the room for a glass of water, thanking Cole on her way out.
Onyx stretched and flexed her muscles, realizing her mind not only felt calmer, but her body felt stronger as well. Cole wandered away to collect his tools and finish sealing the spell.
The couch cushion bounced under her butt as Kipp flung himself next to her. “I'm sorry about Anita. This whole thing has her so stressed out. She's never rebelled in her life. She was spoiled rotten by her parents.”
“Gee, I never would have guessed.”
