Jacinth was holding her sides. “And Douglas!" she wailed. "They are simply going todie!”
Alyssa grinned at her friends in sympathy, but went on. “Damien does ask, however, that suitable daytime accommodations be found. The clan in New York City is large, but that's too far away for them to safely commute back and forth.”
"Of course," Maroulla declared crisply, jotting something down. "I'll speak with Paul, who runs the construction crew, and check which buildings he knows about that could work for us, then handle any renovations we need to make."
Harper was still catching her breath, her heart racing with a mix of awe and disbelief. Vampires? Seriously? Vampires! Ofcourse she knew they existed, but no one ever saw them, not even other paranormals. They kept to strictly themselves, and never -never!- got involved with those outside their kind.
Joe drew their focus as he spoke. "On that topic, Paul and I have already discussed this in detail. He's open to revealing himself, though he thinks we might want to take it step by step, on the local level. His suggestion is to let Katerina and Kester make the initial announcement, give everyone time to process that for few weeks, before he steps forward along with Lydia and Alex."
"That would give Ethan and Kelly a bit of time to consolidate their positions in the bank, too," Maroulla mused. "They'd get to build relationships with their employees before Lydia goes public. That might help when the spotlight hits the bank. I like it."
Harper gulped a little, picturing the ripples of change sweeping through the staid, conservative atmosphere of a bank. She could already imagine the whispers around the break room water cooler, the sideways glances from long-time clients who'd banked with Carter's for generations.
“We won’t be doing anything to bring attention to this inn,” Maroulla continued, giving them all a stern look over the top of her glasses. “The inn will be our safe haven here in the Northeast, for displaced shifters like yourself, Harper. I've spoken at considerable length with Angus and Renee on this, and we're in agreement. While they are certainly capable of keeping their guests safe on the property… as we all know… at the same time, it would be best to keep them out of the public eye, nor do they wish to be in the public eye.”
"I think we can all agree on that," Jacinth said, nodding vigorously enough that her high ponytail bounced across her shoulder. "As we discussed when those videos first came to light, the Djinn will be acting as allies and protectors. We'll doall we can to help anyone at risk, and to keep everyone safe." She paused, looking about the table at those gathered. "When Becca was in danger of being returned to Salem, I enchanted a necklace that would allow me to find her anywhere. I'm working on making more of these. I don't want to be giving them out in great quantities, but anyone who's gone public and is considered to be at risk, should have one."
Katerina stirred. "Would you consider giving one of these to Tamera? While she's not coming out, Kester is, so eyes will be on her, too. She hasn't said anything about it, and she's been nothing but supportive of Kester and I going public, but whenever I'm around her as Cat, I can sense her anxiety. She was already kidnapped once, and Kester says she's been having flashbacks."
Joe, who was sitting beside Harper, leaned close and whispered, "In case you're having a hard time with all the new names, Cat is Katerina's name when she's in her shifter form. Kester is Katerina's brother, and Tamera is his wife."
She smiled gratefully at him, nodding in understanding. She'd met Tamera, but she hadn't made that connection, that Tamera was the caracal who had been kidnapped and taken to the compound in Morocco. It was her kidnapping that had brought the situation regarding the caracal women and children to the Shifter Council's attention. A Djinn... Jacinth, she now realized... had tracked the woman, and passed information to the Shifter Councils. A rescue had been mounted, and the caracal women and children had been rescued, most of them choosing to relocate here to the States. The rescued caracal women and children had found refuge at a local inn while rebuilding their lives. Scanning the cozy interior, Harper felt certain in her bones that the West Side Inn had been their sanctuary.
A warmth bloomed in her chest, accompanied by a wave of deep contentment. Something about staying where those survivors had found refuge touched her heart in unexpected ways.
Den, her fox, Reyna, spoke up, unexpectedly. She gave her fox a mental nod, agreeing. Although it wasn't her home, the inn did give that same feeling of a snug, secure den.
"Tamera doesn't need a necklace," Jacinth was explaining, as Harper re-directed her attention back to the conversation at hand. "She and I are close enough that I can find her wherever she is... as I did when she was kidnapped. I'll remind her of that, and set her mind at ease. Thanks for letting me know, Katerina."
Jacinth's intent gaze swept the table consideringly. "There isn't a one of you that I can't find." Her head tilted. "Well, maybe you, Joe. But you're not coming out, so you're not likely to need a talisman."
Harper watched as Joe's lips curled back, revealing teeth that seemed sharper than they should be in his human form. A chill raced down her spine as his features transformed from friendly to feral in an instant. Even without shifting, he radiated raw, primal power.
"I can take care of myself," he growled, his voice dropping to a deeper register.
She didn't doubt that for a second. Everything about him screamed predator - from his confident posture to the calculated way he held himself, like a coiled spring ready to unleash devastating force. He embodied what an alpha should be, commanding respect without having to demand it. Reyna, recognized it too, maintaining a respectful distance even in her mind.
Harper gazed around the table, taking in the diverse group gathered before her. Her heart swelled with a mix of awe and gratitude. Growing up, she'd known only her immediate family- just her parents and siblings, all fox shifters like herself. But this... this was something entirely different.
Here sat not just various types of shifters, but powerful Djinn who could bend reality itself. And they all worked together seamlessly, each bringing their own strengths to protect their community. The way they coordinated, planned, and supported each other spoke of deep bonds and mutual trust built over years.
Reyna, her inner fox, preened with satisfaction at being included in such distinguished company. These weren't just any supernatural beings - they were the ones who made things happen, who shaped the future of their kind in this region. Maroulla's authority, Jacinth's magical prowess, Joe's raw power as an alpha, Katerina's courage to step into the public eye - each of them carried themselves with quiet confidence born of experience and capability.
And somehow, despite everything that had happened with the bear incident, they'd welcomed her without hesitation. No blame, no accusations - just acceptance and support. They'd even helped her to find a job, a safe place to stay, and included her in their inner circle discussions.
Harper felt the knot of guilt in her chest loosen slightly. Yes, her actions had forced their hand, accelerating their timeline for revelation. But watching these powerful beings work together, seeing their careful planning and multiple layers of protection, she realized maybe it wasn't the catastrophe she'd feared. They weren't scrambling to react - they executing long-laid contingency plans, adapting them to fit the current situation.
Closing the lid of her laptop, apparently finished with taking notes, Maroulla stood, pushing her chair back with quiet authority. Harper watched the elderly woman rise, struck by how the Warden's simple movements commanded respect. Even in this informal setting, she carried herself with the dignifiedbearing of someone accustomed to making decisions affecting countless lives.
"I think we've got as much in place as we can for now, and I'm going to head out."
Harper watched as disappointment flickered across Katerina's face.
"But YiaYia, I thought you were staying with Troy and me tonight." Katerina's golden eyes dimmed slightly. "I even made pastitsio, your favorite."
Maroulla's stern expression softened as she regarded her granddaughter. "No, dear. I have dinner plans with some of the shifters in Hartford." She patted Katerina's hand. "Connecticut's council members have their own concerns about the revelation process. I'll stay overnight there and head home to Maine tomorrow."
Katerina's shoulders slumped, but she managed a small smile. "At least take some pastitsio with you? For later?"
