Fireborne, p.26
Fireborne, page 26
part #1 of Raven Cursed Series
Asher went on. “A rarity, as you know. I think it’s important to be aware of those who manage to evade shifter magic. Her mother was a shifter and her dad a witch.”
“Maybe she knew a spell,” I suggested.
It didn’t make sense. Shifter magic dominated to a fault. No one could mate with a shifter and not bear shifter children. Ms. Harp, my neighbor—distant, evasive, and peculiar. It put a different perspective on her mannerisms. Did she not shift but still possess all the preternatural senses? Could she perform magic, or had the shifter genes canceled out the ability? Or could she turn? Ms. Harp was an anomaly, a significant one.
“My understanding is that a spell wasn’t done, and spells have been done in the past without success.” Asher’s voice dropped. “You are aware that this isn’t common knowledge and what it would mean if it were to get out.”
You’re supposed to say that before. Something like “Hey, triple pinky swear not to reveal what I’m about to share with you.”
I sucked in a long, frustrated breath. Retroactive confidentiality agreements annoyed me. If it was an afterthought, how important was it?
“Shouldn’t you have requested the oath of secrecy before revealing it?”
“Perhaps, but I have the Mystic Souls, and unless I have your vow that Ms. Harp will remain a secret between the two of us, then with me is where it stays.”
Asher, always playing his little wolf games.
Ms. Harp’s situation wasn’t something most shifters would care about. They seemed proud to be shifters and had no qualms about voicing it. A level of arrogance accompanied their ability to glide effortlessly between man and animal, keeping all the benefits of their predatory nature when in human form. It undeniably had advantages, and their extensive wealth and place in the hierarchy of supernaturals was a testament of that. Human reaction to Ms. Harp is what would concern them. She went against the prevailing knowledge we had about shifters. Humans reacted unkindly to anything that contradicted it. When we came out, classes were taken, books written, interviews constantly requested, so humans could know everything they could about supernaturals.
Residing down the hall was a woman who didn’t align with human knowledge. I would never tell her secret—or whatever it was. But I was intrigued. How did an anomaly like her happen?
“Are there more like her?” I asked.
“No, she’s the only one I’m aware of.”
“You have my word,” I said. After several seconds of silence, I added, “Finally, I know a pack secret.”
“She’s not part of my pack.” Asher would never reveal one and he wanted to make sure I knew that. “But she’s now what I consider a friend of the pack.”
Meaning I wouldn’t be disclosing pack secrets, but I would be betraying a friend of the pack, and that had severe consequences as well.
“Yeah, yeah. Snitches get stitches. I hear you,” I huffed.
“Hear what?”
“You heard me. You didn’t miss anything. You just want me to believe you’re too sophisticated to say it.”
“You’ll have your book tomorrow.”
Finding out about Ms. Harp and gaining access to a Mystic Souls made me hopeful. Magic was obtuse, with inconsistencies and anomalies. I could be one: an inconsistency and an anomaly. Not just a Raven Cursed. And I wouldn’t be beholden to Mephisto. He had my attention, and I wanted to know what was in that box of his, but now I had the option to walk away. I liked having options.
The firm rap on the door had hints of demand befitting Mephisto. He was back in his uniform of charcoal jacket with tie-less black shirt and slacks, but I’d seen him. I knew there was a warrior under the exquisite suits, and powerful magic behind his enigmatic restraint.
His dark eyes narrowed on the spot where Elizabeth had revealed my mark. To my relief, I had awoken to find it gone. He stared as if he could still see it. I invited him in, and he entered and stood some distance from me. Behind his dark eyes, something lingered that I couldn’t quite place—was it fear, aversion, apprehension, or leeriness . . . That was it. He was leery. Of me.
Breaking the silence, I said, “Are we going to see if I can remove things from the Veil?”
“No,” he whispered. “I don’t think that’s necessary anymore.”
“Why not?”
“You have another job you should focus on.”
“That is?”
“Finding out who your real parents are, because they’re not who you think they are.”
“What are you talking about? My parents are Vera and Gene.”
It didn’t sound very convincing, even to me.
“By your own accounts, your mother is half Raven Cursed, your father human. But you’ve never seen your mother use magic. She doesn’t have the difficulty you have—the difficulty that others have had. You borrowed magic from the Immortalis, something that brought death to those who tried it. By your own admission, you can do extraordinary things with your magic.”
He spoke in a measured tone as if listing my various crimes. The distance between us bothered me. The relationship, camaraderie, whatever it was we had, was gone.
Pensive dark eyes stayed fixed on mine.
“I know who The Raven is,” he said.
I tensed.
“The Raven is Malific’s daughter.”
Well damn.
MESSAGE TO THE READER
Thank you for choosing Fireborne from the many titles available to you. My goal is to create an engaging world, compelling characters, and an interesting experience for you. I hope I’ve accomplished that. Reviews are very important to authors and help other readers discover our books. Please take a moment to leave a review. I’d love to know your thoughts about the book.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am forever thankful for my friends and family who continue to support me unconditionally and make sure I leave my writer’s cave. I can’t thank Elizabeth Bracker, Sherrie Simpson Clark, Stacey Mann, and Robyn Mather, for taking time out of their busy schedules to beta read for me. You all are the best.
Thanks to Meredith Tennant and Therin Knite, my editors who worked so diligently to help me tell the best possible story, and Oriana for the beautiful cover.
Last, but never least, I want to thank my readers for following Erin’s adventure and allowing me to entertain you with my writing. You allow me to do what I love and I appreciate that.
McKenzie Hunter, Fireborne
