Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

F aith and Nishi gently laid Shannon down on the worn leather couch in the lobby of Black Bounty. The room was dimly lit by soft lighting, and the soft glow from the wall sconces felt both eerie and comforting.

We'd agreed this was the place. Shannon needed to be restored amidst the echoing memories of camaraderie and vigorous training. She was family to the hunters now, a bond forged in blood and fire, and they needed her as much as she needed them.

Eve had insisted on privacy for the spell, her words brooking no argument. The hunters, antsy and tense, waited upstairs in the dojo, their energy thick with unease and worry. They trusted Eve, and so did I, but the air hung with anticipation.

Faith's hands trembled slightly as she adjusted Shannon's position, her usual stoic demeanor cracking under the weight of the moment. Nishi's eyes were dark, intense, her jaw set in determination. They were placing their trust, their hope, in Eve's hands.

Eve took out the soul stone that the fae necromancer gave her and stood before the couch.

"You got this, Eve," Nishi said, more to reassure herself than Eve.

Eve wiped some sweat from her brow, and I couldn't fail to notice how exhausted she was. The fight with Miletus had taken its toll on all of us, but Eve was forced to draw on what little magic she had left to help Shannon.

I held my breath, my heart pounding like a war drum in my chest, as Eve carefully placed the soul stone and the crystal Miletus had used to extract Shannon's soul on her still form. Shannon, the fierce hunter, lay inert, with her fate hanging in the balance of Eve's spell work.

The surrounding air seemed to hold its breath too, a charged stillness that made every sound feel amplified. Eve, with her eyes closed, stood over Shannon, her hands raised, fingers splayed as if weaving an invisible web.

I could feel the tension, the weight of what was about to happen, pressing down on us. The lights flickered, their ambient glow casting shadows that seemed to pulse with the same anxious energy thrumming through my veins. Faith and Nishi stood beside me, their expressions mirrors of my own—fear, hope, desperation all tangled together.

Eve's breathing slowed, deep and steady, a stark contrast to my own ragged breaths. Her presence was commanding, an anchor in the storm of uncertainty. I could almost see the magic gathering around her, a shimmering aura of power and intent. She whispered words in a language I didn't understand, her voice a melodic murmur that sent shivers down my spine. "Anima redux corpus recepta."

The soul stone glowed faintly, a soft, eerie light that seemed to pulse in time with Eve's chanting. The crystal Miletus used shimmered, refracting the light into tiny prisms that danced across Shannon's skin.

Time seemed to stretch, each second an eternity as we waited, the air thick with anticipation. I felt a tremor run through the room, a subtle vibration that signaled the magic was taking hold.

All I could do was hope and pray that Eve's spell would bring Shannon back to us. The hunters needed her. We all did, and Nishi wasn't ready to lose another of her flock. She had barely recovered from Nathan's death and was ready to move on with Alex.

Eve's hands moved in graceful arcs, her fingers weaving through the air like a conductor guiding an unseen orchestra. The energy in the room swelled, a crescendo that promised salvation or despair. I was breathless as the spell reached its peak.

Shannon's chest suddenly arced upward, a gasp tearing through the silence like a thunderclap. Her body convulsed once before going slack, her eyes fluttering open with a groan that sent a jolt of relief and anxiety through me.

Nishi was at her side in an instant, her strong hands gently but firmly holding Shannon in place. Her presence, solid and unwavering, was a stark contrast to the uncertainty that had hung in the air moments before. Eve's magic shimmered and dissipated, leaving behind a tangible sense of completion. The soul stone and crystal dimmed, their once-vibrant glow fading as they rolled onto the couch, now spent of their mystical energy.

I watched as Shannon's eyes flickered, struggling to focus, her breathing ragged but steadying with each passing moment. The room felt charged with a mix of emotions. Relief. Joy. Exhaustion.

Eve lowered her hands, a small, tired smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She had done it. She had brought Shannon back to us. The magic that had filled the room moments before was gone, leaving behind a peaceful, almost sacred silence.

Nishi's voice was soft, a gentle murmur as she reassured Shannon, her hand smoothing back her hair. "Easy, Shannon. You're safe now. We've got you."

Faith and I stood there, our eyes locked on Shannon, drinking in the sight of her alive, breathing, with a sense of wonder and gratitude.

Shannon's gaze slowly sharpened, recognition dawning in her eyes as she looked around, taking in her surroundings, and then us. Her lips parted, and she whispered, "What happened?"

"We'll explain everything," Nishi said softly, her grip on her steady and comforting. "For now, just rest. You're home."

Home. The word hung in the air, a promise and a reassurance. Shannon was back where she belonged, with her family, her hunters.

Shannon sat up and swung her legs to the side of the couch, but put her hand to her temple. "Why do I feel like I lost a fight with a gorgon?"

Nishi grunted. "You have never fought a gorgon, but honestly, Miletus was much worse. He soul sucked you. I'm surprised that a headache is the worst of it. You need some rest; then you need to move around. Your body has been inactive for too long."

Shannon grunted. "Miletus is a little bitch. I hope I get a rematch."

Nishi shook her head. "He is gone, but I want you focused on your rehab. Let's get you upstairs."

Shannon put her arm around Nishi and the lead huntress helped Shannon walk to the stairwell before they disappeared upstairs. The hoots and hollers echoed through the room as her fellow hunters welcomed her back.

I had to wipe a tear from my eye as I turned to Faith. "That went well."

Faith sniffed. And I knew she was just as affected by Shannon's welcome as I was, but my bounty hunter friend still struggled with outward displays of emotion.

Nishi returned a few moments later, and Eve gave her a questioning look. "Aren't you going to stay with Shannon?"

Nishi pulled out her phone. "I am going to call the new healer. Shannon's muscles are weak, and I'm hoping that Salima can give her a boost. It will lessen her recovery time."

My eyes widened. "Lucinda agreed to let the Salem healer come here? She was so against it before."

Nishi grunted. "I guess she didn't have a choice. While the coven doesn't seem to trust this healer, the people say she is more gifted than the elderly healer in Salem. The townspeople are pissed she was given to us. I don't know what the story is there, but it's weird."

Faith grunted. "So, Lucinda was basically forced to call Salima. I love it, but if the people of Salem trust her, why doesn't the coven?"

Nishi shrugged. "I have no idea. But I am hoping to find out. Maybe the Salem coven is run by a bunch of jackholes like Lucinda and Caton. I know our witch and warlock leaders are close with theirs."

Faith grunted. "Salima wasn't married to one of them, was she?"

Eve smacked Faith playfully. "No fair."

Faith shrugged. "It's a valid question. We both know that politics and relationships go together like tea and honey when it comes to the council."

"I don't know much about Salima. There is no personal info on her other than she lives alone and requested a small place till she gets her bearings in town."

Curiosity gnawed at me like a persistent itch as I thought about the new healer. She was a mystery, and I couldn't shake the questions swirling in my mind. Why would her coven let her go if she was as skilled as the people of Salem claimed? It didn't add up. Healers of such caliber were rare and invaluable. Covens usually clung to them with an iron grip, not releasing them into the wild.

Had she committed a crime? Something so dark and forbidden that the council decided to keep it quiet? It was possible, but it seemed unlikely that even a serious transgression would be hushed up so completely. The council was typically thorough, relentless in their investigations, and transparent in their judgments, at least as much as supernatural politics allowed.

And then there was the unsettling lack of information about her personal life. It wasn't just that there were gaps; it was as if those gaps had been deliberately constructed. The council's files were usually meticulous, detailing every aspect of a new member's background, but with her, there was nothing. No family history, no past affiliations, no hint of what had led her to our door. Just a blank slate where a life should have been.

I couldn't help but wonder what she was hiding—or what the council was hiding for her. Was she running from something? Or was she a pawn in some larger game, her arrival here part of a plan I couldn't see yet?

I knew I wasn't the only member of our group that wanted to know more. Faith's lip twitched, and I knew that look in her eye. It wasn't just for my own peace of mind, but because in our world, secrets had a way of coming back to bite you when you least expected it. And if there was one thing I had learned, it was that knowledge was power.

I resolved to dig deeper, to find out who this healer truly was. Because until I knew, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were all sitting on the edge of a very dangerous precipice.

Nishi glanced toward the stairwell. "I want to see if Shannon is feeling overwhelmed yet. The team is practically smothering her."

I smiled. "She is well-liked. It's understandable."

Nishi jogged to the stairwell, and my thoughts turned to Spencer. It was late and I would have to go home soon. It was a prospect I wasn't looking forward to.

Unease gnawed at me, a constant companion as I considered the prospect of facing Spencer. I hadn't told him about the last time we made love, how I'd been drugged, my will not my own. He assumed I was willing to try to make our marriage work, and why wouldn't he? I had seduced him, after all, leading him to believe that my intentions were genuine.

Since then, I had pulled back, creating distance between us that I knew he noticed. He likely thought it was because I was struggling with my decision, torn between my desires and my fears. And in a way, he was right. But it was more than that. The truth was a dark secret lodged in my heart, festering and growing, and he deserved to know.

Spencer had been nothing but supportive, helping with Kacey, doing anything I asked of him without hesitation. His loyalty, his kindness, made the burden of my secret even heavier. He deserved the truth, no matter how painful it might be for both of us. But the thought of that conversation, of seeing the hurt and confusion in his eyes, twisted my stomach into knots.

I wasn't looking forward to it. How could I tell him that what he thought was a moment of passion was tainted by manipulation? That I wasn't truly there with him, that my body had been used against my will? And that I had no idea who had drugged me. It wasn't just about the betrayal of trust; it was about the raw, vulnerable reality of what had happened. Admitting it out loud would make it real in a way that I hadn't fully faced yet.

As I thought about Spencer's easy smile and gentle manner, my heart ached with the weight of what I needed to say. He deserved to understand why I had pulled back, why I couldn't just move forward as if nothing had happened.

But finding the words, summoning the courage to shatter the fragile peace between us, felt like an insurmountable task. I knew it had to be done. For him, for me, for the fragile bond we were trying to rebuild. Taking a deep breath, I resolved to tell him.

"You are going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep pacing like that," Faith said as my eyes met hers.

Nishi returned as I sighed deeply. "I'm restless."

Nishi frowned. "I can take you home if you want."

Faith shook her head. "I brought her. You need to stay with Shannon. I'll take her home."

I held up my hand. "That's the problem. I don't want to face Spencer. He is staying at my house with Kacey."

The ladies all shared a knowing glance as my shoulders slumped.

"I still haven't told him I was drugged. He thinks we are getting back on track, that I am just busy with... council business."

Faith crossed her arms. "Tegan, what do you want? I know Spencer screwed up. But he didn't cheat on you, though it may have felt like he did. I have talked to Delia and a blood provider doesn't mean they had sex. She assures me that Spencer hasn't been with anyone but you, physically. And that is not for the lack of trying on some young vamps' part."

I blinked my eyes rapidly. "What?"

Faith nodded. "We look out for our own, Tegan. You know that. There is no way that after that shitshow display, I wasn't following up. Spencer has a little vamp tramp after him, but he has turned her down on multiple occasions. He isn't looking to score, at least not sex. He has switched to male donors since you asked for a divorce. He isn't taking any chances."

I swallowed hard. "He told me he would do that but..."

"You didn't want to ask him if he did it," Faith finished for me.

"Yes. I don't have the right to tell him who to drink from if it's for sustenance. He mostly drinks from a bottle, but I know he needs a live source on occasion."

Faith nodded. "He does. And he does it at the Morrison mansion under supervision. He is still considered a fledgling and must have a senior vamp present when he feeds from a live source."

"He was at the club when we saw him."

Faith nodded. "That asshat vamp he was hanging around with is a senior in the clan, but he has stopped going to the clubs and has focused his attention on you and Kacey since that night."

Nishi whistled. "Jesus Faith. You would have made an excellent detective."

Faith grunted. "Not really. If Spencer had cheated, I would have staked his ass and asked for forgiveness later."

Eve nodded. "It's true Tegan. I had to make Faith promise not to kill Caton at one point. He is Mina's father."

I pursed my lips and blew out a breath. "Eve is right. No matter what, Spencer is Kacey's father, and she loves him. Don't stake him. But if he messes up again, feel free to threaten him a little."

Faith winked at me. "You can count on it."

Eve sat down on the couch and put her hand to her forehead. "I'm a little dizzy. Can I lie down for a moment?"

Faith went into her office and returned with a throw blanket. "Lie down." She placed the fuzzy tan blanket over Eve. "I will call Hunter to pick you up. The couch is comfortable. I've had many a cat nap on it."

Eve smiled and closed her eyes. She was asleep in seconds and Faith frowned.

"We completely drained her tonight," Nishi said.

Faith texted into her phone. "Hunter is on his way. I got a warning not to let Eve exhaust herself like this again."

Nishi grabbed her phone and sent a text. "I told him this is on me. Stopping Miletus and then having her put Shannon's soul back was too much in one night."

Faith and Nishi's phones pinged at the same time. They looked at each other. Before Nishi spoke. "Hunter says nothing would have stopped Eve from helping Shannon."

I shrugged. "He is right. She would never have left Shannon like that. Even for a day."

Nishi motioned to the stairwell. "Salima is going to pop over in a few minutes to check on Shannon. Faith, you will take Tegan home, right? She needs to sort this mess out with Spencer."

Faith nodded. "I'm on it."

Nishi returned to the stairwell that led to the dojo as I met Faith's inquisitive gaze. "I guess it's time to face the music."