Chapter 5

She allowed Colby to lead her away from Greg and the medical facility. She couldn’t help but feel it was yet another time the lynx-shifter had rescued her from a dicey situation. They were headed for the great library Colby was amassing. The abbey at St. Piran’s had been renowned for its library of books and medieval scrolls. Some of those ancient texts had been saved from Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.

When she wobbled, Colby steadied her. “Why don’t we get you back to your rooms? I think maybe everything is catching up with you.”

“I’m fine. I don’t want to be a burden. I need to know what’s going on.”

“You are neither fine nor a burden. You are relatively new to being a shifter so are not as steeped in our lore as some. I can tell you that while a woman having two fated mates in one lifetime is rare, it is not unheard of. However, I have never heard of a woman having two at the same time. I’m going to set Wordsworth to tracking down any information he can find in the old texts. I’ll get our IT people on it as well…”

“I’m sure the IT people have better things to do.”

“You might think that,” said Colby, “but sometimes something like this is a nice break from their usual jobs, and you never know where arcane research might lead you. As for Wordsworth, who deplores the idea of transferring all the data contained within the tombs to electronic media, he’ll want to show that it is in the pages that wisdom will be found. The latter being his words.”

Adriana smiled. Colby was a different kind of alpha. While his word was law and he could rule with an iron fist, he was also charming and approachable. The fact that he seemed to prefer female betas was something she heard people talking about. Colby didn’t seem to care what people thought, and in the end, his people—his clan—were devoted to him and would willingly follow him through the gates of hell if that’s where he wanted to go.

He led her back to her rooms, opening the door for her and shaking his head. “You know that you are welcome to live in the more modern part of the abbey if you desire? There is plenty of room, and even if there wasn’t, as one of the two betas of the Shadow Sisters, you are entitled.”

Adriana nodded. “I am aware, but I prefer it here. There’s something about the simplicity of living this way that I find soothing at the moment. It gives me a kind of solace I find nowhere else.”

“I know none of this—from being turned without your consent, to being kidnapped and rescued and moved around—has been easy. I’ve talked to Brie and while I agree you would bring a lot to the Shadow Sisters, you are entitled to opt out. It doesn’t have to be forever, but I keep thinking you just need a chance to catch your breath.”

Adriana smiled at him. “I can see why she loves you so and why the rest of our people are devoted to you. You can count me among them, by the way. Don’t think I don’t know the risks you all took for me. It is a debt I can never truly repay. The League might well use me as a tipping point with the Ruling Council to openly engage the Resistance…”

“Don’t worry about that. If it comes to that—and that’s a big if—we’ll be ready for them. If they do try to use you, they’ll be on shaky ground with those shifters who have yet to get off the fence. Turning someone without their informed consent is a big no-no for most shifters and is a bridge too far for many. Who knows? The Resistance might well use what was done to you to bring the League to heel. The difference is, we’ll do it with your permission and cooperation.”

“Do you think it’s possible? That somehow Greg and Decker are both fated to me? What if I only want one of them—or neither of them?”

“Then they, and you, will have to live with the decision. But don’t worry about any of that right now. Just take it easy. Your color seems a bit better. How are you feeling?”

“The migraine and nausea seem to have resolved themselves, but I’m still feeling a little dizzy.”

“Then I’ll leave you to rest. Can I do or get anything for you before I leave?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Please let me know if you need anything. You’re an important part of this clan. Never doubt or forget that.”

He closed the door behind him, leaving Adriana to understand why so many called Colby Reynolds enigmatic. She removed her robe, hanging it around one of the posters at the foot of her bed and crawled back under the covers. The buzzing inside her head subsided, as did the dizziness, as she laid down and closed her eyes.

When she woke, she was greeted by the smell of a food tray someone had thoughtfully brought for her and left on a table. I must have been more tired than I thought. She stretched and then refreshed herself with a sponge and room temperature water. Not as good as a hot shower but it didn’t take as long, either. She pulled on a long, A-line skirt, soft knee-high boots and a loose-fitting sweater. She picked at the food on the tray, eating some and opting to leave the rest until she returned.

It wasn’t until she was popping a strawberry in her mouth that she realized she was restless and wanted to take a break from the abbey and anything that reminded her of her new reality. A life for which she seemed only to have the outlines. She would need to color in the image if she was to have a full life. She was determined that while Eoghan had robbed her of her humanity—or at least, part of it—he would not rob her of her future.

Wanting to avoid both Decker and Greg, she made her way through the less-traveled back passages to the garage and checked out a vehicle. There was pretty much anything anyone could want to drive—SUVs, trucks, sedans, sports cars, motorcycles, and vintage vehicles—all well-maintained and ready to go.

It was a sunny but blustery day, and Adriana opted for a 1937 Bugatti convertible in a gorgeous shade of cobalt blue. She signed it out, grabbed the keys, slipped into the driver’s seat, and headed out of the garage. The road that led into the nearby village seemed to be deserted so Adriana opened up the throttle, threw back her head to let the wind catch her hair and sped past farms and cottages, returning the waves of those who spotted her.

As she neared the village closest to St. Piran’s, she slowed down to a respectable pace and admired the quiet and picturesque seaside town and harbor. It really was beautiful here. Finding a place to park outside a pub, she got out and began to wander the sidewalks of the quaint village. She wandered without any real task or purpose. She was merely passing time and enjoying herself—just passing time. At the end of the road that led back to St. Piran’s there was a large, old stone church. It called to her to come inside, which was ironic given the fact that her coven followed the old Wiccan ways.

Stepping through one side of the enormous, arched double doors, the interior exuded peace. Her life of late had been much like a turbulent storm, the respite the church seemed to offer was palpable and she felt drawn inside. There was no one else there, so she found a pew and sat down, staring at the high altar and the massive stained-glass window beyond.

While she could feel the peace of the old church, she was also imbued with a feeling of waiting. She started to stand but sat back down. It was as if she was in the place she was supposed to be, but she had no idea what the reason for that might be. She shrugged her shoulders internally, breathed out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding, and contented herself to be still until the answer was revealed.

After what seemed to be an eternity, but which when she checked her watch was actually less than a half an hour, she decided perhaps there was nothing she was waiting for; perhaps she was just being lazy. She stifled a smile and stood up, leaving the pew to head back to the exit. As she reached for the handle, a door at the nave burst open, causing Adriana to turn around. A young girl—no more than nine or ten—crashed through the opening. Her eyes were wild with fear and her expression was shellshocked. Her coat was covered with wet, dark stains. Blood?

Adriana’s immediate and gut instinct was to grab the girl and run. She could practically hear the order screaming in her head. Not even taking time to second guess or overthink it, she obeyed the command. She knew from her studies and teachings that the voice and instinct she heard were perception, and she had been trained by those far wiser than her and her own heredity to listen to the voices of her ancestors and her own intuitive power. She sprinted back to where the child stood, placing her arm around her. Together they ran back down the aisle of the church, almost spilling out onto the sidewalk.

Not wanting to draw attention to them, Adriana slowed their progress from a panicked run to a fast-moving hustle and made their way to the Bugatti. She helped the child in, getting her to crouch down in the passenger side footwell. The girl looked up at her with terror-filled eyes.

“It’ll be all right. I promise,” Adriana said as she backed the car away from the front of the pub and turned to head back to St. Piran’s.

Knowing she would have to pass the church, she purposely didn’t drive fast. She just wanted to motor out of the village sedately, calling as little attention as possible to her departure. As they passed by the church, several men brandishing guns charged out the front door, shouting and discharging their weapons.

The time for circumspection and stealth was over. Adriana gunned the engine and roared past the men whose eyes had locked on the Bugatti. The sleek, vintage car sped along the narrow lane, its tires screeching against the ancient cobblestones as she made the turn onto the main roadway. Sweeping past stone cottages and farms, she could hear and then see when the men had taken up the chase in their black SUV.

The Bugatti seemed better suited to a high-speed chase along the old road as the SUV careened around a tight corner, narrowly missing a low stone wall as it recovered its traction and gained speed. The two vehicles raced along the winding country road, which was flanked by lush farmland and old growth timber. Adriana managed to stay ahead of her pursuers as the Bugatti’s well-maintained engine roared, and she managed to drive with precision.

An angel must have been watching over them, as the men couldn’t seem to get off a decent shot and someone at the abbey must have spotted them coming. The abbey loomed in the foreground, its weathered stone walls casting longer shadows the closer they approached. The great gates of the abbey swung open to allow the Bugatti to enter before the opening was immediately filled with men-at-arms. Adriana skidded to a halt in the courtyard.

“I’m Adriana. What’s your name? Are you from the village?” Adriana asked in a soothing voice.

“No. My coven lived outside a village to the north of here.” The child peeked over the open doorway of the car to see the SUV speed away, the men of the abbey retreat inside, and the gates close. Turning her attention back to her savior, the child answered, “My name is Erin.”