are your friends?” she asks, glancing from me to Hunter.
“This is Hunter,” Edith says, gesturing to the vampire shifter. “He’s a shifter. And this,” she continues, “is Millie. She’s the hybrid I told you about.”
Jennifer’s eyebrows shoot up. “Certainly not something you see every day. Well, come in. Make yourselves comfortable.” She indicates a sofa in the living room, where I stiffly take a seat, with Hunter following close behind. “Caleb?” she calls into one of the other rooms. “We have guests! Edith and her hybrid!” I bristle a little at the way she calls me Edith’s hybrid, like I’m some kind of prized pig at a county fair, but I stay silent, not wanting to jeopardise a potential partnership.
A big blond man breezes into the room moments later, beaming at the three of us as he extends a hand to shake each of ours. He drops into an easy chair near one of the windows, Jennifer following suit. Their eyes sweep over us, lingering for an uncomfortably long time on me before meeting Edith’s green ones. If I didn’t know any better, I might wonder if they know more than they’re letting on, but considering the idea to contact them didn’t come up until yesterday, somehow I doubt it. They’re probably just amused by the novelty of having a crossbreed in their midst. “So,” asks Caleb, leaning back and crossing his legs, “what brings you here?”
“There’s no easy way to say this,” I tell them, taking charge. “We’re on the run from the U.K. Shifter Academy. We’ve been on the run, ever since Boston.”
“Mm.” Jennifer nods slowly. “Yes, that was… unfortunate.”
“That’s a bit of an understatement,” remarks Hunter. “Dozens of people died. Students.”
“Yes,” Jennifer hastens to say. “Of course.”
There’s an awkward pause as they size us up. I wish I could put my finger on what is making me so uncomfortable. “At any rate,” I say, “none of us is going to be safe from the humans until we can take the fight to them. And we’re going to need help to do that.”
“I see,” Caleb says thoughtfully. “And you thought to come ask us to help.”
“I mean, yeah,” I reply sheepishly. “If that’s something you’re open to. Edith suggested coming to you first. She… mentioned that you have a lot of influence around here.”
“Did she, now?” asks Caleb, cocking his head to one side. “Yes, I would expect that from you, Edith. You always were… precocious.”
“Look,” I say, fidgeting a little, “we don’t want to make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with. I know this is a lot to ask of complete strangers. But don’t you think we’ll all be safer without the humans trying to control us?”
“I suppose that’s a matter of perspective,” Jennifer muses. “The humans have given us stability. We’ve made sacrifices for that stability, yes, but the alternative is so… ugly. Untrained shifters running about, causing untold chaos… Don’t you think it’s worth counting our angels and moving on?”
“That’s no way to live,” I reply firmly.
“To each their own,” Caleb says, shrugging. “I’m sorry to disappoint you folks, but we’re perfectly content with our lot in life. I would rather see a world that isn’t overrun by magic users.”
“I… see,” I say slowly, starting to get to my feet. “Well then, I guess we shouldn’t take up any more of your time. Edith, should we…?”
Edith, who has been strangely silent for the whole exchange, follows my lead, but when we make for the door, Jennifer is suddenly out of her seat, extending an arm to bar us from leaving. “What’s the rush?” she croons, her eyes locking with mine. “Don’t you want to stay a while?”
“Thank you,” I say, attempting to sidestep her, “but we really should-”
“I’m sorry,” Jennifer laughs, giving me a toothy smile. “You misunderstand me. That wasn’t a request.”
“What do you…” I begin, but I stop mid-sentence, my eyes going wide as my anxiety turns to full-blown fear.
Something is very wrong here.
That’s the only coherent thought I have before the violence starts.
Chapter 14
Jennifer lunges for me, her eyes blazing with a fury I’ve never seen before, and it’s all I can do to stumble out of the way just as she swipes at me like a feral animal. “Edith!” I yell, glancing around for the witch shifter. She’s standing at the far end of the room, eyes wide and watching, but she’s not doing anything.
Why isn’t she doing anything?!
“Edith!” I shout her name again just as Jennifer leans back and expels