“That doesn’t make it right,” the blonde in the back said.
“No,” Lyra quickly agreed.“It doesn’t.”She started walking toward the female.Her movements were slow, as if approaching a cornered animal.“And there’s nothing we can do to fix what we’ve done.We can’t stop you from going to the authorities and telling them we abducted you and held you captive.”
Another woman, a redhead, jumped up.“You wouldn’t.They’ve only ever been kind to us and given us the best of everything.My life here has been a whole hell of a lot better than the rathole I lived in before.”
“No one is going to the police,” Shayree declared in a hard tone.Then she met the gaze of the blonde.“Yes, you were taken against your will.But you were never mistreated.Not once.”She nodded to the redhead.“And like Kendall said, some of us came from crappy situations.We’re not going to let you drag Lyra and Taras through the mud because you were taken from your high society, country club life and missed out on social parties and the Junior League’s latest pet projects.”
“I wasn’t… I mean… I didn’t…”
Shayree held up a hand, and the blonde snapped her mouth closed. “Your decision is yours.You want to go home and forget about this world.Then go.We wish you the best.The rest of us will honor those who’ve honored us.”Shayree turned her back on the blonde and focused on the rest of the room.“Lyra, Taras, what do we need to do?Roan said a lot.Break it down for us.”
“I think this is where we come in.”The old lady, Jaxine from theWild Ink Tattoo Parlor, walked in with her cane, with Kian and Zephyr beside her.
“Yes.”Lyra gave the blonde girl’s arm a pat and then strode over to where Jaxine set down a large bag.Kian and Zephyr carried similar bags.“As you all heard Roan, those were Visata’s direct words.If you choose to stay, you will be marked by one of our tattoo artists.Normally, this would only happenafteryou’d chosen a mate.But my son has found a mate…” Heads swiveled and eyes widened.“And we know, based upon his experience, that things are different now.Visata saw fit to give him anErossazzimate.She got a tattoo at Wild Ink, and it was the identical lion of his own.Kian was shocked because our artists never give a Damarian the same tattoo.Every tattoo is unique to the Damarian that receives it.We never, ever repeat one.”
“Until Lola.”
Jaxine turned her wrinkly smile on Maddie, and her mischievous eyes danced between her and Roan.“Ah, we meet again,Nunshawani.”
“Nope.I’m Maddie, though.I can see how you’d get the two names confused.”
Kian laughed and walked over to her.He started to give her a brotherly, one-arm side hug, but Roan stepped in between them at the same time, looking at Jaxine.“You know her name.”
Jaxine shrugged.“I’m old, Roan.Sometimes my mind slips.”
“Kind of like your tongue?”Zephyr stared at Jaxine.“You move freely in and out of our language to the human one.”
“Exactly.”She pointed her cane at him.“Just like that.”
“Nunshawaniis a Damarian word?”Maddie asked.
“No,” Roan said that at the same time about five other voices said, “Yes.”
Maddie gave the Shaman a dry look.“You’re not funny.I hope you know that.”
“Oh, he knows.”Jaxine cackled.“Now, when any of you lovely ladies are ready to move forward with your life, you just come see me, Kian, or Zephyr.”
“See me.I’m the best artist.”
“You wish.”Kian shook his head and grinned at Zephyr.
“Please know,” Taras spoke up, “there is no judgment here.Jaxine, Kian, and Zephyr are going to go into separate rooms.Myself, Lyra, and Roan will each be in the room with one of them.This is a private matter.When you leave this room, the decision you make is yours and yours alone.We will hold no ill will toward you.”
“Wait a second.We have to decidenow?”It was the blonde that Shayree had read the riot act to earlier.
“I’m afraid so.”Lyra nodded.“We’ve defied our creator long enough.Rest assured, those of you who belong to another kingdom will be treated with honor and respect, just as you have been treated here.”
Maddie looked up at the ceiling.She wasn’t sure that Lyra’s statement was entirely true, considering one of those kingdoms had kidnapped her friend.But Maddie decided to keep her mouth shut on the issue.
“Those that choose to return will be helped as well.We will do everything we can to assist you in assimilating back into your normal life.As you know, we have extensive resources and connections.”
A sandy-blonde haired woman spoke up.She looked to be about five-six, with brown eyes, tan skin, and pretty average features.There was nothing remarkable about her, yet something about the woman drew the eye.Maddie tilted her head, trying to figure out what it was about the woman that made her so compelling despite the fact that she seemed pretty average.Not that there’sa damn thing wrong with average.“Roan said if we choose to go back to our human life, we will be made a null.What does that mean, exactly?”the woman asked.
“Being made a null means that the magic that has been imbued within you will be removed,” Roan said from beside Maddie.All the females turned to look at him.For some reason, Maddie found herself wanting to tell those eyeballs to look elsewhere.That was ridiculous.She didn’t even like Roan.Sure, he was stupid hot, but he was also stupid assholish, too.“It’s for your protection,” he continued.“If you have no magic, then you can’t bring out the animal in a Damarian male, and none of the Damarians who are of ill reproach?—”
“He means the bad guys,” Maddie interrupted.She felt weird standing next to him with all those eyes on them.
He glanced at her, his mouth turning up in the tiniest amount as if she’d amused him.Why do I like that?I don’t.I absolutely do not.
