Anger, confusion, and shock was written across faces as I strolled through, all of them wondering who the hell I was.
“Elizabeth.” A sorcerer nearby gave me a genial nod, and I returned that with a smile.
“Frank, it’s been so long….”
Frank was from my hometown. Mine and Louis’s.
The moment he said my name, I could hear the conversations start up. Not many people knew my face, but a lot of them knew there was a powerful sorcerer named Elizabeth cruising around the place.
I was good at ignoring this sort of gossip, so I just continued forward, my body heating at the way Louis’s focus never wavered, not even for a second. There was an ache in my center that only his touch would ease.
When I reached the stage, I stared up at him, and before I had a chance to figure out how to get up on the stage, his magic wrapped around me. I rose into the air to be deposited right into his arms.
“Publicly claiming me, huh?” I asked, pressing closer.
There was an actual hush from the crowd before the noise erupted. Witches screamed, shifters howled, and vampires hooted—horny bastards.
Louis didn’t care about any of that though, he just held me tightly and kissed the hell out of me. Holy gods above. The mage could kiss.
He was literally good at everything. Smug bastard.
21
Louis
I’d never stopped to think about why I hadn’t been possessive with Regina, especially since I always knew it was a strong part of my personality. I’d just figured that I was busy—I’d had a lot more duties in the supernatural community then—and that it worked best for us if I didn’t follow her every move. But Tee….
She showed me the truth. Regina had had my love, but Tee had my love, my heart, and my soul. Even when I was supposed to be talking some sense into the dense idiots gathered on the stage, I found myself drifting to where I could see her better, lingering on her as she laughed with her friends. Thankfully, those three were taking my warning seriously, keeping a decent distance from my mate, which helped me maintain control over my darkness.
When Connor joined us on stage, Tee and the other two moved closer. Our bond tugged in my chest, and I knew I couldn’t take the distance between us any longer. I needed her. I needed the world to know she was off-limits. Completely off-limits. For once my power was a real asset. Very few could take me on and win, and for my girl, I would destroy them without thought.
Not that she seemed to notice, but the supes around her watched her. Her beauty—which was special and unique—teamed with all of her power, drew them like moths to a flame. She shone with an inner light and strength that was rarely replicated, even amongst the most powerful.
Moving right to the edge of the stage, I knew I was drawing attention, but I didn’t care. It was time for our world to know. I held my hand out to her and she didn’t hesitate, coming right for me. A small group gathered under the stage, but I didn’t even spare them a glance as I used magic to haul her up to me.
“Publicly claiming me, huh?” she said, her full rosy lips tilting up, changing her entire face. Her smile turned her from beautiful to breathtaking.
I couldn’t help myself. Even though I knew she would probably hate this sort of public display, I had to kiss her. It was not just about claiming her, but needing to taste her. The urge was growing stronger with each step we took forward in our bond. We’d dealt with the past, admitted our feelings, and acknowledged the love between us.
The bond was a magic beyond all magics, and it was responding strongly.
I was already thanking the gods for my second chance.
Tee was content in my arms, and I watched for danger over her head while enjoying this moment together. “Louis!” Jestal, a mage from Switzerland, called to me. I turned toward him. His sandy blond hair was in disarray; he was not handling the stress well.
“We’re about to start,” he said.
I nodded once, and then turned my attention out to the sanctuary. There were thousands out there. Tens of thousands, squeezed into the space, wanting to be in on this historic vote. Never before had we been in a situation like this, one which might change the very fundamentals of our world. It was huge. No one wanted to miss it. The only ones who hadn’t been able to make it were those maintaining the securities around our towns. Right now, that was almost as important as this vote.
Tee went to move away from me, but my arm tightened around her, keeping her firmly at my side. I could feel her glare, and even though I really wanted to stare at her pretty pink cheeks, I had to focus.
“Welcome,” I boomed, magic amplifying my voice so it echoed out across the world. The noise started to die down immediately, and I gave them a few more minutes to get themselves together.
“We’re gathered here today to make a very important decision,” I continued. “We need to decide if it’s time for supernaturals to step out of the shadows, to reveal the truth of our world to the humans. The spell I cast … should not have been done, but it has begun the process of integrating our worlds. Already, though, there have been more than a few issues. Violence started strong and it’s only increasing, and as more humans become aware of us, it will get worse. If you vote correctly today, I will have a chance at reversing this spell. Of giving us another chance at living undetected amongst the humans.”
As far as I could see, wide eyes stared at me, and the energy simmering across the supes was filled with nervousness and unease.
“Humans fear what they don’t know,” one of the elders said on the stage, his voice as loud as mine. “Maybe we just need to give them time to get used to us. We might as well continue on now, since the process is already started. There will probably never be a mage powerful enough again to release such a spell.”
