I approached her, hands out. “Hey. We’ve got a situation and we’re hoping you’ll help…”
What would I offer her in exchange? Money? I doubted the selkies cared for that.
She raised an eyebrow. “Selkies don’t help others. We stick with our own kind.”
With that she turned her back and started to walk away.
What the fuck?
Rage boiled inside me.
“Fine! I’ll fucking call the Akuma and sic them on your asses. I don’t care. Meanwhile, the human Feds are locking up demons in concentration camps. I wonder how you and your group will fare in bunk beds on land!”
My chest heaved as the anger ripped through me. Brock stood there, wide-eyed, holding my hand tightly.
The selkie froze, then spun about, a demonic fire blazing in her eyes. “You dare threaten me?” The trees shook at her words, but I decided I’d gone too far to back down now.
“My best friend Cass, the little pink demon imp you met last time, was taken in the underworld, and I need to get him back. I’ll threaten whomever I need to in order to make sure he doesn’t die.”
She sighed.
“Please, he’s family.” I whimpered.
Her face relaxed a little. “I wonder what it would be like to be that full of love for someone…” She sounded wistful, and I suddenly wondered if she had ever been in love.
I tried to hook the sale. “My witch friend said that if you loaned us two of your skins, we could—”
She gasped. “Loan you our skins? That’s like asking someone to loan you their soul!” The fire was back in her eyes, burning more fiercely than before.
‘We may have to call the pack. Take them by force,’I told Brock through our link. I wasn’t taking no for an answer. I couldn’t, not when this was our only chance at getting Cass back right now.
My alpha’s eyes went wide and concerned, his mouth tight. War with the selkies wasn’t exactly on today’s agenda, I got that. But what else were we supposed to do? Leaving Cass in the underworld as a prisoner of the sirens for a second longer than necessary was completely out of the question.
He dropped my hand and approached the selkie leader. “Times have changed. Supernaturals have become hunted overnight.” Lifting his shirt, he showed her the small red bump on his shoulder. “I’ve been tagged like an animal, and now the government knows everywhere I go.”
He allowed his words to linger until fear flickered in her eyes.
“It’s only a matter of time before their witches find you and flush you out,” I added for effect.
She crossed her arms. “So I let you borrow two skins, and what do I get? You’re going to protect me from the humans?”
Brock shrugged. “Maybe. If you lend us two skins to cross over into the underworld, I, Brock Adams, will pledge an alliance with your clan. That means that if you’re ever in need of protection or a favor, I’ll grant it. No matter what.”
Chills broke out on my arms. That sounded magically binding. A smile curled at the edges of the selkie’s lips. “A favor and alliance with the alpha.” She dragged the words out, seeming to ponder Brock’s offer while stroking her stringy, long hair.
After a moment’s pause, she snapped her fingers and two naked women walked out from the woods, a wet selkie skin draped over each of their arms in offering.
Thank you, Jesus!
I wanted to weep in relief, but kept my shit together. I could lose it on the helicopter ride back, but not here.
“I accept your offer, Brock Adams,” the selkie leader said. She spat on her hand and held it out to him.
After a slight pause, he did the same, and they clasped hands. A small burst of magic, like a tiny shockwave, spread outward when their palms touched, and it was done. A magically bound contract.
Brock then turned to me. “Draping ourselves like this might hurt the baby. Cho has offered to go with me—”
“My skin would never hurt an innocent child,” the naked selkie nearest me scolded Brock.
