Minds have been changed through something as simple as a conversation. And thats why I tried to remain out of the fray. Real change can be complicated and emotionally painful, and you have put in the time and effort. Im proud of that.
But the insidious facts are that some Americans were not satisfied by the free exchange of ideas. They wanted to use violence to silence those who were different. This has, Im sad to say, been part of our history too. But we have attempted, time and again, to be better people. Better Americans. And so during the debate on the Domestic Safety Act, my office, along with offices all along the Hill, was inundated with calls and emails and letters, the overwhelming majority opposed to this legislation.
But some are never satisfied with the will of the people. Some, like those terrorists who have been attacking Other communities for months, will never stop. And so, while this national dialogue continues, I want something to be completely clear.
An hour ago I signed an Executive Order extending the status quo to all Others. What this means is that if you were an American citizen before the revelation, you are an American citizen now. The same rights and responsibilities you held before the revelation are yours.
There will be no more discussion as to whether or not you are Americans. You are. You were before and you are now.
There will be no concentration camps. No GPS chips. No roundup of Others. Go about your lives, ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy the bounty you have as a citizen of this great nation.
We face challenges in this new reality, yes. But they do not need to include violence. Ive declared a nationwide curfew until the unrest has ended. Those not employed in jobs or mandated activities taking place after seven in the evening will keep to their homes until five the next morning. There will be an increased military presence in the cities where rioting is taking place. Looters and rioters will be arrested and prosecuted under federal law.
Lay down your arms. Go home and accept reality. You dont have to like the werewolf next door, but you are not allowed to kill him or harm his family. Be better people.
Our national dialogue on this issue will continue. I look forward to hearing from you as we move ahead into this new and fascinating future. Thank you.
The president nodded once and turned, walking away.
Epilogue
Six months later
THIS is the first vacation Ive had in years. Helena watched her husband swim in long, bold strokes, cutting across the lake.
The weather here will be good for you. Lark adjusted her bathing suit top. Mom will finally calm down a little. Maybe.
Helena had needed a hip replacement of all things. The bullets had shattered the bone to hell and so there she was, not even thirty, with a brand-new hip. But the real problem had been the secondary infection that had kept her in the hospital an additional two months.
Shed been pissy about it. Had felt like, hey, with this new strength from the binding and all her magick and being in such good shape, she should have been out and running around in days.
Then theyd found out the bullets had been treated with biological agents and a normal person could have died. One of the guards shot that day at the enclave had died from a terrible infection. The one shot with regular ammunition had been in the hospital for two weeks and was now back to work.
Tila came out and smiled when she saw them. Her mother-in-law was just as pesky as Rain when it came to making sure Helena was taking care of herself. But it pleased Faine to see it, and Helena liked Tila so it wasnt really a trial to be here in Lycia, soaking up the sun all day as she healed up.
The violence continued on and off, but after the riots had ended and the country faced a death toll that numbered in the thousands, humans and Others alike had sobered and resolved to work things out better.
The humans finally understood that the Others could and would defend themselves and quite ably. But they also seemed to realize that while the Others had a great deal of power, they hadnt used it in all the time before they were outed, and so maybe they werent the monsters some had said they were.
Of course it wasnt all peace and love. There were several counties and towns that had declared themselves independent Other-Free zones. Others werent in any hurry to move to any of these places and thered been a general feeling of, well, at least theyre far away from here, so while the states and federal government werent pleased, they had enough on their plates to deal with.
In the meantime, she and Faine were going to spend the next two months in Lycia. He had a house there and had been making it into a home for both of them. Their days so far had been filled with lovemaking of the gentle sort. He spent endlessly creative hours on her body and she had no complaints. He helped with her physical therapy with the new hip, as did Tila.
Lark and Simon had joined them the day before and theyd stay for a few weeks as well.
So when were you going to tell me? She sipped her juice and looked over her sunglasses at her sister.
Tell you what? Lark then burst into giggles, blowing her act.
When are you due?
I just got the plus on the stick yesterday. Its early days. Youre the only one other than Simon who knows.
She squeezed Larks hand. Congratulations.
Thanks. Im excited and freaked the hell out.
Gonna be an auntie. I like that. A whole new world coming up for them to be raised in.
Scary.
She shrugged. Exciting. This is a beautiful thing, Lark. Imagine how gorgeous this kid will be. How powerful. How loved.
Youll have to give him or her cousins.
Helena laughed. Not for a while. But yes. That will happen someday.
They looked out at Simon and Faine, whod stopped swimming long enough to shove each other and enter into some sort of brotherly dunking and splashing thing. Two more Leviathan brothers jumped in and joined the fray.
A girl could get used to watching hot dudes splash around all day. I think its got to be part of your recovery. Good for the heart to see it. Lark nudged her with an elbow.
Hell yes.
Glossary and Characters
WITCHES:
Clanan official organization of witches run matrilineally
Clan Gennesseeholds territory from parts of Mexico up to Southern Oregon. United with Clan Owen. Same origins tracing back to the original Owen witches who traveled west with the gold rush.
Clan Owenlargest and most powerful clan of witches in the United States. Holds from middle of Oregon up into Canada.
The OwenThe witch in charge of the Owen Clan. Currently Meriel Owen (see also The Gennessee).
HuntersThe law enforcement arms of witch clans
Dominic Brightmarried to and magically bonded to Meriel Owen. Runs the Owen Clan at her side. Co-owns an Other nightclub called Heart of Darkness.
Edwina OwenDeceased. Meriels mother and former head of Clan Owen. Was killed by human servants of the Magister.
Gage GarrityWitch. Hunter for Clan Owen. Involved with Molly Ryan.
Helena JaansenWitch. Hunter for Gennessee Clan, mated to Faine Leviathan.
Lark JaansenWitch. Hunter for Clan Owen. Sister to Helena. Mated to Simon Leviathan.
Meriel OwenThe Owen, a witch living in Seattle. Married and magickally bonded to Dominic Bright.
Molly RyanWitch. Head of media relations for Clan Owen and the Council of Others. Involved with Gage Garrity.
Rebecca GennesseeWitch. The Gennessee. Runs the Gennessee Clan of witches. Related to Meriel Owen.
LYCIANS:
Lyciaa world on the other side of the Veil where large packs of shifters rule
Faine LeviathanLycian prince. Helenas guard and mate.
Simon LeviathanLycian prince. Co-owner of Heart of Darkness. Mated to Lark Jaansen.
Leviathanthe name of the ruling pack in Lycia. Simon and Faines pack ruled by their oldest brother, Pere.
OTHERS:
Cade WardenWerewolf. National Supreme Alpha.
Carlo PowersHuman. Runs PURITY.
Delilah SperryWerewolf. Senator. Romantically involved with Tosh Sato.
Franco PendergastVampire. Spokesperson for Vampire Nation.
Gibson de La VegaJaguar shifter. Bringer (chief law enforcement officer) of de La Vega Jaguar Jamboree. Mate to Mia de La Vega.
Lex WardenWerewolf. Alpha of Cascadia Werewolf Pack. Mate to Nina Warden.
The Magistera being of old magicks. Nearly manifested in Chaos Burning. Stole the magick of thousands of Others worldwide. Was defeated by Meriel and Edwina Owen.
Marlon HayesHuman. Senator who sides with PURITY and other hate groups.
Mia de La VegaJaguar shifter. Pilot used by the Others as they travel the country. Mate to Gibson de La Vega.
Nina WardenWerewolf. Alpha of Cascadia Werewolf Pack. Mate to Lex Warden.
Toshio Tosh SatoHuman senator. Former JAG. Advocate and supporter of Others.
TERMS:
Alamahmeans beloved in Lycian. Faines pet name for Helena.
The Fontthe magickal bank where all the magick of a clan is held once its used and dissipated back to the collective. Any witch who is a member of that clan has access to the magick held there.
Heart of Darknessa nightclub in Seattle owned by and catering to Others
NeestLycian word for key. Its the name for a forever mate a Lycian takes.
PURITYmain anti-Other hate group. Run by Carlo Powers.
The Veilthe wall between our reality and other realities where the Fae and Lycians live.
Turn the page for a sneak peek at the first Bound by Magick novel by Lauren DaneHeart of DarknessAvailable now from Berkley Sensation!
Chapter 1
MERIEL sat, taking notes as her mother spoke from the head of the table. The pale, late autumn light spilled through the windows of the seemingly normal conference room, casting shadows on the far wall. The tastefully expensive clock and nondescript black-and-white framed photos made the space look like a law firm instead of the headquarters of a witches clan. A boring, non-offensive space that seemed to lack any point of view at all. This was most likely a deliberate choice, but Meriel thought pretending not to have a POV when you were someone as opinionated as Edwina Owen was absurd. But it wasnt her place to make decorating choices. Not yet anyway.
So she sat in a moderately comfortable chair around an intentionally imposing table with the same fifteen people shed spent her days with for as long as she could remember. How sucky was it that it was days like this that made her wish for law school again? What sort of whackadoo actually missed law school? But in law school when she excelled, it was without the context she carried in her life here. The next in line. The princess. Magickal royalty. Blah. There, shed just been another overachiever struggling with the realities of being in a room full of people just as smart, and in many cases, smarter, than she was. That sort of bumpy ride had been a novelty.
But this was her future and she took it seriously even if she had a stack of other things to do at the moment. Meriel really didnt have the time for this assignment, but Clan Owens investigator, who also happened to be Meriels best friend, Nell, was still out on her honeymoon and wouldnt be back for another few days.
Really, Gage, who was Nells second-in-command, would be a fine substitute. But as far as Edwina Owen was concerned, as the next in line to run Clan Owen, Meriel was expected to pick up the slack when necessary. Rather like working in the mail room or running the copiers, it trained in the overall running of the clan.
Whatever, at least shed get out of her house for the evening instead of sitting around reading legal briefs or ordering a movie on demand and eating too many spring rolls. Mmmm, spring rolls . . .
The lull in sound meant her mother probably expected an answer and it was time to pay attention instead of thinking about fried carby goodness.
She sat, back straight, and met her mothers eyes. I have the file. Nell briefed me before she left. Ill head to the club tonight to see for myself whats going on. She continued to hold her mothers gaze. It wouldnt do to show Edwina Owen, the leader of Clan Owen, any weakness. Some predators ate their babies, Meriel knew. Shed actually said that to her mother once. Her mother had replied, Then you should never give me a reason to do that. Not really warm and fuzzy, Meriels mother.
Take Gage with you. It wasnt a request. Very little of what Edwina said ever was. In this case, as was most often the fact, she was right. It wasnt like Meriel was unused to having guards with her. She wasnt helpless, but she had no problem having an expert on the job with her.
Ill be picking Meriel up this evening at ten, Gage spoke from his place near the door.
Edwina looked very pleased the whole world was following her command and Meriel fought the smile edging the corners of her mouth.
Excellent. Brief me in the morning then. Edwina dismissed her with the flick of her fingers. Meriel gladly took her up on it and got out of the room as quickly as possible.
She scares me, Gage said as she passed him in the hall on her way to her office. She totally did not look at his butt or the way the denim was faded in all the right places. That would be wrong. Heh.
Meriel, who was not having nasty fantasies about a coworker, tried to emanate total professionalism for about five seconds before she simply rolled her eyes. Whatever. She wants you to be scared, she likes it. Gets off on it even. Some men like that. My dad for instance and I dont know why I brought that up because, um, ew. She shook her head to dislodge that thought. Oh yeah, Gages ass. She smiled at that much more appetizing mental image. Ill see you tonight then? So you can protect my honor and stuff?