Part 32 (2/2)
It see the ball of energy was an interesting experience I had seemed to think it into existence, but only because I had seen Veruschka and soed Wiccans do it before Maybe you had to see it, before you could do it Later There would be time later All the time in the world
It shi+vered and huht Within its core was a darker ball of energy What I assumed htly through the corridorswhen my brain clicked on ”Selwyn?” I said
It stopped
”It is you, isn't it?” I said
The cat turned and put its ht, which I heldor so, flashed suddenly astonishi+nglyflash of azure I had only ever seen once before in Selwyn And I would remember He had penetrated my mind before with those sapphire beauties
”You saved me,” I said ”It wasn't Ballard, after all, it was you You're the Fourth Protector”
I went to give Selwyn a big hug but he hopped out of my reach ”When Marek attackedout forout for me But why? You needn't worry about him In fact, I think Marek's one of my protectors, too Heaboutsomeone else Lennox Lennoxlove”
The panther blinked and then licked its lips For a
”He's house-trained, I swear But then, I have another kind of House, don't I? You, Marek, Lennox, and Ballard You're like the Fourth House And I'uess that means we'll have to Hive No, that's silly We're family,” I said I couldn't believe it
The Selwyn-cat didn't move this time, just pawed the turf uneasily
”You don't have to talk to me,” I said, ”if you don't want to I would like to kno long you have been following h, and if it's you I see in my dreams, because you don't have to worry about me, I can take care of ht out of my hand; it flen the hallway
Selwyn followed after it at a trot I could barely keep up
He slowed I nearly buround His panther ears swiveled forward
”Heyyou're a shi+fter,” I said, so that only he and I could hear ”You're a wizard and a shi+fter But I thought that hadn't happened in a century Not sinceRhea Silva, whoever she was”
But Selwyn gave me a sphinx-like look and I shut my mouth I could suddenly hear them, too, the other voices The voices I had heard before
They were here with round facility, which had been hollowed out to acco I put my hand on Selwyn's back and kneeled doith him At my touch, he shi+vered, but then relaxed His powerfulwhoever wassure to keep my voice down ”Or, I know, Maria and what's-his-na to each other”
But Selwyn shi+fted hissuch clai before I found out
Chapter 23 Vittoria's Secret
I could feel every mystical vibration from e had all been aniic in the blood The voices were like the voices I had heard at Lennox's family's house ”She drew him with her blood” That's what Camille and Dallace had said Myabout it all this time Did I? Had I drawn Lennox subconsciously with my blood? Had I drawn Marek that way, too? Was I the Super bitch? To quote Frobenius Foucart's ugly words Her? The One?
When I thought about ether with Lennox, it was almost like it had been some other Halsey, some other Lennox Not us
We hadn't been at Rat Rock at all Somebody else had
It was like ere in a trance Even e first uy like that?
And here At this Gathering Hadn't I had a thing for Lux? And then Asher? And noasn't I, in a way, attracted to Selwyn? Sure, he was much olderI didn't kno old exactly But when had that ever stopped me before? Wasn't Lennox considerably older? And even Gaven He was a tricenarian but he was also incredibly good-looking and if he had chosen to indoctrinate me, so be it, I wouldn't exactly have complained How could I? He should be on billboards, Gaven Advertising cologne and world peace But far froentle about the way Ballard was behaving made me feel uncertain
Ballard wasn't, was hehe couldn't possibly be Head Wolf, could he? Il Gatto, the King of Cats?
I aled it He was Selasn't he?
Halseyand I've said it before, I told ot a clue about, well, any of it Maybe what you were feeling about Lennox was put there by so? I toldover Lennox, was I?
The train of thought felt like an over-numbered Hive
Selwyn see So I didn't want to think about I could sense that it was important Selanted to show me it, after all, and when had he ever been exactly outspoken on anything? The inner sanctuary of hisabout Selwynhis quietness, for one thingled me to believe that he had deep dark secrets to hide And he had given out that he had known , when he had slammed his fist down That was also important Foolish me I could have asked Lia any time if Selwyn had tried to read her mind? Or if it was just me? Instead Selwyn remained a mystery
I wanted to pet him He could have carried me on his back, if he wanted to His body was one satin-black series of interconnectedand ripply, with beautiful rosettesspots particular to the , in a Selwyn-cat kind of way Absolutely a When I looked into his eyes, I realized He wasn't cold Just aloof And maybe there was a reason for that He didn't have to be defensive with me It was i the sy to myself This was Lennox And there, Ballard And that, that was Marek And this one must be Selwyn I drew the symbols in my mind, and pointed each of the propellor One two three blades
Four Protectors A olf, two vampires, and a wizard who could shi+ft But if this hat Ballard hadmehe seriously needed to reconsider his commitment
Could they really all have been here to protecton my mind
”Sorry,” I said ”Where e, and where are we? Because I don't think we're supposed to be here”
The pack of ht in his eyes that was usually blue becauessed that meant shi+fters couldn't speak when in their animal forms I adjusted ertips ofI waited for him to turn the corner, and the two of us to ether
Selwyn-cat hunkered and listened to the voices They hispering so at each other
”She scares us We mustkill her It isimperative Yes”
”We cannot act until the Initiates are drawn We must be patient”
”No,” hissed the other one, ”betterwe shall pin it on hireed, one after the other
”Silence Coather like they do”