Chapter 12

Merlot stopped in front of the door with his arm around Margo’s waist. While she had been asleep, he had made a decision and was not looking forward to telling her. He kissed her cheek as he looked around at his family. He sighed.

“Lola, Mayra, Keith, Joyce, and I are going to Obsidian. Rose said you guys-”

“Wait! What?” Margo almost shouted. “I’m going with you!”

He shook his head. “No, Margo. You’re not. Neither is Jenna or Nalani.”

She pulled away from him to glare at him. “But I can’t protect you from here.”

He sighed as he gently pulled her into his arms. “And what happens if you go there and I can’t protect you? They will try to take you back. I will burn the universe down for you, and I really don’t want to hurt innocents over you.”

She sighed as she leaned against him. “You better come home to me.”

He kissed her deeply. “I promise that I will. We have a lot of unfinished business,” he murmured huskily before looking towards his family, who were all grinning.

“Keith, did you tell Jenna and Joyce what Jenna is?”

He shook his head. “No, I thought it would be better coming from you.”

Jenna’s jaw clenched as she turned her head away to look at the wall, making Merlot sigh.

“Jenna, look at me.” A tear rolled down her face before she met Merlot’s eyes. “If you want to go back to being human, our Aunt can take it away from you.” Joyce growled, and Merlot answered it with his own, silencing her. “But just know this: Joyce already loves you, and I know she thinks you are perfect. We will all help you figure it out. I promise.”

“Thank you,” she sniffled. “What am I?”

“Basilisk,” Merlot said slowly, drawing gasps from his family.

Jenna’s head dropped as tears rolled down her face. Joyce pulled her into her arms.

“That’s fucking incredible. Basilisks were the first magical creatures. As they mated more with humans and had babies, they stopped being able to shift into their serpents but retained their magical abilities, thus creating witches. You are so amazing! I wonder if you’ll be able to shift. Who am I kidding? I don’t care if you can or not! Just fucking phenomenal!”

Jenna gave her a watery smile. “Do you really think so?”

“Hell yes!”

“CAN WE FUCKING FOCUS?!” Mayra screamed. “I want to go to Obsidian!”

Merlot cleared his throat. “Rose said you guys found some of the children’s homes?” Some of his siblings nodded. “Okay, have Emily wipe their memories and double check that they are all healed before you start taking them home. Also, Nomad, while I’m gone, will you please go over the records that were found in my office and start making a list of the children that were killed so we can inform their families? I heard they were buried on coven land. We can at least return their bodies to their families.”

Margo whimpered. “They killed children?”

Merlot pulled her close. “I’m sorry, my love. I wish I could say no, but I won’t lie to you.”

She pulled away to go outside. Everyone glanced at Merlot, who stood frozen in place for a moment before rushing out of the packhouse after her. He drew up short when he saw Margo rooted to the ground. Everyone watched as vines upon vines sprouted, going in every direction. Within minutes, they were coming back wrapped around what looked like bodies.

17 bodies were dragged to lie at her feet. Margo drew in a deep breath before her face tilted up to the sky. Within seconds, her skin changed texture and blurred before melting into a rainbow of different colors with no distinction for her facial features. The vine cocoons slowly sank into the ground as Margo’s roots thickened, spreading out as much on top of the ground as under it.

Merlot carefully walked around her in circles, studying her curiously. He was filled more and more with awe for his stunning mate. He was interested in finding out what she was doing now. He carefully put up a protection spell around her before going back to the porch, where his family stood. He ran his hand through his hair as he eyed Nomad.

“Change of plans, Nomad; I need you to watch over her.”

He nodded. “I will, brother.”

Merlot sighed as he opened a portal to Obsidian. “Let’s go.”

Merlot walked through, his four siblings following closely, before closing the portal. He looked at them.

“Let me lead,” Merlot ordered almost silently as they walked up to the gate.

The guards eyed them as they approached before stepping in front of Merlot.

“What do you want, boy?”

He smirked before pushing his aura so fast that all four guards hit the ground unconscious. Merlot clucked his tongue as he kicked one of them.

“Absolutely pathetic.”

Merlot cast a spell around the guards to drag them behind him as the siblings made their way to the packhouse. Keith and Joyce both veered off into the trees, with their auras also flaring out. Merlot positioned Lola behind him, leaving Mayra to protect their rear. As they walked to the packhouse, more and more terrified people fell into line behind them. By the time they reached the packhouse, the entire coven walked along behind them. The Alpha and Luna stood on the porch, glaring at them as they approached the porch.

The Alpha, an aging man with a ton of wrinkles, stood with a giant spider wrapped around his torso, while his Luna, a stunning middle-aged woman, stood with her hand on the head of a bat. The bat watched them with its muscles quivering, which was the only way anybody would know that it wasn’t a statue. The Alpha smirked at the siblings.

“Go back to your coven and stay out of ours!” he said.

Merlot smiled at him as he put his arm up to stop his sisters from rushing onto the porch. “We just want to talk.”

The Alpha chuckled darkly. “So, bringing my entire coven with you is what? A bargaining chip?”

Merlot smiled wider, showing his teeth. “It’s for their safety.”

The Alpha walked down the stairs, forcing Merlot and the entire coven to take a step back. The Alpha laughed again.

“Are you scared, boy?”

“Not at all.”

“You should be.”

The Alpha clicked his tongue and the spider let him go as it launched itself toward Merlot with its large fangs out, aiming for his face. Before Merlot could react, Lola leapt in front of him. The spider wrapped itself around her body, jamming its fangs into her body while Lola screamed in agony. The Alpha laughed until Merlot ripped his throat out as Lola pinned the spider to the ground. Merlot’s head whipped around to meet the Luna’s eyes.

“One down,” he growled.

“One to go,” Mayra finished for him as she approached the porch with her eyes on the bat, who was watching her back just as intently.