With my newly enhanced werewolf eyesight, I was easily able to make out six aircraft in the hanger. “A training facility?”

“I think so, but honestly, I haven’t spent much time worrying about it.”

“Of course, you haven’t.” I laughed.

She laughed with me, then steered me toward a walkway off the runway. Several SF members stood at attention near the hanger when we passed. The one closest to us nodded as the members carrying my bags trailed behind us.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“To my little home. It’s only a few minutes’ walk up this way, and it’s absolutely fantastic. There are two bedrooms, a stocked fridge, a TV with all of the channels you could ever imagine, and there’s even a pool in the backyard! Can you believe it? I’ve been sunbathing and swimming every day. It’s absolutely amazing.”

My sister’s ecstatic expression only made me shake my head and smile more. “You’re making it sound like you’re on a trip.”

She laughed, that tinkling sound like a soothing balm to my nerves. “It feels like one in a way, although most vacas don’t come with hot guards holding particle guns.” She waggled her eyebrows and side-eyed the guards we’d just passed.

I muffled a snort. “I don’t think I packed a bathing suit.”

She patted my hand. “Don’t worry. I packed a dozen.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

She grinned, her eyes sparkling in the starlight. “Isn’t it nice to be out of Chicago with winter looming? I asked Commander Klebus to send me somewhere sunny and hot.”

I frowned, the first time I’d done so since arriving. I’d just spent the past twenty-four hours running around naked outside with slushy snow on the ground and hadn’t felt cold at all. So while my sister may be enjoying the dry, hot climate, I didn’t know if I would.

“Why the sad face again?” she asked, her lips out in a pout.

I immediately forced a smile. “No sad faces. Only happy ones from here on out.”

OceanofPDF.com

Chapter 10

I didn’t tell Tessa about my new werewolf side until the next day. By the time we arrived at her home, I’d been so tired and hungry that I didn’t have the energy for anything else. But Tess obviously knew something was up when I polished off two frozen pizzas, all by myself, before going to bed.

So the next morning when we sat around the breakfast table, as that itching began in my chest again—yep, Mrs. Wolf was not happy that it appeared I was settling in here—I finally spilled the beans.

I told Tessa everything. About the mate bond Kaillen felt toward me. How he’d bound me to him with his blood. How that binding had also born some serious werewolf mojo in me and I now had a wolf of my own. And then there was my awakening power, that I’d sadly neglected in the past few days as I tried to get used to the latest hurdle thrown at me.

When I finished, Tessa sat in stunned silence, but I also caught the envy in her gaze. My sister had barely recognizable magic. She could cast a few spells and had enough magic to use portals, but that was about it, and now I’d just unloaded on her that on top of my incredibly strong witch magic and my forbidden power, I also had my new awakening power and all of the magic that came with being a werewolf.

“Please don’t look at me like that,” I finally said and dropped my eyes down to my coffee cup. “I can’t help how I was born, and I can’t help that Kaillen turned me into this.”

She bit her lip, then a forced smile streaked across her face. “Well, I guess that would explain the pizzas last night and your, uh, large breakfast this morning.”

I’d eaten an entire box of cereal that had been covered with a gallon of milk. I gave a meager smile. “Maybe I should start using mixing bowls as my place setting. Then I can honestly say I only had one bowl of cereal.”

She laughed, the sound genuine, but I still caught that envious gleam in her eyes.

“Don’t hold this against me too,” I said, returning my attention to my cup. “I didn’t steal anything from you in utero, Tess, and none of what I have now was stolen from you either. This is just how we were made, how we were born—minus the werewolf part—and it’s really awful if you keep begrudging me for it.”

I didn’t look up at her, not right away, because I’d never said that so plainly to her before. Well, not without a lot of anger behind it ’cause she usually brought up her theory of me stealing her powers in utero when we were in the middle of a fight. But now, we weren’t fighting, and I needed my sister to be on my side.

Her eyes softened when I finally looked up. “I don’t hold it against you, Tala Bala. Am I jealous?” Her smile trembled. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t. Of course, I am. I’ve always been jealous of your power, but at the same time, I know it’s not your fault that I don’t have any of it.”

She reached across the table and squeezed my hand, and a rush of such gratitude filled me that I squeezed her right back.

But I obviously didn’t realize how hard I’d squeezed until she yelped and pulled her hand back, flapping it in the air. “Ouch, girl! Watch those new werewolf powers of yours!”

She fanned her hand again, and I gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I’m still getting used to it.” I let my head fall into my hands before sighing heavily. “It’s just so much, you know? First the new awakening power and now this. It’s a lot.”

“I’m sure it is.”

And for some strange reason, my sister actually sounded genuine.

My shoulders relaxed more as some of the stress I was feeling lifted.

“So where do you think your new power comes from?” she asked. “The one that sucks others’ magic from them?”

I took another sip of coffee. “No idea, but I can’t help but think about something Mom told us. Remember when we were kids and she told us how important it was that we keep my forbidden power a secret?”

Tessa’s lips pressed together as her cheeks flushed, but she nodded as an ashy scent rose from her.

“You don’t need to feel guilty. I’ve forgiven you for telling Star Tattoo Dude.” I reached across the table to her.

“His name was Preston,” she said primly.

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. Any guy who works for Jakub doesn’t deserve a name if you ask me.”

She tapped her chin. “True.”

“Anyway, do you remember what Mom said?”

Tessa leaned back in her chair and propped a knee up. She was already in her neon-orange string bikini with the straps bowed-tied at her hips and around her neck. A kimono-styled sarong covered it. The sheer material reminded me of tropical cruises, but the material’s flimsiness did little to hide the body her bikini had on full display.

“She was always talking about how we couldn’t tell anyone because of the Bone Eaters.” Tessa scrunched her nose up. “Is that right?”

“Yeah, that’s what I remember too. She said to never tell anyone and to keep it a secret at all costs or the Bone Eaters could be summoned. That’s what I remember most of all, the word summon.”

Tessa leaned forward, dropping her chin into her palm as her excited expression grew. “Do you think since the word is now out about your powers that they will be summoned?”

I made a sour face. “You don’t have to look so happy about that.”

“But it could be exciting.”

“Or I could end up dead.”

“Oh pooh.” She waved a hand at me. “You’re too strong for that. Look at how you rescued me in New York.”

“With the help of Kaillen. I couldn’t have done that on my own.” Thinking about the hunter brought a sharp pang of longing to my chest. My wolf stirred, beginning to pace again in my belly as she had done on and off all morning. I quickly shoved that feeling down.