She studied me for a few seconds, before tears pricked her eyes again. “I’m so sorry, you must think I’m a mess.” I kind of did, but knew better than to say anything. “I just have no idea of this world. I’m not sure I’m cut out for this life.” She slouched next to me, closer than last time.
Her reaction was the reason we didn’t interact with humans. They couldn’t handle the supernatural, they needed their world ordered, and we went against their laws of nature.
She was still talking. I forced myself to pay attention to her.
“So … you never leave this town?”
My head tilted to the side as I examined her. “Some do, the hunters who search for the criminals, others who take jobs in different communities, but most of us never leave.” I shrugged. “It’s not that bad. We have about four hundred hectares of forest that we use to run in and hide the–” I broke off. Was she supposed to know about the prison?
“Vanguard … the supernatural prison.” She nodded her head, as if pleased she finally knew something. “Mom hinted it was something about this jail that forced her to flee with me when we were babies.”
I got a strange punch-in-the-chest feeling whenever she mentioned our mother. I was so not ready to explore that emotion. I changed the subject. “What are humans like?”
I was curious. We had human studies twice a week, and I watched television. On paper I knew all about them, but had never met one. It struck me that despite her naivety to the supernatural world, she would be a hell of a lot more knowledgeable about the rest of America. She’d been out, traveling around, going to normal school. Sometimes I longed to spread my wings and fly – I know, weird analogy for a wolf shifter. Stratford for all its wonder was still a cage.
She scrunched her forehead like I’d asked the stupidest question ever, although the tears had at least stopped. “Well, humans are just … normal.”
I sighed, and was proud of the fact I didn’t growl at her. If my question was stupid, her answer was even more so. Apparently she wasn’t finished though.
“There are so many different types, funny, petty, cruel, evil, sweet, and honorable. I’ve never had many friends – we moved around a lot – but there are great people in the human world. I’ve loved, lost, had fights and more fun than I’d ever dreamed I could.” She was studying her hands again. “And through all of my experiences, I still always felt different, living on the outside a little.” She met my gaze. “Guess I finally know why.”
Humans sounded like supernaturals, just with shorter, more fragile lives. We had plenty of drama here also, but maybe not on such a grand scale. We were more patient. Say if we wanted to exact revenge, well, sometimes that could take ten years to play itself out. We had a lot longer to think it through.
“Can you tell me about your world?” she asked, as she studied her fingers. It looked as if she didn’t care, but I knew better. I could see the slight tremble of her hands.
As if they’d been timing their entrance, the front door slammed open.
Maximus’ voice led the way. “Jessa, you okay?” There was a dark warning in his tone.
The four of them prowled their way into the living room. Judging from their expressions, they’d come in here expecting the worst. I guessed they’d heard voices and wondered who else was in their home. The room seemed smaller as they moved into a semi-circle around my back, towering over me and Mischa. She looked a combination of freaked out and awed as she shrank back, her gaze drifting between their four faces.
“Guys, meet Mischa, my sister.” Yeah, I was acknowledging the relationship. Seemed stupid not to. As far as I knew she was just as much a victim of our parents as I was.
A slight smile crossed her face and her eyes lit up, the green so bright, with these fine traces of blue. Damn her for having awesome turquoise eyes.
“So you wanted to know about the supernatural world,” I said, waving a hand behind me. “The Compasses might just be the perfect examples, since they represent four of the five races.”
The quads hadn’t said anything more, they were standing in their ‘intimidation’ pose, faces expressionless, except for the locked-on gaze. No wonder Mischa was cowering like a lamb thrown to the lions.
“Okay firstly as I said, there are five races. The one not represented here are the demi-fey.” I listed out the creatures which fell under this banner. Mischa’s face went a sickly white color as she realized the true extent of our world. “The demi-fey only live within the protected supernatural communities. The few times they have made themselves known to humans … well, let’s just say things went a little haywire.”
I was the queen of understatements. Think Loch Ness, Bigfoot, and gargoyles.
“We have a lot of trolls here. They mine underground for gold and gems. Subsequently everyone in Stratford is filthy rich – not that we have any need for money. Most of the demi-fey are from the dying lands of Faerie.” I stood and moved next to Jacob. He smelled of forest and cold night air; his white-blond hair had a few leaves in it. “And so is Jake. He’s a full fey, descended from faerie.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” he said, smiling at the stunned girl. He flashed two straight rows of very white teeth. Mischa probably didn’t recognize the threat in them.
It wasn’t unusual for the quads to be so protective, but I was a little surprised they viewed any threat in Mischa.