here,” Rebecca said, pointing to her head and Aleks snorted. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and he
scooted a fraction of an inch away from his tiny mate.
“Anyway. I have been digging around in the archives and found out that the original plan for Arkadia
was for it to be a paranormal safe haven. Something happened and it became shifter only. I can, as Alpha
Mother, invite each coven member in individually. That will allow them access, but not allow them to invite
or bring anyone else into town. I can even word it so that if they turn feral the invitation is negated. I can
make it so that it’s just this town, not all of the other sister towns,” Rebecca explained. Nearly every face
around the table showed varying degrees of doubt.
“Rebecca, how come you can modify the perimeter, but couldn’t undo what Ethan did when he invited
the hyenas in?” Bran asked curiously.
“I think it’s because I will be creating new exceptions. I don’t think anyone could undo a breach. It
involves someone’s willing intent to allow harm, that willingness to do harm to a neighbor is old magic and
only their death could close the gap. I’ll just be creating tiny little loopholes,” Rebecca explained.
“I know you want to help Ashby, Becca, but I’m not sure this is the answer,” Aleks said softly.
“Give us time to think about it.” Bran said, and Kate nodded to Rebecca.
“OK, but let’s try to reach an answer soon. I have a bad feeling something bad will happen to Ashby. I
want him home,” Rebecca said, sitting down in Aleks’s lap. She rested her head on his chest, trying to
ignore the growing sense of danger.
Chapter 9
“Are you sure this looks OK?” Ashby asked, turning around in the mirror again. Daniel and David
nodded enthusiastically. After Gabriel had finally let him out of his sight Ashby went to the twins with the
slight problem of not having anything to wear for the night. They were more than happy to raid their closet
as they were close in size.
“You look hot!” Daniel said, grinning.
“Gabriel is going to love it!” David said, fluffing Ashby’s soft blond curls.
“It’s not really me,” Ashby said unconvinced.
“Exactly!” the twins said together.
“Which is why it’s going to have the kind of impact you need. This is like your coming-out party as
Gabriel’s mate. You have to look the part, send a message,” Daniel said. Ashby looked down at his low
riding jeans and sheer white button-down.
“What exactly is the message I’m sending with this outfit? Twenty-dollar blow jobs?” Ashby asked.
“Hey! We wear this, too, you know,” David said, frowning. Ashby ran his hands over his face.
“I’m so sorry, this outfit is amazing. It’s just so…” Ashby paused.
“Sexy?”
“Provocative?” the twins asked. Ashby nodded.
“I guess I’m not used to being center of attention,” Ashby admitted. The twins looked at each other and
burst out laughing.
“What?” Ashby demanded.
“Sweetie, you have looked in a mirror right?” David asked, gently turning Ashby around to look into
the full-length mirror.
“Darlin’, in the vampire world you could get any man you wanted. You are so beautiful it borders on
being sinful. If he hasn’t already, I will bet you my iPad that Gabriel has already called his favorite artist to
commission a painting of you…” David explained.
“Probably in the nude…” Daniel interjected. David shot him a dirty look.
“As I was saying. You are gorgeous, how could you not know that?” David asked. Ashby shrugged.
“With shifters, strength is nearly everything. You need to be strong to hunt, to kill, to eat, to protect your
pride or pack and young. I’m small and girly. My hair is long and my voice is squeaky and I’m short and
my animal is a small fox, the smallest fox in the world. In fact I’m small even for a fennec. Throw in the
fact that I knew I was gay and I was always picked on,” Ashby admitted, staring down at his feet.
“You stop that right now! If those Neanderthals couldn’t see the beauty in front of them, then fuck
them. You’re ours now, you look down for no one. There is a coven full of men and women who would
happily kill anyone who insulted you. You may have been picked on before, but that is a thing of the past.
You’re our prince now Ashby. If you allow others to look down on you, you insult the ones who care about
you, and in the vampire world you are second only to Gabriel. So when you walk down those stairs and
into the public for the first time as our prince you need to sell that outfit,” Daniel said, his voice full of