Page 7
The next day, Harper was in her room, running steamer iron carefully over her navy pencil skirt, making sure the creases were crisp and professional. First impressions mattered, especially at a new job. The sound of steam hissing filled her cozy turret room as she smoothed away wrinkles.
Her phone buzzed on the dresser, Katerina's name lighting up the screen. Harper set down the iron and grabbed her phone.
"Hey Harper!" Katerina's voice bubbled with energy. "Are you busy? Can you come downstairs?"
"Just finishing up some ironing for tomorrow." Harper glanced at her half-pressed skirt. "What's up?"
"Yiayia - that is, Maroulla - just arrived from Maine. We're having an emergency meeting with some of the local shifters." Katerina's tone grew serious. "I thought you'd like to be here."
Harper's stomach fluttered with nerves. "Emergency meeting? Did something happen?"
"Nothing bad!" Katerina rushed to reassure her. "Just some things we need to discuss as a community. Yiayia doesn't like waiting though, so..."
"I'll be right down."
"Great! We're in the dining room, just come on in when you're ready."
Harper ended the call and turned the iron off, then placed it on the bathroom counter to cool. She could finish ironing when she returned. The word "emergency" had her fox on high alert, despite Katerina's reassurance.
Meeting important, Reyna commented. Warden calls.
"I know, I know."
She gave herself a quick once-over in the mirror, smoothing her hair and straightening her casual sweater. The Warden of the Northeast might be Katerina's grandmother, but Harper still wanted to make a good impression.
The hallway was quiet as Harper descended the stairs, her sock-covered feet silent on the wooden steps. Light and voices spilled from the dining room, drawing her toward what promised to be an interesting afternoon.
Harper stepped into the dining room to find Katerina and Renee pushing tables together into a large conference setup. Chairs scraped across the hardwood floor as they arranged seating around the makeshift meeting space.
"Here, let me help." Harper grabbed a chair, joining their efforts.
"Thanks!" Katerina flashed her a bright smile. "We need to fit at least ten people."
Renee surveyed the room with a critical eye. "Then we'd better prepare for twelve. Let's add another table, just to be on the safe side."
They worked quickly, transforming the cozy dining space into something more formal. Harper was adjusting the last chair when a commanding presence filled the doorway.
"Well, this is certainly efficient."
Harper turned to find a diminutive elderly woman watching them, her white hair neatly styled and her light brown eyes sharp with intelligence. Even without an introduction, Harper knew this must be Maroulla Kazakis. The Warden's presence filled the room like a gathering storm.
"YiaYia!" Katerina hurried over to embrace her grandmother. "You made good time from Maine."
"The traffic cooperated for once." Maroulla's gaze landed on Harper. "Ah, you must be Harper O'Neill. I recognize your voice from our phone conversations."
"Yes, ma'am." Harper fought the urge to fidget under that piercing stare. "It's an honor to meet you in person."
"None of that 'ma'am' business." The Warden waved off the formality. "Call me Maroulla like everyone else does." She moved further into the room, her practical black shoes clicking against the floor. "I'm glad you made it here safely. That business with the bear in Yosemite caused quite a stir."
Harper's shoulders tensed at the mention of California, but Maroulla's next words surprised her.
"You handled it well," the Warden said briskly. "You kept your head, protected the humans, and managed to avoid exposure. Not many young shifters would have shown such restraint."
The unexpected praise warmed Harper's cheeks. "Thank you, ma'- I mean, Maroulla."
"Now then." Maroulla turned to survey their handiwork with the tables. "This should do nicely. Renee, is there any of that excellent coffee of yours ready? We'll need it."
They were just settling in at one side of the table, having gotten drinks from the buffet against the wall, when a bustle at the front door announced the first arrivals. Two young women entered, looking to be about Harper’s age. Both had honey-gold skin and black hair, but there the resemblance ended. The curvaceous petite woman had big chocolate brown eyes. The other, a slender waif-like creature, had blue-green eyes similar to aquamarine.
"Jacinth!" Katerina went forward to hug them. "And Alyssa! Come meet Harper."
Jacinth... that was the Djinn, Harper remembered, staring at her in awe. The woman radiated warmth and magic, an otherworldly presence in an outwardly human form. Jacinth, apparently not at all shy, came over and enveloped her in a huge embrace. The hug surprised Harper - she could sense an ancient power thrumming beneath the surface of Jacinth's petite frame, yet the gesture held nothing but genuine affection and welcome.
“I’m thrilled to meet you!” the Djinn woman enthused. “That was so brave! Charging out like that to attack the bear! Even though he turned out to be a shifter, too, you didn’t know it at the time. That was simply superb.”
Harper found herself flushing with a mixture of gratification and embarrassment, and Jacinth stepped back for Alyssa to move in for a hug also.
"Alyssa is a Djinn also," Katerina said in an aside to Harper.
Somewhat uncomfortable, being unused to such exuberance, Harper submitted to the hugs. Was that a Djinn thing, she wondered?
"Talya's not coming?" Katerina inquired.
Jacinth glanced back with a sour expression as she headed for the buffet.
"Class," she responded tersely. "I spent my entire morning handling drama queen tantrums because I insisted she keep her scheduled session with her tutor instead of coming here. She's still catching up to the rest of her class, after that compound."
Harper's breath caught as the memory clicked into place. The caracal compound - it had dominated shifter forums for months after the dramatic rescue. She remembered scrolling through endless discussions about the horrific discovery in Morocco, where male caracal shifters had imprisoned women and children of their own kind. Their twisted goal of maintaining "pure" bloodlines had led to unspeakable abuse.
Reyna growled softly in her mind at the dark memory. Bad men.
The forums had exploded with outrage when news broke of the situation. The shifter community had rallied together, offering support and safe houses across multiple countries.
And Talya had been one of those children. Harper's gaze shifted to Jacinth with new understanding. The Djinn must have adopted the young caracal after her rescue. The thought of what the girl had endured made Harper's heart ache.
Safe now, Reyna reminded her. Good den-mother protects kit.
Harper watched as Jacinth fixed herself a cup of tea, the Djinn's earlier frustration over teenage drama taking on new meaning. How remarkable that Talya had recovered enough to engage in normal teenage behavior - fighting with her adoptive mother over tutoring sessions instead of living in fear.
Community protects, Reyna agreed. Pack strong together.
Unaware of Harper's internal musings, Jacinth chuckled, shaking her head. "The way she carried on, you'd think I was keeping her prisoner in solitary confinement."
Katerina smirked. "Better you than me."
Having prepared her tea to her liking, and nabbing a cherry Danish from the pastries table, Jacinth came to sit facing them. She pointed one finger at Katerina.
"You'll be dealing with this yourself one day," she cautioned. "And I won't forget your mockery."
Katerina merely chuckled. "That's ages from now. Troy and I barely finished saying our vows. Kids aren't even part of the conversation yet."
Two men entered the dining room. One was stocky, perhaps in his mid-thirties, with russet hair and hazel eyes. He looked so similar to her friend Jake, Harper was pretty sure this must be his brother, Joe. The other man was taller, with a lean, wiry build. His hair also was on the reddish side of brown, and his eyes on the green side of hazel. Both looked to be of Irish extraction.
“Oh good, you’re both here,” Maroulla said, nodding thanks to her granddaughter as Katerina fetched her a fresh cup of coffee. “Harper, this is Joe and Liam. Joe is the alpha of the local wolf shifters, and Liam is the forerunner of our program to have shifters who are both physicians and veterinarians.”
"I'm a Great Pyrenees," Liam told her with a cheerful wink. "You'll meet my Chosen, Naomi, at some point, she's working this morning."
"Hi, it's nice to meet you." Harper mustered up a polite smile for both men.
Working at the bank had accustomed her to interacting with customers, but usually just individually or in pairs. Now her inner fox was growing frantic, overwhelmed by the crowd, small as it was. The urge to flee upstairs to her bedroom's sanctuary was almost overwhelming. But she squashed the impulse - this situation was her doing, after all. Contributing to plans that would protect their shifter population was the least she owed them.
Katerina looked down as she pulled her buzzing phone from her pocket, the movement drawing Harper's attention from her glass. The cat shifter's golden eyes narrowed as she read the message.
"One of the cooks called in sick at Kazakis," she reported. "So Kester can't be here. He asks if we could record the meeting."
"An excellent idea," Maroulla approved, her brisk tone carrying the weight of authority. "That will be easier for us all, I believe."
Katerina tapped a bit on her phone, then lay it face up on the table. "It's recording now."
“I’d like first to discuss who from here will be coming forward publicly,” Maroulla began. “Katerina, of course, and Kester, and their sister, Melanthe.”
"Jake and I were going to go public at first," Joe explained, settling into a chair with his coffee. "But Rebecca's situation changes things. She’s… fragile. According to Jake, all of this is stirring up old wounds. Ever since that Djinn fellow came threatening to send her back to Salem, she's been plagued by nightmares, and this whole affair has only intensified them. Jake thinks his going public would be too hard on the peace of mind she's been slowly regaining, and I share his concern."
“But we do have Alex and Lydia,” Katerina said. "As you all know, Ethan is president of the bank where Lydia works, and his sister, Kelly, is on the board. We've spoken with them, and they’ve agreed to support her in coming forward, and the spotlight that will potentially put on the bank. Lydia and her husband, Alex, are lynx shifters," she told Harper. "Alex works on a local construction crew run mostly by the bobcat shifters.”
Harper snickered, her inner fox perking up with amusement at the revelation. "Bobcats? Really? Like, the company that makes all that construction equipment?"
Joe winked at her, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "There's a reason the company was named Bobcat."
"Ohh!" She couldn't help but laugh at the clever double meaning. The construction company's name had seemed so ordinary before, but now she saw it in an entirely new light. She loved that the supernatural connections were everywhere, hiding in plain sight.
Maroulla tapped away at her open laptop, pausing to glance up from her work. "We need to address the broader implications of revealing ourselves to humans," she announced. "Especially you, Katerina, and Kester."
"My public revelation will naturally put a spotlight on the vet clinic, given my marriage to one of the owners," Katerina said. "Douglas and Troy are planning to gather their staff and have... well... 'The Conversation' about what we are, before I make any announcements.
Harper's brow furrowed as she tried to keep track of all the connections. "Douglas... that's Jacinth's husband, right?" she asked, seeking confirmation.
Katerina nodded, her golden eyes warm. "Yes, that's right. Douglas, Troy, and our friend, Suzanne MacPherson, are the three partners who own the vet clinic."
"And they're all... human?" Harper ventured, her voice lowering instinctively even though they were among friends.
"Yes. Suzanne and her husband, Mac, have known about shifters for a while now. Mac is also a veterinarian, although he works at a different clinic."
Harper's inner fox perked up its ears, curiosity piqued. She leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "So they've been aware of the supernatural world for a while?"
"Oh yes," Katerina confirmed with a nod. Her eyes twinkled. "Although, there was good Scotch involved when Troy and I told them."
Harper felt a wave of relief wash over her. Knowing there were other humans besides Nathan who had successfully integrated into their world, who understood and accepted them, eased some of the anxiety that had been gnawing at her. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope for a future where they could all coexist openly.
“Talya’s unhappy about not being allowed to come out, too,” Jacinth reported, with a roll of her eyes. “She thinks it would make her ‘cool’ at school. But Douglas and I have put our foot down, firmly. We’re not risking her. She’s new enough to being in America that she simply cannot comprehend the danger that all of us here understand so well.”
Maroulla agreed, nodding her silvered head and peering at them sternly over her black-framed glasses. The elderly woman's lined face grew even more serious, her light brown eyes sharp with concern. "Absolutely not. We are not under any circumstances putting children at risk." Her brisk tone brooked no argument. "We have teams monitoring social media. So far it seems to be fairly evenly divided between those ranting, and those supporting." She straightened in her chair, her bearing regal despite her age. "It helps that we have so many shifters, and humans who know about them, already in place in law enforcement and in the military. But we also need to protect those in sensitive occupations."
"Like you, Liam," Maroulla said to the physician, who'd settled in beside Joe with cups of coffee before both men. "We can't afford for doctors to lose hospital privileges, or for teachers to lose jobs." The authority in her voice reminded Harper why this woman had risen to such prominence in the community.
"We do worry the veterinary practice will be targeted, and we've discussed that," Katerina explained, concern darkening her amber gaze. "That extremists might try something. Kester's concerned about his restaurant as well. Not during business hours when we're present, but it's almost a certainty that someone might trash the places, either the clinic or the restaurant, after dark."
Seated beside Jacinth, Alyssa stirred. She'd been so quiet, Harper had almost forgotten she was there. The Djinn's presence had faded into the background while the others spoke, but now her aquamarine eyes flashed with purpose.
"As to that," the Djinn woman said, her musical voice carrying an undercurrent of authority, sitting oddly with her youthful appearance, "I bear a message from Damien. The Vampire Council has also been deliberating, and they are offering night-time security for businesses and homes that might be at risk."
Her delicate features hardened with determination, suggesting this wasn't a casual offer but a serious commitment from the vampire clan.
Harper turned to stare at her, conscious of her dropped jaw. Her heart skipped a beat as she processed this new revelation. "V-vampires?" The word came out in an embarrassing squeak, her fox instincts urging her to bolt for safety.
Katerina, however, went into a peal of laughter, joined by Jacinth. Their combined mirth rang through the room, making Harper's cheeks burn with self-consciousness as she tried to regain her composure.
“Oh, my gosh! I can’t wait to tell Troy!” Katerina gasped.
Jacinth was holding her sides. “And Douglas!" she wailed. "They are simply going to die !”
Alyssa grinned at her friends in sympathy, but went on. “Damien does ask, however, that suitable daytime accommodations be found. The clan in New York City is large, but that's too far away for them to safely commute back and forth.”
"Of course," Maroulla declared crisply, jotting something down. "I'll speak with Paul, who runs the construction crew, and check which buildings he knows about that could work for us, then handle any renovations we need to make."
Harper was still catching her breath, her heart racing with a mix of awe and disbelief. Vampires? Seriously? Vampires! Of course she knew they existed, but no one ever saw them, not even other paranormals. They kept to strictly themselves, and never - never! - got involved with those outside their kind.
Joe drew their focus as he spoke. "On that topic, Paul and I have already discussed this in detail. He's open to revealing himself, though he thinks we might want to take it step by step, on the local level. His suggestion is to let Katerina and Kester make the initial announcement, give everyone time to process that for few weeks, before he steps forward along with Lydia and Alex."
"That would give Ethan and Kelly a bit of time to consolidate their positions in the bank, too," Maroulla mused. "They'd get to build relationships with their employees before Lydia goes public. That might help when the spotlight hits the bank. I like it."
Harper gulped a little, picturing the ripples of change sweeping through the staid, conservative atmosphere of a bank. She could already imagine the whispers around the break room water cooler, the sideways glances from long-time clients who'd banked with Carter's for generations.
“We won’t be doing anything to bring attention to this inn,” Maroulla continued, giving them all a stern look over the top of her glasses. “The inn will be our safe haven here in the Northeast, for displaced shifters like yourself, Harper. I've spoken at considerable length with Angus and Renee on this, and we're in agreement. While they are certainly capable of keeping their guests safe on the property… as we all know… at the same time, it would be best to keep them out of the public eye, nor do they wish to be in the public eye.”
"I think we can all agree on that," Jacinth said, nodding vigorously enough that her high ponytail bounced across her shoulder. "As we discussed when those videos first came to light, the Djinn will be acting as allies and protectors. We'll do all we can to help anyone at risk, and to keep everyone safe." She paused, looking about the table at those gathered. "When Becca was in danger of being returned to Salem, I enchanted a necklace that would allow me to find her anywhere. I'm working on making more of these. I don't want to be giving them out in great quantities, but anyone who's gone public and is considered to be at risk, should have one."
Katerina stirred. "Would you consider giving one of these to Tamera? While she's not coming out, Kester is, so eyes will be on her, too. She hasn't said anything about it, and she's been nothing but supportive of Kester and I going public, but whenever I'm around her as Cat, I can sense her anxiety. She was already kidnapped once, and Kester says she's been having flashbacks."
Joe, who was sitting beside Harper, leaned close and whispered, "In case you're having a hard time with all the new names, Cat is Katerina's name when she's in her shifter form. Kester is Katerina's brother, and Tamera is his wife."
She smiled gratefully at him, nodding in understanding. She'd met Tamera, but she hadn't made that connection, that Tamera was the caracal who had been kidnapped and taken to the compound in Morocco. It was her kidnapping that had brought the situation regarding the caracal women and children to the Shifter Council's attention. A Djinn... Jacinth, she now realized... had tracked the woman, and passed information to the Shifter Councils. A rescue had been mounted, and the caracal women and children had been rescued, most of them choosing to relocate here to the States. The rescued caracal women and children had found refuge at a local inn while rebuilding their lives. Scanning the cozy interior, Harper felt certain in her bones that the West Side Inn had been their sanctuary.
A warmth bloomed in her chest, accompanied by a wave of deep contentment. Something about staying where those survivors had found refuge touched her heart in unexpected ways.
Den , her fox, Reyna, spoke up, unexpectedly. She gave her fox a mental nod, agreeing. Although it wasn't her home, the inn did give that same feeling of a snug, secure den.
"Tamera doesn't need a necklace," Jacinth was explaining, as Harper re-directed her attention back to the conversation at hand. "She and I are close enough that I can find her wherever she is... as I did when she was kidnapped. I'll remind her of that, and set her mind at ease. Thanks for letting me know, Katerina."
Jacinth's intent gaze swept the table consideringly. "There isn't a one of you that I can't find." Her head tilted. "Well, maybe you, Joe. But you're not coming out, so you're not likely to need a talisman."
Harper watched as Joe's lips curled back, revealing teeth that seemed sharper than they should be in his human form. A chill raced down her spine as his features transformed from friendly to feral in an instant. Even without shifting, he radiated raw, primal power.
"I can take care of myself," he growled, his voice dropping to a deeper register.
She didn't doubt that for a second. Everything about him screamed predator - from his confident posture to the calculated way he held himself, like a coiled spring ready to unleash devastating force. He embodied what an alpha should be, commanding respect without having to demand it. Reyna, recognized it too, maintaining a respectful distance even in her mind.
Harper gazed around the table, taking in the diverse group gathered before her. Her heart swelled with a mix of awe and gratitude. Growing up, she'd known only her immediate family - just her parents and siblings, all fox shifters like herself. But this... this was something entirely different.
Here sat not just various types of shifters, but powerful Djinn who could bend reality itself. And they all worked together seamlessly, each bringing their own strengths to protect their community. The way they coordinated, planned, and supported each other spoke of deep bonds and mutual trust built over years.
Reyna, her inner fox, preened with satisfaction at being included in such distinguished company. These weren't just any supernatural beings - they were the ones who made things happen, who shaped the future of their kind in this region. Maroulla's authority, Jacinth's magical prowess, Joe's raw power as an alpha, Katerina's courage to step into the public eye - each of them carried themselves with quiet confidence born of experience and capability.
And somehow, despite everything that had happened with the bear incident, they'd welcomed her without hesitation. No blame, no accusations - just acceptance and support. They'd even helped her to find a job, a safe place to stay, and included her in their inner circle discussions.
Harper felt the knot of guilt in her chest loosen slightly. Yes, her actions had forced their hand, accelerating their timeline for revelation. But watching these powerful beings work together, seeing their careful planning and multiple layers of protection, she realized maybe it wasn't the catastrophe she'd feared. They weren't scrambling to react - they executing long-laid contingency plans, adapting them to fit the current situation.
Closing the lid of her laptop, apparently finished with taking notes, Maroulla stood, pushing her chair back with quiet authority. Harper watched the elderly woman rise, struck by how the Warden's simple movements commanded respect. Even in this informal setting, she carried herself with the dignified bearing of someone accustomed to making decisions affecting countless lives.
"I think we've got as much in place as we can for now, and I'm going to head out."
Harper watched as disappointment flickered across Katerina's face.
"But YiaYia, I thought you were staying with Troy and me tonight." Katerina's golden eyes dimmed slightly. "I even made pastitsio, your favorite."
Maroulla's stern expression softened as she regarded her granddaughter. "No, dear. I have dinner plans with some of the shifters in Hartford." She patted Katerina's hand. "Connecticut's council members have their own concerns about the revelation process. I'll stay overnight there and head home to Maine tomorrow."
Katerina's shoulders slumped, but she managed a small smile. "At least take some pastitsio with you? For later?"
"Now that, I won't refuse." Maroulla's eyes crinkled with warmth. "Your pastitsio is almost as good as mine these days."
Harper felt a pang of sympathy for Katerina. The cat shifter clearly adored her grandmother and had been looking forward to spending more time with her.
Maroulla pulled off her glasses, rubbing her eyes for a moment, then replaced them. Her movements were precise and deliberate, reminding Harper of a queen preparing to address her court.
"As stressful as I know this has all been, I must admit, I'm rather glad it's finally happened. So many years worrying and wondering when it will happen, how it will happen. It's finally here, and we can begin to move forward." The elderly Warden's voice carried a mix of weariness and relief that resonated through the room. "So far, I think, it's gone better than any of us had dared to hope, thanks to the revelation of our existence being due to a daring, heroic rescue. The public response has been encouraging, more sympathetic than we anticipated."
Maroulla's gaze rested on Harper, a faint smile on her face softening the usual brisk authority in her expression. "This was a good thing, Harper, and you need to stop beating yourself up about it. This would have happened soon, regardless, and it could have been worse. Much worse."
The elderly Warden's words offered a measure of comfort, though Harper's stomach still churned with anxiety over her inadvertent role in exposing their secret world. She shifted in her chair, fingers twisting in her lap as she absorbed the weight of Maroulla's reassurance.
Maroulla gathered her belongings, tucking papers into her leather briefcase with practiced efficiency.
"Katerina, dear, would you mind accompanying me to the car? I have some gifts from your parents for you and Troy."
"Of course, YiaYia." Katerina rose from her chair.
The group broke apart like scattered leaves in a gentle breeze. Alyssa disappeared - literally vanished in a whisper of smoke that made Harper blink in surprise, then giggle because, honestly, that was simply so amazing. Jacinth hugged everyone goodbye before poofing home as well, while Liam and Joe simply nodded their farewells, and strode out the front door.
As the last footsteps faded and the front door clicked shut, Harper found herself alone in the dining room. The quiet settled around her like a comfortable blanket. She breathed in the lingering scents of coffee and pastries, mixed with the subtle traces of supernatural beings - the smoke-and-spice of Djinn, and the slight zing of shifter magic.
Reyna stretched contentedly in her mind, radiating warmth and satisfaction through their shared consciousness. They had found their den, their pack - different as it might be from anything they'd known before, with its blend of shapeshifters and magical beings. The apprehension and fear of the last weeks fell away, replaced by a deep-rooted sense of community, and safety... belonging. Her inner fox purred with contentment, and Harper couldn't help but smile. And she found she was loving it, every unexpected, wonderful moment of it.