Page 13 of Shadowed Spirits (Haunted Magic #2)

CHAPTER 13

IZZY

“ I will not hurt you, sagana ,” a scratchy voice rumbles in my mind.

When the voice doesn’t say anything else, and I don’t feel teeth tearing into me, I peek an eye open. I come face-to-face with one of the dog’s massive heads, lowered so he can watch me better. He’s staring at me with what almost looks like affection, which is odd because I’ve never seen this dog before.

“Yeah! We’d never hurt our sagana,” an enthusiastic voice pipes up in my head that’s different from the first one.

I look around, trying to figure out who is talking to me or if I’ve just finally cracked under the pressure and am hearing voices. Honestly, the second is more likely. Hades’s dog is staring at me so intently, it feels like he’s trying to communicate with me. “Are you talking to me?” I whisper to the dog hesitantly. I don’t know why I’m even asking, because dogs, even three-headed ones, can’t speak to people.

“We are, yes ,” a third voice chimes in. This voice is deep but not rough like the first one. Apparently, the voices belong to the dog in front of me. Or is it three dogs?

“How?” I reach up to rub at my temples. This whole day is giving me a headache. Or it could be the voices in my head. Who really knows?

“We are your familiaris , sagana ,” the scratchy voice informs me. The dog lowers his other two heads to stare at me in concern. A massive tongue from the dog’s right head snakes out to lick me across my face.

I sputter as I’m covered in underworld doggie drool. “What was that for?” Reaching up, I use my sleeve to wipe my face clean of the sticky liquid that smells like brimstone and smoke. I doubt it’s ever coming out of this dress. Good thing I don’t like wearing fancy clothes much.

“To help you feel better!” This voice sounds so excited that I don’t have the heart to tell him that being covered in smelly saliva doesn’t make my headache go away. His excited voice practically shouting in my mind doesn’t help, either, but I don’t want to hurt his feelings.

Once my face is as clean as it’s going to get, I ask, “What is a familiaris and sagana ?”

“Fuck,” Hades hisses behind me. “First my brother and now my dog, earthling? You’re lucky I like you.”

Taking my eyes off the dog that can apparently talk to me, I turn around to face Hades. By the smile on his face, he isn’t anywhere as annoyed with me as he’s trying to seem. “What are you talking about?”

Hades exaggeratedly sighs, like I should know all of this. Unfortunately for me, my status as an earthling means I have no idea what’s happening in this realm. “ Sagana means witch, wisewoman, or mage, so that’s you. Familiaris means a familiar, which is an animal who is bound to a very powerful magic user. They increase their bonded’s power. While they’re common here, most earth creatures don’t have enough power to create a bond with a familiaris .”

My eyes widen. “Are you saying I just bonded with your dog?” The only bonds I know of are mate bonds. From what he’s saying, it sounds like the familiaris bond is different, though. Oh, how I absolutely love accidentally forming otherworldly bonds. With a three-headed dog, no less.

Hades rolls his eyes. “No. When you were born, Cerberus became your familiaris . The bond has always been there, you just haven’t experienced it yet. That’s why they can speak to you in your mind.”

I nod, like that makes sense because I don’t know what else to do. Apparently, witches can have familiars, and mine is a massive three-headed dog. Sounds about par for the course for me. “So, I’m not crazy?”

Hades smirks at me. “You definitely are, but not for hearing Cerberus’s voices in your annoying blonde head. That’s how familiares communicate with their bonded. Magic creates the bond and allows communication between species who normally can’t speak to each other.”

“Takes one to know one,” I mutter under my breath because I’m a super mature person. Hades barks out a laugh as I turn back to Cerberus. “So, you’re my familiar, huh? Should I call you all Cerberus, or do you have individual names?”

“ We are, sagana . You can call me Cer,” the scratchy-voiced one tells me. The center head nods while he speaks, so I’m going to guess that’s the one that is talking to me. I reach a tentative hand out to his snout but stop short of touching him. He closes the distance and nudges me with his surprisingly velvety soft nose. I spend a moment rubbing his muzzle before I retreat.

The left head lifts and moves closer to me next. “I’m Bear. We’re pleased to finally meet you.”

Before I can say anything polite in return, the right head swings down and bumps into me in his enthusiasm. “And I’m Russ!” I stumble back from the rough contact but don’t lose my balance. When I’ve righted myself, I look up into Russ’s mournful puppy dog eyes. “Sorry, sagana !”

“You’re good.” I can’t be mad at his earnest voice, so I give him a smile and a few pats on his nose. His giant tongue lolls out of his mouth as he enjoys the pets. I laugh at how goofy he looks. “My name’s Isabel, but I go by Izzy most of the time.”

“We are at your service, Izzy. Anything you need, we will do for you,” all three of them solemnly tell me together. At their pledge of loyalty, it feels like something falls into place. Like I was missing something before, but I never knew it. I rub at my chest absentmindedly, trying to adjust to the new sensation. It’s not a bad feeling, just different.

“Thanks, guys.” Cer moves his head closer until his forehead is level with mine. I cautiously lean in until we’re pressed against each other, and I feel a strange sense of calm wash through me. As tempting as it is to stay in this weird bubble of peace with my new three-headed dog friend, I still have so many questions. Pulling back, I turn to face Hades, who is watching our interaction with bittersweet emotions flitting across his face. “It’s great and all to find my familiaris , but what exactly am I supposed to do with them?”

Levi is the one who answers, his lips tilting up as he watches me. “You don’t have to do anything, little raven. Cerberus will follow you around most of the time. When they aren’t with you, they’ll be able to find you if you need them, much like Aggie.”

I glance between Levi and the twenty-five-foot-tall dog skeptically. “How exactly are they supposed to follow me? I think people might notice if I have a two-story-tall dog walking around with me.”

Levi chuckles. “They can change what they look like. While this is their natural form, Cerberus have several other smaller shapes.”

Well, that’s super handy. Whoever created familiars sure thought this whole thing out. Turning around to ask what forms they can take, I’m startled to see a three-headed rottweiler with glowing red eyes sitting behind me. While they’re definitely shorter, Cerberus still comes up to my chest. Their tail is thumping happily as they watch me. “I guess that answers what other forms you can take.”

“We have a smaller one that will fit in better on Earth,” Bear informs me in his deep voice. While Cerberus having three heads who can each talk to me is a bit confusing, at least they all have very different voices so I can tell them apart.

Anything I was going to say is interrupted by servers bustling into the spacious outdoor area. They’re all carrying trays with different handheld desserts on each. I snag what looks like a cup of tiramisu and a brownie because one dessert is never enough. As I pop the rich, chocolaty brownie into my mouth, I stare thoughtfully at Cerberus. “What do you eat? Do I need to keep dog kibbles on hand?” I sure hope not. I bet they can go through pounds of dog food a day with how huge they are.

“Gross!” Russ sticks his tongue out in disgust. I try to hold in my laugh, but a small giggle slips out at how offended he seems. “We don’t eat kibbles. We hunt for our food.” The rottweiler’s chest puffs out in pride at the mention of hunting. I really hope they won’t drop dead animals at my door to provide for me like cats. That’d be pretty gross.

I swallow nervously as I try to imagine what a twenty-five-foot hell dog hunts for food. Probably creatures much bigger than me. “No hunting humans on Earth, okay?”

“Why?” Cer rumbles.

I sigh because I’m really not the one to be convincing anyone not to be violent or cause destruction. Hunting around for something to say, I finally reply with, “Because it’ll get me in a ton of trouble if people are disappearing from my town.”

“Fiiiiine. We won’t hunt humans. They’re not much fun to chase, anyway. Too easy.” Russ’s voice sounds like a petulant teenager, causing my lips to quirk up.

“So, are you guys following us back to our suite?” I wonder where they usually sleep. Will my room back home even be big enough for them? I’m so not prepared to care for a massive hell dog.

All three of their heads shake at the same time. “No, sagana. We have matters to take care of here.” Cer’s raspy voice sounds like he swallowed a bucket of rocks, and I wonder if he’s always sounded like this. I suppose I can ask him later.

“All right. Well, be safe. If you need me, just come find me.” I reach out a give each of them a few scratches behind their floppy ears. It’s adorable how a brutal-looking hell dog melts into a puddle of goo at some pets.

Once I’m done petting them, Cerberus steps back and slowly grows to their full size. Cer lowers his massive black-fur-covered head to stare into what feels like my soul. “ Call for us if you need us. It is our job to take care of you, so do not worry about us.”

With a dip of their heads, Cerberus turns to Hades. He walks up and gives Cer’s nose an affectionate pat. “I’ll miss the three of you. Although, I can’t be mad at you protecting my little brother’s accident- and trouble-prone mate. Just, come visit when you can? I’ll always keep the forest stocked with your favorite snacks.”

After giving Hades a gentle bump with their snout, Cerberus spins around and lopes back into the shadowy forest.

I snort at his description of me. He isn’t even slightly wrong. “What, exactly, is their favorite snack? Or do I even want to know?”

“Stags. They seem to like the crunch antlers provide over the females.” Hades shoves his hands into his pockets. “You’re welcome to stay out here as long as you want, earthling. I’ve got work to finish up. Come see me in the morning before you leave, Leviathan.”

“Will do.” Levi claps hands with his brother, and they pat each other on the back before Hades makes his exit.

We stay and chat with everyone else for an hour or two before I’m so tired, it’s hard to keep my eyes open. Bishop notices and pulls me into his hard chest. “You ready to go?”

I give him a small nod. “I think so. I’m exhausted.”

“Let’s get you to bed, sweetheart.” Bishop presses a kiss to the top of my head before reluctantly letting me go so I can say my goodbyes.

Seph is the first one to come up to me. She wraps me up in a motherly hug. After a few moments, she reluctantly releases me. “It was lovely to meet you and your mates, Izzy. I so look forward to getting to know you better.”

I give her a tired but genuine smile. “You too, Seph.”

When Levi said we had to go to the equivalent of Hell to find his brother, I envisioned a barren wasteland full of monsters. I certainly didn’t think I would find my potential great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents, who not only don’t despise me but actually want to get to know me. It’s a huge change from how my dad’s parents actively hate my guts. While I want to trust them, it’s hard. I’m just waiting for them to realize I’m fucked up and defective. Everyone eventually does.

Zeus approaches me next. He holds his arms out awkwardly for a moment, seeming unsure what to do. I step into him for a quick hug before pulling back. His burning ozone and rain smell is weirdly comforting. “Sorry about the rough introduction, Izzy. I also can’t wait to spend more time with you.”

“No worries. I’m a prickly asshole, so I get it.” Zeus lets out a startled laugh at my description of my personality. I give him a half smile. “I look forward to checking out your library when I have time.”

“You’re welcome in our quarters anytime. Or, well, almost any time.” Zeus’s cheeks turn pink, and he ducks his head. I’m pretty sure my face turns bright red at being told I can hang out with my potential great-grandparents any time they aren’t getting it on.

Poseidon barks out a laugh. “Well, on that awkward note, it was great to meet you. Hopefully we’ll see you around here more often.” Zeus punches him in the arm for laughing, which makes me smile. It’s heartwarming to see the easy camaraderie between the three of them.

“Yeah, maybe.” I can’t make any promises, because everything in my life is constantly in flux. I don’t even know if I’ll still be alive next week, so it’s kind of hard to make any plans. Besides, I have to solve the whole Doyle issue before I do anything else.

I know worrying doesn’t solve anything, but it’s hard not to fret. The anxiety churns in my gut the whole way back from the dining room and as I get ready for bed. I let the guys go first, so I’m the last to get ready. I take a quick shower, as tempting as it is to stay under the hot water forever. Once I’m dressed in a band tee that I jacked from Bishop and brush my teeth, I exit the bathroom, my feet dragging with every step. I’m so ready to get to bed.

Bishop meets me at the foot of the bed, dressed only in black boxers. I try not to drool over his washboard abs and rock-hard pecs. My eyes wander to the large cross tattoo on his side. I wonder what his parents would think of him being my mate and all the danger I put him in. They probably wouldn’t approve. That thought has me wilting, but I try to shove it out of my mind.

Bishop gets away with ordering me around way more than anyone else because I know why he does it. His parents and brother dying in a car accident plunged his whole life into chaos, with losing his family and having to move from the only home he’s ever known. Now, he’s a bit of a control freak to ensure nothing like that ever happens again. I know it’s tough on him that I’m in constant danger, so I give him a pass, most of the time, when he lets his inner dictator out.

Once I’m done staring at his muscles, I glance up into his baby blue eyes. That must’ve been what he was waiting for, because his mouth kicks up in a smirk. “You wearing panties?” I can feel a blush creep up my cheeks as I look at my other four mates, who watch our interaction from the bed curiously. Bishop grips my chin and forces me to look up at him. “I asked you a question, sweetheart.”

I swallow hard before nodding. “Yeah.”

Bishop clenches his jaw. He spins me around so I’m facing the bed and hauls me back against his hard chest. Leaning down so his lips brush my ear, he rasps, “You’re lucky you’re still a virgin, Isabel. Otherwise, you’d be sleeping with my cock in your pussy all night for disobeying me. Take off your panties.” I hesitate. He moves his hand up to collar my throat, squeezing lightly. “Now. I have no problem punishing you in front of your other mates if that’s what you want.”

I shake my head, knowing from our activities earlier that he’s serious about punishing me. Pushing my undies down my hips, I let them slide soundlessly to the floor.

Cain, Archer, and Levi look at me with varying degrees of surprise at the news that I’m a virgin. Thanks for blurting that out, St. James. I know they were bound to find out eventually, but it’s still embarrassing that they all know now.

“Good,” he rumbles. “Now get in bed.”

“You’re kind of a dick when you wanna be, St. James,” I grumble as I crawl into bed. I settle myself facing Archer, sliding beneath the super soft sheets and sinking into the cloud-like bed. There’s a gap between Levi and me, which is where I assume Bishop is planning to sleep.

Bishop barks out a laugh. “I’m aware, sweetheart. I try to keep a handle on this side of me, but I can’t right now. Not with how I almost lost you today.”

My heart hurts hearing the raw emotion in his voice. Fear, anger, heartbreak, and maybe even love war for dominance in his words. We still haven’t talked about him telling me he loves me, which is absolutely fine by me. Emotions and I aren’t a great mix. Never talking about my feelings for him sounds like a fantastic plan.

He walks on his knees across the dark blue comforter until he can climb under the covers behind me. Bishop curves himself around me, wrapping one arm around my waist and putting the other under my head. Rustling sounds behind me before the lights turn out, plunging us into relative darkness. The only light in the room comes from the large window across the space. This realm must have moon or stars or something to light up the night like this.

Once everyone gets settled in bed and stops moving, Bishop trails his hand down from my waist to my legs before pushing under my shirt. Covering my bare pussy with his palm, Bishop shoves two fingers inside me.

I squeak in surprise and try to turn to look at him, but he holds me still with his arm across my front. “Stop moving and go to sleep.”

“With you, um, inside me?” My voice is higher than usual as I squirm around, trying to adjust to the intrusion. Although his fingers are only an inch or two in me, I still feel uncomfortably full. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to sleep like this.

“Yes.” Bishop’s tone is final, leaving no room for argument.

I look up at Archer with wide eyes, who’s amused by this whole thing, if the grin on his face is anything to go by. I narrow my gaze at him, and he smiles more broadly at me. “You okay there, sunshine?”

“Just fucking peachy, sunny boy.”

“Glad to hear it.” Archer leans in to press a lingering kiss to my forehead before pulling back. He grabs one of my palms and intertwines our fingers before resting our hands on his chest. “Night, Izzy.”

“Night Archer, Luca, Cain, Levi, and St. James.” I get a chorus of goodnights from everyone. While I thought Bishop’s strange sleeping position would keep me up all night, my lids get too heavy to keep open within a few minutes.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Doyle could remember what I am, the council could arrest me, a blood-soaked goddess could murder me, and a million other awful things could happen. But right now? I’m safe with the five men who I’d happily give my life for. With that last morbid thought, I drift off into a surprisingly peaceful sleep.