Archive (Halfblood Club Book 4) Read online

  George had come up with the idea of selling her spells as a way of getting them into use so that she could observe them in the hands of different users and change them to be more effective. It also had the side effect of making them all quite wealthy, although they could not tell any of their friends or family where the money came from, for fear of exposing her as an Archive. It was the biggest secret that they had shared until now.

  The last three Archives had been taken to Realm and died in the service of the Magus and Warlock’s councils, respectively.

  They were always on the lookout for new Archives, but as none had been seen in over two hundred years, they had relaxed their sweeps. Jinx could only hope that she had missed a sweep after the glamour came down.

  Time would tell and in the meantime, there were spells to write and the whole night ahead of her. It was time to get to work.

  Chapter Two

  A skittering at the window dragged her out of a sound sleep. The damned gremlin again. Melissande grunted as she rolled out of the warm sheets and stumbled to the back door. When he was in he wanted out, and now he was out and he wanted in. Sick little bugger.

  There he was, prancing happily on the other side of the door, holding a live squirrel in his hands. Apparently, he had made a friend while he was out.

  With her eyes lifted upwards for guidance, she opened the door and he and his new pet scampered in and started looking for cookies. She stopped the grocery massacre by handing him a box and smiled as he handed the first one to the squirrel.

  “So, you have a new pet, and now are feeding him out of your own rations. That deserves to be rewarded.” She prepped her own breakfast and then made a smaller portion for her companion and his new friend. The toast and eggs were happily received.

  “There you go. Now don’t go saying that I never do anything nice for you.” She made quick work of the dishes, and then pondered getting dressed. It was still cool and she could wear jeans and take a walk in the woods out back.

  With that in mind, she dressed quickly and headed out into the woods that she roamed as a child and teenager, the gremlin and squirrel roaming behind her as she walked.

  The patch of poison oak was exactly where she remembered it, as was the tiny footpath and the berry patch. Her mouth watered at the remembrance of the tart raspberries and the bursts of juice that came with the blueberries. The nearby danger of itchy skin was a small price to pay.

  A quick glance told her that the berries were not near being ripe, so she continued on, heading for the pond. When she was young, she referred to the pond as her ‘swimming pool’ and had imagined that there was an imaginary friend living in its depths. When she was a teen and told her grandmother of her swimming adventures, she had always seemed relieved. Melissande had never been sure why.

  It was just as she remembered it. The rocky wall spilled down into a recessed pool that swirled gently and remained open and crystal clear the entire year round. It even defied the ice and frost that was endemic to the winters in the area.

  It warmed her, this lack of change in her environment. With her world swirling with uncertainty, having a portion of her childhood remain constant was a comfort. Stepping firmly into the glade surrounding the pool she unbuttoned her jeans and stripped off in preparation for her swim.

  The air this morning was brisk, but still warm, and the pool was a welcome sensation on her bare skin. She had finished thirteen laps when she felt something or someone watching her. Surfacing and pulling herself up on a rock, she looked carefully around her to find her admirer. There was a brief flash of fur and silver eyes and then nothing but waving tree branches.

  A wolf? That would be a little unusual. They normally didn’t stray into this territory. Her naked body was exposed to the breezes and it was when her nipples peaked at the wind’s caress that she realized that she was still being watched.

  There was nothing on the banks, nothing in the woods; she shook her head and glanced down, then shrieked in surprise as she saw a face watching her from within the water. “What the hell?” She jerked her feet free of the water and swung them onto the rock with the rest of her.

  As the water stilled again, the face reappeared. It was masculine, handsome and almost as transparent as the water. As she watched he slowly rose to the surface a few feet from her and waited for her to speak.

  “Uh, hello.” Manners mattered, her grandmother used to tell her. No time like the present.

  “Hello Melissande. You are as lovely as I remembered.” He was wearing a wrap at his hips, slightly darker than his blue-green skin, which faithfully moulded to his body to do more than hint at his interest in her loveliness.

  “Have we met?”

  “No. Not formally. I am Orion, guardian of the Maiden’s pool.”

  “I am Melissande Simpson. My grandmother owns the property that this pool is in.”

  “Your grandmother was a devotee of the maiden. She worshipped the goddess in all her forms. The Maiden pool was once a site of devotion. Then, with the encroachment of man, it became a refuge, and now it requires its own protection.”

  “From development?”

  “From women who are no longer maidens.” He grinned at her through silvery eyes that slanted like a cat’s. Unless she was mistaken, he was a half-breed between elves and elementals. A rare combination.

  “What?” His last statement sunk in. So, he knew that she was still a virgin after all these years.

  “Each woman who is no longer a Maiden that swims in these waters, takes some of the magic with her. A Maiden gives more than she takes. Her purity cleanses the water and relieves the souls of those who meditate on the banks.”

  “So, that is why Grandma was so relieved when I would come here to swim as a teenager.” She shook her head ruefully, heedless of her naked body. He would not endanger her maidenly status and seemed to wish to speak to her.

  “Indeed. She did become concerned as you entered adulthood however, and pressed me for any details. Even trying to bribe me into seducing you after your twenty third birthday.”

  Her mouth opened in surprise. She had indeed come to visit back then, and had felt the eyes most keenly while she was swimming. Her body had also acknowledged a few fluttering touches, but at the time she had put it down to her imagination.

  “Why didn’t you show yourself to me then?”

  “It was not your time. I could feel that your destiny would take you down a different path than that. After all, no Archive would be able to hide here indefinitely.”

  She sighed heavily, “Does everyone know?”

  His pure features twisted in a smirk, “Now? Yes. There are search parties out for you around the globe, but the wolves have something more subtle planned. If you go with them, you will be safe, and your choices of a mate will be unlimited.”

  “Mate? With a werewolf? They are just beginning to interact with other races of Realm. Why would they want an Archive? They can’t use the spells themselves yet.”

  “You have said it; they have just begun to interact with magical races. You would be an immediate advantage in their bargaining.”

  She could see his logic, from where the wolves currently sat, they were charity cases. With an Archive at their disposal, they would be able to dictate the terms of new spells and control all access to her. They had the manpower to do it.

  “Yes. But do I want to be? I don’t know.”

  “The way things are moving, you will have no choice, Melissande.” The water shimmered around him. “They are going to come for you, and your family will hand you over, rather than lose you forever.”

  “Do you think that they will?” She knew that her mother would fight for her, as would her father, but against the Councils of Realm she didn’t know how effective they would be.

  “Yes. It is already in motion. The werewolves will make themselves known to you in the next two or three days. Be ready.”

  “Alright. Uh, thanks for the w
arning.” She shifted on the rock as the sun came around and sparked against the pool’s surface. “Can I go and retrieve my clothes now?”

  He looked surprised, “Of course.” He gestured for her to re-enter the water.

  Eyeing him carefully, she slipped back into the water, and smiled as it warmed in her vicinity. The column of warmth followed her to the edge of the pool, and it sluiced off her in a smooth sheet as she left the pond.

  His eyes followed her carefully as she waited for her body to dry. Appreciation was in his gaze. “You know. It is amazing that you have not yet taken a lover.”

  She tugged her shirt on as quickly as she could. “No one has been right. I have come close, but I haven’t felt like getting that close to someone.”

  “It is a great shame. Your body is fantastic and you have an amazing mind.”

  She wrestled her jeans on over wet skin, “Uh, thanks. They are a matched set.” Finally clothed she turned to face him again.

  His arousal was tenting the fabric over his groin. A heat in his eyes almost had the water steaming. “It was lovely to see you again, all grown up. Please come back and visit anytime.”

  “Same here. I will try.” She nodded awkwardly to him and then beat a hasty retreat down the path that led back to her house.

  Safely inside once again, she leaned on the door and pondered the surreal encounter that she had just had. Her life was definitely taking an odd turn.

  * * * *

  That night, her dreams were wild.

  She was swimming in the Maiden pool. Her body was warm and heavy, the water cool and calming.

  She sensed a presence and looked up.

  A wolf was silhouetted against the moon, a silver fang shining in the dim light and silver eyes watching her every move.

  Slowly, with a boldness she did not know she possessed, she stood and faced the wolf in all her naked and lunar-kissed glory.

  A growl broke from her audience. He paced forward, the look of a hunter in his eyes. She moved calmly to the edge of the pool and stood without fear or trepidation.

  This was right. He was hers.

  As he approached, he shifted from wolf to human form, still in silhouette. She admired his shoulders and the tilt of his head as stood before her. Bands of muscle gleamed in the light of the moon, his thighs bulging as he moved closer and closer. She only wished that she could see his face.

  His scent enveloped her, and she knew that she would recognize him in an instant, just by that wild aroma.

  Her hands shook as she reached out to him then stilled as they encountered warm flesh. Hard muscle under smooth skin teased her and as soon as she made contact, he began to move.

  His lips skated along her neck and she shivered in reaction. Her nipples rose against his chest as she cuddled close. Her head tilted to give him full access to her neck and she shivered as he growled and set his teeth against her skin.

  Belatedly she realized that she had just surrendered in wer fashion. Startled and struggling, she pushed herself away from her dream lover and ran through the woods.

  She could hear the pounding of his feet behind her, pounding, pounding…

  Chapter Three

  The sound of a door being hammered on with a fist woke her. “Wha…?” She struggled to consciousness and as the noise continued, she blinked herself awake and stumbled to the door with her sleep-shirt falling over her backside to settle at her knees. Her dream had been very vivid and her heart still pounded in her chest.

  The knock led her to the back door. She peeked through the window and blinked in surprise. Standing there were two of the most stunning people she had ever seen. Well, humans anyway. She had seen plenty of attractive elves and dragons.

  A male with stunning auburn hair and piercing green eyes stood next to a woman of the same colouration. Hormones that Jinx didn’t know she had came surging to the fore.

  As she stood transfixed, they met her eyes through the glass and he imperiously knocked again. They definitely were not there selling cookies.

  Blushing furiously, she opened the door and said, “Yes, how can I help you?”

  “We are your neighbours.” Wow, his voice was just as heavenly as the rest of him.

  Then his sentence hit her. She merely blinked at them. There was no house anywhere near her grandmother’s cottage.

  “She is still waking up, Sirn.” The woman was exceptionally amused. “Melissande? May we come in?” She was very polite but something told Jinx that a ‘no’ was not acceptable.

  “Uh, sure. Just give me a moment to get dressed.” The door swung wide and she darted for her bedroom.

  She heard something that sounded like, don’t bother on my account, as she closed the door to her bedroom and dove for her jeans, bra, panties and t-shirt. In under a minute she was dressed and as she passed the mirror she groaned at the wild morning hair that crowned her head.

  Since they had already seen it, she sighed and opened the door, almost running into her male guest who had been approaching her bedroom.

  “I was just coming to ask you if we could start some coffee for you. It looks like you need it.” His eyes flitted regretfully over her hips and thighs, and she wondered exactly how much had been revealed by her worn pyjamas.

  “Uh, no. I usually drink herbal tea in the mornings. I can make coffee for you two if you like.” The blush was back. She could feel it. She dropped her gaze and shuffled past him quickly, not sure how to treat these invaders in her territory.

  “Tea will be fine.”

  “Okay then.” She quickly moved to her kitchen and started a kettle for tea. The woman was sitting at the table smiling at her. “I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you? There aren’t any homes nearby.”

  The woman coloured slightly, realizing her lapse in manners. “Oh I’m sorry, my name is Rebecca, and this is my brother, Sirnel. We are members of the local pack.”

  “Oh.” She leaned hard against the counter, unconsciously pressing her breasts against the thin fabric of her shirt. “So, why are you here?”

  “We are here to protect you.”

  This had to be a weird dream, “From what?”

  “From the Magus Guild hunting parties that began to flood our territory yesterday while looking for you.” Sirnel had moved closer to her as she spoke to his sister and was watching for her reaction to his news.

  The counter slipped out of her grip and her butt headed to the floor. Sirnel caught her just before impact.

  * * * *

  He stood with her limp body in his arms. “Becs, I don’t think that she was expecting that.”

  Rebecca stood and checked Mel’s breathing carefully. “She’s out cold. Funny. I didn’t think that she would be so frail.”

  “She’s light as a feather. Where should I put her?”

  “The bed would be odd with us there; lay her on the couch in the living room.” She moved ahead of her brother and flipped the afghan off the couch, prepping the pillows to receive his burden.

  “Do you really think that she didn’t know about the Magus Council searching for her?”

  “I think that it is a safe assumption.”

  “If old lady Simpson hadn’t tipped the clan off and offered her in exchange for protection, they probably would have had her already.”

  “Yeah, but then our clan wouldn’t have had the chance to lay claim to its first Archive. Does it matter to you that she’s a half-breed?”

  Sirnel thought about it for a moment, and then noticed that his hand was gently stroking the hair from Melissande’s face in an absent manner. “It doesn’t matter to me, but there are the rest of the clan males to contend with. The gathering is only two days away. I’ll take my chances just like the rest of them.”

  “Based on the way she looked at you, I am pretty sure that your chances are considerably better than theirs.”

  “The way she looked at me? She wouldn’t even raise her eyes to me.”

>   “Exactly, my dear brother. Exactly.” Becs went off to the kitchen and got a towel that she dampened with cool water.

  Sirnel was still watching the woman intently when she returned. His expression was that of someone memorizing everything in front of him for further reference. Her brother definitely wanted this one-trick witch, but how far would he be willing to go for her?

  As if the thought had woken her she began to stir.

  Her eyes opened to see the two werewolves hovering over her. “This has to be the weirdest dream I have ever had. But usually I am alone with the guy and there is no girl.”

  Sirnel applied the compress that his sister had obtained, “We aren’t part of a dream, and there are Magi on your trail. There has been an alert that an Archive is loose in the world and they are ready and willing to fight to possess you.”

  “But how did they find me? For that matter, how did you find me?”

  “Your grandmother knew that knowledge of your existence was only a matter of time, and so she met with our Alpha to arrange for a bodyguard for you. Years ago. But, as long as you remain on your grandmother’s property or our lands, you are free from their intervention. But not free from ours.”

  * * * *

  “From yours.” Her mind was whirling “Your clan wants something from me?”

  “They want possession of the only living Archive.”

  “Well, I am currently in your custody.” Her tone ended with a hopeful note. She knew that there was more to it, but she could dream. “Will that do for now?”

  “They want it on a permanent basis, Melissande.”

  “What does that mean?” She raised a hand to hold the compress to her head and she turned to his sister for clarification. “What did he mean, Rebecca?”

  “In two days, all interested unmated males of the clan will make a play for your affections by holding a games day. Each game designed to highlight the strength and abilities of the wolves involved. Only the five highest scoring participants will be presented to you for choosing.”