Archive (Halfblood Club Book 4) Read online

  Chapter Twelve

  Her eyes burned with the wind as she ran to the woods, it was amazing this feeling of freedom. She only wished it could last forever. She noted the squirrels and chipmunks, heard the chatter of the birds and the hissing of her gremlin.

  The gremlin called to her and she went to find him, her paws making no noise on the carpet of leaves and moss. He was in deep conversation with his squirrel and she crept up to him, keeping her eyes wary for more wolves. She could feel them. They were coming for her, hunting her.

  Like hell.

  A sharp yelp and her gremlin was on her. The squirrel clutched in his arms. She ran, this time heading deeper into the woods, to a scent that she faintly caught on the breeze.

  Home.

  Faster and faster she ran; the path clear to her although the scenery blurred with her speed. She heard another wolf behind her and welcomed him. Sirnel. She would know him anywhere. Or any wer.

  Her endorphins must be high if she was making jokes as she fled for her safety. She saw her destination in her mind’s eye and half an hour later was outside her grandmother’s cottage. This would be the hard part.

  She was just wondering how to go about opening the door when it swung silently open on its hinges. “Melissande, get inside!”

  That her father recognized her in wolf form was odd enough, when she went inside to find her mother on the floor, as a silvery red wolf, she let out a yelp of surprise.

  Sirnel shifted to human form and came over to her. “You have to let it go now, Melissande. Just relax and let the change wash over you again.”

  He started to stroke her behind the ears, and it was the added petting of her gremlin and her father that relaxed her enough to begin her change.

  Naked on the floor, she rolled over and said, “Well, that was fun. Can I have a blanket or something?” Her father was way ahead of her. Daniel Simpson was a practical man. A comforter flowed around her and she struggled to sit up.

  Margaret Simpson was shifting back into human form and looked over at her daughter, “What the hell just happened?”

  Unable to contain herself anymore Melissande began to laugh. It was a howl that boiled up from within her to echo through the kitchen.

  She got a hold of herself and pulled herself up against the cupboards. “You know how Alfred has always said that he is disgusted that we are the results of his bloodline?”

  Wary, Maggie held Daniel’s hand. “Yes.”

  “Well, we are a new clan now. The clan of the Archive. The blood of the Yellowpaw has been burned from your blood, and my blood.” She looked at her mother with tears in her eyes, “We are new animals.”

  Silence reigned for several moments until her father summed it up. “Holy shit.”

  * * * *

  Arabel was waiting with Walther in the living room. They had arrived before Jinx by virtue of the dragon’s wings. It was an efficient way to travel, and Arabel had enjoyed the way the alpha had tried to hide his unease at her aerial acrobatics.

  If she didn’t miss her guess, she was witnessing an event that had happened less than a dozen times in history.

  The birth of a new werewolf clan.

  * * * *

  They had all gathered in the living room after Melissande and her mother had gotten dressed again. Sirnel was wearing a pair of sweat pants donated by Daniel.

  “So what does this mean?” Her father was always practical, cutting to the heart of the problem.

  “I think that we no longer carry Alfred’s bloodline. The spell that Arabel read off Sirnel took away the traces of Alfred and left only the genetics of my grandmother, Agatha. She was alpha through and through, and had come by it honestly. Alfred murdered his way to power.” The guesses that she was making felt right. There was a freshness to her body, an energy that had never been there before.

  It had to be the alpha instinct.

  Even her mother was sitting upright instead of cuddling against her father as she had always done when the slightest threat to her family was spotted. They had been remade, redesigned by magic.

  “You can’t be the Clan of the Archive.” Sirnel’s voice rumbled in her ear. She was curled against him, and it felt completely natural to have him touching and cuddling her.

  “Why not?”

  “Because if you are correct, the Archive talent is only for you. There will be no generation that follows with the talent. You need a trait that can be passed from generation to generation within your clan.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well, from what I have seen of both you and your mother, I would say that you are the Clan of the Redwolf.”

  Jinx and her mother looked at each other and smiled. It was right. That would be their name.

  “Now, Mom, I don’t want to scare you, but what are you going to name my little sister?”

  “What?”

  “Oh, yeah. You are about two months pregnant, I can smell it.” She cocked her head, “And I can hear more than one heartbeat within your body.”

  “I just found out.” Daniel was amazed; he covered his wife’s belly with one large and capable hand. “A girl?”

  “I don’t know how I know, but it is a girl.” Jinx smiled “A little sister to teach all my tricks to.”

  Margaret and her husband shared a long kiss. Jinx was used to it. It created a certain warmth and security for her to know that her parents were in love after all these years.

  She only hoped that Sirnel would still stay with her as she started her own pack. Not all alphas would take a back seat to a matriarchal female.

  As if he heard her thoughts, he squeezed her tight. “No matter what comes, I will stand beside you. My clan has enough males to take over my position. You need me.” His voice was a husky murmur and she shivered.

  Boy did she need him. Naked. On her white sheets, with a rose in his teeth and desire in his eyes. Or running through the forest. Or sitting here on the couch. Oh, she had it bad.

  This had to be love. Nothing else could be this confusing, or all consuming.

  In the most cheerful voice she could muster she asked the room at large, “So, when are we going to face Alfred and tell him to fuck off?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  They waited only until George and her new mate had arrived, the wolves were uneasy around Rikard. He was putting out a lot of power, and they could feel it in their bones. It was unsettling, but he was making his protective nature known to all comers. He finally had his mate and she was not going to slip his attention.

  George and Jinx had squealed and hugged while their new mates sized each other up. The high-speed game of catch-up took less than two minutes and then George announced, “Well then, let’s kick your grandfather’s ass.”

  They each took up a seat on one of the dragons as they felt it was the best way to make an impression that would last on the were clan gathering. And that is exactly what they did.

  In a fit of humour, the dragons strafed the gathering, their claws touching the top of the tents as they made pass after pass. Werewolves scattered everywhere. Jinx was laughing so hard that when George finally let her and Sirnel dismount, she almost crumpled to the ground.

  At the scowling faces of the alphas that approached she regained a certain sense of decorum. Alfred was in the fore, striding toward both herself and her mother as they stood facing him.

  “Margaret, do you dare to reject your clan and your bloodline?” His tone was harsh, and no doubt had caused his daughter to cower in the past.

  “I embrace my bloodline, Alfred. I am of the Redwolf clan.” She looked over at her daughter and smiled. “I am a new animal.”

  “What? What the hell are you talking about, bitch?” His voice was a harsh shriek and his body language spoke of his temper.

  “I have nothing of you left within me. Magic has remade me, and my daughter. There is none of your blood in my veins.” She stood her ground and waited for the explosion.
>
  It didn’t take long.

  Jinx was waiting for it, and so was Sirnel. As soon as Alfred rushed at Margaret, he was tackled and held to the ground. Jinx calmly walked to him and used a nail to draw blood on her own forearm.

  “Sniff this.” It was rude, but she wanted to see the look in his eyes as he realized that his line was gone. It didn’t take long.

  “How?”

  “The how doesn’t matter. We are no longer Yellowpaw, no longer your kin. You have no claim on us and we are the beginning of a new clan. A matriarchal clan. The clan of the Redwolf.” It was formally spoken and she raised her voice to be heard by all the leaders. “As the clan of the Redwolf contains the only living Archive, they have asked for and received guards from the dragon council. No one will take me from my family, and my choice is made.”

  She nodded to Sirnel and he released Alfred, who was looking bereft and confused. His prize of magic was gone. When Sirnel rose, she took his hands. He leaned down to kiss her as she rose on her toes to return it. It was a meeting of equals. Alpha to alpha. Male to female. Mate to mate.

  “Let’s go home, Jinx.” His harsh whisper reminded her that they had not had enough time to learn each other in the whirlwind of the last days. By the look in his eyes, he wanted to correct that.

  George had not shifted forms and they ran to her, leaping onto her back with Sirnel shouting directions to his home as they flew.

  As soon as they landed they scrambled off her back and ran into the house laughing. As he closed the door on the curious dragon’s eye and leaned back against it, Melissande stripped off her clothing with unseemly haste.

  * * * *

  He watched every piece of clothing fall away and as she backed slowly away from him beckoning him with her body he surged forward. She squealed and ran. Straight to the bedroom.

  Snarling playfully, he caught her, tackling her to the bed and pressing his body into hers. She groaned and pulled at his hair when he lifted his head, then snarled with need as he mocked her with his eyes.

  “What do you want, Jinx?”

  “You. Inside me. Fucking me hard and fast.” And just like that his own lust flared into overdrive and his clothes flew into a heap across the room.

  He was on her so fast that she barely had a chance to gasp as he flipped her to her belly and raised her to her knees. His fingers primed her with short jerky impacts, spreading the liquid heat that her body was producing to ease his entry.

  As soon as her hips moved in time to his hands he moved his cock into position. At the first blunt impact she arched her back, the second worked him an inch into her and the third slid him all the way home.

  Lust ran through her, tremors shaking her arms as she held herself for his thrusts. When his cock slid back and forth across the front wall of her channel, her knees buckled and she mewled. That was the spot.

  He rubbed back and forth over that spot, harder and harder with every thrust, his cock buried to the balls within her on every stroke. Her back arched and she howled as her body clenched hard around him, her hips shoving back to keep him in her as she came apart with him deep inside.

  His hands gripped her hips, his fingers bruising as he pounded into her and his own howl of satisfaction tore through the air as he spasmed in his own release. Short pulses of movement kept him within her for long minutes and then he collapsed on top of her, bearing her flat to the bed.

  As if it was a Herculean task, he groaned and drew out of her, moving to the side and turning her to spoon her against him.

  They were both gasping for air and finally she said what they were both thinking. “Wow.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  A trembling ran through her as the water pounded across her back. Well, it wasn’t only water. The calming shower that she had suggested was turning into an upright orgy.

  He arched her toward him, supporting her with an arm around her ribs; his hips worked his shaft inside her to devastating effect. Again.

  This time as she came he dug his teeth into her neck and the pleasure/pain shook her to the core. Her knees gave way and he held her tight as he achieved his own bliss. He had to carry her from the shower and as he lay her dripping wet on the clean bed, he smirked in satisfaction.

  “I think you liked that.” He covered her with his own body again and nuzzled at her neck.

  She tilted it in supplication and was going to wrap her legs around him again when there was a knock at the door.

  “Who the hell could that be?” The snarl was left in the air as he got off her, his tight backside left the room to answer the summons.

  * * * *

  She heard masculine voices talking too low for her to make out the exact phrases. But, she did hear the words ‘Archive’ and ‘spell’ quite clearly. Time for her to go to work.

  Wait. All her clothes were in the living room where she had stripped. Crud.

  Her problem was solved as her lover came back to her with the clothing over his arm. He dropped them on the bed and leaned into her. “What else do you need, love?”

  “A pen and paper. That’s it.” She began to get dressed and then turned back to him. “And a rain check for the sex in the shower and the wet bodies on the bed.”

  “Done and done.” A toe-tingling kiss later and she was limp and panting once again. He slapped her sharply on her nude butt and said, “Get to work.”

  * * * *

  Two members of the Magus guild were there to commission a safe transportation spell. The older ones did not take rapid transit into consideration and a few people had had ‘accidents’ while using them.

  She made a few notes as to the specifics required and named her price. Thirty-thousand dollars. To be transferred to her account upon completion of the spell.

  They tried to haggle, but she pointed out that it was a multi-user spell. It would outlast the coming generations and was well worth the price.

  When they asked her how they were to come by the money she replied, “Have a bake sale.” She really didn’t care. This was her talent, her job, and her destiny.

  She was the Archive.

  Epilogue

  “Are you sure that this is the right place?” The spacious house was intimidating, but when the goblin answered the door, Jinx knew that they were at the right place.

  “Come on, Sirnel. The girls will meet you later. The guys are this way. And you have met George and Rikard already.” She followed the servant and he gestured for her to check her husband into the study where four supernatural beings were already debating the type of poker that they would play.

  The goblin stepped forward, “This is Sirnel, mate to Jinx, and werewolf of the Redwolf clan. These are James, Warlock and mate to Hex, Rikard, dragon and mate to George, and these two elves are the mates of Hookey, their names are Boral and Orlyn.” Introductions completed, he led the way to the living room where the girls were waiting for their fourth.

  Shrieks, giggles and laughter distracted the men from their poker game as the night wore on, but it was all worth it. These men had gotten lucky.

  They were the mates of the Half-Blood Club.

  Half-Blood Club: A New Beginning

  Hookey and her two companions waited restlessly for the door to open. The hideous goblin that grinned up at her had to be the one that Hex had spoken of, “Cheeves, I am Hookey and I am here for the meeting of the Half-Blood Club.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Miss Esmerelda. Your gentlemen may come with me. The other ladies are already up the stairs in the room on the left. Refreshments are on the sideboard.” Cheeves took Orlyn and Boral down the hall where Esmy imagined that the other men were also coming to grips with their status as the spouses of extremely powerful women.

  The house was fantastic, it was warded to the hilt and had been built by loving hands. It suited Hex, and her little touches were already showing around the house. The door to the left of the stairway was open and the beloved and familiar tones of her fr
iends were emanating with the joy of being together. She rushed to join them.

  The club was complete once again.

  * * * *

  “Two of them?” Hex shook her head in astonishment. “One would have been impressive enough, but two of them?”

  “Well, I have to say Hookey, that your wardrobe has been vastly improved.” George was smug, sipping her virgin margarita with delicate precision.

  The pitcher had been prepared by Cheeves with the pregnancy of the dragon and the possible pregnancy of his mistress in mind. Hex snorted as she realized when exactly all the alcohol disappeared as she approached. Right after her period had been missed by two days. She was no doubt pregnant, but wasn’t far enough along to announce it yet.

  He was impressed with the women who shared membership in their little club and even Jinx had felt his hand on her backside when she arrived.

  “Jinx, how do you like being the worlds first free living Archive?” In typical fashion, the conversation jumped from sex to politics in a matter of seconds.

  Melissande flicked a long strand of red hair from her face and smiled, “It’s alright. My new clan is growing by leaps and bounds. I have thrown open membership in the Clan of the Redwolf to any wolfs or half-breeds kicked out or ignored by their birth packs. We are currently at fifteen strong.”

  George turned from grazing at the buffet on the sideboard, “Good thing you are being paid for your spells then, you are going to need all the square footage you can get.”

  “Tell me about it. I have bids in on a few hundred acres of land outside of regular clan territories, with two clan houses under construction.” She smirked and sighed deeply, “It’s hard work being a matriarch.”