More Than Flesh & Bone

Chapter 17

BLOOD RITE

The room erupted around me, but I was focused only on the woman standing before me, still ensnared by her compulsion. Until Carla saw fit to let me go, her will was mine.

"Carla, ask the girl how she died," Vanna instructed, peering at me intently. After a confirming nod from Zevon, she complied.

"Addison, how did you die?" Bree's mom asked in the same odd tone.

"Car accident."

Brows furrowed, and Carla pressed further. "What caused it?"

"A werewolf."

The werewolves flawless representative frowned. "No one in my pack reported any such activity."

"Lies are impossible under the compulsion," Carla reminded her.

"You will investigate this breach," Zevon said to the alpha wolf who merely nodded her head in agreement. "Continue, Carla."

With a nod, she turned her eyes back on me.

"Addison, how long have you known what you are?"

"A few weeks."

Another explosion of whispers and outrage.

"Who else knows what you are?"

I didn't want to answer. To betray the two people who have tried so hard to keep me and my secret safe, but I was utterly useless against the succubus' compulsion.

"I did," Zed answered, shocking the hell out of me and everyone else in the room. "I found her right after she turned. I was the one who told her to keep it to herself for now. Since I wasn't sure it was even possible for a female to become a reaper, I have been waiting for her powers to fully manifest before bringing her to you. I did not want to cause chaos until I knew for sure."

He said all of it matter-of-factly, as if he had not just admitted to what I was certain was supernatural high treason. He willingly broke a law… probably several… by keeping my secret.

The dull roar of voices faded as Zevon regarded his son. "That wasn't your call to make."

Zed nodded. "I know, but I did what I thought was best. I will not apologize for doing as you taught me."

Zevon's eyes narrowed. "As you father, I can appreciate you standing by your convictions. As the head of the Council, I cannot stand by and allow you to flagrantly defy our laws. It is up to the Council to decide what is best for all supernaturals. Not you. You should have come to us immediately."

Zed dipped his chin in the barest hint of a nod. "Yes, sir. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit for my behavior."

Aw hell. He was going to martyr himself for me. I couldn't let Zed throw himself under the bus like that. Unfortunately, Carla still had me bound. Until she released me, there was nothing I could do to stop this train wreck from happening.

Ice crawled down my spine as voices rose up once more.

"The only punishment I'll accept is a public lashing," the werewolf replied.

"That's barbaric," a member said, speaking for the first time. She had jewel-green eyes and dark blue hair. From her back, two beautiful butterfly-like wings protruded. "Violence is not the answer. He should be re-educated in the ways of the Council and stripped of his status as a reaper."

"No, we should put him to work in the diamond mines," a small, but well-muscled man interjected. "A few years of hard labor should help drive home the point."

"Or I can compel him to act as a servant of the Council," Carla said. "That way we can ensure he cannot defy us again."

Zevon lifted a hand, stopping the voices. "The laws are clear as to…"

"Sir, if I may?" Bucky said, stepping forward."

"What is it, Bartholomew?"

"What if we invoke a blood rite?"

Instead of more whispers, absolute silence filled the amphitheater.

"Go on…" Zevon said.

"If the girl is a reaper, she will need to be tested. It is up to the head of the newly turned to oversee her training. What better punishment could there be than tying your son's fate to hers? After all, he is next in line, and he saw fit to take the girl under his wing and hide her. So let him remain chained to her. Any mistake she makes will be his… her failures as well."

My breath caught in my chest. As far as punishments went, Zed seemed to be getting off easy. Force us to work together? Fine. We were already doing that. But my self-appointed mentor looked far less pleased about this suggestion. In fact, he looked like he was about to throw up. Apparently, there was something more to this blood rite thing.

"If you invoke a blood rite, Addison and I will be tied together for more than just her failures," Zed said. "It binds us in more ways than one. If I am hurt, she will be hurt. If she dies, I die."

"Precisely," Bucky said. "Perhaps you'll take your job as a reaper more seriously when your fuck buddy is on the line."

"Bartholomew," Zevon said sharply. "You're the president of the fraternity. Not the brotherhood. Mind your station."

Despite being more than a little worried about the prospect of this blood rite, I did a little happy dance in my head that Bucky the Fuckface got his ass chewed out.

"All I'm saying is that it is a punishment befitting of what they've done," Bucky said without inflection.

"Addison didn't even know about this world a few weeks ago, or its laws," Bree argued, piping up from the side. "Don't you think it's a little unjust to bestow this mega punishment on her when she doesn't even get what being a zo… reaper really means?"

The Council exchanged glances, and Carla took that as a sign to continue.

"Addison, what is a reaper?" she asked, compelling me forward.

"The supernatural police," I said, seeming to please them. However, since she'd asked me an open-ended question I was allowed to speak more and elaborate. Temporarily relieving me from the forced vow of silence until spoken to. "They hunt down other supernaturals for minor crimes and rip their souls apart. Because of that, the other supes are getting tired of their tyrannical ways and…"

"That's enough, dear," Carla said quickly. I got the feeling she was stopping me more for my sake than anything. One quick look at Zevon told me he was not happy with my outburst.

"Is this seriously what you've been teaching the girl?" His knuckles were white as he clenched his fists, staring at his son with condemnation. "If you dislike our ways so much, perhaps you are not worthy of inheriting my title."

Zed sighed, struggling to find an answer.

"Hold up now," Bree said, her cheeks a little reddened. "Addison never said Zed was the one who told her this."

"Who told you this?" her mom asked me.

Like the puppet I was, unable to lie, I answered. "Bree did."

"You also knew about this, succubus?" Zevon asked, his voice whisper-soft but ten-times scarier because of it.

"I did."

Internally I groaned. Mayday. Mayday. This ship was sinking fast, and we were all going down with it.

"And yet you, too, did not see fit to share with the Council?" he asked.

"Addison is like a sister to me. I only wanted to protect her."

Zevon drew in a long breath, his eyes dropping to the table in front of him as he considered her words. "Be that as it may, you partook in a deception against the Council, and as such you will also share in the punishment."

Bree paled but did not argue.

He then looked around the room, speaking slowly but clearly. "I am ready to deliver my verdict. Bree Jefferey, while the part you played was minor by comparison, you are far from innocent. You will spend the next month transcribing Seabrook's civil and criminal archives. Perhaps time spent reading our oldest laws will help you remember them in the future."

Bree gave a small nod, looking solemn but relieved.

"Addison Wells, since you are mostly ignorant of our laws, that must be taken into consideration. From this day forth, you are bound by the laws of the Council and will be trained in the ways of your species. Due to your transgression, you will be under strict observation until you complete your training and you're on a one-year probation after your testing."

Bucky opened his mouth like he was about to protest, but a sharp glance from Zevon stemmed the words.

"Zed, as my heir, you above all others should understand the importance of the Council and the stupidity of your actions. Your betrayal cannot be overlooked. I invoke the blood rite to be performed immediately. From this moment on, your fate is tied to Ms. Wells'. Teach her well… your lives depend on it."

Bree sucked in a sharp breath while Bucky was openly grinning at us. The rest of the Council seemed satisfied with these punishments, despite their earlier suggestions.

With an apologetic smile, Carla finally released me from her compulsion. "This will all be over soon," she murmured.

"But you just said I would get a lighter punishment," I argued. "I'm still getting the same thing as Zed and you're testing me. That seems like a double punishment."

"The verdict has been made," Zevon replied. "And you would do well to learn your new station in this world. Council, will you stay and act as witnesses?" Zevon asked, while the witch, Sarah, seemed to be digging through her bag for something.

One by one, each member agreed to stay and watch.

"Bartholomew, Kellen, Bree, you three are free to go. Please wait outside."

Bree's eyes met mine. She reached out and squeezed my arm as she was ushered out of the room. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her eyes bright.

"It's okay," I replied, but she was already past me. These guys were not wasting any time.

Carla remained at my side, her hand resting on my shoulder as Sarah collected what she needed and returned to Zed and me.

"Hold out your hands," she ordered.

Warily, I obeyed. Before I could so much as wonder what she was going to do, Sarah's hand slashed out, a silver dagger making a deep cut in the fleshy part of my palm.

"Son of a bitch," I muttered, jerking my hand back instinctively.

Sarah caught my wrist before I could pull away, repeating the motion on Zed. "Now, press your hands together, palm to palm."

"I don't think that's very sanitary…" I muttered.

Zed didn't even flinch at the cut, although his eyes burned like wildfire when he turned to face me.

My arm shook as I tried to resist. That's when I realized Carla wasn't here for comfort. She was here to ensure I obeyed. I sighed, knowing that I was seriously outmatched.

Blood dripped down my arm in sticky rivulets as I lifted my hand. Not waiting for further instruction, Zed pressed his hand to mine, his eyes never once looking away. His unwavering gaze gave me strength. As shitty as this was, at least we were in it together.

Sarah held out a white piece of cloth, tying it around our hands as she uttered words that sounded like some combination of Yiddish and Latin. I couldn't make out any of them as she tied off the cloth and pressed her hands on either side of ours, saying clearly, "So mote it be."

There was a green flash like fire, and I gasped as pain burned through my hand and up into my arm.

When I could see past the pain, I noticed the cloth tying us together was now black.

"It is done," Sarah said with a small bow to Zevon.

"Test it," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Sarah slashed out again, slicing through Zed's forearm before I could even blink. Fiery pain licked at my skin as if she were dragging an open flame along the exposed flesh.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me right now," I lamented. Even though she hadn't come anywhere near me, blood dripped from the fresh wound carved in my forearm.

Zed's hand spasmed where it was pressed to mine, but he didn't cry out. The only sign of his pain was the rapid pulse of a vein in his neck.

"Excellent," Zevon said. "Sarah, you may close the wounds. No need for them to bleed out in the Council room." Before he was finished speaking, the witch was already murmuring under her breath, her hand glowing softly as she healed us. Before I could inspect my freshly healed skin, Zevon added, "Perhaps this will teach both of you to think more carefully in the future. Welcome to the Brotherhood, Addison. See that you don't disappoint us again."