***
Conall looked in the direction she indicated. She was right. It was Max. He surveyed the path between Vivienne and her friend. The druids were still a few yards away, but the grass was littered with other weres from various packs. That didn’t particularly pacify him. Vivienne was still, for most purposes, unmated, and although his scent was still on her, it was drastically faded, something he intended to right as soon as possible. He sent a quick message to Raoul before addressing his mate.
Follow me.
Turning, he led the way to Max, baring his teeth at any animal who looked past him to Vivienne with anything more than a curious glance. Raoul did the same from behind her.
***
Max was engrossed in conversation with Kyros. The older warlock tried to help him understand what had just happened. Although he felt as if he should know something about these druids, he couldn’t remember anything. He’d come here to kill his father, but had only succeeded in draining a vital portion of his soul before the druid had stopped him. She’d been powerful, more so than he, and it would have been suicidal to fight her over the right to kill his father. Still, she’d promised Maximilian would suffer, and Max had seen the terror on his father’s face as he recognized the woman. He was satisfied that wherever it was Maximilian Cronin had gone, he would wish, instead, for death.
“Max!”
Hearing his name, he turned in the direction of the voice. A druid approached him and her face was familiar. He had known her before. She grinned and surged forward, but retreated when a big, black wolf with feral yellow eyes and gleaming teeth stepped into her path, blocking her body with his. Something clicked, but the pieces were still missing.
The black wolf and the druid…Drew…the druid had a twin, didn’t she? Yes, the one who’d resurrected the banished druids.
“Damn it, Conall,” she hissed under her breath, glaring down at the black wolf as she tried to maintain her balance.
Conall. Yes, he knew that name as well.
The wolf took a step closer to him, before taking a seat directly between him and the druid. He was protecting her.
“Max! We’ve been so worried about you.”
His eyes went back to the druid. She was beautiful, with smooth, brown skin and honey-colored eyes. There was also something in her expression that told him of the genuineness of the statement.
“Why?”
When her face fell and Conall’s eyes narrowed, Max amended easily, “Why have you missed me?”
Vivienne’s brows raised but she answered, “Because you were captured by….” Her voice trailed off and Max knew she meant to say his father. “We didn’t know what to think. I’m just grateful you’re okay.” She smiled and then her eyes lit up. “Drew! She’s been so worried about you, Max. I know you probably don’t believe it, but she has. Drew is going to be thrilled to hear this.”
His body grew cold instantly. Drew would never hear of any of this.
“What’s your name?” he asked instead. Although she was familiar to him, he couldn’t find her name anywhere in his memory.
“Max, it’s me, Vivienne.” Her voice had grown small, her eyes pitying. She clutched her hands together as she looked up at him, searching his eyes for answers. “What did they do to you?”
“Enough,” he responded vaguely, sending a brief look to Kyros, who hung back.
Her eyes misted and she said in low voice, “I’m sorry, Max.”
So was he. Sorry for things she’d never know. Drew….
He shoved the thought away. There had been a fair exchange. Her life, and he would never see her again.
Vivienne seemed on the brink of saying something else when the wind, which had calmed to a mere breeze, picked up once more. “Hear me, brothers and sisters of immortality. We come in peace. To prove it, we would have words before we leave this place, so that all may know ours is a just and honest cause.”
Max turned in the direction of loud and booming voice. The druids remained where they’d once been, but standing at the head of the group was a tall woman with her arms outstretched. The one who’d taken his father.
A few growls went up from the wolves, but a select few began walking forward. Conall moved forward as well, another wolf taking his place between Max and Vivienne.
Come, Max. She’s calling for a member from each of the species.
Max stared at Kyros’s back in confusion. You’re already going.
Yes, I will represent the warlocks. You can represent the witches.
I won’t be a good representative. It was true. What did he know of any of the communities anymore? And was he still even a witch? By birth perhaps, but the part of him that was most dominant was his warlock.