The Ice Flowers

Four: Departure and the Witches

Eleanor Thedwick, High Witch of the New York Area and Chief Investigator for the Bureau of Suspcious Paranormal Activity, was downing ridiculous amounts of coffee to quell anxiety. Not that it worked. 

The War had supposedly been over for generations, but everyone in the Bureau knew it wasn't true. It had merely gone cold and underground, but was nonetheless deadly. They sabotaged elections, spread false information, set up fake attacks, and now they hit a blow at the most sacred thing - the mate bound. 

At least that could be assumed. All sorts of abnormalities were appearing, either breaking already strong bounds or causing a Para to have more than one mate. This was clearly done through a mix of bio weaponry and magic. Her mission now was to study these cases in order to identify exactly how it was done and who exactly the enemy was.

The Vampires were nearly always scapegoated, but it seemed more complex. She had spent the early hours of the morning drawing connections between Alphas and Coven Leaders and exiled Witches and even a few power hungry humans in the know. She knew that something similar was occurring in the human world and she was certain it was for the same motives.

The phone started to ring. She dug into her pocket and mindlessly answered.

"Hello! It's me, your nephew Vince." His voice sounded shaky and mildly traumatized.

"What is it?" She was feeling a little exasperated. She loved her adoptive nephew but with his continual scrapes and scheming he seemed to be perpetually in danger. 

"They revolted because of Alex. Apparently because I turned him I am responsible for him once he was out of my care."

"Dear, I have told you a million times about keeping a low profile." She ran her fingers through her hair. Why did he never listen? He was the only family she had. She might look 25, but she was nearly a hundred. A half century with no one but her duties as High Witch and Investigator had been enough. 

It wasn't her fault or his fault that she had been cursed to not have a partner or children of her own. But damn it if she didn't protect the closest thing she had to a child. 

"That isn't all," She paused at the unreadable tone in his voice. "It's not just me."

"Go to my mansion. We will discuss this later." Why did everything go wrong at once? 

***

Sabrina had a headache. Everything was off about this situation and it was causing a pain that felt like a butcher knife ramming through her skull. Her wolf was restless and angry one moment, and meak and needy the next. This manifested as alternately growling at and being affectionate to Vincent, as she held Lily as close as possible. Then she would want to stay away from Lily and be furious at her.

Her mates - or whatever they were - had hurt each other and she didn't know how to comfort Vincent or guard Lily while wanting to scream at both of them. The mental bond was taking shape, causing her to feel their anxiety, need, anger, and confusion. Moreover, Lily was still unconscious, despite her protests.

"She's a hunter! She is out to cause harm!" Vincent had said. He wouldn't answer her when she ask why he hadn't just killed Lily and he told her that it was because he didn't want to hurt her. When she pointed out that he didn't know until just before knocking her out, he became silent. 

He felt something and he must know her feelings. Having multiple mates of different kinds had not been known to happen, but thinking of her scientific learning from when she was human, Sabrina knew anecdotes were nothing to go on.

They were traveling to Vincent's aunts house in a rickety car. He also wouldn't explain why they weren't just teleporting either, but she supposed it must be detectable in some way. 

They stopped in front of a mansion even grander than his. He attempted to help her out, but she refused.

"Sabrina. Let me help you." It wasn't a request. 

"No, don't touch her! Or me! You're as bad as the rest of them!" She yelled childishly.

A look she hadn't seen before crossed his face. She felt guilty and a bit intimidated, but oddly attracted too.

"Why is that?" 

"You hurt her." Sabrina held Lily tightly, lost in her scent. The bonds had scrambled her to the point that her mature, calm self was not really in control.

"Why not you?" Vincent was very close to her. She blushed.

"I don't know if I can trust you now. Or her."

"And yet you're practically suffocating her."

"I DON'T WANT THE BONDS! I'M NOT MYSELF! I WANT YOU BOTH AND THEN I HATE YOU BOTH AND I KNOW I'M BEING IRRATIONAL BUT I CAN'T!" 

"Riri? Is that you? Where are we?" Apparently an embarrassing outburst was all it took to awaken Lily, Sabrina thought.

"Lil? How did you find me?" She noticed Vincent was keeping his distance, but was also clenching and relaxing his hands as if he was holding himself back. She felt his yearning, guilt, and need to protect, but he stayed back. Lily touched her face tenderly, and then jumped back with a look of fear.

"But you're a wolf now? What will the Organization do to us?"