Going Under by Lauren Dane
That comforted her more than she could admit out loud.
Inside it was already standing room only and there was a bit of a misunderstanding about where Gage would be while Molly was up on the dais.
They wanted him to sit in the audience but he wouldn’t let it go. He was like a bulldog and she was very grateful for it. She’d not admit it out loud, but the crowd in the room freaked her out.
There was a lot of hostility. But it wasn’t all bad. There were plenty of friendly faces. More curious ones, open to change. She could sense that; it had always been something she was good at.
Mayor Stimson was the moderator and she tapped on the podium and introduced herself and then each one of the panelists.
There was a lot of question-and-answer stuff and Molly was grateful for all her years of preparation and practice in similar situations. Though nothing quite like this.
Molly was all for new learning experiences and all, but this wasn’t quite what she had in mind. Still, she was proud of herself for keeping a straight face through it.
Until.
She could see before the woman in the audience even spoke that it was going to be bad. Her features were set, eyes narrowed, the hate coming from her like a blast of heat. So it wasn’t really a surprise when she got her question out. “How do we know you’re not controlling our minds right this very moment? There’s a reason witches were burned.”
Molly tipped her head in a bless your heart way. “Believe me when I tell you that if I had the power to control your mind, I wouldn’t use that power to have people break the windows at my place of work and assault me at public events.”
That got a laugh and Molly realized that when she used her othersight, she could gauge the energy in the room better. The magick rose, yes, but also humans had their own sort of energy, far more faint, but when they were passionate, it was easier to spot. She could use that.
Use it to grab this event and wrestle it back before it went off the rails. “And on a historical note, we got drowned a lot more than we got burned. Though we were also tortured and raped.” The room quieted. “There’s something that frequently gets missed in these discussions and I want to make it clear here today. The Magister happened to us. To the Others as we’re now known. We lost mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, children, friends, cousins. None of us came out of this untouched. We’re trying very hard to get through the fact that we lost so many so very suddenly. We’re mourning. We were not hiding our magick from you to trick you. We were keeping our magick private because past history has taught us to be careful or get dead.”
“Maybe you should be.” Alison Haterade from PURITY spoke from across the stage. “Not dead of course, we’d never advocate such a thing. But this being culled your numbers for a reason. Maybe it’s because you’re a threat.”
So much hate. The energy poured from her, dark and sticky and if Molly had been closer she may have recoiled physically to avoid it.
The mayor pounded her gavel and called for order as the room went crazy. In the corner of Molly’s eye she saw Gage tense and move closer.
“If I may.” Molly leaned close and made eye contact with as many people in the audience as she could. “This sort of hateful speech isn’t helpful or useful. It is divisive and seeks to destroy rather than unite. I tell you of the loss so many of us have been hit with and this is no more than a cudgel to Ms. Moore. And it’s a prime example of just why we’ve hesitated to come out all these years before. We are not a herd to be culled. Which by the way means to kill, so spare me the dishonesty about how you don’t mean exactly what you’re saying.”
Alison squawked but Molly kept speaking until she shut up.
“We’re happy to answer questions and deal with very real and honest fears humans may have about us. We’re happy to talk about what exactly we are and what we do. But we won’t be targets for talk of culling. I’d thought this basic fact was so easy to understand it didn’t need to be repeated. But apparently it does.”
“You’re twisting my words!” Alison acted like a woman offended when she was a hateful charlatan. Molly had nothing but disgust for her.
“They’re your words so I suggest you either use less loaded terms to be clear or own what you say.”
Molly was angry now. Angrier than that day when she’d been in the car with Gage. Culling? How dare this bitch even utter that?
“We deserve to know when we have monsters living next door. This has been foretold. Demons walking the face of the earth. You all bring the end.”
Molly mentally centered herself. You couldn’t argue with people’s religions. She had no desire to. Alison would believe what she believed and it wasn’t any of Molly’s affair unless and until it had kill all Others as its bottom line. Which it did in this case. So now she had to deal with the concept and weave around the religious part. She sure as hell wasn’t going to admit there were actual demons and push this lady even further into crazytown.
“As we’ve existed as long as humans have, I don’t think a very good case for us bringing the end can be made. We want a peaceful resolution to all this upheaval. We don’t need to be loved by all. We don’t need to convince you we have souls. Your beliefs are your own.” Molly looked back out to the audience and pulled them in. She felt it in her gut, knew her magick drew their attention. What she did with it was up to her. She had a gift and for the first time since the Magister she understood she had a purpose. She was standing there for a reason. She could make a difference, a real difference.
“We are here. We are citizens and we care about our communities, human and Other alike. If you have questions or concerns, please bring them forward and we will do our best to resolve those honestly. But do not ever make the mistake of believing this is a referendum on our right to exist. That is not up for a vote. It is not up for a debate. We don’t want to control your thoughts. We don’t want to infect you with lycanthropy against your will. We want to live in a world where our houses aren’t set on fire while our children sleep and where we aren’t run off the road and gunned down on the way home from soccer practice. It seems incompatible with anyone’s stated wish to protect children to support what happened to Jeremy and Missy Borache just three weeks ago.”
She sat back and the stunned silence burst into applause from Other and human alike. It wasn’t unanimous, but it was enough.
Chapter 17
“DON’T forget dinner at my house tonight.” Meriel hugged Molly when they pulled up at the hotel. “You did such an amazing job. Closing the way you did? Goddess, I think I nearly cried.”
Lark snorted. “I totally cried.”
Gage watched her, proud. He wanted them all to go so he could tell her in private.
“We’ll see you guys in a few hours.” Gage got out, checked the area and then held a hand out. She took it, allowing him to help her from the car.
Of course her phone started ringing and she answered, even as he ushered her through the lobby and she smiled and waved at the desk staff, who adored her like everyone else.
“Already? Well, that’s interesting.”
They got into the elevator and he pretended not to be annoyed that she was doing her job. Because it was her job and all and it was silly to be annoyed over that.
“No, it was standing room only. But they did have a lot of police there so that’s a plus.”
She laughed and Gage just bet it was Sato on the other line.
“PURITY continues to be an issue. Today she said we were bringing the end. I reminded her we’d been around as long as humans have been and haven’t brought it yet. I’m sure that’s just another plot on our part.”
She laughed again and blushed.
Gage pushed past her. To protect her of course. But also so she could see his butt. He knew she looked. Goddess knew he looked at hers.
“Yes, we’ll be there. Thank you. Yes. Bye.”
He unlocked the door and did his usual walk-through but when he turned, he found her staring
“What?”
She put her things down exactly where they went and he had the childish urge to muss her papers and move her phone. But he didn’t give in.
“What’s bothering you?”
“What do you mean?”
She laughed as she put her shoes in the hall closet and hung her bag. “I mean you’re prowling around, frowning. Not that your frown is hard to look at. Your brow gets all furrowy and I imagine you’re growling in your head.”
She made him wary. Women could be wily about stuff. This one was very smart. “You seem like the type who’d never say these things.”
“I know. It’s my secret weapon.” She sat on the couch and looked up to him again. “So?”
She really was something else. “I think that’s a very accurate statement. You were mighty and fantastic today.” He moved to sit next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. She snuggled in.
“Yeah? I felt mighty and fantastic. I have to tell you, I used my othersight and it seemed to click with my magick in this whole new way. I could gauge the whole room. Not control it necessarily, but when I could read it so well I could tailor my responses far better. Also, the urge to punch Alison’s face grows and grows. Bringing about the end? Fuck her. And fuck her hate. I am sick to death of it. She’s a vandal, that’s what she is. She wants to tear this country apart to make some stupid point. She doesn’t care who she hurts either. Disgusting.”
He was proud. But he didn’t know how to say it without coming off condescending so he pondered just how to say it as he settled for kissing the top of her head. “You did punch her in the face. Metaphorically I mean. She got up there and was all smug and hateful and you never sunk to her level. You did us all proud.”
“I did threaten people though. I wondered if it was too far, but at the same time they need to understand we’re not going to line up to let anyone hurt us. God, I think about that family. About that little girl recovering to go back to a life without her mother, father and brother. She’ll need more skin grafting for the burn injuries. And what for?”
Her bottom lip wobbled just a little and it tore at him. He kissed her, holding her tight.
“For nothing. But it’s not your fault. You’re working to make their deaths mean something. That counts.”
“You’re being very nice to me. It scares me.”
He snorted. “I’m always nice to you.”
“When we’re naked.”
He was going to joke but then she said naked and his words sort of fell from his head as his blood all rushed south.
“I’m trying to comfort you and you go mentioning sex. You’re a pervert.”
The wobble was gone and she climbed into his lap instead. “Is your virtue threatened?”
With this woman in his lap? Oh yes. He gave her a wolfish grin and she tipped her head back, laughing.
He took that invitation, leaning close to kiss up the creamy column of her neck as she hummed her pleasure.
Her blouse was soft as he flicked each button, opening the front to expose another layer, this one a lacy tank-top thing. Beneath that she wore a bra.
“You’re like Christmas morning.” He slid the blouse from her arms and then pulled the other thing up and over her head.
“You want to crawl down my chimney?”
“Honestly, no one would ever believe me if I told them how you were behind closed doors.” And he’d have been lying if he’d denied how much that appealed to him. This Molly was all his.
One more little movement and her bra was gone and those breasts were in his hands.
“Mmmm. I like where this is going.”
“So many layers to you. Not just your clothes, which is what I meant by Christmas morning. As in I get to unwrap you.”
She freed her hair and then sat upright. “Can I confess something?”
“Hell yes.” He leaned in and licked over her collarbone and her fingers dug into his arms.
“I have a thing. A thing I wasn’t aware of really until I met you.”
He licked over a nipple and she writhed with a little squeal. The heat of her against his cock as she moved began to blot out everything else. Need for her swept through him. He bit down and she arched into his mouth.
“You like that.”
“Why do you sound so surprised?” She made another sound then and her magick rose, teasing his senses.
“Not surprised.” He did it again on the other nipple. “Delighted. So tell me about this thing of yours.”
“I quite like it when I’m nearly naked and you still have clothes on. I’m sure that makes me a filthy wanton.” She laughed again and he joined her this time, his hands pushing her skirt up to her waist so he could get at her panties to pull them off.
“I’m always happy to oblige the filthy wanton living just beneath your skin.”
She had to lift up for that part and he missed her heat even for those few seconds. Smart girl that she was though, she got his pants unzipped and freed his cock. “My. What have we here?”
He shifted forward to get at his wallet where he’d stashed a condom exactly for moments like this one. He never wanted to have to wait once they were alone and this far along.
“I had plans for that first.” She fisted him, pumping up and down a few times, sending him very close to the edge.
“I like fucking you. I want to fuck you right now. Work with me.”
She rolled her eyes but grabbed the packet and rolled it on him quickly.
He slid his hand up her thigh, keeping her gaze. “Just want to be sure you’re ready.” And she was. So gloriously hot and wet he sighed happily, tickling a finger against her clit until she made another one of her sex sounds.
“Love your everyday voice, but the sex voice has it beat hands down.” He traced around her, through her folds, teasing her gate until she took him by the root, got to her knees, positioned herself and sank down on him.
“Want something done right, do it yourself.” She grinned at him and began to move.
He captured that mouth of hers for a long deep kiss as she slowly rode. “Should have known you’d be a control freak in bed too. Not that I’m complaining or anything.”
That made her laugh and hug him. “We rarely make it to a bed. And you did say you wanted to fuck me.”
“This is true. On both counts. Mmmm, you feel good.”
She did. So hot and snug. Her hair a tousle around her face and shoulders. That crisp skirt tucked up around her waist the only clothing she wore. Damn.
He slid a hand between them, finding her clit again and slowly built her climax as she rose and fell. The winter sun setting, casting shadows against the glory of her skin and hair. His free hand wandered over a breast, palmed the arch of her neck, and found the cool silk of her hair, tipping her head just so.
She moaned as he tugged slightly, making him chuckle. “You like a little hair pulling.”
“Mmm. From you? Yes.”
“Keeping that in mind. Now, let’s set this off.” He increased his speed and pressure and her inner muscles rippled around him, squeezing until he nearly cried at how good it was. And then she exploded on a whispered cry, dragging him along with her as he slid his arms around her, holding her tight.
* * *
“I do love this house. You two work well together. I can see you both in the design and layout.” When she and Gage had arrived at Meriel and Dominic’s house, they’d given Molly the grand tour.
It felt like a nice evening with friends and she decided—clearly still drunk with sex chemicals from her time with Gage—to try to forget the world outside and just enjoy herself.
Dominic looked toward Meriel, his face changing when she turned back and smiled. They shared a moment and through each of them, he saw another side to this couple.
He shifted, handing Molly a glass of wine. “Thank you. She had an apartment. I had an apartment. But this is our place. It feels l
Molly sipped. “This is really good.”
“Thanks. It’s from a winery one of our witches runs in Eastern Washington. Tough day today, I hear. I was there, in the audience I mean. If I could have thrown flowers on the dais after your closing comments I would have.”
It was Molly’s turn to say thank you. “I had no idea you were there. Appreciate the support.” She thought he’d also be a good face for the clan in certain media events and he’d reluctantly agreed. But he’d done a great job. People feared him for good reason. But they respected him too and that balance was a perfect compliment to Meriel’s more cool and efficient outward persona.
Dominic Bright was intense. A powerful witch, but a powerful man as well. His personal energy simply took over whatever space he was in. He wasn’t just handsome, he was riveting. And like his wife, he’d been very kind to her since she’d arrived.
“I like to be incognito sometimes. Sit with people who may not know me so I can see what people do and say.” He shrugged.
“He’s very sneaky.” There was admiration in Meriel’s voice. This couple was leading the clan during some really difficult times and doing it well. That took a lot of energy, brainpower and strength of will and conviction.
The doorbell rang and Meriel waved them to sit. Gage took the lead, giving her a lecture about letting him handle the door answering. The two bickered good-naturedly down the stairs to the front entry.
“Hard for you. Coming here and leaving your life behind. I know people have said so before, but . . . well, I understand very well just what it is to have grown up outside all this. To be an outsider in the world of clan witches.”
She shrugged. “People have been quite welcoming. Gage has shown me a lot of stuff. How to use my magick more effectively. In fact he showed me how to use my othersight and it’s been pretty awesome. I wish . . . in many ways I wish I’d grown up within a clan. Sometimes it feels like I’m a stranger to my own history.” It was overwhelming sometimes, just how much she didn’t know about witches and her own potential.