Magic Forged (Hall of Blood and Mercy #1)(3)

I didn’t stop running either. Gideon wasn’t going to be able to catch me now, but I needed to get away from the motorcade.

Only one magical group used a dragon as their emblem in this city: the Drake Family. The most powerful vampire Family in the Midwest. And they wouldn’t hesitate to maim us just for irritating them.

Thankfully, the cars barreled on, and I made it home without any more “fun”.

Well, I was almost hit by a blood delivery car—vampires had to be fed somehow—about four blocks up from the House. But neither Gideon nor a member of the infamous Drake Family stalked me home, so I’d count it as a win.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I considered jumping the knee-high wrought-iron fence that surrounded House Medeis. But considering I was the Heir I thought it best to pay my respects, so I trotted up the front sidewalk.

Even with my small abilities, I could feel the magic of the House bloom around me.

“Hey there,” I said with affection, greeting the House as I might a pet.

Thankfully, the House didn’t seem to mind my wussy powers. Its magic greeted me with a content purr as a butterfly danced among the flowers that lined the front porch.

The magical building was three stories tall and was cobbled out of stretches of blue siding with white trim and blocks of gray, ivy covered rock. Three turrets poked out of the House—two smaller ones in the front with the tallest in the back more closely resembling a bell tower. But instead of a bell it housed the House Beacon—a glowing orb that usually glowed blue with veins of gold.

The lawn was big—House Medeis had a giant lot—and there was a huge flower garden that started in front and stretched around to the back. A large koi pond and a cheerfully trickling fountain that was ornamented with diapered baby angel statues was also settled in the backyard.

A bit eclectic in both looks and architecture, the best way to describe it would be to say if a Victorian house and a French chateau had a building baby, House Medeis would be the offspring.

There were a bunch of cars in the long gravel driveway—which wasn’t unusual. Although House Medeis belonged to my immediate family, we still had a fairly large wizard House.

Let me explain. Vampires have Families, werewolves have Packs, fae have Courts, and wizards have Houses.

Though the term “wizard House” refers to the physical building—like House Medeis—it can also refer to the wizards who live there together as a sort of large magical family, not bound by blood, but by similar passions and desires…and a big magic House.

My parents ran House Medeis because the House itself was theirs, but there were roughly twenty adult wizards who belonged to House Medeis who we counted as family and who lived here with us.

I playfully slapped my hand on the fancy white porch railing, wincing when it made my shoulder twinge.

“I better disinfect that before I head out,” I muttered. “Great Aunt Marraine ought to be home, and she’s the least likely to blab to Dad and Mom. Maybe I should ask her.”

I heaved the front door open and popped inside, immediately kicking off my shoes. (House Medeis got crabby if you walked its floors with your shoes on. It only takes so many times of getting your sneakers chucked at your head before you learn this, even as a child.)

“I’m home,” I called out to any other members of House Medeis who might be around. “But not for long. I’m just stopping by to grab my car, then—”

“Hazel?” Great Aunt Marraine appeared in the hallway—the bright blue streak she dyed into her curly white hair made her impossible to mistake.

“Yep.” I shook my arm out, trying to get the sting out of my shoulder wound, and padded closer, pausing when I saw how puffy and red her eyes were. “What’s wrong?”

Great Aunt Marraine pressed her hands to her ample bosom, but at my words her face crumpled, and she pulled me into a hug. “It’s your parents. There’s been an accident.”

The world seemed to slow as she pressed my face into her shoulder. “What?” I asked with numb lips.

“There was a car crash and…and…”

I heard ringing in my ears.

Great Aunt Marraine sobbed. “Hazel…they’re dead.”





Chapter Two





Hazel





The funeral and wake were crowded with everyone from House Medeis and well-wishers from the magical community—representatives from werewolf Packs, fae Courts, vampire Families, and the other wizarding Houses we were allied with.

I tried to smile and forced myself to accept handshakes and embraces, but all I wanted to do was scream.

What went wrong?

I was supposed to meet my parents for a talk, and now I stood in front of their coffins.

The police officers who had responded told me it was an accident. A drunk driver—in the middle of the day.

She hit their car at an intersection, killing my parents—two of the most powerful wizards in the city—on impact.

It was so wrong. But the nightmare had gone on long enough for me to know it was real.

I tried to swallow and almost choked. My mouth was too dry.

I glanced over my shoulders at the unforgiving, black coffins and shuddered. I quickly gazed forward again, meeting the stony expressions of the leaders of the local supernaturals.

Sam, the Alpha of Pack Whitefrost, scratched his beard, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening as he spoke with Lady Vif, the representative of the fae Summer Court.