Forged by Greed (42 page)

“So what did Jatred say?” Penelope asked Erik. She zipped up her
down jacket and pulled the hood over her head. She wore thick furry mittens and
a scarf, tightly coiled around her neck and lower part of her face.
 

Erik couldn’t help but grin, looking at her. He drew her close and
kissed her first on her cheek. Next, he pushed down the scarf with his fingers
and kissed her lips. She closed her eyes and circled his neck with her arms.

The door flew opened, and Jatred walked through. “Hey,” he muttered
with his mind.

Erik looked up, and Penelope let go of him. She turned around.

“Hey,” both of them said to Jatred in unison.

Erik clapped Jatred on the back and grinned. “You all right?”

“Yeah. You?” He looked from Penelope to Erik, his eyebrows raised.

Erik nodded, his smile crooked.

“Erik said you were rock climbing earlier today with your uncle,”
Penelope started a conversation in a neutral tone.

“I did.” Jatred shrugged. “The earthquake started when I was on the
rope.”

“Man. What happened then?” Erik couldn’t contain his excitement.

Penelope turned her head away and rolled her eyes.

“Uncle was belaying me. He was okay, though. I got down quickly, and
we ran.” Jatred looked down. He kicked the snow with the tip of his Converse
shoe, and then lifted his head to glance from Erik to Penelope. “One moment I’m
up on the rock, climbing, feeling all free and jazzed up. The next, crap is
falling down on my head, and the ground is shaking out of control.” He grimaced.
“And trees started to tumble down. I had no idea an earthquake could be so
freaking loud. There were even gaps in the ground, just like that, opening
right at our feet. That was the worst.” He spat to the side, frowning.

“It was scary here too,” Penelope whispered. She encircled her arm
around Erik’s and pressed herself into him. He looked at her and kissed the top
of her head.

“I thought we might not make it out alive,” Jatred said.
“Where were you two?”

Penelope lifted her head to look at Erik. He
turned his face to meet her eyes and said, “We were actually downtown. Pen got
hurt a bit, but fortunately nothing serious.”

“Yeah? What happened?” Jatred stuffed his hands in
his pockets, his expression anxious.

“We ran by an old building when it started to
crumble. Some debris hit me on the head. Bad timing, that’s all.” Penelope
tried to grin carelessly, but only managed a wary smile. Her eyes flicked back
to Erik for reassurance.

He understood her discomfort and, taking a deep
breath, said with his mind to Jatred, “We shifted to run faster. We had to get
out of there.”

Jatred narrowed his eyes, turning his head
slightly to give them both a side-look. “You mean, in front of humans? Did
anyone see you?”

Erik and Penelope exchanged a glance. She pressed
her lips into a thin line and opened her eyes wide in a mocking expression.

“I’m afraid so. Well, maybe just a couple,” Erik tried
to sound indifferent.

Jatred
clucked his tongue
and slowly shook his head
,
almost smiling.

All three of them burst out laughing. Soon they
doubled over, laughing uncontrollably and leaning on each other for
support.

Penelope sank down to her knees. “I can’t breathe. Stop, both of
you.” She held onto her stomach, wheezing.

The boys were wiping their eyes and gasping for air. “That will make
for interesting headlines,” Jatred finally managed to say.

“Nah.” Erik flicked his wrist, dismissively. “If someone admits to
seeing two gigantic wild animals with human eyes, running through downtown
Seattle, they will be either accused of making stuff up or hallucinating.”

“Let’s hope so. Maybe you shouldn’t tell anyone else about this.”

“Definitely not,” Penelope agreed. “It’s freezing.” She pulled her
hood tighter around her face and stuck her gloved palm out. Thick snowflakes
fell onto her hand, piling on top of each other. The snow was quickly covering
everything in sight, wrapping the torn-up city in a white shimmering coat.

“By the way, I got a text from Bogdan. He’s at home with his folks.
And Lusia’s okay too,” Jatred announced.

“Is Lusia with him?” Erik asked.

“Yeah. But she was at her house during the earthquake. Did you know
about the Goddesses’ protection? Apparently all the Shifters’ places are
supposed to be okay. Both Goddesses somehow managed to get a grip on this
thing.”

“What do you mean…
thing
?
The earthquake?” Erik
rubbed
a hand over his blond stubble.

“Uncle says this is the ten-thousand-year mark.
All the disasters happening all over the world at once are the best indication.
The Goddesses can’t stop it or change it. But they can throw a protective
blanket over the Shifters’ homes and businesses,” Jatred explained.

“How do you guys know that?” Penelope looked up
from brushing the snow off her jeans.

“From Bogdan’s parents. They are our Race’s
Historians and really know this stuff better than anyone else. They are like
scientist-celebrities for our Race. Seriously.” Jatred rolled his shoulders and
tilted his head from side to side, stretching his neck muscles. “I’m tired. And
hungry. I gotta find something to eat.”

Penelope
looked at him, startled.
“Wait a minute. You said the Shifters’ places are protected? Then how come
Jasmira’s house got messed up in the quake? Why wasn’t it protected? They’re
the Royals, after all.”

Erik and Jatred looked at her sharply. Penelope related to them what
she just heard from her girlfriend.

“I bet it was Amber. She’s teaching Jasmira a lesson,” Penelope
stated firmly. She angrily shook the snow off her hood and stomped her feet.
“Jasmira failed her with Jatred, and now Amber will press her to get the job
done.”

“What?” both boys shouted.

“Wait a minute. Jatred peered into Penelope’s face. “Tell me what
the hell is going on.”

Penelope exhaled a puff of breath. It steamed in the chilly air,
forming white clouds in front of her face before quickly dissolving. She adjusted
her hood, bringing it closer to her face and said, “Amber wanted you and
Jasmira to stay together, because of the ten-thousand-year mark. If you, the
Winter Prince, and her, the Summer Princess, are in love when all hell breaks
loose, Amber would gain a lot of power, and the scale of supremacy would tip to
the Summer’s side. This can happen only every ten thousand years. So you see
why Amber is kinda anxious to have it done right this time. You and Jasmira fit
the profile, unlike all the Royal couples in the past.”

“What are you talking about?” Erik squinted at her. “How do you know
all this?”

Jatred stared at her, speechless. Finally he shook his head. “You’re
out of your mind, Pen. Someone’s making this up.”

“Oh, shut up. You can believe what you want.” Penelope’s fists were on
her hips. “Why do you think Crystal erased your memory?”

Jatred’s eyes grew larger. He glared at her, blinking the snow off
his long eye-lashes.

Erik cleared his throat and took a step closer to Penelope. “Pen?”
He drew circles with the palm of his hand on the back of her jacket, trying to
calm her down.

“What?” she snapped at him, moving away, and giving him a frowning
look. She sighed and said, “I’m sorry, guys. I just… this is just too crazy to
understand. Jasmira told me all these things last night, when she came back
from Santa Barbara. I didn’t even have a chance to digest it all. It’s so scary,
just insane. Like a very bad dream.”

“Let’s go somewhere else, where we can talk. This,” Erik gestured
widely, “is not the place, even when we pull up the mental shields and talk in
our heads. Besides, you’re freezing, girl.”

Jatred chewed on his lip, looking from Erik to Penelope. “Yeah, but
where can we go? Look around—every place is either broken or closed.”

“Must be a Shifter’s house. If this is true, you know, the
Goddesses’ protection thing, then a Shifter’s home would be our best bet. Let’s
go to my place,” Erik offered. “Georgeta should hear this too. We should get
Bogdan and Lusia. Or better yet, let’s go to Bogdan’s. I’ll call my parents to
meet us there.”

“Why there?” Penelope asked.

“Because the Tornwoods are the best of our Race’s historians. Like I
said, they know things we’ve never heard of. You gotta tell them what you’ve
found out,” Jatred explained, while Erik talked on the cell phone with his
father.

“Wait, I need to tell my parents where I’m going, or they will freak
out. They are still at the hospital with Estelle.” Penelope took her phone out.
“I see the cell towers are operating.” She pointed to Erik, dialed, and was
connected to her mother.

“They will freak out anyway, when she tells them she’s going to one
of the wolves’ houses.” Erik grinned.

Jatred chuckled, and then decided to let his uncle know where he was
headed. Erik texted Bogdan and waited patiently for his friends to finish their
calls. Penelope sent a short text to Jasmira with an update on her discussion
with the Winter friends. Jatred ended
his quick phone conversation
with
Tyrrell and chose to text Savannah. A moment later the trio walked away from the
hospital building, their shoes leaving tracks on the snow-covered ground.

CHAPTER 48

Human World, November 18, evening.

“Hey, guys.” Bogdan grinned. He moved away from the opened door to
let his friends in. “Erik, Georgeta and your parents are already here. Hi, Pen.
What’s up.”

She shrugged. “Hi.”

Thick snow already covered the stairs. It glistened in the light that
was spilling from the windows and opened door. Small pillows of white powder
accumulated on the tree tops, the roof, and the black pickup truck parked close
to the house. The teenagers followed Bogdan inside.
 
Lusia peeked from the kitchen and waved.

 
“Erik!” Georgeta ran to her
adoptive brother and threw herself onto him. She hugged him fiercely. “We were
freaking out. The phones were out… don’t you ever go off like that again.” She
ended with an accusation in her voice.

He put her down and disentangled himself from her arms. “Well, nobody
knew the next earthquake was going to happen.”

“Oh, good. You’re here, son.” A tall, brawny man rushed from one of
the rooms to the left and joined the teenagers in the hallway. He clapped Erik
on the back, his eyes troubled. The resemblance between the father and son was
incredible. Erik was a younger version of his parent. Finally, the man looked
from Jatred to Penelope and back, “Hello. Is everyone okay?”

Andy Tornwood followed him, a large book under his arm. He shook
hands with everyone and told them to go into the living room. Ivona stood on
the top of the staircase, smiling. She walked down and greeted the
newly-arrived teens.

“Erik!” A very slim woman in her late thirties ran down the stairs.
Straight blond hair fell to her waist. “Oh, Goddess.” She hugged him fiercely
and blinked the tears away, sniffling.

“I’m fine, Mom.” Erik grinned at her then looked back at his friends
and introduced Penelope to his parents and the Tornwoods.

Penelope felt uneasy and, although she was sure that these people would
protect her from any harm, she was still a member of the rival Race. Hanging
out with Erik on neutral ground was always fine, but now she was in the Winter
Shifters’ home. Alone. Her heart started to thump, and she felt a trickle of
sweat running between her shoulder blades.
 

Erik touched her elbow. His eyes narrowed when he noticed Penelope’s
distress. “Hey. Come here.” He wrapped his arm around her. “Are you okay?”

She inhaled and looked at him, shaking her head almost imperceptibly.
“It’s nothing, nothing. Just tired, hungry, you know. Ugh, all this stuff is
scary.”

“So, your parents are staying at the hospital?” Erik asked, following
everyone to the living room, where they already sat by the fire. He led
Penelope to a plush looking sofa.

“Yeah. Mom wants to make sure Estelle’s okay.” She rubbed her face
and sighed. “The things that I’ve learned from Jasmira… it’s all really crazy.
I don’t know if I can repeat it here. I mean, don’t get offended or anything,
but I don’t even know your or Bogdan’s parents.”

“They are cool, trust me. Besides, they’re professionals. Here, sit
with me.” He patted a spot next to him. When she sat down, he put his arm
around her.

Both mothers went to the kitchen to fix something to eat for everyone.
Georgeta and Lusia rushed after them to bring sodas and orange juice from the
fridge. Penelope wasn’t sure if she should stay and play a guest or go help.
She decided that four women in the kitchen was good enough.