The Paranormal Council: Complete Series

Chapter 10

LIA

Dinner was a pained affair that night. Aella and her father were barely speaking, and Lia couldn’t keep her thoughts off Kem. After Aella had left earlier, Kem had come out of the wardrobe, fully dressed, to Lia’s dismay. He’d told her that he needed to go and freshen up so that he could come and talk to her father properly, and she had to admit that it was probably better that he did; arriving in last night’s clearly rumpled suit to claim his daughter wasn’t likely to go down well. Even so, she was nervous and completely unsure about how her father would take the news. While he’d been willing to marry Aella off, his feelings seemed to be more protective towards Lia, possibly something to do with the fact that their mother had died when she was still a baby, and she doubted that he’d be pleased by this turn of events.

There was a brief knock on the door, and their butler walked in, his black and white penguin suit pressed to perfection. “Sir, there is a Mr Davis here to see you.” A brief look of shock passed over her father’s face, he clearly hadn’t been expecting to see Kem again for a while.

“Very well. Show him to my office, I’ll be with him shortly.” The butler cleared his throat and shuffled his feet slightly, showing a discomfort that he didn’t normally convey.

“I’m sorry sir, but Mr Davis insisted on seeing you and your daughters.”

“Both of them?” Her father raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, sir.”

“Very well, set a place for him at the table. We’ve only just started our main, he may as well join us.”

“Very good, sir.” The butler left the room, leaving her father levelling inquisitive looks at the two of them.

“Either of you know what this is about?” Aella’s hand found hers under the table, and she gave it a quick squeeze, reminding Lia that her sister was fully on her side. Despite her temper, Lia didn’t doubt that Aella loved her. Plus, she hadn’t wanted to get married anyway, especially not to Kem.

“No Daddy,” Aella said with a wide-eyed innocent look. Her father huffed, clearly seeing through the act. The door to the dining room opened again, shutting off any conversation between them, and the butler shuffled back in, leading a freshly showered Kem into the room. He’d replaced his rumpled shirt with a new one, this one a pale blue colour that suited his dark hair and showed off his powerful form in a way that made Lia’s mouth water. It was all she could do to tear her eyes away from him and back to the meal in front of her.

“Mr Dentro, ladies.” Kem nodded his head reverently, before taking the seat the butler showed him, a new place setting having been hastily added to the table. He was sat between Lia and her father, in the only free space, and Lia yearned to reach out and touch him. Apparently, he felt the same, as she felt his hand slide onto her knee under the table. She slipped her own hand under the table cloth and slid it on top of his, noticing a slight smile tugging at the corners of Kem’s mouth.

“To what do we owe the pleasure, Mr Davis?” her father asked between mouthfuls of vegetables. Kem waited while his own plate was set down in front of him before answering.

“I’ve come from the Shifter Council,” he started, a serious look on his face. “They require me to be the one to tell you that I cannot marry Aella.”

“What?” Knowing her father as well as she did, Lia could see the anger building even through his calm tone. There was clearly more at stake than either she, or Kem, had realised.

“The Council was not aware that I was already mated.” He took a bite of the fish that had been served for dinner, and gave a small satisfied nod.

“And you didn’t think that it was important to tell them that in the first place?”

“I’m sorry sir, but I didn’t know.” The anger built again, almost popping a vein in her father’s forehead.

“Dad, please.” Lia met his gaze, but wasn’t certain what was going on behind it.

“How could you not know you were mated? And who is the w***e that’s stopping this union?” He seethed, his rage now coming through his words.

“Please don’t talk about my mate like that…” Kem started, but managed to keep a tighter control on his anger. Though his hand had balled into a fist on her leg. She prized it open, and entwined her fingers with his.

“I’ll talk about her any way I wish. She’s displaced my daughter and brought shame on her…”

“It’s me, Dad.” She’d had enough. Nothing was going to diffuse the situation now, and the tension in the room had reached breaking point for her. “I’m his mate.”

“You’ve never even met.” The anger was still an undercurrent in his voice, but she could tell that it was waning slightly.

“We met a year ago, and that was all it needed apparently. Neither of us fully realised we were mated because we hadn’t seen each other again until last night,” she explained gently while stroking her thumb over the back of Kem’s hand, trying to soothe away his anger.

“You’re sure?”

“She can shift,” Kem said quietly, and her father nodded, his anger transforming into something softer, something like thoughtfulness. Which, if Lia was honest, was the more worrying thing to deal with.

“I don’t see why this has to change anything. I’m still a nymph, Kem’s still a shifter, surely our union has the same consequences.”

“With the advantage of everyone will know that we’ll always like each other,” he added. “No offence Aella.”

“None taken.” She held her hands out in surrender. “I find I like you better now that I don’t have to marry you.” She winked at him and Kem gave a low chuckle.

“You knew?” their father asked Aella, who shrugged.

“Only since this morning.”

“A marriage ceremony will still happen.” Her father fixed Kem with a stare that clearly meant there was no budging on the subject.

“Absolutely, as soon as she says yes.” She squeezed his hand under the table.

“Dad?” His gaze flipped to her, softening as it did. “Why is the marriage so important?” Her father sighed loudly.

“We have no influence Lia. While there are many of us, we’re not forceful by nature, and even Aella at her most angry pales in comparison to a vampire or witch that wants their way. The shifters are low on numbers, but if it came to it, they have the aggression that we need. Together, the two Councils will be able to make a difference, and the quickest way to achieve that was an unbreakable alliance.” Silence greeted his explanation as it sunk in. It did make sense, though surely a true mating would do more for an alliance than a forced marriage anyway.

“So, it really doesn’t matter that it’s Lia and not me?” Aella finally broke the silence.

“No. The rest of the Nymph Council pressured me to offer you because you’re slightly older and your status as the only storm nymph. I was given as much of a choice as you were. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, Daddy. But please don’t try to make me get married again, even if it would help the Council.” Her words were surprisingly level for Aella, but Lia knew her well enough to detect the hurt behind them. As was their father it seemed, who hung his head in shame. Aella didn’t feel the need to say anymore, as she pushed to her feet and walked from the dining room, leaving her dinner half eaten on the table.

“You said the Shifter Council is aware of this?” her father asked, his guilt showing on his face. Kem nodded. “Very well, I shall go inform the Nymph Council and begin the wedding plans.” He followed Aella from the room, leaving the two of them alone.

“Well that went well,” Kem deadpanned, causing Lia to giggle slightly.

“It could have gone worse.” Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him and she got to her feet, pulling him behind her as they left the room.