“They’re starting,” said Jonathon, and joy crackled through me. I now had a legitimate reason to be staring.
I lifted my head only to realize that all four Compasses were watching me, wearing the widest of grins. Double dimples and all. I sucked in rapidly. Being the sole focus of their attention was like being zapped by electricity, no matter how many times it had happened over the years. I flipped up my middle finger, because even though I had no idea what they were thinking, I knew it was going to be something asshole-worthy. With the Compasses, that was a given.
The mystic had just finished up on the final white rock – eight in total. The moment he stood, energy beamed out, crisscrossing the room and surrounding my boys, thankfully distracting them from whatever nefarious thoughts had brought out those four, identical, shit-eating grins that had been facing me.
I met my father’s gaze. “Do you think the protection dome is necessary? Is there really a possibility that by joining, they are just going to completely lose their shit and start trying to kill marked?”
He was focused on the center of the room. “Sometimes control takes a while,” he said. “After a few times joining, they should have the same mental-control of the Four, but the first times can be a little dicey.”
Control of the Four. That was exactly what we wanted … said no one ever. I wanted the Four to cease to exist, and I wanted to be the one to wipe them off the face of the Earth. But … when everything was all said and done, I had to keep reminding myself that if the dragon king rose, the supernatural community would need them for the fight. I wondered what role my quads would hold if the king rose?
Everyone fell silent as Quale addressed the Compasses. “You are free now to join your power. I believe you have been instructed on the manner in which to do this?”
Four heads, just one single nod. I was surprised. After twenty years of friendship there weren’t many secrets left in our pack, but I had no idea when they’d been instructed on joining their power. They had had a few private classes in the history of supernaturals, and in Family Ties class … it had to have been during these lessons.
They’d told me at the time those classes had been about the unique abilities of multiples – a class I probably should have attended also, but back then my twin status had been a hugely guarded secret.
Wanting to see everything that was about to happen I shuffled forward, Jonathon stayed by my side. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was acting all bodyguard-like, which meant he didn’t have that much faith in the protective ring surrounding the boys. I couldn’t really blame him. It was always better to be safe than sorry with the Compasses. They often did … the unexpected.
For the first time, since entering the dome, unease flittered across the quad’s faces. But they also looked intrigued. I could tell they wanted to know what their calling was, but were concerned about the damage they might wrought. A concern we all wore.
I felt the surge of power then, even through the shielded cage. The boys were starting their joining.
Maximus vamped out first, energy drifting over his hair and down his body. Suddenly everything about him was changed, and yet he was also the same. It was hard to describe. His hair grew richer in color, his eyes black as a night sky, his skin glowing a tawny color. His fangs elongated as his body increased to even more massive proportions. He was spectacular. I could see Cardia licking her lips as she dragged lustful eyes over him, but along with her clear attraction, there was also dilation of pupils, paling of her skin, accelerated heartbeat. She was like the rest of us, fearing what this change might bring to her very recently discovered mate. I had the same fears churning inside of me, only times four, as I loved all of the Compasses.
Jacob was next. He called on the elements, and even here, inside a glass and metal building, they came to him. The most prominent was fire, definitely his specialty, whipping in burning arcs around his head and down his left arm. His right hand held a single ball of water, like a large dewdrop. Wind thrashed around his blond hair, and the scent of fresh dirt filled the room as earth responded beneath his feet. Green eyes burned as energy surrounded him and joy split across his face. The elements made him feel alive.