Page 35 of Furever Bound
"Even knowing what claiming me would mean for your safety, your freedom, your ability to change your mind if I disappoint you?"
"Especially knowing that," he said, leaning up to kiss her with tender intensity that made his point better than words could. "Sera, I've spent five years living in careful isolation, convinced that emotional connections were complications I didn't need. You made me remember that the best parts of life require risk."
"Risk," she said with a small smile that suggested she was thinking of more than just supernatural bonding. "Like tomorrow night's plan to communicate directly with Grimjaw?"
"That's a different kind of risk entirely," he said, his protective instincts flaring at the reminder of her dangerous proposal. "One I'm still not convinced is worth taking."
"But one that might be necessary regardless of our personal comfort level," she pointed out with the problem-solving determination that made her invaluable during crisis situations.
Before he could argue about manifestation communication safety protocols, the sharp crack of breaking glass from downstairs sent them both bolt upright with alarmt.
"That came from the study," Sera said, already reaching for clothes with efficiency that proved she was adapting to supernatural community life faster than he'd expected.
"Stay behind me," Maddox said, pulling on jeans while his enhanced hearing picked up sounds of deliberate movement through his house rather than random break-in activity.
As they crept down the stairs toward whatever threat had violated their temporary sanctuary, he realized that explaining claiming procedures would have to wait until they dealt with whatever new crisis had arrived to complicate their developing bond.
26
SERA
The sight of Elena standing in Maddox's destroyed study, surrounded by scattered papers and broken protective crystals, sent cold fury racing through Sera's system as she realized the federal investigator had returned with reinforcements and obviously hostile intentions.
"Dr. Vasquez," Maddox said with controlled politeness that didn't disguise the alpha authority radiating from his posture. "I don't recall extending an invitation for morning visits."
"Invitations aren't required for federal investigations," Elena replied smoothly, her professional smile sharp enough to cut glass. "Particularly when those investigations involve potential terrorist threats and supernatural weapons development."
"Terrorist threats?" Sera stepped into the study despite Maddox's protective gesture, her journalist instincts demanding she understand exactly what Elena was accusing them of. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about documented evidence of an individual with psychic abilities deliberately manifesting dangerous supernatural entities in proximity to civilian populations," Elena said with clinical precision that made every word sound likeformal charges. "Evidence that suggests coordinated effort to weaponize folklore manifestation for unknown purposes."
The accusation was so far from reality that Sera almost laughed, except Elena's presence with what appeared to be federal backup suggested this wasn't academic posturing but active law enforcement intervention.
"You think I'm a terrorist," she said, processing implications that felt both absurd and terrifying. "Because my social media posts accidentally triggered a folklore manifestation?"
"I think you're an untrained psychic individual whose abilities pose clear and present danger to national security," Elena corrected with bureaucratic language that reduced complex supernatural dynamics to federal threat assessment. "I think this community has been concealing and potentially weaponizing those abilities rather than reporting them to appropriate authorities."
Through the broken window, Sera could see black SUVs parked throughout Hollow Oak's main street and federal agents questioning residents who maintained the kind of careful politeness that suggested they'd dealt with government overreach before.
"How many agents?" Maddox asked quietly, his enhanced senses obviously tracking threats Sera couldn't perceive.
"Enough to conduct thorough interviews with every resident," Elena replied. "Enough to establish federal oversight of supernatural activity in this region."
"Federal oversight of a community that's never posed any threat to national security," Sera said, anger overriding caution as she processed what Elena's investigation could mean for people who'd welcomed her despite the danger she'd brought to their sanctuary.
"A community that's been harboring supernatural entities and concealing psychic weapons from federal monitoring," Elena countered. "A community whose secrecy ends today."
The casual way she discussed destroying Hollow Oak's carefully maintained anonymity made Sera's protective instincts spike that surprised her with its intensity. These people had become her people, this place had become her home, and Elena's federal authority felt like invasion rather than investigation.
"What do you want?" Maddox asked, buying time while assessing tactical options.
"Cooperation," Elena said simply. "Complete documentation of supernatural residents and their abilities, full access to manifestation research materials, and supervised relocation of the psychic catalyst to a secure facility where her abilities can be properly studied and contained."
"Supervised relocation," Sera repeated, the euphemistic language not disguising what sounded suspiciously like imprisonment.
"Protective custody," Elena clarified with false sympathy. "For your safety and the safety of others who might be affected by uncontrolled psychic manifestation."
"And if I refuse?"
