Angel snorted. “You just like the fact that I cook.”
“True that. But I also like that we can drive into work together. Plus, there’s the fact that there’s nobody I’d rather have for a roommate than you.” I meant every word. Then, looking at Herne, I said, “So what brings you over today? Besides to see me naked?”
“Oh, that wasn’t my intent, although I must say, I consider it a bonus.” A twinkle sparkled in his eye. But then he sobered. “Actually, two things brought me over. According to your contracts, now that you’re both settled in, you’re required to get the company tattoo.”
“Both of us?” Angel said. “I thought just Ember.”
“No, this marks you in the field as protected. And it shows that Cernunnos and the Wild Hunt claim you as one of his bounty hunters. Since that’s what we do. We may be peacekeepers in one sense, but in reality we’re hunters.”
“So when do we do this?”
“When we finish eating. Talia is a licensed tattooist. We’ll go down to the shop and she’ll take care of you.”
I let out a long breath. “If I’ve got the mark of the silver stag on my ass, I should have a tattoo for the Wild Hunt on my arm. It seems like this was destined for me from the beginning, even though I hate the concept of destiny. I don’t like anybody controlling my actions.”
“You’d better get used to it. You’re living in my world now.” Herne held my gaze. “My mother and father are lenient to a degree, and so am I, but the moment you signed that contract… No, the moment you were born, Ember, and you too, Angel, you belonged to the gods. Trust me, they aren’t interested in controlling all of your actions. But you will answer to Cernunnos and Morgana, and you will answer to me.”
“What about the receptionist before me, the one who left?” Angel asked.
“She asked permission to leave and start a family. We relocated her and her fiancé to a safe place. Because of the work she did, though, she’ll always be in danger. Once you leave the Wild Hunt, we can’t protect you. If you leave, the tattoo will vanish and you’ll be open to any retaliation the Fae choose to pay out. Only when you’re under our umbrella are you truly safe.”
Angel and I glanced at each other. There wasn’t much to say. Neither one of us had chosen for this to happen, but there was no other option than to make the best of it.
“Oh, speaking of my mother,” Herne added. “She wants to see you today, Ember. After you get your tattoo.”
We finished our breakfast in silence, and as we slid into our coats to go back to the agency, I felt like I was spinning. Life was changing so fast that it felt like I didn’t know where my roots were, anymore.
MY ARM STUNG as I looked down at the fresh tattoo. The blade was exquisite, beautiful, and green vines wound around it. The tattoo was the same one Viktor had, and Yutani and Talia and Herne, only somehow on me it looked prettier, I thought.
Angel had gone home after she got hers. Herne told her he would bring me back after I talked to Morgana. I was surprised that Angel had acquiesced to the tattoo so quickly. It didn’t seem in her nature, but as Talia inked it onto her skin, the image seemed to flow along, to become part of her as it had me.
Now, I was sitting in the break room. I had expected to be taken somewhere, maybe deep into the forest, or into some other dimension to meet the goddess. But Herne had insisted that his mother would be coming to the agency.
It suddenly occurred to me that, perhaps, I should have dressed up. Shown some respect for Morgana. But shoulda, woulda, coulda.
At that moment, the door opened and I yanked my head up.
A vision of blue light entered the room, and all I could see for a moment was a blinding blue flash. Then I was standing in the middle of the ocean atop a rock jutting out of the waves. The wind was bracing, blowing my hair every which way, and my brand-new tattoo stung as saltwater lashed against me, the spray washing up and across me in a long sweep.
I gasped, looking around for some anchor to hang on to, something to tell me I was still in the room, but there was nothing there. Feeling faint, I crouched on the rock, doing my best to hang on as the rolling waves around me made me dizzy. I felt like I might topple off, fall into the water and drown, drawn down below the dark surface.
Then in front of me, a ripple formed as a throne of shining crystal rose out of the waves. Steps led up to it, crafted from mother-of-pearl.
The throne was carved with seashells, and pearls dripped down off the top, and seaweed drifted in the waves around it. A woman sat on the throne, clad in a gown as indigo as the night sky, with shimmering stars dappling the surface.
Her hair was long and black, flowing past her shoulders, draping down to coil around her waist like some ancient serpent. I realized that night had fallen as the moon rose into the sky, the silver orb mirroring the light in her eyes. She wore a diamond tiara, only the diamonds were interspersed with sparkling black crystals.
I trembled, staring up at Morgana. Herne’s mother. The goddess my mother had followed.
“Approach me,” Morgana said, motioning for me to climb the stairs to her.
Trembling, I obeyed. When I was at her feet, I crouched, bowing my head, afraid to look into her eyes. “My Lady.”
“Ember Kearney, stand in my presence.”
I stood.
“Your mother served me before you, and her mother before her. My husband marked you at birth. You belong to him, as your father before you did. Now, you will serve me as well. You carry the blood of the Water Fae.”
I nodded, unsure of what to say. “My mother, she was one of the Water Fae.”
Morgana’s gaze seemed to pierce right through me. “Your mother refused to use her magic in her own defense. It frightened her. You, however, will learn to use my magic. You will conquer the fear that tripped her up.”
I could only return her gaze—I couldn’t look away.
“The magic of water, the magic of the tides, the magic of the moon. They are intricately bound together.” Her voice echoed over the water, sending waves crashing against the rocks below. I could barely breathe, her presence was so overwhelming, that for a moment I was afraid I would fall and she would let me drown.
I opened myself up to her, and found myself swept into the night where the magic of the hunt ruled. The magic of the moon and water and the dripping forest surrounded the world. The scent of ferns and trees washed over me as rain pounded against the ground. Water soaked deep, coiling up through the tendrils, feeding the plants, creating the life of the world. And all of this buoyed me up, welcoming me into its realm.
“You begin to understand,” she said. “Everything is connected, and everything in your life has played a part to bringing you to me, in bringing you to the Wild Hunt. Kneel now, and give yourself to me.”
I took a deep breath. There was no turning back. Seeing Morgana in front of me, my heart swelled with a passion that I didn’t yet understand, but it was my path—she was my path. I would not turn away.
“Will you be mine, in life and in death? Will you obey me?”
There was only one answer. There had only ever been one answer.
“I will. I give myself to you. I am yours, Lady. Command me.” And as quick as my words came, the bargain was sealed.
She reached out and lifted me up to my feet, placing in my hand a silver necklace. The pendant sparkled, and I realized it was a crow.
“Fasten this around your neck. Forever you will wear it as a sign that you belong to me.”
I lifted the chain and draped it around my neck, fastening the clasp. As I did, I realized that I had just made the biggest oath of my life.
“Listen for me in the water.” A veiled smile passed over her face. “And about my son…”
I blushed, hanging my head.
“Don’t fear your emotions. Don’t fear passion and love. No human can ever claim you. But love may yet come. Time will tell. Remember your oath to me. Your life depends on i
t.”
The next moment I opened my eyes and found myself back in the break room, alone. The necklace was firmly fastened around my throat, and I knew it would never again come off. I was bound for life.
HERNE AND I sat in his SUV, the silence thick between us. Finally, he cleared his throat.
“I’ve made arrangements for Angel to talk to DJ next weekend.”
“I’m glad,” I said. “She needs to.” I wasn’t sure what else to say. I stared up at my apartment building, thinking I should just get out of the SUV and go home, and sort everything out later.
As I reached for the door handle, Herne’s hand wrapped around my wrist.
“Ember, wait.”
I turned to look at him, holding my breath. We stared at each other, the air thick. I glanced down at his fingers that were wrapped around my arm. He had taken care not to grab the fresh tattoo, for which I was grateful.
“I’m not sure what this is, between us,” he said. “I’m not sure what you want it to be.”
“Do you know what you want it to be?” I waited, afraid to close my eyes.
“I never want to take advantage of my authority. I don’t ever want you to feel that I’m doing something like that.” He paused, the expression on his face so strained that it made me dizzy.
“I will never allow you to abuse your authority over me. I’m not that kind of person. I’m not the kind of woman who does what you want just because you say so. I’ve been on my own a long time, Herne. I’m not a sex goddess. I’m not very genteel. I don’t forgive easily and I’ve seen far too much in the short time that I’ve been alive. Do you think you can handle that?”
His eyes lit up and he smiled.
“I’d like to give it a try,” he said. “But you have to know that I’m protective. I’ll do my best to keep you safe, whether you want me to or not. But I’ll never stand in your way. You belong to my mother and my father now, but so do I. We answer to them. The question is, do we want to answer to each other?”
The world seemed to pause, waiting for my reply. Finally, after a long moment’s struggle with myself, I nodded.
“Let’s see where this takes us.”
As I spoke, he gathered me into his arms, kissing me deeply. Outside, the city passed by, gritty and dirty, and in its usual hurry. Yet Seattle was my home, and it was Herne’s home, and at the moment, I loved every single part of it.
If you enjoyed this book, never fear—there will be more Wild Hunt books out this year! The second will be titled OAK & THORNS, and the third, IRON BONES. And more to come after that.
Meanwhile, I invite you to visit Fury’s world. In a gritty, post-apocalyptic Seattle, Fury is a minor goddess, in charge of eliminating the Abominations who come off the World Tree. The first story arc of the Fury Unbound Series is complete with: FURY RISING, FURY’S MAGIC, FURY AWAKENED and FURY CALLING.
If you prefer a lighter-hearted paranormal romance, meet the wild and magical residents of Bedlam in my Bewitching Bedlam Series. Fun-loving witch Maddy Gallowglass, her smoking-hot vampire lover Aegis, and their crazed cjinn Bubba (part djinn, all cat) rock it out in Bedlam, a magical town on a magical island. BLOOD MUSIC, BEWITCHING BEDLAM, MAUDLIN’S MAYHEM, SIREN’S SONG, WITCHES WILD, BLOOD VENGEANCE and TIGER TAILS are available. And more are on the way!
If you like cozies with an edge, try my Chintz ‘n China paranormal mysteries. The series is complete with: GHOST OF A CHANCE, LEGEND OF THE JADE DRAGON, MURDER UNDER A MYSTIC MOON, A HARVEST OF BONES, ONE HEX OF A WEDDING, and a wrap-up novella: HOLIDAY SPIRITS.
The newest Otherworld book—MOON SHIMMERS—is available now, and the next, HARVEST SONG, will be available in May 2018.
For all of my work, both published and upcoming releases, see the Bibliography at the end of this book, or check out my website at Galenorn.com and be sure and sign up for my newsletter to receive news about all my new releases.
Playlist
I often write to music, and THE SILVER STAG was no exception. Here’s the playlist I used for this book:
Arcade Fire: Abraham's Daughter
AWOLNATION: Sail
Band of Skulls: I Know What I Am
The Black Angels: You on the Run; Vikings; Don't Play With Guns; Holland; Love Me Forever; Always Maybe; Black isn't Black; Young Men Dead; Phosphene Dream
Black Mountain: Queens Will Play
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Fault Line; Feel It Now
Bobbie Gentry: Ode To Billie Joe
Boom! Bap! Pow!: Suit
Broken Bells: The Ghost Inside
Camouflage Nights: (It Could Be) Love
Celtic Woman: Newgrange; Scarborough Fair
Chris Isaak: Wicked Game
Cobra Verde: Play with Fire
Colin Foulke: Emergence
Corvus Corax: Filii Neidhardi; Ballade de Mercy
Damh the Bard: The Cauldron Born; Tomb of the King; Obsession; Cloak of Feathers; The Wicker Man; Spirit of Albion
David & Steve Gordon: Shaman's Drum Dance
Dizzi: Dizzi Jig; Dance of the Unicorns
Donovan: Sunshine Superman; Season of the Witch
Eastern Sun: Beautiful Being (Original Edit)
Eivør: Trøllbundin
Faun: Hymn to Pan
FC Kahuna: Hayling
The Feeling: Sewn
Foster The People: Pumped Up Kicks
Garbage: Queer; #1 Crush; Push It; I Think I'm Paranoid
Gary Numan: Ghost Nation; My Name is Ruin; When the World Comes Apart; Broken; I Am Dust; Here In The Black; Love Hurt Bleed; Petals
The Gospel Whiskey Runners: Muddy Waters
Gypsy Soul: Who
The Heathen Kings: Rolling of the Stones
Hedningarna: Tuuli; Grodan/Widergrenen; Räven; Ukkonen; Juopolle Joutunut; Gorrlaus
Huldrelokkk: Trolldans
Ian Melrose & Kerstin Blodig: Kråka
In Strict Confidence: Forbidden Fruit; Silver Bullets; Snow White; Tiefer
Jessica Bates: The Hanging Tree
Julian Cope: Charlotte Anne
The Kills: Future Starts Slow; Nail In My Coffin; DNA; You Don't Own The Road; Sour Cherry; No Wow; Dead Road 7
Lorde: Yellow Flicker Beat; Royals
Low with Tom and Andy: Half Light
Marilyn Manson: Personal Jesus; Tainted Love
Mark Lanegan: The Gravedigger's Song; Riot in My House; Phantasmagoria Blues; Wedding Dress; Methamphetamine Blues
Matt Corby: Breathe
Motherdrum: Big Stomp
Orgy: Social Enemies; Blue Monday
A Pale Horse Named Death: Meet the Wolf
Pearl Jam: Even Flow; Jeremy
S. J. Tucker: Hymn to Herne; Witch's Rune
Scorpions: The Zoo
Sharon Knight: Bardic Voices; Mother of the World; Bewitched; 13 Knots; Crimson Masquerade; Star of the Sea; Siren Moon; Song of the Sea
Shriekback: The Shining Path; Underwaterboys; This Big Hush; Now These Days Are Gone; The King in the Tree
Tamaryn: While You're Sleeping, I'm Dreaming; Violet's in a Pool
Tempest: The Moving-On Song; Slippery Slide; Buffalo Jump; Raggle Taggle Gypsy; Dark Lover; Queen of Argyll; Nottamun Town; The Midnight Sun
Tom Petty: Mary Jane's Last Dance
Tuatha Dea: Irish Handfasting; Tuatha De Danaan; The Hum and the Shiver; Wisp of a Thing (Part 1); Long Black Curl
Wendy Rule: Let the Wind Blow; The Circle Song; Elemental Chant
Biography
New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and is the author of over fifty books, including the Otherworld Series, the Fury Unbound Series, the Bewitching Bedlam Series, and the upcoming Wild Hunt Series, among others. She’s also written nonfiction metaphysical books. She is the 2011 Career Achievement Award Winner in Urban Fantasy, given by RT Magazine. Yasmine has been in the Craft since 1980, is a shama
nic witch and High Priestess. She describes her life as a blend of teacups and tattoos. She lives in Kirkland, WA, with her husband Samwise and their cats. Yasmine can be reached via her website at Galenorn.com.
Indie Releases Currently Available:
The Wild Hunt Series:
The Silver Stag
Bewitching Bedlam Series:
Bewitching Bedlam
Maudlin’s Mayhem
Siren’s Song
Witches Wild
Blood Music
Blood Vengeance
Tiger Tails
Fury Unbound Series:
Fury Rising
Fury’s Magic
Fury Awakened
Fury Calling
Otherworld Series:
Moon Shimmers
Earthbound
Moon Swept
Knight Magic
Otherworld Tales: Volume One
Tales From Otherworld: Collection One
Men of Otherworld: Collection One
Men of Otherworld: Collection Two
For the rest of the Otherworld Series, see Website
Chintz ‘n China Series:
Ghost of a Chance
Legend of the Jade Dragon
Murder Under a Mystic Moon
A Harvest of Bones
One Hex of a Wedding
Holiday Spirits
Bath and Body Series (originally under the name India Ink):
Scent to Her Grave
A Blush With Death
Glossed and Found
Misc. Short Story Collections:
Mist and Shadows: Short Tales From Dark Haunts
Once Upon a Kiss (short story: Princess Charming)