The Mage's Familiar

By M S Stree

Escaping from an isolated upbringing was easy for twins Elliot and Emery. But waking up to find themselves in the middle of a pride of Bengal tigers shifters is a form of trouble the two young witches aren't prepared for.
Finding his mate in Elliot has pride mage Sylvan Tanner over the moon. Having to explain to Elliot about mating and life in the outside world a little more grounding.
With Emerey being a magickal void and a stray cat popping up all over the place and shadowy forces both inside and outside the pride lands brewing. Sylvan and Elliots happiness might just be done before it even gets going.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M S Stree
• Release date: Sep 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005804237

Book preview

The Mage’s Familiar

Book one of The Shifter of Serenity Springs

By M. S. Stree

Prologue

Elliot

I squirm down onto the window seat both to try to get comfortable and to see if I can try and dispel the feeling of bugs crawling all over me. Glancing over at my twin, sitting on the floor shuffling his tarot cards, completely oblivious to it. I cannot help but be a little envious of Emery.

But then it is not like I don’t know what this feeling is, Grandmother’s funeral was beginning in the basement, the old hateful bat. No that was just mean, honest but mean. I mean just because she never had a nice thing to say to either Emery or me in our entire lives did not give me the right to say something like that now that she’s dead. But as the old saying goes you should always call a spade a spade, and lets face it she was a spade.

The old round attic room begins to hum with unseen power. I will never understand why Grandmother stopped using this room as the ritual room after great-grand’s death. Her answer of the basement being closer to the earth never did make sense even if it is true. Of course her moving us up here the next day probably had a whole lot more to do with it.

They are all here now El. Emery whispers as he finishes setting up his overly complicated tarot card solitaire game. He draws his platinum hair behind his ears as he leans forward more to examine the cards. How he manages to ever play it, and win, I just do not know. But then with his small hands I never ever even learned how he shuffled the cards. But I always just listed that as one more of the great mysteries of life I was not going to be privy to and moved on. I mean so long as my little big brother was happy I considered myself ecstatic and a success at life.

Are you sure Emery, the whole family really? Not that the whole family was not very large in truth just twelve living female members. But at the same time it was never often that they were all together any more. Not since the scandal happened twenty-three years ago at least that was what Grandmother always called our birth. For three hundred years Magick flowed through the Maguire family line until us. Neither Emery or myself possessed any real power. At least as far as any of the others think, I was never stupid enough to pass any of the tests that they put us through.

Emery always had it worse with what was called his freaky eyes and strange ways. I was the only one that Emery revealed what he saw in the tarot cards. His amazing accuracy never unsettled me and they did warn us often of impending trouble. He even foresaw Grandmother’s death three weeks early with only a five minute margin of error. I also think that the cousins also hate Emery because he casts them all into shadow with his beauty and grace.

I silently rise to my bare feet and with moves taught me by the great-grands I begin to dance around the room as my own long ash blond hair lifting sinuously up into the air as I start pushing with the ribbons of energy outward until my circle is cast. So it begins. Emery says in an almost robotic voice as I complete the circle.

Em go grab the great-grand box and our go bags, but make sure it small and that everything is in it, hurry. Emery jumps to his feet and I open the circle for him. I watch as more and more colored ribbons start to dance around the room. Emery goes to all three of the hidden drawers scattered around the room and pulls out everything from them all. Pulling the chest to him Emery chants until the box shrinks until it fits to the size of his palm. The fluttering lights increase in speed as Emery rushes back into the protection of the circle and I close the barrier.

The itchy feeling reaches a fever pitch as we both move towards the center of the circle when with a gasp from us both we each go stiff and silent as I an inundated with something I have never felt before. I almost fall to my knees as the feeling goes away just like it appeared. As I focus my eyes I see that Emery didn’t fare so well.

El what was that, I have never felt anything like that in my whole life. Before I can answer him I lower my circle and turn as I hear banging at the door. The hollow core door does not last long under the onslaught as every member of the extended family rushes in.

What have you two abominations done. Give it back to us now or we will make you both pay dearly as we take it from you. Great aunt Shirley screeches like an irate owl.

I take up a protective position in front of Emery and with both arms I reach for Shirley and push as I make a grab for the family athame she has strapped to her waist. As I pull it and it’s sheath towards me they each as a group start casting and throwing spells at us. I try not to let the shock I feel register on my face as Shirley’s ribbon of power starts to wind around my neck like a snake but the moment it touches my skin it dissipates in a rush of warmth. Stranger yet is when the ribbon continues to flow out of her to me. I feel a bout of rage build within me from the years of abuse and neglect. I breath deeply so not to let it out and possibly corrupt me, as much as I would love to see all these bitches get what they so rightly deserve I will not let Emery or myself act like they do with their power.

I take the chance to look over at Emery when I hear a small grunt come from him. I shoot a small smile of encouragement at him when I see not only does he have three ribbons seemingly being absorbed into him but as both cousin Amy and Elizabeth shoot fireballs at him they poof out of existence and they both shriek in outrage as ribbons continue to flow.

Emery and I both have our backs to each other as we just watch the ribbons flow as one by one the ladies drop to unconsciousness on the floor. When there is just four left, aunt Lisa , her daughter Amy and aunt Julie and cousin Joann the ribbons slow and stop. The woman are shaky on their feet as I notice Emery go to aunt Sandra’s body and remove her knife and sheath and place around his waist.

A strange mixture of emotions run through me as realize Emery and I will never again be in this old stone house. I grab my twin’s hand as I say a silent prayer of thanks for what few good memories I will take with us.

Remember that we could have done much worse to you all. My brother and I are going now never to see any of you again. Don’t come looking for us and we will just call it all even. I say as I go to Emery and help him find his balance again. Come on Em, as the old poet wrote we have miles to go before we sleep tonight.

Elliot do you really think it is safe for us out there, I’m scared. Our magick probably won’t be strong enough to keep us safe and the world outside these walls is an awfully dangerous place. My anger grows and pulses in my chest as I hear Emery’s soft trembling voice.

Emery so long as the two of us are together we can do anything even survive in the strange wide open world. I mean you don’t want to stay here right? Emery whimpers softly as he shakes his head and tightens his grip in mine.

None of the women make so much as a whimper as we finish getting dressed. Shouldering both backpacks I leave the box by now small enough to fit into Emery’s pants pocket, I make my way down two flights of stairs and out the front door. The whole wide world lay wild and verdant before us.

***

Emery and I grasped hands are the only steady port in the world it seems as the night begins to fall. I look up to see the sky shot with streaks of red, oranges and hints of a brilliant yellow slowly giving way to the violet of night as we skirt our way through the woods around a small town.

Is it time to find a resting spot Elliot. There will be snow before morning. Emery says as we enter a small cave in a outcropping of stone.

I want to drop to the cave floor gracefully, if it is at all possible, after all it is stone. But I already know that the cold dark night was not a time to be without the protection of a fire, as well some very strong wards. I drop Emery’s hand hating the loss of connection but needing to get to work.

Three weeks have gone by Elliot do you think they are still in pursuit? Emery starts to build a fire pit out of the brush we have been gathering all day. At times it seems like we spend our days just preparing for the night to come. I will never miss where we came from but something has got to change about all of this before we break.

What do you see Em are we closer to safety of moving further away from it? I ask as I blow as small charm onto the brush creating a small spark of flames. That completed I move our bags and groceries closer to the fire for added insurance.

Emery’s blue eyes start to sparkle in the firelight as I can see his sight turns inward. Safety is within reach of our current place if each has the will to grasp what is freely given. A word of warning if you will even in the warmest of hearts evil still lingers. Emery’s lids slowly drop until closed and then quickly lifts. Anything useful this time?

All signs point to yes. I answer knowing it will really annoy him if I sound like a magic 8 ball. You did good brother and I truly believe that we are on the right track. Help me set up the wards and then we dine, tomorrow will be here soon enough and will take care of itself.

Chapter 1

Sylvan

Sitting up right in bed out of a sound sleep might sound interesting but in practice let me tell you it is complete hell. Add in a blaring headache from something erecting new wards inside the protection of the pride lands only adds to disgust. I fumble for the house phone by my bed as I dial the main desk with my eyes still closed.

Alert Alpha Stone we seem to have some sort of intruder, hold on a sec, I focus my mind trying to get my world to settle. along the western border. I hang up without waiting for a response. I collect and tie my hair