Only Blood Will Tell

"She is only a child! She cannot be named Heir to the Wurtz Council Seat!"

The other Councillors laugh. "Most of us have been Named shortly after we are born. Aubrey is a prime example." Councillor Wrynn chastises him. "It is time to add Blood to the Living Wood."

"We could vote on it?" The lady with curly hair said with a dangerous smile.

"Fine. I will name her as potential Heir to the Council in the Wurtz house," he sneers. Danielle Linda Navarro Wurtz, step forward." Danielle stepped toward Mark. Jenny stayed with her, holding her hand. Mark continued, "Take this athame and prick your finger over this counter before us."

"I'll do it." Jenny takes the knife from Mark.

"No." Danielle stops her. "If I am to be a Councillor, I will have to do this. I have to be strong for this." Danielle slices her finger while looking in Jenny's eyes.

Her blood drips on the wood of the Councillor table. The table starts to glow. "I, Danielle, Linda Navarro Wurtz, do accept the position as Heir to the seat as a Councillor of the Wurtz house." The glow strengthened and surrounded her.

"You have been accepted as Heir of the Council. May you help us make wise decisions for the magical community, should you be called to serve." Councillor Wrynn looked pointedly at Mark. I could practically feel the hostility.

"May I call you 'Danielle?'" The Councillor with the cat spoke up. At her nod, he addresses her directly. "How well are you educated thus far?"

"I'm pretty good with most courses, but English writing classes are difficult to finish with all my duties. I have to finish some assignments while in other classes."

"What are your duties, my dear?" the green haired Councillor spoke up.

"I cook and clean with my sister, of course. Sometimes I get a chance for homework while waiting for the family laundry." Danielle curtsys to her father.

"Anyone else help you?" asks the black-lipped Councillor.

"Of course not!" answers Madison, horrified. "That is our contribution to the household! We cook breakfast, lunch, tea and supper. Scones are my specialty."

"I'm better at keeping the wood floors waxed properly. Once every other week, with all the foot traffic in the house. Laundry is a close second. I can iron a crease in my sleep, according to Master," she curtsys again to Mark.

"So you are due a vacation," states the coffee-skinned Councillor.

"He is not your Master, he is your father," says Councillor Woodvine, at the same time, angrily.

Again, the Council dissolves into chaos. "I will treat my issue as I see fit!" "You are no better than a slave owner!" "'ow DARE you use zees children as zervants!" "You're worthless." "You're just as twisted as your parents!"

Kevin walks up to stand beside Madison. "Will you have time to visit with your twin sister and mother?" He sounded rather hopeful, or was that my imagination? From the smile on Keith's and Leo's faces, I realized that it was a loaded question.

"Yes, please. Natalie and I would love to get to know you." 'And your wolves."

"I will ask Master, I mean Father." Madison replies. She looks hopefully at Kevin. "Perhaps he can allow me to visit for a few days."

"With this mess, you might be able to stay with us for longer..." Natalie interjects.

"Silence!" Councillor Wrynn tries to rein in the madness. "We need proof of any wrong doing. The girls are healthy and educated and contributing to a household, according to their statements."

"As I have been saying, all along." I want to wipe that smug look off Mark's face.

"However, their social skills apparently have been sorely neglected." finishes my grandmother. "They are hereby ordered to visit with an operating pack house. How fortunate that we have such represented here, today. Are there any objections?"

"I object! Those are my pups! They are essential to my household! I will NOT be DENIED their SERVICES!" Mark was turning. Slowly, his hair grew on his arms and his legs reshaped.

I flashed into my wolf form, ripping my gown. 'Claudia's gonna be pissed.' 'She'll understand that we are protecting our pups!'

'I'm with ya, Mom.' Natalie had already shifted, too.

Jenny, Keith, Kevin, and Leo all shifted. The others towered over Natalie and myself.

'Wait. This feels different.' Pain, all over my body. It feels like my body is stretching, ballooning out. Natalie is writhing, too. Madison shifts quickly and starts to writhe with us.

If people had tattoos put on their bodies with all the needle marks at the same time, no one would get more than one, if they manage to finish the first. I feel heat and cold in various parts of my body. I open my eyes through the tears of pain. Edward has lain down beside me, whining. 'I think I'm okay, or I will be,' I mind link him. A glow surrounds us. Silver and gold shimmers in the air. 'I will act as if this was planned. I cannot waver now.' I manage to stand, Edward leans into me, steadying me.

Natalie rises, Leo at her side. Madison's wolf is similar to ours reddish-tan and white. White around the eyes and underbelly. A red wolf leans against her, supporting her. 'Looks like Kevin has found his mate, too.' Edward mind links me privately.

All of us girls are glowing. Natalie has a crescent moon on her forehead. So does Madison. Down their sides, they have mirrored images on their sides, all in silver. I attempt to mind link my grandmother, 'Do you happen to have a mirror?'

"Please address the Council, and you will receive that which you ask." she replies with a smile.

I try again, 'Anyone have a large mirror?'

"As Grammy werewolf said, 'Ask and you shall receive,'" the black-lipped Councillor replied. She waves her hands and speaks some unintelligible words and a wall mirror wavers to life beside me.

I am covered with some of the images that are the same as the girls, but beside my forehead moon is a gold circle with triangles pointing out from the center. The sun? 'What does the Sun and the Moon mean? In fact, what do all these symbols mean?'

"I can answer some of those," a silver-haired woman, about 5'6", with blue eyes and a kind smile stepped out of the shadows near the door, her footsteps glowed as she passed. The Council members and werewolves all bowed, so I followed suit.

"We welcome, the Moon Goddess of werewolves," my grandmother said, formally.

"Call me Serena. I like the name," the glowing woman said. "As to your questions, you are a Chosen One of the Lycans, my dear. I have been watching and protecting you for a long time. You are to bring strength to all of your family, including the pack you claim." She looks adoringly at Edward, her cool comfort envelops us. "You, sir, are more loved than you know. Your troubles are not over, but you are stronger to overcome them."

"As for the gold markings, I can try to clear those up." A bald man comes out of the shadows on the other side of the room, his warm, golden glow and hot brown eyes contrasts the cool, silver light coming from the Goddess.

The Council members and werewolves bow again. Again, I follow along. "We welcome Sol, also called Aten, Sun God and ruler of Ancient Beings." the Councillor with the cat greets the noble visitor.

"Your father was not a werewolf. He was an Druid from an Ancient Family. He asked for your protection when he found that he and his wife, an ancient lycan family were in danger."

"You see, you, Aubrey Anna Wrynn Gilhoughley, are very powerful and hold the ears of not one, but two Worshipped Beings," he continued.

"That is why you are wearing protection runes from both of Us," commented Serena. "That is why this piece of dung," Serena indicated Mark, "wanted to breed with you and make his family more powerful and more prominent."

"Trouble is," Sol continued, "he didn't think that he would be stripped of all titles by Us."

"You can't kick a God or Goddess off a Council, can you? Especially when they are protecting Their Own." Serena finishes with a venom in her eyes.

I didn't notice when Mark had transformed back to his human form. I noticed clothes at his feet, but he still wore a formal robe of the Councillor. "You can't remove me as a Councillor! That would leave the position to a child!"

"Yesssssss, but the child can have a mentor to guide her in her actionsssss...." Sol was just as angry as the Serena. His warmth grew hotter as her chill grew colder.

'May I suggest my grandmother?' I'm doing what I can to keep them from violence. The girls don't need to see that.

"I agree. I, Councillor Jamirul Kadyn Mao, formally nominate Councillor Wrynn as a mentor to the other werewolf Council Member Danielle Linda Navarro Wurtz!" Councillor Mao gazed at my grandmother with true affection. The hairless cat stood and meowed in agreement.

"Rrrrrreaow!" "Meow-wow!" Two black kittens jumped up on the Councillor table and nose-rubbed the hairless cat with affection and recognition. They turned to face us and lay down on either side of the hairless cat, who was sitting regally.

"I tink we 'ave a zecond, tird and fourss? I alzo agrree. Councillor Wrynn iz zee most qualified, yes?"

"Rhonda and I agree, don't we dear?" says the curly haired lady.

"The vamp is right. She's got my vote!" says the black lipstick.

"As the ladies vote, so do we," said the red-eyed man, with Councillor Woodvine nodding his? head.

"I object!" Mark looked smaller, weaker. He was losing everything.

'Perhaps your daughter could have pity on you and allow to stay in the household. She will be busy and you will have to do your own chores, but you should stay comfortable.' I'm hoping that Mark will take my suggestions.

"No! NO! The position is STILL MINE!"

"I would take the word of the God and Goddess before you. You are not welcome on the Council. Your daughter will take your place. I will mentor her and you will live in early retirement in the Council House of Wurtz."

"Or what?"

"Or you will DIE!" Sol yells, making the walls tremble as the cats growl and hiss at Mark.

"So be it. I have nothing to live for." Mark is resigned. I didn't notice when the girls had transformed to human form or when they sported very athletic wear. The five warriors really are prepared and dressed the girls. The three girls are all crying. Even Natalie is sobbing, feeling the pain of her twin sister.

I transform into human form, regardless of my nude body on display. "Then you are a coward. You should know that you live for your family, regardless of the hardships. They need you. Can't you see that? Can't you do anything for anyone other than yourself, you selfish bastard?"

One of the servants hands me a gray robe to cover myself. I thank her in passing. Mark's eyes never leave me. He watches silently until I am clothed. Then his eyes move to Edward, still in wolf form. Edward growls. Wolfgang hisses at Mark again and Puck joins in.

"I could have given you the world," Mark whispers. He reaches for the athame knife and slices his neck deeply. The blood pours over the Council table, making it glow, faintly.

Jenny, Kevin and Leo collect the girls and hustle them out the door in which we entered.