Burning by K.D. Carrillo Page B

has shunned the politics of our world for centuries.  As long as she is in charge, he won't be with her.  As much as your mother loves power, she just might love Eli more," Grey explained.
    Chloë scoffed.  "Don't fool yourself.  My mother doesn't love anything or anyone more than she loves herself. " 
    "I don't like her, but I don't think she is as hardhearted as you believe," Grey responded. 
    "Yeah, she's a softy.  She is willing to throw her nineteen-year-old daughter to the witch hunters so she can pursue a man," Chloë replied bitterly. 
    "I never said she was a great mother, only that she might have a heart," Grey said softly.
    "Who is coming after us?  I don't want to be surprised like we were last time," I asked, refocusing our discussion again. 
    "The auto-da-fé .  They are witch hunters with ancestral ties to the Middle Ages," Cooper answered. 
    "When you said inquisitors , you actually meant the Inquisition?" Anita asked, shocked. 
    "Unfortunately," Cooper answered.  
    "I dreamt about a girl being burned at the stake.  It was awful, and it felt real," Chloë said in a quiet voice.  
    Grey's face shuttered closed.  He didn't want to tell her something.  Part of me liked that he still felt protective of her.  The primitive part of me wanted to rip his arms off and beat him with them because he still felt that way. 
    "It was real.  I spoke to Anita's dad, and he told me that one of Bridgett's neighbors was mistaken for her and murdered.  Since she was human and not a member of the aware, the Watchers aren't able to influence the authorities.  If she had been a member of the aware, we could have promised her family justice and spun an alternate story for the police," Grey finally explained.
    "Burning someone alive seems so barbaric.  It is also very public.  Isn't this group worried about getting too much attention?" Dean asked.  
    "They are fanatics.  The Auto-da-fé believes the public will consider them to be heroes when they learn magic is real.  Their prejudice is so ingrained in them that they only see evil magic.  To them, we aren't people, but demons walking among them.  Also, they follow the Malleus Maleficarum , which describes how to interrogate a witch.  They have expanded on the text and have come to believe that the only way a witch can be killed is by fire.  Their name literally means to punish by burning at the stake," Grey elucidated.
    "Peachy.  Chloë , your mom is a bitch.  I can't believe she is setting us up as a target for the pyro-terrorists.  Doesn't she remember we aren't fully mature and can still die?" Anita ranted. 
    Chloë put her hands up.  "You won't hear me defend her.  I agree she might as well paint a bull ’s-eye on our foreheads and advertise our address to these whack-jobs."
    I could feel the anxiety and fear pouring out of her.  I couldn't stop myself from stroking her hair and cheek and nuzzling her neck.  I needed to soothe her.  The feelings of disappointment and sadness were so strong in my heart, but they were hers, not mine.  Her sadness actually hurt me, and I needed to make her feel better.  Chloë sighed and pressed deeper into me, and I felt the tension begin to leak from her.
    Grey's eyes narrowed in on my behavior. I couldn't exactly blame the guy.  I remembered how gut wrenching it had been watching her with him.  If he really loved her, it couldn't be easy to watch her seek comfort from me.  Of course, if he really loved her, he wouldn't have left without a word for ten months.
    Cooper and Grey exchanged a look, and Cooper pointed toward us. "That isn't the way it is supposed to happen, is it?" Grey shook his head.  "Well then how the hell are they bonding already?" Cooper demanded. 
    My head snapped up.  "Explain," I demanded.  
    "Why did you start trying to comfort her the way you were?" Cooper pressed. 
    I rubbed the middle of my chest, trying to chase away the lingering ache caused by Chloë's distress. 
    "You