Chapter 21

**Derric Shadow's P.O.V.**

"Wait," Alpha Pierce says "You have a blood oath with a guard?"

"Yes," Jinx says slowly, looking through some files "I have to, as do the Council."

"That's strange," Maya says "What else do you require your guards to do?"

"Not much," Jinx says, shrugging "Just a blood oath, extensive training, lots of background checks."

"You say that like it's a little bit," Mara says in a snide tone "Or is it not enough?"

Jinx slowly sets the files down, lifting her eyes to meet my sister's. It's been three hours since her guard drew Madelyn's blood. Eventually, the door flies open and Jinx's guard, Trevor, rushes in, looking frenzied.

"Gaia," Trevor says "The results..."

"What," Jinx says "Spit it out."

Trevor looks around the room.

"Noted," Jinx says "Derric, can we use the private room?"

"Of course," I say "Take whomever."

"Alright," Jinx says "You, Jillian, Darian, Charles, Marcus, and the vampire Sire, who just arrived."

"What," Mara says "How would you know?"

"Alpha," A hound says "There are some vampires here..."

"Allow them in," I say "Bring the Sire and the hybrid here."

The hound nods, exiting my office. Twenty minutes later, two men, two women, and a young girl walk in. The girl looks around, anxiously.

"Hello," One man says "I am the Sire of the Black Fang Coven. I am assuming by everyone looking to you, you are the Alpha?"

"Yes," I say "That would be me. We were actually about to step out into the privacy room."

"I believe we should hold off," He says "My name is Sebastian. This is Jane...she's been experiencing some...strange symptoms of something that's not normally a vampire thing."

"What is it," Jinx says "What is she experiencing?"

"Vampires do not vomit," Sebastian says "Yet Jane cannot seem to keep anything down...not even blood. She has not been able to feed, unless by a tube into her stomach, since April."

"When I became Gaia," Jinx says "Why is it revolving around that?"

"I don't know," I say "But this does make me curious. Why is this all happening in April amongst species that normally are at war with one another?"

"This is happening to witches," Sebastian says "And the wolves as well?"

"Yes," I say "Regular wolves are somehow being turned into a more savager form of bloodhound."

Sebastian looks to Jillian.

"Witches are mimicking the effects of black magic," Jillian says "However, their scents are not changing."

"Jane," Jinx says "Would you be willing to allow one of my guards, specialized in vampire DNA, to draw some of your blood to analyze it so we can see what is going on?"

Jane looks to Sebastian.

"Vampire blood is precious," Sebastian says "Will it end up in anyone else's hands?"

"No," Jinx says "All of my guards have taken a blood oath. To break it would be an automatic, excruciatingly painful death. Any blood we take is locked away inside of a box by myself that only I can open."

"Fine," Sebastian says "I will allow it."

Jinx nods.

"Dimitri," Jinx says "Take a pint of her blood and analyze it. Compare it to the witch's DNA, see what's similar. Kieran, do the same with the guard turned bloodhound."

The two guards nod, drawing the needed blood and exiting the room. After a few more hours of sitting and conversating, Dimitri and Kieran come back in and hand Jinx the results.

"Alright," Jinx says "Those named, privacy room."

We all get up, heading across the hall. I close and lock the door behind us.

"So," Alpha Pierce says "What's the results say?"

"Well," Jinx says "Each of them has some foreign species DNA in their bloodstream. However, the guard turned bloodhound has similar DNA to that of a regular bloodhound, as well as similar DNA to that of a hellhound. But it's all twisted together and then there is the foreign DNA. The witch's blood is the same; foreign DNA with DNA that is similar to that of a witch using black magic. The vampire's blood is the same, as well; foreign DNA with DNA that is similar to that of a regular vampire and that of a human."

"So," Sebastian says "You're saying that someone is doing this? Why?"

"I don't know," Jinx says "We need to step back and look at how these three are similar."

We head back into my office, staring at the board.

"None of this makes any sense," I say, shaking my head "What does this person or these people have against our species that involves turning them into a darker version of the most uncontrollable?"

"I cannot feed," Jane says "How is that a darker version of being a vampire? I cannot keep even human food down."

"Oh my Goddess," Jinx says "That's it. Whoever it is...they're not trying to turn them into a darker version of themselves. Kieran, where's my DNA results?"

One of the guards shuffles through a book before handing it to her.

"They're trying to create a Gaia," Jinx says "A Gaia has DNA that mimicks that of all species combined because each species has their own Gaia; humans, vampires, werewolves, witches, the list goes on. Look."

Jinx puts the DNA lines side by side and writes the name and species above the photos.

"Holy moon," Mom says "But why are they trying to create a Gaia? What would they gain?"

"Power," Elder Martin says "Jinx, as the only living Gaia of all the species at this moment, is the most powerful being on Earth. If all of the other Gaia's were to come into their abilities and come together, it would be an unbreakable power."

"How," Dad says "How are they creating one?"

"A Gaia has the blood of every species in her DNA," Elder Henry says "A witch Gaia has more witch blood than any other species, same for all the other species Gaia's."

"So," Mom says "What Gaia are they trying to mimick?"

"All of them," Jinx says quietly "But most importantly...the first to come into her powers...me."

I look at my mate, shocked.

"What," I say "Why you?"

"Jinx is the strongest," Elder Helena says "As the first Gaia to come into her powers, as well as the oldest, she is the one most connected to our Gods and Goddesses."

"We need the other Elder's," Elder Malcolm says "We need to warn them of what is coming."

"Agreed," Elder Ruby, Elder Malcolm's mate, says "What if they already know or their Gaia has come into her powers?"

"Then we need to keep them together," Elder Peggy, the regular werewolf female Elder, says "And very well protected."

"May I," Elder Malcolm says, gesturing to the phone "I need to call."

I nod, spinning the phone to him. He dials a number.

"Malcolm Nicholson," Elder Malcolm says "Hello, Elder Gertrude. I need a message to all the Elder's."

Elder Malcolm pauses.

"All Elder's are needed to the Black Moon Pack," Elder Malcolm says "If they have information on their Gaia, they need to get her NOW."

I hear speaking.

"None of the Gaia's are safe," Elder Malcolm says "More information will be disclosed upon arrival and settlement. Hurry, be safe."

He hangs up.

"Well," Elder Helena says "Are they coming?"

"They are packing and will pick up their Gaia's on the way," Elder Malcolm says "It seems the vampire Gaia has just come into her powers, as well as the human Gaia. The witch Gaia is coming into hers within the next few days."

"So," Jinx says "What happens when they arrive?"

"You will have to work with them and train them how to control it," Elder Martin says "They will be confused, frustrated, and very anxious. None of them understand what is going on with them right now, you are the only one who can understand how they feel. After they have all been trained, the four of you together will be an unstoppable force. Not even creating a Gaia will be able to stop you."

"So," Maya says, pulling Mara down beside her "What do we do now? Are the packs safe? What's going to happen if all the Gaia's are here?"

"Well," Elder Martin says "None of us were alive when the previous Gaia's were alive. So, we have no idea what is going to happen when all of them are together. Only the vampire Elder's were alive when all of the Gaia's were alive previously."

"Hold up," Mara says "So, more of these bloodsuckers are on their way?"

Sebastian glares at her.

"Mara," I say "Don't be disrespectful. We're all working together here so you're going to need to get along with the vampires, whether you like it or not."

Mara glares at me, unhappily. I give her a look and my dad clears his throat, making Mara immediately back down.