by K. C. Hamby
They are going to kidnap a baby. Wow. And Karen was able to unlock the window. How? Maybe she is the baby’s nanny or something. Or a friend of the caretakers. Enough of a relationship to be trusted within the house, at least.
“It never used to be this hard,” George grumbles as he staggers out of the van, pudgy and balding, wearing black that does nothing to hide the paleness of his skin.
Okay, so not their first time. I wonder what happened to the other babies they took.
“Goddamn woman and those babies,” George mutters as he sinks into the darkness. “Be nice if she could keep one alive for once.”
Well, I guess I got my answer.
What’s the best way to go about this? I’ve got to get Karen and George both, obviously. Preferably without the baby in question being involved. I would rather not deal with that inconvenience on top of this shit show.
And babies…ugh. I hate them. Their crying is insufferable. As if their lives are difficult enough to deserve crying over.
My lips curve into a smirk when an idea hits me. I Move to the back of the house and to the very back of the yard, blending in the darkness of the sweet-smelling fruit trees. The leaves are covered in dew and drip onto the bare skin of my arms, chilling me for a moment.
George tries to be quiet as he approaches, but his lack of grace is almost amusing. The hinges on the gate announce his arrival to the backyard and he trips over a garden gnome shortly thereafter.
It’s a wonder how he has ever been successful at this type of crime.
He looks up at the window in question and sighs. He’s definitely too short to reach the ledge without a decent-sized ladder and dear Karen didn’t leave him one. George looks around, mind surely panicking right about now.
I hold in my laugh at his bad luck and Move right behind him.
“Need a hand?”
George squeaks, falling over himself to turn toward me, and leans against the house, leaving the previously neat flowerbed in complete disarray.
“What the hell? Who are you?”
I take a step closer, eyes dilating, and show sharpened canines. “I’m the guard dog.”
I shift and land, the claws on my paws digging into the dew-damp dirt, crouching a few inches in front of him. I snap my jaws violently. He opens his lips to release a scream, but I lunge, clamping my mouth around his throat, and squeeze. His trachea collapses under the force of my bite and bones snap like tree limbs. Warm blood floods my tongue and drips from the corners of my mouth.
George gurgles around my teeth and his severed trachea quivers. When he is drained enough that I can trust the fucker not to yell, I drop him to the ground and shift back to my person with more effort than I care to admit.
My bloodlust has definitely gotten stronger.
“O thánatos sas ischyrízetai,” I snarl. My hand slams into his chest, grabbing his vile soul and ripping it from his body.
I Move to the River Styx, clutching the thrashing soul in an unforgiving grip.
“Ah, Madame Falen.” Charon bows gracefully. “What do we have here?”
“Baby kidnapper.” I throw the quivering man into the boat and his wrists are instantly chained. “I’ll be right back with his partner.”
Before Charon says anything else, I Move back to the house.
A few seconds in the Underworld is enough to be a few minutes here, so I make quick work of my idea and throw my hood over my head. George’s body has already disintegrated, so now it’s time for his partner to follow.
I hold the bundle of George’s shirt in my arms and, as accurately as I can, I copy the clumsy gate of dear ole George and run back to the van.
I jump into the back when the door slides open and quickly close it behind me.
“Well?” Karen asks. “I thought you would never come back. Hand me my baby.”
I reach forward and place the bundle in Karen’s waiting hands. She cradles it to her chest in the driver’s seat of the car.
“Hello, little one. You are with your rightful mommy now. Yes, you are,” she coos. She pulls the shirt away from the bundle, smile covering her lips until she registers the actual identity of her ‘baby’.
Because, swaddled in blankets with care, is my blue-stoned dagger.
“What the hell is this?” Karen screams, trying hard to turn around in her seat and get a look at me.
The hood drops from my head and I grin.
She gasps. “Who are you?”
“That seems to be the question of the night.” I click my tongue. “Would you believe me if I said the Stork?”
I reach up and grab the dagger in my right hand while slamming Karen’s head into the steering wheel several times with my left, making sure her face is good and bloody. She groans when I let go, blood pouring from her nose and into her mouth. I grab a fistful of her short, blonde hair and stab the blade of the dagger up into her soft throat right beneath her chim until the blade clinks against her teeth, and yank, releasing the rest of her blood from its fleshy captivity.
“O thánatos sas ischyrízetai.”
I snatch her soul as well and Move back to Charon.
“That was very quick. You are truly efficient, Lady Thanatos.”
“Eh, I do what I can,” I tell him and shrug. “Here is the rest of your cargo. Baby killer.” I shove Karen into the boat beside George and she, too, immediately has her wrists shackled.
“Thank you, dear.” Charon steps into the boat and nods to me. “Until next time.”
He pushes away from the dock and whistles a deeply disturbing tune made for Tartarus bound souls.
I shake my head, realizing his presence is amusing to me and I don’t mind him all that much. It won’t be terrible working with him for eternity. He is not one for small talk and I’m completely content with that.
I Move back to mine and Nina’s apartment. When my feet hit the hardwood of our kitchen, the pleasure rolls through me and I’m almost knocked to my knees again. I lean against the door, groaning.
“Fal!” Nina yells and twirls around. Eyes wide and wild, she glares at me. Energy, hot and relentless pulses across the room, moving my hair around my face. “Where the hell have you been? We missed the flight!”
I clench my jaw. She’s angry, I know, but all I want is for her to touch me. “Nina, it’s not my fault,” I grind out through my teeth. “And I need you.”
Her eyes seem to ignite. “Oh, you need me? Where were you when I needed you to be on the damn plane?”
“Nina,” I growl and take a few possessive steps toward her. I can’t hold this back much longer. And she is mine.
She quickly runs up to me and places a hand around my throat, pushing me back into the door. Her grip is decently light. There is no intended malice, and it makes electricity of my own zing in my nerves and down my spine.
“What are you…?”
“Shut up,” she growls and pushes her lips to mine. She’s aggressive and demanding in her movements and it drives me mad with need. It’s not too long before she has my clothes off and is shoving me to the bed.
“Don’t even begin to think this is me forgiving you,” she breathes as she throws off her yellow shirt and bra underneath. She growls in my ear before biting down hard on my neck.
My back arches as a choked moan escapes my mouth. Nina’s hand wraps around my lower back and pulls me up even more, impossibly closer to her. Her tongue slides over my skin and her nails dig into my back where she has an unforgiving grip. Her free hand slides smoothly between my legs and I am momentarily suffocating in myself as her fingers move quickly.
How do I breathe, again?
When she pulls back from my neck and drops her hand right before I can plummet into pleasure, her eyes are glowing bright, like glaciers caught in the light of the sun.
I’m so struck by her wild beauty, the shock from her abrupt halt in touch only barely registers.
Nina pushes me flat on the bed with a hand on my chest, demanding I do as I’m told without s
aying a word. It’s a power pushing against me from her soul. As if she has her own Alpha power.
I’ve never seen this Nina before. She’s angry and commanding and controlling me completely. I can’t and don’t do anything unless she tells me to. I follow her orders as if she is my Alpha and I am subordinate and at her mercy.
She’s making me submit.
…and I’m enjoying it.
***
Nina's pacing as she flings on her clothes is enough to make me grit my teeth.
“Can you please not do that,” I grind out as I pull my shirt over my head and she whips her head to me with furrowed brows.
I flinch.
“Not do what, Fal? Be angry? We are supposed to be on the way to Oregon right now. My daddy is going to be so upset.” Silver lines the edges of her frost eyes and I twist my lips.
“I don't get why it's such a big deal, Nina.” I stand and move to the floor-length mirror to stare at the red welt on my neck from her teeth. It’s tender when I touch it, but it slowly begins healing.
Why isn’t it healing immediately?
I look into my reflection’s eyes. There is slight imperfection there in my right iris.
“I haven't seen my daddy in two years. Two, Fal. I’ve been with you. Don't you care?” She stills those beautiful eyes on my face from behind me in the reflection of the mirror, and I’m cornered.
It makes me bristle.
You will not hurt Nina.
I roll my eyes at the threat from my wolf.
“I'm trying to care.”
She scoffs, and she’s glaring at the back of my head like she wants to slap me. But instead, she reaches up and brushes her fingers over the mark she gave. Her hand heats and it’s gone.
Nothing but a memory.
“Really. I am.”
I thought the sex would lighten Nina’s mood. It definitely lightened mine, but she’s still mad. Hate sex is what she called it, but she assured me she didn’t hate me.
How confusing.
The damning tears roll down her cheeks and my stomach twinges. It's uncomfortable and wrong as it passes through me. The fight between the darkness and my small bit of humanity claws across my mind, making new cuts as they fight it out.
I sigh and turn to her, hoping to all hell I haven’t fucked this up beyond repair.
I grab Nina’s hand and see her wide eyes on mine before I Move us, letting instinct take us to where we need to go. Her hand clings to mine, fingernails digging dangerously into the back of my hand.
When we reach our destination, Nina falls away and stumbles to the nearest bush, releasing all the contents of her stomach. I follow and hold her long mess of hair away from her face as she continues to get sick for another minute or so. Sweat beads on her brow as she heaves, and it is slick on my skin as I wipe it away.
“A little warning,” she spits into the dirt, “would have been nice.”
“Sorry.”
I've never Moved with her before. Only with souls. It was strange but a bit comforting having her with me. Like it's supposed to be that way.
Of course it is.
“Where the hell...oh. Oh, god.” She stands abruptly and looks around with frantic breaths. “Fal, why the hell are we at my daddy's house?”
“You said…” I reign in my anger and sigh. “I figured this would be what you wanted,” I mumble with my arms spread, gesturing at the clearing around us.
Her father’s house is about 200 yards away, sitting behind a stone driveway that winds into the trees. It’s a bit like a cabin, but modern. Not too big. Not too small. It’s about fifteen minutes from the nearest town and the closest neighbor is a thirty-minute walk.
The weather is nice here. At least for today. It’s not hot as balls like South Carolina, not raining like Seattle…
The sky is a crisp blue in beautiful contrast with the various greens of the tree leaves.
Wait, why do I care about the fucking weather and goddamn leaves?
The Monster part of me is annoyed.
Nina yanks me into the thicket of trees before I can say anything else.
“Of course, I want to see my daddy. But Fal... you're…” she gestures to me and I raise a brow at the scrutiny. “You're not you.”
I scoff. “I assure you; I am me.”
I mean, honestly. Who else would I be? Is she talking about the weak part of me? The…humanity?
I was never just my humanity.
“My daddy is expecting someone who...” her lips quiver and it hits me right in my chest. “I told him you were the one for me. The person I'm going to marry. But you don't even act like you care.”
My gut wrenches and the small part of me pushes to the surface once more, answering the call Nina’s soul is screaming. The Monster is shoved out of the way and my humanity, what little I have, takes its place again. I am lighter, less angry, and appalled at my behavior toward my Mate.
I glance at the familiar metal against my left ring finger. The ring Nina gave me.
The Monster is suppressed.
I clear my throat before I turn to her. Her head jerks back when she looks into my eyes again.
“I care, Nina. I will always care. I’m so sorry for how I’ve been acting.”
She is the love of my life. She’s everything good I could never be, and she loves me though I am lost to the darkness. She is always the light drawing me back, even though I know I sure as shit don’t deserve her.
Hope quirks up the corner of her lip, her eyes sly beneath her soft lashes.
“Do you trust me?” I ask, grabbing her hands in mine.
“Of course, I trust you.”
“Then, come on. Introduce me to your dad. I am the one for you and who you are going to marry. Let me prove it.” I bring her left hand up to my mouth and kiss the ring I gave her, letting my lips linger on her knuckles. “I think Luna has sniffed us out, anyway,” I relay and hide my smile behind Nina’s hand before I lower it. I hear the border collie mix passing her nose over the ground in the distance and, by the tilt of Nina's head, she does too.
Luna suddenly plows into the trees with a bark and nearly tackles Nina. The giggle from Nina’s lips is a nice sound, making the inside of my chest warm like an oven. Luna licks all over her face and demands belly rubs by flopping on her back in the grass.
“Luna, you’ve gotten a little chunky, honey,” Nina tells the excited pup and rubs her belly as commanded. “Looks like Daddy has been a little heavy-handed on the treats.”
Luna whines at the word ‘treats.’
I guess that’s answer enough.
Luna turns to me once she’s gotten enough of the stomach rubs and tilts her head before running and jumping into my arms. She’s definitely a little heavier and rounder than she used to be. She licks all over my face too as she squirms with barely contained excitement and I can't help but smile.
I put her back on the ground after my own slobber shower only to find Nina watching me.
“What?” I wipe the saliva from my chin with the back of my arm.
She grins. “Nothing. Let's go.” She grabs my hand and pulls me in the direction of the house.
She is gazing around the area with a soft smile on her lips, taking everything in and assessing every change she has missed since she has been gone. I watch her face, loving the way the freckles move with every expression and the light in her eyes is glowing with happiness.
“The clearing back there was going to be a swimming pool area, but Daddy never got around to getting it put in. I think he uses it for target practice now,” Nina informs me, tilting her head with her steps so her hair swings against her back.
“Target practice? Like with guns?”
Nina turns to me with waggling brows. “Nervous now?”
I mean…I’m not worried I’m going to get shot by her dad. I just don’t want to have to disarm him if he decides I’m not good enough for his daughter.
I swallow hard and shake my head, but I think Nina sees strai
ght through my bullshit as she dons her sly smirk at my silent answer.
We follow the worn stone path leading up to the big back porch filled with a hammock and a couple rocking chairs on each side of a small side table.
“I used to sit in that hammock and write all day long,” she tells me, eyes wide and searching as she points to the worn-out hammock. “Oh! And Dad and I used to play checkers on that table between the rocking chairs. Even though I never won, it was still fun.”
“Hm, I bet you were adorable,” I comment and poke her side.
She squeaks and swats at my hand.
I want to picture a little Nina all cute and covered in freckles playing on the porch, but she has never shown me pictures of her when she was young. I’ll have to snoop and find some while we are here.
Luna bounds ahead after licking my hand, shooting through the doggy door—not without a little struggle to fit—and yips a few times. Nina laughs before taking a deep breath and knocks on the door.
After a few seconds, I hear movement in the house.
“Now who the heck could that be, girl?” a voice grumbles. To Luna, I’m assuming since she yips in response. “I got places to be.”
Heavy footsteps move toward the door. Heavy like Ash’s footsteps.
Nina never told me her dad was like…a big guy. Only a big, muscular person roughly the size of my brother could have those heavy foot falls.
Not like it matters. I’m not nervous.
The door opens and a very muscular man with graying hair stands with wide, ocean blue eyes. He blinks a few times, clearly not believing what he sees.
“Nini?”
“Daddy!” Nina throws herself into the man's arms. He immediately picks her up and they sway as they both silently cry.
Meanwhile, I stand in all the awkwardness I can muster. But Nina is happy and that’s all I care about.
Not like I haven’t been awkward my whole life, anyway.
After their long hug, her dad pulls back and looks her over.
“Your hair…”
“Yeah, I know,” Nina chuckles, twisting a strand around her finger. “It’s different.”
“Ya look like your mama,” her dad whispers, eyes glazed as if he is in another time.
