Finding Hope: Book Ten of the Running in Fear Series

by Trinity Blacio

  Jester shook his head. “Little Bear, you will not be going outside just yet. Too many of those things are still flying around to call it safe. Then there is the fact we have no idea where your aunt and uncle are.”

  Chapter Seven

  Gourd watched as Hope sat up alert, tension running through her body. “Really, do we need to go help? I’m sure Marsha wouldn’t mind watching the children,” she said, ready to take on anything as she started to get up.

  “Sit, Little Bear. The demons are handling this fight.” Gourd smiled. “It seems a few of the heliokillers believed they could hide in the caves—the ones the demons were making their homes in. Needless to say, they were not happy at all. King Landon and others are taking care of the last ones, but until we know it’s safe, you and the other four women will not be allowed up top. Now, relax. You have done enough for these people. I have sent a few of our men out also to search for the others who stayed up there, the fools.” Gourd growled. “They risk those who look for them now.”

  Gourd sat next to her. “None of the inner circle were killed, but Jaycee’s mate Mark was hurt. He’ll be fine from what I’ve been told.” He leaned over and grabbed a couple of waffles for Mandy, cutting them up for the child after he put them on her plate.

  “This isn’t good,” Hope whispered next to him, drawing his gaze.

  “What isn’t good, the food?” he asked, frowning.

  ‘They’ll blame me. Jaycee will blame me for Mark getting hurt. Now how the hell am I going to deal with the women here?” She tapped her fingers on the table, biting her lower lip.

  “What’s wrong?” Valda asked, coming in with Owen and Sar before Gourd could say anything.

  Not liking the waves of tension coming off his mate, Gourd wrapped his arm around her, giving her one of the bear hugs she loved so much. “There is no way Jaycee can blame you for Mark getting hurt, Little Bear. He wasn’t even near you when it happened. This was after the main attack, when I took you below.”

  Valda’s growl had him looking at her as she sat down with her mates. “If she blames you, I’ll put a pounding on her swollen head.”

  Under his arm, Hope’s body shook as laughter lit Hope’s eyes. “A pounding on her swollen head?” Hope giggled. “Thank you, Valda, I so needed that. Eat with us, then we can see what that damage is to the ship.”

  “I told you, you’re not going up top,” Jester growled, looking up at Hope as she placed a couple of sausages on Sasha’s plate and cutting them for her.

  With no break in what she was doing, Hope peeked up at Jester. “I wasn’t talking about going up top, but if you keep growling at me and ordering me around, I’ll make sure everyone sees you in bear form,” she threatened, but Gourd could see her bottom lip twitching and knew she was playing with Jester.

  “Okay, now I have to know. What’s wrong with his bear form?” Valda asked. She popped a piece of bacon in her mouth, glancing from Hope to Jester as the kids nodded, watching their interaction with big eyes.

  Hope sat back, grabbing a piece of bacon, not taking her eyes off Jester. Even Gourd was having fun watching the two.

  “Where are your pets, Gourd?” Hope asked, needling Jester a little more.

  Gourd threw his head back and laughed as his pets came ran into the room and headed right for her.

  “I thought they were going to stay up top?” Jester growled. “And don’t you say a word. Wait till you step in their droppings and see how you like it.”

  Valda smiled. “I take it he did this in bear form?”

  “Yep, but not only that, when he shifted back, he forgot about the goop on his paw and whipped his hand down his face,” Hope said. “Let’s just say Jester was not a happy camper. Not to mention he busted his nose swatting a fly, forgetting about his paw.”

  Jester jumped up growling and stalked to his prey. “Woman, you’re asking for a beating.”

  “Woman? Really?” Hope said, sliding out of her chair and moving around the table as her eyes light up with mischief.

  Jester vanished, replaced by his bear as he stumbled and tripped over a chair and hit his head on the floor.

  Gourd joined everyone laughing as Jester shifted back and lunged at Hope, growling. “I’m going to make that cute butt red,” he said, laughter in his eyes.

  “Run, Mama Bear,” Sasha yelled, getting up chasing after Jester as he playfully tackled Hope to the floor.

  Sasha jumped onto Jester’s back, laughing. “Run, Mama, I got Daddy Jester,” she squealed.

  “Now I have two bad Little Bears,” Jester growled, earning giggles from both.

  “Baron, Mandy, help us,” Hope called out between breaths as they wrestled to close to the table.

  “Okay, children, get up here and finish your food. No roughhousing by the table,” Gourd said, moving to take Sasha off Jester’s back just as the ship-planet shifted, sending him and the others flying onto the floor with the food.

  Gourd rolled, making sure the little bear wasn’t injured as he fell. Fand grabbed Mandy and Baron, holding them till everything righted itself.

  “Owen,” Valda called out, running toward the door after everything had settled.

  “What’s going on?” Gourd jumped up, clearing the mess around him with at thought.

  “Iceman and his mates are under attack,” Hope said. “It’s my aunt, it would seem. Please go help them.” She looked up at him as Jester and Fand stood, each holding on to a child. “I can’t go. At least I think I can’t go…” Hope’s eyes glazed over, a confused look crossing her face as her clothes changed to her hunting gear right before she disappeared from their home.

  “No!” Gourd growled, looking at the children as Marsha and Ben came running in the room, thanking the gods for her gifts.

  “Go, we have the children,” she said, lifting Sasha into her arms.

  Twice in less than 24 hours, Hope had disappeared on him. Gourd was going to spank her cute round butt as soon as he had her safely in his arms.

  Gourd had been to the small moon-appearance ship before, but now it was different. He, Fand and Jester scanned around before appearing in front of the large two-story home that was a picture of the Earth houses. It would seem Aurora and her men were getting ready for their little girl, but what had him worried was the fact that there was no trace of anyone or anything around them.

  “Fand?” he asked, knowing Fand was the best tracker around.

  “They’re here. I scent blood—ours,” Fand growled, inching forward with him as Valda’s father stepped out onto the porch, his face twisted with pain as he held his hand over his chest. Blood pooled between his fingers, running down his arm.

  “It might be over for now, brother, but our children will be our legacy,” he said right before his head went flying and landed a few feet from them.

  “And we’ll be ready,” Iceman said with a single frozen tear rolling down his cheek.

  Gourd’s stomach knotted at the thought of having to fight his brother as Iceman had just done. He did not wish that pain on anyone.

  “Hope is inside. She saved Aurora; we are in your debt,” Iceman said, stepping aside as Leaguer came out carrying Hope.

  “I could have walked,” she said, smiling when she noticed her men standing there waiting. “But I wouldn’t mind being helped by you. I thought I was a goner for sure when they…” Tears filled her eyes as her brother carefully placed her into Gourd’s arms.

  “It seems Kanji used Valda to find out where you were making your home. His mate borrowed this knowledge and brought my sister here. The bitch had our woman trapped. We couldn’t get to her, but as soon as Hope appeared, it was if she knew what to do. In a matter of minutes, Aurora was released from the fire prison they had put her in. The bitch slicked Hope’s leg, but in the end Hope killed her.” Leaguer leaned down and placed a kiss on his sister’s head. “You, Hope, are amazing, and I’m proud to call you my little sister, but if you ever risk yourself again, I swear I’ll—”

  She re
ached up and cupped his cheek.

  “It’s good to have a brother. Thank you, it means the world to me,” Hope said. “And I knew what I was doing.”

  Leaguer mumbled, “And you.” He looked up at Gourd. “Take good care of her, brother.”

  Gourd laughed and nodded as Iceman came over to them with Aurora.

  “We have about 50 years before they’re old enough, but the others will wait till my nephews are old enough. They are that patient from what I learned from my brother before he died. The others will hide, building waiting for their new leader. We’ll need scouts to search. People on Earth will need to learn how to detect them, and protect themselves. I really believe this is how they built up the army so fast as it is,” Iceman said.

  “Do you really believe their children will come after us? Maybe they could be like me, or Valda?” Hope asked.

  “Little sister, you had a loving family till they were killed, and Valda had enough of her mother’s DNA and to help her. But you never know. Look at the two who warned us last week. Maybe we will find others who are tired of this war among the new ones being born,” Iceman said.

  “Let’s hope so,” Hope said, resting her head on Gourd’s chest. “I’d like to put the weapons away for a little while. I’m tired of seeing blood and having to always look over my shoulder,” she said as Aurora reached over and squeezed her arm.

  “You are my sister. If you need to just talk, I’m here for you. Now, I have good news. Your mother and other brothers are on their way here to meet you,” she said, earning a groan from Leaguer.

  “I can’t wait to meet them,” Hope said.

  “If you will excuse us, we’re going to take our woman home and heal her. Again, thank you for keeping her safe,” Gourd said, knowing that their other mates had destroyed the men in Kanji’s family unit. He’d had enough, though. Gourd wanted their woman tucked safely away in their home, where no one would be able to get her this time.

  “It’s already done. No one will be able to take my sister or any other female from the Aurora’s planet. We were lucky they didn’t transfer her someplace else. I wouldn’t have my brother right now,” his brother growled. “I should have put the protection up sooner, for that I am sorry.”

  “You are not the only one who should have done something. I, too, could have added to the protection of this place, but didn’t. That is one mistake I will never make again,” Gourd said, appearing in their bedroom, where he carefully laid Hope in the middle of the bed.

  Jester was already moving toward her with a wet cloth to clean the wound on her leg. “You’ll heal in a few minutes, but let’s get this all cleaned up.”

  “I want to go visit Valda. I know this will be hard on her. She was hoping her father would change.” She sighed. “It would appear we both have something in common.”

  “I think you just need to stay here,” Gourd grumbled, sitting down at her other side. “I owe you an apology. I should have set our safeguards around this ship. If I had, no one would have been able to take you anywhere. But they are in place now. You and the others, including the little moon, are protected.” He brushed a piece of her white hair away from her face. “We were lucky they only took you to Aurora’s home, and the only reason I believe they did this was to try and kill Iceman.”

  “This wasn’t luck.” Hope shook her head. “For some strange reason, Valda’s father didn’t want her dead. He wouldn’t allow his mate to call me off the little moon, knowing it would harm her.” Hope frowned and tilted her head to the side. “But then, if he knew… Oh my God. He wanted this to end today. Kanji knew their fates were sealed; that they would die. That’s why he wouldn’t allow his mate to take me to their ship.” Hope reached over and squeezed Gourd’s hand. “You need to inform Iceman of this. He is already feeling guilty, I could see it on his face. Maybe there is some hope that the little ones won’t come after us.” Hope flinched as Jester cleaned the wound.

  “Sorry, Little Bear. Do you really believe he was so noble about all this?” Jester looked at him, and Gourd thought about what his woman had said, along with Kanji’s last words as he’d stared at Gourd.

  “Something about his last words just didn’t sound right.” Gourd glanced over at Fand, who had been leaning against the dresser.

  “Agreed. It sounded like a threat but it wasn’t,” Fand said as their three little ones raced down the hall. Fand snorted as they pushed through the door and stared at Hope.

  Little Sasha climbed up next to him and laydown next to Hope, curling up close. She was a cuddle bear, that was for sure.

  “They heard you talking in here and nothing would stop them from seeing their mama,” Marsha said as she entered, looking toward the bed. “I have some experience with healing, if you need help?” she asked, looking at Jester, then at Gourd.

  “Thank you, but she’ll be fine here in about 20 minutes,” Gourd reassured her.

  “Is everything okay with Aurora and her men?” Marsha asked.

  “Everyone is fine, but have you heard from Valda? I’d really like to see her,” Hope said, trying to push Jester away and scooting down the bed. Sasha got up and giggled as she watched her mom slap Jester’s hand.

  “Little Bear, you need to keep still till this heals,” Gourd said, grabbing hold of her chin, making her look up at him. “Valda is with her men right now, working on the repairs to the ship. We’ll meet them in the commons in 30 minutes. Will that be all right?” he asked her, trying to please her when all he wanted to do was keep her in their home protected.

  “Yes, thank you.” Hope sighed as Jester picked her back up and placed her in the middle of the bed.

  “You need new clothes. These stink of her,” Jester said.

  “I need a shower. I hate to say it, but my aunt was one of the stinkiest things I’ve ever come across. Well, except for dear old Dad, that is. God, I hope it doesn’t run in the family,” she said, actually looking scared as the children giggled behind them.

  Gourd laughed. “Now you are being silly. No, you don’t stink. You have our blood, plus I think your mother’s DNA was stronger than your father’s.” He turned to Marsha, who was staring toward the front of their home. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m sorry, but I believe you’re going to get a couple of unhappy visitors,” Marsha grumbled.

  Gourd had had enough. He swung around and passed Marsha to go and put a stop to this. Sure enough, Jaycee and Lissa were there with two of their men, Dane and Castor, both of whom he would personally beat the shit out of for allowing their women to come bother his mate.

  The door opened and Hope appeared in front of him, holding on to a crutch. “What can I help you with, ladies?” Hope said with a cool expression and keeping all emotion out of her voice, but Gourd could feel the pain radiating off her.

  Jaycee and Lissa frowned. “What happened? Is that wound from yesterday?” Jaycee asked.

  “No, I’m fine, but I should be lying down for a few minutes. What brings you here?” she asked again.

  Lissa stepped forward. “Is the ship talking to you? Ever since it tilted, we haven’t heard anything. It’s quiet, almost too quiet.”

  Hope turned her head to the side. “It’s quiet, but I also can feel it repairing itself deep inside the core,” she said as Marsha and Ben came out of their home.

  “Are you and Valda blocking us from knowing what is going on?” Jaycee blurted out.

  Marsha hissed and Hope laughed. “Jaycee, I don’t know why you have a problem with me, and I don’t give a shit, but if you ever hurt Valda with your insecurities, I swear I’ll beat the living crap out of you,” Hope snapped and disappeared.

  Gourd knew she was back on bed as he stepped forward. “I will speak with you two later about this little incident. But now I must see how bad she ripped open her wound protecting Aurora,” he snapped at the men before spinning around and going inside, leaving Marsha and Ben to deal with the two ladies.

  Little Sasha met him in the hallway with her arm
s up, wanting to be held. “They hurt Mama Bear. Why? Why do they hate her so much?” The bundle in his arms asked as a tear rolled down her cheek.

  Seeing the other two children moving toward him with the same worried look in their gazes, Gourd turned around and sat on one of the long couches, then tapped the seats next to him. “Do you know how Mama Bears was hurt back on Earth?” he asked and they all nodded. “Well, all five women here, including Mama Bear, have been hurt. They’ve been hunted by those creatures, who have harmed them in ways I can’t discuss, because you are too small.” Gourd sat back, holding on to Sasha. “In a lot of ways these five are a lot alike. They’re strong fighters, but sometimes they get scared and strike out at someone even when it’s wrong to do that.”

  “Like that lady did?” Baron asked.

  “Yes, like that lady. I know both women are very nice, but I believe with all the tension over the last few months, well, they’re just as tired as your Mama Bear is, wondering what will happen next. We might be grown-ups, but we still worry.”

  “Then they all need to sleep,” Mandy said. “We could make them all hot chocolate with little marshmallows in it like Mama Bear does for us, before we sleep.”

  Gourd smiled. “I think that would be a wonderful idea.” He helped the three get the hot chocolate and delivered the first cup to Hope.

  After listening to her babies and drinking the special brew made with love, Hope curled up next to Jester, tears rolling down her cheeks.

  “Do you think it will work?” she asked Gourd. “I don’t want my babies hurt, because then I’d really have to do some pounding on the head.”

  “We’ll have to wait and see. Sleep, Little Bear. We’ll take great care of our cubs,” Gourd said, moving with the children out of their home and to the next woman on the list, Jaycee.

  “I know you will, and thank you Gourd, even if it does not work,” Hope said, her voice sluggish as she struggled to stay awake, but Gourd knew she’d sleep soon, because even he had his little secrets.