by BE Kelly
“Sorry to just show up like this,” Echo said. “I had no other choice. The girls would see me coming if I planned to come here. So, at the last minute, I thought, ‘What the hell’ and I just showed up.” Like Kaiah, Gray suddenly felt like he had a million questions for the guy to answer but one was bothering him.
“How did you know where to find her?” he asked.
Echo chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. That was something Kaiah did when she was avoiding telling him something. “That’s the part my daughter might not like,” he admitted. Gray had a feeling he wasn’t going to like his answer either. “I had a few of my buddies track her—you know shift and hunt her and Aylen down.” Echo said.
“So, you know where my sister is then too?” Kaiah asked, coming back into the room holding a tray of glasses with ice and a pitcher of water. Gray looked at the glass she handed him and frowned, hoping for something a little stronger. His buzz was wearing off and he wasn’t sure that was a good idea.
“You need that,” she said, holding out the glass of cold water. “Otherwise you’ll have a hangover tomorrow.” Gray thought something hateful about the drink she offered him and the fact that he never really got hangovers and Kaiah giggled. “Yeah well, do it for me then,” she said.
“Stay out of my head, Kaiah,” Gray ordered. Echo laughed and Gray turned to look at him. “Something funny?” he challenged.
“Nope,” Echo said, holding up his hands as if in defense. “It’s just that her mother used to do the same thing to me when we were together. I’m guessing you two are you know—seeing each other.” Her father prodded. It wasn’t any of his damn business how much of Kaiah he was seeing. He lost the right to know things like that when he walked away from Kaiah and Aylen. There was another knock at his door and Gray groaned.
“You have any other long lost relatives showing up tonight, Baby Girl?” Gray asked.
“It’s Aylen,” Kaiah said.
“Of course it is,” Gray grumbled. “You sent out the bat signal, didn’t you?” he asked. Kaiah laughed and went to open the front door.
“Yep,” she said. Kaiah pulled the door open to reveal one very pissed off Aylen and behind her stood her husband, Rios holding their infant son—Ryker. The baby was sound asleep and Rios looked like he wished he could be. Rios and Aylen had left town two months earlier and Aylen had gone into labor and demanded that Rios bring her home. After she had the baby, they had been on the run, trying to keep one step ahead of the hunters. Rios and Ay tried to convince Kaiah to go with them but she refused and that’s how he got stuck babysitting his hot little house guest—not that he was complaining now.
“That him?” Aylen asked, nodding to Echo who stood in the corner.
“Yep,” Kaiah said. “Says he’s our father and from everything I can get out of his head, he’s telling the truth.” The two women talked about their father as if he wasn’t in the same room with them and Gray felt a little bad for the guy. Kaiah took Ryker from Rios and kissed his little bald head.
“Hey, Ry,” she said.
Rios smirked at her nickname for his son, “That’s not his name,” Rios grumbled. “But, I’m too tired to fight with you tonight. You get to call my son whatever you want as long as you change his diaper—he stinks.” Aylen looked Echo over and took the diaper bag from her husband.
“I’ll change his diaper with you, Kaiah,” she offered. “We need to talk.”
Rios groaned, “Well, shit,” he said. “I’m guessing I should get comfortable then?” he asked.
“Yep,” Aylen said, causing him to mumble something about women and being bone tired.
“When did you guys get back to town?” Gray asked, pulling his old friend in for a quick hug.
“Last night. My father is having surgery to fix a heart valve in a few days and I wanted to be in town. We’re staying at my family’s old cabin just outside of the city. Aylen woke up about two hours ago saying that we had to get in the car and start driving here—saying she saw him coming.” Rios nodded to Echo and held out his hand. “Santiago Rios,” he said. “Everyone calls me Rios though. I’m married to Aylen and our pup’s name is Ryker.”
Echo shook Rios’ hand and smiled. “I have a grandson then?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Rios said. “He’s almost two months old now and doesn’t sleep for anything.”
“You and Aylen running from someone or something?” Echo asked.
“Someone,” Rios said. “Human hunters want Ay and Kaiah because of their double abilities.”
Echo nodded, “That’s why I’m here. I think I can help.”
Kaiah
Kaiah took Ryker from Aylen after she changed and fed him. “He’s so cute,” Kaiah gushed.
“Yeah,” Aylen said, smiling over at her son. “I just wish the little booger would sleep. The only time he’s happy is when he’s eating or being held. I’m so tired and now we have to deal with this.”
“Are you and Rios staying safe?” Kaiah asked. “I know you had to come back for his dad’s heart surgery but are you sure it’s safe?” Kaiah worried that the hunters would find out about them being back in town and try to get to her sister while she and Rios were distracted new parents.
“Anali said she doesn’t see anyone around us and that we should be good here for a few days,” Ay said. “But, why wouldn’t she tell me about him?” Kaiah knew her sister was referring to their long lost father that sat just down the hallway.
“I didn’t even see him coming and I don’t miss much these days,” Kaiah said. “I can’t get a read on him either—why do you think that is?”
“You think he can block us?” Aylen asked.
Kaiah shrugged, “How the hell would he be able to block Anali too? I mean, if anyone would be able to see him coming for us, it would be our grandmother.” Kaiah sat down with Ryker and snuggled him into her body. Holding her nephew made her feel things and want things she never had before—namely a pup of her own. He made some cute squeaky noises and squirmed and stretched in her arms, settling back down to sleep.
“Why do you think he’s here?” Kaiah asked her sister.
“I have no idea,” Aylen said. “I was finally sleeping peacefully and then I had a vision. I could see him coming for us and I knew that he was going to show up here. That’s when I woke Rios and told him we needed to get in the car and start back. He wasn’t very happy about having to get up in the middle of the night and pack up Ryker.”
Kaiah giggled, “Yeah—he doesn’t look very happy to be here. You do know that it’s only eleven at night, right?”
“Well,” Aylen said, laying across Kaiah’s bed, “It feels like the middle of the night. My internal clock is so off-kilter, I’m not sure what time it is anymore. All I know is that I’m tired and if my son doesn’t start sleeping better, I’m going to end up half-crazy from lack of sleep.”
“How about you guys stay here tonight and let me help out?” Kaiah asked. “I’d love some extra time with my nephew and we’ll be able to figure out why our long lost father decided to come back around—after you and Rios get some shut-eye. You can have my bed.” Aylen sat up and eyed her suspiciously and Kaiah knew what she was going to ask even before she said the words.
Kaiah held up her hand and smiled. “I’ll be sleeping on the sofa—probably,” she said.
“So, things aren’t going well then?” Ay asked. Kaiah wasn’t sure she was ready to spill her guts and tell her younger sister just how well things were going before everyone showed up at Gray’s apartment tonight. She didn’t want to jinx things between her and her shifter.
Aylen smiled at her when she didn’t answer. “All right—you can have your secrets for now, Sissy. But, fair warning—when I’m feeling less like the walking dead, we are going to revisit my question and I’ll need some answers.”
Kaiah nodded, “How about we go back out and get some answers from Echo. I want to know why he’s here and then—you and Rios can get some shut-eye.”
&
nbsp; Aylen groaned, “That sounds like the best plan I’ve ever heard,” she said.
Kaiah could feel the tension in the crowded family room before she even got out there. The guys were having a hushed conversation and as soon as she and Ay got back into the room, they completely clamed up. She sat down next to gray on the sofa and he smiled down at Ryker who slept peacefully in her arms. She could hear his longing and desire to have what Ay and Rios had but he was under the impression that he was too old to have the family he wanted. It made her sad that he wasn’t willing to even entertain the possibility of having those things again.
“He looks so peaceful,” Gray whispered and stroked Ryker’s soft cheek. “You seem to have a magic touch.”
Kaiah smiled up at him, “Yeah,” she whispered back. “He’s pretty awesome.” She looked down at her nephew and she could hear Gray’s wheels spinning. “You know it’s not too late. You could have this again.”
“Naw,” Gray said. “You really need to stay out of my head, Kaiah. It’s too late for me to want to start over again, Baby Girl. If that’s a deal-breaker, let me know now.” She wanted to protest but now wasn’t the time.
“We will be discussing this later—when we’re alone,” Kaiah said. “When we don’t have an audience.” She looked around the small room to see that everyone was watching the two of them. Rios and Ay wore smug smirks and Kaiah knew that her sister could feel the tension between the two of them.
“So, Echo,” Aylen said, “what the hell are you here for?” Kaiah always loved the way her sister cut to the chase but she felt a little bad for their estranged father.
“You don’t pull any punches, do you, Aylen?” her father asked.
Her sister stared down their father and shrugged, not backing down. “Well, I have a newborn who doesn’t sleep, my little family is on the run from hunters, and now your here. I’m just wondering why Echo. And, please don’t feed Kaiah and me some bullshit story about wanting to reconnect with us. My sister is damn good at reading people—even when they are intentionally trying to block her.” Echo nodded at Kaiah and smiled.
“You got your grandmother’s abilities, didn’t you?” her father asked. “I could never pull one over on the old girl. I’m guessing she didn’t see me coming either?”
“Anali didn’t call us, if that’s what you’re asking,” Kaiah admitted. “You weren’t planning on coming here until the last minute, were you?”
“No,” Echo admitted.
“Well, that’s sneaky,” Aylen accused.
Echo chuckled, “I learned that trick while I was married to your mother,” Echo said. “If I didn’t know what was in my mind, then neither could your mom or grandmother.” Echo pointed to his head, tapping his temple with his finger.
“You just left our mother,” Kaiah said. “Or did you forget that little bit of information?” She couldn’t help her tone. Kaiah was old enough when Echo left them to remember her mother’s sadness. “I might have only been four when you took off but I remember the way your leaving broke mom. You have no idea what that was like,” she whispered. “I had to grow up fast and help mom take care of Ay.”
Echo looked down at his wrinkled hands and back up to face her. “I’m sorry about all of that, Kaiah,” he said.
“Are you?” Kaiah spat. She stood and crossed the room, handing Ryker to Aylen. She didn’t want to hold her nephew when she was feeling so much anger. She turned to face her father and all the things she wanted to say to him that had piled up over the years felt bottled up inside of her. “You’re sorry but you never thought to come back to us? You’re sorry but you never called just to check in on me and Ay. Honestly, Echo—how sorry were you?”
“I was staying away to protect you both,” he defended. “If I would have stayed, it would have put you both in danger and your mom too. I stayed away because I cared but I’m sorry that you had to go through everything you did. Hell, if I could have kept you two safe and stayed with you and your mom, I would have. But, that was never an option. I broke the code to be with you three for as long as I was. Once the elders in my pack traced me down, they left me no choice but to take off and leave you three behind. They would have killed all of you—including your Anali.”
Aylen gasped and Ryker stirred in her arms. “Why would your pack want to kill us?” Ay asked.
“What kind of pack would come after your pups, Echo?” Rios asked.
“One that doesn’t allow its members to mix with others,” Echo almost whispered.
“Others like seers?” Kaiah asked. Her father slowly nodded and she sunk into the sectional next to her sister, knowing that she was going to need to be sitting for what Echo was going to tell them next.
“My tribe was one of the original packs in New Mexico. You know how your Anali likes to tell you girls about you being from a long line of seers?” he asked. Kaiah and Ay both nodded. “Well, you also come from one of the original wolf packs of the area.”
“Wow,” Gray breathed.
“Legends tell of how we were created by the Great Spirit when our ancestors first migrated to New Mexico from up north. There was a great celebration—tribes came from all over to help with the first harvest and the feast lasted three nights. By the end of the third night, the celebration turned deadly when the tribes were attacked by wolves. Legend says that most of the visiting tribes were killed but our people—they survived and were turned. They became the first wolf shifters and great warriors. Our numbers grew and other tribes came to fear us as the stories spread, generation after generation. We conquered other tribes but were always careful not to mix with them, not wanting to dilute our bloodlines. It was one of our only rules and one that was strictly enforced. Shifters who broke with tradition and left the pack were hunted and killed. If they started a family, their family paid the ultimate price—with their lives.” Kaiah gasped and reached for Aylen’s hand.
“So, our pack wants us dead?” Aylen asked.
“Yeah—our pack, my tribe wants me to pay for breaking the rules and marrying a seer. It’s why I left all those years ago. I’ve been running ever since, trying to steer clear of you two and your mom—to keep you all safe. I figured that if the pack was hunting me, you three wouldn’t be found,” Echo said.
“What’s changed?” Gray asked. “If what you’re telling us is true—you being here puts both of them in danger.” Kaiah could feel Gray’s worry and she stood to cross back over to where he sat next to Rios.
“I’ll be okay,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and crawling into his lap. She could feel his hesitation at first but when she snuggled against his body, he seemed to relax some.
“You don’t know that, Baby Girl. Echo just said that you both would be in danger if his pack finds him. He could have led them right to you and Ay.”
“Shit,” Rios growled.
“I covered my tracks,” Echo assured.
“So, we have human hunters and a pack of shifters coming after us now?” Aylen asked.
“Yeah—that might be my fault too,” Echo admitted.
“Well, you’re just full of good news, aren’t you?” Aylen hissed.
“I tried to appeal to my elders on your behalf a few years back and I admitted that you two existed. I thought I was helping but I ended up making things so much worse. They had no idea that you girls existed. All my tribe knew was that I had married a seer and that was about it. Well, until I begged my elders to spare my pups. They refused my pleas and when I realized that I had only made things worse, I took off again. This time, I warned your mother and she told me that she had you both protected.”
“I’m betting that’s when mom moved us out to Anali’s place,” Kaiah said. “I remember when I was about eight, mom said that we had to stay one step ahead of them but I was never sure who she meant. I’m guessing she meant your pack now.” Kaiah remembered that time and had to admit she was so much happier after they moved in with Anali. Her mother had taken in their cousins—Remi and Oryana an
d was busy raising the four of them. She was happy to be surrounded by so much family and having Anali around made things easier for their mom.
“I remember that time too,” Aylen said. “It was so nice to be with Anali. I had no idea that mom was taking us there to keep us safe.”
“Yeah,” Echo said. “She thought you both would be well hidden on your grandmother’s land, surrounded by her people. She promised me that she and your Anali would be able to see any danger coming for you before it happened and I knew she’d keep you both safe. I went on the run again and kept my distance but then my pack got a little too close for comfort.”
“They found you?” Kaiah asked.
“No—they found you girls,” Echo said. “They got too close to you both and I had no choice.”
“What did you do?” Aylen asked.
“I contacted a guy I used to know—one of the hunters who tracked me for years and I fed them information about my pack,” Echo whispered.
“You sold out your own kind?” Rios asked. “How could you do that to your brothers?”
“They weren’t my brothers anymore,” Echo admitted. “Try to understand—they were hunting me and my family. Once they started coming for my girls, I had no choice.”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Gray murmured.
“Something like that,” Echo said. “I guess I just chose the lesser of the two evils at the time. But now—they are both coming for you girls and I’m to blame.”
“So, what do we do?” Kaiah whispered. Gray stroked his big hand down her back and pulled her tighter against his body.
“We keep you and Ay safe,” Rios said. “We need to figure out who the biggest threat is and then we’ll handle whoever is coming for you first.”
“Great,” Aylen grumbled. “I’m not sure what I should be hoping for—hunters or our kind to be coming for us. Either way, I think we’re in a no-win situation.” She looked over at Kaiah and gave a weak smile. “Good thing we work well under pressure, Sissy.” Kaiah worried that Aylen was being overly optimistic because neither option seemed to be a good one. Either way—they were going to have to come up with a plan to keep their family safe and they’d need a damn good one judging from the grim look on her father’s face.
