I tried to thank him, and he pushed me... It had been nothing, really. Raze had done so much worse for less.
Scowling, Reed tipped his chin up. "No. He's an asshole. Fuck him."
With that, he marched out of the kitchen and made for the stairs.
"Hey!" Loren called, cutting him off. "There you are. I wanted to introduce you to someone."
Reed slid his attention to a small male behind Loren. He was wearing a straw farmer's hat that made him look liked he'd just walked off the set of a movie. His attention was sling-shoting around the mansion, as if this were the first time he'd been here.
"This is Javi," Loren said, urging the shifter in front. "Javi, this is Reed."
"Hola," Javi said softly, his eyes on the floor. "Nice to meet you."
"Same," Reed muttered, not meaning it. He was angry and he didn't know why. He needed to be alone with his volatile thoughts. "I'm going to--"
"Our cows are pregnant and while Javi does a great job of taking care of our livestock, he's going to need some help. I really think you're the best guy for the job, Reed." Loren smiled warmly. "Javi will teach you everything you need to know, don't worry."
"Um, okay," he said and sighed in resignation. Loren was always giving him odd jobs to do and he didn't mind. Sanctuary was a nice enough place to live and he liked contributing. Normally he swept and mopped the enormous amount of floor space or changed the garbage can liners.
"Great!" Loren shouted. He cleared his throat. "I'll leave you two to it, then."
With that, the omega was gone, leaving Reed and Javi trading unsure looks with each other. Finally, Javi said lowly, "I should probably show you around."
"Sure."
Javi offered him a clumsy smile and made for the back door. Sighing, Reed followed, conceding that it was probably best he wasn't left alone with his thoughts. Who knew where they'd take him?
Chapter 8
Crixen let go of a big breath as he sat back in his office chair. He was so painfully bored that he'd taken a clipper to his hair and shorn the locks off. His hair had grown too long anyway. Running his hand over the prickly hairs, he rolled his head against the backrest of his chair.
The world was quiet as of late, the supernatural creatures behaving themselves, leaving him with little to do. The few teams that he had off in the various parts of the globe hadn't reported much. Any other time, he'd take it as a good thing, but he found himself wanting to fight. There had been reports of a vampire coven in Mexico and he was tempted to fly down there and murder some bloodsuckers.
No, what he needed was a good workout. Having spent his days babysitting Reed at Sanctuary, hadn't given him much time to hit the gym. He needed to correct that. His body had to be in peek shape so that when a situation did arise, he'd be ready.
Living in the Magistrate's Keep could be mind-numbing sometimes. When he wasn't attending to business, there wasn't a whole lot to do besides workout. The few males that lived here were occupied with their own work and Mags himself was often out, doing whatever he did.
Crixen came to stand in front of a plain white wall and traced a rune with his finger. The magic that filled the Keep was far beyond what he'd ever experienced. The wall rippled like water and showed him the outside. Mags had built his Keep under the waters of Lake Michigan and it was completely invisible to humans, cloaked by magic. He couldn't see much this deep, the murky waters dim, but he liked the view. Sometimes a fish swam by, but mostly crustaceans and slugs crawled across the window.
He tapped on the glass where a crayfish sat, it's beady black eyes seeming to stare at him.
"Okay, what's on your mind?"
Crixen looked to his brother by blood, Vandal. The alpha's stark white hair was loose today, signaling it was a day of rest for him. Despite being twins, they were complete opposites. Where Crixen was hard and humorless, Vandal was calm and prone to finding the light in the dark. He was also a bit of a genius. Mags had given him the job of record-keeping and the shifter seemed to love all the dust and long hours of writing longhand. Crixen needed action, he needed blood and gore and the wonderful feeling that revenge brought. His brother meanwhile was perfectly content to watch the world pass from the safety of his study.
"You don't mull over things often, but when you do, you like to stare out the window," Vandal said.
"Maybe I just like the view," he countered.
"Baloney." His brother took a seat and propped one leg on the other. His pale gray eyes darted all over Crixen. "Something go down that I'm not aware of?"
Where Crixen handled the hack and slash, his brother saw to records and lore-keeping and anything that required a closer look. He was and foremost a scribe, keeping the race's history. He was also a very talented spell-crafter. All the attention to detail had left him sharp. He always seemed to know when something was bothering Crixen, whether it be the need to satiate his vengeance or something deeper. They might be the complete opposite of each other, but they were connected.
"I'm fine," Crixen lied, knowing his brother would detect the fib.
"You know you can't lie to me."
"It's not something I want to talk about right now." He tapped on the glass again and the crayfish moved an inch, it's feelers swaying in the water.
"So, it's not work related," Vandal deduced.
Crixen rolled his eyes. Vandal was too damned keen. He'd always loved the male and if it weren't for his bookworm brother, he wouldn't be where he was today--High Guard of the Ro'an, and defender of the race. His training master had given him the tools to fight, but Vandal had given him a purpose beyond revenge. Just as he'd shielded Vandal from the sight of their parents being murdered, he'd protect him from any blade or claws.
"Does it have anything to do with the wildblood pack you decimated?"
Putting it like that made Crixen wince. At the time, he'd loved dismantling that pack and hunting the bastards down. Before Reed, he hadn't thought of them as anything but beasts. Prey. An opportunity to affix his Band-aid. Reed was making him rethink everything, which in turn pissed him off.
"Something like that," he answered honestly.
Vandal was quiet for a long moment, his gaze on the floor. When he got into one of his contemplative moods he could sit for hours in the same spot. It was just another thing that separated them. Crixen craved action, while Vandal was content with quiet time.
"The two young alphas you captured have been sent to the laboratory and will be made use of," he said at last. "Raze is currently being interrogated. The omega you captured seems to be adjusting to civilized life rather well. I would think the raid a success."
"Have you figured out who he is?" Crixen interjected, hating that he was so interested in Reed.
"I've been scouring reports of missing omegas, starting in Canada and the States. So far, nothing. I'll expand my search, but it's possible he wasn't reported missing."
"So that's a big fat no," Crixen grumbled.
Vandal shrugged. "In any case, as I informed Mags, I don't believe he is a danger to anyone. But you would know best. I haven't seen your report regarding the omega."
"You and your paperwork." He rolled his eyes good-naturedly.
"You and your aversion to paperwork," he bit back and rose to his feet. "If you ever do want to talk about it, you know where to find me. I'm a better listener."
His brother left him to stare at the window. Reed. He had to have family somewhere. Crixen guessed Raze had wiped out his pack, taking Reed for future breeding purposes. But that could be neither confirmed nor denied. The two young alphas that had been captured with Reed were feral and unable to speak, but at least they would contribute something in their pointless lives. Mags had ordered them to be sent to Braun for experimentation. Braun and his colleagues had been researching an antidote for bane, a deadly poison that was routinely used against shifters by their enemies.
His phone rang and Rex's name flashed across the screen. He answered.
"Hey, you at Mag's place
?" Rex inquired.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Nothing serious, just wanted to update you with Reed," the male said, a note of hesitation in his tone.
"Is he purposely annoying you now?" Crixen said, hiding his amusement.
"Nah. Loren is keeping him busy. Set him up with Javi to help with the calves."
"Who?"
"One of the omegas. He keeps out of sight. Anyway, everything is going good with Reed. No major updates."
"Then why are you calling?"
"Because, he wanted to go to the library to get new books."
"He's done with them already?" He couldn't help thinking that Vandal would love Reed.
"That's what I said. In any case, he wants to go back to the library."
"Have Loren take him or something."
"He wants you," Rex countered.
Crixen moved his mouth like a fish for a moment. Why the hell would Reed want him? Oh wait, so he can taunt me further. "He said that?"
"No, not aloud, but it was evident from his disappointment when I informed him that you have returned to the Keep."
"I don't... You must have misread things."
Rex blew out a breath. "Look at things from his point of view. He went through hell under Raze's rule. You rescued him from that life. Gave him a warm place to sleep, and all the food and quiet he could want. You took him shopping and went through the trouble of getting a library card for him. Then you drop off the radar without so much as an explanation. He's an omega, Crix. You can't do things like that. It messes with their heads."
"Are you saying he has a crush on me?" He scoffed. It was ludicrous.
"Likely. Or he sees you as an annoying, hoovering big brother. Doesn't matter which one," Rex said. "He might act tough, but he went through a lot, and latching onto the closest thing happens in times of stress."
Crixen had considered the hell Reed had gone through, but he couldn't imagine the omega looking to him for protection and comfort. His wolf whimpered. Protect. Comfort. The thoughts were simplistic but no less potent. It was exactly why he needed to stay away. He'd seen many great warriors fall for omegas before. Eventually they retired, mated and had pups. They'd ceased to remain deadly killing machines. He wouldn't let that happen to himself. There would always be vampires out there that needed murdering.
"In any case, I think you should be the one to take him. That's my report. I'm making Grecian-style steak tomorrow with potato medallions and lemon rice, so drop on by if you'd like."
Crixen simply hung up, unable to respond. Reed had a crush on him? He frowned, not sure how to take that. That part of him that seemed to be growing lately, perked up.
He has a crush on me.
Chapter 9
Reed ran his palm along the cow's coarse fur and over her prominent hip bones. The bovine seemed bigger up close, their bulk evident. But they were gentle creatures. He found that he enjoyed being around them. In his former life, he had cared for elk and found that he missed the responsibility.
"Here," Javi said and took Reed's hand gently. He guided him lower to the animal's side. The calf moved under their palms, drawing a smile from Reed.
"She's close to dropping," Javi said and patted the cow's neck. "A few more weeks maybe."
"How many are we expecting?" He inquired. The barn was filled with eight cows, all mooing happily and chomping on hay.
"Three. Some of our girls are getting up there," Javi said. "These calves are to be the new crop. We occasionally trade with local farms for stuff we need. If the girls drop bulls, we've decided to send them to a breeding farm. They will live out their days making more calves."
"I haven't seen you around before," Reed blurted, curious about the omega he'd spent the last two days with. The guy practically lived, slept and ate in the barn with his bovine friends.
The omega shrugged. "I like to keep to myself. Too much commotion, too many alphas."
"I know what you mean," he muttered, totally getting wanting to be alone. "So, you just hang out in the barn all day taking care of the cows?"
"And the chickens. And the goats. Someone has to and I like it." He offered the cow a sprig of grass and she took it from him. "It makes me feel useful."
"Have you been at Sanctuary long?"
"A few years," Javi said, watching his hand skimming across the cow's side.
Reed nodded slowly. "No family?"
The omega was quiet for a long while, seemingly mesmerized as he petted the animal.
"Me neither," Reed blew out. "Not really."
Javi looked to him. "I'll show you where everything is at so when it comes time, you'll know where to go and what to do. They're going to be giving birth around the same time and if we're extremely unlucky, the calves will come back to back. We just want to be ready if something goes wrong."
Reed followed as Javi showed him where everything was. He was very detailed and stern when it came to caring for the animals. It was strange because he hadn't once looked at Reed in the eye. It wasn't uncommon for an omega to show respect toward an alpha by avoiding eye contact, but between them, it made no sense. In any case, Reed found that he enjoyed his time with Javi. He needed to rejoin society eventually.
They returned to the barn to find Crixen standing there, looking way too good for Reed's liking. He'd cut his hair, the short locks making him look even more badass. He was dressed as he always was--black on black on black. He noted the absence of Crixen's weapons.
"I'll talk to you later," Javi murmured and quickly retreated.
"What are you doing here?" Reed snapped, upset that he'd scared Javi away. He lowered his tone. "He doesn't like alphas. That's why they don't come here, and why he stays away from the mansion."
The warrior offered him a bored look. "You need a lift to the library, do you not?"
Reed was caught off guard and moved his mouth like a fish. "Rex will take me. Or Loren."
"The library card is in my name."
"They can get one," Reed countered. He wanted to go find Javi and make sure he was okay. Loren hadn't told him much except that he'd had a bad encounter with an alpha that had left him distrustful. Reed guessed that was why Loren had introduced them. At first, he'd been defiant about Loren's attempt to get him to socialize, but after spending a little time with Javi, he could see the omega as the little brother he never had but always wanted.
Crixen's jaw worked as if he were gritting his teeth, his expression thoughtful. "You make a big deal about visiting the library. I go through the trouble of getting a card so you can check out books. When I take time out of my very important day to drive you to the library--which is a good twenty minutes away--so you can get new books, you don't want to go?" He took a step forward. "Do I have to explain to you just how important my work is?"
Reed was at a loss for words.
Crixen turned on his boots and started walking, giving Reed a view of his tight butt, cupped by denim. He stopped and looked back. "Well? Do you want to go or not? I won't ask again."
"Fine," Reed managed.
He couldn't stop looking at the alpha as they walked through the long grass and toward the mansion. He'd seemed bigger than Reed remembered, though it had only been a few days since he'd left.
Reed retrieved the stack of books he'd left on the table in the foyer while Crixen waited for him in the courtyard. The alpha was quiet as Reed slipped into the passenger's side seat of his SUV. As they headed toward town, Reed couldn't stop throwing glances at him. He couldn't fathom this hardened warrior taking time out of his day just to drive a civilian omega to the library. He supposed Rex or Loren had guilted him, or something...
"Loren tells me he assigned you to the care of Sanctuary's livestock," Crixen said.
"Uh, yeah... the cows are dropping calves soon." After a moment, he added, "They're to be the new crop. The others are getting old. So, Javi is going to need some help when they come."
Crixen said nothing, just stared at the road in front of him and giving nothing
away to as what he was thinking.
Not recognizing the surroundings, Reed asked, "Where are we?"
"I have a better idea," Crixen said, taking a ramp onto a highway.
Reed threw him a curious brow, but the alpha said no more. Sitting back in his seat, he watched the world zip by. They passed through towns and farmland until skyscrapers emerged from the haze in the east.
"Is that... Springfield?"
"Chicago." Crixen threw him a quick, speculative look.
"Can we see the lake?" He asked before he could stop himself. He'd never seen the Great Lakes before.
"We're not going that far." Crixen pulled off the highway and onto a street.
They were in a suburb of sort. Nice houses interrupted thick trees and baskets of flowers hung from lampposts. In the height of summer, kids were out riding bikes and enjoying ice cream. Crixen made several more turns and the trees all but disappeared, leaving them in the middle of a human community of shops and restaurants and busy streets. They entered what appeared to be a mall of sorts, various businesses sitting next to one another in a neat row.
Reed gasped and sat forward as he spotted a shop called "The Bookworm's Emporium".
Crixen pulled into a parking space and killed the engine. He followed as the alpha got out, momentarily entranced by the activity and denseness of the area. Realizing Crixen was heading for the bookstore, Reed ran to catch up to him.
He looked at the warrior, not understanding a thing about this confusing alpha. "But I don't have any money."
"Lucky for you, the Magistrate outfits the Ro'an with high-limit credit cards," he said. Reed was sure he hinted a note of amusement there, but he couldn't be sure.
A magical world opened before him as a set of automatic doors slid to the side. He gaped at the brightness, and the sheer size of the place, books lining every shelf for what seemed like miles. His heart pounded hard with a real, honest excitement he'd not experienced for a very long time. It was hope, hope that he had a life to look forward to.
Crixen glanced at the timeclock on his phone. "You have two hours."
To Take and Hold(Omegaverse Shifter Romance) (shifter fever Book 2) Page 4
