by Jade White
“That wasn’t very smart,” Isabel said, rubbing ash off her inked skin. How she could tell whether or not she was clean, was beyond Katherine. “Now was it?” She flicked her hair over her shoulder. Her hazel eyes glowed the same lavender color as her hair.
Katherine got a little closer to her nest. She was the only thing between them and her baby. She wouldn’t let them hurt her child, even if it meant risking her own life. A little help. Katherine asked her phoenix.
Why should I help you? You brought him in here. The phoenix folded its arms across its chest stomping its foot on the ground. It was throwing a tantrum, and Katherine wasn’t too fond of it.
Willow lunged at Katherine, throwing a right hook. She was barely able to respond, blocking the attack and countering with a kick to the stomach. Katherine put her stance up. If they get to the baby, they’ll kill it.
The phoenix squawked in dismay. It stretched its wings out, digging its fingers deep into Katherine’s mind. She felt a surge of heat rush through her veins.
Isabel lashed out at Katherine, kicking her in the face, then the stomach. She’d have to do better than that. Katherine punched her between her eyes, discombobulating her. She stumbled backwards, looking at Katherine in shock and dismay.
“I see they were capable of teaching you a few things,” Willow said, taking one of Isabel’s pistols. She pulled the trigger, shooting Katherine several times.
She didn’t go down. The bullets popped out from her skin, the wounds healing over. The phoenix was finally awakening, and finally taking control. Katherine cracked her neck, first to the left, then to the right. “I see you’re still trying to do things the easy way.”
Katherine lunged, slashing at Willow’s flesh with her claws. She bit her a few times, the taste of coppery blood dancing on her tongue. It sent her into even more of a frenzy. She looked over at Isabel, giving her a bloody smile.
“Now, Kitty,” Isabel said shakily. “Don’t be too brash. You know I bite back.”
Katherine didn’t care. She didn’t care about anything other than protecting her child. She would do that, no matter what the consequences were.
Katherine lunged at Isabel, burying her claws deep inside her chest cavity. She could feel her heart beating in her hands. It gave her powers, and she wanted more. She needed more. Katherine buried her teeth into Isabel’s neck, feeling her hot blood pour down her throat. It was erotic and sensual, lighting her body ablaze. The fire grew, and grew before she finally pulled away from her sister, leaving her heart inside its cavity.
She looked at both of them with glowing red eyes. “I’m tired of both of you pushing me around.” Katherine wiped her mouth with her bloody hands, only smearing the precious life source all over her face. “If you two want to help me, help protect my child.” She was panting as she tried to force the phoenix back into its cage.
“Why would we do that?” Willow said, as her body healed. Slowly.
“Because that is family. Unless you want me to kill you, you will do as I say.” She wiped her hands on her pajama bottoms. It was a shame for her to ruin them. They were her favorite pair that Mason bought for her. Maybe he would buy her more.
“Katherine?” He was standing in the doorway; his eyes were black as night. That color quickly changed when his eyes connected with hers. Mason smiled. “Are you alright?” He stumbled into the room, trying not to trip over her sisters.
“I’m just peachy.” She tried again to wipe her mouth, being successful this time. Katherine turned around and looked inside her nest. The egg was still intact, and the growing fetus was happy. Healthy. That was all that mattered.
Mason wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close. “What do you want me to do about them?”
“If they know what’s good for them, they’ll help protect the baby.” She peered back at Isabel and Willow―over her shoulder. She frowned at them.
Katherine reached down, picking up the egg. She cradled it in her arms, rocking it back and forth. Slowly, the fetus fell asleep, floating closer to hear Katherine’s heartbeat. Katherine had never felt such a simple relief as ensuring a child was asleep. It made her happier than it probably should have.
She looked at Mason, smiling. “It’s asleep.” Slowly, she put the egg back inside the nest. Katherine kissed her hand and put it to the leathery shell. “Good night,” she whispered to it softly.
*
Her sisters were a pain in her ass. As much as Katherine should’ve enjoyed having them around, she didn’t. If anything, she wanted them gone. They were loud and obnoxious. Beyond that they drove her up the wall. Though they were helping Katherine protect her precious cargo, she wanted to kill them repeatedly.
Isabel had already managed to sleep with several of Mason’s friends, repeatedly. Willow had dared to make challenges that she couldn’t hold up against. There girls were rowdy. They broke everything they got their hands on, and managed to steal some of Katherine’s new clothes. It had gotten to the point where Mason had to take her shopping again.
They drank all of the liquor, and destroyed the kitchen way too many times. Eventually Katherine had to treat them like children since they were acting like it. How could she blame them? They were bored.
Everyone had been waiting for a threat that was nowhere to be found. At least one that affected the well-being of her unborn baby. Mason’s biggest concern was the disappearance of the alpha’s challengers. So many men and women were going missing, or turning up dead in a ditch somewhere. Katherine feared that he would soon follow suit. She kept a close eye on him, and everyone in the house.
She could feel herself becoming fiercely protective over her egg. Erik and Torrent offered to watch over the egg so Katherine could get some sleep, and her response was more deadly than it should have been. She nearly took their heads off. They were recovering, slowly, and Katherine’s sisters appeared to be enjoying her newly found strength.
Instead of pushing her around like they normally did, they let her be. They didn’t bother her, and did as Katherine asked. If all it took to get their respect, was for her to have a child, or for her to kick their asses, she would have done it a lot sooner. No phoenix wanted to sleep with Katherine the Disgrace though. How could she blame them? She was very short compared to her sisters, and not as beautiful as them either.
Katherine fidgeted in her seat. Her head had been buried in a book―as usual. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate, it was hard to get past her sisters’ laughter. They were flirting with Torrent and Lucca, who were trying their best not to kill them. Lucca looked like he was already planning on which one to kill first.
Kane was away. No one knew where he was. No one had heard a damn thing from him. He wasn’t in his room, and he wasn’t around the house. They’d checked every corner, crevice and hidden passage. Kane just was not on the property, not even out in the garden.
Eventually everyone gave up the search to find him. He challenged the ruling alpha of the house―Mason―and failed to pose any sort of effort to the challenge. According to what Mason and his friends told her, Kane was nothing more than a lone wolf now. He would be marked with defeat, and he would be casted out of every house and pack. No one would welcome him with open arms, not even his family if he chose to return to them.
“Is this all she does?” Isabel mumbled to Mason. Katherine warned her what would happen if she went near her mate. She wandered if Isabel was only testing the expansion of her patience. She wouldn’t get very far.
Katherine looked back at the two of them. He looked uncomfortable around her sister. Good. At least then she wouldn’t try anything.
“It’s not. She does other things but enjoys learning. Something you and your sister clearly aren’t good at.” Mason messed with some paperwork, trying to get some things in order. Katherine knew he had somewhere to go, but she hoped he wouldn’t leave so soon to get there. “I must go.” He picked the papers up, putting them in a folder. “I will call you on my way home. Okay?”
Katherine put her book down, jumping up to her feet. She looked him up and down. He was dressed properly in a suit and tie. His hair was combed and parted. He looked like a businessman. “How late should I expect you?” She straightened out his tie for him.
“If I’m not killed off like the other challengers, sometime tonight. I might possibly be late if things go on later than they should.” He brushed away a strand of wispy hair from her face, and kissed her forehead.
“We’ll take good care of her,” Willow giggled taking a sip of soda. She was infatuated with the drink, and even more so if there was liquor about in the house. Unfortunately, Willow and Isabel had drunk it all.
“You’re leaving us with the three of them and nothing to take the edge off the misery?” Torrent groaned shaking his head. “No offense Kat.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. This was what a family was supposed to feel like. How a family was supposed to act around each other. As dysfunctional as they all were together, Katherine was very much use to it, and enjoyed the bit of stress and love each man had to bring to the table. This was home, more than her stupid village had been. This was her family, more than her snappy sisters and hardly existent mother ever was. She loved this.
“Tonight,” Katherine repeated back to Mason.
“Tonight,” he reassured her giving her a soft kiss on her lips.
If something were to happen to her mate, Katherine would kill the bastard. She wouldn’t stop herself. She would taste their blood on her lips, and rip apart their still beating hearts―with her teeth.
Katherine watched him walk out of the house, the door closing behind him. She didn’t want him leaving this house, especially after what has been happening to the horde alpha’s challengers. Mason would be picked off just like everyone else, and she would be left for dead. Katherine wasn’t ready to die yet, especially now that she’d have a child soon.
Trying to push off her nerves, she walked up the stairs. As a natural response, everyone followed her. Her phoenix did not like the company, but the more help the better. There was never a time when Katherine didn’t think her child could be in danger, especially with the current events in the shape shifter world.
She unlocked the bedroom door, and pushed it open. Something was off. Something was very off and it irritated Katherine. Something was out of place, and though she couldn’t see it, she could sense it. It made her furious and made her phoenix scream in dismay. Someone or something disrupted her nest, and it was going to feel her wrath.
“What’s wrong with her?” Torrent whispered.
“She’s upset. Can’t you tell?” Willow replied, stepping around Katherine. “Something’s out of place, and she can feel it.” She looked Katherine in the eyes, shaking her head. “Calm down little sister.” She put her hands on Katherine’s shoulders, trying to settle her growing wrath. She wasn’t very successful.
Katherine stormed to the nest, mumbling curses under her breath. She picked apart the nest, tossing broken wood to the side, and scattering burning cinders and ashes in all directions. Someone already started the process, why not finish it?
The egg was gone. There was no trace of it. She wanted to roar with anger, but kept her composure. Slowly, Katherine turned to the group behind her, forcing a smile as she looked at each and every one of them. “Did one of you come in here without me?” A muscle ticked beneath her eye.
They all shook their heads, taking a quick step back. None of them wanted to be near Katherine if she erupted. She would if she didn’t find her egg.
“Someone’s been here.” She turned back around. Katherine hoped that this was just a cruel prank. She hoped that her egg would pop up soon, and that it would be intact, and the fetus would be fine. That’s all she wanted.
Katherine looked around, looking for possible clues. There were none. No one should have been able to get in the room in the first place. She had they key. The only person who was able to get in was Mason, and she already warned him herself about what would happen if he did anything to disrupt the perfect balance of the room.
She took in a deep breath, trying to keep calm. “Was anyone else in this house other than us?”
“No,” Erik replied. “I can assure that.”
“Then where the hell is my egg!” Katherine picked up a piece of wood and chucked it at the group.
“Now, now. You’re being a little ‘rampagey’, honey,” Isabel calmly said.
“Shut up.” Katherine’s eyes looked around the room, trying to find something else out of place. The missing egg wasn’t the only thing that wasn’t right. Something else was off. Something didn’t belong.
She took slow steps towards a bare wall. Katherine ran her hand up and down the ash covered wallpaper, smiling when she found what she needed. She tugged downwards, pulling a man off the wall and onto the floor. Katherine retrieved her egg from his arms.
“Damn, I really didn’t think you would find me,” he said trying to get away from her. His pale eyes and even paler complexion had her smitten.
“What do you want with my child?” Katherine stroked the egg, slowly. She looked him in the eyes, flattening the bottom of her foot onto his chest. Not once did she break eye contact. “Tell me.” She pressed her foot even harder into his chest, feeling his bones cracking from the pressure.
“She’s become a bit of a bad ass, hasn’t she?” Willow whispered to Isabel.
“Almost enough to try and come back, if the tribal master will let her,” Isabel replied.
“That’s the first egg to be born in the last three millenniums,” he stopped, trying to get some air. Katherine pressed her foot even harder into his chest, breaking his sternum. “We don’t know what it can do. Everyone wants to own the child.”
“It’s not meant to be owned. No phoenix is.” Her eyes glowed red. She furthered the damage, shoving her foot through his chest cavity and scattering his heart under her foot.
“Are you sure you’re our sister?” Willow and Isabel asked in unison.
Katherine scowled at the two of them. “If this one was able to get in undetected, there’s bound to be more.” She locked eyes with Erik, Torrent and Lucca. “Can you ensure there’s no one else?”
“Yes, but we have to make sure you’re well-guarded,” Torrent replied. “Mason will have our heads if you get hurt.”
“And I will have your souls if you don’t do as I say.” Her nostrils flared. She watched their expressions grow cold, their skin paling. “Now please, go.” Katherine folded her arms across her chest, waiting for the men to respond.
Erik looked like he was about to say something else, but he simply nodded his head, and ushered the men out of the room. They didn’t look back, they didn’t complain. They just left. Her sisters were impressed, that much she could definitely tell. Willow was the most surprised with her dominance over the men. That would make two of them.
Katherine gave a faint smile at her sisters before returning her attention to her egg. The fetus was sleeping soundly, sucking on its thumb. Its wings were tucked into its back, and its legs were curled into its chest. The sweet cherub was developing beautifully, and Katherine was thankful for that, and even more thankful that no harm came to her baby.
Slowly she rocked the egg back and forth as she walked from the bedroom. Her sisters followed after her, more curious than ever. Katherine admired her child, and the sweetness of its face. She held it even closer as she walked down the flight of stairs and to the living room.
Eat the shell. Her phoenix cooed, looking at the baby through Katherine’s eyes. It gave the child a sweet smile. Help it out.
Katherine sat down on the couch, and did as the phoenix commanded. It knew what was best, and she couldn’t doubt that. She started at where the baby’s head was, digging her claws into the flesh of the egg shell. When she had a substantially sized piece, she shoved it into her mouth.
It tasted sweeter than she thought it would, and reminded her of almost eating a piece of frui
t. The skin blistered and bursted in her mouth, and she was sure it was because of the amniotic fluid coating the egg shell from the inside. She continued on, slowly picking off piece by piece and eating it.
Willow and Isabel couldn’t bear to look at her as she performed the disgusting act. As terrible as it might have looked, Katherine was enjoying it. All of the energy she put into furthering the development of the fetus, and the egg was finally coming back to her. The weakness that she once felt was no longer there, and her powers and strength were being absorbed into her body. She felt reborn.
She finished faster than she thought she would. Her clothes were covered in amniotic fluid and blood. In her arms, she held the baby. Its eyes were closed, and it was still sucking on its thumb. The infant was left undisturbed by the events that just took place, and Katherine was happy about that.
She looked up at her sisters, smiling. They weren’t happy, in fact they looked appalled. “What’s wrong.”
“That was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen,” Isabel said, gagging. She looked as though she tried to look away from the baby, but her eyes were so heavily fixated on the child. It was amazing.
Willow sighed. “I just want to squeeze the cherub.” She took a few steps towards Katherine before stopping.
She checked the baby to make sure everything was okay. There were ten fingers and ten toes. Two hands and arms, and two hands and feet. The baby had freckles that trickled across its face, and a small button nose that scrunched when it yawned. It opened its eyes, stretching. For the first time, Katherine was able to see the orbs. They were shockingly haunting. As blue as they were, clearly they had yet to develop their color, but they would.
Katherine couldn’t help but tickle the baby’s tummy, and the infant giggled with approval. It pulled on its toes, lifting its legs off to reveal a tiny penis that sat perfectly against him. “Oh, my little boy.” She kissed his nose, having to hold back tears. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
He took one of her fingers in his hand, and squeezed it as hard as he could. He was looking at her, smiling. Every part of her body was shaking with utter joy. It was hard to deny, he was perfect, in every way, shape and form. She was crying, uncontrollably.
