Callon stepped up beside me. I glanced over. Everything about him had changed. His posture, normally rigid, was relaxed. He wasn’t quite smiling, but there were no tight lines in his face. Even his hazel eyes had a sparkle to them as he took in the structure. He knew this place, had spent time here.
Colt stepped behind the two of us, his hands resting on our shoulders, drawing us nearer, while Daniel moved in closer to my side.
“We’re home,” Colt said. “No more running.”
With those simple words, a peace I hadn’t felt in a long time seemed to slide over me like a silken veil. We were home, and we weren’t going to run anymore.
Chapter 23
The massive door opened, and Lilly rushed out onto the porch. Joyful tears welled in her eyes. Boots echoed in the open doorway and Dex stepped out, his arm coming around Lilly’s shoulder. Wetness beaded at the back of his eyes as well.
I rushed forward, my emotions building, and threw myself into their arms. Tears poured freely, but I wasn’t sad. I was happy, happy to see them, to be with them…to be home.
“He came back,” I murmured. “We’re home for good.”
Dex and Lilly didn’t speak. They didn’t need to—their tight hold spoke volumes. We were all home now. Callon, Colt, Daniel; everyone. We were a family again, a family that had beaten the odds so far. A family whose love endured, and would hold true—forever.
Dex kissed my head.
“Cheyenne,” Dex’s voice shook. “We may not have understood, but we’ve always been behind you, supporting you, defending you when you couldn’t see it. You are a part of us, Lilly and me, a part that we’ll never let go. You belong to us as we belong to you.”
Lilly sighed, drawing back slightly. Her fingers wiped the tears from my cheeks, and then cupped them.
“And if you don’t stop giving me gray hairs before my time, I’m going to seriously beat your hide!”
A tearful smile grew, and I hugged her again. A shadow lingered behind us, and I drew back, knowing Callon was there. Lilly didn’t hesitate as she reached for him, hugging him close.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Dex sidestepped me and hugged Callon as well. The peace that I’d witnessed in Callon’s eyes earlier had been replaced with love and respect.
“I’m sorry,” Callon said quietly.
“You don’t need to explain, Callon,” Dex replied. “You’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”
Dex patted Callon on his shoulder and drew Lilly back.
“We’ve got a lot to do in a short amount of time,” Dex said. “We could use your help.” He glanced at both Callon and me.
“I’ll do what I can,” Callon replied and reached for my hand. He lifted it and tenderly placed a kiss on my fingers. “As long as Cheyenne is by my side.”
Warmth spread through me, tingling every inch of my skin. It wasn’t from my element. It was from his simple words. He wanted me to participate, to take part in the planning…he still wanted me, regardless of what happened in the past.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I replied. “We’re in this together.” I glanced back at Colt and Daniel. “All of us.”
Colt stepped forward, his arm coming around my shoulder, pulling me towards the cabin.
“Come on,” he said. “There’s more to show you before we get started.”
We crossed over the threshold and were greeted by a stacked stone wall, dividing the entry two ways. To our right was a hall leading to what appeared to be a stairwell and then a kitchen. We swerved to the left, and once past the thick stone wall, we entered a great room that contained several cozy sitting areas, a dining area, and a wall of windows with French doors leading out onto a large stone patio. A lake lay in the distance.
Antiqued bronze-stained hardwoods absorbed the light streaming through the wall of windows. Aged, darkened timbers acted as beams running the length of the ceiling, while warm neutral tones gave a calming appearance to the walls.
The large stacked stone fireplace running from floor to ceiling took center stage in the room. Dark brown leather furniture created a cozy sitting area nearby; with a red and brown wool rug beneath it. Soft browns, tans, and red pillows rested on the couch. It reminded me of the original cabin I’d stayed in, only on a grander scale.
The warmth from the fire reached me, making me want to curl up beside it and forget about all that was about to transpire, but that wasn’t a luxury anymore. A war was being waged, and we were about to get deeper in battle, a battle that would change us all.
I glanced around. I’d have thought with all the cars and trucks parked out front, the place would be packed.
“Where is everyone?” I asked.
“Out scouting for the time being,” Dex replied. “They’ll be back within the hour.”
Dex, Lilly, Callon, and Daniel moved towards the fireplace, talking quietly as Colt led me on.
“Let me show you the rest before they return,” Colt said, looking down on me with his icy blue eyes.
I nodded, and decided for right now I’d just take in all that he was willing to share with me. It’d been too long since I could just enjoy the moment, even if it was only a temporary reprieve.
He gestured me to follow, and we passed the massive dining room table and through a swinging door. We stopped in what I would consider a gourmet kitchen. Aged cream-colored cabinets and black granite countertops set off the professional six-burner stainless steel stove, fridge, and two dishwashers. In the far corner, a breakfast nook was tucked beside a large picture window.
When Colt said it had been remodeled, this wasn’t what I’d expected.
We passed through the long corridor that I’d seen when we entered. He stopped and opened the first door on our left. I peeked through it to see a four-car garage filled with cars and a woodworking bench in the dim light. I moved closer, my eyes catching sight of a familiar black vehicle…my Camaro.
“Is that my car?” I asked and looked up.
He nodded.
I leaned on the doorframe, slightly baffled.
“Whose house is this, Colt?”
A warm smile spread over his face. “Mine.” He grasped both my hands. “I’ve been wanting to share it with you for a long time, but I couldn’t till now.”
My mind began to whirl. “You mean this whole time we were at the other cabin, this was just miles away?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t we ever stay here?”
“It was easier to protect you at the other cabin. Smaller space, less distance between us. This house has too many rooms. It would’ve been a nightmare.”
I looked down at the aged wood. It would’ve been impossible to keep track of things here if we’d been attacked.
“There’s just a little bit more, if you still want to see it.”
“Sure.”
We continued down the hall and turned left, heading up a flight of stairs. Two doors sat on the left, and two on the right. A small landing at the top had two large windows. A leather club chair and a small table with a light looked like a cozy reading spot.
“This is the north wing.” He gestured to the doors. “Just your basic bedrooms with private baths.”
I lifted a brow.
“Right, like everyone has one,” I said.
He chuckled.
“Come on, the south wing is fairly similar.”
We walked down the wooden stairs lined with a runner and headed back towards the front entry. Just to our left, he pointed behind the entry door.
‘”Right there is a small office.” I followed behind him as we then stopped at another set of stairs. “This is the south wing. Three bedrooms upstairs, the south bedroom being a larger suite with a fireplace.” He hesitated. “We can go up if you want.”
“It’s okay,” I replied. “I’ll check them out later.”
“One last room to show you.”
“Okay.”
I again followed behind him as we came to th
e end of the hall, just off the great room. He opened a large wood-paneled door and ushered me in.
The same neutral paint tones prevailed, along with white wood molding running three quarters of the way up the wall. A large canopy bed, with a shimmering light blue satin comforter was in the center, with a stone fireplace on the adjacent wall. I looked down as I stepped onto an oversized cream-colored wool area rug sprinkled with blue and tan damask designs.
Gray light streamed though a patio door that led out to the terrace. Two upholstered French-looking chairs sat in front of the fireplace with a blanket draped over the back of one.
Colt opened another door, leading me into the master bath. I feasted my eyes on warm, rich wood tones with antique cabinetry and granite counters. A large soaker tub sat underneath a frosted glass window, and on the wall opposite was a walk-in shower with soft tumbled natural stones. Just beyond the shower was a closet bigger than my bedroom in Idaho.
I stepped inside and moved towards a familiar looking sweater. I glanced down. Shoes, my shoes were here. I looked back up and around. My clothes were here too.
“These are mine?” I questioned, even though I knew.
“Yes, Andre and Bree moved them over for me once they knew we were coming back.”
“Ah.”
Voices echoed in the great room, and I gave a faint smile. The rest of the family had returned…all but Skylar. My smile quickly faded.
“Don’t, Cheyenne,” Colt said, pulling my chin up to face him. “Don’t put that burden on your shoulders.”
I knew I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t help but bear my part of the burden. If I hadn’t left, if I hadn’t allowed Marcus to use me, Skylar might still be alive.
“I love you,” Colt reminded me. “Your family loves you. We all share in this burden. We all willingly took risks, knew what the possible outcome might be.”
A tear slid down my cheek, and I pressed my eyes closed. I knew they had taken the risk just the same as me, but I never wanted any of them to suffer, or die.
Soft fingers wiped the tears from my cheeks, and warm lips touched my forehead. Strong arms drew me into a broad chest, and Colt’s love completely embraced me. He rested his chin on my head.
“We need to go greet everyone,” he finally said. “They want to see you.”
I sighed and stepped back, keeping my gaze down. I followed behind Colt as we returned to the great room. The voices grew quiet as they heard our approach. We stopped just inside the great room, behind a blue upholstered chair.
I swallowed and looked up. The entire family was here…minus Skylar. I couldn’t help myself as the emotions of seeing everyone again flooded me. My eyes watered, and my mouth couldn’t utter a single word.
Andre pushed her way to the front, and stopped an arm’s length away.
“You’re a mess,” she said, as she looked me over, placing a hand on her hip. A small grin grew. “I’d have thought Nakari would’ve taken better care of you, but you can’t trust that girl for anything.”
She took another step forward and didn’t hesitate in hugging me.
“I missed you,” she said, “and if you ever make a stupid move like that again, I’m personally going to kick your…”
“I got it,” I said.
“You scared the crap out of me, Cheyenne.”
“Sorry,” I whispered. “It wasn’t a cake walk for me either.”
She pulled back, brushing her long ebony hair behind her ear. She blinked, trying to clear her misty eyes, and then looked away, trying to hide it. A tall, dark shadow lingered behind her, a shadow I knew too well, Maes.
He gently moved Andre aside, his jade-rimmed eyes focused, but not hard.
“At times like these, I see so much of your mother in you,” Maes said, his accent thickening. “And at time like this I see your father, mon espoir.”
My breath caught. He hadn’t called me his hope since I’d married Marcus…
“Do you mean that?” I whispered, tears forming.
“Yes, I mean every word.”
I didn’t wait for Maes to move; instead I thrust myself into his chest and threw my arms around his waist. His bulky arms came around me and he held me just as tight.
“I owe you a great deal,” he said.
I stepped back, unsure what he meant.
“You saved my brother, a debt I can never repay.”
I stilled, and Maes stepped back. The man I’d come to know with the strip of white hair above his forehead was standing there. Shad…
No one spoke as Shad’s amber-rimmed eyes met mine. The strained smiles I knew, the harsh lines on his face, the arrogance in his gaze, were all gone, replaced instead with gratitude and awareness.
“Thank you for giving me a second chance, Cheyenne. You are mon espoir as well.”
I nodded and glanced around the room. Koda, Clayton, Brogan, and Layla stood behind the leather couch with Daniel and Bree. Jahlem and Darrien had placed themselves near the fireplace, on the edge of our family circle. Dex and Lilly had moved beside Jahlem, and Callon stepped in beside me with Nakari. Colt’s hand rested on my shoulder, giving me support.
Brogan’s gaze focused on me, and I swallowed. The last words I’d heard him say were that I’d killed Daniel, and I’d thought they were true. He’d been harsh on me, angry, judgmental…was he still? Had I moved up from being pond scum?
He made his way toward me, and my heart began to race. I stepped back, running into Colt’s chest. Callon moved closer.
Brogan stopped, his harsh gaze meeting Colt and Callon’s, before falling to me.
“We’ve had our differences, princess.” He paused. Layla stepped beside Brogan, touching his elbow. “And I know I’ve been harsh, and what some would call cruel.” He glanced around. “But I’m sorry for doubting you and for hurting you with my harsh words. I’ve only realized now how much damage I may have caused. Mistakes were made and well…I put a period ending your life story when you married Marcus, a period when I should have placed a comma.” He stopped as if he was unable to say the words, waiting to see my reaction before continuing on. “I won’t ever coddle you on the battlefield, and I won’t praise you for things that you should already be doing. I push to make you better; I criticize to make you harder. I do it because I know you’re capable of so much more than you can imagine. I know this because I’ve seen it firsthand.”
I stood riveted, unable to reply. Brogan had been rough and hurt me deeply, but he hadn’t said anything that I hadn’t thought about myself. And had he just given me a compliment of sorts? He believed in me…
“Speechless, huh?” he snorted and winked at Layla. “I told you I still had that effect on women.”
Layla elbowed him, giving me a soft smile.
“We’re proud of you, Cheyenne,” Layla said sweetly. “Regardless of what’s happened, we stand behind you, ready to battle with you—together.”
“Thank you,” I said, finally mustering the words to speak.
She leaned in and hugged me, placing a soft kiss on my cheek.
“Brogan’s like the overbearing brother,” she whispered. “He just wants to see you succeed. And you have to love him even when he’s a jerk!”
Koda moved closer, as Layla stepped back. His eyes held a brightness I hadn’t seen before...they were filled with hope.
“I hear we owe thanks to Jahlem and Darrien,” Koda said, glancing over at them. “Also heard it was a rough ride back.”
I sighed and looked down, knowing he was addressing the elephant in the room.
“What happened with Skylar,” he said, reaching for my hand. “He knew the risk going into this—we all did—but he didn’t die in vain. He knew there was a greater purpose, and he sacrificed to get us there—to get you here.”
Koda’s warm fingers tilted my chin up.
“He asked to go with Nakari to help you. This was his choice. He believed in you, Cheyenne. He believed that you’d be the one who could defeat Marcus, and I believe it too.�
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Tears I fought to hold back beaded in my eyes.
“We believe in you too,” Bree said, moving next to Koda.
“And I do too,” Clayton said, standing behind Bree.
I reached for Clayton’s hand, knowing how close he and Skylar were. He gave a faint nod before Brogan ended the moment.
“Blah, blah, blah,” Brogan grumbled. “Now let’s move past this and figure out what the hell we’re up against.”
Layla elbowed him in the stomach, but I caught the faint smile he gave me.
My family was back.
We moved into the dining room, where Dex spread out what appeared to be several maps. We circled the large table, Callon moving beside Dex, while Colt stayed at my side.
“From what Nakari told me,” Dex began, “Marcus is coming into our backyard for this fight.” His eyes focused. “Nakari couldn’t have played it any better. We have the advantage here.”
Callon leaned over the map, pointing to what looked like mountain ranges.
“This is about a day’s ride from here, in good weather conditions. We’ve got one pass to cross, and the snow’s deepening.” He glanced around. “If we can stay atop the ridge here,” he circled his finger on the map, “we have the advantage of not only seeing them coming, but they’d have to battle us uphill.”
“That’s assuming they come from the north, Callon,” Brogan said. “What if he comes from the east, like us?”
“There’s a canyon, here,” Colt’s finger traced the paper, just beside the mountain ranges Callon had originally pointed to. “It’s only about fifty miles west of where Callon suggested we head.”
“So we’d skip the mountain pass?” I asked.
“Too risky,” Callon replied, not answering my question. “If he beats us there, we’ll be sitting ducks.”
“But if we beat him there,” Koda said scratching his chin, “then he’ll be the one who’s vulnerable.”
I studied the map, trying to make sense of it. Both Callon and Colt knew the area better than I did, which was to their advantage. But I didn’t like either idea. Crossing a mountain pass this time of year with all the snow and chance of avalanches…Timeless or not, it would be a hard trek. Our horses would be worn out before we even arrived, and not everyone had internal heat like me.
Awakening: A Timeless Series Novel, Book Four Page 30
