Nimara: Children of the Gods

by Patricia Halladay

  “Ok we need to head out, everyone is ready, either coming home or they have accepted to go with their mate. They will come back to get their stuff when things settle down.” Draven says as he comes out of a mind-link. We start to walk out of Kenneth’s office and down to the main floor. There’s a lot of chatter, Pride members are helping leaders get all their paperwork in order for the council. We walk out the front door and Tania opens a portal into my living room. We say our goodbyes, and then depart. Tania does not come through the portal with us, I figure there is going to be another attack while Draven brings them home. As we step through the portal, alarms go off in my head, there is an attack on the clan now.

  Chapter 12

  ~ Nimue ~

  As quickly as we arrive we are thrown into another attack. I run outside, to see cavern’s closing up with children and women in them. I look to Onyx and he just smiles; I look back to another group and they have collected at a specific spot. A cavern opens, they step in and it closes around them. Onyx is brilliant and created a spell with Tania to have a safe way for our clan to get out of danger. The sun becomes temporarily shaded as hundreds of gargoyles take to the sky with weapons and hundreds more shift into grounders. They too have weapons and take sorcerers, witches and any spell casters or nymphs with them on their backs like teammates. Mac comes running up to me, gives me a quick hug and looks at Bronx and Onyx.

  “You two stay close by her at all times… Especially if Scott goes after someone. He has speed but he isn’t fast enough to be two places at once. Thank you Onyx for putting the caverns in place with Tania before you left, everyone has been training since Sunday in using them. Even the children know what to do if they get separated from their parents. These fuckers just don’t know when to quit.” Then everything goes quiet and the hair stands on the back of my neck. I hear the thunderous sound of paws on the ground. The Royal Elite Guard and Brody come in from the northwest direction and the alarms stop. It was their unannounced arrival that set everything off, but as soon as the alarm stops everyone comes back just as quickly.

  “Brody what the hell? You need to tell us when you’re coming!” Mac says, throwing a shoe at his head. The shoe narrowly misses Brody and nails Gamma Jake square in the chest instead. They made good time for only leaving 20 minutes before I did from Tiger Lily pride.

  “It wasn’t us that set the alarm off Mac, it was the now 15 dead wolves that crossed over before us. All of them were bloodlust and no it wasn’t chemical, seems to me Alpha Nickolas was able to get some help.” Brody says trying to give me a hug but gets growled at instead. He backs up with his hands in the air.

  “Sorry Brody, the guys are extremely protective now that I am carrying our pups, and with the shit Eric is pulling it’s not helping. Scott even let Dexter out when Kenneth helped me off a stool today.” I say giving Brody an apologetic look and he just nods.

  “I totally get that. Kevin was the same when Misha was pregnant too. So, no worries. Nicely done on the quick response by the way Mac. The patrol and gargoyles were there in seconds. They even got to enjoy getting dirty too.” Brody says and winks at Mac, who blushes.

  Mac tells me they keep switching things so Eric and my Uncle can’t use our routines against us to attack. Everyone settles into the constantly changing routine well and all understand it is temporary. She says that since Monday, there has been at least one attack every day and there have been at least 100 rogues leaving their ranks and coming here to us. Taking all the precautions she can, they go to the cells first. They stay there for 48 to 72 hours. Long enough to break their pack bonds. Merlin and other high ranking sorcerers and sorceresses to make sure they are not under any spells, before they are given dens to live in. There have been quite a few changes that I was not expecting in just a few days, but all of them are needed. I am going to miss having Mac here, but she’s going to be so happy and surprised.

  “Hey your back! Missed you girl!” Rilyn says coming to give me a hug and all I hear is “MINE,” damn looks like the sisters will be leaving together. I look over my shoulder and sure enough, it's Jake staring me down. Which earns him a chorus of growls from Bronx, Scott and Brody and a dancing silver chain in front of his face. That snaps him out of his trance really quick.

  “So Rilyn, I take it you will be leaving! Brody would it be best for them to go now or do you want them to stay, just so they are not attacked on the way back to your pack?” I ask and he just looks at me with a huge smile.

  “I think it's best they stay here for now. Then we will not be adding two more to the Memorial Caverns. Speaking of which, thank you Onyx for telling Tia how to do that. She’s still getting a handle on things but doing really well with instruction from Elder Sutherland.” Brody says and then looks at the two girls, “Can you beautiful ladies please show Jake and I to your home? We need to talk to your parents.” I know Mac suspects something she’s eyeing Brody; she can read him like a damn book. They all leave together, and the rest of the guards do the same, they join in conversations with my clan members and gargoyles. Everyone is getting along. Too bad this won’t last because of an impending attack.

  My three mates and I walk back into our home and start to get things arranged. One of the other gargoyles drops off Bronx’s stuff and I take him to a room that he can have as his office/study/wardrobe. I do this with Scott and Onyx too. Onyx does a bit of rearranging of my living den to make my bedroom bigger to accommodate all of us, and I will need a bigger bed. For now, though we just bring in the spare bed and put it beside mine to make it bigger for the four of us. The guys are busy settling in and I head down to make dinner.

  As I am cutting veggies up, I look out the huge floor to ceiling bay window and see the goddess Gaia, and this time I know it's her walking up to my front door and knocks. You would think this is something odd for the gods, but she respects privacy and people’s homes, so she would never just walk in, unlike Hephaestus. I actually don’t mind that he barges in, he will just have to get by Scott now. I open the door and invite her in. This is our usual practice when she has come the last 10 years. Why mess with a good routine. Like always, she makes tea and starts to help me prepare dinner. This is the only time I am civil to her for the sake of my parents.

  “Umm … who are you?” Scott asks, and I can see Dexter starting to come out as he comes down the stairs first.

  “Nimue, come here please, we would be more comfortable with you over here with us.” Onyx says with chains in waiting.

  “I would think they would grow a brain and not use the same trick twice, but we are talking about your Uncle. From what I have heard, he isn’t the brightest person, so yes get your beautiful little ass over here.” Bronx says, taking on a greyish appearance, as he starts to shift too.

  “Onyx, we talked recently, both Selene and I told you to claim my daughter, your true mate now, so put the metal away. Dexter I will spray you with water, like cat owners do to make them stop scratching the furniture and I don’t believe I have met you yet. I am Luna Jessica, or my official title, the goddess Gaia. You would be?” Wait did she just say she was Luna Jessica? How? She can’t be my mom. There is no way, can there?

  “One of my children, dear Gaia. This is Kai or Bronx if you like, Alpha Kai’s godson, and one of your daughter’s three mates.” Hephaestus appears and pops a piece of cucumber in his mouth.

  “Excuse me that is for dinner, stay out of it or I will go Mitchel on your ass!” I say, smacking his hand with a wooden spoon.

  “Ouch, too late you already did you little weasel! I may love you my dear niece, but I will kick your ass when you need it.” Hephaestus says rubbing his hand and earning a very fierce growl from Bronx. “I checked their armory like I said I would and helped correct a few things Kai, so you don’t need to worry about your little mate here. Not that you had to anyways.” He says ignoring Bronx.

  “Wait you asked Hephaestus to check on me and my clan? When? I never saw you ever near the territory, I saw your brother but not you
.” I say looking at Bronx and I am ready to use his proper name to give him shit, but it’s Hephaestus that gets it instead.

  “Geeze someone’s hormonal today!” All three of the guys go wide eyed, now I understand why he’s single.

  “I will give you hormonal Hephaestus. I happen to be pregnant with my first pups, and even in this state I can still kick your ass! So shut it, or get the fuck out, I am not in the mood for peoples shit and that includes you! Do you understand me?” I say walking over and pushing my finger into his chest glaring at him. He backs up behind Gaia pretty quick and the look on her face says forget it I am not saving you.

  “Damn she’s yours through and through, just like you were while pregnant with her. Fuck like mother like daughter.” I growl at Hephaestus and Gaia laughs.

  “You’re going to get your ass handed to you if you don’t keep your mouth shut Hephaestus.” Gaia says shaking her head.

  “Nim, it was me you saw, I was the one that linked with you, not Thane. You saw him after, he was with me. That’s why I was able to get to you so quickly when those rogues attacked on your run. I was keeping an eye on you from a distance. I had heard about you not being able to feel your mates, I take it I wasn’t the only one with this idea, but I didn’t want to force you.” Bronx says, a throat gets cleared and I look over at Gaia. I start questioning her immediately.

  “Do you know why they want me? Do you know why they killed both you and dad? Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, tears start to fall. My own mom stopped me from saving her and dad that night. Why would she do that, it altered my Path of Life.

  “First congratulations on becoming a mother. Second, I knew why I was to leave, but your father was supposed to stay and help you with everything. Even the Sisters of Fate couldn’t tell us why Chronos was sent back, along with Hades, he wasn’t supposed to come either. You already know why I couldn’t tell you. Just like the other gods, I have to obey the will of the Fates. I wouldn’t dare mess with them or their plans. That’s worse than being sent to Tartarus.” Gaia says, making Hephaestus come out from hiding behind her. I need to fill her in on the why, although I am not sure about Hades, I didn’t even know he had been here on earth, instead of the underworld.

  “Uncle Tit figured out who you were, he never knew about dad though. He attacked Grandpa and Gran, destroying their pack shortly after the night he killed you two. He wanted to claim and mate me as soon as I turned 13 and “got” my wolf. Alpha Nickolas, like his father before him, wants me so he can ascend to become a god as my mate. Although I know nothing about why Hades was sent back or who even did it.” I say, her face goes stone cold, I think momma is pissed but I don’t blame her.

  “He was trying to make it easier to get his hands on Nimue, but you and Alpha took care of that beforehand. As to why Chronos and Hades were killed and sent home to the heavens. Hades sent Chronos a message with detailed information against Alpha Timothy, that if he had of done it sooner it would have stopped the attack completely. Hades death was because he knew everything and was going to take it to the council to have Alpha Timothy dealt with. Either way, if that information had of gotten out sooner, this would not have happened or at least Chronos would still be here.” Scott says while he has placed his hand on my stomach knowing it would help me calm down.

  “SELENE!” Gaia roars, soon after there is another knock on the door. I answer it and in comes another woman. She has long white hair like Gaia’s, but she wears a midnight blue dress, and it has what looks like stars on it. Her eyes are silver, she has a heart shaped face, with a button nose and soft pink lips. She looks worried, especially to have Mother Earth roaring for her. “What the fuck do they mean that he killed Chronos to get to Nimue and Hades to keep him from telling the council of his plans? Did you alter the Path of Life set for Nimue?” Gaia says, I can see she is starting to glow and not just her eyes, her whole body. Selene is starting to cower, and then she looks horrified at something behind Gaia. Oh shit, not something but someone. The Sisters of Fate. Either they were listening or figured something out and Selene is in trouble.

  “You have 30 seconds to start talking, or I let the girls start pulling from your memory and it will be anything but pleasant.” Gaia seethes and Selene starts to shake, she is terrified.

  “I am sorry Gaia; I didn’t mean too. I was trying to help create a new bloodline, since the Silver shadow is the only one that can be found. I was trying to help; I made a horrible mistake and it cost Chronos and Hades their time on earth.” Selene says lowering her head.

  “We have found the next Sisters of Fate. So, we wanted to make sure there was nothing in history that will repeat. That’s when we found where Selene made this little mistake that affected the Path of Life. We were going to confront her when everyone in the heavens heard you summon her Gaia.” Lottie says.

  “There’s a new bloodline started already, but not because of Selene’s help.” Hephaestus says stealing another cucumber but moving quick enough I can’t smack his hand again.

  “What? How?” Attie asks, looking a little angry that someone else may have altered their work.

  “Nimue’s three pups are Silver Shadow and the Black Moon Bloodline.” Hephaestus says, everyone’s looking at him and Gaia’s looking at Bronx. I suspect there’s something he didn’t tell me back at Kenneth’s office. I can’t be mad; he’s trying to keep everyone safe.

  “I thought there was something different about you! Now I know what it is, you’re one of the Black Moon children. Who is or was your Father and Mother?” Gaia asks and everyone has turned to Bronx. “King Edward and Queen Nyssa. I have a younger brother also, he’s Morgana’s mate, Thane.”

  “Wait, your Edward and Nyssa’s son? How did we miss that when pairing the 4 of you as mates?” Lash looks at Lottie with a quizzical look. So, they are responsible for the new bloodline.

  “What is so important about who his father and mother were?” Scott says, looking at Bronx. Bronx just shrugs, looks like he doesn’t know either.

  “Both Edward and Nyssa were the last direct descendants to the original seven children. Just like Jessica and Kai were. Just because a god lives within the body, doesn’t mean the ancestry of that body changes. So that means your pups, Thane and Morgana’s fledglings and any others will be the first children of a new bloodline, and their descendants will continue that bloodline.” Attie says, she seems so filled with pride while she looks at me.

  “Then that means there will be a great deal of new children to start this bloodline. All the gargoyles that came with us are all Black Moon and we know where the others are from other species too. Actually, some of them were already here for a few years now. Some of them found their true mate over the last couple of days, even during the chaos at the conference. Still without fledglings, but that will change soon though.” Bronx says going slightly red as I stare at him with deep admiration.

  “I have the MOST AMAZING MATES EVER!” I say totally off topic. I walk over to the guys and hug each of them as tight as they will let me. “The three of you are the best!” I want to do something for each individual to show how much I love them as a group and as individuals. I know how I will, first I need to take care of this shit with the two assholes, and just like that my stomach makes a loud growl.

  “Well then we best let you all have dinner, especially momma here and before Hephaestus eats everything.” Lash says smacking his hand from taking another cucumber slice. They start to leave, Gaia is the last, she walks over giving me a hug.

  “It doesn’t matter if this changes your faith or trust in me Nimue, but at least you won’t make the same mistakes I did when you take my place as Mother Earth. Your father and I love you; I will bring him down when this is all over and the pups are here. I know he would love to meet his grandchildren.” She says giving me a kiss on the forehead and turns to leave, I have tears running down my cheeks. I wanted to have them in my life for so long when they really never left. I grab her hand and when she turns back I hug he
r as tight as I can still crying.

  “I love you mom.” I whisper and I can hear sniffles coming from her also. I let go as I feel her start to fade; she mouths I love you too before she’s completely gone. I feel warm and realize I am in my man wrap again; they seem to just know when I need them. I look down and all three have a hand on my still flat stomach. In a little less than 6 months they will be here, let's hope I am ready for this. I finish making dinner and we sit down to eat. The rest of the night went by with no new attacks.

  Draven and the crew he brought home got here just after 8pm. As soon as I was through the portal there was an attack at Tiger Lily. Draven filled us in on all the information that was obtained. The attack didn’t work out in Alpha Nickolas’s favor though, because as soon as they got close enough to the village, their own wolves started to attack the others. Draven said that Kenneth’s guards didn’t know what to do. Tania placed a spell that would mark friend or foe around the territory, so if it happened again, they knew who to help. In all, out of the 20 or so wolves, 12 of them survived and renounced as soon as it was safe. They were all in their teens, many no longer had family because they were from other packs that Norther Lake and Black Shadow had attacked and forced all survivors into submission.

  Many of the new rogues are going to come over here to our clan, one to see if their mate is here, two to get some time to get themselves back on their feet and three be reunited with family if they have any that Alpha King Brody took out of the dungeons on the two territories. We are going to have more than enough room, as it seems lots of my clan are either finding their mates within Elite Royal Guards or they are finding them within the rogues that are seeking sanctuary here. With so many leaving for the Royal pack, it opens up a lot of living dens.

  The new members are not the only ones that this is a perk for. With each new wolf leaving the two packs, we were getting updated information. With this attack, the numbers have dropped even more. They are down to just over 100, that’s the toughest and most loyal pack members. So, all the assholes I would have loved to kill, before all this shit happened. Yes even at 8 years old there were wolves I wanted to bury my claws into. We also found out bloodlust rogues are attacking Alpha Nickolas and Uncle Tim’s pack also. That accounts for the sudden loss in numbers. One of the new wolves told Kenneth it’s because there is a power shift, they all can feel it and the bloodlust rogues are going after the ones with power to claim for themselves. Great even more power hungry assholes to deal with, just lovely.