by Trina Bates
Merrick's words leave me speechless, I don’t even have the words to say, thanks, or bye, before I feel him leave my mind.
Sitting on the edge of my small childhood bed, I stare at the wall ahead, mouth hanging open and agonizing over every scenario that’s rushing through my mind.
How the fuck do I even know where to start with this shit, how can I not be there for her, what if Alastor comes, what if something happens to any of them before I figure this out? Can I figure this out?
The door buzzer downstairs rings and brings me out of those thoughts, I stand up with one brow pulled down wonder who the hell that could be, anyone I know would just teleport in. I walk down the stairs and look through the scanner. My gut twists and turns as the anger inside of me rises. I punch the scanner and swing open the door coming face to face with one of the men that abandoned me.
Rial. My fucking father. His white streaked black hair of the same length as mine and even his eyes are a reminder of how much I look like him.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I growl at him, having a hard time keeping a grip on my anger as I squeeze my fists trying to keep them from hitting him.
“I was called. I know what’s going on with you,” he says, his voice devoid of emotion. His strong speech, with his light accent, so familiar and something I dreamed of hearing for so long as a child, it twists my heart and I hold back from throwing myself into his arms like a little boy, like the little boy he threw away.
“You were called, so NOW you decide to show up? After you fucking abandoned me, left me in the streets like trash. How fucking perfect.”
Merrick, you son of a bitch. You’re lucky I’m not there or I would be beating the fuck out of you again for this.
“I looked for you for years Rhett, years. After me and your other fathers left, yes I did take time away, but I had no idea you were left completely alone. They told me that they would watch over you and then one by one they were all gone, in the winds and I searched for you. The Conclave didn’t know anything about you, driving endlessly through every street and alley alike, there was no sign of you. I came back here every few months and stopped when I saw that the inside what covered in sheets. That’s when I signed the deed over to you. How do you think that happened? I just wanted you to have somewhere to go.” The tears in his eyes make me want to believe him, but the hate that has been there for so long is winning over.
“You didn’t look hard enough. You shouldn’t have even had to look. You shouldn’t have let what happened to me, happen. You weren’t the only one hurting! I lost my mother, my sister and all of my fathers in one fucking night, I was just a child!” I scream at him, in my anger the spittle flies from my face and into his own. He’s shorter than I remember or maybe I’ve just gotten that much taller, but he looks like he doesn’t eat enough, looking closer, his hair is thinning out and he looks all around like a broken man with nothing to keep him here.
“You might not want me here, and we don’t have to continue to see each other after this, but I do know what’s wrong with you and it’s going to take a lot to fix. Will you let me help you with that, and then we can see what happens after?” he asks me, his eyes full of hope but his shoulders are slumped, like he knows my answer will be no.
This isn’t just about me anymore, this is about my woman, my daughter, and my brothers. My family that I WON’T leave behind. Not like he did.
“What’s wrong with me then?” I ask, walking away from the doorway, leaving it open so he can come in.
“You’re mother made a deal with the devil, literally, on her deathbed. She tried to save your sister, but she was already gone, and so the deal was made, and it had to be met out,” he answers like there’s nothing wrong with what she did.
“WHAT?!” I shout, turning quickly on my heels, watching the way his eyes turned from hesitancy to fear. “How could you let her do that?! Why the hell didn’t you stop her, you know what happens with shit like that, better than anyone!” I seethe, watching his shoulders drop once more as he takes a step away from me, bumping into the small, still covered table.
“I do, but we also can’t stop deals like that, not a death deal. Her soul for her child’s, and her power to be given to that child,” he says with misery.
“I don’t have her fucking power. I have my own. What about my sister’s soul and hers? Where the fuck did those go?!” I question, my anger apparent as I near growl at him, my eyes trained on him so hard, I’m surprised he doesn’t have a hole in his head. My hands hurt from how hard I am fisting them, letting them go, my fingers tingle and I can’t feel much which only adds to my frustrations.
“Rhett, you were dying, or do you not remember how sick you were? Your magic was so great, even as a child, that we had to bind you. It was literally too much and was poisoning your body. We were going to have to take you back to our own Realm if things didn’t change, but if we did, you would have been taken away, put into the trials and been placed under the Triune’s thumb. Never having a choice, and most likely being killed in one of their nonsensical battles they wage.” My father says, his ire seeping through and I can tell how much they hate their world, though I do wish I had the chance to see for myself.
“No, I don’t remember any of that. It still doesn’t explain the soul part. Where did both of their souls go? I wasn’t fucking dead,” I tell him getting more frustrated, I run my hand through my hair, unable to keep still.
What he’s saying isn’t even telling me what the fuck is wrong either. Just that my mother fucked up and made a deal with the devil himself.
“I don’t know that, what I do know, it that you got better, and your powers have increased tenfold, but you are still bound and that is why you are the way you are. It’s once again poisoning you because you can’t and haven’t accessed it all. It’s angry, needing an outlet. I can help you unbind it, but it will not be easy. I am all that is left of your fathers. Kane, Bennet, and Yaro are all dead. The pain was too much to bear. Bennet went on a drinking binge with some of his Hollow friends and they shot and killed him in the alley; Yaro and Kane went together, stabbing each other in the hearts with your mother’s spelled blades. I knew you were still out here, and once I help you, if you don’t want me around, I will find a way to end my own life as well. It isn’t worth living without love in your life, or in your heart,” he says, his voice barely a whisper as he looks to the ground, letting a tear fall that I hadn’t noticed before.
My heart flips in my chest, beating wildly. There’s so much information that I don’t know what areas to look and first. If Mira can forgive her mother after what she did, I hope I can too. It will just take more time. But, I want to get back to her more than anything, so I put aside the thoughts of my other fathers passing, and nod my head, “I want to release it. I have to. My mate is about to give birth and I have to be there.” When I say those words to him, his head shoots up and he has a sad smile on his face, but his eyes are full of joy.
“You’re going to be a father?! I...I am so happy and proud of you. Is she, is she, and Other, like us?” he asks with trepidation.
I laugh and shake my head thinking of everything that’s happened. “In short, she is like us, but there is a long story behind that, one we don’t have time for. I need to get this done, now.” When I say the words, something in me snaps together, feeling whole again, like I have purpose once again, and I’m on the right path to getting my family back.
I know I can be a dick sometimes, the jokester of the group, but being without them, even for this short amount of time, dwelling on nothing but the what ifs and shit has torn me apart. But that’s all about to change.
“I need you to go cleanse yourself of any impurities within, and on. Clear your mind and come back down. I will have everything ready when you do.” Rial tells me, walking into the kitchen, leaving me to go do what he says. I do, and I smile, ready for this new chance.
Mira:
Opening my eyes after the amazing little rest, a
nd even more amazing foot rub, I sit up and stare at the people surrounding me with questions in my eyes.
“What’s going on?” I ask, weirded out I hadn’t heard anyone even move, I know I didn’t fall asleep.
“We know you have some things you want to discuss, so we are here, ready,” Torunn says, sitting on the large ottoman where Rhydian was just moments ago, my brother sitting right next to her.
Blue and her men are all standing sentry in front of the windows, looking intently at me with waiting, welcoming smiles.
“Well, I guess since everyone is here might as well jump right into it. So, as you all know, that dick that had you trapped all that time was, is, my father. He wants to trap me, much like he did you, and wait for me to give birth so he can take not only my soul to become more powerful, but my daughter, Alyria’s as well. Torunn,” I pause gesturing to her with a smile, “Has a friend in the shifter Realm, Lyanna. She has the power of seduction, along with a few others that might come in handy, but she also has three mates, another Incubus, a Dragon shifter, and a Hellhound shifter. That will give us more of an advantage. Now, I know that you all just got your own mate back, so I want to say this.” I blow out a breath, nervous to say things, but it’s only fair everyone deserves a voice and they haven’t had one in a very long time.
“I don’t expect anything from you, or you Blue, I want you to tell me if you want to bow out, I promise you, I understand and am okay with it. You only just now got each other back, and I don’t want anything to happen to any of you. This is not your fight, and enough of us have been hurt since going into this. You six, I can’t bear it if something happens to you knowing you have been apart for so long. You deserve time, time which has already been taken forcefully from you. So, if you don’t feel like this is something you want, please say so now, though I will ask for your guidance and advice in where we need to go next.” I take a few deep, calming breaths after getting all of that out and smile when Rhydian and Merrick sit beside me, taking one of my hands each and squeezing it once, giving me their strength and a little more courage.
Blue looks at me with nothing but love, turns to her men and has their own conversation. I wait with as much patience as I can muster and close my eyes, trying to check on Rhett for a quick second.
When I find myself inside of his head, I pull away much faster than I was intending. He’s laying on the ground with a strange man above him, chanting in an unknown language, with candles a flame all around him.
I quickly sent the image to my guys with terror and panic and only calm when Merrick squeezes my hand once more and tells me, -Calm love, that’s his father, Rial. He’s there for him, to help him. I found him and called to see if he could help Rhett with whatever is going on with him. Tanak assured me that he knows what it is and that he can help him. We just might get him back faster than any of us thought. It’s okay, love.- He assures me once more, I close my eyes and try to calm my racing heart and send Rhett all the love and even a little of my own energy and power while he goes through this. I can feel him send gratitude and immense longing and his own love back, and I can’t wait to see him, knowing he’ll be okay now.
-Thank you, handsome, that means the world to me, you have no idea.-
-Anything to see you smile and keep our family together and happy.-
Blue claps her hands vigorously, and it gets my attention, I turn to her and see the giant smile plastered on her face, and I wait, hopeful, that she will say no, that she will actually take this time, relax and enjoy her loves.
“We aren’t leaving you. You’re family. We all agree. But you are right, if you would take Vali’s mind into your own, he can help you with battle tactics and strategies as can I, but Vali’s mind works a lot different than what you’re used to and he can see things we overlook,” she tells me and a chorus of ‘Aye’s’ ring through the cabin, and though my heart wilts it also fills with thanks, love and relief.
I look to all of her mates, and smile my thanks, landing last on Vali and saying, “I would very much appreciate that, thank you all so much, but if at any time you want out, please say so. Fear and regret will only get you hurt. I have found that out the hard way,” I say standing up and walking to each of them. They hold their hands out for me to shake, but I hug Hakon first and startle him, his large chest shaking with laughter when he hugs me back, the rest follow suit and we bond in our way with my simple gesture.
I stop last at Vali, hug him and then hold my hand by his head, waiting for him to do the same. When he does, we both touch each other’s temples and find the familiar touch of one mind and are able to speak. Hearing his voice, surprised at how deep and soothing it is, he talks, and the words he says throw me for a moment before I read between the lines and understand his words, and what Blue meant when she said, his mind works differently.
-Family does not stray, it is honorable to assist you in the things you need.-
-Thank you so much Vali, I appreciate that more than you know. Really. I know what you could be giving up, that scares me, but also makes me happy that I won’t be without you all in this.-
-Family.- The finality of one simple word says all that he needed to convey and I feel him fall from my mind, now forever linked, but not in the way I am with my men.
“Okay, so what do we do with Lyanna and her men?” I ask everyone turning away from Vali and walking back to where Ebbin is standing and wrapping myself in his arms, while he kisses the top of my head.
“I think if we can get them here, the rest is up to them. The more help we can get is always going to be a ‘yes’ from me, but they can say no and enjoy a little time here, help us maybe train a bit, or they can stay, train and kick some demon ass,” Ebbin says loud enough for the room to hear, but he said it all into my neck which is sending chills down my spine with every breath he blows out.
This is going to be one full cabin, so many men and so few females. I’m glad we are all already taken or things could get… ugly.
“I agree with Ebbin, the worst they can say is, no. Though I do not see that happening. Mira, I can tether us all there since it is a Realm you are unfamiliar with, though I would like to go with just Gor if that is acceptable. I do not want to overwhelm her,” Torunn says, making complete sense. I nod to her and watch as the rest of the room does the same.
When she takes Gor’s hand in her own, I do a double take when they both disappear right before my eyes. I know I have teleported us before, and watched Rhett’s portals, but this is something entirely new. They were here one minute and now gone. I also didn’t think she meant this minute.
“Well, I think we need to go to town. We all need new clothes and the rooms here aren’t furnished for so many people. Once they’re all closed, we call all go down the mountain and see what we can find to accommodate everyone,” Merrick says with a strange gleam in his eyes. “There’s too much shit to get and too many people to teleport or portal, too risky as well,” he finishes with a pout. I know he would much rather it be the quickest way back, but he’s right. There’s too much and not enough power in one of us to get everyone safely back.
“I don’t need to go, I think I’m going to stay here, if you don’t mind, and explore the woods a little more with Cynide. Her and Vieruz have been spending so much time together that I’ve barely seen her. I miss her. It will be nice to play around a bit, if that’s okay with everyone?” I ask, nibbling on my lip and shuffling my feet as I wait for an answer.
“Of course. Ebbin, I know there are things you are wanting to get, and I am good on my end, so I can stay here with her and let you all go do what needs to be done,” Rhydian says confusing me.
What the hell does he mean, ‘on his end’ to Ebbin?
I shrug it off and give Ebbin a kiss before going back to the kitchen to find something else to snack on. Yeah, I might have just ate, but now I want something sweet.
Finding a bag of chopped coconut, a bag of chocolate chips and some salted popcorn, I get to work making the pop
corn, melting the chocolate and coconut together and laying the popcorn on a tray as I drizzle the sweet coconut and chocolate over it all and start eating the salty sweet goodness and going over the grocery list that’s been written on the fridge’s computer. I add a few things to it and take my giant tray of goodies and put on a movie, all the while everyone else stares at me like I’m crazy. I smile sheepishly when I sit down and shrug my shoulders at them.
“I’m pregnant. Fuck off,” I tell them plopping more popcorn in my mouth, moaning around the tastes.
I don’t even know what I put on, I don’t even watch it while I inhale my food, but I look up when Arvid sits down by me and whispers in my ear, taking a piece of popcorn, “Tell me, little one, how has she been? My mate. Has she been taking care of herself? What has she been doing with her life?” he asks with worry, his eyes unwavering as he stares at me. To some that might be a little uncomfortable, but to me, its endearing. The love and loyalty he still holds for her is amazing. I can only hope I have that after so many years of being with my men.
I don’t know how long I sit there, talking to him, but it doesn’t get by me that the rest of her men are all standing behind me, listening to my stories and answering all the questions Arvid asks.
When I look to him, I can see his soul is honest, good and so full of love it almost mirrors my own guys. I’m so happy Blue has these men in her life. I just wish they were always with her, but who know if I would have met her then. I know everything is supposed to happen for a reason, but some just suck.
When Torunn and Gor return, it’s with one gorgeous, small woman, and three small men. The group could all easily pass for Hollows here and I can’t help but wonder if they really are as formidable as Torunn believes.
