Six Saviors Christmas Novella

by Christmas Novella (retail) (epub)

  Just then, Axel wandered in, interrupting their talk. He walked over to Eden and stuck out his hand. “I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Axel.”

  Eden’s cheeks flushed a deep red, and he wondered what colors she saw around Axel. As she lowered her gaze, Hudson narrowed his eyes.

  “I’m Eden. It’s nice to meet you, Axel.”

  He studied the male, and would bet Eden saw the color of lust all around him—whatever the fuck that was. The small grin on Axel’s face told him everything he needed to know. The bastard hardly ever smiled, but there he stood, beaming at his daughter like he’d just found the winning lottery ticket. He’d only spent two hours with her, but he’d known within the first few minutes that Eden may be intelligent in some aspects of life, like detecting and decoding colors around another, but she didn’t stand a chance against a dick like Axel.

  No, this shit wouldn’t fly, and his protective instincts rose to the surface just as Benedict stood up, keeping his watchful gaze on Axel. He’d definitely pegged Benedict as the one with the most life experience, and right now, he looked as if he wanted to expel Axel’s spleen.

  He got to his feet. “I think I hear Beverly in the kitchen.” He pointed at Benedict and Eden. “The three of us will have a conversation later.”

  Benedict stood. “Are we going somewhere?”

  He glanced over at him. “Yeah, we are. I’m taking you home, son.”

  They all trailed him as he walked into the kitchen. Nervous butterflies tickled his stomach as he met Beverly’s gaze, and he looked for some indication as to where her thoughts lay, but her face was unreadable.

  Then she stepped forward. “Hello. My name’s Beverly. I’m Hudson’s mate.”

  Benedict looked over to Eden, and she nodded. “My name’s Benedict. This is my sister, Eden. It appears that Hudson is our father.”

  “Yes, it certainly does look that way.”

  Hudson stared at his mate for a moment, feeling as though his life literally swirled down a toilet. His heart pounded in his chest, and beads of sweat formed on his brow. His history had finally caught up with him, and he swallowed past the lump in his throat. Would he lose Beverly because of it?

  Finally, she spoke, looking directly at him. “I’m going to stay here tonight, so please leave me one of the cars.”

  No. No! He couldn’t go home without her. He needed her, like he needed air to breathe. Shaking his head, he tried to keep his voice as calm as hers when he spoke, even though it felt like a tornado traveled through his body. “Bev, you should come home with me. We have a lot to discuss.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest, a signal that the discussion had been terminated. She was pissed, but she wouldn’t lay her emotions out for him in front of everyone. “Yes, we do, but I have two patients downstairs. They’ll need someone to shop for groceries in the morning, and I have to watch them for the next twenty-four hours. And frankly, Hudson, I don’t feel like discussing anything with you at this point.”

  He watched his mate head downstairs. With each step, she may as well have stuck a knife in his gut. When she’d finally disappeared, the kitchen remained quiet for a moment, except for the roaring in his ears and the thudding of his heart. It would either beat out the front of his chest, or turn to stone.

  Cohen cleared his throat. “We should head back to the silo.”

  Hudson nodded and followed him out the front door, each step taking so much effort, he wondered if he'd make it to the car before he became completely paralyzed.

  Chapter 3

  Hudson stared at his sleeping little boy while sipping some whiskey. As the time closed in on three o’clock in the morning, he knew he should put down the drink and head to bed, but he couldn’t. Yes, exhaustion rolled through him, but the thought of going to his bed without Beverly sat as well with him as a case of Ebola.

  Of course, there’d been a few nights they’d been separated due to work issues. He’d be out hunting Colonist or Colonist offspring, or she’d be with someone in the silo doing her medical thing. However, he always knew they’d reunite at some point in the very near future.

  Tonight, she was nowhere to be found. She sat in their safe house miles and miles away, and by the look on her face and the words she had said, she had every intention of staying there for as long as possible.

  He understood why she was upset. They had a good life together, and he'd just thrown a wrench in it. Obviously, it hadn't been intentional, but if the roles had been reversed, he'd be a little angry, and probably a little hurt, as well.

  Tomorrow, he’d have to get up and be “Dad.” He wouldn’t have a kiss from Beverly, not even a hug. He’d be solely responsible for their son, and he mentally rehearsed what he’d tell the boy when he asked where his mom had gone. He decided to tell him that she had some doctoring to do on Roman, but they couldn’t do it in the silo. When Killian asked why, he didn’t want to go into details about the female, Olivia, or safe houses. He’d figure out something.

  He stood, feeling about three thousand years old. As he moved to his quarters right next door to Killian’s room, dread threaded through him, making his heart heavy. He missed his mate, and without her, his bed looked as inviting as a mattress full of nails.

  Throwing back a big mouthful of whiskey, he stripped down and lay on top of the comforter.

  He’d gotten Eden and Benedict settled in their quarters about an hour ago. That had been an uncomfortable scene. Eden didn’t want to sleep without Benedict. He’d had Blake and Axel help him move a cot into one of the rooms, but when they’d left, both Eden and Benedict had been sitting on the one bed. That had only led him to one question—were his kids in an incestuous relationship? What a fuck-all that would be. If they were, it obviously hadn’t produced any kids … well, any that he knew about.

  And how did he explain Eden and Benedict to Killian? Beverly would know how, but she couldn’t stand the sight of him right now. The three of them had been a really solid family unit, and now it seemed that everything had been blown to Hell.

  Sweet Jesus. How had all of this happened?

  He finished his whiskey and set the glass on the night table, the alcohol burning all the way down. As he stared at the ceiling, he answered his own question. “Because you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants.”

  After speaking to Eden and Benedict for a bit, the memories of their mother came flooding back. Prudence had been her name, and he and the rest of the Saviors had heard through travelers up and down the east coast that there had been a ration of murders in the Virginia area. As he considered the time, he had to grin. Now, technology delivered information instantly. Back then, they’d had to rely on Noah’s ability to talk to humans and build relationships with them. Although as a general rule the guy hated social gatherings, he was good at getting people to talk.

  When they’d arrived in Jamestown, he recalled seeing her for the first time. Her long, dark hair, porcelain skin, and fine features had caught his attention. He liked the way she blushed as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye while he rode his steed through town.

  They asked around during the day about the families being murdered, and stayed at the inn during the night, locking themselves in their rooms because of the glow of their eyes.

  He hadn’t seen Prudence in a few days until he accidently visited her parents’ house to inquire if they’d seen anyone new in town, besides him and the Saviors, of course.

  Her parents hadn’t been home, and she’d stumbled and blushed her way through an erratic conversation. He’d found her endearing, even prettier than when he’d first arrived in town, and became completely smitten.

  Of course, in that era, very few females just fell into bed—if a male wanted sex, that’s what the whorehouses were for. Females saved their bodies for their husbands, and he respected that. What happened with Prudence hadn’t been planned, and he had to admit, she became the pursuer. Looking back on it now, he supposed he should have stopped it, but he had
n’t.

  Guilt washed through him at the thought that he’d abandoned his children, as well as Prudence. How they’d survived all these years, he didn’t know. They’d had to be intelligent and courageous in order to do so, and they also must have been watched over by some deity.

  Prudence had to have had a bravery that rivaled any of the great warriors throughout time. He recalled her as somewhat shy, and an outcast among those in Jamestown. She’d been unique and different, which led to her not fitting in, and he supposed that had been one of the things that attracted him to her. Just like him, she didn’t really seem to belong anywhere.

  He had wanted to stay in the area for a while, but they had been sent to hunt Colonists, not settle down. In those days, they were constantly on the move, always tracking down information, always traveling from town to town looking for the worst of their species.

  Finally, he closed his eyes. Killian would be up in a few hours, and he’d have to fake happiness, when in reality, he just wanted to curl up and sleep until the drama of this situation settled. However, he also realized that if he were to do that, he’d probably be sleeping for a very, very long time.

  Chapter 4

  Four Days Before Christmas

  “Daddy!”

  Holy hell, had three hours really flown by that fast?

  He rolled over and smiled as Killian flew through the air and landed on the bed. “How’s it going, little man?”

  “I’m good. I want breakfast.”

  Hudson chuckled. “Of course you do.”

  As he got out of bed and slipped on his pajama bottoms, Killian looked around the room. “Where’s Mommy?”

  Dammit. He’d hoped to at least get in a cup of coffee before being faced with this talk.

  “Mom had some medical stuff to do with Roman. She should be home soon. Maybe tomorrow.”

  Killian nodded, and relief washed through Hudson when his son didn’t ask any other questions. Now, on to his big brother and sister.

  Taking a seat next to Killian, he grinned and ran a hand through his hair. “We have some guests I wanted to talk to you about before you meet them.”

  The kid furrowed his brow, as if he understood this would be a serious conversation. “Okay.”

  “Their names are Benedict and Eden. They’re your brother and sister.”

  His eyes widened, and Hudson could practically see him trying to make all the pieces fit. “Where did they come from? Did Santa come early and leave them for me?”

  Oh, that was the perfect out. “Something like that.”

  Killian stood on the bed, began jumping up and down, shouting at the top of his lungs. “I wished for a brother or a sister and I got both! I must have been super good this year!”

  Hudson chuckled, then tackled his son. “Yes, you have been good, but don’t jump on the bed. Your moha would have a fit if she saw you.”

  Killian’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “But she’s not here, Daddy.”

  He sighed. Yes, Beverly had been right. The boy definitely took after him, and didn't know if it was a good thing or not.

  “Go get dressed, Killian. Then let’s go get you some eats and meet your brother and sister.”

  As the elevator doors opened and they entered the kitchen, he saw Eden and Benedict sitting at the kitchen table talking with Abby. They wore regular clothing instead of the white, linen dress they’d had on when rescued, and he wished he would have thought of getting them some duds last night.

  Abby smiled at him as Benedict and Eden turned around.

  Eden grinned shyly. “Hello, Father.”

  “Good morning.”

  Killian clung to his hand as they took a seat, the boy's eyes never leaving the twins. Glancing around the table, he realized he'd never had all his kids in one place—Abby, Killian, and now the twins. His throat constricted a bit with shame and guilt.

  He kissed Abby’s cheek as he pulled Killian onto his lap. “I see you met Eden and Benedict.”

  She nodded and arched her eyebrows. “Yes. It was quite a surprise this morning finding them here in the kitchen, but then I realized who they must be. The resemblance is uncanny.”

  Glancing around the table, he wondered how much of the situation had been shared. Had Abby told her that she was their half-sister?

  “Who is this little person?” Benedict asked, eyeing Killian.

  “This is my other son, Killian.”

  Eden’s brow furrowed. “So, I have another brother.”

  Hudson nodded. “Yes.”

  “Who is his mother?”

  “Beverly. You met her last night.”

  Abby glanced over at him, as if to ask if she should tell them who she was, and he nodded.

  “And I’m Hudson’s daughter, as well. So I would be your half-sister.”

  Eden and Benedict looked over at her, then at Killian, then back to Abby.

  Benedict cracked his knuckles, something that Hudson did frequently. “And where is your mother?”

  “My mother’s dead.”

  Eden leaned back in her chair and stared at Hudson. “So, Abby is our half-sister, and little Killian is our half-brother.”

  He nodded.

  “Do we have any other siblings?”

  Killian squirmed in his lap.

  “Why don’t you grab a breakfast bar and head into the Great Room to watch cartoons, buddy?”

  The boy nodded, and he waited until he’d left the kitchen before answering the question. “None that I know of.”

  Benedict tilted his head, and he had to admit, it felt as if he sat before his judge and jury as his three older children stared at him.

  “Our mother always told us to save ourselves until we found someone to love.”

  Eden nodded. “Yes. She explained sex to us, and how babies are made. It seems as though you’ve had sex with a lot of women, Father.”

  He stared at the table, realizing his past had come back to bite him in the ass, right here, right now. It seemed honesty would be the best course of action. He couldn’t undo all the sex he’d had. Names and faces of those he’d slept with over almost two centuries passed through his mind, as did situations where he didn't remember the female, just the place—the bathroom at the Black Cuff, cars, the forest, back alley ways, dark stairwells, and countless bedrooms. Finally, he met Eden’s gaze.

  “Yes, you’re correct. I have had a lot of sex with a lot of different women. Some of it was out of necessity, a coping mechanism to dull the pain of losing my mate. Some of it was with women I cared about deeply.”

  Benedict leaned forward, placing his forearms on the table. “And our mother? Did you care about her?”

  Hudson studied his son. His large hands looked strong and calloused while tendons and muscles rippled beneath the skin up to his shoulders. Biceps bulged under the T-shirt sleeves. Yes, his son had been built like him, and with the hard work he’d put in taking care of him and his sister, he’d become a powerhouse of strength. Guilt washed through him. He should have been the one to take care of Eden and Benedict.

  “I did. Your mother was special—different than any other women I met during that period. Later, when I thought back to her, I felt like she didn’t belong in that time, that she should have been born a few decades later. Your mother was a strong woman, one that thought for herself and didn’t allow others to cloud her judgment, even though most of the community scorned her.”

  Eden and Benedict exchanged glances, then Eden spoke. “What do you mean?”

  “She saw colors around people. She could tell someone’s intentions, their state of mind, right away just by looking at them. When she developed this ability, she told others. She shouldn’t have. Her own people thought she may have been possessed by Evil, but the Native Americans in the area, they saw her as almost a deity.”

  Eden nodded. “Yes. She told us they helped her greatly after we were born. How did you know that if you weren’t there? If you impregnated her and left?”

  The question s
eemed so simple, but still cut through him like a hot knife through butter. In essence, yes, that’s what he’d done. However, in his mind, it hadn’t been that easy. “We were in the area for a while. We talked to many of the Native Americans around Jamestown, and even became friendly with a few. They told us about her.”

  He sighed. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t know of your existence. I never would have abandoned you. I would have watched over you, just as I did with Abby.”

  Both looked over at her, their faces impassive.

  “But, you’re both here now. We have a lot of catching up to do. We can get to know each other. I can be there for you now and help you assimilate into this family, to bring you up to speed on the technology available to you, to help you understand the world around you.”

  Abby smiled. “I’m here for you, as well. I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

  They all stared at each other a bit, then Eden nodded. “I would like to see the rest of this place.”

  Just then, Killian ran in again. “Dad, I’m still hungry!”

  Hudson glanced over at Abby, and she stood. “I’d love to show you around. My son will be waking soon, so I’ll go get him. If you want to wait right here, I’ll be back in just a few minutes.”

  They nodded, and Abby walked out of the kitchen.

  Hudson grinned at his new kids. “Would you two like some scrambled eggs?”

  Eden got to her feet. “I’d love some. Let me help, Father.”

  As he pulled out the pan and the eggs, he felt a little better about everything. It would take time for all of them to adjust to the situation. He imagined they held some resentment against him, and remorse still railed through him. However, maybe in time, they could forgive him, and he could forgive himself.

  He just hoped Beverly could do the same.

  Chapter 5