Red Satin Lips

by Trinity Blacio

  At once Trevor went to his wife and turned to glare at his son. “You should know better than to accuse your mother. She’s been nothing but supportive for your wife.”

  His mom patted his arm. “Hush, dear. He has every right to be concerned, especially with her carrying our first grandchild.”

  Standing next to them, Tamara glared up at Lars and he smiled, leaning down to nip her nose. “Sweetheart, they could have easily scanned your body to see the little one settled there.”

  “Humph, shows how much you know. For your information, there is more than one in there.” Tamara turned to glare at Gage. “I hear at least three heartbeats. Three!”

  “You’re mistaken. That’s not possible with my blood running through you. If you were just mated to Gage, then there would be a chance, but no, this cannot happen,” Lars said, but was already placing his hand on her midriff and scanning her body, searching.

  She tapped her foot and waited. Snuggled in her womb were three embryos. Tamara was about a month along. Lars stumbled backwards and looked at her. “How? We’ve never had multiple births in our family.”

  Everyone turned to Gage, who held up his hands. “We have some multiple births, but usually that occurs when the couple is full blood. It’s rare when one is half of another species.”

  “Who cares? This is wonderful! Three babies! You can have the East Hall where there is a big room that we can make into the nursery,” his mother was saying, but Tamara was shaking her head.

  “No. I love you, Angeline. You’ve been so great to me, but I want my own house. Away from all this, I won’t raise my children in a house where I don’t feel safe or wanted. Lydia come, we have to search the ads. Find your brother, Lars. I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life.” With that, she left the room with Lydia going to Lydia’s assigned room.

  “You have to change her mind, Lars. Those babies need to be born here in our ancestral home. Every child in our family had been born here,” Angeline ordered, looking at him but he shook his head.

  “No. I don’t know what she has done to displease father and even grandfather, but the tension is too much for her. We need our own place. Now, are you going to finish your story? What happened the other night?” He walked over to the kitchen table and sat down as did the others.

  He knew his mother was upset, but there was nothing he could do about it. She reached over and squeezed his hand. “Please think about it and I’ll make sure those two behave.” She turned to glare at his father and grandfather who just snorted.

  “The other night I was awakened by a noise in the bedroom, but there was nothing there, but when we woke up the next morning, we both had what looked like bite marks on our arms. We just brushed it off thinking it was a gag since some of them washed off with water.”

  His father leaned forward and stared at her. “What do you mean some of them?”

  “I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble, but someone had taken blood, not a lot, but enough that I knew something wasn’t right. Maybe someone took my blood and feed it to your brother?” She asked as his father’s chair flew back and he snarled.

  “Someone dared come in our private room and feed from my wife!” The floor shook as he started to pace back and forth. “Lars is right to move his wife from here. If I can’t keep you safe, how are we going to keep the babies safe? So we assume Alex is awake, but he still isn’t the one that threatened Tamara. She would have recognized his voice.”

  “We have a bigger problem,” Michael said, leaning back. “If this person can change and hide scents, let alone break into a private chamber which we all know had to be protected, we are dealing with an old one. There is no other powerful enough.”

  His grandfather nodded. “You are right. I can’t remember anyone who would possess this kind of gift. How many of us have come for the week?” Alton looked to Michael and shook his head.

  “This one isn’t among our group or we would have recognized him downstairs. No, this person has hidden himself from us for a reason, but I believe we need to inform the others about what has happened. Maybe with the six of us that are here we can find something.” Michael stood and looked down at him.

  “Three babies at one time are rare for any family among us. You might want to keep that to yourselves for now. There is no need to get others excited about this,” Michael said and left the room with his grandfather.

  “They’re right. The less people know about this, the better,” his father said sitting back down at the table. “I’m sorry I’ve been less than enthusiastic about your mating, but we were hoping for so much more. The only plus is that she comes from Michael, but Tamara is going to have to learn about our ways. She can’t be roving about without one of you, unless she is in our personal wing.”

  “Dear, you are going to have to be patient with Tamara. She’s used to doing things by herself.” His mom shook her head. “Did you know she was bullied so badly in junior high school that her mother had to move to a different school system? She’s strong, but needs their guidance more, which has been very lacking recently, if I do say.” His mom turned her eyes on him and Gage.

  “How do you expect her to adjust if you two are never around? Last week you were gone for three days leaving her here? Now you go and get her pregnant without asking her? Sorry boys, you’re dropping the ball big time.” His mom turned in her seat and crossed her arms, staring at his dad.

  “You’re not out of the woods either. How dare you hurt our daughter-in-law. Do you want her thinking we’re a bunch of bullies? I want this stopped now, Trevor. I’ve stood beside you on everything, but enough. She has given up her career, her home and what have you done to welcome her into our family?”

  “I’ve given her my son and a safe place, well, what used to be a safe place to live. She should be grateful,” he mumbled.

  “Really, they could have gone to live with Gage’s family, or for that matter Michael has a huge estate. I have been alone in this house for eons; I want her to stay. If they move out, you will not get a moments peace, understood?” With that his mother flashed out of the room.

  ****

  Lying on Lydia’s bed, Tamara and her friend searched over the local real estate ads.. Even though she didn’t want to live here, Tamara sure didn’t want to be too far away from Lars’ mom. She’d been a godsend since they’d married.

  A knock on the door drew their attention. “Tamara, can I talk to you?” Angeline asked through the door.

  With a laugh, Lydia jumped from the bed and opened the door. “How did I know you’d show up here?” Lydia teased.

  “Well, I think I’ve come up with an idea. I’d like to show you something, if you don’t mind.” She held out her hand and Tamara smiled, placing her hand in hers.

  “We’ll go with you, but I won’t promise anything right now. I’m sorry Angeline, I just feel, well, uncomfortable here.” She walked out into the hallway with her. Three of Lars’ men waited for them.

  “We’re going outside the main house and you know how our men are.” She looked over her shoulder at Lydia. “Come on, girl, this wouldn’t be fun without you.”

  The three of them walked through the main entrance smiling and nodding at the people. Most had come for the Valentine’s Eve party and the meetings before the party, but some were relatives of both of her men.

  “How many people are you expecting here?” Tamara asked as one of the guards pushed open the door to the outside where two other men waited for them.

  Angeline growled. “It was supposed to be only five hundred, but from what Trevor has told me, we have half of Europe’s leading families coming. They’ll be staying at the two hotels in town. We just don’t have the room here. I’ll be glad when another family takes over this next year. I’ve had enough.” They walked down a path that was covered over by weeds and overgrown grass.

  “We haven’t had the time to come out here in a while, with Trevor looking for Alex and all the things going on with t
he Ancients.” They talked for a few minutes about the different circles of Ancients, before they turned a corner and stopped.

  “This used to be my parents’ house, but they moved in with my brother when he started his family. They like it down in Texas and won’t be back. It has five bedrooms and, well, you can see it’s totally cut off from the rest of the house. I want you to have it.” Lars’ mom took out a set of keys and opened the front door, waiting for her to go into the house.

  Tamara had never seen a family room so beautiful when she stepped into it. “My God, who painted the wall?” A large mural that looked like the rain forest covered one wall. It was so real.

  “My mother. Dad took her on a trip to the rain forest and she had to capture it. So she painted this so she’d never forget. She did the same in her new home. Now, you can paint over it if you want.”

  “No, I’d never do that,” Tamara said and eyed the stone fireplace in the corner of the room. She'd always wanted a nice fireplace. Heading into the kitchen, she ran her hand over the green marble counters. “Your mother had excellent taste. So far everything is so warm here.”

  She looked out the sliding glass door. A Jacuzzi tub on the right side of the deck overlooked a garden of flowers that would need help next year.

  “Come see the master bedroom. You’re going to love it,” Angeline said and dragged her through the hallway to the end of the hall. “This was my favorite room.”

  Having already seen the kitchen and living room, Tamara couldn’t imagine what the bedroom looked like so she opened the door. In the middle of the room, which was twice the size of the one in her old apartment, was a super-size king bed, but the bed was sunken into the floor.

  There were our steps down to the bed, which completely surrounded on all sides of the bed. The steps themselves looked like they were filled with water. “We took all the fish out since no one lived here, but my parents had made this into a salt water tank. You can put whatever fish you want in it.”

  Leaning over to her, Lydia whispered in her ear, “If you don’t take this place, I will.”

  “In your dreams,” Tamara snorted and took in the rest of the room. A master bathroom was off to the right, and a door to the left led into another smaller room.

  “I figured that could be the nursery. Until the children are bigger they all could be in here,” Lars’ mom said as she walked around the empty room. “You can paint it whatever color you want.”

  Going back into the hallway, Tamara opened another door and almost choked. “Damn!” She looked at Angeline and her face was now a light shade of pink.

  “I forgot about that. We can get rid of anything in here. My parents were very into the scene.” There were large rings in the wall and a St. Andrew Cross up against another wall. Tamara recognized a spanking bench.

  “If we move in here, this will stay,” Lars’ said, coming out of a small room to the right with Gage, both of them smiling. “So what do you think?” he asked, leaning against the wall. Gage stood near the spanking bench, running his hands over it.

  Flustered beyond belief, Tamara left the room heading to the next one. She smiled when she realized it was a movie room. “Now this I so could enjoy.” Tamara turned and looked at Angeline who was behind her. “If we take this place, how is your husband going to take it? I don’t’ need any more stress especially with these little guys coming. I mean, I’ll stay away from the main house, but I just don’t need him down here…”

  Lars’ mother took her hands and squeezed them. “I promise Trevor will get better. Let’s get this stupid party over with and you’ll see the change in him within a week. If not, I promise to glue his mouth shut.”

  “I heard that and there will be no glue in your future,” Trevor yelled from the living room, and Angeline shook her head.

  Locking her arm with Tamara they made their way into the living room where her father and Trevor stood. “I hadn’t thought of this place but it would be perfect.” Trevor turned to her and took a deep breath. “I’m truly sorry we got off on the wrong footing. My wife is right. . Dealing with all that back at the house puts everyone on edge. Please, consider this your new home.” He looked to Gage. “All of you. Gage I believe your parents and siblings are coming in on Thursday?”

  He nodded and held out his hand to her. Tamara stepped into his embrace. “Yes, but there is no reason to worry about accommodations. My brother has a ranch between here and Marquette. My parents and younger siblings will be staying there. We’re taking Tamara up there on Thursday for the evening. We’ll be back on Friday. I know Tamara offered to help with the party on Saturday, but with the threat, I really don’t want her out of our sight anymore.” He placed his hands around her, resting them on her stomach.

  “Everything is done. The staff has their orders. The menu, drinks, and the band have all been selected. You just need to show up. That’s all any of you have to worry about,” Angeline said and smiled at Trevor as he engulfed her from behind.

  “I’m glad you’re taking her away for a little bit. Maybe while you’re gone we can find this threat and deal with it,” her father said, stepping over and kissing the top of her head. “I heard your mom had to leave yesterday. I’m sorry she won’t be here for the party.”

  She frowned and reached into her pocket. “That reminds me. Mom should have called by now to let me know she’s home.” Tamara pulled out her phone and punched in her mom’s cell number, but there was no answer.

  Leaving Gage’s arms, Tamara couldn’t understand why her mOm hadn’t called. Walking toward the door, Tamara stepped outside to see if it might have been the reception on her phone. The cool air nipped at her as she dialed her mom’s home phone. On the second ring someone picked up the line, but it wasn’t her mother. In the background, she heard her mother’s scream of pain, which would haunt her for the rest of life.

  Chapter Four

  Her legs gave out just as her men followed her outside. Both Lars and Gage reached her as she fell to the ground. Her pale face would forever haunt Lars as he and Gage saw the horror in her eyes. Both of them checked her body for some kind of injury, but found nothing.

  “Spread out! I want this bastard found now!’ Lars ordered through the connection he and Gage had formed when they put their team together. Their fathers paced in front and behind them set on protecting them as Gage and he whispered to her.

  “Come on, baby, wake up, you’re scaring the crap out of us!” Gage said rubbing her free hand.

  In the other she clutched the phone and that’s when Lars heard the laughter. Lars picked up the phone. “Who is this?”

  “Awl, the prodigal son. How nice to talk to you, not. But soon my blade will be slicing through your mate’s skin as I take her body. I’ve even left you a nice example of what I plan to do to her. Did you hear the death screams as your woman did? No matter, wherever you, go I’ll find her and take her away from you,” the mechanical voice taunted him before disconnecting.

  The gut retching scream-cry had Lars dropping the phone and reaching for Tamara as she scrambled out of his arms on her hands and knees. Puking. “Momma!:

  He looked up at Michael.The promise of death flashed in his eyes, as he knelt before his daughter. “I’ll go check on your mom. I promise, little girl, we’ll find them.” He stood and looked back at Lars and Gage.

  “Take care of her,” he ordered and left to see what was left of her mother.

  Lars walked over to Tamara. “Come here, Tamara. Your dad has gone to check on your mom.”

  Not taking any risk, Lars scooped her up into his arms and headed back into the house., while Gage gave some quick orders to Lydia.

  “Dad, could you have some of my team move our belongings for us? We might as well stay out here. I don’t think Tamara would feel comfortable in our room.” His father nodded and made his way out the door to take care of the move.

  With her hands clenched in his shirt, Tamara shook in his arms. “She’s gone, my mom is dead. I’m going to
find him.” She raised her head and stared up at him. “I’m going to kill this guy or whoever did this.”

  “No, we’re going to take care of it. I don’t want you anywhere near this Tamara. You are to concentrate on yourself and our children.” He slid down the wall and sat on the carpet with he cradled in his lap.

  Gage came into the room, joining him on the floor. He lifted up her feet and placed them in his lap.

  “Lars is right. You need to allow us to find these people. We promise we’ll destroy whoever is behind all of this.”

  She looked into his eyes, then at his mom, before turning back to him. “Even if it’s your brother?”

  Lars’ mother didn’t give him time to answer as she knelt down next to them and took her hand into hers. “I love my son, but something has happened to him to change him and if he has done this horrible thing, then he needs to be put down. I’ll grieve like any mother will, but I won’t have any of my children hurting others. You are my daughter now, Tamara and we’ll protect you even if it’s against Alex.” She leaned over and kissed the top of her head before standing.

  “I’m going to have the cook bring down some food. You three stay here, rest and talk,” his mother ordered.

  “We’re not going anywhere the rest of the night,” Lars knew that the bed was in place in their room. His men had been working to set up the master bedroom for them as fast as possible. Her photographs that hadn’t been destroyed had been hung on the walls and a dresser had been brought in and filled with her clothes that hadn’t been destroyed.

  Lars handed her to Gage and rose, heading down the hallway towards their new room.

  “Lars, did your brother have a mate?” Tamara asked, as they stepped into the bedroom.

  “Not that I’m aware of. It would be feeling…uncomfortable to take another if one is already mated. It’s just not done.” Lars stripped off his shirt and shoes before he climbed onto the bed.