by Honor James
Chuckling, Mac grinned at her. “Don’t feel bad. When Skittles gets rolling and rocking, he makes even the smartest brains in the military feel dumber than a sack of doorknobs. But he does have an edge. His magic works with electronics, and he can practically merge with them.”
“Oh, that is very cool.” Rimi was shocked, but she liked it. A lot. “I wish that I had something that cool.” But as it was she was only human, but she was Lee’s human, and to her that was all that mattered. She loved her bond-mate and was perfectly fine being human since he happened to really love her as well.
“Why?” he asked her honestly. “You’re who you’re meant to be, Rimi. Never wish for something you don’t and can’t have. It’s an insult to Gaia, who gave us life, and it’s an insult to your mate, who worships and loves you just as you are. Just remember, Gaia paired you with him for a reason, and that was because you are perfect for each other as you are.”
“I agree.” Rimi smiled. “And I’m very thankful that he’s mine. I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am to know that he’s mine for now and for all time. Lee is such an amazing man. He’s kind, sweet, and so talented that he just humbles me.”
“Talented?” he asked curiously. “How do you mean? And please keep it G-rated or I’ll have to explain to my bond-mate why I’m suddenly having X-rated thoughts about her best friend and her Royal Guard. It would be bad all around, so yeah,” Mac teased her with a grin.
Rimi laughed. “No, it’s nothing like that.” She pulled out the necklace from behind her shirt and leaned in closer to Mac. “This. He crafts jewelry. Isn’t it amazing?” she asked softly and stroked her finger over the pendant. “He made this.”
Scooting to the edge of the sofa, he leaned in and took it with care. “Seriously?” he asked and shook his head at her happy nod. “Damn, that boy has some skills. It’s a beautiful piece,” he told her, letting it go and sitting back. “I’m seriously impressed and may have to get him to design something for Kat, totally blow the others out of the water with my gift.”
“It is a beautiful piece.” Rimi laughed then and leaned back again. “Oh heavens. You do know that your brother and Trey will give you a hard time for one-upping them, right? I know that Trey has his bi-weekly pedi-manis with Kat, so is this your way to get one over on him?”
“Damn straight.” He chuckled evilly. “You will put in a good word for me, right? So when I talk to Lee about the piece, he’ll do it for me without too much hassle, right?” he asked. “I am totally not above bribing you or getting on my knees to beg and plead pathetically and at great length.”
Rimi laughed. “I will think about it,” she teased him. “But I think that it all depends on what Lee wants to do. No one can ever force him into anything, or else I will get totally grumbly.” She looked toward the door and sighed. “How long do you think he will be?”
Tilting his head, Mac stared off into the distance for a moment. “They’re just closing in on the location now, moving slow and trying to see what caught Lee’s eye before they end up tripping over it,” he told her and shook his head. Focusing on her again, he smiled. “It was probably just a piece of trash with a bit of glitz, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“Well we can hope that is what it is, but until Lee is back home with me I’m not going to rest easily. No offense or anything, but I only truly feel completely safe when he’s around.” Rimi trusted in Lee’s abilities, trusted him to keep her completely and fully safe at all times.
“He’s your mate. I’m mostly an unknown,” Mac said with a grin. “Don’t worry, we didn’t trust in anyone else including Lee when he first showed up. Now we completely trust in his abilities. Course we three can do better.” He chuckled. “But that’s a whole other story.” If only they could figure out how to beat the man on the mats they might all actually believe it.
She just gave him a grin. She had seen the way that Lee had been able to beat all three men as if they were standing still doing nothing. No, she trusted her bond-mate. She believed in him and no one else. He was her safety, now and always.
* * * *
Looking to Trey’s last position he spotted the glint of the man’s Wolf gaze and nodded. They both were hearing the talk, humans in the woods. Licking his lips Lee eased back on the mental connection with Charisma. He didn’t cut it, he couldn’t and wouldn’t do that to her, but he pulled back enough so she’d not pick up all his thoughts.
Moving with care he picked his way through the woods, his body and mind in tune with all Nature around him. The animals in hiding from the humans were telling him as much as the trees and flora. He also knew through that same network with Nature that Trey was matching him pace for pace not ten meters away. A small sound had them and Nature herself freezing, waiting.
The human males were on the move. Shooting another look across the space between him and Trey he saw the same expression he was sure was on his face. What the hell where these humans doing?
There was nothing to do but follow and see where they led. Depending on the destination the humans had, he would determine his response to the intrusion.
For what seemed hours he and the Wolf followed. In reality it was likely only a few minutes, but with his heart racing and his body in tune with Nature, time was hard to keep track of. It wasn’t until the humans paused that he realized he’d closed the gap between himself and them too much. Hell, he was practically on top of them and Trey was nowhere in sight.
Easing to a crouch he stared at the back of one man and listened to his whispered discussion. Not all the words were clear but one phrase stood out and had his blood chilling. “Get the women for the new King.” Rimi and Kat were both in danger, and suddenly he worried about who to protect. His mate or his Queen?
Trey’s appearance at his elbow solved the dilemma quickly. They would protect them both. He wasn’t alone in this fight. Meeting the Wolf’s gaze he knew that Trey had heard the talk and they were on the same page again. Giving a nod they split, moving to the opposite sides of where the men stood planning their assault. They believed they were smarter than those that lived there. They believed they had gotten in close to the houses and would never be caught. They believed wrong and they would pay for it dearly.
When the humans pulled out weapons Lee had seen, and heard, enough. A low growl told him that Trey had as well and served as the signal. Moving before the humans had a clue, the two males, not human in the least in that moment, surged into the same space.
The fight was over surprisingly fast, the humans too stunned for too long to really put up much of a struggle. One was hurt badly but the other three had only superficial injuries. They were all lucky to still be breathing given the way Trey was still growling deep in his chest. Finishing the last binding of vine he’d borrowed from Nature Lee stood and moved to the Wolf. “Breathe,” he murmured.
Trey gave a tight nod and seemed to get the Wolf under control before he moved to the one bleeding from a wound on his shoulder. “Who the fuck sent you?” he demanded.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, it was one of the other three who answered. “The King who is rising sent us, you freak,” he said with a nearly manic laugh. “He has plans for your bitches and won’t be stopped.”
“It would appear that he has failed in his plan,” Lee said softly, moving to put himself between Trey and the men. Likely not a bright idea but they needed the men alive to talk.
“This was just the first step. One failed mission won’t stop him,” the man who’d first replied told them with a huge grin. “He’s got so much going on constantly that this won’t even register. We’re nothing more than the first wave.”
Looking to Trey, Lee saw the same emotion he was feeling in his gut. Trouble was coming and coming fast. “Who is this King you speak of?” he asked curiously.
“The true King will rise, he will take what is rightfully his, and he will kill the false King who keeps all for himself,” the man said clearly not in his right mind.
>
“Fuck this,” Trey muttered under his breath. “Let’s take them back, lock them up, and then I’ll get them moved to the base. Talon and Quincy will get answers out of them one way or another.”
While Lee had some concerns on the methods that might be employed he didn’t say anything. They were in a war, a war that only one side knew the rules of apparently, and were not about to share. “I’ll call the base first,” he said digging out his cell phone. “Let them know about the attack and to be ready in case something comes their way. If these humans are to be believed then we need to prepare for more of these incursions.”
Nodding Trey smiled coldly, “I’ll prepare them to move.”
Rolling his eyes Lee turned away to make the call, not at all surprised to hear flesh meeting flesh followed by a very satisfied sounding growl.
* * * *
Standing suddenly, Mac stared out the window. “They’re coming back,” he said softly with a frown as Trey updated him mentally. “I need you to go to a room without windows,” he told her, turning her a look that said, now.
Rimi frowned but nodded. Moving up the stairs, she stepped into the panic room that Lee had shown her days earlier and closed it. She reached out again on her mental link to Lee for him but was met with a wall. Worry coursed through her veins as she began to pace.
Walking toward the house with their prisoners over their shoulders, Laighean sighed. He had thought there may be someone out there in the woods, but finding them still had been a bit of a shocker. “We will need to put them somewhere until we can get them to the base.”
Lee, come on, honey, talk to me, Rimi demanded from where she was hidden inside of the panic room. Come on, love, talk to me. I’m worried to death, and Mac made me go to a room without windows, love. Please talk to me. Please tell me that you are okay.
I’m okay, love, he murmured softly to her. We have some men that were here to hurt Kat or someone else, and we’re just taking them somewhere we can lock them up until someone from base can come and collect them. Stay where you are until I come up to the house, love, for me, just in case. Be safe please?
You know that I will, darling. I’m in the panic room, she told him softly. So you do what you need to do and you will know that I’m perfectly safe here, honey. She felt more than a little relaxed now that he was there and she knew he was safe.
I won’t be too long. We’re almost to the guard bunkers now, he said softly to her. We’ll be putting them into the cells there for the time being. I shouldn’t be more than another half hour, he murmured.
All right, honey. Just hurry because you know how much I hate this room. She hated small spaces, and while the room was constructed in a way to look larger than it was and had fresh air blowing to lessen her panic, she still did just that, panic.
We’re at the bunkers and tucking our ‘guests’ away. I’m just going to speak with the other guards for a moment and then I’m on my way. Twenty minutes, love, and I’m right here with you the entire time, Laighean promised her.
I know that you are, honey. Why did Mac make me go to a room without windows, honey? That terrified me and has me even more worried, honey. I truly dislike this a great deal, love, being afraid like this.
Because we’re not sure if these are the only four out here, he told her the truth. Kat is barricaded in the safe room of their place and will remain there until the property can be fully swept. All the Fae Guards are heading out to do a full sweep. It was easier for them to do it since they could connect with Nature and “hear” where trouble may be.
She stopped pacing and realized, The kittens. When Mac brought me home they didn’t race up to us. That’s not like them. He would know that. The kittens skidded across the floor when they came home, each of them tripping over the others to try to get to them first. Oh God, where are our babies?
They wouldn’t run up to you with Mac there, love. He tried to soothe her. He lives with a Wolf, which is of the canine family, and he’s a Bear, both beasts that would eat them just for a snack. Not that he would, of course, but their natural instincts would likely be to watch and assess.
Oh good. She had been so worried that she hadn’t stopped to think that calmly and rationally. Well hurry home so that Mac can get home and the babies can come out to greet us. She loved the way that the kittens jumped over each other, nearly battling each other to be the first one to greet her or Lee.
Smiling, he shook his head. I’ll only be another few minutes, love. I’m just organizing the guards to do the sweep and getting them started. I will be there in another five, I promise. But for now, love, I need to concentrate. This is not something I can do with your sexy voice whispering in my head, so please, just for a few moments can you observe a little silence?
Okay, I will leave you be. Just hurry home to me, Rimi asked softly and then went silent. She closed her mind somewhat to him, but left it open enough that he could still feel her and she him. It was something that they both needed, that touch of their minds.
Finishing issuing orders, Laighean got the guards moving over the lands and “listening.” Heading for his house once they were underway, he stepped inside and nodded to Mac. “Kat’s looking for you,” Laighean told him.
“I’m outta here then,” Mac said with a grin. “I’ll see you tomorrow, and say thanks to Rimi for being such a good hostess.”
“I will,” Laighean murmured and waited for the man to leave. Turning, he spotted furry little heads poking out from under the sofa and grinned. “You were so close. You should have said hello to him, little ones.” Bending, he collected them all as they raced over and took them to the panic room. Come on out, love. Mac is headed home, and I’m out here waiting with a few little ones that want to see you.
So they were just hiding? Rimi asked as she keyed in the code to open the door. Seeing her man and their kittens there, she sighed a long and happy sigh. The kittens were licking his hands or his neck, giving him love and affection in their own way, and it made her happy. “And you were worried they wouldn’t like you.”
“Of course I was worried,” he told her honestly. “Not all animals like the Fae. Our bodies and very rhythms are in tune with Nature herself. Not all creatures of Gaia like us or can be around us. I’ve heard some say we give off a vibe, like a tuning fork when struck, that some feel in their very core being, and it upsets them. Animals are most sensitive to that, babies next in line, so yes, my worries were well founded in facts.” Looking down at the kittens, he smiled. “They were hiding right under the sofa where Mac was sitting, trapped with nowhere to go.”
Reaching out, Rimi took Mercury and Snow. “My poor little babies. Why in the world didn’t you at least peek your heads out so that I knew where you were?” she asked as she rubbed her cheek to their little heads. “But Mac would never hurt you, darlings,” she told him with a smile.
“That’s what I told them, but I don’t think they quite believed the words,” Laighean told her softly. Stepping back, he let her exit the room and followed her. “We’ll need to stay inside for a time and away from the windows, at least until we’re sure the lands are clear.”
“Can’t you just hit the release to pull the shutters down against the windows? I would love to go to the living room, start a fire, and relax with you and the babies, honey.” The shutters were an addition that he had added to the home after they had moved in. With the flip of a button, military-grade steel slid into place and made the home impenetrable.
Nodding, he went to a control panel and activated the security measures. Once they heard the clank, he looked to her. “All right, darling, you can head into the living room now,” he said, following on her heels.
She moved to the living room, putting the kittens she held onto the floor and watching them all scamper for the room that held their litter box and food. Laughing, she shook her head. “The poor kids had to potty and were hungry and or thirsty but wouldn’t move because of Mac. They seriously need to get over their aversion to Kat’s men.
”
“They will in time,” he said softly, moving to the sofa to sit down. “They just need to be around them more often. We’ll have to have the bunch of them over here so they can learn their scents and know they mean them no harm.”
“If they will ever brave up enough to come out.” She worried for her kittens. They were her babies. While Kat had a baby on the way and others had children, she didn’t, and she was fine with that. She loved having this time alone with her Lee, but the kittens were her babies and would be for a very long time. “We need to make sure that the kids are okay with the others in case we ever go on vacation.”
“They adore Kat, but she is Fae, so I think they are slightly biased,” he said, knowing the kittens put up with him. Reaching out, he tugged her fingers. “Come and sit, love. Relax and let them deal for a while,” he suggested softly.
She gladly took a seat beside him. Nuzzling his neck, she curled into his body heat and sighed. “Talk to me, honey,” she whispered. “What and who did you find? Were they here to cause issues? Is that why they are all in holding cells?”
“We don’t know, but their intent was rather clear,” he told her honestly. “They had weapons and looked like they knew what they were doing with them. We didn’t stand chatting and just took them down. We will talk with them when they regain consciousness.”
Her eyes went wide at that and she nodded. “Oh my.” She then pulled back and began to check him over for injuries. “You are unhurt, right?” It wasn’t a question so much as a demand. “And you made sure that Trey didn’t get hurt, too?” Otherwise Kat would be pacing the halls.
“We are both just fine,” he promised with a smile. “They never saw or heard us coming. We hit them hard and fast once we saw what they were carrying,” he murmured. “Trey was heading right back to the house to let Katherine inspect him before he went and did some more work.”
