by Honor James
* * * *
Taking Amy from his son-in-law’s arms immediately upon him entering the room, Talon looked down at the child and smiled. “Hello there, my little sweetheart.” When the girl smiled up at him, Talon felt his heart clenching. “Where are Tony and Lina?” he asked Aiden without even looking away from Amelia.
“Anthony has an earache and has been fussing,” he told his boss. “He fell asleep on the drive in, so Talina decided to let him sleep in the peace and quiet of the car with Patryk and Rayne keeping watch.”
“That’s a very good idea,” Talon said as he played with his granddaughter. “I’m sorry the little guy isn’t feeling well. Have you gotten him some medication so that the pain will cease for him?” he asked as he walked and bounced his granddaughter.
“Yup, Talina was right on top of it,” Aiden said, grinning at the look on his daughter’s face. “I think I may have to fight you for hero worship in her eyes someday, Bulldog,” he teased the man. Amelia adored her grandfather, something Aiden easily understood. The man was very impressive.
“Little girls are supposed to adore their grandfathers and their fathers as well, but if this little girl wants to follow me around time and again I’m completely fine with that. She’s such a beautiful little girl.” He laughed. “But then again she should be because she is her mother’s daughter.”
“That she is,” Aiden agreed with a chuckle. “And you know she’ll follow you around like your shadow, so watch the language. Lina’s already freaking out about just what their first words are going to be, and considering where we let them hang out, I have a bad feeling I’m going to be on the couch for about eight years.”
“I will pass the word along to the guards as well. If any of them curse in front of one of my little darlings, you make sure to let me know and I will beat their as…ascots.” He caught his own cuss. “Now then, how about we go out so that I can see Tony, too. I love that little guy as well.”
“Did you drag us all the way here just so you could abscond with the babies and make faces at them?” he asked the man as he stood up. Following Talon out, he shook his head. “Because if you did I may have to let Talina beat the crud out of you.”
“No, I brought you here for another reason.” Talon got serious, stopping in the hall and turning to look at Aiden. “There are some Rogue Dragons out there. It’s come to my attention that there is rumbling now about my grandbabies. I’m going to assign more guards to you, and to these little ones as well, until the Rogue bastards are found.”
“Son of a biscuit-munching monster,” Aiden bitched. At Talon’s look, he glared. “Hey, I’ve had to become creative in my cursing since Lina is waving a big stick these days.” Growling, he headed off again with his boss. “I’m a bloody Royal Guard. I do not need babysitters on me, T, on Lina and the kids, abso-freakin-lutely, boss.”
“And what do you think that Lina would do if you were captured? She would do anything to get you back and you very da…well know it.” He headed off the words again. “Accept the guards, Aiden. They will just be your shadows. Only one to you and the others to my daughter and the grandkids.”
“Jes…jumping Jiminy Cricket, Talon,” he said, “you are a flipping pain in my rump.” He so couldn’t wait to swear again. This whole creative streak was wearing thin fast. “Fine,” he growled, pushing through the doors. “I’ll accept one, but if he so much as tells me what to do even once, I’m delivering him to you in a body bag.”
“He knows better. He’s going to be your shadow only.” Talon looked down at Amy and smiled. “Hey there, darling girl. You are so beautiful, aren’t you, sweetheart?” To Aiden he then added, “He’s going to be your shadow so that if any of those fu…funnel cakes come after you he will be able to report where you are.”
“Funnel cakes?” Aiden asked with a smirk. “Seriously, you’re using funnel cakes?” He laughed and stopped by the truck. “Your father wanted to see Tony and give him a little loving,” he told his mate as she rolled the window down.
Lina smiled at her father. “Hey, Daddy,” she whispered. “He’s sleeping right now. Poor little guy was hurting so badly earlier that now that he is finally been able to sleep I want him to be able to do just that. Is everything okay?”
“No,” Aiden said, shaking his head. “Apparently there is some discourse amongst the Dragons and there have been reports of Rogues. We’re getting extra security.” He glared at Talon. “Even me.” He grumbled the last words. He was so not pleased with that little tidbit.
Lina looked at her father and frowned. “Really?” She winced and looked down at Anthony, pulling the blanket up and over him. “Oh boy, I don’t like that.” Stroking her fingers over Tony’s cheek, she looked to Aiden. “We should leave soon, honey. He’s starting to get warmer. I want to get him home, bathed, changed, and then need to give him some more Motrin.”
Nodding, he pushed off the truck. “I’ll run up and grab the car seat. I’ll only be a couple minutes,” he said to her. “Chitchat with your father and tell him how much I hate him and his funnel cake plans for sticking me with a junior guard as a shadow.”
Lina snickered and looked to her father. “What does he mean, ‘funnel cakes’?” It hit her then. “Oh, that was creative,” she teased her father and shifted when Tony began to fuss again. “I love you, Daddy, but as soon as Aiden gets back out here we need to go so that I can get our little guy here home. When Aiden gets the seat in and puts Amy in it, you can open the door and say hello to your grandson.”
“I understand, darling,” Talon said, rocking back and forth as he bobbed Amy in his arms lightly. “Just do whatever you need to do for your son, Lina,” he murmured, lifting Amelia up and kissing her chubby cheek. Turning when he heard Aiden, he headed around the car to give Amelia to him.
Chapter Thirteen
“Is everything ready?” he asked from behind the large oak desk. “Is everyone in place so that we will be able to move in and take the King’s daughter and grandchildren?” Fingers tapped on the desk. Annoyance showed clearly in the face of the man seated as he looked out at the men that were helping him overthrow the King.
“We have them all being tracked,” he said to his boss with a nod. “The others are moving into place and should be ready sometime tonight. We’re having to be extra careful. The ‘King’,” he sneered the word, “has been bringing in extra guards, and they are extremely suspicious.”
“Good. The more that we can get out of the way the better. Pull additional men if you need to. I want as many of those fucking idiots to go down as possible. If we can take the Royal Guard out as well, all the better. We only want the daughter and the brats. Everyone else is collateral.”
“Understood, sir,” he said and then paused and cleared his throat. “I hate to mention this, sir, as I thought I’d dealt with it, but I received another report of discord with some of the men. While they dislike the ‘King’,” he sneered again, “and his way of doing things, they are against hurting those they believe have been brainwashed and could potentially see the light of our way of things.”
“The ones that are giving the most flack, send them to another part of the world. We need the ones that are completely and fully in line with us and our agenda. If they question us again, then kill them. Make examples of them.”
“Yes, sir,” he said and snapped a salute before turning and heading for the door. “Oh, before I forget, sir”—he turned—“the female and children are currently inside the base with several others including three of the Council plus the Cat Changer that won’t sit the Throne. The security is super tight, but I got the word that they were doing a meeting that should break up just before dinner. That may be the best time to strike.”
“Make it happen. Take whomever you need and whatever firepower that you need. Bring the girl and kids and we will have the leverage that we need to get that fucker to step aside, and I will take the Throne as I should have it.”
“As you wish, sir.” He smiled at his
boss. “Your father will never see it coming.”
* * * *
“Talon, we have to deal with this issue,” Aiden said as he watched his kids being passed around the room with his brother’s twins. Everyone was trying to get their hands on the babies. “The men we captured trying to get into the offices aren’t saying anything but I know something is up. I think we should let Quincy loose on them and get them talking.”
“We will save that as the last resort. Right now we need to figure out why the fuck these Rogues keep popping up time and a-fucking-gain. I will go down and question them. I want to know what the hell they think that they are doing with turning from me, their King.”
“Then we’re coming with you, T-Rex,” Mac said from where he was actively eavesdropping. “If Aiden’s gut is right as well as what Lee has been picking up, they are after something huge, and letting you walk into that room without a full contingent around you is just stupidity at its extreme.”
“All right,” Talon agreed. “I will allow you to accompany me, but I get to be the one who’s in their faces and demanding to know just why the fucking hell they think that they can go against me and my rule.” The Dragon was prowling just under his skin, and Talon had to fight to keep control when all he wanted to do was go in and rip the bastards apart until he was bathed in their blood.
“Just try to get answers before you rip their hearts out,” Allister commented as he joined them. “It’s so damned hard to get answers out of them when their lives are gurgling out of their bodies. And it’s messy.” He made a face. “I really don’t need another pair of shoes ruined by blood and gore.”
Talon snorted. “What the fuck ever. Maybe if I tear one of their fucking heads off the other fuck will talk.” He growled as he walked, his heavy boots hitting the tiled floors as they stalked through the halls and toward the holding cells.
“We going to do something the women will bitch about later?” Trey asked, joining them with a drink in hand.
“Yup, we’re off to interrogate the Rogues, and Talon’s planning on tearing off heads, so we need to all stand back so that we don’t get gore on us to give away the fact we all ducked out,” Aiden told him.
“Oh the women already know we’re up to something,” Trey commented. “They sent me along to see what was up. I’m supposed to report back any, and I quote, ‘hinky’ behavior that anyone is exhibiting.”
“Are you planning to do that?” Mac asked curiously.
“Nah, that’s much too boring and so not my style,” Trey said, holding out the glass to his brother-in-arms.
Striding into the first holding cell, Talon looked at the Rogue, a Dragon that he had known when the Dragon was a younger kid. “Dimitry.” He growled the Dragon’s name. “Tell me just why the fuck you thought that you would be able to go against me and mine. Why you felt that you could fucking join with some asshole that’s trying to take my Throne.”
Taking a drink from the glass, Mac nodded. “Nice,” he murmured, handing it back to Trey before he moved to stand in one corner.
“Maybe he doesn’t know,” Aiden said as he settled just behind the Dragon in the chair. “He’s likely so low in the pecking order that he hasn’t got a clue about anything. Probably took money to do a job and doesn’t realize the treason he’s committing.”
Talon snorted. “He fucking knows. Dimitry knew me when he was a child and I was the fucking King then and I still am.” He roared in the other Dragon’s face. “Who is it that’s pulling your goddamn strings?”
“Ten says he tears his heart out,” Allister murmured, pulling out a ten-dollar bill.
“I have twenty that says it’s his throat.” Trey dug out some bills.
“Nah, he’ll eviscerate him for sure,” Mac said, digging out a fifty. “I’d bet on it.”
Rolling his eyes, Aiden moved in closer to the seated male. “I still say he doesn’t know, boss. Dimitry wasn’t ever smart enough to make it far. Hell, he tried for the Guard six, seven times and failed to qualify every single time. No way is anyone going to trust him with anything.”
“True,” Talon growled. “He’s never been the smartest of the Dragons out there, at all. He’s also always been one of those idiots who will follow along blindly to whoever might come along with some grand scheme or another.” Hitting the man upside the back of the head, he moved toward the door. “Kill him. He obviously doesn’t know anything.”
“I know you’re going to die slowly and painfully,” Dimitry snapped out.
Shooting Aiden a look, Allister frowned. “You do know that threatening your King’s life is treason and will have you killed, right?”
“That,” Dimitry spat out with a sneer at Talon, “Is no one’s King. He’s a fraud, a fake, and we have the real King ready to step into his place as soon as we remove the diseased head and all his patsies from the path. Then the Dragons will take their rightful place once more and rule this pitiful world the way it should have always been done. With an iron and unforgiving fist.”
Aiden frowned at Trey who was pointing insistently toward the door. Nodding, he and the others followed the Wolf out into the hall.
“I’m not sure about the rest of you all, but that has a tinge of zealot and fervor there that has my hackles up,” Trey said quietly.
“We don’t have hackles,” Aiden muttered, rubbing a hand over his neck. “But he’s right, T-Rex, what he says sounds like a lot more organization and intent than we originally thought.”
Talon scrubbed his hands over his face and with a sigh said, “The only one who might be trying to put himself forward as King, the only one who could is the one we’ve been looking for.” His voice sounded defeated when he said, “My son. Nathaniel.”
Aiden felt like he’d just gotten a gut punch. “Son of a bitch,” he whispered. “This is going to kill Talina, boss.” She’d had such hopes of the big brother who would love, adore, and be there for her. Another thought hit him. “We need to put more guards on Talina and the twins.” He looked at his brother and saw the same conclusions there. “He’ll be coming for her and them. He needs to ensure his rule isn’t questioned, and if he has them on his side it wouldn’t be, not right away.” But that would also mean that all the current Royal Guards, Allister and Aiden included, would have to be killed.
“That also means more guards on you boys as well. I know it’s going to kill her. Fuck,” he growled. “Her fucking mother. If the bitch was still alive, I would fucking gut her for this. Do it. Add as many guards as needed to protect her and the twins.”
“I want Patryk and Rayne permanently,” Aiden said and grinned at Talon’s look. Yeah, he’d played that one. “The kids trust them completely and so does Lina. Makes all the difference in me leaving them alone for any time. I’ll snag a few others as well, but I am going to tell my mate all about this, T. She needs to know so she’s aware and conscious of everything.”
“Fuck,” Talon growled angrily. “Goddammit, this is going to break her heart. Talina is so sure that her brother is out there and searching for us just as we’re searching for him. She’s positive that he grew up in a loving and kind family and had a much better childhood than she did.”
Moving to his boss, friend, and father-in-law, Aiden clapped him on his shoulder. “She is strong, boss. She is your daughter after all,” he pointed out. “I’ll talk to her and work with her on this, T.”
“In the meantime,” Mac threw in. “What do we do with Dimitry and the others?” he asked, looking to Talon. “Do we keep interrogating them and see what they all know or just kill them and hope we can stop the kid?”
“Keep them locked up. We won’t kill them yet. If they so much as breathe on someone wrong, though, I want them dead. But I can’t just kill them for being idiots.”
“Sounds good,” Allister said and looked at Aiden. “Go and talk with your mate. The lads and I will go and have a chat with these guys. Talon”—he looked at the man—“go and take a breather, calm down, and think about this. We n
eed to know what weaknesses we have here on base. We need to consider how they are going to get at you and everyone else. When are we the most vulnerable? How would you go about it if you were trying to do this? He’s your blood. He likely thinks the same way you do. Use that knowledge.”
Talon nodded and looked up at the ceiling. “I will think on it.” He pulled out his cell and made a call. “Skittles. I need you in my office in ten. I want the blueprints of the base and I need the prints of the town proper. Yeah, I fucking know what time it is, just get here. Do it, Quincy Wallace, or I will have your fucking ass in a sling.”
Waiting until Talon stalked off, Trey shot the others a look. “We need to keep him calm as much as possible,” he said. “This is hitting him hard. Let’s get as much done as we can before we take him anything more. Mac and I will have a ‘chat’ with these boys. Allister, you want to join in?” he asked, not surprised at the nod the man gave him. “Aiden, go and talk to your mate,” he advised. “We’ll meet up again and talk in six hours.”
Chapter Fourteen
Lina looked up and smiled when Aiden walked in. “Hey, honey.” And then she felt it. The sorrow that hung to him made her want to cry. “What’s wrong, honey?” She rose to her feet and approached him slowly, reaching out and touching him as she did so.
Checking the babies, he tugged her hand and led her to an office where they could still clearly see their twins. Sitting on the edge of the desk, he pulled her in close to him. “Babe, I have some really bad news,” he told her softly. “We caught some Dragons, Rogues, that have a plan in hand, and what we found out and figured out isn’t good.”
“Well, we knew that there were Rogues. That’s why Patryk and Rayne have been our shadows.” Unease filled her. Moving in closer to him, she whispered, “What aren’t you telling me? Is it Daddy?” She asked suddenly, “Oh God, is he okay?”
