***
Settling down at the kitchen table, Talhrn followed Dee’s gaze as she watched Marquis place bacon, eggs, toast, and pancakes on the table. His movements were stiff and he could feel the anger radiating off of him.
“This looks great, Marquis. I didn’t know you could cook,” Dee said, smiling at Marquis, but he said nothing, just nodded and sat down next to him.
“Do you want some coffee or juice?” Dee got up and approached the coffee pot, but stopped when she saw that the coffee was already made. With a big smile she looked over her shoulder.
“You are amazing, even coffee.” Dee opened a cupboard and grabbed some coffee cups.
“Marquis, Talhrn, Todd?” She held up the coffee pot and turned towards them but dropped the pot of hot liquid when Marquis jumped up and snarled before he left the room.
The glass pot shattered and the coffee splattered everywhere including her skin, but Dee stood there with tears rolling down her face. “He hates me...”
The chair Talhrn was in went flying backwards as did Todd’s as they both rushed to her. Hot coffee dripped down her legs, but she ignored it, staring at where Marquis had been.
Picking her up, Todd grabbed a cool cloth and followed Talhrn over to her seat. “Dee, look at me,” Talhrn ordered, drawing her attention.
“Marquis does not hate you. How bad are you hurting, Dee?” he asked while Todd cleaned off her legs. Her delicate skin now turned red and in a few spots blistering had started to appear.
“Todd, take her to bed. I’ll bring in a tray and some ointment too...” He didn’t get another word out as bones started tp break and Dee jumped out of his arms.
The large saber-tooth tiger shook its head. “I’m going to go lie down. I’m not really that hungry.” She ran out of the room leaving both of them staring at her retreating form. He would break her habit of shifting into the cat when hurt.
“Marquis!” Talhrn yelled and stood up, the mess on the floor now clean.
“What?” Marquis appeared before him.
“You going to tell me what is wrong and why you hurt our meru?” He stepped into Marquis’ personal space, their noses almost touching.
“She knew we were her mates, but still went to that club. Then she refuses our help and almost attacks Todd! All you have done is baby her. She should be punished and brought under control.” Marquis ground out threw his teeth. He looked around the room. “Where is she? Did you finally decide to punish her?”
Talhrn closed his eyes, but not before he threw Marquis up against the wall, pinning him there. “Are you challenging me for orak?”
“No! I just believe we should be stronger with her. Dee’s been alone too long. She needs a firmer hand. Where is she?” Marquis asked again, looking from him to Todd.
“You scared her and hurt her.” Talhrn released Marquis and pointed to the hallway. “Find her and check her legs. She burned them when the coffee pot shattered, but Marquis, be gentle. Dee thinks you hate her and now is not the time to be hard on her.” Talhrn released him and watched as he left in search for their meru.
“Todd, make up a few trays. We’ll join them in a minute. We all need to eat, but our Kitten really needs it since the change,” Talhrn ordered and slowly followed Marquis.
In the frame of mind Marquis was in, he would take no chance at him lashing out at Dee when she was in a fragile state. He too believed Dee needed a firmer hand, but he also knew that after the change her emotions would be all over the place.
She would feel confused and needy. On top of that, her father’s threat weighed heavy on her mind. Yes, they needed to tread a little carefully right now.
Chapter Nine
Slowly, Dee curled up in front of the large bay door and stared out at the view below. She loved sitting here and just watching life below. Always looking down at life, never part of it, too afraid she’d get someone killed. “At least I could always dream about it,” she said to herself in head, blocking her mates’ thoughts.
One thing Dee had learned early was to block her feelings and thoughts from others. The only one who ever broke that barricade had been her father, but hopefully he wouldn’t be able to invade her again, thanks to her men.
Her legs throbbed where the coffee had splashed onto her skin. Even though the shift into her cat form did heal some of the burns, Dee was still sore. She nudged Boo, as her dogs circled around her tiger’s form as if trying to protect her, which was totally laughable. At over 400 pounds, her saber-tooth tiger could have her pets for dinner if it wanted to.
Both her pets always knew when she was feeling down and tried their best to lighten her mood. But the possibility of Marquis hating her had her stomach in a knot and tears in her eyes. It seemed as though depression was once more going to be her best friend.
The three men, strangers but yet not, were part of her and Dee couldn’t live without them. The thought of living alone again had her whimpering.
A shadow appeared over her, blocking the light from outside and Dee knew it was Marquis. Her dogs growled as he knelt down next to her. “Hush! He’s my mate,” she conveyed telepathically to her animals. “Go on. I’ll be fine.” Dee pushed into their heads.
When her dogs left the room, Marquis sat on the floor next her. He lifted up his hand and she flinched. “Shhh, I’m not going to hit you, Little Kitten. I’d never hit you. I might spank that cute ass of yours, but I would never strike you.” He ran his hand through the fur on her head. His presence had a way of calming her as they just sat there. Marquis was a big man, but yet he was gentle with her.
“Were you thinking of leaving us?” Marquis asked and nodded to the screen door.
“No, I like looking down at the city below. Sometimes, I sit here and dream of being able to walk and talk with others, not having to worry about my psycho father killing anyone I talked to.”
For the next few minutes he said nothing. He just sat next to her, his fingers running through her fur. Dee curled her leg up and cussed inside her head as she rubbed her leg against the hard floor.
His attention turned to her as he lifted her big head and stared into her eyes. “You’re in pain? Will you shift back so I can see if I can help?” He asked scooting closer to her.
Something banged against the sliding door. Dee yanked her head away from him and jumped up. Dee stared at the head of her friend Agatha Brimstone as it rolled to the side. Her dead eyes held terror in them. Her mouth was open as if a scream had been her last sound and blood splattered onto her patio door so Agatha hadn’t been killed long ago. Dee could swear she heard her screaming, but then Dee realized it was her.
Her body shook when Marquis lifted her as if her cat didn’t weigh anything. He moved her away from the door and headed out of the living room
“I’ve got you, Little Kitten.” Marquis rubbed his chin on the top of her head.
Talhrn and Todd were there in an instant along with Akaos. “Take her to the bedroom and don’t leave her,” Talhrn ordered as he flung open the door and knelt down.
She peeked over Marquis’ shoulder, but he came around the corner where she couldn’t see what was happening. Dee was shaking so badly that the shift from cat to human came on her quickly and actually hurt.
They stepped into the bedroom when her mother’s scream pierced the quiet of the early afternoon. Once more, her father had killed someone they cared about. One more reason for her mother to pull away from her. She feared that the ground they’d covered to come closer was gone.
Guilt engulfed her as she tried to get out of Marquis’ arms. It was her fault. If she hadn’t asked them to come to the club last night Agatha would still be alive. They wouldn’t have left the safety of the castle.
“Let me go! I told you guys you shouldn’t be around me! I only bring death to those who are close to me.” Dee screamed and tried to pry Marquis’ arms away, but he held tight to her.
“Maybe it’s best you hate me!” she yelled and turned away from him as he climbed onto th
e bed with her in his arms. Abby would never forgive her. She’d killed her twin.
A blanket was placed over her naked body and Marquis curled up next to her on the bed. With one hand wrapped around her waist, the other cupped her mound. “I love you, Little Kitten. I don’t hate you. I could never hate you and this is not your fault. If anyone is to blame, then it is us. We should have made sure Agatha made it back safely to your mother’s home.”
She turned over and looked up into his face. “The head was a warning to me. He’s not done. My father will keep coming now. He won’t stop.” Dee pulled the blanket up over her shoulders as a shiver rode up her spine. She turned to stare out the bedroom window.
“Even as a child I knew Koti watched me from a distance. I would find little clues that he was close. He was building the link to my mind. Now that is gone...” Dee snorted.
“In some ways he’s been with me more than my own mother. Each week he would send something or leave a message for me. He won’t give me up.”
“Then we’ll leave,” Talhrn said from the doorway.
Shaking her head, Dee sat up. “He’ll find me anywhere we go. Believe me I tried when I moved to Paris for a couple of months.”
She fell back down onto the bed staring up at the ceiling. “It took him two weeks before he found me and he was not a happy man. I found my kitten with his throat slashed in my bed. At least here I know the land and have set up certain traps even though it seems he knew of those too.”
Coming into the room, Talhrn stood at the end of the bed staring at her. “I’ve talked with Akaos and your mother. They both agreed we’re going to my home for a while. You need a break without having to worry about when your father is going to attack.”
Yanking out of Marquis’ arms, she jumped off the bed. “So you talked with my mother and Akaos. All of you decided that I should leave my home? Well, let me tell you something. If she doesn’t want me around, her and her friends can leave,” she snarled, hurt beyond words.
“I knew it was too good to be true, but now she’s sending me away from everything I know. I won’t go! Have Akaos take her away.” She ran into the bathroom and slammed the door before she sank to the floor.
Drawing her knees up, Dee wrapped her arms around them and tried to slow her breathing. Furious and hurt, she didn’t know what to do. The thought of leaving did have its benefits. Not to have to worry about Koti for just a short time could help clear her head, but Dee knew Koti would go on a killing spree like no one had seen before.
“So much going on through that pretty head,” Talhrn said appearing before her. “Maya didn’t suggest the idea, Dee, I did. This man has been with you for so long that you’ve forgotten to live.” He lowered himself till he was eye level with her.
“Come with us. Let us introduce you to our world. Meet our families and maybe forget just for a short while. If you want to come back, we’ll bring you home.” He took her hand into his and lifted it to his mouth kissing each finger.
“I’d like to see Abby before we leave.” She stared into his eyes. “You know he’ll come for me even on your world?”
He pulled her up and into his arms. “We would know the instant he stepped foot on our world. So far no one has breached our home. The Tetraheros made sure our world was secure.”
Her favorite jeans, shirt and boots were suddenly on her body. “Let me close up the barn and let the animals know that I’m leaving. Can we bring my dogs with us when we go?”
“Yes, we can bring your dogs and I’ll make sure someone takes care of all of your animals while were gone.” He escorted her out of the bathroom and down the hall to the living room where her mother and Akaos waited for her.
Not expecting it, Maya ran to her and wrapped her arms around her. “I wouldn’t agree to this if Talhrn wasn’t right. I love you Dee. You need to get away for a while.” She stepped back into Akaos arms. “You’ve always been on guard. Let your men take care of you and enjoy them. Just watch out for that old creep, Janek.”
“Janek won’t bother your daughter. He knows better to come near Talhrn,” Akaos reassured her mother.
“I promise you, Janek wants no part of me. He got off lucky with Akaos. He will not be challenging me,” Talhrn said and walked with Dee to the door.
“The outside has been cleared. Go visit your animals.” He kissed the side of her cheek. “We’ll visit Abby when you are finished.”
She strolled towards the barn. “I have chickens, pigs, buffalo, cows, horses and, of course, ostriches.” Dee opened the door to the barn.
Blood and animal parts were everywhere. A shiver racked her body. Talhrn yanked her behind him as Todd and Marquis stepped forward. “Akaos we have a problem here.”
Her chickens, pigs and the horses were all dead. Her men checked and found the cows, buffalo and birds were fine out in the field. It seemed the attack was only centered on the barn for now. But it wasn’t Koti this time. Something not from this word had done this kind of damage.
***
“I have six men scouting behind the property. What happened?” Akaos demanded.
“Most of her animals were killed. There is no trace in the barn.” He swung her up into his arms. “Todd, Marquis...” was all he said and both of his weru stepped into the barn with their personal knives in their hands. Where Todd’s was eight inches in length, it curved into a hook and sharper than any others he’d seen.
The blade Marquis carried was almost a sword, thick metal, branded with his family code on it, but the deep ridges in the sides of the blade would hack anything apart. Both of his weru were highly trained in tracking and killing. After hundreds of years of experience one only got more deadly.
Two cars pulled into the drive behind them. The cop, Edwards, got out along with Franko and four of Maya’s family members.
That is when he heard it, the high end pitch of someone or thing coming through a door from another world. He yanked around and covered Dee with his body issuing the warning. “Incoming!”
Dee was smashed up against the structure, but Talhrn held her tight, covering every inch of her body with his. Next to him Akaos had Maya covered up against the wall.
Turning, he cringed at the sight before them. Two of the women were down, but not dead. Their men and Dan were fighting off the Murkleaf. “This cop isn’t bad. He fights like a warrior even though he has no idea what he is battling,” he said telepathically to Akaos.
The green and black slim creatures, at least 20 of them, were still left standing. The slime from their bodies was sent flinging in all directions, hitting and burning anything it touched.
“We need to close that doorway before more come through!” Talhrn shouted and knew before the words were out that he was going to have to display his unique ability in front of his lady.
He’d hope there would be time for him to explain, but there was none. Their cop friend, Edward, went down with a grunt.
“Someone help him!” Maya snarled and tried to get loose as Marquis appeared next to him and took his place covering Dee.
She latched onto his arm, staring into his face. “Please be careful.”
Just that one tiny sentence had a group of the creatures turning towards them. “Always,” he said and stepped forward, his body already shifting and pulling the energy around him to end this once and for all.
He heard her gasp behind him, but didn’t stop what he was doing.
Chapter Ten
Dee stared in awe as Talhrn’s body shimmered to almost nothing. He glowed almost to a point where Dee had to shield her eyes. He was literally turning into a ball of light.
“What is he?” she asked Marquis who rubbed her arms and kissed the top of her head.
“On our world, he’s called,’Neomages’. As the oldest, Cometedge of our species, the Tetraheros gifted him with several extra abilities a half century ago. But because of these skills, he has also suffered the most. Many of our kind are even afraid to be around him.” Marquis stared at Talhrn a
s he spoke.
“Since we found you, it’s the first time we’ve seen him start to loosen up, as you humans say,” Todd spoke next to them.
The creatures started to scream, their yells vibrated in her skull. Dee thought her eardrums would pop, until some kind of ear muffs covered her ears, cutting all noise out. One by one, the things dropped, but not before they flung their slime at everything around them.
Dan, Eden, and Opal lay on the ground. Warriors covered their bodies as the things fell all around them. Where they used to be slimy, these things were now shrinking up to nothing. It smelt like burning leaves, but with a scent of death which made her want to puke.
“Now, Akaos, close the hole before anymore come. Talhrn can’t hold this form that much longer now that they are gone,” Todd yelled, making his way towards the injured, the earmuffs gone again as the screaming stopped.
“Do not touch the goo. It will still be able to burn you,” Akaos warned Maya and her as they ran to the injured. Opal had several burn marks on her arm and face, but once she shifted, she would be fine.
However, Eden and Dan were in bad shape. Eden’s hand hung barely to her arm and there was a cut at least ten inches long across her stomach. Dan was in much worse shape considering he was human.
The gash around his neck was severe and by all human standards he should be dead. Dee glanced at her mom then at Marquis. “Talhrn has agreed to bring this one over. He has fought like a warrior and has always tried to keep you women safe. It is the least we can do.”
Slowly, Dee stood and made her way to Talhrn. His shape gradually returned to what she knew. His body swayed and Dee reached from, but Todd was there before her. “He’s going to need a lot of blood, my hearts. I’m afraid he would hurt you if he fed from you right now. Please allow me to take care of him.”
Todd cupped her cheek and smiled. “Come, we’ll take him inside your house. We can bring the others inside as they are healed.”
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