Patting her arm, her mom shook her head. “No, the men were messing with us. Anthony brought Lacey here, so I’m sure he had to tease her too. However, your new father better stop doing that to me while I’m busy.” She snarled and the two little girls looked up with big eyes.
“Oh, don’t worry, little ones. I’m just playing with my daughter here,” Maya said and looked at her. “I want them, Dee. I want the chance to give them the home I didn’t give you, but I...” She took a deep breath and Dee leaned over to hug her.
“Stop. What happened is in the past. I’m just happy to have you with me now. If you really want the two little ones, talk with your men and Leslie. Plus, you know there are no packs for cats. They need to be with us and Reva would have her friends close.” She took a bite of the Mac and cheese, moaning. “I haven’t had this in so long and it’s homemade too.”
Everyone was silent as they tore into the food. Dee watched the boys gulping down theirs as they sat next to their friends. She now had an instant family and God she prayed that he wouldn’t touch it.
“You and the children will always be safe. Look behind you,” Talhrn assured her.
She turned in her seat to see two men who had been with them earlier. “Are those my guards?” Dee grinned and looked down at the ground. “You would do that for me?”
He laughed and it was like he could actually feel his hand on her cheek, but then it was there. She looked up into his face as he knelt down next to her. “You are the most precious thing in my world, our world. You don’t realize how much you are loved and needed, but every day we will make sure you know.” He kissed her lips softly. “Maya, Akaos and Leslie are waiting for you in her office. Todd will take you there.” Even as he spoke to her mother, his gaze never left hers, until a small body slipped in between them, hugging him.
“I saved you a plate. You can sit on one side of me,” she said, pulling him to the empty space next to her. Her two friends stared in awe as he sat down next to them and smiled.
“Hello, don’t you like your food?” Talhrn asked the girl called Emma and she shook her head.
“That bad boy Leon over there put Kool-Aid in her food. I’ve been sharing mine with her, but we ran out,” Reva told Akaos.
He frowned and looked over at the boy who must have been around 8. Leon looked away at once. “Well, we can’t have you hungry. I ate already so why don’t you three eat my food.” He pushed the little girl’s food away and placed his in front of her.
“There you go and you...” Talhrn picked up Reva and slipped her on his other side so he was next to Dee and Reva was next to her friends. “Now the three of you can share.” He turned and Dee reached up giving him a quick peck on the lips.
“Thank you.” She sat back down to have Marquis squeeze her shoulders. She leaned back against him. “So what did you figure out?”
“We’re going to move the orphanage to your mother’s place. One, it’s huge and we can protect it from anyone there. Two, Lacey and the other women will help out when they can. Anthony has also talked with the wolf pack there and they will be helping with the move. With all the land, the children will have a nice place to run and play. With the pack helping with security, there should be no more problems,” Talhrn explained and nodded to the boys.
“Todd, round up the boys. We need to head out here in a few. I’ve also told Leslie that if any of the older children don’t have anywhere to go, let the pack know and we’d find a place for them, if it’s our world or somewhere else. They will not be left alone.” He stood and Dee knew he was talking about himself in some way.
Helping her up, Dee snuggled into his arms, hugging him. “Thank you. The three of you are amazing.”
“Are we leaving now?” Houston asked behind them. Excited. Scot jumped up and down next to him.
She looked up to see her mom coming in with Akaos and Leslie. “Well?” Dee mouthed and Maya smiled, nodding.
Talhrn lifted Reva up as they watched Akaos, Tesuss and Warden stand behind the two small girls while her mother sat between them. “How would you like to come live with us? I know we just met, but I know we can give you a great home and you would be close to Reva.”
Leslie slid in next to Dee. “I wouldn’t normally do this so quickly, but since it is very hard to find any cat shifters, I think those two would do well with your mom. With the added bonus that Reva and you will be close, I think the girls will have a great life. Just promise me a visit sometime in the near future.” Leslie hugged her.
“Your men and family have done so much for this place today...I just can’t thank you enough. To know the children will be safe now and have the room to play, let alone the older children.” Leslie stepped back and wiped the tears away. “You’ve so much...”
“Hey, none of that. You’re going to get me crying. Plus, most of it was my mates. They’re the ones that have the big hearts.” Dee looked up at Todd who winked at her and smiled as he scooped up Scot into his arms.
Marquis hooked onto Houston, while Talhrn had Reva. She watched as Emma crawled into her Mom’s lap and hugged her. “We want to go with you. Our cat likes you.” The young child said as the other, Rosa stood on the bench and looked at the three men with her hands on her hips. “You’re going to be our new daddies.”
She tried to keep the smile back, as did all three warriors, and nodded to her. “You won’t leave us, like Mommy did?” She looked down at her sister. “I don’t want to be scared anymore,” she said in a whisper, but everyone had heard her.
Akaos stepped forward and lifted her into his arms. “We give you our promise. All of us will protect you and your sister with all that we have.” He kissed her small cheek.
Leaning down, Marquis whispered, “If you start crying, I’m going to give five more swats.” She looked up to see him trying to hold back the tears too.
“You big old softy. Okay, so that is answered. Can we go to my house first? Akaos, could you have a few of your men meet us there? I’d like to move the rest of my animals closer to Mom’s place. I think the children could benefit from helping with them and it would give them fresh eggs and meat too. I know I packed everything. I just want to give it a once over.” She looked down at the ground and took a deep breath.
The echoes of Hope’s laughter filled her head and she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. It was time to let Hope move on. Talhrn’s arm came up behind her and hugged her, as Marquis squeezed her shoulder and Todd kissed the top of her head.
“That’s a wonderful idea and I’m sure your Mother would love to be there to help,” Akaos said, staring at her when she lifted her head.
“Then let’s go. The children need to see their new home and I have a large party to plan for,” Dee said and couldn’t wait to go back to their place to start unpacking.
***
Something had changed in their meru. Talhrn couldn’t explain it, but she seemed more relaxed and open. He and his other weru could actually read her. She wasn’t blocking them as she had before.
Once they appeared at her home, Dee gazed around the property as if seeing it for the first time. “Maybe your men would like to stay here? Since it borders her property, it would give them privacy and still be in close range, if need be. Like a bunker, what do you think?” She glanced at Talhrn and he nodded.
“It’s a wonderful idea, but wouldn’t you want to come back once the threat is lessened? I can have a Kith stay here to keep it up.” He didn’t want her to give up all that she built for herself.
She shook her head. “No. I bought this place more or less to spit at my Mom and to give Hope a place, but I was stupid. One, I shouldn’t have kept so close to Mom’s place and two, I should have stayed there. It’s protected. Maybe if I had, Hope would be still alive. Plus, I want a new beginning. I want a place I can call home and be able to relax in. To raise our children, and you’ve given me that. It’s time to embrace the future and let go of the past.” She looked toward the bunker where Dee kept Hope’s rema
ins.
“But I do want to make sure we come back...” He squeezed her shoulder as he lowered Reva to the ground.
“We’ll come back. On our world we have a custom, to honor special ones who have fallen. I would like to do this for your little one. When a child is lost in our world, it’s extremely hard. They are gifts to us, as your Hope was to you and as our new children are. When this tragedy happens, we always perform this ritual. I know it’s been a while since her passing, but the ache is still strong in your heart. Maybe this will help ease some of that pain that still lingers there.” Talhrn stepped around her and placed his hand above her heart.
“It’s called Spes Festus, or you would say, Festival of Hope. Would you allow me to set this up for you?”
Dee stared into his eyes. “You don’t have to do this.” She tried to pull back, but he held onto her. “Talhrn...” She nodded. “I would be honored. Thank you.”
“After we have the children settled and our party is over, I’ll make sure to arrange this for you...for us.” Akaos and Maya appeared next to them with their two little girls and about 6 men.
The 5 children stood and watched as the cows and buffalo started to come down from the hills and headed towards her mother’s place. He looked down at Dee and she smiled. “I like to connect with the animals. It’s easier to work with them.”
“Why don’t you and your mom go and take one more look around. If you want to take anything, let me know,” he kissed her head and pushed her towards the house. “We’ll watch the children.”
Hand in hand, Dee and her mother went inside the house. He knew it brought back painful memories of Hope and of her friend. Maybe Dee was right to give it up, to start fresh.
“I noticed Anthony’s been talking with your brother Isaac. They’ve been watching Lacey closely too.” Talhrn nodded to the two men in question. Their gazes followed Lacey’s moves as she talked with the children.
“My brother tells me little, but from what he’s told me, Anthony is his weru, but from what Anthony has said it seems Edwards might be their third. But with him going through the conversion, it will be a while before the orak is chosen.”
He laughed. “We all know who will control that Kith. Your brother is just as strong as you are, but I have no idea about your Anthony.”
“We must not count out Edward. I’ve seen that man in action. He too is strong. With a new Kith forming, it will be twice as hard on their meru. And if Lacey is this woman, then they will have their hands full. Maya never did learn the full story on her history, just bits and pieces,” Akaos said. “I’ve been thinking about what Dee said yesterday. What if by chance, he’s found a way to open the doors with a different source of power?”
Everything in him stopped. Marquis and Todd grabbed the children along with Warden and Tesuss who appeared next to them. The connection to his meru was gone. He and Akaos didn’t waste a second and appeared in the house. Not a sound, but the smell of blood and death filled the house. His woman wasn’t dead or he wouldn’t be standing and neither would be Akaos if Maya was gone.
Six highly trained men appeared around them and he snarled. “Move!” He pushed them out of the way and stormed into what used to be Hope’s room. Maya and Dee lay on the floor unconscious with a dart sticking out of both of them, three others in the walls behind them.
A small skull sat on a pole with the name Hope written in blood. Everything from her little crypt stuffed in the room was splattered with blood.
With a wave of his hand, the room was cleaned and Dee was in his arms. “Bring Maya, I’ve already called the medical team,” he said to Akaos and appeared a few seconds later in their bedroom. The medical team waited in the room, already having the contents of the darts in their hands that he’d sent them.
“The liquid is the blood of the Murkleaf’s,” one of the medical staff announced as they put the women on the bed. For one second no one moved or breathed. Then it was a race against time, as the medical team started hooking up IV’s.
Talhrn shook as he watched the team trying to save them. “She will never leave this house again,” he snarled when Talhrn almost jumped at the small hand that grabbed his.
Little Reva, with tears in her eyes looked up at him. He’d totally forgotten about the children. Houston and Scot held onto Marquis and Todd while Emma and Rosa clung together not knowing what to do.
In the doorway, Helena and Sena appeared. He knelt in front of Reva. “I want you and your brothers to go with your Grandma Helena. She’s going to show you around the house and to your rooms. Why don’t you take Reva and Emma with you and as soon as we know what is going on, I’ll come and get you?”
“You won’t let her die too?” She cried and he lifted her into his arms. He hugged her and tried to reassure her, but everyone knew the seriousness of the situation. Handing her over to Helena was one of the hardest things he’d ever done, but right now he needed to help both women.
Once the medicine was dripping into their veins, he cleared the room. The only ones that were allowed to stay were their werus. He brushed back a piece of his gray hair from his face and sighed. Oh, he had contact with his maker, Wel-sonz, but only when the man needed His help. There was no warm feelings, no emotion what so ever. What surprised him was the fact that the Tetraheros even breed emotion into their genetics, but then again if they hadn’t. There would be a problem dealing with the many races they’d encountered.
Not only was their health an issue, but he knew once their Little Kitten was awake, she would be devastated. The last resting place of her daughter had been desecrated and destroyed.
The room grew cold and he looked at Akaos. He was shocked. Wel-sonz was here in the room. Talhrn knew his calling card as purple lights flickered round the women. “Do you really believe I’d allow your woman to die? We might not have emotions, but I know I don’t want my creation to die. You’ve finally took the position we have breed you for. I’m afraid I can’t help with the emotional aspect, but she is stronger than you believe.”
For the first time in his life, Talhrn was actually proud to be Wel-sonz’s creation. He knelt and bowed his head. “You honor me and my weru. Never again will I doubt you, thank you.” He knew Wel-sonz would say nothing, but he needed to thank him. When he raised his head Talhrn noted he was not the only one. Every man in the room was on his knees thanking him.
“Two days they will sleep.” The temperature in the room rose suddenly and Wel-sonz was gone.
Chapter Twenty
Her body felt like hell once more. It hurt to move and she didn’t even want to. The last thing she remembered was stepping into her daughter’s old room with her Mom and seeing Hope. Tears rolled down her cheeks and someone wiped them from her.
“She is in a safe place. You and I are going to have a very long, long talk, my pet. I’ve decided to seal our home. You will not be able to leave whatsoever. I’m even considering a second skin made of diamond for you.” Talhrn kissed her lips softly.
“Open your eyes for us, Dee. I want to see those beautiful golden eyes.” Marquis nipped one of her fingers and then sucked it into his mouth.
“You have three little ones waiting for their new mommy to awake,” Todd spoke softly.
Even her eyelids were heavy, but Dee pried them open and squinted at first adjusting to the rooms light. At the foot of the bed, Todd stood with Reva, Houston and Scott. Next to her were Talhrn and Marquis. “How long have I been out?” she croaked out, her throat dry.
“Three days. Here, let me help you up.” Marquis reached her arms and lifted her up so that she was leaning against the headboard of the bed.
Talhrn offered her a drink of juice, which he held in his hand, and she nodded, drinking the thing down till it was gone. “Wow, thirsty.” Dee smiled to the children and patted the bed. “Well, get up here and tell me what you think of your new home. I’m so sorry I wasn’t up to exploring with you.” She held out her arms and Reva crawled up on the bed and into them.
“I was so scared,” she sniffled. “But my room is so pretty. It’s all pink. Grandma Helena said when you woke up we could do more to the room. I even like the boys’ room.” She leaned back and pointed to her dress.
“Do you like my new dress? Grandma Helena says all the little girls wear them.” The sleeveless dress was a red silk-like material.
“It’s very pretty. Houston, Scott, how are you doing?” Both boys hugged her tight when Talhrn and Marquis got off the bed, watching.
“Dad, Talhrn and Marquis have been working with me for my shift. Father Todd took us to meet a few other kids here.” All three children kept talking and she nodded. All the while Dee watched her men.
She needed to feel their bodies against hers, their arms around her, but first she wanted a nice bath. Then food.
“MOM!” She jerked up almost throwing Reva back, but Dee held onto her.
“She’s fine and with her mates. Your mother awoke yesterday and has been here...” He stopped and turned to see Maya coming in the room.
“I’ve been here there times to check on you, young lady, and I don’t like to be worried.” She leaned down to hug her. “You’ll feel 100% better as soon as you soak in the tub. Come on you three, you’re coming to my dwelling while your Mommy and Daddies get a chance to talk.” Her mom almost choked on that last part.
“Mom, the kids!” Dee rolled her eyes and hugged each of her children before they scrambled off the bed, leaving her alone with her men. “I like the dress Reva was wearing. I was wondering about clothes for the children.”
Flipping back the covers, Dee swung her legs over the bed. She was a little stiff, but feeling much better since drinking the juice. Todd had disappeared and she had a feeling he was getting something ready for her.
“You know tomorrow is our party and Houston’s flight. Later Helena will be by to talk to you about last minute preparations, but for the next four hours..” Talhrn scooped her up in his arms. “You’re all ours, but first that bath, to make sure you are nice and relaxed.” His voice dropped down several notches.
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