by Alanea Alder
Before she knew it, the men had finished the transfers, and Ari was once again at her side. "It's time to go."
"Why do you look sick at the idea of going home?"
He just wrapped his arms around her, resting his cheek on the top of her head. She expected the caged in feeling to kick in at any moment, but surprisingly, it didn't. Not only was she taking comfort in his embrace, she also felt relief that she was able to soothe him.
"When we walk through the portal, we'll be going to the storage house for the dead in the city. Family members may be onsite to identify their loved ones and will, more than likely, demand answers from all of us—answers that we just don't have," he explained.
"The sooner we go through, the sooner we can get that dinner over with, and we can relax, right?"
He stepped back and smiled down at her. "I knew you'd be perfect for me. Yes, that's the plan as of right now."
"We're heading back to the station," Rathais said, walking up with River. "He needs access to his lab, and I'll be going over public records to start the process of getting their homes settled. That's a lot of property and personal belongings that need to be settled and transported to Éire Danu."
"What about me?" she asked.
Rathais ruffled her hair, the same as he always had done, but she blushed now that she could see how handsome he was. He tweaked her nose. "It's still me, Brie. I understand that it may be more difficult to see me as the father figure you once did, but that doesn't change how much I care. I'm just more like an older brother now."
"My mate," Ari growled.
Rathais ruffled Ari's hair much to the lion's astonishment. "And you just got another older brother."
Ari's mouth opened, then closed. He looked away but not before she caught his pleased expression. "Whatever," he murmured.
"On that note," Rathais turned back to her. "I know that right now you're focused on the job. You jumped in to help process the scene, mostly out of reflex. But who and what we are, your tie to Ari, none of that has hit you yet. You're about to go through a portal to an entirely different world, so please be easy on yourself. It's okay to get overwhelmed and upset. It will be completely understandable for you to ask for help." He pointed to the men standing around eavesdropping. "Brie, these men are now your brothers in arms. I trust them with my life and yours."
She exhaled. "I wish you were coming, but understand why you're not. Besides, my dad will be there, so as soon as I kick his ass and figure out how he's okay with all this, he can help me process."
"Hey!" her dad protested.
Rathais nodded. "I'll be checking in on you soon. Consider yourself on paid leave until the dust settles."
She glared at him and opened her mouth to protest. He held up his hand. "You're assigned this case, Brie, you'll just be working it from that side." He pointed to the portal.
She sighed. "Fine."
Ari took her hand. "Come on, hon, let's go."
She let him lead her through, not entirely sure what waited for her on the other side.
*****
Chaos.
Chaos waited for them on the other side of the portal.
The second they stepped through and the people saw who had arrived, questions, demands, and accusations began to fly at a rapid rate. Aiden was trying to answer as many questions as he could, but he and every other man looked like they were in way over their heads.
She looked around and spotted a standard folding table. Using a chair, she climbed up on top, placed her fingers to her lips, and let out a piercing whistle. The quiet was almost deafening after the panicked cacophony. All eyes were suddenly on her.
"Can I get everyone with a question to take two steps backward please?" she asked.
The people looked at one another then stepped back.
"Thank you. Now, I know all of you have questions regarding today's tragic findings, but the men before you and I are still looking for answers. I want to assure each and every one of you that we will not stop searching until we find those responsible."
"Why is a human involved?" one of the taller blond men sneered. "We were pulled from our homes to return to Éire Danu, only to find that our loved ones have been massacred."
"Your name please?" she asked calmly.
"Tyrien Ri'Aileanach."
"Tyrien, you have returned to the city from where?"
"The Hamptons."
She blinked. Of course, he was from the Hamptons.
"How long had you lived there before coming back?"
"I don't see how—"
"How long?" she asked again firmly.
"In that location, fifty years."
She pointed to her chest where her badge was very much on display. "Then you should know what this badge is and what it stands for. I have been trained to protect my people much in the same way these fine men have been trained to serve. I'm not sure what education goes along with such training here, but I have put in years studying to get different degrees to help me in doing my job." The man opened his mouth to speak, but she kept going. "I not only have a degree in Abnormal Psychology but also Forensic Science. That means I am specially trained to not only figure out why a criminal is committing these atrocities but also how. Now, I may be new to your world, but it sounds like you need someone exactly like me, human or not."
"Gods above, she is right," a woman whispered.
Tyrien went to protest, but the woman glared at him until he looked away. "My name is Kyla Vi'Aileanach, it was my"—she swallowed hard—"sister and her mate who were found."
Brie nodded. "I am very sorry for your loss."
"We know that the warriors don't have all the answers, but"—she paused again—"they represent the last tie we have to our loved ones. Any information they have is desperately needed."
Brie gave her a sad smile. "The type of information they have to give you, trust me, Kyla, you don't want. Please, I know it's very hard right now, but you must be patient. As we assemble more facts and piece together exactly what happened, we will share as soon as we can."
Brie saw the exact moment her words registered with the poor woman. Her face crumpled as she nodded and spun to collapse into the waiting arms of the man behind her.
"Now, to keep everyone moving forward, these rooms are, as of immediately, off limits to everyone not working this case. All family members will be directed to a secondary, undetermined location to work with the warriors that will help you in identifying, claiming, and releasing your loved ones to you." Immediately, the crowd began to protest.
"Quiet!" she roared. When the people before her were somewhat quieter, she began again. "What if, in your grief, you make a mistake?" she asked, and the crowd quieted further. "What if, for whatever reason you think, you recognize a family member, and it's not them? What if they are actually still missing, but now no one is looking for them? I know what you're thinking, 'that could never happen' 'who could make those kinds of mistakes?'
"I'm going to be blunt, and you may hate me for it, but right now, I am serving your loved ones. The unattended dead get harder to identify the longer they have been missing. That is why each family will be working with a single warrior, will be getting time alone with the body without the distraction of others, to help in identifying your loved ones, so that no mistakes are made and these poor souls can finally go home."
"What do we do?" a small voice asked. Brie looked until she saw a pale female clutching her golden shawl about her shoulders.
"Go home. Rest. Be there for your loved ones and your neighbors. We will let you know when we're ready to proceed with the next step."
"I refuse to obey orders from a human." Tyrien protested.
The low rumble began almost immediately. Brie smiled, she didn't know how she knew, but that was most definitely Ari.
"If my mate knows what's good for him, he'll let me handle this," she said pleasantly.
The rumble lowered but didn't dissipate.
"Mate?" Tyrien asked, looking nerv
ous.
"Yes, but if you're more worried about offending him than me, then you're not that bright. Ari may be a lion, but I can assure you I'm just as dangerous."
"A Lionhart," he sneered. "A bunch of savage animals that ingratiate themselves to our queen for a place in our city. His brothers are just as useless as he is."
Every single fae in the room stepped away from Tyrien, including Kyla.
"Shit!"
"Grab him!"
A deafening roar had her covering her ears. Her gaze swung around the room, looking for Ari. He now stood over eight feet in height. His facial features had changed to look more lion-like. An insanely long mane hung past his shoulders and down his body.
"Ari?" she whispered.
He stalked forward, literally dragging Gage, Kincaid, and Priest with him as he snarled at Tyrien.
"Someone get that fool out of here!" Darian ordered.
When the surrounding fae reached out and began manhandling Tyrien out of the building, Ari roared again.
"Even living amongst the humans, he should have known better," Oron said disgustedly.
"What?" she demanded.
Oron pointed to Ari. "He's the ranking warrior for a reason. Look at his mane."
Her father stared. "I've never seen a mane that dark or so long." He turned to Brie. "If it means the same thing among shifters as it does in the wild, it means he is extremely strong."
Oron gave a short nod. "And he's undefeated."
"Damn it, Ari! That hurt!" Priest growled, then kicked Ari in the back of the leg, causing the lion-man to snarl. "Rein your shit in!"
"So he gets into lots of fights?" she asked. Was he some kind of psychopathic bully?
Everyone shook their heads, and Oron answered. "He has a very specific trigger. You never, ever say anything bad about his brothers. Ever. We all learned that when he was a cub. Everyone in the city knows this, looks like Tyrien forgot."
Brie remembered how the fae all stood back immediately as Tyrien's words.
"That's kinda sexy," she admitted.
The snarling stopped, plunging the room into silence. Then a low purr was heard.
Gage sighed. "Thank the gods. Brie, say that again."
Brie stayed on the table top. "Ari, come here and let me see you in this cat-man form."
Ari shrugged off his unit brothers and loped over to her.
When she ran her hands over his soft fur, he began to purr. His new form just meant more muscles to ogle. "I like."
"That's the fastest he's ever calmed down," a fae in the crowd observed.
Ari slowly shrunk back to his normal height. "Not too weird?" he asked lowly, the scrubs he wore now tatters about him.
She shook her head. "Remember, I was raised around big cats. Looks normal to me, honestly."
Ari looked around the room. "Where is Tyrien?" he growled.
"Probably at home compiling his complaints," Kyla said sighing. "He's my mate's brother, and frankly, I like him much better when he isn't at home." She pointed to the man with her. "This is my older brother Nylan. Tyrien is especially upset that my mate has asked him to oversee the Aileanach household while he was away. So please don't take his ire personally. He shouldn't be complaining now of all times."
"If you have any complaints as to how this is being handled, you can direct them to the palace, but please know that this young woman has my full support," a clear voice rang out over the crowd.
Kincaid handed Ari a bag. He quickly pulled out his clothes and began dressing.
"Your Majesty," the people replied, and moved as a single entity as they parted and bowed, making way for the ethereal being that had just spoken. The gorgeous woman made her way to the table and gave her a wan smile. "I was listening from outside. Thank you. Thank you so much for taking care of my children." At first, Brie thought the woman was referring to the crowd. It wasn't until the elegant being began to walk between the rows where the bodies lay did she realize that she had been speaking of the dead.
A tall uniformed man walked behind the woman, a steady presence and barrier between her grief and the crowd.
Brie turned to the people. "You may go. We'll be contacting you soon."
No one argued. In fact, it seemed as if they couldn't leave quick enough. Brie realized it wasn't because she had dismissed them and everything to do with giving this woman privacy to grieve.
Ari finished buckling his vest and stepped forward to help her down, his eyes still blazing gold. She placed both hands on his chest and felt his muscles relax a bit. It shocked her that she had such an effect on him. "Let it go. He was upset."
Ari simply growled and pulled her close. A gasp and low cry had them both turning to see the woman sink down to lay a pale hand on one of the smaller bags. The man in uniform scooped her up into his arms. "Enough, Aleks, this isn't your fault."
"Mother, let us return to the palace," one of Aiden's tall friends suggested.
"We can't leave them," the queen said brokenly.
The uniformed man turned to her. "What should we do?"
Brie looked around and saw that everyone was looking to her for some direction. "Keep the temperature low and seal the room. No one gets in unless escorted by an officer,"
"Warrior," Ari interrupted.
"Warrior," she continued. She took in the woman's distraught face. "Let's leave a candle burning for them, so it won't be so dark in here."
The woman exhaled and rested her head on the man's chest. He looked at her and mouthed, 'thank you'.
She nodded and everyone made their way outside.
Aiden turned to two men she didn't recognize. "Ben, you're in charge of security here. Work with Brie to create the teams that will be assisting the people in claiming their family members."
The man nodded then turned to her. "I'll meet up with you tomorrow morning at breakfast. I'll have a full roster by then." He clapped Aiden on the shoulder then walked away.
"Aiden, I'm returning to the palace with Aleks. I'll be advising Cord that dinner will start a bit late tonight, around eight." He simply looked down at the woman in his arms, and Aiden nodded. "Understood Brennus.”
Brennus looked at everyone else. "Cord, Leo, and Ryuu have assembled drinks and light hors d'oeuvres in our personal dining room. Feel free to assemble there before dinner." He, along with Aiden and a small group of men, headed up the hill toward the large brightly lit building.
Beside her, Gage, Priest, Kincaid, and a man that looked a lot like Ari stood around them looking tired.
She nudged Ari then pointed to the older looking version of the man that was supposedly her mate.
Ari smiled. "Rex Lionhart, I have the incredible honor in introducing my mate, Brie Wilson. Brie, my eldest brother, Rex."
Rex blinked then a wide smile broke out over his face. He swept her up into a fierce hug. He looked over at Ari, affection shining in his eyes. "I see you still defend the Lionharts down to the depths of your soul."
Kincaid snorted. "Lionharts? Yeah, to some degree. But you know it's when anyone says something derogatory about you or Declan that sets him off."
Rex swelled with pride. "I have the most incredible baby brother and now a new baby sister. Gods! I thought Kari had a hard time when she first discovered Declan was her mate. How are you holding up?"
For some reason his genuine concern had tears prickling her eyes—the day seemed to be catching up to her. "Well, all things considered, I'm okay, I guess." She looked around for the familiar head of light brown curls of her father.
"I'm right here, baby." And suddenly, she just couldn't stand anymore. She let her father support her as she buried her face in his chest and breathed in his familiar scent of Ivory soap and coffee.
"Is she okay," Ari demanded.
"She will be. She just needs to rest." Her father kissed her hair. "I'm so proud of you, baby girl. Just hang on a bit longer." She looked up and nodded.
"Bring her," Rex ordered imperially. "We're heading straight to the
Lionhart estate. Mother and Father will want to meet her, and we can ensure she will get the rest she needs." He walked away without looking to see if they were behind him.
Ari smiled. "He means well, but he is the eldest and used to his orders being followed." He gave her a wry smile. "Better get used to being smothered lovingly."
She pushed away from her father until she was steady on her own feet. "Doesn't sound so bad at the moment."
Ari looped his arm through hers on the left, and her father did the same on the right. Gage ruffled her hair, and Priest and Kincaid brought up the rear.
One thing at a time.
*****
"Mate!" The one word was screeched and reached them before they approached the door.
Ari began to chuckle. "My mother," he said, by way of explanation.
Moments later, a tall, blonde woman was barreling toward them. "Ari! What's this about a mate?" she demanded, practically yanking her away from her father and Ari.
"Mother, this is my wonderful mate, Brie Wilson, and Brie's father, Chris. Brie, this is my mother, Catherine Lionhart, and the man standing next to Rex at the door is my father, Jedrek Lionhart."
She was suddenly wrapped up in a soft hug. It had been years since her own mother's passing where she had experienced the kind of comfort only a mother could give. When she sagged against the woman, she was gently led toward the house. "Idiots, every single one of them. Insensitive morons! Come this way, darling. Let's get you into a hot bath, and you can tell me all about your horrible day." She glared at not only her own son but Brie's father as well. "Between the two of you, could neither of you see how worn out she is?"
"I've asked Leo to start a bath for her, Mother," Rex said when they walked into the large estate.
"I've also sent up some treats to perk her up," the older version of Rex added brusquely. If Ari aged like these men, she was one lucky woman.
"Thank you. Now, we'll be upstairs getting ready for dinner. Ari, send out for some robes for your mate and your new father." She led her up the stairs. Once they were ensconced in a large steam filled bathroom, the woman rolled her eyes. "Males!" She turned her back to allow her to undress.