Skin Walkers

by Susan A Bliler

  Now the sun was setting across the snow-crusted plains as the last of the vehicles pulled out. Sighing, he knew he’d have to wait until tomorrow to show Briel what she needed to see.

  In the house, Conn met him in the foyer. “The alarms have been checked. James in on video surveillance tonight. We’ve also got four Sentries from StoneCrow who’ve agreed to stay on until we can get more men assigned here. We’ve got a full team out on patrol and they’ll swap out at o-four hundred. I’m taking a team out in twenty.” He grinned, “Me and the boys are going hunting. You want any prey brought back or just disposed of?”

  “Bring me whoever’s in charge. I need to find out how much they know and how far they’re willing to take this.”

  Conn nodded and turned to leave.

  Weary, Tyce intentionally stood a moment and assessed whether he was actually satisfied with his directive. He wouldn’t be caught slipping again, not where Briel and Fena were concerned. Yeah, he needed Intel. Someone had to be brought back. He took a step and then stopped. “Commander?”

  Conn stopped and turned back to him.

  “Conn,” Tyce began again, less formally. “I’m sorry.”

  Conn’s brow furrowed.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t do right by you before. Once you found Aries, I should have turned this place into a fucking fortress. I failed again with York, Sky, and little Olivia.” He shook his head dejectedly. “I never understood the true value of what you had, and I apologize.”

  “Apology not needed.”

  “Yeah,” he scrubbed a hand down his face. “It is. I can’t change the past, but from here on out, things’ll be different. I’m gonna give StoneCrow a run for its money and with any luck, I’ll have you and York back here on a permanent basis. I should’ve made changes before, and I failed, but I’m gonna fix that, and not just because I want more Sentries here. I want you and York’s families here because you all are my family. I haven’t taken good care of you all, but I vow to change that. I’m gonna make this place so damn safe that Fena, Wynter, and Olivia will be able to play in the front yard unattended.”

  Conn grinned, but didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. If Tyce said he was going to make changes then that’s exactly what he’d do.

  “You’re gonna have to hire staff. We’ll be needing schooling for our kids.”

  Nodding, Tyce agreed, “Already on it.”

  “Good. I was getting worried. I like it better here, but I’ve got to do what’s best for my girls. If my Wynter can get schooling here, and you vow my Aries will be safer, then we’ll be here full time.”

  The relief that flooded Tyce was weighty. He hadn’t realized just how much he’d been hoping to get Conn and his family back at Apex full time until now. “Consider it done.”

  “Done and done.” Conn dipped his head in a nod and then grinned. “You look like shit, man.”

  Tyce snorted a laugh. “Thanks.”

  Jerking his head toward the stairs, Conn grinned. “Your girls are in Fena’s room, giggling and telling stories last I checked. You best go check on ‘em.”

  “Will do, thanks. And be safe out there.”

  Conn nodded and then made for the door.

  Glancing at his watch, Tyce was surprised that Fena and Briel were still awake. It was later than Fena usually stayed up, but he figured that after what she’d been through, Briel probably needed to spend some time with Fena.

  At the top of the landing, his intention was to head to the guest room he’d been sleeping in. It was on the other side of Fena’s room, putting her room between his and the large suite where Briel slept. Briel’s suite was actually his, but he’d had his things cleared out the second he knew he’d be bringing his Angel back to Apex.

  Stopping at his door, he listened to Fena’s peel of laughter roll down the hall. The sound never failed to make him smile, and while he wanted to give the sisters some time alone, his inner beasts had to lay eyes on them. He needed to see that they were both okay.

  Fena’s door was partially open so he peeked his head inside. The room was all pink paint, lace fabrics, and satiny sweetness. On the large canopied bed, Briel cuddled Fena close as they whispered and then laughed. His gut clenched with the need to go climb on the bed and pull them both into his arms. Instead, he cleared his throat, “Mmhmm.”

  Both their heads jerked up.

  “Uncle Tyce!” Fena jumped up and ran to the edge of the bed in her bright purple zip-up pajama with slipper feet. Entering the room, he caught her just as she vaulted off the edge of the bed and into his arms. He was surprised at how trusting she’d grown in the time since she’d been at Apex. He loved it. There wasn’t any awkward phase where he had to work hard to earn her trust. She simply gave it. His eyes shifted to Briel, and he wondered what he’d have to do to earn the same reaction to his presence from her.

  “If it’s okay,” Briel started, “I’m gonna sleep in here with Fena tonight.”

  “Of course it’s alright. He sat on the end of the bed, nestling Fena close. “And you don’t have to ask, Angel.” Without thought he reached out, wrapping his warm hand around the arch of her socked foot and squeezed once. She didn’t jerk back, and even that small gesture felt like acceptance.

  “I’m sorry, Briel.”

  She dipped her head. “Don’t.”

  “I made you a promise, and I didn’t keep it.”

  “A pinky promise?” Fena asked, looking up at him and using a finger to trace the scar that ran through his lips.

  He smiled at her innocence.

  “Fena!” Briel admonished.

  “It’s fine.” Tyce pulled back and kissed Fena’s finger. “Not a pinky promise, sweetheart. A Walker promise. It’s like a pinky promise, but bigger.”

  Fena held up her pinky and pinched one eye closed as she pulled her finger close to her open eye to study it. “How you make a Walker promise?”

  Tyce linked his pinky with hers. “It’s like a pinky promise, but you kiss instead.”

  Fena looked at Briel. “You kiss?”

  Briel blushed but nodded.

  “Promise!” Fena released Tyce’s pinky to cup his cheeks before pecking him on the lips. Pulling back, she laughed and pointed at Briel. “Promise.”

  Tyce slid his gaze from Fena to Briel.

  “Promise!” Fena jabbed her finger repeatedly at Briel.

  “Oh, it’s okay, nerd. He already…”

  Fena sprang to her feet and started bouncing up and down as she chanted, “Pro-mise, pro-mise, pro-mise!”

  Tyce got up and circled the bed, his eyes locked on Briel who starred up at him wordlessly. He crawled onto the bed behind her, and it dipped with his weight, making Briel’s body roll until it was flush up against his. She tried to scoot back, but his hand on her hip stilled her.

  Fena stopped chanting and dropped to her knees to watch. Leaning forward, she whispered in awe, “Promise.”

  Leaning down, Tyce covered Briel’s mouth with his own.

  Chapter 28

  The next morning, dressed in faded jeans, a form-fitting thermal shirt, and hiking boots, Tyce made his way downstairs feeling better than he had in days. Was he still afflicted? Yep. Was he starving and exhausted? Yep. But last night he’d kissed his Angel senseless and then held her as she read Fena a bedtime story until both his girls had fallen asleep safe in his arms. Because the affliction kept him awake, he stayed up the whole night with Briel tucked up tight under one arm while Fena sprawled possessively across his chest. It. Was. Heaven!

  When his girls finally woke, well after dawn, he’d left to let them get dressed. He had a lot to do today, and nervous anticipation zinged through him. Today was the day. Today, he showed Briel how she was his, and after, he planned on making her his. It couldn’t come soon enough. Since that kiss last night, his balls had been drawn up so tight it was difficult to walk. He desperately needed to bury himself into Briel’s wet heat and fuck her until he could empty himself deep inside of her. Just the thought had
him nearly shooting his load.

  Fortunately, all thoughts of burying himself inside Briel faded when he got to the surveillance rooms on the end of the second floor. Conn quickly brought him up to speed. The mercenaries hunting Briel and Fena had been taken out…mostly. Currently, two prisoners were being interrogated in the cells beneath the house. Tyce wouldn’t be satisfied with just taking out the enemy. He wanted to know who sent them and what exactly is was they wanted from Briel. He also needed to find out why they’d killed the General. His Angel deserved closure on the matter and Tyce was determined to give it to her. Besides, he needed to know for sure if this thing was finished or not. He had no qualms about going to all out war to protect Briel and Fena. He didn’t want war, but to protect his girls, he’d go to great and dangerous lengths.

  Conn shoved stacks of sheets into Tyce’s hands for his review. The recently commissioned work on the Estate would be done by contractors, which meant outsiders coming onto Apex. They all needed to be vetted to ensure no Megalya or hired mercs tried infiltrating his domain again. It’d be a time-consuming pain-in-the-ass job, but one he demanded on doing himself. Never again would he take any chances with Briel and Fena’s safety.

  At lunchtime, and after hours of research and going over files, he went in search of his girls. They were easy to find. He followed the sound of Fena’s tinkling laughter to the kitchen.

  Walking through the swinging doors that led into the kitchen, Tyce slammed to a halt.

  It looked like a bakery bomb had gone off. Flour and sugar coated the counters and floors. A half-full blender sat cattywampus in its rocker, and above it, the milky substance that’d once been inside dripped down from the ceiling.

  “Look what we did!” Fena beamed, and he had to quickly wipe the horror from his face, replacing it with a curious smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  “Uhh, what did you do?”

  Fena raced to the oven and pointed at it. “We made a cake, all by ourselves!”

  “A cake?” he queried, his eyes sliding to Briel who was swiping unsuccessfully to remove a lump of batter from her cheek. “Briel?”

  Her eyes darted to his, and she took a deep breath and smiled proudly. “We’ve been busy all day, haven’t we Fena?”

  Fena nodded as Briel continued. “We helped the staff dust the house. Then we helped take out garbage, we emptied the dishwasher, and then decided to bake you a spice cake.” She pointed to the blender. “We couldn’t find a mixer like the box said, so we used that thing.” Her brows furrowed in consternation as she frowned at the blender. “Apparently you shouldn’t ever turn it on without the lid in place.” Shrugging off her reverie, her smile returned. “Cake’s in the oven. Bam!” She slapped the counter. “How’s that for helping pull our weight?”

  He wanted to laugh, but her last sentence held it back. “No one expects you to. You don’t need to pull your weight.” He took a step toward her. That was the second time in the short while she’d been at Apex that she’d mentioned “pulling her weight”. It pissed him off. “Where did you even get that?” His face darkened. “Did someone say something?”

  “No. We just…” She looked from him to Fena then back. “I just don’t want to be useless or a burden. It’s uncomfortable. I mean, I know I’m not really domestic.” Her eyes took in the kitchen. “I lived alone before Fena.” She shrugged apologetically. “Ordered in a lot. I didn’t really cook or bake. Growing up, I had a harsh and mercurial mother. She was always there for me, and I loved her very much, but she was adamant that cooking and cleaning was a woman’s job, so soon as I got out on my own I changed the rules. I guess I shouldn’t have.” She lowered her head and her voice. “I wish now that I’d have kept up with all she taught me.”

  He studied her bowed head and wondered about the tender vein she seemed to lay open in him. Her admission had him wanting to be more attentive and nurturing to her needs.

  “It looks like I’ve hindered more than helped here,” she admitted, scanning the room. “But I can do better. We just… Fena and I just wanted to do something nice for you for all the things that you’ve done for us.”

  Her words melted something inside of him, and when Fena chimed in with a boastful, “Yeah!” then rushed up and hugged his leg, he had to fight to keep his own emotions in check, not even caring that there was now cake batter smeared on his jeans. He bent and hugged Fena, lifting glistening eyes to Briel. He was astounded that she was trying to do something nice for him. He was floored, and more than that, he was excited, because now she was ready. Finally, she was ready to see what he hadn’t gotten the chance to show her the night she’d been taken.

  Briel planted her hands on her hips and looked a little deflated as she fully scanned the kitchen. “Don’t worry.” She flapped a flour-covered hand around the room. “I’ll clean all of this up.”

  Tyce studied her for long moments before lifting Fena and tossing her into the air, much to her squealing delight. He caught her and settled her on his hip before looking down, asking, “You wanna help?”

  Fena’s arm shot into the air, “Yeah!”

  “Me too,” he grinned, and brushed a kiss across her forehead.

  Briel rushed out, “You don’t have to!” She held out her hands to stop him.

  Tyce smiled. “I want to.”

  Her smile was back, and it warmed him that he’d said the right thing for once. “And Briel?”

  She stilled with her hands halfway to the sink.

  “You’re not useless, and you could never be a burden.” He turned to smile at Fena. “You’re…” He’d been about to say guests, but that wasn’t right. He cleared his throat. “You belong here. Both of you. I want you both here.”

  ***

  Holy hell! Watching Tyce with Fena had Briel’s heart galloping a mile-a-minute. Aside from the whole ‘he could shift into any animal form and he’d essentially kidnapped her and Fena’ thing, he was a good guy. A really good guy, and one that she was crushing on hardcore. Honestly, she’d been attracted to Tyce from the moment she’d laid eyes on him, but once he’d come for her a second time at StoneCrow, and after last night, she felt like things had changed. Somehow, hope had flared to life about the whole her being his thing and right now that flare was blaring into a raging inferno.

  Across the room, Tyce rolled up his sleeves and looked at her with heated eyes that made her shiver. The whole time they cleaned, she felt his eyes on her. And, sure enough, every time she peeked up to steal a glimpse, he caught her every time, because his eyes were already locked on her. It felt flirty, the way they kept staring at each other. Who knew cleaning a filthy kitchen could get a girl so hot, almost as hot as the kiss they’d shared last night. It felt big, really, really big! She wanted to ask him if he felt that way too, but she wasn’t about to get her hopes up and make a fool of herself. She needed him to tell her she was his, she needed him to….what was it Pyper had said? Fully claim her.

  Even as she thought it though, she wondered if they could actually work as a couple. Things had started off probably worse than any other beginning in the history of couples. He’d kidnapped her, and she’d hated his kind for what she’d thought they’d done to her father. It’d been rocky for sure.

  She flicked a glance at where Tyce was scrubbing the counter with Fena. She wished she and Tyce were alone. She imagined stopping her own cleaning and just outright asking about his kiss last night. She imagined he’d lock eyes with her, slowly stand, and then prowl across the kitchen to her. Without saying anything, he’d take her in his arms and kiss her again, maybe lift her up onto the island as he deepened the kiss. This time he wouldn’t stop at just a kiss.

  Fena’s giggle startled her out of her daydream, and when she blinked over at Tyce, he was watching her with a cocky grin on his face like he knew what she’d just been thinking.

  Long minutes later, after they’d cleaned the entire kitchen spotless, Aries and Sky stepped through the swinging doors, each totting a daughter on their
hip.

  “Hey all.” Sky grinned, then looked down at Fena. “We’re going outside with the guys to build a snowman. You wanna come?”

  “Yayy!” Fena jumped up and down clapping her hands excitedly.

  “Sure.” Briel took a step, but Tyce cut her off, taking her hands in his

  “Not you, Angel. We’ve got plans.”

  “Oh!” Butterflies started an all-out brawl in her middle. Peeking around Tyce’s large frame, she tried to ignore the zing of excitement that tore through her. Fena had already disappeared out the door with Sky and Olivia. Aries and Wynter followed them out, and Aries threw Briel a wink over her shoulder.

  Chapter 29

  Briel had been way too excited as Tyce led her out of the kitchen. That excitement faded though, turning to nervousness when he led her to a door beneath the stairs in the foyer. She’d always just assumed it was a coat closet, but Tyce peeled back a panel and punched in a code before the door opened, revealing that it wasn’t the normal wooden door it appeared to be from the outside. It was thick iron, and Briel’s belly bottomed out when Tyce pulled her behind him through the door.

  Behind them, the door sealed shut with a heavy clink, and suddenly the air felt thinner. Her breathing increased, and Tyce turned to look at her as he led her down a narrow corridor that was all plain gray cinderblock walls leading to a set of stairs going down.

  “Easy,” he crooned, squeezing her hand reassuringly. “It’ll be alright. I’ve got you.”

  She couldn’t hold back any longer, and asked, “Wh-where are we going?”

  “You’re gonna have to trust me, now more than ever.”

  His words brought her feet to a stuttering halt. “Tyce! What’s going on? Where are you taking me?”

  Stopping he turned to face her. “We’ve got interrogation rooms, cells, and some surveillance rooms in the basement of the house.”

  “Why are you taking me down there?”