by Maggie Walsh
“Just calm down, baby. Let me talk to Storm. You go with Taylor and Bass and help calm them, okay,” Micah said calmly.
“Fine, But I still get the option to neuter him,” Jesse sneered.
Chapter 5
After sitting to eat dinner with Micah and Gabriel, instead of a quiet romantic dinner with his mate, Storm finally convinced them that he had no idea what was going on with Bass. He explained how Bass wasn’t eating or sleeping because of Noah. Then he explained how he had lied to Bass to get him to eat and get some rest, but Bass blew that small lie up into something monumental and he didn’t understand it. He sat with the Alpha and Enforcer for two hours as they ate and discussed the rogue problem. They even had Dante on conference call at one point.
They finally broke up their meeting and Storm showed them to their rooms. They found their rooms empty and Micah and Gabriel were angry to find that their mate’s had snuck out with Bass, Nicco, Sky, and Alex.
“I’ll show you to the vineyard where Bass thinks Noah is,” Storm said as he led them out to his car. He drove the half hour to the vineyard and he was shocked at what he saw. He parked the car and all three of them jumped out and ran to their mate’s.
“Don’t,” Nicco said, stopping them.
Taylor was standing in the middle of a clearing with his arms wide open, his head thrown back and a blue light emitting from his chest and palms. Jesse was standing off to the side with Bass guarding him as they watched Taylor. There were about fifty rogue vampires standing about a hundred feet in front of Taylor and they weren’t moving, just standing there watching him, too. Out of the rows of vines, more rogues were slowly walking in their direction, and stopping as they reached the clearing. Micah ran to Jesse and held him close. Storm ran up to Bass and grabbed his arm, but Bass stepped out of his hold. Gabriel walked slowly to his mate and stood behind him. He didn’t stop him or touch him. He didn’t utter a word, he just stood there.
There were about a hundred of them by the time the last of the rogue’s stepped out of the vine rows. Taylor stretched his arms out wider and the blue light started to change. “Nicco, Sky, Alex, get out of here, now!” Taylor yelled and the three disappeared, shocking Storm. “Cover your eyes!” Taylor yelled at the rest of them. He watched as Bass, Jesse, Micah, and Gabriel all covered their eyes, but he couldn’t, he needed to see what was happening. Suddenly the light coming from Taylor turned a brilliant white. Taylor dropped his head to look at the rogue’s and the white light came out of his eyes, his mouth, his chest and his hands. The light was growing, consuming Taylor’s body and Storm shielded his eyes, but kept them open enough to see. The light pulsed out of Taylor in a wave and Storm closed his eyes tight and covered them with his hand.
Everything was quiet, Storm slowly uncovered and opened his eyes. The light was gone. He looked around and found Taylor lying on the ground, his head in his mate’s lap. Gabriel gently smoothed hair off of Taylor’s face as he whispered sweet, calming words to his mate. Jesse was sitting on the ground next to Taylor holding his hand, and Micah and Bass were standing over by the vines, looking around. Storm approached them. All the rogues were gone. All he could see were piles of ash scattered around.
“What the hell was that?” Storm asked in a shocked whisper.
“That was Taylor. Remember what I told you on the phone the first time it happened?” Micah asked. Storm and Bass both nodded in shock. “That was what Taylor did back at my pack house, too. But these rogues came to him as if he were calling them to him, not chasing him, like at home.”
“That’s because I was,” Taylor whispered softly. They turned to look at him. “When we got here I could feel so much pain and evil here. Then the rogues started showing up. They didn’t run at us or attack us. They just walked into the clearing and stopped. I could feel them. They were drawn to me, so I tried calling to them and they came.”
“Where did they go?” Storm asked.
“All over the ground,” Taylor whispered. He looked up at Gabriel. “I’m tired, man of mine.”
“Let’s get you back to Storm’s to rest, okay, sweet baby?” Gabriel said and helped Taylor to sit up. Gabriel stood and picked Taylor up. Taylor cuddled close to his mate and his eyes closed. He fell asleep. Storm watched the loving exchange. That’s what he wanted with his mate’s. He thought he had that with Bass, but something happened, Bass wasn’t acting right. He looked over at his mate and saw Bass watching Gabriel and Taylor, too. He had such a sad look of longing in his eyes. Bass’s eyes shifted to him and they just stared at each other for a moment. Then Bass closed his eyes and turned, but not before Storm saw the sadness and pain. It broke his heart to see his mate in so much pain, but he knew Bass wouldn’t let him comfort him, so Storm just stood there and watched his mate walk into the field.
* * * *
Bass rolled over, stretching his arm out to feel his mate. The bed beside him was empty, the sheets cold. He opened his eyes to look for Storm and then signed when he realized he wasn’t in Storm’s bed. He was in the guest room, alone. He rolled to his back and stretched as all the activities from last night returned to him. They were here. His family was here to help him. He didn’t realize how much he missed them or needed them until they walked in the door. And Taylor, Gods what happened to change Taylor? He was amazing. He singlehandedly destroyed over a hundred rogues. It was the most incredible thing Bass had ever seen. Bass sat up quickly as a thought occurred to him. “Taylor could see inside me. He saw everything. How? How does he have my gift?” Bass threw the sheets off and climbed out of bed. He went to the bathroom to get ready for another interesting day.
* * * *
“I just don’t know what to do, Micah. If I knew what was going on with Sebastian, I would move heaven and earth to fix it, to help him,” Storm said as he, Micah, and Gabriel sat at the table having breakfast.
“That’s because you’re a mental moron who doesn’t deserve someone as special as Bass,” Taylor scoffed as he and Jesse walked into the room. They walked over to the sideboard.
“Sweet baby,” Gabriel said in warning.
“Bite me,” Taylor answered Gabriel and poured himself a cup of coffee. Jesse giggled next to him.
“Are you okay, sweet baby?” Gabriel asked in concern.
“I’m just peachy. Why?” Taylor said then turned toward the table and walked to an empty seat, Jesse right behind him. They sat at the other end of the table and both Gabriel and Micah stared at them in shock. “What?” Taylor huffed in annoyance.
“Why are you both sitting all the way over there?” Gabriel asked with hurt in his voice.
Taylor rolled his eyes and Jesse laughed. “We figured you big, bad men would need as much room as possible to try to pull your heads out of your asses.” All three men gasped in shock at Taylor’s words and the coldness in his voice.
“Maybe we should go to the other side of the house, they may need more room.” Jesse laughed.
Micah slammed his fist down on the table. “That’s it. Something is very wrong here. None of you are acting like yourselves.”
“Uh-oh. I think we pissed off the big bad Alpha,” Taylor said in a child’s voice, with his bottom lip out in a pout. Jesse started to laugh even harder.
Micah, Storm, and Gabriel exchanged looks. “You mean they’re not always like this?” Storm asked.
“No, they are definitely not like this,” Micah sighed.
Just then Bass walked in and ignored everyone. He walked straight over and poured himself some coffee, then turned and walked out of the room.
Everyone watched his every move. “See? I don’t know what to do.”
Jesse looked at Storm. “He is a sensitive,” Jesse explained.
“You’re telling me,” Storm said and sipped his coffee.
“Not sensitive, ya idjit. A sensitive. I’m surprised you’re not one, too. You have all the markings of one,” Jesse explained.
“What’s a sensitive?” Storm asked as he looked at Jesse with i
nterest.
“Aren’t you a shifter? How do you not know this?” Taylor scoffed.
“It’s Bass’s ability, his gift. Or maybe it’s his curse. Depends on how you look at it. He can see inside people. Feel their emotions, see what they’re thinking. He can see things that they have seen. I thought for sure you were one, too,” Jesse said.
“Wow. Why would you say I was one?” Storm asked.
“The hair, the eyes, it’s what shows other’s that you’re a sensitive. Or do you cat shifters not get gifts? Because everything I read said that you did,” Jesse said.
Storm was in shock, how did he not know this? “We do get gifts, but not until we hit three hundred.”
“How old are you?” Micah asked.
“I’ll be two hundred and seventy in two months,” Storm answered.
“Then you have a ways to go until your gift shows up,” Jesse said.
“So how old is Bass that he already has his?” Storm asked.
“He’s three hundred and one,” Gabriel answered.
“The point is,” Taylor huffed in frustration. “Have you even talked to your mate? Have you learned anything about him? Or have you just fucked him and called it a mating?”
“Of course I have talked to my mate,” Storm said angrily.
“Oh yeah, so when did Bass claim you? When did you claim him? Did he enjoy it or was he terrified? Did you help him through his fears, or did you just take what you wanted?” Taylor stood up, his eyes starting to shine with the blue light.
Gabriel jumped up and ran around the table to Taylor. He wrapped his arms around his waist and held him tight. “Easy, sweet baby.”
“He doesn’t deserve Bass. I saw it. I saw it all. I saw what’s been going on here. I saw how you don’t really want Bass. You want your other mate because he’s small and submissive. He’ll let you fuck him and not want to switch it up. You’re thrilled that your other mate is petite, because Bass isn’t. Bass can fuck Noah and then maybe he won’t want to fuck you…” Taylor was growling, but was cut off by Storm.
“What are you talking about? I want Bass. I’m thrilled that Bass is a big, strong man. I want him to take me, to claim me,” Storm explained.
“You are such a lying sack of shit. I saw the truth. I saw everything,” Taylor spit out.
“How Taylor? How did you see all of this?” Micah asked.
“When I hugged Bass and then looked in his eyes. I saw everything,” Taylor answered, never taking his angry eyes off Storm.
Micah walked over to Taylor and stood in front of him. He cupped Taylor’s cheek, drawing Taylor’s attention to him. Their eyes locked and all the fight went out of Taylor. He lowered his eyes and bared his throat to Micah.
Micah grabbed the back of Taylor’s neck and Taylor sighed. Micah released him and smiled. He turned back to the Storm. “Something is going on here that I believe has affected Bass and has screwed up his gift. I think it has also messed with Taylor and Jesse. And I think I know where to start looking for answers.”
Bass walked into the room and looked at them. “Good morning everyone. Gods it’s good to have you all here,” he said and walked over to get some coffee. They all looked at him in confusion.
Micah walked over to Bass and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Will you sit and have breakfast with us? I would like to talk with everyone about something.”
“I’m sorry, Micah,” Bass said and turned to face Micah. “I just wanted to grab a quick cup of coffee and head over to the vineyard.”
“I am not asking, Sebastian. Sit down and eat. Now,” Micah said in his Alpha voice. Bass’s eyes went wide and he hurried over to the table and sat down. Micah turned to the rest of them. “Gabriel, please take your seat, Taylor, sit next to your mate, and, Jesse sit next to me,” Micah ordered in his don’t-mess-with-me Alpha voice. Everyone did as Micah demanded and Storm took his seat again. Micah filled Bass’s plate with food. Bass looked like he was going to protest, until Micah gave him a pointed look. “Eat it all.” Bass picked up a fork and started to eat. “Now that I have all your attention. I believe that Bass is right. There is something going on at that vineyard and it has affected the three of you,” Micah motioned to Bass, Jesse, and Taylor.
“What do you mean, Micah?” Storm asked.
“For starters, Taylor likes to joke and pick, and there’s always truth in what he says, but he is never mean or cold. And Jesse will tell you what he thinks, but he would never laugh at someone.” Micah then turned his attention to Bass. “And Sebastian, do you realize that this is the second time you walked in here this morning for coffee?” Bass looked at him in confusion. “That’s what I thought. You came in earlier, didn’t even acknowledge we were here, got coffee and left. A few minutes later, you walked in again, and here you are. From what I have observed, you’ve been all over the place, Bass. I don’t think you know what’s real and what’s not.”
“I know what’s real, Micah,” Bass said as he looked down at his plate.
“So you know that you walked into mine and Jesse’s room last night and started telling us how Storm lied to you?” Bass’s eyes went wide in shock. “How he doesn’t think you deserve to be an enforcer, because you’re too weak for the job. How he won’t let you claim him, even after he said he would. That he said he liked to switch, but he lied. How he doesn’t care about your pleasure, only his own. Do you remember any of that, Bass? Because how else would I know all that if you didn’t come into my room in the middle of the night all upset?”
“I didn’t. Did I?” Bass asked in confusion.
“No, you didn’t. I lied. You should have known that I lied. It’s part of your gift. But I also saw everything inside you. As did Taylor,” Micah explained. Everyone’s eyes were wide in shock. Micah continued. “I think Taylor may be able to absorb others gifts as well as the gifts he already has. After he hugged you, he could see everything inside you, like your gift. Then at the vineyard, he called those rogues to him. That’s part of my gift.”
“You can call rogues to you?” Storm asked in shock.
“No, I am a locater. I can think of someone and know where they are. If I get close enough to them, the pull of my gift, draws them to me. But not on the magnitude Taylor displayed last night. So not only do I think he can absorb others gifts, I think he can amplify them, too. When I just touched him earlier, I saw what he saw when he touched Bass.”
Gabriel’s face was a mask of terror. “You know what this means, Micah?”
“Yes, Gabe,” Micah looked at Taylor. “We need to protect you and keep you safe at all costs. From everyone. I believe that vineyard is where the rogues are being created. They are being controlled by someone. And if that someone gets their hands on you, Taylor, I don’t even want to think about how they would use you against the rest of us. And I don’t trust our council. There is too much corruption there. If they find out everything you can do, or that you can absorb others gifts. They would come and take you from us. They would either test you and study you, use you against their enemies, or destroy you. And Bass.” Micah turned back to Bass. “I believe you’re right. We need to storm that vineyard. There’s great evil there. I could feel it. But you need to realize that, that place is screwing with you and your gift. What you believe to be true, isn’t.” Bass looked at Storm with hope and confusion in his eyes.
* * * *
Bass was in the armory getting suited up with weapons for their trip to the vineyard. All around him were Storm’s guards, also getting armed up. These men and women were the equivalent of an enforcer. There were only twelve of them. Because of the rogue killings, Storm had sent a lot of his pack away to other prides to keep them safe. As Bass strapped a long sword onto his back he couldn’t stop thinking about what Micah had said at breakfast that morning. Was something really messing with him? Was everything he saw inside Storm wrong?
They spent the day working out the details of their raid on the vineyard. They wanted to wait for nightfall so that Nicco, Sky
, and Alex could join them. Micah spent most of the day on conference calls to the two closest packs, trying to convince them to help. The pack from the north, just across the Oregon border was no help. They wanted nothing to do with helping the felines, or a band of gay wolves. But the pack to the south, from Sacramento, were willing to send ten of their enforcers to help. They were on their way now and would be there shortly.
“I don’t believe it. There is no way that little fairy took out fifty rogues on his own. Have you seen him? He looks like he couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag.” Bass overheard one of the felines saying. He turned to face the voice that spoke of Taylor in disgust.
“Who are you?” Bass asked in his best enforcer voice.
The leopard shifter looked at Bass as if he were shit on the bottom of his shoe. “Who wants to know?”
“My mate has asked you a question, Felix,” Storm said from the doorway.
Felix’s eyes went wide as he saw his leader walk into the room. “I’m sorry, Leader Winthrope, I didn’t know he was your mate,” Felix said as he bowed his head.
“Do you have a problem with our visiting wolves, Felix, or are you just a bigoted asshole?” Storm walked up to Felix.
“They’re wolves, Leader Winthrope. We don’t exactly get along.” Felix chuckled nervously.
“Why not? What have wolves ever done to you?” Storm asked calmly, but the anger showed in his eyes.
“N-nothing, Leader Winthrope,” Felix answered, then swallowed nervously.
“My mate is a wolf. An enforcer. He and his pack, his family, have done nothing but help us. So is it that they are gay that has you speaking with such venom?” Storm asked coldly.
“No, Leader Winthrope. We’re feline’s, you know we don’t care about that. But they took our doc away. They borrowed him and then kept him. Aaron is your brother. I thought you of all people would fight to get him back,” Felix said with a bravery that he hadn’t shown before.