by Jana Leigh
Calli nodded reluctantly and kissed her mate. “Constant contact?”
“For everyone, we have the channel set. Kiki, Thomas, and the girls are going to go first so they're in front of you. Then you three. Let’s move,” Kade said and kissed Calli once more.
Cherri felt two hands on her shoulder and she turned around and found both of her mates there smiling at her. Declan bent down and kissed her gently and then Nik. She wanted to rip their clothes off right there and claim them; she could feel her wolf getting impatient.
“We will meet you there,” Declan said, and Nik nodded.
Cherri smiled and turned to watch them leave. She sighed and then turned back to her friends and flipped them off when they started mimicking her. They all had to have instructions and so it took a while for the lead dweeb to come and explain all the buttons. Shit, you would think they had never driven before. Well Cherri had, even though her license was taken away for speeding. It was all very unfair. But maybe these little jobbies won’t count as vehicles.
So they entered the small shuttle and Calli grinned when it was just the girls, the thing could be driven but was on autopilot so they wouldn’t have to worry.
“This is so cool,” Calli said. “You so realize this little thing can go practically anywhere in the city undetected. We would just have to find an entrance to the city above, but there are plenty.”
Cherri and Rissa smiled and nodded, they knew what their friend was thinking and it was brilliant. They could arrive and disappear at places without ever being followed. Nice.
The shuttle was about the size of a small, old time car thing, Cherri thought. When it began to move, they all watched curiously as they entered the tunnels.
“So what does Kade say about this?” Cherri asked.
“Well, he thinks the same as I do. We need more of these little shuttles built. Because until the threat is eliminated, it would be an awesome way for us to travel around the city,” Calli said and laughed. Kade must be speaking some more in the link.
Rissa nodded. “I know some guys, who know some guys. They would probably be able to help.”
“Of course you do,” Calli said, rolling her eyes. Rissa knew mechanics, geeks and anyone who was electrically inclined. It was a weird little network. Calli and Cherri loved to tease her about them.
“So, two mates?” Calli said.
“You are a jealous bitch, besides, Rissa will have two too,” Cherri sniffed.
Rissa lifted her head up from the screen of the computer that was always attached to her and said, “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Didn’t you listen to Ms. Praton?” Cherri asked.
“Of course, I have it on vid. But she never said I would specifically have two mates,” Rissa said looking at her best friends. “I can’t even keep the plants alive, I forget while I'm working. How would I deal with two, they would require too much attention. No, I will have one and he will be a geek like me!” Rissa pronounced and then looked at her friends hopefully.
They both burst into laughter and Rissa frowned. “What?”
“Hey, if my high maintenance ass has two mates, then you can too. I don’t know what the hell I'm gonna do with them, but trust me. I will enjoy it,” Cherri said smugly and they talked the rest of the way to the apartment building about men. Cherri loved this time when they had privacy all to themselves. It was like the old times, and by the time they got to their building and saw their mates standing there waiting, Cherri and Calli were both more than ready. Rissa sighed heavily and her friends turned to look at her.
Kiki and the others were shuffled off to the elevators by the Enforcers, who were also waiting for them. They waited for their turn at the landing pad. But Calli was frowning at Rissa, and Cherri was getting ready to crawl back into the backseat and find out what the sigh was from. When Rissa made noises like that, it was something big. She was not a complainer.
Calli snapped the door lock, and Kade frowned and bent down, but she held up a finger and spoke to her friend. “Talk.”
“Nothing, I was just thinking that I'm the last of us to find our mate. What if I never find him, what if I drift through life lonely and like, pathetic? Seriously, I know that's not realistic considering how cool we all are, right? But still, it's a possibility,” Rissa said sadly.
“Ah, honey, no, that won’t happen, we wouldn’t let it, even if we had to get like a bum off the street to mate with you,” Cherri said and grinned.
“Bitch,” Rissa said.
“Seriously, look at the way things are going. Calli found her mate like, a week ago; I find mine times two, today. You're next, and it should be like another seven days, eight at the most. Look at the odds. I mean there are three of us, what are the odds that only two of us would find their mate within a week of each other without even hitting the clubs?” Cherri said.
Rissa perked up. “You're right, OMG, seven days. I have so much to do. You guys go with your mates, I have to clean my new place, and wash all the sexy underwear I own. I am down to the ugly ones my mom buys me for Christmas. And I have to stock food, I mean, look at your mates, they are like massive, if mine are like that and I have to feed them, it could get scary with a book of CHOCO COCCA PUFF’s and Almond Milk. That would suck.”
Rissa bounced out of the car and then kissed Kade on the cheek and turned to Declan and Nik and pointed at them. “You remember our motto, ‘you fuck with one, you fuck with all’. Live by it.” Then pulled them down to kiss also and ran up the stairs to the elevator.
“What the hell?” Kade said.
Calli crawled from the shuttle and laughed. “Rissa.”
“I know that should explain it all, but sometimes it's like she's talking another language,” Kade said, shaking his head.
Both Declan and Nik held out a hand for their mate to take when getting out of the car. She grinned at their chivalry and said, “Rissa's a brilliant, eccentric chick, and I can’t wait to see who her mates are. This could make all our lives fun.”
Declan and Nik led her to the stairs behind her friend to the elevator. It was ingenious how they had the underground transportation shuttle. When they walked up the narrow stair that was only lit by a small light, they came to a door with a pass code. Declan entered it in and then the door slid open like an elevator door and they exited into the lobby of the building. A desk was manned by Enforcers from the Drekinn Agency. The guys nodded and Cherri yelled hello to the guys, and her mates frowned at the familiarity. Cherri rolled her eyes and pulled her mates toward her elevator. This place had so many floors that the elevators worked on a pass code. You had to enter the one given to you to go to your floor. But because the top four floors were all connected, it really didn’t matter, it was a formality. She hoped the guys were okay with the connecting apartments, because that was not going to change.
“Did you get a chance to see the apartment?” she asked politely.
Both men shook their head. “Ms. Praton already had all of our stuff sent over, so we hope they didn’t make too much of a mess for you,” Nik said and Cherri laughed. She knew what her place looked like before she left for work yesterday. It had looked like a store threw up in there, because for some reason, she had a hard time choosing what to wear; she really hoped that the housekeeper for the building they hired did hers.
Calli yelled over her shoulder before her mate pulled her to a separate elevator, “Have you guys been told about her lack of home keeping ability? Don’t worry, we'll make sure you don’t get lost in the clothes and get fed. It's a team effort with Cherri.”
Cherri flipped her off and then followed her mates to their elevator. It was stupid really, but for security they each had their own elevators. They entered the small pad that was now referred to as an elevator. And held onto the small handles. She could see Calli and Kade, who apparently couldn’t wait to get to their apartment, because they were all over each other. Shit, Cherri thought, awkward moment, since she turned and both of her mates were sta
ring at them too.
“Uh, forgive my friends, they're just, um, a little excited to finally be home,” Cherri said brightly and the guys looked at each other.
“They have the right idea but with three of us, I don’t want to fall off the pad,” Nik said and grinned.
Cherri frowned and said, “Hey, have you had the talk with Declan about what I want?”
“Yeah, we talked about the whole courting thing and dating. But since there are two of us and one of you, we voted. Although we're willing to pamper you beyond your wildest dreams,” he said smoothly, “we will be claiming you tonight.”
“Oh really,” Cherri said, folding her arms and glaring at them. She really didn’t mind so much, but they were not going to rule her life, she hoped they knew that. "What if I insist?”
Declan laughed and said, “Darlin', we've had twenty-four hours to plan what we were going to do while you were asleep, you don’t stand a chance.”
Cherri frowned deeper and then turned to the door they had just stopped at and entered the code she knew by heart again. It beeped red at her and she frowned.
“We changed the code so all of us would know it,” Nik said and reached around her and punched in a series of numbers.
“What is it?” Cherri asked, looking over his shoulder as best as she could.
“The day we’re claiming you,” Declan whispered in her ear, and she shivered.
The door slid open and there was pandemonium in her living room. Rissa, Calli, and Kade were there making stupidly sweet noises at something that was in a large crate with a giant pink bow.
“What the hell are you doing in my place?” Cherri called and stomped toward her living room.
The place was huge. Each apartment had over three thousand square feet. And was entirely surrounded by bullet, missile and basically weapon proof windows. The view was amazing; they could see the whole city from any room in the house. And the cool thing was the electronic shades. It made the windows turn different shades of black to keep out the sun or to just dim the natural light. Her apartment was still being decorated, but she had the major areas done. The living area was chic, and had pale pinks, blues, and purples all around. She loved the almost island feel of her place. Calli and Kade’s were dark reds and purples, which suited their Alpha royal side. Cherri was much lighter.
Her bedroom however, was done in a Victorian theme, with lace and different shades of pinks. She would bet the men were going to hate that. But they were going to have to suck it up. Across from the living room was a communication and office center. It had three desks set up which she paused and looked at when she was half way across the room. Someone had brought in more computers and desks. One for each of them, and a huge central screen so they could all work together. Hmmm, Ms. Praton was behind that.
Then there was her kitchen, which was completely high tech and decorated in more teal and purples, still the same island feel and she loved it, it had a small, comfortable nook where four people could eat comfortably.
Her dining room filled the rest of the place with a huge, dining table for entertaining. It was getting larger and larger. But it was the darkest furniture she owned as it held a cherry wood table, and dark teal and silver plates already set for a party.
Off to the left was a door that led to the main suite, it was huge with three rooms to it, a small sitting room, the large bedroom with two walk in closets, because she couldn’t possible share with a man, and a huge master bath.
Off to the right was the door that led to the other spare rooms she had, three in all. She hoped one day to fill them with children, but she was waiting for her mate. Now that she had two, it could be possible. But not before her mother got her white wedding. She made a note to have that discussion with her mates first thing.
As she drew closer to where her friends were all bending over and cooing at something, she saw the container and it looked like an old-fashioned dog carrier. She hadn’t seen one of those in years, since her snotty classmate brought her cute, little puppy to show-and-tell, and proceeded to rub it in their face how she received it for her birthday. Calli, Rissa, and her all had the same idea, went home and begged their parents for a pet. Their fathers, who always thought the sun rose and set on the girls, began to waiver. Then the Mob moms got involved and then the answer turned from ‘maybe’ to ‘hell no’. They had been so disappointed, that's when they realized their mothers were the enemy and if they wanted anything cool, they had to go to their fathers.
Cherri drew next to Calli who was squealing in a totally uncharacteristic tone. “Kade, I want one. Please, Please, Please,” she said.
Rissa said, “I don’t have to ask permission, I want to know where you got it boys, I want to know if she had siblings. Then our puppies will be related.”
Cherri looked down and saw the most precious puppy she ever could have imagined owning. It was pocket-size and all white, curled in a tiny, pink bed with a tiny, pink bow on both ears. It looked up at her and she knew when their eyes met that they were going to be the best of friends.
“OMG,” Cherri cried. Then pushed back her friends, and said, “Back, MY PRESENT!”
Both of her friends grumbled, but allowed themselves to be pushed back. Cherri fell onto her knees in front of the small cage and whispered, “Hey sweetie, and what's your name?”
Declan and Nik moved to the other side of the cage and bent down on one knee and watched their mate open the cage and take the little bundle out, and cuddle it against her face. She closed her eyes and sighed before standing and turning to her friends and beaming, “Look what I have.”
Rissa, Calli, and even Kade moved closer and touched the small animal. “Where did you get her?” Rissa whispered. “Seriously.”
“Here's the card,” Declan said and pulled to from his back pocket.
Rissa reached for it and Calli grabbed it first. “Kade, I want one too, call and get both Rissa and me a puppy that was this one’s brother or sister,” she demanded and Kade looked at the two men who were smirking and glared at them.
“Yes, baby,” Kade said and opened his com link and turned around to go and order some puppies.
The three women cuddled and kissed the little bundle and then Cherri said, “What if it has to piddle?”
Nik laughed and said, “That was your other surprise, if you will follow me.”
He walked to the largest balcony that they had in the apartment. The windows were shaded, and so she couldn't see what was on the other side. But when he pushed the button to open the doors, she gasped at the atrium that had been added to her balcony. It was covered and held patches of grass, and a small little trash can. It also had flowers and doggie toys all set out for the small bundle. Cherri set her down, the puppy began to sniff, and wander. Cherri just followed, completely in love with the small animal.
When it squatted and peed, she bent down and praised it. Declan and Nik came out to the area and she screamed and jumped into their arms and began to kiss them. “Thank you, I love it.”
“The atrium is bullet proof also, so you can come out with the puppy without having to worry. We had to include the security because we cannot any longer go out to the open balconies, they won’t even open,” Declan said and Nik sighed.
“Sorry, one of the things we were going to tell you. But we didn’t have a chance; I think it worked better this way,” Nik said.
“What's her name?” Cherri asked and her friends were yelling in the living room. She scooped up her little bundle and went inside. Calli and Rissa were clapping and dancing in a circle with their hands raised in the air. “We're getting puppies, we're getting puppies,” they sang and then Cherri went and joined them. The three men stood, watched, and shook their heads.
“You know that we are totally going to have to train them right, those women are gonna baby them something fierce. We're gonna take the back seat and have to beg them for a little attention.”
“Yeah, but look at them,” Declan said and they laughed. T
he three men seemed to be bonding as Alpha and Betas. The bonds between them would be strong and they would need that in the coming months. All of them knew it.
“Okay, ladies, we have to go and wait for the delivery, we can see them in the morning,” Kade called.
Rissa and Calli ran for the stairs and Calli turned and said, “And I want an atrium too.”
Kade groaned and ran his hand over his face and walked to the stairs. Cherri knew that they would be up all night with the puppies!
Her mates looked at her and grinned. Declan said, “Now, dinner, naming the dog, feeding the dog, and claiming the mates. In that order.”
Cherri laughed and said, “Well, I have nothing to eat, so I guess we order out.”
Nik stepped forward and said, “If we can get a dog and an atrium built in twenty-four hours, we can certainly provide you dinner.”
Cherri raised an eyebrow and looked around for the bags, but her mates shook their heads and held out their arms to the kitchen. When she carried the small puppy into the kitchen, she saw it. Their meal was laid out on the small nook table. It was adorned with flowers and candles and when she looked closer, her favorite food. The girls had to have talked, or Kade since he was there when she pitched her fit about having burritos from the restaurant down the street. It was her weekly treat to herself when she had to work late.
“Aww,” she said and buried her head in the soft, little dog's fur. “You guys are so sweet.”
“That’s what we've been telling you. Now, no dogs at the table, but we have her little bed with her dish right there, so she can eat while we do,” Declan said.
Cherri grinned, put the puppy down on the floor, and slid into the table. Her mates each took a side and they began to talk. Cherri asked questions about Nik. He had a family, still in Ireland. He called his parent’s and they were excited about coming and seeing them. They also said they would send the correct documentation they had of his family ancestors. Both had been surprised to hear that he was a descendant of the Chosen, although there had been rumbles in the family about it.