by Jana Leigh
“No time like the present, they should be waiting for us in the courtyard about now,” Nian said.
They walked out of the small bungalow and looked around. Really they liked it here, both of them could remember a few times as kids coming up here but mostly it was brief, none of them had spent any time here.
There were men and women wandering around, children playing in the distance, everything seemed to be perfectly normal. Like outside these walls all of them weren’t currently being hunted. It was a good thing at least that they had somewhere to feel safe while figuring this shit out. It had been a long time since they had felt comfortable anywhere. Both just wondered how long it was gonna last.
Chapter Seven
Tara was gonna beat the crap out of her brother, he was in so much trouble. For the last five minutes she had been sitting here, feeling awkward, since Sabrina had walked with her over to the main building where Nian and Reese were waiting. She smiled and half-heartedly waved at them, feeling a little awkward. Her loving brother had yelled from her front porch, “Sis, sorry I am not feeling too good, I guess it is all the stuff. Go have fun and I will catch up later.”
Then she knew she had been set up because Sabrina pushed her toward the stairs. “I will bring you some ice cream in a sec.”
She had tried to turn around and glare at her friend but Nian and Reese had laughed and shook their heads. Now she was sitting here in the main building looking around and not knowing what the hell to do with the two men in front of her.
“I am gonna kill them,” she muttered as she looked up and both of the guys were grinning.
“It’s not that bad,” Nian said and Reese shrugged.
“Come on, we need to get to know each other, and we have a lot of questions right now, it would be easier if we got the answers from you. At least it will feel like we are getting to know one another again.”
“I am not good at this,” she blurted out and both men looked confused.
Nian finally said, “Not good at what? Having a drink? A conversation?”
“Yep, all of the above,” she said and leaned back.
“Well let’s start with the easy stuff,” Reese said. “When did you join the Drekinn?”
“I started off as an Enforcer, Pilar and Brooks are the ones who recruited me. I was just out of college, on my own. I grew up in a foster home, well, I think I did, I’m not so sure anymore, but whatever, at this point it doesn’t really matter I don’t think,” she said and shrugged. “Anyway, I was a pretty good Enforcer if I do say so myself. I breezed through training fairly simply. My bear, she loved it. I was paired with Sabrina right off the bat, we clicked and so we were usually assigned to the same thing. Most of the time, we tracked the Ulfers. It wasn’t too bad, I mean all in all, the years I worked there, I guess you could say it fit me.”
Nian nodded. “I get that, Reese and I, we grew up together, well like you said, I think we did. It is really weird thinking back and trying to figure out what was real and what was fake. I mean, I can remember going to grade school sometimes, but then I realize I didn’t really because we were all homeschooled. All day has been like I am in the twilight zone.”
“Welcome to my world.” Tara laughed and leaned forward. “Since the day we were all told we were related to the Chosen; things have been a little weird. I mean, I was happy being an Enforcer, and I was happy in my apartment with Sabrina living right next door. It wasn’t really exciting, but really it was good. But then, all this, it just turned like completely off the charts wacky. One day we are just doing our job, and then we are in a gun fight with the Prentiss Agency, who of course didn’t say they were the Prentiss but Simon told us later it was them. We went on the run and ever since it has been…unsettling.”
“It was about the same for us. Reese and I, we owned our own business, we worked on the Stock Market, we were pretty successful, of course it could have been better but we were building it. Then one day, we had come into work, opened the door, and we were suddenly on the floor with guys yelling at us, demanding to know our names. We had no clue what was going on. We cooperated and they said we had to come down for questioning. We agreed but halfway to the car we saw the guys who were standing in the back of the van, they had collars and we knew we couldn’t get into the car and so we waited for the right time, thankfully they were distracted for just enough time, and we ran. They chased us for blocks, in and out of buildings, up and down roads, we thought we had gotten away and then they were there. Figured out they must have put a tracker on us so we dove into a fountain to short it out. When we got out and ran, we lost them. We were on the run for about four months I guess. One morning, we were getting ready to move to another city for a month or so and they found us. That time they collared us in the middle of the restaurant we had stopped at and we were taken to the Prentiss building,” Nian said.
Reese continued the story, “They had us for two days, we never said a word to them, nothing. They got pissed, tried to intimidate us, it didn’t work so they were going to take us somewhere they could make us talk, the guards said. Then we were rescued, and we ended up here.”
Tara nodded. “We have been running blind for months. Some of us had family books, which apparently were supposed to help us figure out what was going on. I don’t know, we haven’t really found them. And I’m not sure if they would help anyway. We found some markings on them, it was like a code of some sorts. Sabrina and I were sent here to look at the Milliken Pack compound, we were trying to find some of the lost books, but there was nothing there. We got word to come here and so we came up here to check things out and all hell broke loose. It has been one thing after another. You know what chaps my ass really?”
Both of the men shook their heads and were listening closely to her. It was kinda nice to have someone pay that much attention to her without having to drink a bottle of wine.
“They have been here this whole time. In Drake, we get here, we are obviously trying to figure out what the hell is going on and they still don’t come clean and say, ‘Hey, look, you found us, sorry we wiped your memory and crap’, but nope. We were here for about a week or so, and the rest of the Drekinn came here. Seriously, I think at some point we began to remember, but it wasn’t until this morning when you came here that it was like a cloud lifted off me,” Tara said and looked at the table. “Right now, I am confused, and angry about it. I don’t get what the hell is true and not true. I am actually a little worried to go to sleep tonight. I mean what if somehow, we forget everything. We wake up tomorrow and we don’t know each other. It seems so frustrating, so fucking frustrating.”
Nian and Reese leaned back, they were all feeling that. How in the hell were they going to forgive them for fucking things up so bad?
“The good part is?” Tara said and both of the guys focused again. “Vincent. It is nuts really, I have seen him a few times, walked by him and smiled, and each time I was thinking. I know him, somehow, I have met him. But today, when everything came back, it was like I gained something and lost something. My brother, he was my best friend. You both had siblings, I am sorry they aren’t here yet.”
Reese nodded. “One of the things we want to talk about tomorrow.”
Nian looked at Reese and Tara felt the tension between the two, she watched them closely. She felt a buzz in the air and she looked around the room, nothing, but when she turned back, her eyes widened a little and she leaned forward. “What are you doing?”
Both men looked at her in surprise and Nian said, “Why?”
Tara narrowed her eyes and snapped, “Were you talking to each other?”
Reese said quietly, “Did you hear something?”
She frowned then shook her head and said, “I could feel something.”
“Feel something?” Nian asked.
“Yes, it was like static electricity, like I could feel the electricity somehow,” Tara said. “So are you talking to each other?”
Nian looked at Reese who shrugged and then
he turned back and nodded. “In a way.”
“What does that mean, either you can talk to each other, or you can’t. I know Alphas have this ability to communicate with their pack, but it usually doesn’t extend to everyone in the pack,” Tara said.
Reese shifted a little, leaned forward and spoke very quietly, “When we were kids, Nian and I always were getting into something. Truthfully, we were a bit of a handful. One day we were walking home from school. Something was going on in the neighborhood but we were running behind and didn’t think too much of it at the time. We were about a block away from the school when we heard the sirens. Nian and I stopped to look around and we saw there was a building on fire. It was a few blocks from where we were but we could see the smoke. People were running and we just followed. As we neared the building we could see it was apartments. Everyone was screaming and yelling around us. Now, we don’t know if it was because of the stressful situation or just because it was time, but whatever. We were on the side of the crowd, and people were pointing to one side of the building. I looked at the opposite side, where no one was paying attention for some reason. I could see a little girl in a window, she was crying, she was on the main floor, the window was right there by the ground and would have been easy for one of the firefighters to get there and help. I yelled and pointed but everyone was paying attention to the other side where the firemen had a ladder up and were pulling people out of a window. Nian heard me though, so he helped by starting to yell to get someone’s attention. I guess it was too loud. The little girl was crying harder, she had seen us make eye contact and she stared at us. Damn it was a helpless feeling and I remember I kept thinking, I am only a kid, what can I do. Then there was like a little explosion, everyone screamed and jumped and the little girl, she disappeared. I was freaked, Nian was as well and so we ran to the window. I know people finally saw us because I heard someone yell and grab my bag, I just let it go and kept going. When we got to the window, the little girl was laying on the floor with smoke all around her. Nian and I looked for something to break the window to get her some fresh air. Finally, we found a metal pole laying on the ground. I grabbed it and swung. The window cracked and then I swung again. Nian was encouraging me. Finally, we broke through. I dropped the pole and saw the men running at us and I pointed. Nian put a hand on my arm and we were talking to each other. After a while they got the girl out and we backed off. One of the firefighters pulled Nian and me aside so we were away from people. He leaned down and whispered, not to ever do that again. He said saving the little girl was important, he got that. But if anyone knew we had the power to project images and speak to people in their heads, they would lock us up and throw away the key. Nian and I had no idea what the man was talking about, we have never been able to do that before. He told us to meet him at a café the next morning, we went and he helped us train to hone our skill, but we couldn’t tell anyone. Now, sometimes we don’t know we are doing it, but it only works if we are together. We can send images and also see images in people’s minds. We can also talk to them and each other. It is invasive, which is why we don’t do it. Grant, the firefighter who helped us, thought it had something to do with the girl, she was gifted as well, but he didn’t know any more than that, and he only knew because when he touched her, he could feel her power.”
Tara’s eyes widened. That was kinda awesome and weird all in one. It was strange to think of things that happened to all of them. Were they real, were they fake? How many times had they remembered something only to have it taken away again with a spell?
“I understand all of your feelings about the way things were handled,” Nian said and then looked at Reese who nodded. “But there is only one spell placed on us. It has now been removed. I would guess the ones who are still out there will now know what happened,” Reese said with a shrug.
Tara nodded slowly and then Nian said, “I know this is the worst timing on the face of the earth for this to all come down. Meeting us, and not having the chance to do a proper wooing and mating.”
She laughed and shook her head. “It wouldn’t matter the timing; I am not that type of girl.”
Both of them stared at her for a minute, not speaking, just looking, and she began to feel a little uncomfortable when Nian said, “Oh, I think you are, but you don’t want to get your hopes up too much. I get it. With everything swirling, you can’t trust what you feel. But we were made for each other, and even though right now it is weird and awkward. We are going to work to make this at least something you will look back on and smile about.”
Her eyes got a little wider and then she stopped and glared at the two. “Are you doing your little woo woo shit?”
Reese laughed loudly and said, “We don’t do woo woo anything. No, we would never do that to you. Now, I am sure you don’t realize but you wear your emotions on your sleeve.”
“Just give us a chance, please,” Nian said.
She looked back up and nodded slowly. Not like she really had a choice, the mating call would begin soon, especially since her bear was right now growling and wanting to get close to her mates. She knew they didn’t have an animal, she wondered if the call was even there with them. Tara knew tonight she would begin to have the dreams of them, and they would become more intense and more intense until all of her waking hours and sleep were consumed with them. She didn’t want it to get that far, mostly because right now, she had a lot to do. She nodded and then the guys leaned back and smiled.
“How about we walk you to your cabin and tomorrow after the meeting in the morning, we spend the rest of the day together, getting to know each other as adults?” Reese said and she nodded and stood, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Chapter Eight
“They took the collars off before we could get a reading, sir,” the mousy little lab assistant said and Geoff turned and growled.
“Do I need to do everything myself?” he snapped and the assistant backed up and shook his head.
“No, but we do have good news, the samples we have already gathered have shown the one you have been looking for has not been found. But, we will soon have the ability to clone them and recreate what was missing.”
Geoff glared at him. “Did you miss the part where we lost two of the ones we needed just the other day?”
“No, sir, I didn’t, but all we need to do—” the assistant started and Geoff finally lost his temper.
“I don’t care what you need to do, that is not my concern, my concern is making sure this happens before everyone else. It has taken years for us to know what we were missing, and once we finally figured it out, it has taken way too long to fix it. So I don’t give a shit if you need to hunt, kill, torture, or maim anyone, get this done so we can put this to rest finally or everything we have been working for will fall apart,” Geoff yelled and the door behind him opened.
“Please excuse us,” Diavolo said from the door and the look on the assistant’s face was one of relief.
‘Do not start!” Geoff snapped and held up his hand. “This is beyond stupid the way this has dragged out. And where is Rebekka? No one seems to know at all where she has gone off to. I am telling you right now, if you and her are planning anything, you are going to pay dearly. And by that I mean, your blessed son will no longer breathe the same air as we do.”
Diavolo glared at the evil bastard, he could threaten all he wanted but Diavolo knew the truth, the crazy fucker would never kill their son, he needed him too much, way too much to give him up. But if it helped him think so, who was he to disagree. When the time came to get rid of the crazy bastard though, Diavolo would be the one to do it. And he would take great joy in making sure it was long and painful, just like the last hundred years had been for him.
“Rebekka has been taken,” he said smoothly and looked at the expression of disbelief on the man’s face as he said, “she wasn’t only taken, she was also taken by someone we had yet to confirm were still alive.”
Geoff glared and then moved his g
rossly deformed face and said, “Who?”
Diavolo threw the photo down on the table. The security cameras had gotten the picture of the woman who had been leaving the Prentiss building right after the explosion. Geoff bent down and picked it up and Diavolo could see the redness in his neck move up to his face, giving him an even scarier look. Diavolo didn’t care though, he had known a long time ago that the old man was nuts. He had also known of his plan to kill not only him but Rebekka as well when the time came, then he would have their son to take over. Their son was the best of both of them.
“That bitch of an Alpha, if she is alive, there is a good chance they could succeed. If that is the case, we are living on borrowed time. They are looking for the same person we are. Even though there is no way they have all of the information, because I buried it myself long ago. However, with that being said, they know enough so when they finally realize what they overlooked, it could cause us problems.”
“By then it will no longer matter,” Geoff scoffed and Diavolo wanted to kill him right there.
“Keep thinking that, because when the Alpha finds out what you have done, there will not be a hole deep enough for you to crawl in.” Diavolo laughed. He didn’t care that Geoff knew how much he hated him. Why would he? The man wasn’t stupid.
“I highly doubt she will be a problem, even if she and all of them are still alive, they will not be able to do anything. I made sure of that long ago. If any of them would have given my mate a chance to explain, to live, they could have avoided all this. They made their choice the day they ordered him killed, and I made mine as well.”
Chapter Nine
Marcus and Cassandra walked into the room the next morning and everyone was there. They all looked the same, black circles under their eyes and shoulders held tense, like they were waiting for the blow they would need to defend. Tara looked at Reese and Nian who had come to her cabin that morning to walk her to the meeting.