was about to rip any sense of dignity they had ever possessed away from them, and then she was going to
shove it up their asses. What troubled him was that she did not tell him that they were coming at her with
ill intentions because she did not want to bother him.
Didn’t I just warn you to watch your thoughts when we are merged?
You know you’re getting a spanking later for being a naughty girl, right?
I do now. And just so you know I will be looking forward to it.
Using his mind he gave her butt a swat. After that he stopped talking with her to avoid distracting
her, but he remained merged with her just in case she needed help. Shedding his flesh to take his spirit
form he entered the next home and began to search it. He was confident that Brianna was somewhere in
the area he cordoned off, but he was worried because searching the homes individually was taking so
much time. Adding to his concern was Nikolas’ continued inability to locate her by merging with her.
Too much time had already gone by. Nikolas should have been able to secure a connection to her long
ago. Being ten thousand years old Nikolas’ power was the nearest thing to absolute. It was no secret that
Brianna was able to easily enter his mind and open her mind to him at will since the day they met a few
years ago.
~Nineteen~
HADEN ARRIVED AT the funeral home. It was locked up so he decided to go inside and look through
the files. It was a small building so he took no more than ten steps before he reached the office. He
looked around, but he didn’t see any file cabinets. He glanced down at the computer. He hadn’t been
much of techy sort of person, but he figured it was worth a shot. Hoping it wasn’t protected by a
password he turned the computer on. It took a minute, but it looked like he was in.
He typed Carl’s name into the search and a file popped up. He clicked on it. It contained a partially
filled out application to buy a plot in a cemetery that was owned by the funeral home. None of the
information was new or helpful. Just before he closed the file he realized he was reading one of two
pages. He clicked to the next page. It was a black and white photo of Carl with the word, nut job banned
from the premises, written on the bottom.
He printed the file just in case he had missed something. Once he closed the file, he turned the
computer off and took the papers out of the printer. Looking down and the papers he stood up and wacked
his head into the pointed squared edge of a lamp. “Stupid fucker.”
“Daddy!”
Sure enough when he turned to look Megan was glaring at him with her hands on her hips. “Hello
princess.”
“I am telling Mommy.”
“Is Mommy here with you?”
She shook her head. “Nope.”
“How did you get here?”
“You can change the subject. You’re in big trouble. You said stupid…”
“Don’t you dare repeat it,” he cut her off because if he heard that word come out of her tiny, precious
mouth he would most certainly drop dead.
The feisty rebellious flame that ignited in her eyes as she weighed the cost of taking on what to her
was more of a dare than an order scared the hell out of him. What made it worse was that there was no
doubt in his mind that she knew he was freaking out. This particular level of misbehaving was his alone
to deal with. She would never take her challenge of his authority to an extreme when Caylee was around.
When he tried to take the issue to Caylee it did not go well. She laughed at him and told him that it was
his fault because he spoiled her rotten and did not enforce the boundaries he set.
“Fine,” she said with an extra-long way overly accentuated ‘F’ that he was sure stopped his heart.
“How did you get here if Mommy didn’t bring you?” he asked though he knew he didn’t want to
confirm his belief that she had just shifted to him.
Indicating that she was up to something mischievous her mouth twitched as she tilted her head to
flash her most adorable ‘look at me I’m so innocent and sweet’ smile. “I can always find you. You’re my
Daddy.”
Just as he thought, she was up to no good. Rather than answer his question right away and allow him
to breathe again she was toying with him to increase the final bang. “Of course you can. There are many
ways people can do things. I would like to know what way you used to find and get to me today.”
“I closed my eyes and thought about how much I wanted to see you.”
“Did you let Mommy know that you were leaving?” he asked.
She tilted her head to the side and gave him a playful, naughty grin. “That would have been
cheating.”
“Why?”
“We are playing hide and go seek.” His daughter was a genius. That was all there was to it. She
found a way to break a rule by following a rule. “What is that?” she pointed at the paper in his hand.
“It’s just a picture. I am going to send you back to Mommy. I want you to stay with her. You are not
to go off on your own. Ever. Never again. Do you understand?”
“Why did his daddy make him so dirty?” she asked.
“We will talk about it later. I have to help Uncle Nikolas find Brianna.”
She pointed at the paper in his hand. “She is at his mommy’s house. He is a very bad man.”
He held the paper up. “Are you talking about him?”
She nodded. “His mommy is mad. She wants him to go away now. He put her in the basement, but
she is not stuck. She can go anywhere now. That’s why she hates his bride taking a rest in her bed. Why is
Brianna his bride? Doesn’t she love Uncle Nikolas anymore? He will be so sad if she doesn’t.”
“How do you know about the man and his mommy?”
She gave him a funny look as if his question was ridiculous. “The picture said it.”
Knowing Joseph could find anything online if it was there Haden reached out and linked with him.
We found out that Carl has Brianna at his mother’s home.
Hold on. I have to ask since the last time I did I found out that your big brother is hanging with his
new pal Demetri. You just said we’re headed there. The last I knew you were going solo. Who’s your new
pal?
Megan decided she could get to me no matter where I am because I’m her daddy. All she has to do is
close her eyes…
Holy shit! She shifted? By herself? Tell me you’re just screwing with me. She’s too young.
Yes. Yes. I wish I was. And no fucking kidding.
You’re life just got seriously complicated. What the hell are you going to do when she learns that she
can shift to anywhere she wants?
Thanks. It isn’t as if I’m already having a nervous breakdown.
Do you know his mother’s name?
Hold on. “Do you know if the man’s mommy has a name, princess?” Haden asked
Shaking her head she rolled her eyes back. “Mommy.”
We don’t have any personal information for her. All I know is that he likely killed his mother and
buried her in the basement.
Did I just hear right? Are you getting this from Megan?
Yes. She claims the picture is talking to her.
She has your mom’s gift. That’s awesome. Okay. Let me think. Wait. What about the employee file?
They usually have emergency contact information.
No. Just his. There were no other addresses or names in it.
What was
the name of the company?
“Perry Insurance. Are you planning to contact them?
I suppose you can say that. I’m going to hack into their system. There has to be something. Did you
meet up with Nikolas yet?
We’re headed there right now. Let us know if you find an address.
Not if. When.
“Let’s go see Uncle Nikolas.” He scooped her up and shifted to an empty lot behind the coffee shop,
and then he brought her up to the front and took her inside.
The moment they entered the coffee shop Nikolas and Demetri turned their heads to look at them.
He could tell by Nikolas expression that he had not been able to get any useful information by showing
the picture around. Knowing Nikolas would follow he walked over to a private corner.
“Hello Megan,” Nikolas said. “I didn’t know you like coffee.”
“I don’t. It tastes bad. And it stinks like coffee in here.”
“What have you two been up to?” Nikolas asked. You were at the funeral home, right? Where’s
Caylee? Why is she with you right now?
“Megan learned a new thing today. Since I am her daddy she can always find me. It doesn’t matter
where I am. All she has to do is close her eyes and think about how much she wants to be with her
daddy.”
Both Nikolas and Demetri looked as shocked as he was when it happened. She was simply too young
to be able to do it alone. The danger of it was that there were no limits once she had it down. I am never
having children. Nikolas and Demetri said in unison.
Megan pointed at Demetri. “Who is he?”
“Demetri,” Nikolas answered.
“Is he a stranger?” she asked.
“He is an old friend,” Nikolas said.
Haden knew his brother would have never introduced Demetri as a friend unless he fully trusted him.
He wasn’t sure of the details, but Nikolas was and for now that would do.
“Hello Demetri. I am Megan.” She reached for his hand.
Rather than take her hand right away he looked to Haden for permission. When Haden nodded he
shook her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Megan.”
“Daddy said a very bad word and a kind of bad word.” She looked at Demetri obviously deciding
that since he was a new face that she should explain the rules. “Mommy says Daddy is never allowed to
say bad words even if he is mad. She will put him in timeout so he will have something to think about
next time.”
“You’re mommy is right. I am sure her guidance will help him to behave,” Demetri said.
“He still says them when he gets mad. If Mommy doesn’t hear it, I always tell her right away. If I
forget, I tell her when I remember.”
“That’s good.”
Deciding his precious daughter had done enough damage to his manhood Haden decided to change
the subject. “We have more news. Do you remember how the pictures of people talked to Mom?”
“She was able to pull or receive information from them. Mostly strong emotions,” Nikolas said.
“Tell Uncle Nikolas what this picture said to you.”
“He made his mommy mad.”
“Why?” Haden prompted.
“She wants him to leave her house.”
“Do you know why she wants him to leave?”
“She can come out of the basement now any time she wants. She hates his bride resting in her bed.”
“Who is his bride?” Haden pressed.
She looked at Nikolas. “Brianna is not his real bride. She loves you a whole big bunch.”
Joseph is working on getting his mother’s name and address right now. He’ll let us know as soon as
he has the information. My guess is that he’ll have it real quick. Haden wanted to make sure Nikolas new
it was already being investigated. He was not discouraged over the slight variations of the order or the
different words she used since she explained what the picture was saying to him at the funeral home.
Considering her age she was doing an amazing job taking in and then relaying the information she was
receiving from it.
Thank you. It’s the only lead we have. Everyone here remembers seeing him and thinking he was
creepy, but no one knew anything about him.
“Let me see the picture of Sara,” Nikolas reached out for it.
Demetri shook his head and spoke to both Haden and Nikolas. It is too dangerous. There are too
many spells surrounding Sara. Megan is too young to even consider exposing her to the inevitable perils
of attempting to pass through them.”
Nikolas nodded. “I hadn’t thought it through.”
“Has Brianna made any attempt to merge with you again?” Haden asked.
“Once. She was gone within a few seconds from when I first felt her.”
Nikolas looked so broken. He felt urged to get Megan to retrieve more information or attempt to
connect and shift to the house, but he feared that by doing so he might force her to witness something
horrific.
Don’t even think about it. She has done a great deal with the information she received from the
picture. Having her dig any deeper could be harmful. We do not know what is happening or has
happened to Brianna, but we know what the man is capable of doing.
But if she could... Mom was able to shift to anyone without knowing where they were as long as she
had a picture of the person.
You know we cannot have Megan shift into a nightmarish scene like the one we were at today. We
have no way of knowing whether or not he has his mother’s home is filled with decaying bodies and
severed body parts. I would never want her to do it. Brianna would never want her to do it. Caylee would
most likely kill you for thinking about it. And I know you do not want her to do it. Since we are out of
leads to check out I’m going to head to the search area.
I need to tell you something, but I cannot answer any questions or be too direct. Demetri said.
Haden nodded. I am listening.
Sometimes we crush out enemies, but do not completely destroy them. I suppose it is a simple matter
of not viewing them as an enemy that possesses the power to be a real threat. Many times we are right.
We never see or hear from them again. Sometimes an enemy comes back with a vengeance and targets the
ones you love. I would not take a chance if I had a mate and a daughter. If I were you I would
immediately destroy every enemy so that none has any chance of coming back.
When Demetri said the last sentence a picture of Phillip Wicks flashed in his mind. I understand.
Thank you.
“I’ll join you as soon as I get Megan to Caylee.”
“I can go to Mommy on my own. I will just close my…”
“No,” all three said at once.
“You are never to go anywhere alone,” Haden said.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because, your daddy said not to do it. If I find out you are disobeying his rules there will be
consequences,” Nikolas said.
As if preparing to take Nikolas on she lifted her chin defiantly. “What kind?”
Nikolas held out his hand and a doll with black marker scribbled over the face and its hair chopped
off appeared in it. “I will tell Joseph what you really think of the gifts he gives you.”
Haden wasn’t shocked by her stubborn reaction. Eyes narrowing she fixed her gaze on Nikolas as
she searched her mind for something to trump him. She sighed. “Fine. I won’t go anywhere alone.”
~Twenty~
BY THE TIME Ad
am took only two steps through the back entrance of the shelter he picked up on the
scent of gasoline. He also realized that the woman he was looking for was not alone. It’s arson, Joseph.
The woman that didn’t make it out with the rest is not alone. Before the fire even started she was cornered
and trapped in a room on the third floor by the man responsible for the fire. From the images in her mind
I am sure she knows him.
It’s not shocking. It’s a domestic violence shelter for women and children so he is most likely an ex-
boyfriend or husband. Do you need me to send someone to help? Joseph asked.
As Adam started to make his way toward the woman, he picked up on a new bit of information from
her thoughts. Guilt was eating at her. She was more worried about getting out of the house to warn people
than she was about saving herself. It’s more smoke than fire. I am not sure where it is just yet, but the fire
is being contained for the purpose of filling the entire place with smoke. It is intended to get as many
firefighters and police officers in the house and the yard. You might want to do something to get the rest
of the women out of the area. There is some sort a bomb in the basement. The man wasn’t alone. There
was another man outside. He had a gun and planned shoot anyone that wasn’t taken out by the explosion.
I have disabled his gun. The woman knows what’s happening. She calls the men enforcers.
I’ll make sure the area is clear.
Do you think the woman had some part in their plan?
I am not certain. All I know is that she is experiencing a great to deal of guilt. Have you had any luck
finding Nikolas’ mate?
I haven’t been able to find much of anything about Carl’s mom. She was a recluse. Apparently
Carl’s father accused his mother of being insane after one of the many times she tried to kill him. He took
off. She never had to leave because he covered their financial needs. I am working on it now while
waiting for a cousin of his to get back to me. She is making calls in hopes of someone knowing something.
Besides that, we’ve continued searching homes and reducing the perimeter. What about the bomb? Are
you planning to disable it or move it?
I am heading down to have a look at it now. I am hoping to send it to a terrorist training camp run
Volatile Breath of Darkness Page 25