by Christi Snow
* * *
When Lori awakened the next morning, she smiled lightly at the warmth and pure spicy, male smell of Marcus holding her in sleep. But then she remembered and had to push down the sob that threatened. Damn, how could something so wrong feel so right?
She gently slid out of the bed and got dressed, trying not to wake him. The covers had shifted in the night to expose his gorgeously rugged chest. With her gaze, she traced the lines of his muscles, leading up to his neck. It had been a couple of days since he’d shaved. The shadowed line of whiskers on his chin and cheeks just enhanced his square jawline. Her arm ached with the need to reach out and touch him. She clenched her fist, resisting the urge.
She could sense him trying to find their mental connection in his sleep. She’d severed it as soon as she woke up and realized he lingered in her head again. When she slept and her defenses were naturally down, she couldn’t stop it from happening. That separation would wake him soon. She needed to get out of here before that happened. It was a weak, cowardly thing to do, but she couldn’t face him this morning when she was unsure if she had the strength to push him away again. She’d go plead her case with Bethany about her friends in the ES and hopefully, find a new place to sleep, too.
Slipping silently out of the room, she rounded the circle of stairs winding down around the tree until she arrived at the landing. As she watched the stairs lower, it occurred to her that Marcus’s house was the only tree house with stairs like this leading down to the ground. Damn, how would she even get to Bethany? Sighing, she ran a frustrated hand through her hair. She’d figure it out when she got there. If nothing else, she could simply yell at Bethany to let her know she needed to come up. Nothing about her life was easy, was it?
As she crossed the forest floor, the chill in the air sent a wave of goose bumps down her arms. The cold remained, but steady drips of water echoed across the quiet forest proving the snow had begun melting. Right now, the frost and icy snow crunched under her boots as she walked in the early morning twilight. Strange. She looked up into the sky. The ever-present fog seemed a bit lighter today than normal.
Just as she rounded the corner below Bethany’s house, she ran into Shane, the young redheaded worker from the farm.
“Hi,” he said with a shy smile. “Lori, right?”
“That’s me. I’m surprised to see you. There aren’t many people out this early today.”
“Yeah. I wanted to get to the barn early. The animals have been having a hard time with the low temperatures so I wanted to make sure they were all okay. Drake stayed overnight, but I need to see them with my eyes, ya know?” He gave her a sheepish look.
Lori thought about the Predator that froze to death. “You didn’t have any animals that died with the cold temperatures, did you?” Guilt assailed her. They could probably blame her for the change in climate. How many creatures had died because of it? Was it fair of her to even consider crossing again not knowing how much more damage could be caused?
He must have seen something on her face akin to the panic she felt because he quickly set to reassure her. “Oh no, we’ve kept them all good and warm. Our barns are big enough to house all the livestock when we need them to. It’s a bit crowded, but that just helps to generate more body heat for them all.”
He looked around the area, confused. “But what are you doing out so early? I’m actually surprised Marcus let you out of his sight. He can get a bit overprotective.” He gave her a rueful smile of encouragement. “He’s a good guy. It’s nice to see him happy again.” His gaze slid away from hers, as he frowned at the ground and gnawed on his lip.
Happy again. There it was…that mysterious reference to something truly horrible in his past that changed everything. She wished Marcus trusted her enough to share it with her, but they were probably past that now anyway with the way things stood between them. A nauseated feeling rose through her gut at the knowledge that this could be the end of them. Oh, God, but she couldn’t think of that now. She had to concentrate on other things. Now wasn’t the time to worry about her crumbling relationship with Marcus or the fact she’d scurried away from his house like a thief in the night.
Ignoring the momentary pain of guilt for leaving Marcus asleep in her bed, she waved a hand at the tree house above them. “I need to talk to Bethany.” She gave him a considering look. “I don’t suppose you would mind giving me a lift up, would you?”
His eyes widened and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped. “You want to go see Bethany? Does Aaron know you’re coming?”
“Um, no. I don’t quite have the handle on that telepathy thing with everyone like you all do. I can only connect with a few people that way. Would you mind letting them know that I’m here?”
“O…kay,” Shane looked worriedly up toward the house. “But if Aaron maims me, you’re in charge of getting my bloody body to my brother, Drake. Aaron is not a morning person and he hates it when people drop in on Bethany unannounced.”
“It’s okay, I promise. I’ll take the full blame for this one.”
“Yeah, sure you will,” he muttered. “But I don’t think he’s going to be asking who’s to blame.”
She chuckled lightly. Shane being nervous helped to dissipate her jangling nerves.
After a moment of concentration, Shane’s gaze lit back onto Lori. “We’re lucky. Aaron went out on an errand so he’s not here right now. Bethany asked me to bring you right up.” He reached his arms out to her. “I’m ready when you are.”
Lori threaded her arms around his neck. It seemed odd to be doing this with someone besides Marcus. But Shane maintained his distance as he grabbed her around her waist and shot into the sky. He landed on the platform where Bethany stood waiting for them.
She wore workout clothes—loose knit pants and a sports bra like Brooklyn always wore. Her hair was pulled off her fresh-scrubbed face with a narrow headband. The hair around the side of her neck curled with damp sweat, but whatever she had been doing as a workout must be over because she had a heavy coffee mug nestled in her grip. “Good morning, Lori and Shane. What are you two doing up and about so early this brisk morning?”
“I’m sorry to disturb you so early, Bethany. Shane was just passing by and offered to give me a lift up. Thanks, Shane.”
“No problem, but I’m going to head to the barn now.”
The two women watched him lift off and then Bethany frowned down at the ground, muttering, “We need to fix that. I’ve never really considered it before, but you have no way to get to peoples’ homes and that’s not acceptable. We want you to feel welcomed here, Lori. I need to have the village engineers look at Marcus’s setup and begin some construction.”
She pivoted to face Lori with a gentle smile on her face. “Sorry, I’m getting off track. How are you this morning? I gather from the bits I got from Marcus last night that your trip up north proved to be fairly harrowing.” At Lori’s nod, Bethany reached around her shoulder in a one-armed hug. “Come inside and I’ll get you a cup of coffee. We can chat about your trip and you can tell me what’s on your mind.”
Lori didn’t know exactly how to proceed with what she needed to say, so instead she did the chit-chat thing with Bethany about the trip, her few impressions about the factory up north, and the snowstorm.
“Well, I’m relieved you both made it back safe and sound,” Bethany intoned. “But I don’t think rehashing your trip is exactly what you had in mind with your visit. Would it help to know that we’re developing a plan to get your friends free?”
Lori jerked her head back and felt her eyes widen in shock. She’d come here figuring she’d have to talk Bethany into action. To hear she didn’t need to work at convincing Bethany to help overwhelmed her. “What? How? Who?” Her eyes filled with tears.
“Griff and Brooklyn are working with the other Warriors on a plan. Those two, along with Marcus, will be who you take along with you. It’s just going to be the four of you. I wish it could be more, but things are too precarious
right now. I need the remainder of the Warriors and Malcolm to stay.”
“Of course, but…” Lori couldn’t even form a coherent thought. This was just so unexpected and so much more than she hoped for.
“You need to recover your strength from your trip and Griff has fashioned some new tools for you that will help you channel your gift. For now, the rescue mission is slated to head out in three to four days’ time, unless something changes.” Bethany grabbed a small notebook off the table and turned to a list that seemed rather extensive. She scanned the list for a moment before looking to Lori. “I also need to make plans for the village so we can accommodate your friends and any special needs they may have. I understand some of them have been in captivity for a long time, so they will need special care.”
Lori nodded. “Yes, William is a panther shifter and has been there for over eleven years. His mind is close to shattered and with him being an animal shifter, that can make him unpredictable.”
“Will he be dangerous to travel with and transport back here?”
Lori frowned in thought. “It’s possible that he could be. Savannah—she’s the telepath—will have a good handle on where he’s at mentally. I need to dream walk with her to let her know we’re coming and she’ll be able to tell me how things stand there.”
Bethany gave a sharp nod. “Agreed, but let’s wait at least another day before you do that. I want you recovered physically first.”
Lori began to shake her head, but Bethany held up a hand to stop her. “That’s non-negotiable. I’m letting you take my people into a foreign world. They’re going to have to rely on you to initially get through the Veil and then to get back. If you don’t have the energy reserves to do that, this entire mission will fail and four of my people will die. That is unacceptable.”
Lori jerked her gaze back to Bethany’s. “Four? I thought I was just taking the three Warriors?”
“Four.” Bethany’s voice softened. “You’re one of mine, too.” Bethany leveled a hard stare at Lori and suddenly she knew why this woman was their leader. There was no arguing with her, not that Lori wanted to when Bethany offered such an incredible welcome. No one had ever shown such kindness to her.
“Thank you,” Lori said, her throat closing up with emotion, making it difficult to say any more.
“In the meantime, the four of you are moving into an empty house in the farm complex. I need you to be able to work as a team for this mission to be a success. That means you need to develop the same mental link with Griff and Brooklyn that you have with Marcus. Living together will make that transition easier.”
Lori had wanted to move someplace else, but this wasn’t what she planned. Griff had never made it a secret that he hated her and with the new tension between her and Marcus, this wouldn’t be easy.
Bethany must have read something from her face or emotions because she gentled her voice. “Lori, whatever difficulties you’re having with Marcus need to be put to rest. If you don’t, then you could very well endanger both your lives with this mission. All your lives could be in jeopardy. You all have to be able to work together, in sync, or this will never work.”
“You’re right.” She nodded, considering the wisdom in Bethany’s suggestion. “I know you’re right. Thank you, Bethany, for all your support. I will do everything I can to keep your Warriors safe.”
“I know you will. They’re part of your new family. We’re part of your new family. The world is changing and I think that’s a good thing. It’s not going to be easy during this transition period while Mother Earth decides how much freedom she’ll give back to us, but I have faith this is the right thing to do.”
Overwhelmed, Lori didn’t know what to say to this kind of blanket acceptance. Family? She’d never dared to even hope for that much.
Before she could respond, Bethany pulled her out of her chair. “I think Griff is here to deliver you to your new home and team.”
The next six hours were spent sparring with Brooklyn and Griff at their new home on the grounds of the farm compound. They were to live in a little three bedroom log cabin. In back stood a corral-type enclosure where they spent the day training.
Most of that time, Lori spent blindfolded as she tried to connect with Bethany and Griff on a telepathic level. It wasn’t working. She hadn’t seen Marcus all day. That, combined with her failure at this seemingly simple task, had her frustration level at an all-time high. She refused to be the weak link on the team.
“Baby, there’s nothing weak about you from where I’m standing.”
Marcus.
She could feel the mental brush of his eyes as they ran down her sweaty body. He stood nearby. Brooklyn had loaned her some workout clothes that were fitted and skimpy. Based on the vibes coming from Marcus, those were his favorite aspects of them.
She couldn’t deny the rush of relief at his presence. And with that relief came an onslaught of other voices in her head.
“I thought you planned to let us work with her alone for a while to see if this would work,” said Griff, his tone judgmental.
“I can feel her getting upset,” Marcus responded.
“She has to learn to do this without you or this will never work. What happens if we go over there and you get killed?”
Alarm slammed through her and she yanked off her mask. “No, I won’t let that happen.”
All three of them swung around to look at her surprised. “You could hear us that time,” Griff said.
She nodded.
Brooklyn tilted her head, looking between Lori and Marcus like they were scientific specimens. That curious gaze made Lori’s skin crawl. She never wanted to be studied ever again.
“I have an idea. Let me go grab my bag,” Brooklyn said and then ran into the cabin. When she returned, she asked Griff, “Do you have any of the ley line athames on you?”
“Of course.” He reached down and pulled a short blade out of his boot.
Brooklyn held it in her palm and it shimmered curiously. As Lori drew close enough to see it clearly, she realized the blade was made out of crystal. She pulled her necklace out of her shirt. “Is that like this? Made from the crystals of the ley lines?”
Brooklyn nodded, grabbed her bag and a small bottle out of it, and bit her lip while she glanced between the two items. “I think this will help, but none of you are allowed to tell Malcolm about what I’m doing. He hates this woo-woo natural shit.”
“Woo-woo natural shit?” Lori asked with a smirk. “I’m guessing that’s not the scientific term for it?”
Brooklyn chewed her lip as she glanced between the three of them again.
“Oh man,” Brooklyn muttered under her breath, “Malcolm is going to pitch an ever-loving fit when he finds out about this, but I think it will work. Okay, we can do this.” She straightened her shoulders as if she’d just bolstered her own self-confidence with that little pep talk.
“Look, we all know that our powers are greater when we use the natural energy from the ley lines.” She held out the knife as she talked. “We know that Lori and Marcus have a special relationship which has made their telepathic connection especially strong. And obviously, he acts as a boost when he’s in close proximity so she can hear other people. Part of that is because of what you both share on an emotional level, but I think part of that is because you are physical with each other, too. We see the same levels of deep communication all the time between mates because of the physical and mental exchange with sex.”
Griff immediately started backing away. “No way. I’m sorry, Brooklyn. You’re both very attractive, but there is no way I’m having sex with you or Lori just to strengthen our bond, and if you think that I would ever sleep with Marcus, then just…” His voice sputtered away. “Just no,” he said as he continued to shake his head.
Marcus scowled and clenched his jaw, but waited to hear what else Brooklyn had to say.
“Ew.” Brooklyn’s eyes widened in shock as she shook her head. “No! Oh Goddess, that was not w
hat I meant. Oh, ugh. That is so gross.” Brooklyn’s lips curled in distaste and her expression emanated pure outrage. “I don’t want to sleep with you.”
Lori couldn’t hold in the little giggle as the group of Warriors and friends squirmed in revulsion at the thought of sleeping together. They all turned to her and glared.
“What?” She widened her eyes innocently. “Oh come on, that was funny.” She snorted a little bit more before she rolled her hand trying to get them back on track. “But obviously you didn’t mean sex. So spit it out, Brooklyn. What can we do to fix this?”
Brooklyn lifted the knife. “I think we should do a minor blood exchange.” She lifted her other hand and wiggled her fingers. “Just a few drops from our hands. The crystal will help to strengthen the connection if we use it to make the cuts.”
Griff swiped a hand across his face. “So let me make sure I understand what you’re suggesting. You want us all to slice our hands with the ley line blade, then press palms like some sort of elementary school blood pact?”
“Um, yeah, something like that. And none of us are ever going to tell Malcolm about this. I think it will work to strengthen our bond, and honestly, we need every advantage we can get for this mission.”
“Okay,” Griff sighed. “Fuck, what can it hurt, right?”
“There’s that positive attitude we all know and love.” Marcus said drolly.
“I was about to say, ‘Fuck you,’ but thank Goddess, I don’t have to worry about that anymore.” Griff clapped his arm across Marcus’s back and grinned. “So, let’s do this. Who’s bleeding first?”
“I think you just volunteered,” Brooklyn said as she began to rummage through her pack. She pulled out a chalice, a bottle, and some small cloths. “Okay, everyone is right-handed, right?”
Would this really work? Lori glanced at the others as Brooklyn prepared. Neither of the guys looked too convinced.