by Moxie North
“Baby, you never have to sleep alone again.”
Those words were almost as good as ‘I love you’ to her ears. She never had to stay awake afraid of what went bump in the night.
They were about an hour out from Seattle and Piper couldn’t sleep. Using her time to stare at her husband, she let her mind wander to planning. Plans that she had told herself she’d never indulge in again. Home, family, future. She was ticking off that list quickly. Without thinking, she reached her hand up and traced her mate mark at the neck of her shirt.
Anson’s eyes popped open and sought her. “Babe?”
“Sorry, I forget,” she said quietly.
“It’s okay. Was I snoring?”
“Not this time.”
“Baby, I’m a bear, we can’t help it.”
“Pfft, we’re getting one of those adjustable beds when we get back.”
“Whatever you want,” he said with a yawn.
“Anson, do you really want babies?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t I? Strong little girls that look like you? Smart little boys that look like me?”
“But, I mean do you want them right now?”
Anson sat up straight. “Don’t you want them?”
“I do, I love kids. I guess most couples always make a plan on when that happens. They have to factor in money, work, a lot of different things.”
“Okay, well, money isn’t a problem. I’ve got plenty of money. You make a great salary. I didn’t think you would want to quit your job, but if you did, it wouldn’t change our lifestyle. Work is the same. My job takes me out of the state and the country, but we both have family close by and we have the Clan. There is never a problem finding babysitters. What else is there?”
Piper tried to think of something. She loved him, he loved her. There was only one fly in their ointment.
“It’s just not safe right now,” she said.
Anson sighed. “You’re right. But the Great Mother knows when it’s the best time. If we leave it up to her, I think that we will find that things will work out exactly how they should. Or we could try to ask the Crone, not that she would give me a straight answer.”
Piper had heard the term Crone before. She always thought it was a cruel sounding name, even though the Kindred said it with such reverence.
“She’d know if we were having children? And when? And why would you call her a crone? Isn’t that a mean name? It sounds so… witch in the woods.”
“The Crones of ancient times were the healers, the spiritual guides, the ones that spoke and guided the Clans. It’s an honor to be a Crone and we respect them. They don’t mind the name so much.”
“But how? How do they know all these things? Know who should be together?”
“We’re not exactly sure how it works. They may just take really good notes about people and gossip together for info. Most Kindred truly believe they have a connection to the Great Mother. That connection means we trust their words and their wisdom.”
“I don’t know if I want them looking into such a personal thing.”
“Then we can play it by ear?”
“I guess. I just don’t want to bring a child into a place of danger.”
“I’m handling that. Luca is picking us up. We’re being chauffeured to my place. I apologize in advance. It’s not much, but it’s temporary. We’ll continue your escorts to work. Eden has agreed to relieve your assistant for a few days. We want to keep up appearances that you aren’t changing your patterns. But we don’t want you not covered in the office.”
“Poor Eden, she’ll be bored to tears,” Piper moaned.
“No, she will get into character and enjoy the hell out of it. She’s been on babysitting duty most of the year. This will be a nice break.”
“Babysitting?”
“We cover Bliss Hartley when she’s on tour.”
Piper sat up straight in her seat. “Bliss Hartley? Seriously?” she asked excitedly.
“Not you too,” Anson groaned.
“She’s great! I’ve never seen her in concert, though.”
“Well, she’s nicer on television than she is in person. She’s got your problem times ten.”
Piper gave a shudder. “I bet there are lots of creepy people after her.”
“We keep her safe. That’s our job.”
“Eden usually does that?”
“We have a team, but she manages it. Zion is giving her a break for a while.”
“Oh man, I’d love to meet her.”
“If she comes to Seattle, I’m sure I can get you tickets.”
Piper made a happy noise then attempted a cabbage patch dance at her seat.
“Dork,” Anson said, dropping his head back with a grin.
“Whatever. I like her.”
“Good, you and Nadia can bond. She drives us nuts with that stuff.”
“What’s Nadia’s deal?”
Anson gave a shrug. “She’s been with us for years. She was the only human that didn’t run scared during the interview.”
“You didn’t want a Kindred doing that job?”
“Sure, but we found humans get nervous when they’re outnumbered.”
Piper made a snorting sound, but it wasn’t untrue. She could only imagine the interview with King and who knows who else. Big hulking bears looking scowly and displeased.
“She seems tough,” she agreed.
“She is. Our job can be tough but she’s never cracked under the pressure.”
“Must be nice.”
Anson sat up then and faced her. “Listen, you can’t compare Nadia doing her job to you being harassed for years. You’ve been tough, you’ve handled your shit and you should be proud of that. Not once have you backed down from this. Piper, you keep standing up for your right to your life and that makes you the strongest person out there.”
“You might be the best cheerleader I’ve ever seen,” she said to him in a mock dreamy voice.
“I’m not wearing any weird outfits so you can get your kink on.”
“Hah, if I wanted to get my kink on, I’d tell you to join me in the bathroom. Mile-high club and all.”
Anson sat back again. “I’m not getting stuck in an airplane bathroom just so you can try that. That’s what private planes are for.”
“Hmm, flying private. I like that.”
“Something to look forward to. Now, why don’t you close your eyes and get some sleep?”
“Nah, I’ll just sit here and stare at you.”
“Sounds good, wake me when we land.”
“Asshole,” she said quietly.
“Okay, night.”
Piper huffed happily. He was fun to play with. He made her forget about her worries and more importantly helped her get out of her own head. His jerky state seemed to be a way to shield her from her own thoughts. It worked, so she wasn’t going to give him shit about it.
Settling back, she tried to keep her eyes on her mate, but the impending shift back to reality had her seeking the blanket of sleep where there weren’t boogeymen hiding in the shadows.
Chapter 27
Anson didn’t fall back asleep after their talk. He made plans. There was no way that Piper was going to be able to have the life she deserved until he did his job and eliminated all threats to her future.
AJ had sent him an update before they’d boarded. There was one name that kept coming up in his searches. A name that didn’t belong because there was no connection to Piper aside from a previous association. Jerry Loe practically followed Piper from college. AJ had gone down the list of people that both of Piper’s exes had compiled in their time with her. Piper hadn’t brought Jerry up to KSI because she really didn’t think he could be a threat.
Darius and Tristan had thought that he was too friendly. Always commenting on her social media, inserting himself into conversations. After their run-ins, they had told King that he was too much of a wimp to do the things that Piper’s stalker had been doing.
He pro
bably had been told that all his life. That he wasn’t enough of a man for someone like Piper. That just meant he’d have to prove it. AJ tracked down his current address which was not far from Piper’s work. It turned out he worked from home doing contract IT work. He knew computers, which explained how he could find out so much information about Piper’s exes.
It still wasn’t enough to be sure, but they’d informed Detective Klein of their findings anyway. She was happy that something was being done, knowing her hands were tied. She offered her assistance should anything concrete come up.
KSI was going to need the SPD behind them to make sure her stalker ended up behind bars. The bigger problem was that stalkers didn’t always get harsh sentences. A good lawyer could convince a judge that the poor soul needed counseling and is just misunderstood. That was until the stalker walked through a restraining order and seriously hurt someone.
Anson wasn’t going to let that happen. He forwarded all of AJ’s findings to the team. Hudson was doing some covert follow-up trying to see if there was anything else they could use to make sure this was their guy. Anson’s gut was telling him it was. AJ had sent over a picture of the man. It was sitting on his phone in his pocket. He’d burned the image into his mind. He was going to be looking at every stranger he passed checking if it was him. It was a face that his mate had seen, multiple times, and if it was really him, she’d been looking at evil every time.
The plane landed and he felt Piper’s hand on his knee. “Anson?”
“I’m awake.”
They got off the plane and Anson kept her behind him, holding her hand to the small of his back so she had to trail behind him very close. Luca was waiting for them at the exit past security. He was standing with his arms folded making sure everyone created a wide berth around him.
“I didn’t want the car idle, I’ve brought Hudson. He’s circling,” Luca said abruptly.
“Is that necessary?” Piper asked, leaning around Anson’s back.
“It is,” Anson said. “Let’s move.”
“What about our luggage?”
“We’ll get it. Let’s keep moving.”
“Anson, this seems like overkill.”
“Good, then I’m doing my job.”
Anson and Luca circled Piper and kept them moving. They got their luggage and timed their exit to meet Hudson in the car.
Once they were inside, Anson settled Piper into his side. “What do we have?”
“Sure you want to talk about this in front of her?” Hudson asked.
“You mean my mate? Since it directly has to do with her, go ahead.”
“I’m not sure your place is a good idea tonight,” Luca said.
“Why not?”
“This guy, he’s smart. Like too smart to not be able to figure out who you are and your address,” Hudson said from the driver’s seat.
Piper sat up straighter. “Wait, you know who it is? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because we can’t confirm anything. Just that he’s looking like a really good possibility.”
“Who is it?”
There was a pause in the car as Anson gave a look to Hudson in the mirror. “A man named Jerry Loe.”
Piper frowned at Anson then burst out laughing. “Jerry? Little Jerry? There is no way jumpy Jerry is the one that’s been tormenting me!”
“Babe, you’ve known him since college. You went out with him.”
“One date, it wasn’t even really a date. I was just being nice and getting a cup of coffee with him. I told him there wasn’t a spark but we could be friends. He seemed to be fine with that. We run into each other once in a while. It’s friendly.”
“Run into each other?”
“Sure, at the coffee shop. Sometimes the restaurants around work. He works downtown.”
“Technically. He works from home which is close to your work. In fact, all of his past addresses have been in close proximity to your work or your home.”
“He has?”
“You move, he moves. He works in the IT field. He graduated with advanced degrees in computers and criminology. I think he was using it as a lesson plan on how to stalk you.”
“But… but, it’s Jerry,” Piper said still confused.
“I know. It’s often the one we least expect. He’s kept everything in front of you casual. Most likely because he lacks the confidence to tell you how he really feels. When he feels ignored or that he might lose you to someone else, he acts out. He makes sure you are available because then he can keep up his fantasy that you have a relationship. We have no idea to what extent his delusions go. We’ve reported it to Detective Klein. As you know there is little they can do.”
“Until he does something worse.”
Anson didn’t want to agree with her on that. “Where are we heading?”
Hudson and Luca exchanged a glance. “We thought it best if we could control the environment.”
“Which means?”
“Which means Van’s back,” Hudson said cheerfully.
Piper couldn’t help but turn a circle inside Van and Cora’s apartment. The high ceilings and large windows made the inside feel like a museum. A very cool museum.
“I know it’s not very homey, but well, it’s home,” Cora said smiling. Cora was a perky redhead that seemed thrilled when Anson introduced her to his mate. Her mate, Van, was a big man, obviously a bear, and he looked… disgruntled.
“It’s really amazing,” Piper agreed.
“Oh, wait until you see my closet!”
Piper found herself being dragged across the room while Anson, Hudson, Luca, and Van watched them. Two sets of eyes watched indulgently and two sets of eyes with amusement. Not wanting to be rude, she followed Cora. She knew that Anson was going to be talking about her case, but she trusted that her mate would tell her everything she needed to know. Walking through a large room, she was pulled into a dark alcove.
“Here, step in here and wait. I’ll turn the light on. It really has to be experienced,” Cora said.
“Okay, I’m excited.” Piper had never said that about a closet. Then the light flicked on. A soft glow reflected off the white surfaces and glass doors and Piper’s mouth fell open. This wasn’t a closet, it was a showroom.
“Oh-my-gawd,” Piper gasped.
“I know, right? It’s my favorite place. Look,” she said running over to the corner. “I added pillows so I can hang out in here. I bring my tablet in here and read. I hide snacks in my Spanx drawer, Van’s afraid to go in there.”
“Good thinking.”
“I’m so happy to meet you. Don’t get me wrong, I love Van. His family is great. I just needed someone to talk to about this mate stuff with. We’re newly mated. We’ve been traveling. I’m expecting,” she gushed.
“Congratulations! That was… fast?”
“Oh, yeah, but these men. They just can’t resist knocking up their mates. They say it’s instinct. I just think they aren’t happy just getting their mark and their ring on you. Van would make me wear a t-shirt saying ‘Hands off—I’m mated’ if he could.”
Piper laughed. “Yeah, I can see Anson doing that.”
“Oh, I love that idea!” Cora said, coming around the center island in the closet.
“What? T-shirts? Seriously?”
“Not like that. For us, a club.”
“A club of what?”
“KSI mates. We’re the first. There are bound to be more eventually. We should all support each other. All those nights alone when they’re busy. We can set up a support system. Especially when the cubs arrive.”
Piper had only given it a little thought about what she was going to do if she didn’t see Anson for days, weeks, or possibly months. All of a sudden her normally manageable single life seemed daunting. “I think that’s a great idea. I really don’t know Anson that well. I don’t know how we are going to handle all the details of our life together.”
Cora plopped down on the cushions in the corner and Piper joined h
er. “I was worried about that too. It was all so fast. The Kindred have it easier, they just know. We… we have doubts.”
Piper laughed. “I still do. I don’t want to keep checking with him, but I can’t seem to help myself.”
“They don’t mind. Anson won’t get annoyed if you ask him every hour if he loves you. He’ll keep telling you until you don’t have to ask anymore. Van’s that way too. Sometimes I just look at him and can’t believe what’s happened in such a short time. He just smiles and says of course. Like he knows what I’m thinking.”
“That’s so annoying,” Piper sighed.
“It is. But they’re them. They’re our mates. How can you get mad at them for anything they do? Don’t get me wrong, you’re gonna get pissed at him. The bossiness, lord, it’s bad. But they’re doing it out of love, so we forgive them.”
“We do?”
“Sure, because the sex is out of this world, don’t tell me it isn’t. And they’re utterly devoted to us. Their flaws are minor and honestly, if it’s something that really drives you nuts, just tell him. He wants you to be happy so there’s a chance he’ll try to change something. As long as it doesn’t go against the bigger picture. There are three laws when it comes to Kindred men. One, protect your mate. Two, love your mate even if it means pissing her off trying to protect her to show your love. Three, keep your mate happy as long as it doesn’t interfere with law one or two. It makes sense to them somehow.”
Piper leaned into the pillows and stared up at the clothes hanging by her head. “I was nervous meeting you,” she admitted. “The guys said they were dumping us on you and I was mortified.”
“They don’t think about calling ahead to make sure we have clean sheets on the beds or the bathrooms are clean. It wouldn’t occur to them.”
“I’m glad we met. It’s nice having someone to talk to that won’t judge. I would never say this to another Kindred.”
“Wouldn’t say what to which Kindred?” Eden strolled into the closet throwing off a leather jacket and tossing it on the center island.
Piper sat up and Cora high-fived Eden once she had collapsed on the floor near them. “Piper is figuring out quickly that getting her mate to see things from a human side isn’t going to be easy.”