“They would have had it sooner if Dane hadn’t been such a jerk.” Jaycee growled and Mark leaned over, nipping her neck.
“Calm down baby. He apologized all night, if I remember correctly.” Mark brushed his hand against her breast.
“It’s going to take more than sex to get him out of this doghouse, Mark. He left me, he lied.” She turned and smiled at her son, who was now fussing in the stroller.
The air around them warmed, the ground beneath them shook, and Jaycee swore she heard the ground scream along with her children. “Mark!”
Lissa grabbed the stroller and moved it away from the house. Jaycee ran after her, followed by Mark. Suzanne and Archer took to the sky, while Marsha, Ben and Shelia all ran to the forest away from the old building. All of them met in the forest and watched Castor’s old house crumble to the ground and disappear as if nothing had ever been there.
Suzanne and Archer landed behind them. “Our home is destroyed as well. I couldn’t see your home, Jaycee.” Archer announced. “But nothing else has been destroyed. It’s as if…”
“As if the planet didn’t want us to have a home here. It’s erased any part of the buildings including the gravesite,” Lissa whispered, and nodded to where the ancient gravesite used to rest. “Pierre, check Jaycee’s home and then check Marsha’s. I bet you’ll find Marsha’s and Shelly’s still standing.”
Jaycee watched as Lissa moved around the plants. She touched them as she walked around them to come to a complete stop in front of their group. “We need to go to that piece of land that we decided to use as a meeting place. It seems that is where our homes are supposed to be.”
Mark snarled behind her holding their two sons. “Someone could have been killed here. If we’re being herded toward this place, don’t you think they could have told us in a less destructive manner?”
“We were told, Mark. We just didn’t understand her until now. Plus, she wouldn’t have allowed anything to happen to any of us. For some reason we are the chosen ones.” Lissa leaned down and kissed Marcia on the forehead. Jaycee could have sworn Marcia knew it was Lissa as her tiny hand reached for her.
“She is very fond of you. Well if we are supposed to be there, beam us there Lissa and let’s see what this planet has for us.” Jaycee grinned when she all she wanted was to scream. Once again her home had been destroyed. Lissa moaned and squeezed her hand.
Pierre reappeared and disappeared with Mark and Archer at once leaving them stunned. “Well, I guess they wanted to make sure the place is okay.” Lissa laughed and took Suzanne and Jaycee to the new land.
Jaycee glanced all around and shook her head. “Do you see what I see?” A replica of Castor’s house stood before them. “This is too weird. Look over there.” Jaycee moved around the outside of the house and there, on the side, was Castor’s ancient gravesite.
“If you think that’s weird…” Lissa wrapped her hand with her’s. Jaycee hissed as they once again appeared in front of what Jaycee could only guess was her new home. The same swing Remi and Mark had made now swung back and forth on the porch.
Mark stepped out of the house and stared down at her, nodding. “Everything is here. It’s as if they moved our houses here.” Mark came down and took Marcia out of her arms. “Mom and Dad were in our living room when all this happened and they were transported outside the house. I’m going to put Marcia down with her brothers. We need to take a look around and see what else is here.”
Lissa released her hand as Pierre showed up with Shelly and Marsha. “Now this is some serious magic.” Marsha whistled moving up the stairs. “I guess we now know you three are to be here. Now we just need to find out why. I have a feeling we’re going to find out soon enough, but not till everyone is here.” Marcia nodded to their right, and another house appeared about two acres away.
“So how far are we from the main compound?” Jaycee moved up to the swing as Lissa and the rest of the women followed. Suzanne had landed a few yards away and made her way up the stairs.
“Our house is the same, right down to clothes. Little Samantha and Sam thought it was the coolest thing in the world. They are talking about it and writing it down in their computer journals.”
“Archer has contacted the other men and they will be here soon.” Pierre appeared with Cecil, who shook her head and made her way up the stairs with Clayton.
“Does anyone know whose home that belongs to?” Pierre glanced at her and she shook her head.
“Don’t look at me. Lissa is the one that heard what the planet said through the plants. I was clueless. Who are we missing? We have every species here.”
Lissa reached over the porch and whispered something to the plants. She turned around. “What? Just thought you would like to wake up smelling these.” She nodded and Jaycee took a deep breath and smiled.
Jaycee watched as a large, bush-like tree grew up alongside her new porch, the scent of lilacs, or something like lilacs, filled the air. “Thank you my sister, I think each of us should check our new homes. We can meet in about two hours in the meeting house…”
Once more the ground shook, the air warmed, and all of them turned as they watched a large cloud of dust rise up in the air.
She turned to see Lissa had moved down the stairs. “Well, do you know why the planet didn’t like the new building?”
Not saying a word, Lissa moved forward into a blue fog that had appeared. Pierre rushed forward but she had disappeared before Pierre could reach her. His growl filled the air, as Nikola, Adonis and Castor appeared next to them ready to attack, but there was nothing to fight.
* * * *
Nikola glanced at Jaycee, then Suzanne. They had to know something. “Can you reach Lissa through your bond? Dominic, Remi?” Nikola asked, facing the group, desperate. He didn’t feel the pain, or the separation he expected from his companion, but there was emptiness inside so deep it was hard to breath.
Dominic and Remi shook their heads as they reached to pull their own mates closer to them, only to grasp at emptiness. Both Suzanne and Jaycee had disappeared into thin air. Their worst fears had become reality.
* * * *
Lissa gazed up at the large open structure and watched as it swayed back and forth, as if it were alive. Afraid to move, Lissa scanned her new surroundings, automatically putting her hand on her stomach, protecting the babes in her belly, the most important thing in her life now.
Something pulled her towards the structure, and for the first time, she was scared. Nikola. She had no idea where she was, and the connection to everyone was gone. Never had she felt so alone. At least in the house of pain, she had others who suffered as she did. They had formed a bond without even knowing it. But now, nothing.
“Lissa?” Suzanne and Jaycee whispered behind her. Lissa jumped and spun around, holding her chest. “Well, at least I’m not alone.” She nodded to the structure in front of them. “Are you feeling what I’m feeling?”
They both nodded. “It’s as if this whole place is alive around us. We better go and get this done, before our mates destroy our new homes.” Jaycee held her hands out and she twined her fingers into hers while Suzanne took the other.
A blue fog covered their feet as they walked forward. Their feet sunk into the soft gray ground. The sky was a purple mist. No stars yet were formed, but…Lissa stopped drawing the other’s attention. She nodded to the three moons and the other planet in the circle of the moons. “I have a feeling we are on that small planet you saw, Suzanne.”
Suzanne nodded. “It would make sense.” They continued their walk up the white marble stairs. At the top, to the left, three large wolf-bear creatures stood there staring at them. Their fur was a black, blue, and gray color, fangs protruded out of their mouths, each had long ears like that of a donkey, and their tails were long, thick with barbs covering it. Each of them sniffed the air and moved aside, encouraging them towards the bright green room.
“Come ladies, we don’t have much time.” A soft female voice dri
fted to them from the room.
Lissa squeezed Jaycee’s hand, as all three of them moved into the room. The room was alive. The walls pulsed, the ground they walked on rippled, and Lissa could have sworn the ceiling watched them as they moved into the room. The creatures also followed them into the room, but stood against the walls, waiting.
“My name is Aurora.” A blue mist formed in front of them. “I am the air you breathe, the ground you walk upon, and the walls you see around you. You and your mates have been chosen by us, we are giving you a home, where you will be safe. For this we only ask a few things from you. Your families must live in the circle your homes have been placed on. You and two other families will be our ears, our eyes, and hopefully maybe one day our friends. If something threatens our world, it will be destroyed.” The mist twirled around and her laugh filled the room, as the ground shook beneath them.
“Sorry about that, even I have trouble with the male species. It seems my males are now calming your mates. Behind you are three centennials. They will guard the octagon you will call home. As you see, there are three, one for each of you. If you choose to have this meeting place, it cannot be on the grounds where you live. You three and the other two that come will not be able to leave your new world now.”
The fog rose to the ceiling as if seeking comfort from it, as it rubbed itself against it. “The females of our worlds hold the planet together, while the males protect and take care of us. Your males will be able to leave the planet, but I’m afraid you will not. It’s the same for me. The walls you see surrounding this place are my males. They watch and make sure nothing harms me.”
Lissa glanced behind her and she smiled, as her mates, Jaycee’s, and Suzanne’s men stepped into the room with them. The fog moved around them and embraced them. “All of you have special gifts. You will guide your new world.”
The fog moved and settled in front of her. “No Lissa, we are not like that. We are not gods and never would assume to be. If you really think about it, are you not just as powerful as they are? If you three leave your new world, you destroy it, and everything in it. You are all immortal. We come from a place light years away, my male companions and I volunteered to come to give you a place to call home.”
Suzanne turned as she tried to focus on the fog. “Why us? Why would you come to help us, give us a safe place to live?”
“Our people are highly sensitive to our surroundings. Comar, the leader of our group, first picked up Jaycee’s pain years ago. As time went on, we as a group heard, and felt all your pain. No one should ever go through that. We can’t help everyone, but we hope we can help some.” The fog move back and around them again.
“Do you accept those conditions we ask of you? Can you handle staying on this planet we have created for you? Now is the time to tell us.” The fog once again rose to the ceiling.
Lissa glanced at Jaycee, and Suzanne all three of them nodded. “We accept these conditions. There will be no other conditions thrown at us later?”
Once more, Lissa could have sworn her stomach was in her throat. Her back was still tender, and she was tired as once more she appeared in front of Jaycee’s new home with Suzanne and Jaycee next to her.
She sank to the ground, and heaved the food from lunch. Warm hands pulled her hair back and Lissa knew Nikola was there. “I’m tired, Nikola.” Lissa took his hand after she was sure she was done getting sick. He scooped her up into his arms and for the first time in a while, she could feel Nikola and her other mates inside her head. She smiled up at him. “So this is what the bond is supposed to feel like.” Lissa curled up in his arms, resting her head on his chest.
Dominic had Suzanne in his arms while Remi moved up the stairs with Jaycee. “We’ll meet in four hours,” Nikola said before they disappeared to their bedroom. She glanced at the corner cabinet, her snowman was still there, along with the marks of her youth. Everything was the same.
Chapter Seventeen
Nikola placed Lissa down on the bed and kissed her forehead before he rose up. “When you disappeared, when all of you disappeared, the three of us realized then and there, we would do anything to keep you safe. That is when we were brought to the planet, and spoke to Aurora’s men. In a lot of ways they are like us. They too will do anything to protect their mate, but they also have fused themselves with you women. The world we now stand upon was made for you; the circle we now live on is a direct connection to this group. Do you understand what I’m getting at?”
Lissa squirmed on the bed as she tried to sit up, but Adonis crawled behind her and held her tight against his chest. His large hands covered her now bare breasts, Lissa moaned as he rolled her nipples. “That’s why our bond wasn’t there? Because we needed their connection also?”
“I don’t like they have this link with all of you, but as Remi and Dominic have pointed out, they also have a connection to us as well.” He took a deep breath and sat down next to Lissa, rubbing his hand over her flat belly. Soon it would swell with their children. “Comar and the other men have a very strong belief that all women should be cherished.”
He grinned as he watched Lissa snort and push his hand away. “Ha, don’t think I’m not in your mind and seeing what they believe. I see they think we should be at home and they have a little chauvinist attitude when it comes to women. Move Nikola, I need to use the bathroom.”
Crawling to the other side of the bed, Lissa jumped off the bed and ran for the bathroom. They all followed to see Lissa at the toilet once more getting sick. “This is so not right,” she moaned and glanced up at him.
“Morning sickness should be in the morning, not in the afternoon,” Lissa flushed the toilet and grabbed her toothbrush. “I wonder if Cecil has anything that I can eat that will sooth my stomach?” She mumbled around her toothbrush.
Pierre shook his head and handed her a bottle of ginger ale. “Drink this, it will help. Also, I heard crackers are good.” A whole box appeared on the counter and she smiled, putting her toothbrush back.
“Thank you.Can we go sit in the family room? I’d just like to relax for a few before tonight.” Lissa covered her naked body with a long red nightgown and grabbed the ginger ale and crackers moving out of the room, but stopped in front of him.
He could see her hand shaking while she stood there staring up at him. Pierre grabbed her ginger ale from her. “I hold this for you.”
She nodded and smiled her thanks until Lissa turned her attention once more to him. “Nikola, when I was up there alone, without Jaycee or Suzanne, it was the first time in my life I was actually scared. Even now, thinking about it scares me.” Lissa hiccupped and glanced down at the ground. “The thought of not seeing any of you…or our children.”
“Lissa…” Was all he got out before she flung herself into his arms, dropped the crackers, and wrapped her arms around him tight, crying.
He glanced at the others and he saw what Nikola knew was in his eyes, fear Nikola scooped her up into his arms and held her tight, appearing in the family room where she wanted to be. “Tell us, Lissa? Something else is wrong for you to be crying.” He rocked her, Pierre rubbed her feet, Adonis and Castor both kneeled before them.
Lissa hiccupped again, as she lifted her head, and wiped her face with her hands. “All my life I’ve had people around me, I’ve never been alone, and I realized then it scared the crap out of me. I’d rather be surrounded by people then be alone, Nikola. Then on top of that I was so empty inside, it was ten times worse than it was when I was on Earth. Even Castor’s blood bond was gone, everything.” She looked up at him. “Promise me that none of you will leave me alone again. I couldn’t handle that.”
Nikola leaned back on the sofa, staring at the woman of his dreams. “Now with our bond more solid, you will never feel alone again Lissa, but I promise one of us will be with you always.” He turned her around, placed one of her legs on each side of him. “Now tell me what is really scaring you and don’t make me ask you again.” He sat up, inches from her face. �
�Because Lissa, I can’t stand seeing you cry. All four of us would give you anything, but we just can’t stand to see you cry.”
“I feel as if I let all of you down, Nikola. I shouldn’t have…” Nikola stopped her before she could continue.
He shook his head. “Didn’t Pierre tell you not to worry about it? Lissa from what I gathered earlier, all of us are will be bonded to each other. It’s also why we are to live here.” He smiled at her and kissed each one of her eyes. “Now, no more tears. We have a few hours to relax, Most of my people have come over and built their homes. What would you like to do?”
“You never did tell me if you found Jacko or the other men? Do they still hold New York and Cleveland? How is it going with the houses? Are they freeing the women? Were any of them mates to your men?” Lissa rattled off the questions and took a sip of the ginger ale Pierre handed her.
Castor laughed and moved to the fireplace. A large fire roared to life, candles lit the room and the smell of evergreen filled the air. “That smells so good, but maybe a little apple too?” As soon as the words were out, the room filled with the smell of Christmas.
“Just as I remember as a child on Christmas Eve. Thank you Castor.” Lissa smiled and turned on his lap, resting her back on his chest.
Adonis nodded to Pierre who handed Lissa a small box. “Open this before we talk about anything. My mom wanted you to have this and I think now would be a perfect time for you to open it, “Adonis said as he took the drink from Castor.
Placing her crackers and drink on the table next to the leather couch, Lissa carefully unwrapped the small box. Nikola grinned as he heard her cry of joy. “My god Adonis, Pierre this is amazing.” She took the choker necklace out of the box. The black leather contained a dark emerald in the center with little chocolate diamonds around it.
Running in Fear: New Beginnings Jubilee Page 14