by Crystal Dawn
“I never really thought of that. Of course those are minor spells. You won’t die if they don’t work.”
“True, but we need a solution hopefully before Darby and Gertie get here and turn this place into a circus.”
“More like a no holds barred wrestling match.”
“Either way it won’t be good for us.”
“Who came up with no flash drug?” Herk asked.
“Our resident doctor. She should get some kudos for it. She invented it to help parents with kids that flashed. Sometimes certain illnesses require staying still. Kids don’t always have the ability to control that.”
“Find out what else she has. If she wants to copyright her product, tell her we won’t tell anyone about it. Muzzle your guys.” Herk directed.
Julio saluted Herk and walked out. He flashed to where his guys were already telling the story of their run in with Jorge. “I need all of you guys to meet me in the tea room. Especially you, Daven. Now!” He said so Daven wouldn’t continue the story.
They all followed him to the thankfully empty room. “What crawled up your ass?” Daven asked.
“Herk said no talk about the no flash drug. It’s top secret.”
“Hell, how do I finish that story?”
“And Jorge tried to flash but was too drunk?” Hapten suggested.
“Not bad. It could be funny with him falling on his guy and getting flashed with him when the guy tried to escape.” Daven, the story teller of the group smiled.
“Laughter is the best medicine.” Julio agreed. He waited until all his guys made it out before closing the door and stealing a drink of Herk’s whiskey.
When he walked out the door passed the dining room, the guys were rolling around with laughter. It was a better ending that the real one. In this story he escaped by accident and under embarrassing circumstances. In truth loyalty had kept him from Julio’s grasp.
“Hey Julio! Is that story Daven told true? Did Jorge really hump one of his males because he was so drunk he mistook him for the barmaid?” A soldier asked.
“Something like that. It hurt when the male flashed him away.” Julio admitted.
“I don’t know how he keeps followers.” The soldier said.
“I don’t know how either. I wish I did.” Julio walked away and the soldier went back for more stories. Daven had a real talent.
It was time to go back upstairs and see what his mate was up to. Maybe a short break in their day would make things seem better. She wasn’t upstairs so he went back downstairs where he found her and Pru sipping herbal tea and laughing at Daven’s latest tale. It was worth a lot to see them both laughing. His radio buzzed.
“Hello?”
“Have you seen Pru anywhere?” Herk asked.
“She and Janel are in the dining room listening to Daven tell funny stories.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Five minutes later he was and Julio was grinning like an idiot. “The male can tell a story that would make a crab laugh.”
Herk sat next to me his eyes going to his mate. “He’s worth keeping around just to make them smile. Without asking he knew Herk meant their mates. It was the way he’d felt as well.
A few minutes’ later Herk chuckles. “Did that truly happen?”
“Sort of.” He was telling the story where an enemy got his cock caught in the chain link fence. “He was on guard duty and taking a piss. It fit fine then he got hard for no obvious reason. Later we discovered Conoly had been out front and bent over to tie his boots. The guard thought he was a female.”
“That’s hilarious. I’d kill one of my males if they told a story like that on me.”
“Why? It was funny and made our job easier.”
“I’m talking about if I was Conoly.”
“He never says which male it is who was mistaken for a female.”
“I should hope not. He doesn’t resemble any female I ever saw anyway.”
“Hubolla doesn’t pick the sharpest knives in the drawer.”
“That’s lucky for us. We can defeat them easier.”
“True, but it does make for some unbelievable tales. I think I’ll go spirit my mate up to our room.” Julio said.
“That sounds like a plan to me.”
They approached their mates and held out their hands. Once their mate took it, they pulled them up into their arms. “Let’s go to our room.” Julio whispered to his lovely Janel. She nodded and they slowly made their way there.
Once in the room, he was ready for his mate. Turning to her he began to undress her as fast as he could before something could interrupt. “Goddess, you are gorgeous.”
“You’re not too bad yourself.” She said as she stood in front of him naked.
“Not bad, huh?” He asked as he began to undress and dance like a stripper.
“Where did you learn to do that?” She asked her eyes narrowing.
“I’m just trying it out for you, Sweetheart.” While she looked unconvinced, his cock popped free as he pulled down his pants and caught her attention. He stroked it as he looked at her with hunger on his face.
Janel climbed on the bed on her hands and knees. “Come to me.” She demanded as she looked over her shoulder at him. Damn his mate was hot.
Unable to hold back a second more, he stepped up to the bed. He ran his hands over her perfect ass stroking softly. Then he smacked her lightly and rubbed the cheek he’d smacked. One finger moved to her entrance sliding into the hot slick spot his cock was about to claim. Another finger joined the one helping to stretch and prepare. The third and last finger was added because he had no wish to hurt his mate. When she stretched to accommodate it, he pulled his finger out and pressed his cock at her entrance.
“Oh, yes. Give it to me.” Janel moaned.
Julio always wanted to please his mate. Slowly he slid in until he was balls deep. Nothing felt this good. When he was inside her it was like they were one. Love rushed over him then need hit him hard. He began to move with the passion he had inside for only his mate. As he plunged in and out, a tingle ran down his spine letting him know his release was near.
His hand moved to her clit and began to toy with it. Her muscles squeezed him pushing his climax closer. He pulled on her clit. “Come now, Janel.” He commanded.
A second later she exploded her muscles fisting his cock pushing him into an orgasm of his own. He screamed her name loud and long as she collapsed on the bed. Rolling to the side, he pulled her up against him. There was nothing in the world that meant more to him than his small family.
As they drifted off to sleep, he thought briefly of what had happened today and what tomorrow might bring. He pushed it to the back of his mind thinking surely there was no way Darby or Gertie would be here that quickly and Jorge would need time to heal before he could cause them more trouble.
Waking in the morning was a lovely thing when your mate was in your arms. He kissed her softly hoping she’d wake on her own so he wouldn’t have to wake her. She moved restlessly around but her eyes didn’t open. She might not be awake yet, but she had to be close. Julio stroked her stomach softly and the baby kicked.
Janel’s eyes opened and she blinked like an owl. “Wassup?” She asked.
“You’re awake. Want to get lucky?”
“Huh?” He ignored her confusion, kissed her, and cupped her breast running a thumb over her nipple which immediately grew hard.
Janel might not be fully awake but her body was. He rolled over on top of her taking control of their lovemaking. As he kissed her and leaned on one arm his other hand tested her readiness for him. Julio smiled, his mate was always ready even first thing in the morning. Lining up his staff with her channel, he sank in slowly enjoying every second as he pushed deeper until he completely impaled her.
“Goddess you feel amazing.”
“Move, damn it!” She snapped at him. An obedient mate, he moved.
Pleasure and love mixed making him feel deeply as he pounded into his mate
. Even though she was expecting she loved it when he was a bit rougher during sex. Still he held back a little not giving her the invigorating pounding he had when they first got together. He feared it would be too much.
Hitting the speed and pressure he wanted, he continued to pound into her. “Harder.” She yelled but he refused. Julio stayed steady going hard enough. His speed was fast and he went as deep as ever.
“More damn you!” She yelled again arching against him to push him to go harder.
A tingle worked down his back. He worked a hand to her clit pulling and rubbing it. “Come for me.”
She exploded as she always did and he followed her. His breathing was heavy and his heart pounded. This was the perfect start to his day. Kissing his mate, he rolled off the bed, then ran to the shower. With Jorge still missing, it would be a long day. Herk sat in his office sipping his big mug of coffee when he entered.
Julio had gotten his own mug of coffee after he’d eaten breakfast. Considering everything he was in a fair mood and ready to get to work. “Good morning, Herk.”
“Morning to you too. Check on the guards yet?”
“I checked with the night guards when they got off duty. They had no issues last night.”
“That’s good but I don’t want them to relax their vigilance.”
“They are aware we’ve had issues of concern and they won’t relax.”
“Gertie contacted me. She said I’d better be taking better care of her sister than letting her get captured.” Julio grinned. “She also expressed concern about her cousin.”
“You made that up.”
“I didn’t. We’re both about to go through hell. She said she hopes to get here tomorrow.”
“Heaven help us.”
“Exactly. As if we don’t have enough trouble. We need someone to be in charge of her and Darby. A combination guide and valet.”
“Jespers?”
“My thoughts exactly. If anyone can keep them happy, he can. If we have to split them up, we’ll find someone else for Darby.”
“Do you know much about him?”
“Not really. Rumor is that he’s a spoiled rich kid and a bit of a man whore.”
“Spoiled yes, but he has received the training that being his father’s heir requires. He also runs a large part of the family business. The male is smart, and he works and plays hard.”
“You know him?”
“One of my cousins hangs with him. He says the spoiled rich kid act is just that, an act.”
“I wonder why?”
“It makes it easy to take advantage of others who underestimate him. People also talk freely around him.”
“Thank you. I will be careful.”
“It’s prudent to be.”
“Pru doesn’t know anything about him. I don’t think Gertie does either.”
“This may be a time of enlightenment for many. I believe he’s about to take his place in politics.”
“Why now?” Herk asked curiously.
“Perhaps the war brought out the need or mayhap his father feels he’s ready. I am also suspicious of them sending those two together. I believe it is a matchmaking scheme.’
“And we’re the ones stuck in the middle of it when we’ve a war to fight.”
“A war that is on hold while we search for a crazy evil vampire. Their arrival won’t help at all. None of the leaders are worried about us while they play their political games.” Julio admitted.
“At least our mates will enjoy their time with family.”
“If Darby is a good fighter, maybe he’ll be an asset.”
“Ever the optimist. I see no good coming from this except the load of good whiskey Darby’s father sent us.”
“You forgot to mention that.”
“It is an old custom when a lord sends a member of his household elsewhere as a guest. It seems the Vampire Lord is old school.”
“As he should be since he is ancient.”
“Pru would say older than dirt.”
“Janel uses that term as well. They speak using some colorful descriptions.”
“They grew up around humans. That race has its interesting traits. Many of the males have been mixing with their females.”
“Will you stop them?”
“Right now I see no need to. We have mates, they have no female companionship. I will keep a close eye on it and if trouble develops I may have to step in.”
“I’m glad I’m not the one that may have to deny the males access to sex.”
“Thanks a lot, Julio.”
“It’s the price of being in charge.” Julio said as he chuckled. Today was a good day to be second in command.
Chapter 12
Gertie
She threw a vase at the fireplace. “Do you feel better now?” Her mom asked.
“Maybe a little but I’ve a long way to go.” Gertie said. She felt betrayed and it didn’t look like that was going to change.
“Look at things from my point of view, Sweetheart.” Mom said. “I need someone I can trust to deal with this. Annie has a baby and Pru is too close to the situation. You need to give your sister your support. I’m not sure what happened to her and if it wasn’t for this war, I would drop everything and go to her.
The worry in her mother’s voice made her feel like a spoiled child. She’d worried about Pru too when she’d heard she’d been kidnapped. Poor Janel had gotten the worst of it and they weren’t sure they’d told them all of what had happened. Thank the goddess Julio had gotten Janel back.
Normally a trip to South America would be no big deal. She’d look at it as a vacation, but not this time. Darby would be there too damn his ugly hide. Okay, maybe that was part of the problem. He wasn’t ugly by any standards. The asshole was too good looking and constantly looking for his next conquest.
That’s who they planned to partner her up with for this investigation. Oh, yeah, and he was her fated mate. Fate was one nasty bitch as far as Gertie was concerned. “If I look at things from your point of view, why can’t you see mine?” It had been a long time since she’d felt like breaking down and crying until now.
Gertie knew without a doubt she’d go if she was forced to. She also saw the way things were going that was exactly what was about to happen. If they made her go she was going to give that grade A asshole hell. It was the only way she could survive being forced to be near him. In her own way she would make him pay.
Going to her room, she packed the best that she could. This would be work so she packed her suits, but not her dresses or her skirts. No it would be pants suits that she could wear as they searched out the monster that had captured her sister and cousin and scared the holy hell out of them.
Black, navy, and a dark grey suit paired, with shirts that were lighter and maybe a few worn jeans and T-shirts if the hunt got dirty. Boots, tennis shoes, she just tossed some things in her bags. There would be one bag of clothes and one of shoes and other things along with her computer bag. This wasn’t that isolated and she could borrow from Janel or Pru since their sizes weren’t that far off.
Now she was packed but she would wait. When she was sure she was going, she would give them a short warning so her room would be ready. From all that she’d heard, things were busy there. Once she arrived they’d be even busier. Darby was about to pay the price for at least some of the pain he’d caused her.
It was several days before she finally flashed to Pru’s and Herk’s home. Darby, thankfully, hadn’t arrived yet and she would be settled in and find the lay of the land before he did. “Tell me how that monster got a hold of my sister?” Gertie asked Herk and Julio.”
“They wanted to go to town, but we are on alert so they were told no.” Herk explained.
It might not be appropriate, but Gertie smiled. That sounded just like Pru. Normally her sister would have been able to handle anyone or anything that she encountered especially with Janel at her side. It was a sad way to learn about the big bad aberrations of this world.
“When is Darby coming?’ She asked changing the subject. No point in dwelling on what had happened. She saw the love Herk and Julio had for their mates. Her sister and cousin were where they needed to be. They just had to learn to be more careful and she was certain they had just learned that.
“He’s not informed us yet. I expect him to be here later today or tomorrow if nothing interferes, but that is my guess.” Herk admitted.
Gertie nodded. If he never arrived that would suit her fine. “I’d like to see my sister and cousin now.”
“Follow me and we’ll take you there.” Herk directed. He picked up one of her suitcases.
“No need to carry it. I’ll move them as soon as I know which room is mine.” Gertie observed. Herk set it back down.
The male seemed alright. She was glad both her sisters had found their happiness especially since she never would. Following Herk, she was aware Julio walked behind her. She hated to be boxed in this way but she would deal with it since they were both family now.
They went upstairs where they quickly found Pru and Janel sitting in a living room together. Both of them jumped up and gave Gertie a hug. “You are both pregnant?”
“Didn’t Mom tell you?” Pru asked.
“No, I would remember that.” Gertie observed. She knew she would and especially both of them. Must be something in the water and she would avoid drinking it.
Life would be exciting now at any rate. She would be an aunty to several small ones and she found she liked the idea of teaching them to fight and sneak around. That would keep their parents on their toes. Gertie almost giggled at the thought. Pru looked to pop in a week or two. Maybe she would be here to see it.
Two days passed where she caught up with Pru and Janel and got to know some of the males that were stationed at the base. She also researched as much as possible about Jorge DeVega and the local area. Gertie had no doubts that the male was a feral vampire of great strength and cunning.
Gertie joined the witches as they made pendants for those among them expecting babies. The last was done and now they started on those attempting to start a family. She even suggested they continue until all witches had a protective medallion. Stroking hers where it hung beneath her shirt, it made sense in times like these that they all had what protection was available.