by Jessica Snow
Melanie looked at the spread on the table, which looked enough for half a dozen people. "I would love to, but isn't this a lot?"
Akiko shrugged. "We are who we are. Growing up in postwar Japan, I didn’t have enough to eat, so nowadays I tend to overindulge. Such are the things we carry from our childhood. Thankfully my metabolism lets me get away with it. If there are leftovers, I promise to have them wrapped up for lunch later. Would that help?"
"I suppose," Melanie said, relaxing. "I think I'll start off with some of that juice, though. Keith does a great job of making sure the orange juice here is top of the line fresh. So how was your evening?"
"After some video conversations with those at the Clan Hall, much better. The proper asses were kicked quite properly," Akiko said, piling her plate high with pancakes and sausage. "I know it is rare for a Lycan, but I love pancakes and syrup. I always make sure to keep good relations with at least one of the Clans in maple bearing areas, just for that fact. Don't let that secret of my politics slide, please."
Melanie laughed and added some of the pancakes to her own plate, although her stack was only perhaps a third the size of Akiko's. "Can I speak with you honestly, La...... sorry, Akiko?"
"Of course. By Lycan law, we are Sisters now, although I regrettably understand the meaning is not the same as what you share with Kimberly."
"Are you okay with all this? Me being First Mate, and all that?"
Akiko nodded and took a bite of breakfast, chewing carefully before setting down her fork. "I am. First of all, before we go further, let me be very clear. I do not love Keith. I was Mated to Nioclas for decades, and he was a good Mate, and I don’t intend to ever try and replace him. Despite coming from different cultures, we Mated for love, soon after Morrigan was born in fact. Even though I will readily admit that Keith is a very impressive Lycan, and I can as a woman say that he must be one outstanding Mate for you, I have no desire to find out for myself. Nioclas has my heart still, and always will. This joining between Keith and myself is for purely Clan reasons and no other. If Kensuke had survived, I would have passed Alpha Male status to him."
The mention of the recent deaths lent a somber mood to the meal, and they ate slowly in silence for a few minutes. Just as Melanie was finishing her orange juice, Kimberly came padding in, wiping the sleep from her eyes while wearing her pajama pants, a tank top, and nothing else. "Good morning... oh, sorry Akiko. I suppose I should be better dressed."
"Why? This is your house, after all," Akiko said. "Would you care for some breakfast?"
"Very much so. Have either of you seen Edward or Keith this morning? I can feel them over my Link, but was curious."
You mean he actually left your bed last night? Melanie teased, causing Kimberly to turn and stick her tongue out at her, waggling it.
Let she who isn't living in a glass house cast the first stone. I'm going to have to work with you on sealing off your Link better. Although Edward didn't seem to mind when your energies came over me too.
"I see you two share the Link well," Akiko commented wryly. "Anything you wish to share?"
"Not without large amounts of embarrassment," Melanie said. "Kim's merely reminding me that I need to work on some of my mental discipline."
"I see. A third party Link as strong as what you share is unique, I have heard. I bet it has something to do with Keith and Kimberly being twins. But as for your question, I saw Keith and Edward leaving shortly after sunup. I overheard a little bit, and I believe the phrase used was male bonding. I doubt it will be as delicious as our bonding time, however. Perhaps a bit healthier though." Akiko stabbed a pork chop with her fork and pulled it over to her plate. "By the way, when you two visit Thornblood Hall for the first time, I’ll introduce you to some of the recipes we have. Be careful on the drinks, though, Nioclas always favored very strong spirits. They've put down many Lycan visitors with raging hangovers the next day."
"I look forward to it, and warning noted," Kimberly said. She got her own plate and then dug in. "Also, I wanted to speak with the two of you before I approached Keith about this. It has to do with the Gathering and a proposal I want to put forth."
"What about Keith?" Melanie asked, confused. "At the other Gathering, only the Alpha Males put forth proposals."
Akiko took a sip of her juice and set her glass down. "You’re right Melanie, but Keith is in a rare position, being the head of two Clans that are not merging. He can’t sit in the Gathering as representative of either, as it would be seen as an insult to the honor of the other, and a dereliction of his duties to the Clan he does not represent. So, in cases like this Keith will instead be allowed to sit in as a neutral party, able to comment and speak but not allowed to vote. That power, as well as the power to make proposals, will fall to Kimberly and me. It's been three generations since Alpha Females had this role, we are sure to cause some controversy just with our presence, and to be a bit blunt, Kimberly's betrothal."
"Mating," Kimberly corrected, "although I would prefer if we kept that under wraps until the Gathering at least?"
"That's your business, and Lockwood business," Akiko said. "Although thank you for confiding in me, and congratulations. I'm just saying, we're going to be stirring the pot just being in the roles we are. What sort of additional controversy are you thinking?"
"Not so much stirring the pot, but tossing a hand grenade into it," Kimberly said. "A month ago, I watched as my own mother had her brains blown out in a stairwell I can see from my very own room. Your Mate and your son were killed on these grounds. Every Clan was hurt, and the dirt is practically still fresh from the graves. And let's not even add in the fact that they kidnapped my own Sister, and from what Melanie says wanted to brainwash my nephew, turning him into a weapon against us."
"The crimes of the kinbushi are very grave," Akiko agreed. "Are you thinking what I think you are?"
"If she is, then I'm all for it," Melanie replied. "I don't want my son growing up in a world where those bastards can threaten his life on a regular basis."
Kimberly nodded, her amber eyes glowing. "It's going to be a tough fight. We are lower in manpower, even if we are stronger in spirit than before."
Melanie grinned and looked at Akiko, whose black eyes also glittered. "Damn right, and it sounds like just my kind of fight. I only have one request."
Kimberly tilted her head, puzzled. "What's that?"
Melanie rubbed her stomach and looked at her Sister. "We wait for this strong little boy to make his way into the world, then give me a little time to get back in shape. I'm not sending brave Lycans to fight and die without taking part."
"Spoken like a true Alpha," Akiko said. She looked over at Kimberly and smiled. "You've taught her well."
"That wasn't me, she's naturally that way," Kimberly replied, shaking her head while reaching out to squeeze her Sister's hand. "But I don't think we need to wait that long. There's going to be plenty of fighting to do before this is all said and done."
The main door to the Manor opened and closed, with two sets of heavy footsteps coming towards the dining room. Melanie and Kimberly set their forks down to look as Edward and Keith, both of them wearing jeans and boots along with field jackets, entered the dining room. Melanie got up and walked over to Keith, giving him a kiss and brushing a pine needle out of his hair. "You boys have a good walk? It looks like you two did a little cross-country trekking."
"We did, and it was a good time," Keith said, giving her a hug. "I got to show Edward some of my favorite little places in the woods surrounding the grounds, and we had a chance to talk, you know, man to man. We're good."
The group watched with restrained humor as Edward walked over and set his hand on Kimberly's shoulder, before Melanie rolled her eyes and turned, shutting the door on the dining room, giving them semi-privacy. "Oh, just do it already. We all know you two are in love."
Kimberly jumped out of her seat to kiss Edward, who picked up the six-foot beautiful woman and swung her around in a circle before
setting her down again. "I missed you too," he said, setting her down. "Sorry, I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. Then when Keith knocked on your door, well, I didn't want to wake you."
"It's okay, I knew you were safe, and I could feel who you were with," Kimberly replied. "But yes, I did miss you."
"I apologize, I didn't have more food put out for the two of you," Akiko interjected, looking around and grabbing a spare empty plate. "Would you like some breakfast?"
Keith shook his head while Edward reached over Kimberly's shoulder and grabbed another pork chop. "What? A man of my size has gotta’ eat.”
"Considering you have a chest large enough to use as a table itself, I guess you do,” Keith said, causing all to laugh a bit. "So what were you three ladies talking about, or is that a secret?"
"Not at all," Akiko said. "Although I will defer to Melanie or Kimberly to tell you. Sisters?"
Melanie took a spoonful of maple syrup blended with butter that had melted off her pancakes and swallowed it luxuriously. "Oh, not too much, you know how it is. We were just thinking, Kimberly's got a proposal for the Gathering we think you boys would like."
"Oh, what's that?" Keith asked. He had switched off his active Link during his walk with Edward and was truly in the dark.
"Not much," Kimberly said conversationally. "Just going to war with the silberjagger. What do you think?"
Keith looked to Melanie, who grinned ferally and nodded. He glanced at Akiko who also nodded before returning his eyes to Kimberly, who sat in her seat faux-casually munching on a sausage link. "I think you should hand me a plate for some breakfast," he said. "And then we need to get to work. Planning a war is a hungry business."
Chapter 40
The winds were around the base of the Lockwood Tower as Melanie got out of the Hummer H2. While not the most ecologically friendly vehicle on the planet, she had to admit it was comfortable, at least the way Keith had customized it. With handcrafted Italian leather seats, upgraded Fox shocks and a ton of other enhancements that she couldn't see, it was like floating on a marshmallow the entire drive back from Lockwood Manor. Even with her stomach, which seemed to have doubled in size in the past six weeks, she was comfortable.
"I'm sorry you guys had to have that car delivered all the way up to the Manor, Keith," said the giant of a man who was the purpose for the huge vehicle. Standing just over six foot six, Edward Stormstout was the sort of man who garnered attention regardless of whether he wanted to or not. "But that was about the best car ride I've ever had."
Melanie turned to see Keith, who was no small man himself at six foot four and about two hundred and thirty pounds climb out of the driver's seat. "Thanks, Edward. It's actually been a long time since I drove this car, we got it for a real estate deal that was over some pretty rough terrain, and we couldn't take any of the helicopters."
"In any case, this is one awesome ride. Makes my truck that I had in Canada look like total junk," Edward replied. He patted the hood like it was a thoroughbred horse before turning away.
"After you kicked in the side when you heard that we were getting betrothed, it probably was a piece of junk," Kimberly, Keith's twin sister and Edward's Mate, replied as she followed Edward out of the back seat. "Or did you forget about that?"
"You kicked in the side of a truck?" Melanie asked, turning. As the only non-shapeshifting individual in the Waldwyck family, she sometimes forgot just how different the various abilities her family could manifest itself. "Like, dent the panel kicked?"
"More like boot print visible in the side panel after it finished rocking up on its side hinges and almost flipping over," Kimberly deadpanned as she shut her door. "Thankfully our initial negative reactions didn't get in the way of finding something wonderful."
Edward pulled his Mate in close, the six-foot brunette Lycan looking tiny next to the gigantic man, kissing her on the lips. "How in the world do you think I could have ever resisted someone as beautiful as you?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm quite sure that would be a pure impossibility."
Keith rolled his eyes and reached out, taking Melanie's hand. "Were we that goofy with our affection when we first Mated?"
"What do you mean were?" Melanie said with a laugh. "If it weren't for your son in my belly, you'd be challenging Edward to a race, seeing who can carry his Mate up the stairs of the Tower faster and get her into bed first.”
"She does have you there Keith," Kimberly said, sticking her tongue out at her brother. "Or should I tell Edward about all the things you two got up to?"
"All right, all right, truce," Keith said good-naturedly. "I give up. I guess that's what I get for having an Alpha Female as my sister. Come on, let's get inside, this wind can't be good for the baby."
"Now who's the worry wart?" Melanie said with a laugh. For days, Keith had been chiding his sister for being overly worried about Melanie's health, fretting over every bump, sneeze or draft of cool air. Still, the very early spring air was biting at her ankles, and she was happy to go inside the beautiful Lockwood Tower.
Reaching the elevators, the four of them climbed into the express elevator that was reserved for Keith and Kimberly's usage as the Clan Alphas. However, instead of going all the way to the top floor, it stopped one floor down, opening on a bare apartment that still bore the markings on the walls and floor of the recently removed furniture. "You guys good here?" Keith asked, looking at his sister. "You can both come up if you want."
Kimberly shook her head. "No, it'll be okay. I just want to do some planning with Edward, and then we'll be up for dinner. We have a lot to talk about, with the new Gathering starting soon."
"I agree. Okay, well, we'll be just upstairs. See you in a bit."
Kimberly and Edward got out, the doors of the elevator closing behind them. Kimberly flipped the light switch, and the dim space was lit up. While the space was lower than in Keith's penthouse one floor up, it was still immense, with ten foot high paneled ceilings that rose to almost fifteen feet in places. As opposed to the wood paneling and natural ambiance of Keith's place, however, the apartment was painted a utilitarian off white.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Edward asked as Kimberly walked towards the center of the apartment. Like Keith's penthouse, the center of the living room was dominated by a sunken circular area with a fireplace in the middle. "I mean, this was your mother's apartment."
"I'm fine. Really," Kimberly replied. "When I think of Mom, this isn't the place that I think of her. When she and Dad were the leaders of our clan, they were upstairs, or in the Manor. This apartment was supposed to be for me or Keith, but since neither of us was willing to have the other in a so-called demoted situation, we never used it. Mother had this place decorated for her after Dad died and Keith became Alpha, but she was almost never here. I would see her at the Manor, or over the Internet as she traveled the world. This place was nothing more than a placeholder, a spot she stayed instead of a hotel when she was in town, that's all."
"I see," Edward said. "I guess I can understand. Then, why’d you take another apartment on a lower floor when Keith became Alpha?"
Kimberly laughed and shrugged. “Because being an Unmated Lycan Alpha Female living with her Unmated brother would’ve been weird. Even still, I ended up sleeping in the guest room three or four nights a week. We are twins, and close."
Edward chuckled and pulled his Mate in for another hug. "That's good. Which is why we are installing a stairwell for going upstairs. I figure our little nephew is going to be running up and down those stairs almost unceasingly before you know it.”
"Most definitely," Kimberly replied. "And who knows? Maybe soon we can talk about him being joined by a little cousin."
"Uh-uh," Edward said with a grin.
"What do you mean uh-uh?" Kimberly asked, a small frown on her face. "I thought we agreed a baby would be fine."
"We did, but you only said cousin. I was thinking more along the line of cousins, as in plural," he growled lightly, pulling his
Mate in for a kiss. "That is, unless of course you think I'm not going to find you beautiful and sexy after having a baby."
"You better not, Mr. Bear," Kim growled back, pulling him towards the depressed central ring of the apartment. The built-in sofa, while not as high quality as the one upstairs, looked soft and inviting to her right then, exactly what she needed. "Or else. I only have one regret."
"What’s that?" Edward asked as she pulled him down onto the couch. The furniture groaned, unaccustomed to someone of Edward's size sitting on it. "Hmm, seems we're going to need to get that reinforced when we do the renovations for this floor. But what is it you regret?"
"Not being able to have a baby now," Kimberly replied. She had for years taken birth control pills in order to prevent a forced baby by another Lycan Alpha, a not unheard of practice in some of the more violent clans. Her position made her more of a target, as the offspring would be exceptionally strong, a trait sought after by Alphas looking to cement their bloodline. Still, she had been off the pills for a week now, and would be back to her normal cycle soon.
"In time, my love. But first, we have three things to do."
"What's that?" Kimberly said as Edward's hand pulled the shirt from the waistband of her jeans. "Besides getting me wonderfully naked."
"First, we have a Gathering to get through and a Mating to announce. Second, we have to help Keith with his becoming Alpha Male of Clan Thornblood. And of course one other thing."
"Oh yeah," Kimberly said with a mix of regret and anticipation, her Lycan nature for combat struggling against her inner desire for peace and tranquility in order to have a family. "The war with the Silver Bringers."
Chapter 41
"So you think they're really decorating down there?" Melanie asked as she grabbed a juice from the refrigerator. Since her capture by the Hunters and subsequent rescue by Keith, who led a coalition of Thornblood warriors, Aklark Bear warriors, and Kimberly in a heavily armed attack helicopter, she had found herself with an insatiable appetite for fresh fruits along with her baby inspired the desire for rare meats. Thankfully, Keith's more than adequate bank account made sure that she came home to a fully stocked refrigerator of locally grown organic fresh fruits.