“Sami’s almost here. I’m going out to meet him,” she said.
Thaniel stood up.
“Can you get the food out? Maybe heat up some of the dinner rolls in the oven for a couple minutes?” she asked absently as she hurried through the room.
“Sure,” he agreed as he followed her.
He just finished pulling everything from the oven when he heard the outside door open. A moment later he heard an annoyed growl that sounded a lot like Sami.
Thaniel felt a smile tugging at his lips. His friend was finally home. Then Tierney walked into the kitchen and his gaze went past her to those behind her. He stopped what he was doing, and though he kept his face hidden, he couldn’t help but stare at the woman.
Goldy was just like her name, and stunning. When he heard Tierney chuckle, he quickly shut his mouth, which had fallen open.
He kept his gaze lowered as Tierney introduced him.
“Nice to meet you,” Goldy said with sadness in her voice. Her mother, along with her half-brother’s father, had just been killed by Marcius and his men. “I’m Goldy, and this is my brother, Bastien.”
Tierney nodded. “Words are pretty inadequate, but I’m sorry about what happened to your mom and …” Tierney looked at Bastien. “… and your father. Ah, are you hungry?”
“You’d think after everything I wouldn’t be, but yeah, I am,” Goldy said and gave an exhausted sigh. Bastien nodded, though he had yet to say a word.
“This smells wonderful,” Goldy exclaimed after she and Bastien sat down at the large counter.
Thaniel offered Sami a plate, but he just shook his head. “I need to go find Jax. He went after Marcius. I thought he’d either lose the bastard, or find and kill him then head back, but this … what is he doing?”
Tierney swallowed deeply. “Fuck. I’m going to kick his ass.”
Thaniel was just thinking how he didn’t envy the earful Jax would receive when he got back, when Crazy Genna sauntered into the kitchen.
Tierney turned back to Sami, resolve in her eyes. “You need to eat then go to sleep. We’ll talk about you going to find Jax tomorrow.”
Knowing better than to argue with her, Sami gave a resigned sigh and finally sat down as well.
Genna studied the newcomers with curiosity in her glowing eyes. “I’m glad you made it here in one girly piece, but you look nothing like me.” She frowned and circled behind Goldy, then reached out and lifted a strand of Goldy’s long, golden curls and let it slide though her fingers.
Thaniel held his breath as Goldy lowered her fork and turned to Genna. “Ahm. No, I guess I don’t. Should I?” Goldy asked, one eyebrow raised.
“You should. I’m your sister. Or, cousin—” Genna moved away, a confused frown on her face.
Sami grinned and shrugged. “Sorry. I never got around to telling you about Genna. She’s another Genesis baby—”
Genna interrupted him. “I’m magic-born, just like you. My father––and Jax’s––is Adariasthorn, your mother’s brother. Adarias, Summer, and Solaris all combined their blood and magic to make us.”
What? Magic-born? Thaniel listened, stunned. Maybe he’d learn what exactly they all were.
“So that makes you and me …? Whatever,” Genna said then shrugged and turned her attention to Bastien. “Who is he?” she asked pointedly.
Bastien glared at her. “I’m her brother,” he said possessively, drawing everyone’s stare.
“Humph! Well, you better be watchin’ yourself, little brother!” Genna bared her teeth, which grew into fangs right before their eyes.
“Genna,” Sami growled.
“Enough,” Tierney snapped at the same time. Some of her power slipped out and a faint breeze blew through the room. Startled, Bastien gaped at Tierney with wide eyes before lowering them to his lasagna. With a peeved growl, Crazy Genna’s fangs returned to normal but she didn’t take her eyes off the boy.
“Genna?” Tierney raised her eyebrows.
“Fine,” Genna growled, then in a lighter, happier tone, she spun away. “Laters!” She gave them a wave over her shoulder as she left the room.
“Demons! That girl is the devil,” Tierney growled, lowering her head into her hands.
Devil. Demon, yeah, those are more appropriate, Thaniel thought.
Tierney and Sami showed Goldy and Bastien to rooms and Thaniel began to clean up, but a little later, Goldy walked back in.
“Can I help dry?” she asked.
“Ah—” Feeling shy, he just nodded. Goldy grabbed the dish towel and dried the large casserole pans. They were just about done when Tierney walked in.
“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked.
Goldy shook her head. “No.”
When he felt Tierney’s gaze land on him, Thaniel lowered his eyes and tried not to listen to the conversation as he finished loading the dishwasher.
“I heard you’re pregnant,” Tierney said to Goldy, capturing his attention once again.
“Sami told you?” Goldy asked, eyebrows shooting up.
Tierney’s smile turned into a huge grin. “I don’t know what happened between you and Sami, but he seems a lot better, happier than when he left here, and for that I thank you.”
They talked as Thaniel wiped down the countertop, then Tierney mentioned that she and Jax were mated.
“That must be nice, to have your own mate. When did you realize that you loved him?” Goldy asked, smiling.
“I’ve always known,” Tierney answered, and without realizing, Thaniel hunched his shoulders and turned away. There was such a deep hollow ache inside of him. Would he ever find someone to love like that? Someone who would return his love?
***
It was two more days before Sami found Jax. Tierney didn’t tell Thaniel what had become of Sami’s father and the look in her eyes stopped him from asking. Then his friends arrived home and Sami was carrying a teenaged girl in his arms. Thaniel followed everyone into the great room. Tierney and Jax had their arms around each other and seemed lost to everyone except themselves.
With her eyes on Sami and the girl, Genna drifted up beside Thaniel. “Who be that now?”
Thaniel shrugged and Goldy smiled sadly as Sami carried the girl up to a room on the second floor.
“Apparently, that’s Sami’s half-sister,” Goldy said.
“Hey, Thaniel, wanna play?” Bastien asked, holding up a game controller.
“I don’t know how,” he answered, walking over to the boy.
“All good, man. I can show you. It’s real easy, and fun.” Bastien handed Thaniel a controller.
Thaniel sat down and inspected the thing in his hands. Bastien grinned. A moment later, Thaniel moved over so Goldy could sit down on the couch beside him. Genna was nowhere in sight.
Chapter Twenty-Six
December Sixteenth
THANIEL STUDIED the calendar hanging on the wall. It was December sixteenth. He turned and looked out the kitchen window and a frown marred his features as he wondered if it would snow for Christmas. Living on the streets he’d hated the cold and snow, but now, the idea didn’t bother him as much.
He needed to figure out something special to give to Tierney, Jax, and Sami for Christmas, for all they’d done for him.
Though he was worried about more than just gifts. Every time he turned around, something was happening.
Sami had just left with Brimstone and his sister, Hellfire. The same woman who hurt Sami so badly he tried to take his own life. Thaniel knew they were going to rescue Brimstone and Hellfire’s little sister, but nevertheless, he couldn’t understand why Sami would go anywhere with her.
Then there was Jax’s comment. A comment Thaniel had overheard twice now and it was beginning to prey on his mind.
“Damn, there are really way too many people here now,” Jax had griped to Tierney directly after Sami left. Thaniel had been about to ask them where Sami was headed, but he stopped cold instead as Jax and Tierney disappeared inside Zander’s room.
>
When they had brought Thaniel home, there were only four of them. Now, the place was filling up. Unused to being surrounded by people, Thaniel understood all too well how Jax must be feeling. He felt the same way.
His new home, once a former resort, was massive with rooms aplenty, but it seemed like everywhere he went, there was someone there. With next to no experience being sociable, it was a struggle for him to keep calm. In fact, as much as he hated being alone, it was easier to slip away to somewhere a little quieter, like his room or Tierney’s room, than chance shifting and hurting someone.
The same familiar stirrings of fear he had experienced when he first arrived filled him. Everyone else was either family, or tied to them in some way. Only he wasn’t. In fact, he wasn’t much use for anything—just someone his friends had to protect.
He wondered when would they tell him to hit the road?
Thaniel returned to putting the breakfast dishes away and then made up a plate and carried it upstairs to Sami’s newfound sister, Dimitina. The girl hadn’t once come out of her room since arriving two days ago, and he’d heard that she hadn’t spoken a word to the healer or anyone who had gone in to see her.
With a bottle of water under one arm, and the plate in his hand, Thaniel knocked at her open door. No one answered.
He shivered at the sense of depression lingering around the room and then steeled his emotions as he walked in.
“Hi, I’m Thaniel,” he said as he made his way over to where she sat in a comfy recliner, staring absently out the window. The frail teenager with long, light brown hair didn’t even so much as blink. Instead, wrapped up in a blanket, she just continued to stare outside.
“Ah, I brought you some breakfast,” he said. Still nothing. He wasn’t even sure if she knew he was there.
Heart heavy, Thaniel set the plate on the table beside her chair. “Okay, well …” Not knowing what else to say, he took a deep breath. She appeared so young, so lost. Something he knew all too well. “I don’t know what happened to you, but I know what it’s like to be alone.” As he watched, he thought he saw a slight flicker in her bluish-green eyes. “My dad, he left when I was four, and my mother—” He licked his lips. He’d never told anyone about his mother. “She used to beat me all the time … and just recently, I was imprisoned by the Were-wolves—”
He stopped talking when her eyes met his. Then the pupils morphed into slits and a moment later she was staring back out the window.
Completely thrown, he hesitated for a moment. “So, ah … if you ever want to t-talk, I’m here,” he said, feeling like an idiot. How many times had someone who didn’t really give two hoots about him say the same thing? The social workers, counselors, even a couple of his early foster moms, but he’d known they didn’t really care.
Not sure how to let her know that he did care, he had to wonder about all those people in the past. Could some of them have actually cared but not known how to convey that? Or maybe he just hadn’t been ready to accept it.
Dimitina didn’t so much as blink as she stared out the window. Feeling disheartened, Thaniel turned and left. He’d go back for her plate later, because although she might not want to speak to anyone, she did at least eat.
He mentally shook his head. What the hell had he been thinking? He had no idea how to help her—he couldn’t even help himself. He cleaned up the frying pan and pots in the kitchen and his earlier worry seeped back in.
Even though Tierney, Jax, and Sami assured him they wanted him to stay, he knew that when Zander was able to stay awake for longer than a few minutes, he’d surely want Thaniel gone. He couldn’t imagine the man would want a homeless mess of a Were-leopard––who couldn’t control his change––living in his house. Why would he? It made no sense whatsoever, and with the Were-wolves after him, it only put everyone in danger.
Thaniel had just finished wiping the counter and putting the last of the dishes away when he heard a light knocking at the mudroom door. Terrified of the Were-wolf pack finding him, the sound set his heart racing. He wouldn’t go back alive. He’d make them kill him first.
When the knock sounded again, Thaniel sniffed the air and caught the scent of a young human child. He crept through the mudroom to the door and though he didn’t scent anyone else, he was still cautious as he cracked open the door. He peeked out to find a small, blonde, curly-haired girl of about seven in front of him. The girl stared at him a moment, her mouth opened then closed. She tried to see past him into the house then looked back up at him. She didn’t say anything.
“H-hi?” Thaniel said, the dried tear tracks on her cheeks made it clear she’d been crying. Still she didn’t speak. “Can I help you?”
The girl glanced behind her and down the driveway, then turned back to him. Suddenly she squared her shoulders as if deciding something. “I’m not s’posed to talk to strangers. Who are you?”
Thaniel wanted to shrug and say no one, but knew that wouldn’t help. “I’m Thaniel,” he said and watched the girl relax a fraction.
“I’m Lilly. You have really long, pretty hair,” she said. Then as if she just remembered what had brought her here, her shoulders hunched. “Is J-Jax here?” she asked, eyes filling with tears.
Thaniel swallowed and briefly wondered where the wolves were and why they hadn’t warned anyone about the girl’s approach. He turned his gaze back to Lilly when he didn’t see or smell anyone threatening around, and waved her inside. “Yes, come in,” he said, wondering who she was and why she was here.
Neither of them said a word as he led her through the mudroom and into the kitchen. When they entered the great room, she slowed and gazed around, awed. Thaniel knew how she felt. Hurrying to catch back up to him, she followed as he led her down the hall and stopped just outside the room where Tierney and Jax were sitting with Zander. Worried about why the girl was here, he raised his hand and softly knocked on the door.
Jax opened the door and frowned to see Thaniel standing nervously on the other side. “Hey, everything okay?”
“I’m sorry to bother you.” Thaniel lowered his eyes and inched to the side. “You have a visitor.”
“Lilly?” Jax asked, stunned to see the little girl standing there.
“Jax.” Lilly started to sniffle and fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Huntin' Tigers
JAX OPENED THE DOOR WIDER, slipped through, and closed it behind him so that he didn’t disturb Zander. “Lilly, what’s happened, what’s wrong?” he asked as the seven-year-old threw herself into his arms.
“The pol-lice are at my house. They rested my dad,” she said, fear shining bright in her eyes. “Mommy is crying and I was scared.”
“Shh, okay.” Jax held Lilly as she clung to him. “Does your mother know you came up here?” he asked, remembering the first time Lilly had come up to their home.
Four years ago, he’d been working on his car outside when the little blonde girl with cornflower-blue eyes from across the road came wandering up the driveway. Jax was stunned to see the three-year-old so far up the mountain alone.
“I’s Lilly, who’re you?” asked the cutest thing Jax had ever seen.
“I’m Jax. What are you doing up here, Lilly?”
“I’s a huntin’ tigers, grrr,” she said, growling as she showed him her stick. Her big eyes shone full of adventure.
“Does your mommy know where you are?” he asked.
Lilly suddenly looked around and frowned. “Ah, mh—”
“How about I walk you back down to your mommy?” he suggested. With a big smile, Lilly took his hand and regaled him with all of her adventures as he led her down the driveway. As they rounded the last bend and neared the highway, Jax saw Lilly’s mom across the road. She was searching frantically for her daughter, calling her name.
“Over here,” Jax shouted, and waved when the woman spied them. She was almost an exact replica of her daughter and appeared to be in her late twenties.
“Lilly!” she called frantically as Jax hurried the little girl back across the highway.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Lilly’s mother fell to her knees and pulled her daughter into her arms. “You know not to cross the road. What were you thinking?”
“I was aventuring.” Lilly pouted.
“Thank you.” Lilly’s mom looked up at Jax, tears in her eyes.
“No problem, figured you’d be worried,” Jax said and introduced himself.
“I’m Chloe.” She got to her feet and pushed her blonde hair out of her face. “Thank you. One minute she was inside coloring, and the next she was just gone.” Chloe raised her arms in exasperation. “I just can’t believe she crossed the road,” she said, shuddering.
Just then, the sound of a pickup truck slowing down caught their attention. Seeing it was her husband, Chloe told the little girl to go inside. Jax, picking up on the woman’s panic, said goodbye and turned to leave as the truck pulled into the driveway.
Having extra-sensitive hearing as a Dracones, he’d heard the husband yelling at the woman and her child many times before. He ached to teach the guy what it felt like to be on the receiving end, but didn’t want to do it in front of his family, or cause any more problems, so he left.
But a month later, Jax heard the man bellowing in anger at his wife once again. Even though he was a good ways away, Jax could hear Lilly screaming at her daddy to stop hitting her mommy. Jax called Zander telepathically to let him know what was going on. Then Lilly was cut off mid-scream and Jax took off down the driveway with Zander, Tierney, and Sami right behind him.
They found Lilly crying on the porch steps, blood on her lips. A second later there was a loud crash and Chloe raced from the house. She pulled up at the sight of them in her front yard. Tears mingling with blood, streamed down her face. She had a busted lip and a black eye.
When her husband walked outside, Jax moved in front of Chloe and Lilly to protect them.
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