Akaos smiled and turned walking towards the door, where Maya and Tesuss waited for them. “Where are we going?” Dee asked, looking up him.
Looking over his shoulder, Akaos smiled. “There is this nice little cavern about two miles to the west of here. I’ve arranged for food and everything set up down there. The two of you won’t be disturbed. You have been there right? You know the place?”
Her body stiffened, and Dee growled. “You know damn well I know the place. Do you really think me being there will change how I feel? Don’t you think I feel guilty enough for being born? I was wrong about you Akaos.” Her hurt gaze turned to Maya’s.
“I can’t believe you would do this? Don’t you think...no, I guess you wouldn’t. I’m not going. I can see there is not going to be any talking.” She yanked her hand away from his, but he swept her up into his arms, holding tight.
“We will get this done with tonight. If this place is not to your liking, we’ll go to the small family area we have in our suites.” He turned his gaze onto Akaos. “I will talk with you privately later.”
Not waiting for anyone, Talhrn moved up the stairs and down the wing they’d been assigned to. Dee said nothing in his arms, her body was stiff and he knew she barely held the tears back. If things didn’t work out, they’d take Dee and leave.
The door opened and at once a fire came to life in the fireplace. A dining room table sat at one end of the room filled with all the food he could think of that he’d seen his woman eat over the last few weeks. He gently lowered her feet to the ground. “Is this better? Do you want anything else to eat?”
She looked around the room and stared at the table for a few moments, before she turned to him smiling. “Thank you. This is much better.” The smile fell from her face as Maya came into the room and nodded.
Not waiting for her men, Maya came over and took Dee’s hands. “I didn’t know he was going to do that and I’m sorry. Believe me, they’ll all pay for hurting you like that.” Maya hugged her tight.
“I really didn’t do it, Dee.” She heard the whisper of a cry and Dee hugged her Mom tight.
“I’m sorry about earlier, Mom. I shouldn’t have spouted off like that. You didn’t know what was going on.” She stepped back and moved to the fireplace. “With you always gone, it got lonely here. I was going crazy all by myself here. You would never stay long. I promised myself if I ever had a daughter, I’d stay with her and that’s when the idea took form.” She turned tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I didn’t want a man. I’d been in three relationships. The guy that I really liked was murdered by Koti about six months into our relationship. I should have known then not to get close to anyone, but I didn’t listen to the warning signs. Oh, I never stayed long with anyone, too afraid what would happen, but I needed someone to hold me. Night time was the worst. He’d always invade my dreams.” Dee shook and hugged herself.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have come back.” Maya asked and went to stand by Dee, who shook her head.
“I gave up asking a long time ago. Every night when I’d go to sleep and Ester would tuck me in, I’d ask for you, but I always got the same answer. “She’ll be home soon, and you’d pop in for a few days, then you’d be gone again. It hurt too much to keep seeing you go. Don’t you think I saw the way you cringed sometimes when you looked at me? Or how you put me on your wall of shame?” Dee moved to the table of food as Akaos and the others came in.
Talhrn glared at him. “Outside now, while these two make up their differences,” he demanded.
“We will stay and wait. You are giving orders? I thought you gave up the command?” Akaos asked, but Talhrn said nothing. The Fellchanter stepped way over the boundaries and he was about to set new ones.
Maya plopped down on the chair. “I tried. I really did, Dee, but those first few years….” She shook her head. “I just couldn’t get past the nightmares and the guilt. I’m sorry.”
“Why didn’t you come back later? Did you know he visited me on Christmas? You were away in England I believe and I was 16. Of course I didn’t know it was him until after he left his little gift under the tree.” Dee sat next to her mom.
“His gift to me...a box of dead snakes? God, I hate snakes.” She shivered.
Talhrn stepped forward, but she looked at him and shook her head. “I’m okay. Mom, I’m telling you this for a reason. He did what he did to you in one night, or one whatever it was, but me...”
She placed her hand to her chest. “He does it to me every single day. If I don’t hear from him during the day, he’ll be there at night when I try to sleep. So don’t ever tell me I don’t know how you feel, because I do.” Tears ran down her cheeks and Talhrn could take no more.
He scooped her up and sat on the couch with her in his lap. “I was selfish and alone. I wanted a child.” Dee curled up tight against him.
“I had one of my eggs fertilized by a sperm donor. Mom, she was the most beautiful baby in the world. I called her Hope. She was my Hope for the future.” Dee took a drink of the water he handed her.
“Thanks. I hired a nanny, but I never left her. At two she was into everything.” Dee smiled and played with a charm wrapped around her neck. It was the first time he’d noticed it, which really angered him. He should be on top of everything when it came to their meru.
“Hope would look at something and study it the way you do. In so many ways I had part of you with me, until that night you called and told me you were coming in.” Dee got up and threw her bottle of water into the fire.
“I should have never left her. It was the only time I ever left her alone overnight and I’ll always blame myself. He ripped her apart, Momma. He even made a movie of it, making sure I’d see it.” Dee turned.
“That was over 50 years ago and every time he takes a child, he writes Hope’s name in blood for me to find. So I’m sorry if I snapped at you earlier. I’d just seen Hope’s name and realized yesterday was the anniversary date of her death. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to go.” She tried to get past the door, but he wouldn’t allow it.
“Where are you going? Why didn’t you tell me about Hope? Don’t you think I would have wanted to be there for her birth?” Maya jumped up and started pacing.
“Damn it, I want that asshole dead. He’s taken enough from us,” she put her hands on her hips and glared at Akaos. “Find this prick now. Akaos, if you ever and I mean ever, try and hurt my daughter again, I’ll cut your balls off and stuff them where the sun does not shine. I’ve screwed up enough with Dee. I’ll be damned if I have you messing it up even more.” Maya took a deep breath and turned to Dee, holding out her hand.
Talhrn released Dee and she took her Mom’s hand. “Take me to her. It’s time I visited my grand-baby.”
Before he could grab her, they were gone. “NO, not again!” he shouted.
Chapter Seven
With hair her pulled back and braided, her mom almost looked like her sister when she smiled. “You’re really going to have to teach me that trick.” She looked around. “We’re at the edge of our property?”
“I’m here. I didn’t mean to scare you, but I need to show this to mom first.” Dee pushed into Talhrn’s mind, knowing they would follow behind them.
“I bought the property connecting this side and the other. We now own over 100 acres here in the mountains. I don’t go into the cavern until I make sure my mind is totally shut down. In 50 years I’ve never allowed him to see where I placed what was left of her. I have to ask you to try to block all thoughts of where we go from here,” Dee asked her mother as the others appeared behind them.
“That won’t be necessary,” Talhrn announced behind them, stepping in front of them and placiin his hands above the door along with Akaos. Both men started to mumble some words which she had no idea what they meant. But within a few moments, Dee could feel the difference in the air. Some kind of energy field had been placed around the lower base of the mountain protecting he
r baby.
As soon as Talhrn turned around, she jumped into his arms, hugging him tight. “You don’t know how much that means to me. Thank you.” She placed little kisses all over his face.
“You’re welcome, but don’t do that again. Please let us know when you are going to leave. What if someone was here waiting for you?” He practically shook he was so angry, but he kept his tone soft.
“Talhrn...Look around you. What do you see? I mean really look.” Dee slid down his body and patted his chest, giving them time to scan the area. She knew the exact moment when both of the men had found her alarm system.
He laughed as did Akaos, and then both men nodded. “I’m impressed. No one would have even thought of animals as guards, but I still would prefer you allow us to take the chances, not you.” Talhrn brushed back a lock of her hair and nipped at her nose.
“I’ll work on it. I’d like to take mom inside first for a few minutes.” She gave him the courtesy of asking before opening her daughter’s last resting place.
“Of course.” The men stepped aside and she took the small key from her pocket and placed it in the lock. Rods of steel clunked back and the glass and metal door opened. Lights flickered and the song “Tears in Heaven” started to play.
Taking her mom’s hand, Dee took a deep breath and stepped inside. “I’ve worked on this place till I could do no more. Hope was filled with so much energy she wore me out most days.” They walked around the corner and she nodded to the small red box on the altar. “That is my baby.”
She knew her voice cracked, but Dee didn’t care. Fifty years ago tomorrow, her little miracle baby had been murdered.
The picture of Hope above the small coffin was the last picture she’d taken of her. She had been 6 years old and at the zoo. Hope loved the cats and she wanted to go every year to see them. Her big blue eyes and dark black hair with two blond streaks through the sides set her apart from any other child.
Her mom stepped forward, running her finger over the picture. “I told you she reminded me of you. She collected stuffed cats, so I brought them here for her.” Dee picked up one of her favorites and rubbed her cheek on it. She always made sure that a light was left on here, just in case.
Kneeling, Maya ran her hand over the small coffin. It was the side of a bread box.
“It’s small, but all I had left of Hope was her head. He took her body.” Her voice cracked as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.
Her mother’s tri-colored hair shined in the lights, Maya’s tear filled eyes met hers. “You should have told me.”
“I couldn’t. I didn’t even share her with the wolf pack, well until her death. That’s when Drake found me, us. I’d been gone from the property for over a week and they were getting worried about me when they started to search.”
“I remember that. Franko and Drake both kept me informed while they searched. We were coming back when Drake called and they said they’d found you.” Maya stopped and her eyes got big.
“You told me not to come, that you didn’t want me to come back.” she whispered.
Moving to the other side of the room, Dee picked up a small locket and turned to her mom. “Here, I was going to give this to you, but there was never any right time. We had three of them made. Hope wore one, I have one where I hold the key to this place and now you have one. It has a lock of her hair in it along with her picture when she was born.”
She looked up to see Talhrn standing in doorway with Akaos. “It’s the only place I could keep safe,” she whispered and he nodded. Even though her heart was heavy, he’d brought some light into her dark world.
“I should have told you and I realize I was wrong. I have a lot of hurt buried deep inside, but maybe I can start working through that pain.”
“I think we both have a lot of work ahead of us, but I promise I’m not going anywhere now. I’ll be there if you need me.” Maya looked back at Hope’s picture. “I just wish...” Akaos slid in behind her and engulfed her in his embrace.
“We’ll find him.” Akaos promised the both of them.
Dee nodded and walked to Talhrn’s side. Just standing near the man, she felt safe for the first time in her life, her own personal Viking.
Smiling through the tears, Dee twined her fingers with his. “Now everyone knows about her. She’d be happy.” Looking up into Talhrn’s dark gray eyes, she sighed.
Her men knew of all of her secrets, now it was time for her mother to know as well. “I don’t live at the house, Mom.”
Turning to stare at her, Maya frowned and put her hands on her hips. “Why? What else don’t I know about you?” Maya held up her hand and took a deep breath.
“You were right.” She looked up at Akaos and he nodded. “I didn’t want to know and I’m sorry. It’s time you and I started talking. Where is your home?”
“Remember I told you I bought the properties on both sides. Well, I’ve been fixing up the old man’s place. The little log cabin. It’s small, but I don’t need a big place.” She peeked up at Talhrn who nodded, encouraging her.
“Will you show us?” Was all he asked, squeezing her hand.
“I need to go there tonight. I have animals to feed.” She released Talhrn’s hand and went to the small shelf, talking a purple candle out. She placed it on the altar above her daughter’s coffin.
“You will always be a part of me, even in heaven. I know you are with me in spirit. I love you, my little munchkin. Your grandmother is here now. She has the locket we picked out for her.” Glancing behind her, she smiled at the three men who considered her theirs. “My life is changing, but for the better.” She lit the candle.
“Forever, my Hope, sleep well.” She placed her hand on the small box, her mother’s hand covered hers and they stood there for a few moments. With a lump in her throat and tears clouding her vision, Dee turned and stepped into Talhrn’s arms.
“Come, I’ll show you my house. Mom, you coming?” Dee glanced back to see Akaos helping her mom put the locket around her neck.
“Of course I’m coming. I want to know everything about my daughter.” Maya took Akaos’ and Warden’s hands while Dee led them out of the small cavern, locking everything up once more after everyone had departed it.
She spun around. “Crap! Mom we forgot about Dan!”
***
Both women started to cuss before they shifted and ran full out towards the main house. Akaos laughed as he shifted, taking after them. His cat was much larger than theirs.
“Have you met this person that they are talking about?” Todd asked.
“No, but it looks like we’re about to,” Talhrn said before he evaporated and appeared in front of the main house. The other women all gathered around a single man. The man was yelling at the bunch of them and they just seemed to ignore him. Maya and Dee came down the hill and shifted, smiling at him as the ladies separated allowing Maya and Dee to walk into their circle.
“It’s about fucking time. Do you know how long I was sitting at the airport?” He grumbled, but welcomed Maya in a giant hug. “I missed your smart-ass mouth. I’ve talked with the big bosses and I’ve asked for a transfer down here. They’ve agreed to let us set up our camp here in this city.” He let Maya go and stared at Dee for a minute, before he took her into his arms.
“You have to be Dee. You look just like your mother. It’s an honor to meet you. I’m surprised your Maya kept you hidden so long.” He looked back and smiled. “Yep, you have your Mother’s eyes. Now, what’s going on with the family that was murdered earlier? And don’t tell me you have no clue. They found the mother three miles from the house. The FBI called me to inform me of the condition of her body.”
Stepping away from Dan, Dee peeked at him. “It’s great to meet you, too, Dan, but I want you to meet someone. I’m sure Akaos and my men can inform you about what is going on.” She turned to the three of them.
“Dan this is, Talhrn, Marquis and Todd.” She indicated each of them as they slid behind her.
Talhrn leaned down, nibbled the side of her neck, while Todd squeezed her butt cheek. Marquis took her left hand, lifted it and kissed her palm.
“We would be happy to inform you of what we know, but do you really think your human forces will be able to catch this man when we are having such a difficult time?” He straightened up and shook the man’s hand.
“Good to see you, Edwards. I’m sure our women are glad to see you to.” Akaos slapped the man on the back.
The cop glared at Akaos. “Of course they’re going to see me, they work for me. Talhrn, we might be mortal, but we can still do our job. You would be surprised at what we can accomplish when we set our minds to it.”
“Okay! Enough male posturing please,” Maya snarled and hooked her arm into his arm. “Come, I’ll show you to your room. It’s hot and I’m hungry. It’s time for lunch and I’m sure you’re tired. We can discuss what we’ve found out over lunch when you are ready.” She looked back at Dee.
“Why don’t you take your men to your home and show them around. We can all meet at your house for breakfast, if that’s okay? It will give you time with them without all of us around.”
His woman took a deep breath and smiled. “Thank you Mom.” She turned facing the three of them. “Ready?”
“Lead the way, meru. We will follow you anywhere,” Talhrn said as Dee showed them where she wanted to go in their heads. The four of them disappeared as soon as the cop was led into the house, leaving them alone.
Talhrn scanned the area before they materialized and was surprised with what he saw. Dee was not kidding when she said small, but then again, the castle-like structure her mother lived in could hold over 40 families easily in the main building.
Giant redwoods, Douglas firs and many other trees surrounded the house, while the barn was about a quarter mile away from her dwelling. Chickens and roosters roamed around the yard, along with a few cats.
The front door to the house opened and two of what appeared to be dogs ran out of the house heading straight for Dee. She knelt and laughed as both of the mammals started licking and whimpering. “Down you two.”
Dee's Hard Limits (Masters of the Cats) Page 5