“You’re planning something. That is the third time in less than 20 minutes you have tried to get rid of us. Don’t lie,” he demanded.
She splashed him with water and glared back. “Damn it, Marquis, can’t I surprise you? I promised I wouldn’t go anywhere and I haven’t.” Dee yanked out of their arms and wished for her bath pillow. Grabbing it out of the water, Dee set it up against the wall away from the falls and lowered down into the water, resting her head against it.
“No, we don’t need surprises. Now what do you have planned?” Marquis asked, looking down at her.
“Fine! After my bath, I was going to have candles lighting the bedroom. Then I have this outfit I was going to wear for you that I’d saved, hoping to wear it on my wedding night, but you know what...” She jumped up, pissed off.
“You don’t deserve to see it.” Her anger boiled over as her boombox disappeared, and so did she.
Oh, she heard their screams, since Dee only went as far as the bedroom. But that didn’t mean she was finished, no. The door to the room was now boarded up and locked. Dee tapped her mouth and tried to figure out a way to keep the men from just appearing in the room, but wasn’t quick enough. Marquis, Todd and Talhrn all appeared before her.
“Go away! Can’t you see I want to be alone?” Dee nodded to the door.
A large smile broke out on Talhrn’s face. “Sorry, but we are not going anywhere. Now show us this outfit.”
“No! You ruined my surprise.” She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.
“We’re not going to make love to you tonight, Little Kitten. You might feel like you’re okay, but we won’t risk it. I’m sorry we ruined your surprise, but we won’t risk anything happening to you. So there will be no secrets ever,” Talhrn declared and pointed to the spot before him. “Now come here.”
Those three words had her stepping forward until she was in front of him, but Dee wouldn’t look up. She was pissed off.
“Look at me Dee.” Talhrn ordered.
“Why? I’m here aren’t I, Sir.” She snapped.
There were no words, Talhrn picked her up and approached the bed. Sitting on the bed, he draped her over his lap, her ass sticking up.
“I was hoping this wouldn’t be necessary.” Five quick smacks rained down on each of her butt cheeks.
She didn’t cry out, but the tears did fall. He lifted her up, making her straddle his legs. “Look at me, and don’t make me ask you again.”
With her hands in her lap, Dee looked up. Talhrn frowned at her. “I’m sorry your feelings got hurt and that your little surprise didn’t happen, but nothing, and I mean nothing, is more important than your health. Believe me, Little Kitten, we want to make love to you, to make you ours, but it will wait till I know for a fact you have regained your strength.” He hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head. “Get into bed, we’ll be in later.” He lifted her up and set her on the bed.
Not looking back, she crawled into the bed. New sheets and blankets had been placed on it. Covering up, Dee curled into a ball and closed her eyes.
The covers lifted up and a warm body crawled into the bed with her. Todd’s scent came to her, before he surrounded her with his arms. “Sleep. I’ll hold you.”
***
All he wanted was for his day to end. Talhrn hated to disappoint his woman, but there was no way he or any of them were going to touch her tonight. She needed a good night’s sleep, without nightmares, and to recover all that she’d gone through.
He glanced back at the bed. Todd was curled up to her, holding her as she needed. They wouldn’t leave her alone again tonight. It was obvious she needed their attention.
“Let’s go and get this done. I want our meru safe.” He’d already banished Janek to the outer planet. He would have no more influence on their world. He was lucky to still be alive, his excuse that he was checking on their woman to make sure she was okay was a bunch of crap and they all knew it.
Janek was slowly losing his mind. Soon they would have to strip him of his powers.
“How are we going to explain to the humans about Sephiroth?” Marquis asked as they made their way to the commons room.
“We’re not. So far they haven’t allowed any humans to see them. If it becomes a problem, we’ll open the lines of communication, but until then there is no need for them to know. Look at the panic that was stirred when our kind came out. They wouldn’t be able to handle the Sephiroth.”
Talhrn thought that humans must to have seen the Sephiroth at one time. Their fairy tales of the creatures named trolls was too much like those that they would be hunting soon. Short and ugly, Talhrn’s experience with them had been tedious at the most, but now joined with Koti they could be a real problem.
Upon entering the common room, Talhrn stopped and stared at the woman sitting there. Banecaster had his hand on her shoulder. “This is Sandy, she’s Janek’s sister.”
“Why would you poison our meru?” Marquis snapped and moved in front of the woman.
She flinched and tried to scoot away from him, but Marquis’ brother held her still. “Humans shouldn’t be here! They are stupid and beneath warriors like you. We’ve already lost one kith. They’re weak and will destroy us.” Her words of hatred shocked him.
“Are there others that feel this way?” Marquis asked; he always was good at interrogating as no one could lie to him. It was one of his gifts.
“Of course there are!” she sneered.
“Take her to the Gante Ardtrin. Let’s find out the depth of this. When this is done, she’s to go in front of the council. I won’t have this anymore. Our people have gone lax. It’s about time we start behaving like the warriors we are. Females are to be protected, loved, but not to concern themselves with other warriors. If they are so bored, we should give them something to do until they find their kith.” Talhrn was furious.
Over the past hundred years, warriors had gone soft allowing females to run too much of their world. It was no wonder there were so many flaws in their security shields and deaths on their world.
“You’re thinking of taking up the rajah?” Marquis asked as they made their way back to their home.
He stopped and frowned. “I never really thought about it, but now that you mentioned it, we’ll have to discuss this. Something needs to be done. Even the council of elders have gone soft.” He started walking again.
“It was brought to my attention that we have become lazy. Now understand why our planet was moved. If we’re not careful, we’ll lose the support of those that created us. Then where will we be without the gifts they’ve given us?”
Marquis placed his hand on Talhrn’s arm. “Do you really believe they would do this? They are right, though. Many have ignored their duties to find the pleasures elsewhere. You know I will stand behind you in anything you decide and I’m sure Todd will also.”
“Thank you, Marquis. For the last few weeks something wasn’t right. I’ve been watching Akaos even he as one of our finest warriors needs to come home, but now is not the time to discuss this.” He yanked Marquis into his arms and kissed him.
In his time, Marquis had earned quite a reputation as one of the few who wouldn’t listen to excuses and punish those who deserved it. Breaking the kiss, he held onto the back of his neck.
“You haven’t changed. Even after finding Dee you stand tall. I’m proud of the both of you, never once have you let me down. Come, let’s go cuddle with our meru.”
Chapter Fourteen
Trying to move, Dee frowned and opened her eyes. She now lay on top of Talhrn, Marquis on one side of him and Todd on the other. No one snored, just slept, except for Talhrn. He stared down at her. “It’s early. No need to get up yet, Little Kitten.”
She rubbed her cheek on his hairy chest. “We’re going to live here, aren’t we?”
“Shhh, everything will be alright.” He rubbed his hands up and down her back. “I wouldn’t mind staying here if it makes you happy. I don’t have much at home
.” She kissed his chest and relaxed. The truth of the matter was that all she had was her mom and the ladies. Sure, Dee would like to visit with the pack every so often, but nothing there held her since she’d always been alone, afraid to love anyone.
“Talhrn is taking his rightful place as rajah. There will be no going anywhere,” Marquis stated his gaze on her now.
Rajah-king Dee knew Marquis was waiting for a reaction out of her. “Tell me something, Marquis. Why is it that you are always looking for the negative in me? It’s like you sit there and wait for me to do something wrong.” She reached up and poked him in the chest.
“Well guess what, I’m not rising to the bait.” She hoisted herself off of Talhrn, before shifting in the air and landing on the floor.
She tried to make sure that the cat got out at least once a day. Right now Dee didn’t need to be edgy with the three of them. Ignoring her men, Dee made her way towards the living room to think, when she stopped in the hallway and was stunned at the number of people there as if waiting.
“There is the rajah’s consort,” she heard from the crowd before someone was wrapping their arms around her and lifting her.
“You need to eat, come,” Marquis said in her ear and carried her as if she was nothing. Their strength was amazing and scary at the same time. Dee stayed in her cat form, but she didn’t move, afraid she’d hurt him with her giant paws.
“You can’t feed in that body, shift,” Marquis ordered taking her back into the bedroom where Talhrn waited at the edge of the bed for them.
Bones crunched and muscles stretched as her body changed back to that of a human. Dee wasn’t about to give Marquis another thing to yell at her about.
With his arms stretched out, Talhrn took her into his arms and held her. “Feed so we can talk.”
He guided her head to his chest where Dee kissed and licked his chest before sinking her teeth into him. His blood was strong and powerful, but every time she fed from him it felt as if she was at home in his arms. Never before had anyone made her feel safe.
“Because you are safe here with us. We will protect you and cherish you, Little Kitten. Over the next few weeks, things are going to be crazy. We will be moving to a new location, which has never been lived in. I believe the Tetraheros want me in a position to lead my people. I’ve fought this for a long time, but we are losing too many warriors and our planet is in danger of being exposed by our laziness as a society. I want to bring our people back to the fierce warriors they once were.” He caressed her arm as she fed.
His thoughts were all over the place in his head. Dee could sense his nervousness about stepping up, but also his resolve at doing it. There was calm in him that hadn’t been there before, as though he finally had a purpose. She kissed his skin and looked up at him.
“I will stand beside you in anything you decide. I see the need for you to do this and I want to help.”
He leaned back and smiled at her. “Today is going to be rather hectic around here. Akaos will be here in a few minutes. Why don’t you go visit with your mom for a few hours. We’ll come and get you when things calm down.”
She nodded and stood, dressing herself in jeans and her favorite sweater. “I’ll be waiting.”
Dee turned to see Akaos there holding out his hand to her. Looking back over her shoulder, Talhrn nodded for her to go.
Taking Akaos’ hand had to be one of the hardest things she’d ever done. As soon as they were back in her mom’s house, the sobs came. Not one kiss goodbye. No one had asked her to stay and help. It was as if she were in the way or they didn’t want her around. She clung to Akaos and cried.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” Maya asked, coming up to her and running her hand over her back.
“I’m sure she’s just scared at all the changes. It’s not every day someone tells you that you’re going to be a queen,” Akaos said and leaned back, wiping the tears from her face.
“Are you sure I’m going to be the Queen?” She shifted and ran out the door heading towards the tunnels. Dee could feel her mom behind her. She chased after her, but she didn’t stop till Dee got to her little hideout in the basement. She shifted and crawled up onto the bed and pulled her favorite pillow to her hugging it.
“We are all alone, so talk to me,” Maya asked sitting on the edge of the bed.
She shrugged. “I got this feeling, like they aren’t coming back for me. They didn’t even kiss me goodbye. Last night, I wanted to surprise them with this outfit I got, but it’s like they don’t want to seal our bond. Tonight we’re supposed to have the family gathering, but before I left, I heard Todd informing their family it would have to wait. They would be too busy for any family thing for a while. Does that include me? Why didn’t they want me around to help? Am I such a pain that they’d rather do everything themselves?” She knew her insecurities came out in droves, but Dee was past caring.
“I can’t answer those questions, but I know they love you, Dee. I watched them before they made their claim. I could see how much they wanted to take you and disappear, but they didn’t. He gave you the time you needed. You have to remember, sweetie, you died yesterday. You need to rest and take care of yourself.”
“They healed me, the Tetraheros, and Talhrn knows this. Then there is Marquis. He’s always looking for the negative in me, Mom. Right when we woke he started in on me. Todd says nothing most of the time and Talhrn treats me like his child. Maybe I’m wrong, but I have this strange feeling they won’t be here tonight,” Dee said and stared up at Akaos as he came into her little haven.
He turned around, smiling as he noticed all the different stuffed animals, toys and posters. “Now this is the bedroom of a teenager. Why isn’t this upstairs?”
“It’s easier to hide things than to let people in and have them leave again. I learned at a young age to keep things to myself. When mom or Lacey came for a visit, I had my proper room, but this...” She waved her hand around the room sitting up.
“This is where I would bring the things that I liked most. A place I didn’t have to worry about getting rejected.”
She reached over and squeezed her mom’s hand. “I thought if I was the perfect daughter, you’d stay. So I hid all the toys and things I liked. Thinking it would be better.”
“Mom what’s going to happen to all your sisters when you have to go back to the planet to live? You guys have always been so close. Don’t you think they are going to feel left out, abandoned?” Her gaze was on Akaos the whole time.
“She won’t be leaving them. I’ll bring her back or Warden or Tesuss will. We were thinking of opening this house for the women we find, as a shelter for them,” Akaos joined Maya on the bed.
“We’ve already started putting up defensive posts all throughout the mountain. I want a place the women will feel safe to relax and run if they want. I’m also going to talk to Talhrn about a possible shield to keep others out. But know this, we’re not going to stop till we find your family and save them.”
The three of them made their way upstairs, talking about different places their family might be kept. Each place Dee suggested, Akaos promised to send a team of men to. For the next three hours, Dee and her mother worked at packing up her childhood things. She would take them with her to her new home for her children.
With Warden walking next to her, Dee and Maya made her way to her daughter’s last resting place. “I feel as if I’m abandoning her somehow. I won’t be able to come and visit her when I needed to,” Dee told her mom as they stepped into the cavern.
“I’m sure your men will bring you here anytime you need to, Dee. They might be busy, but you are their meru. If you are hurting, they are too,” Warden explained and she nodded, but inside Dee was not so sure.
Her mom laid out a blanket and they sat staring at the picture of her daughter. Maya handed her a cup of hot coffee and she sighed. “Thanks, I needed this. It’s been a while.”
“Tell me about her. What was her favorite thing to do? Did she sleep the wh
ole night when she was small?” her mom asked and Dee laughed.
“Hope was a good baby. I think the first week or two when I brought her home she woke maybe once or twice during the night, but after that she slept the whole night. At four she found the Tele-Tubbies on TV and every day we had to sit and watch the show.” Dee pointed to the large pillow stuffed toys. Four of them sat there in the corner of the room.
“Those were her favorite. They aren’t the original ones because those were destroyed when...well, you know. But I had to get her new ones so she’d have them here with her. I know it’s silly to think like that, but I wouldn’t risk that her spirit would end up here and there would be nothing. So I bought everything Hope liked down here just in case.”
She looked back at Warden and he smiled at her. “I would have done the same thing.” He reassured her and Dee relaxed, looking at her mother who handed her a small tin.
“This is what I kept with me,” Maya said and nodded to it. “Open it.”
Gently, Dee opened the small tin. Inside was a lock of hair, a picture of her as a baby and a corner of the blanket she kept in her little room. “You knew about the room?”
Her mother pulled her into her arms and hugged her tight. “Yes. At first I couldn’t figure out where all your toys were going, then one afternoon after we had gotten into a fight I saw you sneaking out of your room. So I followed. When I watched you crawl onto that bed and cry it was all I could do not to intrude, but you were bound and determined to keep part of yourself away from me. I didn’t want to upset you more, so when you fell asleep, I covered you in the blanket and left.”
“It seems we were both too afraid to open up. Seems we let him get the better of the both of us,” Dee said and looked at her watch. It was already 6:00 in the evening and her men would be coming for her in the next half hour. “Come on, I want to say goodbye to everyone before my men come.”
Walking up to the house, Dee held her mom’s hand but said nothing. It had been a great visit, but she was scared. Dee had tried twice to reach out to her men, but had hit a block each time. For the first time in her life, Dee was counting on someone, trusting them to keep their word and come back for her.
Dee's Hard Limits (Masters of the Cats) Page 11