Cherish (The Guardian Series Book 3)

by K. B. Wheelock

  The cat’s paws scrabbled for purchase as he ran from the pranksters, but in his haste to get away, he had forgotten about the pool and fell in. Niall shifted back to his human form, but in his anger, his ears and tail remained. With a glare he stalked off, his tail swishing, to the laughter of Keyne and Cullen.

  Chapter Seven

  Thea

  The supplies had been brought in and put away. Gris had made some snacks, and Niall had gotten drinks for everyone. They sat around the pool, watching as the little girls played in the water.

  “Rose says you have some concerns with Naza?” Thea asked. She already knew what the concerns were and what the cause was. But a long time ago, she had learned that it was only polite to ask people. Conversations and relationships never fare well when there is a know-it-all in the group.

  The parents looked between each other, silently asking who should speak.

  Gris cleared his throat. “A few days ago, Rose had the girls in the meadow playing hide and seek. Naza wandered into the forest, and when we questioned her about it she said the trees talk to her. Needless to say, that concerned us. When we investigated, we saw a small and large footprint in the trees,” Gris told her.

  Cullen picked up the conversation as Gris took a drink from his beer. “Keyne noticed that the trees are large, and their branches create a type of road, so someone could potentially traverse the woods without ever touching the ground.”

  A secret smile played on Thea’s lips. She was given the ability to see who and what people were, including their skills/abilities, but also, she could see the future. This was a double-edged blessing as she could help keep the twins safe, but she could never speak about what she saw or sensed in a person until they had come upon the realization themselves.

  “While I cannot tell you what is going on, I can tell you that you have nothing to fear. Naza is perfectly safe, as are the rest of you,” Thea said.

  Gris shook his head. “Thea do you know how frustrating that is?”

  “I know it is, but if I say more before the time, it could sway the future.” Thea paused and took a sip of her lemonade. “How are the girls doing with their powers?”

  Like any proud parent, the five adults tripped over each other to be the first to tell of the girls’ antics.

  “Naza is starting to master her flying. Just this morning, I caught her flying from one bed to the other in the girls’ rooms,” Rose said.

  “Asha has definitely learned how to use her wind power. Last night when asked to set the table, she sat on the couch and moved all the napkins onto individual plates! We had to have a talk about using our feet and hands for chores and not our powers,” Keyne said.

  “A word of advice. Don’t scare Naza,” Cullen said, “A few days ago, she was scared when playing hide and seek, and Gris got a bit of a shock.”

  Gris laughed, rubbing his arm.

  “It sounds to me like the girls are being typical young ones and that you five are doing a great job raising them,” Thea said. She watched the little girls go down the slide and into the pool, their little arms paddling until they reached the ladder, so they could climb out and go again. Giggles and shouts of “Me first!” and “Again!” filled the air.

  “How much have you been paying attention to the outside world?” Thea asked, her voice suddenly serious. Rose and her men had been in hiding for over three years, and their interactions with the outside world were very limited.

  “Not very much,” Niall said. “I probably have had the most interaction. I check in now and then through the secure connection we have. Most of my time is spent working on our various financial interests.” He looked to the other four at the table.

  “Not much here. What little time I have that isn’t spent teaching the girls, is spent writing,” Rose said.

  Thea smiled at that. Rose had finally taken her advice on writing. After years of research while she was a magical librarian, and after the time she had spent with the Reditus Coelus, Rose had enough material to write a book. If nothing else, it would keep her mind engaged until a time when she could be out in society again.

  Gris, Keyne, and Cullen all shrugged. Gris was always asking for more books on healing and botany, taking care that everyone was healthy. Keyne couldn’t really go anywhere, and if Cullen stepped out of the boundaries, then he would be able to be found by Esson.

  “Well, it might be nothing, but there are rumors and rumblings in the human realm and in the fairy realm of something happening soon. Questions being asked about missing Guardians. The demons are becoming braver, especially in Foss. The Brownies have secured the portals and their boundaries . . .” Thea’s voice trailed off. “My visions do not tell me much that helps. But I sense something changing.”

  She more than sensed things changing. She knew that they were going to change. She prayed that the five in front of her could weather the storm that soon approached.

  “How do you see this affecting us?” Rose asked, her voice reflecting the fear that Thea could see on the men’s faces. As the embodiment of prophecy, they didn’t know what the future would bring for them. But Rose, Thea, and the men were committed to raising the little ones with as much love as they could possibly give them, as well as instilling in them a good work ethic and morals. The prophecy said, “by love they would win, or by hate the world would fall.”

  “I do not know,” Thea said, “But I think the time is coming that you may need to return to civilization. But tonight is a night for the five of you. I am taking the girls for a sleepover, filled with lots of sugar and giggles.”

  “Well, I have dinner ready to go on the grill whenever we are ready,” Gris said.

  “Now, Gris, you know that cooking is my job,” Thea told him. She loved anticipating the needs and desires of those she served. With the safehouse empty and the five in hiding, she didn’t often get to serve. When she wasn’t with her charges, she stayed with Ortheus in the Empyrean Realm. Brownies lived long lives, and Ortheus was older than her, so she valued this extra time with him, time she hadn’t had with Ansil. But the fates hadn’t written that.

  “Not tonight,” Gris told Thea as she pouted. “We never get to spoil you. So, let me serve tonight.”

  “Well, I did bring some nice wine that I can get out,” Thea said, rising from the table.

  Niall set his hand on her shoulder. “Let me, Thea. Cullen, would you mind helping me get the dishes as well?”

  Chapter Eight

  Rose

  After dinner had been cleaned up, Thea shooed the adults to the master wing of the house. Upon entering the master bedroom, Rose gasped. Once again, Thea had performed her magic. A small table was set up near the bed with two ice buckets with wine bottles. Chocolate-covered fruit filled a platter along with various other finger foods. Candles were lit, casting a soft glow around the room, and rose petals were scattered on the bed. A fire crackled in the fireplace. It was the perfect atmosphere for Rose to tell her secret, but suddenly she was nervous.

  “Anyone want a drink?” she asked, going towards the table. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a theme for the foods that Thea had prepared. Baby carrots, baby bananas, baby peppers, baby corn dogs . . . . Really, Thea had gone overboard. She had even had a bottle of sparkling grape juice and a bottle of champagne.

  “Sure,” Niall said as he wandered over to the bed. “Thea really outdid herself. Look at these rose petals, some are so tiny. And the bouquet of baby roses and baby’s breath.”

  Gris walked up behind Rose and whispered in her ear. “Something you want to share, Muisje?”

  Rose turned to look at Gris as he captured her in his arms. “Maybe, but shouldn’t we wait to see if the other three can figure it out?” She wasn’t quite ready to tell them. “Please?”

  Gris smiled down at her and captured her lips, kissing her until she moaned. “All right. But you’ll owe me. And I always collect on my debts,” he told her and gently shoved her towards the bed. “Go see the others while I get us
drinks.”

  Cullen came out from the bathroom, “You won’t believe what Thea’s done. I don’t understand how she does it, but she always makes everything perfect.”

  Keyne zipped into the bathroom and shouted, “No way!” Niall, Gris, and Rose followed him. Before them was the large bathtub, full to almost overflowing with pink steaming bubbles.

  “How?” Rose couldn’t say anything else.

  Keyne looked at everyone and said, “Last one in gets everyone drinks!” and jumped in.

  Gris shook his head and turned to leave. “I’ll get drinks. You guys all get in.”

  Rose had long ago gotten over her shyness around the guys, but she didn’t like to parade around naked either. She quickly undressed and stepped into the water, sighing at the warmth.

  Niall quickly joined her, pulling her into his lap and rubbing her shoulders. “Why so tense?”

  “Just a lot on my mind.” She hated lying, and usually the guys could tell when she lied. Keyne said every time she did, she got a little wrinkle between her eyes. At least this wasn’t a lie. “Oh, that feels good.”

  Cullen sat across from Rose, and Niall and pulled her feet into his lap, massaging them. She moaned as he hit a sensitive spot.

  “I see that you made yourselves comfortable,” Gris said as he carried a tray of champagne flutes in. He passed them around and then undressed and climbed into the tub.

  “Champagne?” Niall questioned. “What are we celebrating?”

  Gris looked to Rose, but she hid behind her hair as she sipped at her glass. “Don’t know. Thea seemed to think we needed it, though.”

  Cullen looked at Rose. “Rose?”

  Rose looked at Cullen. “Yes?” Then moaned as he pushed on her toes again.

  “You and Thea seemed to be pretty secretive earlier.”

  “Just girl talk. Much as I love you all, well, there are times that a girl needs another girl to talk to.”

  Cullen lifted her foot and kissed her ankle. “Is that all?”

  “Uh huh”. She couldn’t speak between Niall rubbing her shoulders and Cullen massaging her feet and nibbling on her ankles.

  “So, it had nothing to do with the food or decor that Thea placed around?” he asked her as he sucked on her toe.

  “Uh uh” was all she could say.

  Gris gently pulled her into his lap, her back to Niall. He fondled her breast, while Niall massaged her back, and Cullen and Keyne each took a leg. Her mind was so absorbed in the sensations that they were creating she couldn’t think.

  Cullen continued questioning her as he started to massage her calf. “So, it was just coincidence that there were baby roses and baby’s breath around the bed?”

  “Uh huh.”

  “What about the baby carrots and baby bananas?” he asked her as he pushed on a knot in her calf at the same moment that Gris took one of her breasts into his mouth.

  “WHAT?!” Niall stopped massaging Rose’s shoulders. He moved around Rose and Gris, so he could see her face. “Rose?”

  She pried her eyes open to look at him. “Yes?”

  “Is there something you need to tell us?”

  She nodded her head. “Want you. All of you.” She reached for Niall, but he took her hand.

  “Rose?” he asked again.

  “Can we talk later? Please? It’s not fair to tease me and then want me to talk.” She pouted.

  Niall leaned in to kiss her, “Fine, but we will be talking later.” Then he returned to massaging her back.

  She knew the conversation would happen, but right now she wanted her men, and by the feel of Gris under her and Niall behind her, they felt the same way.

  Much later, once they were all sated and resembled wrinkled prunes, they made their way to the bed. Gris brought the table of food within reach of the bed, and they all made themselves comfortable.

  “Muisje, it’s time,” Gris told her, holding a chocolate-covered strawberry to her lips. She bit into it, juice running down her chin and onto her breast. Keyne quickly leaned over and licked the juice off her chest, suckling her nipple.

  “Keyne, you’re not helping me.” She moaned.

  He chuckled and with one last kiss sat up. “Thea wasn’t very . . . discreet with her food choices.”

  The four men started talking over each other in their excitement.

  “Another baby!” Cullen said

  “How are you feeling? Tired? Cravings?” Gris asked.

  “Well, coffee is a must.”

  Gris laughed at Rose’s statement.

  Niall held her to his chest and whispered, “This pregnancy will be filled with love and not fear.

  “But whose is it?” Keyne asked. “Because we know it’s not mine.”

  Rose looked to her men, “He’s all of yours. As far as I can tell, he was conceived when we were all together like this.”

  Chapter Nine

  Rose

  The next morning Thea had breakfast on the table when they woke up, and she had brought her special coffee.

  “Thea, you have to give us more of this ambrosia,” Rose said, her hair still tousled from sleep, a death grip on the coffee.

  “Little one, if I were to do that, you would drink way more than you should. I do not wish for you to meet the Gods any earlier than the Fates have written,” she responded with a smile. “As it is, I have to make sure to only let you have one cup.” Thea frowned as if in thought. “Hmm, I might need to have a conversation with Hades about the effects of the Coffee of the Gods on an unborn child. It definitely affects adults.”

  Gris had walked into the kitchen as Thea said this and took the cup from Rose. “No more for you, Muisje, until Thea talks with Hades.”

  Rose jumped up to grab the coffee back, but her five-foot-two-inch frame was no match for the six-foot-plus giant. “Gris, NO! I need that,” she cried, then turned on Thea. “Why did you say that? I need that coffee. NOW!”

  “I’m sorry Muisje, but unless Thea is one hundred percent sure that it is safe, we can’t risk it.” He looked to Thea.

  “Rose, I’m sorry, but I never thought about it with the twins. But now, I think it best to wait. I can talk to him as soon as we all leave.”

  Rose looked from Gris to Thea, and seeing that neither would change their mind, screamed in frustration and ran from the room sobbing.

  Gris looked aghast at Thea.

  “She will be fine. It is the pregnancy hormones,” Thea said and patted Gris’ arm as she left the confused male in the kitchen, a half-drunk cup of coffee in his hand.

  Rose lay in her bed, afraid to leave the room. She knew that she’d overreacted when Gris and Thea had taken the coffee. But dammit, she wanted that coffee. No, she needed it. Her face flushed in embarrassment. She really had acted like a spoiled child. She didn’t understand it. When she’d been pregnant with the twins, she had been lethargic and not feeling well, but she never had felt like a hormonal mess. It was a miracle that the men hadn’t figured it out before now. A knock at the door had her swiping at her face.

  “Rose, can I come in?” Thea called.

  “Yes,” Rose replied and sat up in bed. She really did owe Thea an apology. In all the years she’d known her, all Thea had ever done was look out for her, anticipating her needs before she even knew she needed something.

  The door opened, and Thea stepped in, a small tray balanced on one arm. “Stay there, dear,” she said as she shut the door. She walked over to the bed and set the tray next to Rose before climbing onto the bed.

  “I brought you some toast and jam and a cup of coffee. It isn’t the coffee of the Gods, but it is the Jamaican Me Crazy that you love. I even added some sweet cream into it.”

  “Thank you, Thea. I’m sorry for how I acted. I don’t know what came over me. It’s as if someone else took hold of my mind, and the most important thing to me was that damn cup of coffee.”

  Thea patted Rose’s leg. “It is all right. The pregnancy hormones are starting to get to you. If I am right,
you are about eight weeks.”

  Rose looked at Thea in surprise. “How did you know?”

  Thea smiled. “My gift can be a blessing and a curse. But in this case, I figured it had to be around one of my last visits. If you were much further along, the men would have figured it out. And since I come every three weeks . . .”

  “So, in this instance, you just used math to figure it out?” Rose smiled at her. “Is there anything you can tell me about the baby?”

  Thea shook her head. “Not much. At this point, the little one’s personality and abilities are still forming. I can tell you what you already guessed, it is a boy. Who his father is, well, I think you know that already.”

  “Yes, he has four fathers.”

  “You do realize that one of them would be his biological father, right?” Thea asked.

  Rose thought about how to reply. It wasn’t that she felt she needed to hide anything from Thea, but that she always felt what happened in a relationship stayed in that relationship. But then, with her gift, Thea probably already knew what she was thinking.

  “It’s been three years since the girls were born, but in that time, I haven’t conceived before now. It wasn’t until the past few months that Niall, Gris, and Keyne accepted Cullen enough to let him be with all of us. Before that, either it was two of the guys or just one. Why would I conceive the first time that all of us were together at the same time?”

  “I do not know for sure, but I think it might have something to do with your bond. Did anything special happen that time? Something that made you ask yourself what happened?”

  Rose thought back to the first time that she was with Niall, Gris, and Keyne together. A bright light had filled the room, and they each had bitten her. Where those bites were, she had a mark that represented each of her mates. When Cullen had been with her and her other mates for the first time, the mark on her neck that had been given to her by Esson had glowed and turned from red to black.