“You don’t want to know.” I yank the comforter back and crawl into bed. “And I thought he couldn’t hear my mind?”
“He can’t, although it’s unusual, because once he’s been in contact with a person, he can tune into them, whether they speak out loud or in their mind, but none of our abilities are functioning as we expect around you.”
“Thank God, for small mercies.”
Maddox groans. “You’ve no idea how much of a blessing that is. I love my brother, but he irritates the fuck out of me half the time. He has zero boundaries. Zero.”
“I’ve noticed, and he’s banned from my bedroom until he learns to keep his hands to himself.” I hear how hypocritical it sounds, but I need to make a point.
Maddox chuckles under his breath. “He’s not your mystery creeper. Dane purposely hasn’t put Cooper on the nighttime roster.”
“Why not?”
“You have to ask?” He quirks an amused brow, and my cheeks turn fire-engine red.
I put my hands on my hips, slanting a suspicious look in his direction. “If it’s not Cooper, then—”
He holds up his hands. “It wasn’t me. I swear.”
“Then who? Because I need to have a little word with him.”
He scrubs a hand over his jaw while he thinks about it. A sly smile curls up the corners of his mouth. “My money’s on Dane. The sly dog.”
I shake my head. “No way. He barely even looks at me, unless it’s to glare at me or give me one of those curt nods of his.”
“Don’t take that personally, princess. He’s like that with everyone. He likes keeping everything close to his chest. But I’m betting it was him, because Beck’d be way too terrified to touch you, even if you were awake and giving him permission.”
I think back to earlier and how uncomfortable he was when I hugged him, and I know Maddox is right. Color me pink.
I yawn. “Well, I guess I’m having it out with Dane tomorrow.” I turn onto my side, my eyes automatically flickering shut. I yawn again as I speak in a sleepy tone. “As much as I’d love to continue this conversation, I’m zonked, Maddox. I need to sleep.”
“Night, night, princess. Sleep tight.”
Except I can’t switch off. I’m way too conscious of the alien protector in the corner of my room, tossing and turning as he struggles to get comfortable on the chair which is clearly way too small for his hulking form. The connection is all fired up, stretching across the space between us, almost crying out for him.
How the hell did I not notice them in my room before?
After another twenty minutes of this, I give up, sitting up and flipping the covers back. “Maddox!” I hiss. “Get your ass over here before I lay one on you. I’m too tired to listen to you tossing and turning and moaning all night.” I’m greeted by stillness and silence. “Now, he’s quiet,” I murmur, rolling my eyes. “I know you’re not asleep, and I’m exhausted as I’m sure you are, so please just come here. There’s no way that chair could be comfortable enough to sleep on.”
Cautiously, he gets up, wandering over to the bed. His breath snakes out in exaggerated spurts as he stands over the bed, looking down at me, indecision written all over his face. “I’m not going to bite.” Slowly, he gets in, pulling the covers up over his massive body.
“Better?” I whisper.
“Yes, thank you.”
I turn over, so our backs are to one another, pulling my hands under my face and closing my eyes. The connection is going crazy, and I feel like screaming from the pit of my lungs. The soul bond is like a crack addict in need of a fix, and being near the drug doesn’t slate the desire. Bowing to the inevitable, I flip over, tentatively curling myself around Maddox, instantly melting into the bed when a soothing heat spreads over me. Wordlessly, he pulls my hands around to his waist, and we both emit contented sighs.
Before I have the chance to feel guilty, slumber claims me, and I drift off into the darkness.
Chapter 26
The baby is unnaturally calm, strapped in the base of the capsule, cocooned in the soft blanket, sucking its thumb and listening to the lyrical notes of the lilting music echoing around the walls of the enclosure. A gentle side-to-side shaking motion is the only evidence the capsule is moving. Time has no bearing as they rocket through space. Periodically, a feeding tube emerges, satisfying the baby’s hunger. An intense vibration rocks the capsule, and the baby cries out as it shudders from left to right. The vibration intensifies along with the baby’s wails. A loud screeching sound rings out, like sharp nails scraping across glass, and the capsule bounces up and down before stalling on something solid. The baby cries louder, exercising its lungs properly for the first time. A soft whirring noise emits, and the capsule doors slowly retract. Blinding, bright light illuminates the child, and the baby blinks, her crying reduced to little sobs. Tears clump her lashes as she stares at the couple peering in at her. Their shocked faces are kind as they look over her in wonder. Tears pool in the woman’s kind eyes as she unbuckles the straps, removing the baby and cradling her in her arms.
“It’s okay, little precious one. Don’t be scared. We’ll take good care of you.”
I jerk up in the bed, gasping for air while tears pour down my face. A lump the size of a ball clogs my throat making breathing difficult. Maddox is awake in an instant, pulling me to his chest as he strokes a hand up and down my spine. “Deep breaths, princess. You’re okay.” He continues to rub my back as I sob into his chest, drenching his shirt. After a bit, I swipe at my eyes, brushing my sweaty, tangled hair back off my face. My pajamas are glued to my body, and the cool air lingering in the room is having zero effect on my heated skin. I throw off the covers and stand up. A trickle of hazy light filters under my curtains as I pad to the door.
“What’s wrong? Where are you going?” Maddox reaches for my arm.
“You need to leave. I have to speak to my parents. I’ll call you later.” I sound like an emotionless droid. Without waiting for his reply, I step into the passageway and walk to my parents’ room. I knock on the door, silent tears falling down my face. “Mom,” I whisper. “It’s me.”
She opens the door a minute later with sleep-heavy eyes, her gray hair hanging loose over her shoulders. “Dear girl, what’s wrong?”
“Mom!” I throw myself at her, tears coursing down my cheeks, hugging her tightly. I can’t compose myself to speak, but she seems to understand, steering me into the room and to the end of the bed. Dad hauls himself upright, smothering a moan as he rubs his lower back. He flips on the lamp, putting his glasses on. My parents share a knowing look.
“Sweetie,” Mom says a few minutes later, when both my parents are sitting on either side of me. They each have an arm around me. “Talk to us.” Mom tucks my hair behind my ears, smoothing my tears away.
“You knew. All this time. You knew I wasn’t … you knew who I was, what I was,” I whisper, unable to say the words right now.
Dad cups my face in his frail hands. “We knew you were a miracle sent to us by some higher power. We didn’t stop to question it. We didn’t care.”
“I took one look at your beautiful, little innocent face that day, and I fell in love with you instantly,” Mom says, tears blooming to life. “You dropped out of the sky like the most precious fallen star, and I just knew you were meant to find us. When I held you against my chest, you stopped crying, nuzzling into me and curling your tiny finger around mine like you felt the same. You were ours from that point on, although we always knew this day was coming.”
I smile at my parents, loving them even more in this moment than I thought possible. “If some higher power was looking out for me, they sure did one heck of a job. I couldn’t have asked for better parents, and I hope I’ve told you enough.”
“You sweet child.” Dad presses a kiss to the top of my head, and I’m startled to see moisture in his eyes. “Not a day has gone by where we haven’t offered up thanks for having you in our lives. It has been an enormous pleasure watching you grow up, and we
’ve never doubted your love as I hope you’ve never doubted ours.”
“Never. I’ve always felt cherished and loved.”
Mom pats my hand, pulling me to my feet. “Because you are, Victoria, and nothing has changed.” She pulls me into a hug, and I rest my head on her shoulder, enjoying the special comfort only a mother can give. “Why don’t we go downstairs and make breakfast while you tell us everything.”
I grab my favorite robe and fluffy socks from my empty room before heading to the kitchen. Steam snakes out of the teapot as it whistles atop the stove. Dad is setting cups with cream, milk, and sugar on the table, and Mom is heating up the skillet, when someone raps on the door. I don’t need to open it to know who’s here. “I’ll get it!” I shriek, racing into the hall and yanking the front door open. “You can’t be here! Go away!”
Dane tilts his head, eyeballing me in that intense way of his. Cooper smirks, running his gaze up and down me. Beckett shuffles from foot to foot, shoving his hands in his pockets, while Maddox covers a yawn with his mouth, lounging against the doorframe as if he doesn’t have a care in the world.
“Come in, boys,” Mom says from behind me. “I was just making some pancakes if you’re hungry?” She pulls me aside to make room, and the boys pile into the house. My jaw is trailing the floor.
“Starving,” Maddox says, suddenly more alert. He rubs his stomach. “I’m in.”
“Nice outfit,” Cooper whispers, winking as he strolls past me. “Pancakes are my favorite, Mrs. K. Thanks so much,” he adds, winking at my mom. She blushes, and I blink repeatedly, sure I must’ve imagined it.
I stare at her in confusion. “He’s a handful, that one,” she pipes up. “But a handsome one at that.”
Now it’s my turn to blush. “Mom! Like, seriously, what is going on?”
The boys troop into the kitchen greeting my dad with high-fives and handshakes. My father treats them as if they’re long-lost friends, ushering them around the table and pouring tea and coffee. When everyone is seated and Mom is back in front of the stove, humming happily, I stand at the top of the table, folding my arms sternly, piercing everyone with my most serious look. Which, admittedly, is difficult to do when I’m wearing a soft pink robe with fluffy white bunnies on it and matching socks. “Would someone like to explain what the hell is going on?”
“Sit your pretty ass down, beautiful, and we’ll explain.” Cooper winks again, and I glower at him.
Dad swats the back of his head, and I almost choke on my laughter. “We’ll have none of that cussing in this house, young man. Mind your manners.”
“I’m sorry, sir.” Cooper is suitably chastised.
Maddox stands up, his chair screeching in the process. Coming around to my side, he clamps his hands on my shoulders, gently pressing me down into a chair. “We’ve spoken to your parents a couple times in the last week, so you can rest at ease, princess.”
Mom glances over her shoulder at me, beaming.
“I feel like I’ve wandered into some alternate realm. How are you both okay with this?” I peer at my parents, wondering if they too have been possessed.
“Like your mother said upstairs, sweet pea, we’ve always known you weren’t human and that someone would come looking for you one day. We hoped they wouldn’t come too soon. We’ve had seventeen, almost eighteen, years with you, and we can’t complain.”
“Don’t speak like you’ll never see me again, Poppa!” I jump up, hugging him as the thought raises a fresh bout of tears. “You can’t get rid of me that easy.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” His voice is muffled in my hair as he holds me close. The musky, spicy scent of his cologne surrounds me, stirring my nostalgia even more. “And, just so you know, we’re not that easy to get rid of either.”
I half-laugh, half-cry, at that.
A loud sniffle echoes around the room, breaking us apart. Cooper fake dabs at his eye. “This is totes emote.”
I pluck a bread roll from the basket on the table and chuck it at his head. Despite his ninja alien moves, he wasn’t expecting it, and the roll bounces off his head, landing on the floor.
“Victoria King!” Mom exclaims. “Remember your manners! We brought you up better than this. Apologize to our guest.”
“Yeah, Tori,” Cooper says, leaning back in his chair, grinning at me like the cat that got the cream. “You’ve hurt my feelings, and you need to kiss my boo-boo better.” He pouts, pointing at his forehead.
The other three groan. “Knock it off, butthead. It’s too early for your shit,” Maddox retorts, earning a very stern look from Dad. “Uh, sorry, Mr. King, sir. No bad language. Got it.”
“Now it feels like comedy hour, and it’s not even six a.m. Lucky me,” I deadpan before biting a massive chunk of bread.
Breakfast is a boisterous affair with the boys ribbing one another in between eating enough pancakes to feed a small army. Chat is casual, and I’m quietly watching it all, soaking up the atmosphere and the contented vibes rippling around the room as our connection celebrates our oneness.
After we’ve finished, Cooper and Beckett insist on cleaning the kitchen. Mom, Dad, and I watch in shocked amazement as they whizz around the room, plopping back into their chairs about thirty seconds later, the kitchen clean as a whistle.
“My goodness,” Mom says, patting her chest. “To think of all those hours I’ve wasted cleaning when I could’ve had Victoria doing it like that.” She lifts her chin, smiling as she says, “I’m rearranging the chores list, effective immediately.”
“Um, Mom, you do know I can’t do most of the stuff they can?”
Her smile widens. “But the boys are going to teach you, isn’t that right, Dane, dear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I shake my head, wondering why I’m even surprised. It’s clear my parents are really good with abnormal stuff. Maybe even better than Kylie. Thoughts of my friend give rise to a sharp ache in my chest, and I add another question to my mental checklist. At some point, I might have to start writing all these down.
Dane clears his throat. “About that. We had an incident last night which gives cause for concern, and I think it would be better if Tori moved in with us.”
I slam my hands down on the tabletop. “Absolutely not. I live here, and you guys can be at my side in seconds if anything happens. There is no need for that.”
“Don’t you like your bedroom?” Cooper asks, looking a little offended. “We can fix it up however you like it.”
“It’s not that. The bedroom is great, but I can’t just uproot my life to live with you guys. This is a small town, and everyone will talk. I think I should do everything to keep things looking as normal as possible, at least to the external world.”
“Alinthia has a point,” Beckett says. “Until we know what we’re dealing with, we should keep things on the down low.”
“And I think you should just call me Tori,” I suggest. “In case anyone slips up and calls me Alinthia at school.”
“Valid,” Dane says.
“What incident and how much do we need to worry?” Dad asks.
“Sir, you don’t need to worry. As we’ve explained, our job is to protect Tori, and we’ll see that no harm comes to her.”
I level a cautionary look at Dane. My parents seem cool with this, but I don’t want them being privy to all the ins and outs of what went down last night or any potential threat to me, which I still don’t quite understand. He nods his agreement, and a layer of stress lifts.
“Alinthia is such a lovely name, but I’m still going to call you Victoria,” Mom muses from the top of the table.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Mom,” I confirm.
“Tori will need to come to our place every day after school. There is a lot to update her on, and we need to begin training her immediately. One of us will ensure she does her homework, eats, and gets home by a reasonable hour,” Dane says.
“Are you my dad or my protector?” I lean my elbows on the ta
ble, piercing Dane with a frustrated look. Cooper snickers, but I ignore him. “I am well capable of feeding myself, making sure I do my own homework, and not missing curfew.”
“There’s no need to get your panties in a bunch. I’m just trying to reassure your parents that your training will not interfere with your normal routine. I’d think you’d be grateful for that,” Dane retorts, anger flashing in his eyes.
“Now, now, children,” Cooper says. “No in-fighting at the table.” Six pairs of eyes train on him, and he holds up his hands. “Geez, tough crowd.”
Dane stands up. “Thank you for a lovely breakfast, Mrs. King. If it’s okay with you, we’d like to take Tori back to our place to begin immediately. Time is of the essence.”
Mom stretches up on her tiptoes, kissing Dane on the cheek, and I have to freeze frame the moment. Seeing her petite frame shadowed by Dane’s broad shoulders, rippling biceps, and brooding intensity is something I never thought I’d see. Neither is the light blush staining Dane’s cheeks. Oh man, Cooper is so going to milk the mileage from that.
The boys stay chatting with my parents in the kitchen as I take the stairs to my bedroom, grab a quick shower, and change. I’ve no idea what their idea of “training” is, but I dress comfortably in case it involves any physical activity, pulling on black yoga pants, a long-sleeved tight-fitting white top, and my pink and white zipped hoodie. I lace my sneakers and tie my hair into a high ponytail before snatching my cell and skipping down the stairs.
I follow the boys out to their SUV after hugging my parents goodbye, climbing in the backseat alongside Beckett. Cooper makes him switch seats so I’m in the middle of them.
I roll my eyes, but as the connection thrums merrily, I can’t deny I’m exactly where I want to be.
Chapter 27
Dane
“Why are we driving?” Alinthia inquires, her pretty face curious as her gaze darts between all of us.
“It’s important we keep up appearances,” Beck replies.
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