Freya had no real chance to see the others before he was striding past them, taking her with him to the small car waiting in the garage. She smiled tiredly, her head resting against his shoulder. "You don't seem like you belong in this car, Aiden. Your views on women are so archaic, in a former life you must have been 'lord of the castle'." She said.Aiden glanced at her quickly. His gaze slid over the paleness of her face, dwelt on his mark on her neck, visible through the long mane of her hair. In truth, he hadn't meant to leave a mark, but now it was there, his brand of ownership. "I am going to help you sleep tonight." He made it a statement."Who were those people?" She asked because she knew he didn't want her to ask. She was so tired, even dizzy. She rubbed at her head and wished that for once in her life she was normal. He probably thought she was the fainting type.There was a short silence. He sighed heavily. "My family."She knew he spoke the truth, yet he didn't. "Why w
Aiden watched Freya enter into the arms of Yodah. A slight jealousy roared it's head, but he shut it down, knowing that the fledging meant no harm, was on his side too. He saw her hand go up to her head, rub at her temple, the nape of her neck. She was still dizzy from his taking her blood. That had been selfish, beneath him, yet he couldn't stop himself. Now she was paying for it. Her head ached from the bombardment of emotions. His included. All of his people would have to be more careful to shield their minds."Take care of her." He commanded.Yodah nodded, about to take Freya up in his arms again when the latter muttered wait!"What is it little one?" Aiden asked, drawing closer to her, willing to touch her again."You haven't told me about my grandmother." She said. "I'm not leaving till you do." She insisted, when she saw that he was hesitant on telling her."You promised."Aiden sighed, watching her stare at him steadily."Read it off my mind then." He stated, opening his mind
The others fell silent when Aiden entered his home. Janet smiling tentatively, pressed a protective hand to the child lying in her womb. "Is she all right, Aiden?" She asked.He nodded abruptly, curiously grateful for her concern. No one would question him, yet his behavior was completely out of character for him. He got right to the point. "How did the assassins find her unprotected?"The others looked at one another. Aiden was among the few that always found time to drill it into them never to forget the smallest details guarding their safety, but over the years it was so easy to forget, to slip up."Noami had her baby only two months ago. She was so tired all the time." Janet tried to excuse the slip."And Jared? Where was he? Why did he leave his exhausted wife unprotected while she slept?" Aiden asked softly, dangerously.Byran, the man who had been in such trouble earlier(wanting to touch Freya), stirred uncomfortably. "You know how Jared is. Always after the women. He took
Aiden felt the weight of his responsibility for Noami's death. He had been her favorite.He had known of Jared's weakness for women. He had objected to the union, but he hadn't forbidden it, as he should have. Jared was not Naomi's true lifemate. Chemistry would never allow a true mate to cheat on his woman. Noami, his beautiful sister, so young and vibrant, lost to them forever. A tear promised to slip away from the confines of his left eye.She had been headstrong, wanting Jared because he was handsome, not because her soul called to his. They had lied, but he had known they were lying. Ultimately it had been his responsibility that Jared continued to try to find emotion by being with other women, and Naomi had grown into a bitter, dangerous woman. She must have died instantly or He would have felt it, even deep in his sleep. Jared should never have had the care of one of their women.Aiden had thought that, in time, each would find their true lifemate, but Naomi only grew more dan
"Let's drop here. I don't think anybody is around or watching." Freya pointed out, tapping Yodah on his wings.They were way above a cluster of huge trees and shrubs.Immediately, Yodah zapped down like lightening, and immediately Freya's feet touched the dark soil, he shimmered into his physical self. He had flown in the nature of a huge golden eagle, the only type seen in movies."Which way then?" She asked, straightening the creases on her trousers whilst looking around the green environment."This way." Yodah replied, holding hands with her, walking tentatively through the forest, throwing glances here and there to make sure that they hadn't been seen or followed.They had walked for twenty minutes or more when the path broke out to a pathway."This should be it then." Freya said, taking note of the voices she was hearing from that distance. She was feeling better now, although there was a slight pain at the area where Aiden had bitten her. He had taken her blood. She knew what it
"What professor?" Freya and Yodah asked at the same time, looking at each other.Aiden's silence in her mind should have given her an idea of whomsoever the werewolf was talking about but she was more concerned about hearing it from the werewolf's mouth."Professor Aiden Perkins. He is a history professor at the University nearby. He had brought Emma home at one time, causing a ruckus in the Pack. What do you both want? Why would you say we are in trouble? What are y'all planning?" The werewolf questioned, his eyes twitching between green and indigo. He was gearing up his wolf incase a fight broke out."Calm down." Freya said, noticing the slight changes going on within the depths of the werewolf's eyes. It was true that this was the first time she would be speaking with a werewolf, it was true that she was a bit nervous too, but she couldn't risk getting into a fight now. She hadn't fought for so long a time."I am calm." The werewolf said."Tell me all you know."And so Freya starte
The same time, Someplace at USA:It was 1100.The village was far too small to stand against the army advancing so quickly toward them. Nothing had slowed the Ottoman Turks. Everything in their path had been destroyed, everyone murdered, cruelly murdered. Bodies were impaled on crude stakes and left for the scavengers to finish off. Blood ran in rivers. No one was spared, not even the youngest child or the oldest elder. The invaders burned and tortured and mutilated, leaving behind only rats and fire and death. The village was eerily silent; not even a child dared to cry. The people could only look at one another in despair and hopelessness. There would be no help, no way to stop the massacre. They would fall as had all the villages before them in the wake of that terrible enemy. They were too few and had only their peasant weapons to fight off the advancing hordes. They were helpless. And then the two warriors came striding out of the fog-filled night. They moved as one unit, in pe
Twelve years ago; someplace at Mexico. "Look at me, Uncle Tyler," A little girl called proudly, waving from the top of the high wooden tower she had just climbed. "You're crazy,John." An older man said and shook his head, shading his eyes against the sun as he stared up at the replica of the high platform used for training Navy SEALS recruits. "Lucille could break her neck if she fell." He glanced away toward the fragile woman lying on the chaise lounge, cuddling her newborn son. "What about it, Maryanne? Lucille isn't even five yet, and John has her training for Special Forces," He said. Maryanne smiled absently and looked up at her husband as if asking his opinion. "Lucille's great," John said immediately, reaching to capture his wife's hand and bringing her knuckles to his lips. "She loves this stuff. She was doing it practically before she could walk." Tyler waved to the tiny girl calling to him. "I don't know, John. Maybe Luke is right. She's so small. She takes afte