Outside Chinook, Manor grounds, Mid October
Nic was livid, at himself not Annik. He had done everything wrong. Instead of a gradual introduction to her being Anvidai not Human, he had scared her witless. Terrified her past reason and into blind headlong flight. Not that he had any clue as to how he could have done it differently. Annik would never trust him now and he didn't blame her. He couldn't have fucked things up worse if he'd tried. She was pacing carefully beside him, arms wrapped around herself like she was trying to self-comfort. Her head was down and the fiery spirit that had so captivated him was dimmed to almost extinction. Nic had done the one thing he had never, ever wanted to do. He had hurt her. Oh not physically sure, but hurt her nonetheless. Even though he was ready to catch her if she stumbled or started to fall, Nic was careful to maintain the distance that Annik herself had established.
Annik was looking at him now like he was a monster. Boy didn't that seem apt. He was a monster wasn't he. Not in the way she meant it of course. But considering his mishandling of the situation? a monster nonetheless. Nic could feel the fear she had of him now. The scent of it coated her like a second skin. Nic wished that there was something, anything that he could do to help her, a foe to kill on her behalf. But her biology wasn't a foe to kill, it was her future.
And as much as he might wish that there was a slower, more gentle way to break this news to her. Nic knew that there just wasn't time. Her change was sprinting towards her on winged feet. If she was to survive, she was going to need to have this information. She was going to have to have him. Well, Nic corrected to himself, she was going to have to have a male member of the Anvidai. Not him specifically. As much as he might wish that wasn't true, Nic refused to let himself hope that it was him that she wanted, needed.
Nic didn't want to cause her any pain or distress. He wanted to comfort her, keep her safe. He wanted to reach out and hold her in his arms until the confusion that he had caused faded away. Nic didn't need to look at Annik to know that none of that was going to happen, ever. The thought that she would never trust him, chilled Nic to his very marrow. It chilled his blood and put his heart into a deep freeze. Inhaling deeply through his nose, Nic caught her scent, held it deep in his lungs and hated himself for the fear that saturated it. He tried to think of the fear as a lancing of a boil. A small pain now to avoid a deeper more deadly one later. It didn't really help even if it was true.
Suddenly Annik started to shiver violently. She stopped in her tracks. The shaking throwing her balance off. Making it impossible for her to take even one more step. This was untenable, he had to get her inside A.S.A.P., to where it was warm and dry. Where her body wouldn't be shaking so much from cold and the fear that still coursed through her like a torrent. Magnifying everything, the cold, the dark, how close he was and how scared of him she was. Still he couldn't let her get sick on top of everything else he had already done to her. To her reality and how she saw the world. Especial this close to her change. She was going to need all of her strength to survive, being sick was not going to be a value add.
"Annik," Nic was shamed anew at how she jumped at the sound of his voice. "You're getting to cold. May I please carry you back to the manor?"
Nic waited while she decided. Watching her body be racked with cold. Wanting desperately to warm her any way he could. He hoped she'd agree because he was going to do pick her up and carry her to the compound anyhow. Nic would rather have her permission but either way he was going to get her back inside A.S.A.P. whether or not she liked the means. After all he didn't want to add to her trauma, but that was better than her catching her death when he could have avoided it.
For the longest time Annik just stared at him. An eternity passed while she just looked up at him. Nic was starting to wonder if she was actually seeing him. Was she even aware of what was going on? how cold she was? That was when a look of resolution passed across her face and she just nodded. Giving her assent. Nic didn't waste a moment before coming up next to her.
"I won't hurt you. I promise. I will never hurt you." Gods, Nic thought as he scooped her up into his arms. How can she believe that. How can she believe anything that comes out of my mouth.
Annik felt so wonderful cradled in his arms. He wanted to keep her warm, safe. For just a moment He allowed himself to relish holding Annik. Warming and protecting her from any danger with his body. Nic wanted her to stay in his arms forever. Wanted to wake up every evening with her by his side. Wasn't going to happen though was it. He was the War Prince. The leader of the Ashen War-Kin and anyone associated with him was at risk, forever a target, forever in danger.
If it had only been from the Undying Society it might have been manageable. But no, anyone he was associated with was also in danger from DeNeam those aristocratic fucktards that made up the highest level of Anvidai society. That bunch of over bred numb nuts had been trying to get him to take one or more of their daughters as mate. If only so they could get their hooks into him in the mistaken belief that he would then pay attention to their wants and desires. Thank the Mother that his parents had wanted him to have a love match at the very least and preferably a pair-bond, like theirs had been, with whoever he mated so they had never bound him to anyone.
After the murder of his parents by traitors in the DeNeam Nic had zero intention of putting anyone, much less someone he cared for, at that kind of risk. He had no business thinking of Annik like that because the beautiful and vibrant female in his arms was never going to be his. Stop it! Nic told himself firmly. I'm only taking care of her because I promised her grandmother, because I failed her mother. There is now and never will be anything between us. I will see her though her Tempering and then find her a good, safe place to go to. A good clan to join. Anthony's would work. And a proper mate to take care of her. One whose job won't put her at risk. And didn't that thought just carve him to the quick. The pain it caused wasn't something that Nic allowed himself to think about. If he did it became too real.
All to soon Nic reached the large baroque fountain between the manor and the gate house. The fountain was currently drained and tarp covered for the winter. Hiding the depiction of warriors on horseback fighting against monsters. As much as Nic wanted Annik inside in the warmth he wished that it had taken longer to get here. Now he was going to have to stop cradling her in his arms and put her down on her own two feet. As soon as he had done so Nic once again put the distance that Annik had set between them. Feeling the loss of her in his arm all the way to his soul.
She was running from you Nic reminded himself ruthlessly. She was running from you and for good reason. You just changed her life and reality forever and not for the better in her opinion. As far as she is concerned, you just proved that not only are monsters real, but she, herself is one. Nic didn't allow any of his thoughts, or his disgust with himself show on his face. As far as the world was concerned he was a calm lake, unflustered by any rocks that might hit his water. Not that any of his siblings would buy the act. But Annik wouldn't know any better and that was all that mattered right now.
Nic led her back to the library. His favorite room in the manor, if truth were told. They were both book lovers weren't they. Just another way that they were well matched. Another reason he liked her so much. Right up there with her not taking any of my shit Nic thought to himself. Not to mention how good she smelled. How well she fit into his arms or how much he wanted to ease her mind about the future. Resolutely Niculai pulled away from those thoughts. They would do neither of them any good. He needed to focus on helping her through her change.
He also needed to find out why the Undying were trying to kidnap this wonderful female. Not to mention others of the species. Although he had some thoughts on that account. Thoughts that focused on her mother's book and why she had it. Nic wished that Ingretta had told him more in the letter she had sent. Like why she had raised her daughter away from the Anvidai. Away from who and what she was. Ignorant about what all of that would mean to her and her survival. It had been pure chance that he had been in that alley at the right time to rescue Annik. It gave Nic cold shivers to think about what would have happened to her if he hadn't been there. How terrible her last hours would be on an Undying torture table. Nic shivered to himself over the close call.
Outside Chinook, Kitchen of the Manor, Mid October
Sabrina sat at the old, well used butcher's block table in the breakfast nook of the kitchen. She had stayed behind when Niculai and the pre-change female that he had rescued had gone to the library that Nic used as an office. Earlier she had heard a mad scramble come down the stairs, through the foyer and out into the night. Just minutes before though the quiet sounds of them returning had come to her ears. They had to talk and that was the best place to do it. The conversation that was rolling out in the library was going to be no fun for both parties and very important for both as well. Life saving in fact, at least for the young female that Nic had brought home.
Her thoughts were in a tangle. Not just because she had yet to tell Rhuv, her beloved mate that she was carrying twins. No, that wasn't what was messing with her processes right now. It was Tolartha, one of the new trainees and the best of the lot, that had given her the head wedge. As a rule the trainees didn't register on Sabrina's data screen beyond how well they were doing in training but Tolartha was different. She had been rescued not once but twice by the War-Kin. And neither of those should ever have needed to happened. And she had been sitting here trying to think since everyone had left. Nic and the female to go talk. Rhuv and Tomas to go and probably play pool until third meal.
The first time that Tolartha had been rescued was when the head of her own village had killed her parents. Then that arsehole of a village mayor had put the tied up pre-teen in a cave as a sacrifice to the Undying. Niculai, Tomas and her Rhuv had found the girl when they had been on their way to warn the village about the coming Nazi invasion. Rhuv had taken the girl to the Foress clan to be raised since it was the closest of those fleeing the danger. While Nic and T had continued their mission. Odd that just ten days later a second child, this time an infant is taken to that same clan by from the same village.
The infant, who was also female had not been very well treated by the Foress clan. Turned out to be the mother of the woman up in the library with Nic right now. Coincidence? Bree didn't think so. The head of the Foress clan was an arsehole of the first order. And was the head of the most traditional and hidebound clan. Add to that, the fact that Tolartha had been orphaned a second time when her adoptive parents died just a year after they adopted her. The poor kid just couldn't get any breaks. After that, the Foress clan treated her like she was bad luck. She was traded from family to family never staying in any house for more than a couple of weeks. As soon as anything went wrong she was blamed for it and shipped off to another household. Eventually she was placed with the clan head who treated her like she was a slave, not a child in his care.
This had led to the second time the Ashen War-Kin had rescued Tolartha. Salvari, one of Sabrina's best friends as well as Sibling in the Ashen War-Kin, had noticed that someone was hiding in the attic of the building that they used for training. Salvari had been working with the fighters of The Foress clan as she had been assigned to do. They were in a rural part of South Carolina where the Foress clan lived. The first time she had seen it Salvari hadn't thought anything of it. Figuring that it was one of the pre-change young that was interested in the fighting. When this continued for weeks however she got curious about who was watching and why they stayed hidden while they did so. There was nothing shameful about wanting to be a warrior after all. So why the hiding?
It had taken Salvari another couple of weeks before she had found out the who and the why of the clandestine training. Tolartha had been told that she was never going to be good enough to warrant being trained. So there was no reason to waste the Siblings time with teaching her at all. The truth of the matter however was that Tolartha was a natural warrior and one of the best that Salvari had ever seen. Even with being self-taught the female had moves that made the rest of the class look like rank beginners.
Once she had discovered Tolartha practicing solo in the attic Salvari got angry. Actually she was so pissed at the Foress clan head that it had taken an act of will to not beat him to a pulp. Something that she had wanted to do as soon as she confronted him about Tolartha. The male's excuses were exactly what she expected of the jerk. All about how Tolartha was just clumsy and caused a lot of accidents. How he had taken pity on her and given her a place to stay. And work to do that wouldn't tax her limited intelligence. Salvari, for her part, had left at that point. Not because she believed the lame excuses the arsehole was spouting. But because if she hadn't she would have scalped the fucker for his criminal negligence. Not to mention the misogyny the guy was spouting to a female member of the Ashen War-Kin.
That was when, from what Sabrina had been told, Salvari started to quietly investigate the whole situation. While many in the clan treated the female the same why their clan head had there had been some that the behavior hadn't sat well with. After all they could see something similar happening to them just as easily. They didn't rank in the clan at all and were afraid that if they spoke up the same would happen to them. A few of them actually moved to other cities, away from their clan for just that reason. Boy Bree was going to be glad when the whole clan thing finally died. As it was it was like a summer wasp in the fall. Buzzing around making more noise than ever. Trying desperately to stave off the death that was coming fast. didn't mean they weren't dangerous though. In fact, in many ways they were more dangerous than ever. Those with nothing to loose always were.
Once all of the facts were known, or at least as many of them that she could find out, Salvari took it all to the War Prince for action. Nic had been livid and had acted immediately. Summoning Troov to the Audience House for a little "chat" as it were. Bree laughed to herself as she remembered how Rhuv had described it. Apparently Troov had shown up for the meeting looking like he was in charge of the world. Acting as though his War Prince had called him to ask his advice on an important matter of state. The superior look hadn't last long, actually only about three words. After Nic had let loose his famous temper the male had deflated like someone had popped his ego like a balloon. Oh wait, someone had, and Nic was the one holding the pin. Sabrina really wished she had seen that after everything she had heard from Salvari over the last year or so about that particular jerk off.
So here Sabrina was, sitting alone in the kitchen trying to figure out how the hell she was going help Tolartha. It was going to be a long road for the female. Decades of being told that she was worthless weren't going to disappear over night. Just because she was in a nurturing environment now wasn't going to counter everything that had come before. Her distress over what Tolartha had gone through in her life was what was causing the head wedge that Bree was currently rocking. This was going to take careful handling and a delicate touch. At least the female was willing and able to take direction and seemed to be coming out of her shell and starting to make friends. All of which was good news as far as Sabrina was concerned.
Bree was just thinking about how she was going to handle the situation when her head snapped up. Her sharp nose had caught the scent of her mate, Rhuv. And even tough she felt guilty about not telling him about the twins yet, she was nonetheless very glad to see him. If anyone was going to be able to help her with handling Tolartha it was going to be Rhuv. there was a very good reason that he was in charge of the training program and it wasn't because he was Nic's second in command. Rhuv was also very good at helping the trainee's with anything and everything that might come up. He was also one of the calmest males Bree had ever met. Well usually he was, lately tonight he had been rocking some major annoyance at Nic.
Their War Prince had been so focused on finding the missing female, Ingretta, that he hadn't really been doing the rest of his job. Sure he'd been going out and engaging the Undying. But he hadn't been tracking anything else at all, especially the trainees. Now that the missing had been found, well the daughter had been. Apparently the mother was now deceased so there was something else to lay at the door of Troov Foress. And if she knew Niculai, and she really really did by now. Then Troov was going to regret how he had treated both of the females that had been placed in his care. Not to mention not telling Nic when Ingretta had first disappeared and then lying to him about it. Yeah Troov Foress was so not in for a good time and as far as Sabrina was concerned it could happen to a better male.
"How are you shedol," Rhuv asked as he sauntered up to her.
Rhuv was still dressed in his fighting clothes of black leather pants and a long sleeve Under Armor shirt that was tight on his muscled body. His black leather jacket was draped over one shoulder. All of his weapons still draped on his body. Clearly he hadn't been to their room to disarm yet. In his free hand Rhuv carried a low boy of scotch on the rocks. The smile on his face was just for her and Sabrina returned it immediately. Her whole face lighting up, for a brief moment all of her worries were forgotten in the smile of her mate.
Rhuv's frown was almost as quick as his smile, obviously he had picked up on her distress. His eye were concerned as they scanned her from head to toe. Looking to see if the problem was a physical one. As soon as that was done his eyes snapped back to her face concern bringing his brows down low over his steel grey eyes. Not as heavily built as most of his brothers Rhuv was still an imposing male in his fighting clothes and his warriors body. Bree wished that there was nothing that she needed to talk to him about, but was glad he was there. Rhuv was the perfect person to talk the whole Tolartha thing through with.
"What is it, shedol? What has upset you?" Rhuv's face darkened farther, adding anger to the worried look. "Has someone upset you? Who do I need to stab."
That was the Pair-Bond at work. Rhuv was wiling to correct, mortally, anyone that had upset her. Usually with a knife but he'd use a gun if that was what was needed. She was his primary concern, even before his best friend and ruler Niculai. Or any of the other Siblings. So his first reaction being to stab someone was no surprise. He was a warrior and a member of the Ashen War-Kin after all. Rhuv looked like he was about to do the ask thing again and maybe just go start stabbing things when Bree answered him.
"It's Tolartha,"
The looked of confusion was so endearing that Sabrina had to reach up and touch his chiseled features. Smoothing the furrow that had formed between his brows. Taking his hand Sabrina sat her mate next to her so that they were both seated on the long bench that ran against the wall at the table.
"I just heard from Salvari down in South Carolina. What that poor female went through before she sent to us here is unconscionable. Someone really needs to have a talk with that Foress clan head, with fists preferably."
The stunned look on Rhuv's face replaced the confusion. Even though Sabrina was a member of the Ashen War-Kin and a very capable fighter, she was known more as a peace keeper. Skilled at hand to hand, Bree was more likely to use her words rather than her fists when she wasn't engaging with the enemy. Sabrina was always the one sent in if diplomacy was needed rather than guns and fun as Milosh was fond of saying. Sabrina was an ass-kicker of the first order and a master of traps of all kinds, which was probably why she was so good at diplomacy, The traps were just verbal not physical is all. And Bree was as good at laying traps as she was at finding and disarming them. So hearing her start off by threatening physical damage was a bit of a shock to her poor mate.
After Sabrina had filled in her mate on everything that she had learned, she wasn't surprised to hear the low, deadly growl that rumbled up her mate's thick throat. He wasn't a fan of any member of the race being mistreated but was especially incised when it was a female. to his thinking no female should ever be abused in any way. He didn't particularly care what race they were. Human, Anvidai, Shifter didn't matter what did matter was that it had happened and that behavior needed correction.
Sabrina felt a stab of guilt that she hadn't told her mate about the other thing that was bothering her. She hadn't informed him that she was carrying twins. But considering everything that was going on right now. Not just with Tolartha but also the now found missing girl and the change in M.O. by the Undying. Now was so not the time to add anything else to the shit cake that the Siblings were already in. No she would wait until things settled down a bit before she dropped that particular bomb on her mate. With that thought she took her mate's hand and stood up, bringing him up with her. Leading her mate she took them both up to their bed. Sleep was what they needed, after some alone time of course.
