Cerys Chapter 17
Brax and I were going insane as we waited for the results. The guys and Twyla weren’t much better. Instead of knowing the results the following Tuesday, we didn’t get the call until late on Wednesday, which was yesterday evening. Dr. Fields called us personally. Recalling that call, I tried to quiet my nerves.
“Ms. Morgan, this is Dr. Fields. I’m sorry for calling so late and for the delay. I assure you it wasn’t intentional. Is Mr. Christou with you?”
Brax hovered next to me. He could hear who it was, so I placed the call on speaker anyway.
“Yes, he’s here—no need to apologize for calling late. We’re glad to hear from you. Do you have an answer?” I asked breathlessly.
“We do. However, it’s something we need to talk to you about in person. I’m calling to see if we could see you tomorrow?”
The thought of waiting another night made me want to cry, but I sucked it up. “We can. What time do you want us to be at your facility?”
“No need to come to Phoenix. We’ll be in your area. We’ll come to you. You tell us where it’s best to meet you and what time is good. We’ll make it work.”
I was surprised by this. As I sat there taking it in, Brax gave him our address and told him ten a.m. worked for us. We exchanged a few pleasantries, and then the call was over.
It had been a rough night for both of us. I didn’t get enough sleep, and I knew Brax didn’t. Every time I woke up, he was awake. I was dragging this morning, but I dressed and made myself presentable. Brax cooked me breakfast, and I choked some down. It was beginning to be hard to do, as morning sickness had reared its ugly head.
We notified Twyla and the guys that Dr. Fields was coming to talk to us this morning. They were all anxious to hear the results, so we invited them to be present if they were available. This time, it seemed the only ones who weren’t were Royal and Nico. The others assured us they’d be there.
They arrived at nine. As much as I tried to control my anxiety, I knew they sensed it, and they were all trying to divert our attention. Today, they were suggesting what to name the babies. Of course, their names were included as choices, along with some crazy ones. They got us to laugh and lightened the tension.
Twyla busied herself making refreshments for everyone when Dr. Fields came. He’d said they, so we knew it would be more than him, but not who. I wondered which other scientist we’d met that day was coming with him. Along with the homemade lemonade she brought, there were cookies she’d baked. Twyla had to make threats to keep the boys, as she called them, out of the cookies until our guests arrived.
Five minutes before ten, we heard a car coming. Due to the secluded nature of the house, I assumed it was him. I followed Brax to the door to greet the doctor. As we did, I heard the sound of a second vehicle. It was bigger than the first one. I exchanged a puzzled look with Brax. Why would they need two? He gave a low whistle. The next thing I knew, the four guys slid out the back door.
“Brax, what’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing that I know of. I just want to be cautious. Astéri mou , I want you to get back in the kitchen with Twyla. I’ll tell you when it’s okay to come out.”
There was a tension that was different from before running through his body. And he was back to blocking his emotions from me. I didn’t like it.
“ Agápi mou , my place is with you. I want to be with you. If something goes down, I’ll get back.”
“Cerys, I don’t have time to argue. You stay behind me. And I want you to take this. You know how to use it,” he said as he took his personal handgun from the drawer in the chest near the door. I took it, slid back the slide to make sure there was a bullet in the chamber, and then lowered it to point at the floor. I nodded.
I heard rustling behind me. I glanced back to find Twyla was digging in her purse. When she pulled her hand out, she was gripping her gun. Twyla had a steely look to her. People might think she was flighty and a flower child, but underneath all that was a woman who knew how to take care of herself. She was the one to teach me how to shoot and more.
As the vehicles approached, I felt more emotions. When two cars came into view, I saw one was a large passenger van, and the other, the one in the lead, was a luxury sedan. I noticed there were four in the car. Two were in the van’s front seat, but I sensed others in the back that I couldn’t see.
There’s more than six , I thought. I thought it at Brax, even though he couldn’t hear it. It was silly to do, but I was afraid to say it aloud. There were shifters in those vehicles. They’d hear me.
I know , I heard in my head. I jumped. I gripped the back of Brax’s shirt.
Can you hear me? I asked in disbelief.
I can. Shit! Okay, we’ll talk about this after we get rid of the enemies at the gate, was his response. He never took his eyes off the vehicles now stopped in the driveway.
The two people in the sedan’s front seat got out first. I recognized Dr. Fields but not the other man. Next, the two in the backseat got out. Two more men I didn’t know. The van doors opened at the same time those two got out.
Fuck, what are they doing here? Entered my mind from Brax. His body was projecting that he was relaxed, but I felt the tensile strength in his body.
I didn’t want to distract him, so I didn’t ask him who they were. Out of the van stepped ten people. It was one of those huge passenger ones. I gulped. My knees weakened as fear hit me. Oh my God, why were so many with them? Were they here to take me? I whimpered. I couldn’t help it.
“Stop right there! What the hell is the meaning of this?” Brax shouted.
As he did, he let out a threatening growl. I noticed that he had a gun in his hand. When did he get that? I was trying to focus on what was happening in front of me, but I was wondering where the guys were. Even with them, the odds weren’t in our favor.
We can’t fight them, Brax. There are too many. They’ll take me.
Over my dead body, they’ll take you or harm a hair on your head. I’ll slaughter every one of them. You stay back. Let me and the guys handle this. You use that gun only if someone gets past us.
I love you , I told him, in case I didn’t get another chance to say it.
I love you, too. We’re going to be fine , he assured me, even though I sensed he had his doubts.
“Please, Mr. Christou, we mean you no harm. I apologize for the subterfuge, but I couldn’t tell you they were coming. No one knows they’ve left Greece. This is beyond a top-secret meeting. May we come in?” Dr. Fields asked. He sounded sincere, but I no longer trusted anything he said.
“Dr. Fields, you come to my home with a virtual army of shifters after lying by omission, and you expect me to believe you or trust you near my pregnant mate. It’s not happening. You stay outside where I can see all of you. I want to know what the fucking meaning of this is.”
“It—” Fields started to speak again, but Brax cut him off.
“No more out of you. I’m talking to them. Theodore, would you care to explain why the entire Council of Oracles has left Greece and is standing in my yard?” Brax asked.
My heart sped up hearing that the whole Council was here. Why? We knew they would need to be told once we knew the answer, but why did Dr. Fields tell them before us? What if they didn’t want someone like me having children with one of their kind? Were they here to take me away or force me to terminate our children?
I let my terror break through my barrier, and it hit Brax, and I had no doubt the rest felt it. As my legs gave out, Brax swung around to prevent me from falling. When I was safely seated on the porch, he turned to face them. He let out a thunderous growl, and then, in a blink, he transformed into Nightstalker. His shredded clothes went flying as he did.
It was chaotic after that. He stood in front of me, growling and glaring at them. I heard the cry of what sounded like birds and the roar of a leopard and a bear. Those weren’t exactly a surprise, but what did shock me was when I heard the roar of something else. It sounded huge and pissed. Those in the yard were warily looking around. None had changed into whatever their other form was, but they were craning their necks, looking for the sources of those sounds.
Moments later, Twyla was crouched next to me with her gun aimed at them. She had a fierce scowl on her face. I gasped as more bodies invaded the yard. Only I recognized these ones, even in their other forms. It was the guys, but there were six instead of only four. When did Royal and Nico get here?
Get inside. Lock the doors. Get to the bedroom. Take the guns with you and Twyla. Let us handle this, Nightstalker slash Brax said in my mind. I could hear the echo of both of their voices. It was beyond weird.
If it had only been myself I had to worry about, I would’ve stayed with him. But I had our babies and Twyla, so I did it. She assisted me to my feet, and we backed into the house. I hated shutting and locking the door, but I did it. It wasn’t as if they couldn’t kick it in. I led her to the bedroom. We locked the bedroom door and then locked ourselves in the bathroom. Luckily, I could still hear everything that was happening, so I could tell Twyla and monitor the situation. I sent up a prayer.
Dear God, please let us come out of this all in one piece. Don’t let them hurt my babies.