Chapter 71
Chapter Seventy-One
Jax
Plans
The next several days pass in a blur of activity and phone calls, and making certain everything is prepared for the refugees’ arrival.
Everyone agrees it’s far too risky to transport them all together, or in the daytime, so we decide to stagger the arrivals over several nights.
Alizée moves into one of the guest cottages so she can supervise everything on-site.
I worry that she might get in our way, but the exact opposite is true.
She pitches in to help do whatever needs to be done, working even longer and harder than some of our people.
Of the vampires, only Marchman sets foot in the compound.
They agree they don’t want to make any of our people nervous, but they also want to reduce the risks of being followed and revealing the hiding place.
The other three vampires, in separate vehicles, take turns shadowing Marchman on the drive, looking for anyone tailing him, and they don’t approach any closer than the exit at the interstate.
So far, it appears the refugees’ presence here has remained undetected by the attackers.
Other nests, covens, and colonies are taking drastic measures to protect their people, including leaving decoys in their usual residences—heavily armed, combat-hardened security, including some of their own people, waiting for anyone to attack.
But there haven’t been any attacks since the Chicago nest.
For now.
I can’t help but wonder that maybe Sterling is shook in part because the Chicago nest seemed prepared and because he can’t locate Mal. Not to mention his people took heavy losses in Chicago, and even the survivors who escaped sustained injuries.
Sawney told me his friend reported another man appeared in the Maine town three days ago looking for Mal, but Mal didn’t recognize the man in the picture Sawney sent me.
I have Mal’s old phone back. I’m storing both of them, shut off as well as double-bagged in not one but two Faraday bags, to prevent any hint of Mal’s location being discovered.
Overkill, yes, but Sawney’s the one who thought of it, and I won’t risk a fuck-up.
Shawn and I haven’t decided yet whether or not to find out our babies’ genders, and we hold off breaking the news about them being twins to anyone else.
Todd’s brought into the operation even more when he’s asked if the refugees could pasture their cattle with him, both to protect them as well as to use them for…
Well, for their usual purposes. None of the refugees we’re housing requires blood, but that way they can still get it to Marchman for him and the other three who do.
Todd agrees, and I step out of the way to let them work out the logistics.
If they need me, they’ll bring me in. One of our people will handle the transport and make regular deliveries to packmates who live about twenty miles north of the compound.
Marchman will personally pick it up from there.
Since he’s as paranoid as I am about maintaining OPSEC on the refugees’ location, I trust he will take every precaution.
The first group to arrive out of the thirty-two expected refugees—not counting the people accompanying them from the witches’ covens and Morning Caldwell’s people—is comprised of the fully orphaned children and younglings.
It’s nearly 3:00 in the morning when the small convoy arrives.
Accompanying the children are two familiars, both women, and a male human mate, childless, whose male vampire mate was killed, and he now helps care for the orphans. A total of eleven refugees.
Eight children who lost both their parents.
It makes me seethe with an intense, primal rage I didn’t believe possible, especially seeing the terror on their innocent faces. They range in age from six months to eleven years old.
Pops and Dad personally lead this group, some of them riding with them in their RV.
Once they are all inside the rec hall and we close the doors, I sit in a chair to address them because they’ve been traumatized enough.
They don’t need a big, tall stranger they’ve never met and who they might instinctively mistrust because of who I am looming over them.
Alizée stands behind me while I speak with them.
And I absolutely want to speak directly to the children.
“Hi, everyone. My name is Jax Crowe, and I’m the Ocala Pack’s Pack Alpha.
You already know my fathers, Mike and Pavin.
I am so sorry for everything you’ve been through.
I promise you that while you are here, we will protect and care for you.
And once the threat has been dealt with, our pack will help you transition to your new home, wherever that is.
But you will remain here until it’s safe for you to move on, no matter how long that takes.
We already have people who’ve volunteered to be teachers, or to run arts and crafts programs, or assist you however you need.
And if there’s anything you need while you’re here, please don’t hesitate to ask us. ”
I look up at Alizée to see if she wants to speak.
She steps forward, smiling. “You’ve all met me before. I will also be on-site at all times. I’m currently staying at a cottage close by, and no matter what time you need me, day or night, please feel free to call me if I’m not here.”
I also introduce Chaz, who’s made a marked transformation, from his initial borderline hostile stance when I first talked to him, to today.
The grizzled shifter looks like he’s close to tears, seeing the obviously terrified kids and shell-shocked adults.
He drops to one knee, eye-to-eye with the smallest kids.
“I’m Chaz,” he tells them. “I’m the guy who will be the head butt-kicker if anyone tries to come in who doesn’t belong here,” he says, finally earning faint smiles from some of the kids.
“My people will be outside day and night to keep you safe. I’m a big pussy cat to my buddies, like you guys, but I will be a raging tiger to anyone who tries to hurt you. I promise.”
“Can you purr?” one of the little girls asks.
He smiles. “Tigers can’t purr; we chuff.” He lifts his head and makes the sound, the little girl smiling in delight. “I only make that sound for my friends, though. Are you guys my friends?”
Nearly all the kids nod, at least a little.
“Want to hear it again?”
More nods.
Smiling, he does it again, and the little girl who’d asked if he could purr steps closer. “How do you do that?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. Here.” He lifts his head and touches his throat. She puts her hand there and he chuffs again, making her giggle.
“Can you roar?” she asks.
“Ohh, I can roar, but I won’t do that in here.”
“Why not?”
“For starters, it sounds scary, and I don’t want to scare my friends.” His smile fades. “We’re not talking about this tonight, not until everyone’s here. But we’ll have a safety plan. If you do hear me roar, it means everyone needs to follow the plan immediately. Okay?”
She nods.
“But I’ll promise you something.”
“What?” she asks.
“As long as everything stays safe, before you go to your new home, before you leave, when we’re outside, I’ll roar good-bye for you. How’s that?”
Her smile widens and she nods. “Okay! I’m Maggie.”
He holds out his hand and shakes with her. “Well hello, Maggie. It’s nice to meet you, sweetie.”
I hear a soft sniffle from behind me and see Alizée wiping her eyes. “Okay, let’s show you around,” she says, taking over. “Follow me.”
Pops gives Chaz a head-tip in respect before he and Dad follow the group.
One of the female familiars falls back, and I can tell she wants to speak to us.
She wipes tears away. “Thank you,” she whispers to me and Chaz, and she leans in and hugs us both.
“She hasn’t spoken since…” She draws in a ragged breath.
“That’s literally the first thing she’s said.
” She hurries to catch up with the others.
Chaz blows out a long breath. “Well, shit,” he says so softly I’m certain they can’t hear. “Now I wanna go help you rip those fuckers’ heads off.”
I tip my head toward the door. We head outside, toward the large canopy tent that is our temporary staging area for the sentries. A large pre-fab shed about the size of a garage is on order and will be assembled when it arrives in a day or two.
“I feel like a real fucking shit now,” Chaz grumbles. “For hesitating to help. I promise if anyone in our pack so much as breathes a hint of resentment over this, I will clean their fucking clock, so help me I will.”
“That’s admirable,” I say, “but people are entitled to their opinions. Not saying their opinions are right, or that I agree with them, but we’re not the thought police.
I don’t care what they think as long as they stay out of the way and don’t impede operations or put the refugees in jeopardy.
If they come around, great. If not? Well, then we know things about them we wish we didn’t. ”
Chaz nods. “Can we figure out a way to let the kids swim in the pool and use the playground? Maybe set up a temporary perimeter fence or something?”
“I’m not opposed, but that’s not my priority. Talk to Alizée and get her opinion. Once they’re all safely here, then we can discuss what’s next. Coordinate it with her and take action as she dictates. Pack will cover it.”
He pulls out his phone and makes a note. When he finishes, he slides it back in his pocket. He’s wearing a sidearm—as are all the sentries—and all sentries on duty will also carry long guns, now that the first group is here.
“Jax, when I think what those poor kids have suffered, it makes me want to kill Sterling myself.”
“Get in line, Chaz. It’s a long one.”