Chapter 45
“T hey just touched down ,” Emerson said to Easton and Finn as he walked into the study they were using as headquarters. “And they have a matron in tow.”
“Of her own free will?” Jack asked from the far wall.
“Apparently, and they have news.”
In the two days Petra and Carter had been away, they had been busy.
They had met with the others that had been there and helped, brought them to the family tree room, and tested everyone, including the captive females.
Three of the men there were from one of the thirteen families, and oddly one was Damon.
Finn had offered each of them their own teams, as they had been learning more from Kildare, and the more worshipping on a larger scale, balanced, would bring more abundance from He Who Sleeps to all.
All three of the men had asked to create one team, and brought in two more men, so they were a five-person team.
Emerson had worried it wouldn’t be enough, but Kildare had told them that only they needed to be seven.
Other teams, if any would be what worked for them.
Kildare had also counseled each of the single practioners and duos to find their own devotions, or wives, in women that understood their. ..needs.
There was so much they didn’t know. Single practioners were more plentiful, though only those that worshiped with a female of the blood were heard.
Duos were even more plentiful, and Kildare had been suggesting they look toward the women that were left in the world that belonged to Him, so that they would bring more to the cause.
But the biggest thing, the fact that they were close to Armageddon.
Why? Because what the council of Elders had been doing was starving Him, and He was both agitated and angry.
He was close to the point of surfacing, and it was only Petra’s acceptance as a devotion that had staved that off.
When Jack had asked why the council would do that, Kildare had said something very ominous.
“Because they wanted it to end. If they couldn’t be all powerful, they would murder the world for their ambition, and clearly, He wouldn’t be a pawn. She, your devotion, our new high priestess, was his ace in the hole. He would never want to ruin the world that gave him Gaia.”
“Are they on the way in?”
Emerson nodded to Jack. “She’s freshening up, and Carter is seeing Brutus.”
"We should order her some tea," Easton said absently. "She usually has one around this time. It might help reset her body clock."
"That's really thoughtful of you, brother." Finn squeezed his shoulder, still hesitant at the previously unwelcome form of contact, but Easton leaned into it.
"I'll go," Leo said. He hadn't been doing anything important anyway.
Emerson nodded and dropped two books the Kildare had handed him. “Found the rule books. Kildare had them in his quarters holding up a table.”
"Of course he did," Finn chuckled ruefully. "Did you get a chance to page through them or is that a now job?"
“I did.” He smirked. “It’s fucking nuts what we don’t do. What rites we are missing, the ones that are dual rites.”
"Well, I guess the good news is that the women seem to be on board with going back to the old ways," Finn said with a tired smile. He'd barely slept for days, but they were close to hammering it all out. They were all looking forward to going home and sleeping for a week.
"Carter said something about the main women's compounds being in Idaho," Easton said.
"I think that confirms it's a good idea to move HQ to the US.
We're there and the ladies are there. Makes sense to have the governing council there.
Did you ask the priests about setting up a chapter house in the US? "
"Not yet." Finn rubbed his eyes. "I wanted to speak to this matron they've brought back first. There's no point organizing us and the priests if the women want to resettle here."
“This is the original temple,” Jack said thoughtfully. “So they might. Either way I don’t think Kildare is moving.”
“Hey...” they heard as Petra walked into the room. “Miss me?”
"Like you wouldn't believe." Easton was the first one into her arms and the others all shared a soft smile. It was so good to see him breaking out of his shell.
"I made you tea," Leo announced, returning to the room with a large tray and dropping a kiss on her cheek as he passed. "We hoped it might help the jetlag."
“What’s going to help the jetlag is a cuddle.” She giggled and snuggled into Easton. He let her go, and Jack went to her, hugging her.
“Missed you, baby cakes.” He winked.
Emerson watched her go to each of them, himself, which he kissed her and grabbed her ass, and then to Finn who she wrapped herself around.
“You look awful, my love,” she said softly. “You and me, nap later?”
"There's so much to do," he sighed. "But sure. If we have time. I could do with some sleep."
“I’ma make sure you have time, love.” She kissed his cheek. “You are no good to anyone dead on your feet.”
“So what did you learn?” Jack said as she detangled from Finn and went to Easton and hugged him again. It was clear she missed him very much, and she was receptive to things progressing with him.
“Wait ‘til Carter gets here...let’s talk about what you guys learned?” she asked.
"Emerson was just telling us about the books he found about all the rites we should have been doing over the last several decades," Finn said. "We were musing over the possibility of whether it would be a good idea to move headquarters to the US since we're there. Where's the matron?"
"With Kildare seeing the women. I suspect she will be in shortly to meet you all. She was enraptured with Carter."
"Who wouldn't be?" Leo smirked. "Wait until she meets the rest of us."
"Before she gets here, maybe you could tell us your impression of her," Finn said. "Does she seem legit? Are they happy we ousted the old Elders?"
She nodded. “She seems happy. I mean she’s resentful of what happened within the organization, especially the fact that they had to hide, but.
..” She shrugged. “She wants a return to both sides being together, and to bring the feminine together once more.” She grinned.
“And she told me something very special. Well, told us...me and Carter. And my friends are going to love it.”
“Well? Tell us?” Emerson asked.
“Not ‘til Carter is here.” She shook her finger at him. It was clear she was enjoying this.
"Tease," Leo accused, but he was grinning. "Where is that fucker anyway? How long does it take to say hello to a dog?"
“Brutus missed his daddy,” she said as Carter walked in with the aforementioned dog at his side. Smiling at the massive dog, she went to him and snuggled him. “Hello, Mr. Man,” she said softly and then took Carter’s hand. “They are pouting I wouldn’t tell them stuff without you.”
"You could have done," he said with a smile. "It's not like I haven't heard it already. The matron isn't here yet?"
"Apparently she's with Kildare," Finn told him, clapping him on the back. "It's good to see you, brother."
"Likewise." Carter settled into a chair. "You look like shit. Aren't they letting you get any sleep around here?"
"You two could give anyone a complex," Finn sighed, shaking his head. "Maybe if little miss secretive here would just tell us what she knows, I might actually get a chance to have some sleep today."
“Napping with me,” she said proudly. “We haven’t really done that, have we?” she said to Finn. “But I suppose I could tell you,” she grinned. “Not only am I Order...I’m super special,” she teased.
“Spill it, sexy,” Emerson said. “Don’t be stingy or someone is going to spank you.”
“Really not a deterrent,” she said. “So, I, along with the rest of the girls in my house, are direct descendants to Estra, Gaia’s sister, which you know from the temple.
But what you don’t know, and get this, Estra’s line was never intermingled with other Order families.
The women were their own thing, because they only gave birth to women. ”
“And now?” Emerson asked. “If we were to knock you up...just girls?”
She shook her head. “Matron Elise told me that our line was meant to be pure, like a failsafe. If we have kids, they will be the reemergence.” She giggled. “So if you guys knock me up, I can and will have boys, each the head of their own line of seven of the original thirteen.”
"And what about the others?" Easton asked while everyone else was still mulling over the issue of kids. "Order brothers have been single for as long as I've been part of The Order. Are they open to the idea of wives and devotions?"
“Yes, actually. Elise came to my house after my matron, Verna, passed. But she’s from Idaho, and that house has long been hoping for a return.” She looked to them. “Also, Idaho is where the mothers went. And the sisters.” She looked to Finn. “Your sister is there.”
"I was going to visit anyway when we get back, but that's a nice bonus reason," he said with a grin. "Thanks for asking about her."
“Some of the mothers are there, too. Some didn’t make it, but...” She looked to Leo. “Your mom is still there.”
"What?" Leo had gone pale. "I thought they sacrificed them? They told me she was dead."
Crossing the room, she took his hands in hers.
“I asked Elise about that. She said your father, and the other fathers... they sent them to Idaho, and that they perpetuated the lie that they were dead to protect them, and you. She’s alive, and a matron in Idaho.
Elise said she’s always been sad she lost you but.
..now you can reconnect? Talk about your dad? ” she said hopefully.
"Are any of the others there?" Easton asked curiously. "I know mine's dead, but it would be nice for the rest of you guys to have some family."
“Not that I know of personally. Elise mentioned some of them passed due to complications but we can find out. Only reason we knew about Leo was I mentioned his name and she said his mother had photos of ‘her Leo’ in her rooms.”