Chapter Three #2
“She doesn’t. She’s a mage. No powered alphas for her as far as we know. Iris’s guys were busy, so we haven’t been able to ask them about it. I will call her lawyer and see if he knows how to find her.”
“Again, I am so sorry that I dropped the ball on this.”
“No problem. You offer an amazing home and a sense of safety. You thought she needed help rebuilding confidence. She’s made of confidence; she’s just been beaten every time she lets it show.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. She is designed to fall between the cracks, I think, but now that you know she has, let’s try and support her.”
“If she speaks to me again. I was a bit of a hard ass right out of the gate.”
“Right. I am going to make that call.”
“Please tell me if you find her.”
“I will. How far could she have gotten?”
* * * *
Em sighed and walked down the green lane, making sure to face traffic. If they had sidewalks, this would be easier.
It was close to three in the morning when a car drove toward her and parked. Samsor got out of his vehicle and walked around to her. “Em, I am here to take you somewhere warm and safe and dry.”
She looked at him and nodded. “Okay.”
He took her hand and looked at her. “No bags?”
“No. We didn’t get that far. I had to get in and get to work, apparently.”
Samsor froze. “What?”
“Emma wanted me to jump back into normal activities. I don’t think she got the damage briefing.”
He held the door open for her and made sure she was buckled up before he closed the door and walked around. He said, “I just have to send a note to Duran.”
She saw the line and snorted. I’ve got her was succinct.
“Why were you coming this way?”
He circled and headed back the way he had come.
She shrugged. “I saw it, so it seemed like a good idea. Did you plant the image in my head?”
“I am not really good at that sort of thing, but Echel is.”
“Oh. Right. I guess I need to get a message to Mateo tomorrow. He won’t worry, but he’s an in-the-loop kind of guy.”
“Why won’t he worry?”
“Um, he never has?”
He pulled into a long drive, and she started laughing.
“What is funny?”
She pointed to the long stone fence on the right side. “That’s Mateo’s house. Too funny, and laughing hurts.”
He smiled. “I didn’t think that your sibling was my neighbour. They are fairly quiet unless the babies are out.”
“I can’t believe Mateo is a dad. He has always been so standoffish. Owen was good with him, but I am happy they have family. They needed family.”
“They have it now.” Samsor smiled. “He’s paying for Duran’s time. He insisted. He said it’s the least he can do considering.”
Samsor pulled up in front of his house, and it wasn’t lit up, so she couldn’t see it in the darkness. “Why did you leave the safe house?”
She was silent for a while, and when she got out of the car, she mumbled, “It didn’t feel safe.”
He froze, and then his aura sparked and whirled happily. “You feel safe with me.”
“Oh, shut up, and find somewhere I can get a pizza.”
He opened the door, and lights began to flick on in the home. “Oh, smart house.”
He chuckled. “Yes. Didn’t you have dinner?”
“Nine hours ago. I have been walking for a while. I am impressed with my stamina, though. So, it’s either a pizza or a face plant into the floor.”
“I have some frozen.”
“Great. Bring it.”
He laughed and walked to the kitchen with her, helping her onto a high chair at the kitchen island and removing her soaked shoes. He frowned. “You are drenched.”
“Small storm two hours ago. The fleece is pretty warm.” He stood, and she grabbed his hand. “Pizza in oven. I will still be damp in a minute.”
He nodded. “Right.” He quickly peeled the plastic off a pizza and put it on a baking rack that fit precisely into a flat oven on the counter.
He set the timer on the machine, set another one on his phone, and walked around, picking her up. “Come on. Let’s get you dry.”
She hadn’t been carried since she was five, so she held onto his shoulders, nervous about being dropped.
He smiled and said, “I won’t drop you.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
She relaxed a little and was carried into a bedroom. It was obviously his because he sat her on a chest at the foot of his bed and walked to the closet. He snagged a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and some socks. “To the skin, please. I will put the suit in the laundry and get it dry for the morning.”
She grimaced. “Fine, but no peeking.”
He snorted. “I will get you a towel and stay in there until you say you are good.”
Em nodded. “Right. I will get to it.”
He turned his back, and she peeled off her socks and sweats in one move then her sweatshirt. Next, she tackled her underwear and then the black shirt went over her, hanging nearly to her knees. The sweatshirt dropped into place next, and the socks were yanked on.
“It’s clear.”
He opened the bathroom door, and his eyes flared a little as he looked her over. He moved to kneel on the bed behind her and took out her ponytail, using a towel to dry her hair.
She sighed at the feeling of being warm and nearly dry. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
Em glanced up at him. “I am not a damsel in distress.”
“Of course not, my lady.” He smiled and finished drying her hair.
His phone chirped an alarm, and he picked her up again, carrying her back to the kitchen.
She huffed.
Samsor grinned. “Door-to-door service.”
She sighed. “So, when are the others going to show up?”
“Any minute now.”
“I don’t share my serving of food.”
“Pizza and a drink coming up.”
She managed to take down half the pepperoni pizza and two cans of soda. Samsor met her bite for bite.
She fidgeted. “I don’t know how to ask this...”
Samsor frowned. “Ask me anything.”
She went into her soggy purse. “Can you charge my phone? Emma told me that I had to go into a store and buy my own, but I barely have funds, and you didn’t give me a cable when you handed me the phone. So, it’s dead.” She lifted the flat, black phone. She shook it. “Come on, little buddy. Wake up.”
He gave her a bashful look. “I will charge it. I completely forgot.”
She nodded, and there was a knock on the door.
He kissed her cheek quickly and walked to answer the door. She remained on the chair, sipping at her soda.
Echel and Duran both came in, along with Mateo and one of his pack mates. She grimaced as Mateo and a man made of shadow whips walked toward her.
She hugged Mateo and nodded. “Hey.”
“Emhara, you have scared the hell out of me tonight.”
“The safe house wasn’t safe, and I hurt all over, so I walked to the place in my mind. This place. I didn’t know it was Samsor until he stopped and picked me up. I don’t know about his good sense picking up strange women on the side of the road.”
Samsor laughed. “You are welcome.”
She smiled at him, and his eyes looked warm, and his posture relaxed in that moment. Duran and Echel were looking at him and scowling.
Mateo looked at them and blinked. “Ah. I see.”
“What do you think you see?” She yawned and covered her face with her sleeve. “If it’s the clothing thing, I was caught in a downpour a few hours ago and had all the appeal of a soaked rat. Apparently, Samsor likes vermin.”
Mateo looked at her and cocked his head. “You look like you have the ferocity of a hamster.”
“Dude, I never want to hear you mentioning hamsters. Your hobbies are well known.”
He paused, and his cheeks darkened. “All of my hobbies are now restricted to exercising them within my pack.”
“Oh, I hope Persephone likes dangling from the ceiling.”
Mateo smacked a hand across his eyes. “If you weren’t my sister...”
Em looked at him. “You would do nothing because I would not consent.”
He jolted and inclined his head. “Just so.”
She beamed. “There we go. I didn’t meet shadow whips before.”
The man smiled with a quirk of his lips. “I am Thanatos. Persephone’s primary.”
“Why are you here?”
“Because she made me come.”
Em sighed. “Oh, the jokes.”
Thanatos paused and groaned. “I get it.” He paused. “I also have to ask you if you want a cat.”
“As soon as I have a place to live, I will go looking for one. Well, as soon as I have income. Don’t have that yet either.”
Mateo frowned. “What about your trust?”
“Ah. They stole it.”
“Does Dad know?”
“He stopped answering my calls when I was twelve.”
Mateo paused. “I didn’t know that.”
“Why would you? There is no reason for you to. I don’t follow any family lines, so there isn’t a reason for anyone to know anything.” She smiled softly. “Don’t worry about it.”
He cocked his head. “What do you see when you look at me?”
“The same big brother I remember from when I was eight, and Dad brought me over for a visit. Boy, your mom hated that. The travelling bastard.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “What happened when you returned home?”
“More travelling bastard jokes. More working to make sure Augusta always looked perfect.” She shrugged.
“Wait. When you were eight?”
“Sure. Idle hands, you know. I am definitely not one of the soft ones. I can take a hit and get back to work.”
“But... the hospital.”
“Four of them attacking me for over twenty minutes based on the footage I got from the camera in my room. It took three alphas and a psychotic omega to do that to me.”
He stared. “The entire pack?”
“Yup. Nearly stomped to death and left for dead. Boy, were they surprised when the cops and ambulance showed up.” She laughed softly.
Mateo stroked her hair, the same black silk as his. “I am sorry this happened to you.”
“This time. Everyone is sorry this time. The other hundred assaults, no one cares about because, this time, I got out of the house after they had locked me inside. This time, Augusta was covered in my blood. This time, there were too many first responders for her to subdue with her skillset.”
Mateo stared. “You planned it.”
“Despite my grim humour, I want to live, and to have that be possible, I had to get out.” She looked at the healing bruises on her hands. She slowly clenched them into fists. “I was running out of time.”
Em looked up. “But I made it, and they can’t get me back. I won’t go back.”
Mateo looked shaken by whatever was in her eyes. “I... think I need to get to know you better, little sister.”
She was tired when she looked at him. “Don’t hurt yourself.”
Mateo blinked. “I have woken up with my daughter and Persephone, not to mention the kittens.”
“Kittens?”
Ruefully, Thanatos said, “Persephone owns a cat rescue. We all have cats. Mine is named Rigor. Owen and Mateo have the twins, and Armand has Princess.”
Em chuckled. “And four babies in the house. It must be a riot.”
Mateo smiled. “It is, and it is very enjoyable. Seeing the future in front of you brings a certain joy.”
She smiled. “It sounds pleasant and energizing.”
“It can be.”
“Congratulations, older brother. You needed a grip on the future.”
Mateo asked, “What can I do for you?”
“Help my lawyer, and make sure that I have a chance on the future as well.”
He nodded. “May I tell Dad?”
“Your father won’t care. I am pretty sure that he’s relieved I have been out of the picture for over a decade.”
A low voice rumbled from the doorway, and a majestic tarantula to her view stood there with a silver-headed cane.
Mateo looked at her. “He said he wanted to help.”
She looked at him and narrowed her eyes. “You little snitch.”