Keeper of All

Prologue

Alexi

“What’s gotten you into such a tizzy?” Danik rumbled from the bathroom where he’d gone to wash his hands. A house full of children always resulted in something getting sticky.

“Todd, as per usual. He brought up the shifter records we haven’t been back to collect and the fact people are snooping into our business,” Alexi called back distractedly, trying to find the other matching shoe, bending to look under the bed.

“Why do the kids always have to move and hide stuff!” he exclaimed with little heat, because half the time he encouraged them.

Danik strolled out of the bathroom looking sexy in a black T-shirt and denim that hugged in all the right places.

“’Cause you love to encourage them to seek shit with their tentacles to learn how to pick up scents.

” Danik kissed the top of Alexi’s head; the grin he’d sported disappeared and his brows tugged together.

“Why is Todd bringing this up now. I thought we were basically letting sleeping dogs lie! I mean it is protected, and Kelvin said he scented someone was taking care of them by the same smell embedded into the files he brought home, which you agreed with at the time.” Danik shrugged powerful shoulders, and Alexi had to focus to not get distracted by his mate. It was hard.

“We figured there has to be a record keeper. How else would the files be in there? We just never discovered who—no that’s wrong, never wanted to discover who, like we were being made to not think about it.

” That made more sense, Alexi having a magic kraken within him, understood the power some magic held.

Alexi had felt Todd’s growing anxiety over the past few months.

Todd had four daughters, three of which were krakens.

Everyone thought the krakens were extinct.

Except, with everything that happened with the shifter council, this was no longer the case.

The discovery of the program to create killing machines by combining different species' DNA and using shifter children they kidnapped with no moral compass, brought a shit ton of awfulness to their door.

The fuckers were uncaring if those children lived or died, and it had brought light to the corruptness within the council.

They were there to protect the shifter population, not harm.

It was an exceedingly difficult time. After eliminating the corrupt council members, the hope was things would go back to normal with them returning to running their consultant business and becoming once more a mythical creature.

“So, you think magic has prevented us from going back to the records?” Danik came across worried and not just through his voice but through their shared bond.

Alexi reached with a tentacle for the shoe sitting in the center of the floor under their massive queen-sized bed, grinning as he got up and perched on the end of the mattress to put it on.

“I do after Todd pointed out how different he felt to six months ago. And when I thought about it, it jibed. He’s brought it up now because of the increasing number of people reaching out on the pretense of it being for business, but in reality, they are seeking information about the family.

We knew this could—would—happen, but now the children are getting bigger, the risks of people knowing about their talents are increasing daily. ”

“Fuck,” Danik groaned, plonking himself down next to Alexi with enough force that Alexi had to put a hand down to steady him or fall off the bed. “We were supposed to be better off, not fucking worse!”

Alexi tied his shoe, hating how upset Danik was, and silently agreed with him.

His bear was very protective of their children and of Alexi’s brothers' children. “We just need to decide what we do with the remaining records stored in the bunker we found. Our history will be there, we know that. Todd has scanned all the files we have here now and uploaded the information to his personal computer. He’s getting tetchy that though about the remaining records because though the place is masked with magic, he feels something is happening inside, and it will only be a matter of time before someone else discovers it. He wants the records brought here! I don’t think that’s a good idea at all, when it increases the risk of assholes coming into the compound. ”

Danik knocked Alexi’s shoulder. “Have you told Todd you don’t think that’s a good idea?”

Alexi groaned at attempting to have that conversation. “All he sees is important information. I see trouble coming our way.”

“And you believe Todd’s not just overreacting?”

Alexi had worked to hold back his fears about what it all meant.

He had already failed when Danik had picked up there was an issue, so he spoke his concerns aloud.

“Todd being the only omega in the family, his kraken is different, it’s more sensitive to things.

If his kraken is concerned, then yes, I’d say it’s not an overreaction at all. ”

Todd was a genius, especially with electronics.

The man could and did create anything with electronics, but his specialty was computers.

He made systems with phenomenal capabilities for missiles and satellites, for hacking the unhackable.

He could mine and store data at crazy speeds.

He sold many of his designs to military and governments all over the world.

But the personal one he used, yeah that was a beast that was as specular as his two dragon mates, it held centuries of information Todd had gathered.

Twisting until Danik was looking directly at Alexi, he placed a large hand on Alexi’s knee. “What are we going to do?”

The warmth and strength always centered Alexi whenever Danik touched him. He placed his hand over his mate's, squeezing. “I’ve thought about it, and I need to talk to Ben and then Beaumont.”

“Why Ben? He’s happy on his little island with Teilo and Nico scaring the natives with their wild throuple sex,” he joked, blushing brightly when Alexi caught the fleeting imagine of the one time they’d gone unannounced to the island to find all three men enjoying each other.

Alexi squeezed a little tighter. “Jealous?” He arched one dark brow, staring his mate down, resisting smiling at how he fidgeted.

“As if! You and your tentacles are no match to two dicks!”

Alexi choked out a laugh. “That told us.” His kraken was damn near preening at the compliment.

When he got himself under control, he explained.

“Ben’s brother, remember he is some form of expert in blowing shit up.

I need to check with Ben if the brother does contract work, then ring Beaumont to see if the council would commission the contract.

” Alexi picked up Danik’s next question and answered, “We can’t be seen to be involved in this.

I don’t want Todd or my brothers to know what I’m planning, as they’ll all want their say, and that complicates things.

We don’t want to draw any more attention to the Thalassa name than there already is. ”

“Agreed. But I’m not going to play piggy in the middle when it all kicks off because you didn’t tell your brothers what you’re planning.” Danik rose and dug in his pocket for his mobile and tossed it at Alexi when he nodded agreement. “No time like the present.”

Searching through Danik’s contacts, he hit call when he found Ben’s number, putting it on speaker phone. Three rings later the call was answered by Teilo. One of Ben’s two mates. “Hi Danik, everything okay?”

“It is, just need to ask Ben a quick question,” Danik quickly assured the disgruntled man.

Teilo and Nico were lab-created assassins, and they were used and abused for years.

When Ben found them, they were barely alive after scientists abandoned them in the place they’d held them captive.

They were used against each other to maintain their compliance.

This made them wary of others, and Teilo, though a true warrior, worried about losing the quiet space they’d created on the island Ben bought for his mates.

“Nico put Ben down, Danik wants a word with him,” Teilo shouted, the sounds of the pounding surf increasing.

Ben’s breathless voice could be heard in the background. “What do you want?” he gasped, then grunted in a way to suggest whatever Nico was doing he hadn’t stopped.

“Christ,” Alexi muttered, eyes rolling to the ceiling.

Danick chuckled and said loudly, “Does your brother still blow shit up and would he be open to the council approaching him?”

A few more grunts, then a whimper followed before Ben rasped, “Yes.”

The phone went dead a second later and both Alexi and Danik burst out laughing. “Do you think Teilo got distracted?”

“I’d say that would be a yes. Let’s ring Beaumont and see if we can get him to reach out to the brother.”

Alexi rang the council headquarters, after speaking to three different people, his frustration level grew.

Passed along again he rolled his eyes, when all he wanted was to speak to Beaumont, the head of the council, and a friend of him and his brothers.

Beaumont, it transpired was the mate of one of the assassins, Duron, who was part of the council’s diabolical program.

They had moved to the middle of a forest, miles from people.

Now Duron worked alongside Beaumont as the representative of the assassins, or as Marvin, the first boy stolen referred to them as “the lost boys.”

Marvin lived in the Thalassa compound with his mate Ajani and their son Mandla. Marvin was a special soul, and Alexi’s family claimed him as part of their family.

“—the delay,” Beaumont, an alligator shifter, rumbled.

Alexi stared at Danik looking to see what he’d missed when he’d zoned out. What did he say?

He was apologizing, Danik replied through their link grinning cheekily at Alexi’s lapse.

“No problem. I have a situation I need your help with—”

“Please tell me it’s nothing serious, I’ve just gotten through the last drama,” Beaumont grumbled. The weight of the responsibility obvious in the tired tone.

“It’s serious, in so much that folks are poking around trying to find information about my family.

I believe that the records we found in the huge underground shelter on all shifters dating back many centuries, should be bombed so no one can access that information and use it against shifters like us.

” He laid out what he wanted and who he believed would be able to discreetly carry this out.

They weren’t the only magical creatures believed to be extinct.

Kelvin’s actions at the shifter council meeting ensured that remaining anonymous was impossible despite the council’s promise of secrecy.

“I’ve met Mao Putney, sour-faced panther, but he’s an excellent ordnance specialist. I can reach out and see if he’ll be interested.

Ben, being the previous council lead will I’m sure have spoken about what was going on,” Beaumont stated sounding thoughtful.

“Leave it with me and I’ll get back to you after I’ve spoken to Mao. ”

“Great. Please don’t mention this to my brothers or their mates.”

Beaumont chuckled. “That’s your battle.”

Let’s hope not, his kraken grumbled.

“How is Duron?” Alexi asked, ignoring his kraken’s grumbling.

“He’s wonderful and takes no shit from the other council members, which makes the meetings very entertaining.” Booming laughter made the microphone crackle with its force.

Duron was a gorilla shifter, mainly, and wore a hard mask of indifference, and Alexi knew the man didn’t suffer fools. “I’m sure it’s very entertaining.”

They chatted for another few minutes catching up, before Alexi hung up just as his sons, Marin and Zale burst through the door on sturdy legs looking as mischievous as the child chasing them, Mandla. Mandla was a little slower than the twins being nearly a year younger.

“Gonna getcha,” Mandla said, hands covered in brown goo reaching for Marin as Zale climbed up Danik and clung on, making sure his legs weren’t dangling.

Seeing he was aiming for the bed, Alexi scooped up Mandla getting a sunny smile just like his dad’s Marvin. “Hold up there. What have you got on your hands?” he questioned doing his best to avoid the hands moving toward his cream shirt.

“Choc-choc.” He stuck his chubby hand toward Alexi’s mouth. “Yummy.”

“I bet it is, but not smeared all over Alexi,” Marvin said sounding exasperated and happy all at once as he ran into the room.

Reaching for Mandla and easily plucking him out of Alexi’s arms. Marvin rested him on his hip, while Mandla sucked one of the sticky fingers into his mouth.

I’ll happily lick the chocolate off you, Danik sent, giving Alexi a sly wink.

Later, you tease. “So, what mess have you made downstairs?” Alexi asked resignedly.