CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
– KAREV –
Seeing Lea up and in the clubhouse smiling at Cassia who returns the smile?
It gives me a sense of pride. Especially since I know how her family treated her, and I’m pretty sure I only know a glimpse of what went on in that mansion.
A gasp draws our attention to the couch and then a woman’s face comes into view.
Zara? How on earth is that possible?
“Don’t touch her,” Lea snaps, and steps in front of Triton to face Levan, and with it rows and rows of fucking teeth herself.
“Levan,” I grit. “Brother or not, if you so much as fucking nip her you’ll be dust in the wind. You hear me?”
Both Levan and Lea act as if they don’t hear me.
It’s Lea who calmly states, “No one is going to hurt her, Levan. There’s no need to be jealous of a club brother while Triton’s intention was to help.
Besides, you know damn well if it wasn’t for Triton, she wouldn’t be here right now.
So, take a breath and shift back so you can use actual freaking words.
Besides, how are you balancing half a shark on those two legs? That just doesn’t look right.”
Levan stumbles back and with it shifts back to his human form.
“What’s different about her?” Lea asks. “Because the jealousy I get off you is different. Your reaction is more obsessive, more...holy shit she’s your fated mate.”
Fucking hell, for real? Levan gives a tight nod. The expressions of the others in the room lets me know they didn’t see this coming either.
“How is that even possible?” Cassia whispers as Zara sags back against the couch.
Levan pulls his shoulders up, and it’s Triton who states, “Makes sense. His attraction to her would have indicated she would have been related to your mate. Meaning her sister would have been your fated mate.”
“She was an only child, and her parents aren’t alive anymore,” Cassia croaks.
Triton snaps his fingers. “Which is why Levan would have never had his fated mate...until now. Fucking hell, she must have regenerated with a unique DNA. Something similar to when babies are conceived by the same parents; every time a sibling is born the DNA is shuffled into a brand new set.”
“Are you saying she’s a fucking newborn? Some fucking twisted twin of Zara or something?” Levan grits.
Triton winces. “No...well, I don’t know. She clearly regenerated into her adult self, but I’m not sure if she still has all her memories. Especially since she’s now your fated mate. We’ll know more once she’s fully recovered. What she needs now is a lot of rest to get her energy back up.”
I stride to Levan and grab his shoulder.
“I think it’s best you take her to her own place and stay with her.
With everything going on and Zara getting in the middle of it the last time?
Especially with her now being your fated mate and all?
Take her home and stay there. We’ll let you know once everything is handled. ”
“VP is right,” Sevrin states and comes to a stop next to me.
Levan nods, scoops Zara into his arms, grabs the keys to one of our SUVs and strides out of the clubhouse.
“She should have stayed here,” Cassia grumbles.
Her son fusses on her hip and to my surprise he holds his tiny hands out for my old lady. Lea simply takes him from Cassia and the room falls silent as we watch those two play with a fire dome created by my woman while the kid pops through it with water.
Cassia shrugs and waves her hand in the direction of my woman. “Oh, yeah...we found a great babysitter they actually like.”
“It’s a fucking miracle,” Sevrin grunts and pulls me into a damn hug. “Thanks, brother, for claiming that one.”
I shove the fucker away. “You’re only happy to have someone brave enough to watch your two-in-one spawn. Don’t think we’ll babysit every damn night.”
Sevrin gives me a serious look when he rumbles, “We’ll return the favor once you two have one of your own.”
My gaze lands on Lea again. Watching her entertain the little one with a smile on her face makes my chest tighten.
A deep longing erupts inside me and the seed Sevrin just planted inside my head has taken root.
I want my old lady’s belly round with our child.
Children. A whole damn litter. Yeah, that sounds perfect. Soon. Very fucking soon.
Which is why I grunt, “Fine.”
Sevrin grins while Triton asks me, “Did you still have it?”
My mind is drawn back to the issue at hand and I nod at Triton’s question. Reaching into the pocket of my denim cut, I pull out a small box and hand it to him. Triton takes it from me and rushes into church.
I wander over to where Lea is standing and lean in to brush my lips against hers.
The kiss is swift due to a little fucker yanking my ear.
A low growl rumbles through my chest as I turn to glare at the kid.
The little shit grins and I flip him off, making sure to let red flames dance from the tip of my finger.
The kid makes a fist and quickly spreads his fingers, making a stream of water hit my hand. The giggle that follows makes me grin, even brighter when Lea’s chuckle reaches my ear.
“You guys have some more fun while we head into church,” I tell Lea and stalk away.
Sevrin follows me, and it’s just the three of us when I close the door behind me. Sevrin and I stay silent when Triton takes the items from the box.
“Smart thinking, brother,” Triton muses. “Taking a piece of hair and some blood.”
I release a deep sigh. “I knew they would get lost in the world over the years. This was the only way I could guarantee to have a way to track them.”
Triton tilts his head. “Them? As in the half-sister you mentioned to your mate?”
Fuck. A slip of the tongue. Releasing another sigh, I figure I might as well let him know.
“Yes. My father knocked up a maid and created bastard lower-level children. Drexel almost killed Floraline, or Lina as Heart calls her, inside the womb when they were born. She lost her powers but held onto her life, making her human.”
“Hold up just a fucking minute. Heart as in the vice president of the Nowalk chapter?” Triton asks with a stunned expression on his face. “You mentioned some stuff when we locked your old lady in your room the other day...damn, really?”
I nod. “The very one. I made him claim her after I sensed the reaction to one another between them. As far as humans go? I’d say they are meant to be.”
Triton places his knuckles on the table in front of him and leans in.
“Thanks for letting me know because this drastically changes things. It also makes sense for Drexel to try and behead Calvania instead of incinerating him. Fuck. He might have had the help of a witch, but that must have screwed with things as well.”
“Screwed up things how?” Sevrin asks.
“Hang on, let me find out if the one we’re after truly is VP’s half-brother, then I’ll explain.” Triton gathers the stuff I gave him and spreads them out on the table in front of him.
His hands move over the items and fine red lines of electricity shoot from his fingers to touch the items. Closing his eyes, he tilts his head back and hums while his magic intensifies.
Triton’s fingers curl into fists and his head snaps back to look me straight in the eye when he says, “Drexel is your murderous half-brother who should have been classified a nut-job the day he was born. Lower level or not, I’m pretty sure the fucker sucks on the souls of those he kills, or tries to.
It started with his half-sister and who knows what happened with that fucker growing up.
We do know the recent one he sucked on was Calvania.
You, Karev, of all people should know your history.
The Cerberus, the legendary hellhounds, symbols of the underworld, guardians, whatever they were called have a reputation and some pretty badass legends.
Reading about it earlier made me aware of a legend involving a lower-level hellhound gaining power and strength by sucking the souls of other supernaturals.
I need to check the books again to get more details.
Anyway, he made a mistake, though. The witch he asked for help must have unintentionally created a barrier which prevented the power transfer between Drexel and Calvania.
” He gives me a satisfied grin. “I took some of the blood from the parking lot that Drexel unwillingly left behind when Levan bit one of his heads off. Which, by the way will grow back. This also leads me to the crucial thing you know about, being a hellhound and all. If we want to kill Drexel?”
I cut him off by finishing his rambling with, “We’d have to cut off his head if he’s in his human form. I have to incinerate him myself, or we need a weapon forged by an angelic power. Which are fucking hard to come by.”
Silence fills the room as we all process the fucked-up details.