Chapter 10

 

I found my way to the kitchen to see Mitz already there.

“Oh, love, you look so much better today.” She smiled and patted one of the stools by the counter. “I’m afraid you’re up before anyone else, but you can keep me company while I get things under way here.”

I went over and sat on the stool, holding my pack in my lap and watched her make a tea. “Do you do all the cooking by yourself?” That was a lot of cooking. She fed a lot of very big people.

She gave me one of those smiles that just made you feel special. “No, love,” she pointed to a door on the other side of the room, “there’s another much larger kitchen through there… this is the royal family’s kitchen.” She winked. “I cheat more often then not by having them whip things up then bring them through.” Coming over to me she set a steaming cup in front of me.

I leaned down and sniffed it. It was the tea mix I liked. “Thank you.”

She nodded and went over and to the fridge and pulled out some eggs. “How are you feeling?” Glancing my way, she opened the top of the fridge to get something out. “It broke my heart yesterday seeing you go through that.” She closed it and set something on the counter, a very stern look on her face. “I have a mind to go stab the man responsible.”

With my eyes wide, I wondered if she would. I sensed no violence coming from her. “I don’t think Victor would let you.”

Smiling, Mitz shook her head. “From what I hear, the boys had a hard time keeping him from doing it himself.”

I nodded. “He wasn’t happy that I didn’t think it was right to punish him.” I sipped the tea. It was perfect. “I told him he was the justice, not the punisher.”

She stopped what she was doing and gave me a funny look. “I’m glad you spoke your mind.” She shook her head. “He’s a bit headstrong and always taken on the responsibility for his siblings’ well-being onto his shoulders.” She made a strange little tsking noise, “a man can only take on so much.” Nodding her head, she kept going. “You are good for him.”

I tried to process what she said, but some of it made no sense to me. “I would like to be good for him, but he says I am bad for his ego.”

Mitz stopped what she was doing and laughed. “Then that confirms it, you are just what he needs.”

I didn’t know how being bad for him was just what he needed, but I didn’t want to argue with her, she was very nice to me and I felt love every time she was near. So, I just sat here and drank my tea.

~

The breakfast with all of them was an experience I had so many feelings about, I wasn’t sure where to start sorting through them. I had been afraid there would be awkwardness as they had all started coming in. I mean, I wasn’t at my best when most of them saw me the day before. But there was no sense of tense emotions coming from any of them. Victor was the last to arrive, and he smiled at me with one of his funny little nods that I liked, but didn’t stop to speak to me because Mitz had come in right behind him, telling them all to stop hovering about and sit. I found it amusing as they listened to her immediately.

No one seemed bothered that I sat closer to the empty end of the table either, which I was thankful for. I felt a connection to all of them, they were compassionate people, but I still wasn’t ready to be surrounded by them.

The food, so much food, again. I didn’t want to seem rude or unappreciative, so I took a little of several things to try. I noticed many things while I sat quietly and observed. I knew nothing of what they were talking about, maps, locations, it was all very busy sounding, but I saw the bonds between them. They finished each other’s sentences and seemed to be able to have several conversations at once without losing track. It was all very fascinating. I also noticed how they looked to Victor more often than anyone else, for an answer or response. What Mitz had said made more sense to me now.

Rafael looked down and winked as he reached for something in front of him. Troy cuffed him in the head and then leaned in close to say something. I don’t know what it was, but Raf looked to Victor then sat up straighter, with a strange look on his face.

I had always thought it would take violent emotion to hit someone, but since I had met these wonderful people I had noticed quite often they smacked one another in a way that held affection, not ill intent. I was learning so much.

I realized someone was speaking louder and climbed out of my thoughts to focus.

“Victor, did you stay up all night or something?” Michael asked him. “Your answers are so vague today, it’s not helpful.”

Leone nodded. “You didn’t spend all night in the cells, did you?”

Victor picked up his cup and took a sip, his eyes flicking to them briefly. “I did not. I went to check on them briefly and that was all.”

“Are you alright?” Daxx asked, a look of concern on her face.

I didn’t know why they were all so worried, so I watched him for a few moments. His eyes connected with mine more then once as he tried to assure them he was in fact well. Frowning, I focused hard and felt around inside my head, or that’s how I thought of it when I was trying to see. It took me a few moments and then I found it. A barrier so hard it may as well have been made of steel. Inside my head. I looked back at Victor. He was draining himself to help me. I had been so preoccupied with everyone and so much motion around me that I hadn’t noticed the flashes were but a slow trickle inside my head.

Pushing back, I got up and started walking to the end of the table where he sat. “You need to stop.” I told him softly, he would know. The others paused, but I had to push past being watched and get him to understand.

“I’m am fine.” He told me in his stiff Victor tone as he set his cup down.

Shaking my head, I leaned down so our faces were close together. “And I’m okay.” Finally, understanding how he felt when I told him that, even when I wasn’t. He lips quirked like he wanted to smile, but didn’t. “You are using too much energy to help me, and you need it more than I need the help.” I straightened up and nodded at him, feeling I had made my point and he would stop now.

Clearing his throat, he placed his hands on the table and pushed his chair back so he could stand. I didn’t have to see his aura to know he didn’t understand at all. “You need the rest.” He motioned to where I had been sitting. “You’ve actually sat still for the entire meal thus far.”

I glared at him and stepped closer. “I sat still because I’ve been observing.” I motioned to his siblings, not feeling brave enough to look and see all their eyes on me. “The love and connection is unlike I have ever seen.” I nodded once. “And I’ve seen much.” His eyes softened some, but he still had that immovable air around him. “You need to let it go. Stop using too much for me. What you do is more important than too many flashes in my head.”

His jaw muscles flexed. “It is not.” He said in a low tone.

“I can see your justice aura filling the space around you, but you need to listen to me” I wanted to stomp my foot and wasn’t entirely sure why I did. “Everyone here looks to your council, seeks your thoughts on all matters. They respect your opinion and I won’t be responsible for getting in the way of that.” Why didn’t he understand what I was telling him?

He grasped my elbow with a firm but gentle hold and leaned his head down closer to mine. I didn’t give him time to try to change my mind. I poked him in the middle of his forehead a few times. “This head is meant for other things.” I tapped the same finger against the side of my head, “mine is meant to see.” Huffing out a breath, I searched his eyes, hoping he would hear me. “What if something happens I am supposed to see and you are holding it back so I can’t?”

Victor closed his eyes and clenched his jaw for a moment before his green eyes connected with mine. I could tell by the emotion in them he didn’t want to stop helping me, but he now understood. “If it becomes too much for you, you will tell me. I will not have you blacking out because it becomes so overwhelming you cannot cope.” His eyes were red now.

I nodded, and tried to keep my eyes from looking at his mouth where I knew he’d have fangs now, but I failed and stared at it. His lips quirked and then he sighed loud and stepped back from me.

“Go sit and finish your food. I will let go gradually so it’s not too much of a shock.” His eyes were green again and he looked annoyed, but not, at the same time.

“Okay.” I turned around and ran back to my chair and sat down. When I looked up from my plate, all eyes were on me. I felt my cheeks go red.

Victor looked around at them, a hard look on his face. “Do not stare at her.” He told them in a rough voice.

“I… right…” Rafael shook his head and looked away.

Michael looked at Leone, “I can’t…”

“Yeah.” Leone said and picked up his fork.

“I’ve never…” Troy stopped talking when Daxx swatted his arm.

“Everyone else saw that right? Arius asked.

Quinton nodded but didn’t speak.

“Did anyone by chance take a video of that?” Chase poked his own forehead and then looked at me and winked.

I didn’t know what any of that was about, but I picked up my own fork and looked down the table to the green eyes watching me. A warmth filled me and I don’t know how I could tell, but knew it was Victor using our blood connection to send it to me.

 

I didn’t want to go to the practice, I knew it was some sort of bonding habit they had, but the last time it hadn’t ended well. Daxx finally persuaded me that I needed to be there. She told me that together, they were going to help me learn how to protect myself.

The flashes were back, and I found they made me feel more normal. Which, I knew I was so not normal it was pure silliness, but I agreed to go. With the return of my seeing came the energy and drive that made me keep moving. I hated being frightened all the time, so hopefully training could help with that.

Victor seemed to be keeping his distance from me now, but his looks and the small waves of warm emotions he sent me were enough to reassure me that he wasn’t upset. It took me several minutes of thinking to realize it may be until we talked about the book with leaves on it, what he needed to do. I accepted his decision to avoid our being close.

I glanced back at Quinton and shook my head. He’d had me try several poles of different sizes to swing around, to see if any of them felt right. None of them felt right at all, and unless someone screamed in my face and startled me into me jumping and accidentally hitting them, these were not the weapon for me.

Rafael said everyone had a weapon that would feel right. Just the word, weapon, felt wrong to me.

Chase had been leaning against the end of the wall of lethal, violent weapons watching me. With a grin, he came over and watched me put the last pole back. “I think you need something compact and easy to hide.”

I looked at him. Those were two words I could understand completely. I glanced at the items on their wall and shook my head. “Nothing here is small.” I looked up at him, then around at the others that were sparring. “I think they were all designed for big people.”

He chuckled. “If you find something that feels right, we will have it made in your size.”

I looked back at the wall. “I don’t do violence very well.” Shrugging, I looked down at my little black gloves and picked at one. “I’m sorry.”

Chase stood right beside me now. “Never feel sorry for that.” He motioned to the other end, the end where the weapons were not wooden. I followed him. “I think any weapon for you should be only used in a situation to save your, or another’s life.”

Nodding, I agreed. “I’m not very brave.” I told him.

He snorted. “You are and don’t even know it, cutie.” With a jerk of his head toward Victor he smirked. “No one stands up to Victor. You did, without breaking a sweat.”

Turning around I looked to watch Victor was sparring with Leone. He looked so graceful, and sure of himself in the way he moved. “I needed him to stop.” I said quietly.

“Yeah, I caught that, and I’m still a little shocked he did.” Shaking his head, he looked back to the wall of metal and pointed to some small knives. “What about something small you can hide, and only use if absolutely necessary.” He shrugged. “We can work on some evasive moves as well, so you can get out of any situation.”

“If she’s in a situation that dire, people will have to die.”

I jumped to hear Victor right behind me. I turned to see him giving his brother a hard look.

“I don’t like feeling frightened all the time, Victor.” I told him and waited until he looked down at me. “I want to learn.” I bit my lip. “Just…I may not be good at it.”

His big chest expanded as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Chase will help you with moves, as he did with Daxx.” His eyes moved up and down me slowly, almost in a caress. “Your size allows you more freedom than that of a larger opponent.” He glanced to Chase, then back to me. “Chase is a better instructor in that than I am.” He nodded toward the knives in front of us. “I can show you how to use the blade, if you wish.”

I looked at the knives and swallowed. I didn’t know if I could ever use one against another person, but I wanted to try to learn. Running away didn’t always work. I had the scar on my back now that confirmed that. Releasing a breath, I didn’t know I held, I nodded and looked up at him. “Okay.” I noticed Leone stood there quietly. He looked scared, the air around him was filled with fear. Moving toward him slowly, I hugged my pack. I tried to focus, there was more around him, I wondered if he knew. “I think everyone has a strength and weakness.” I told him. I didn’t know how I knew he needed to hear that, I just did.

His brown eyes studied me, his body tense.

I smiled, in that soft way that everyone did to make me feel better. “My weakness is cookies,” I nodded, “and, I think, fangs.”

I heard Chase laughed from behind me.

He looked at me for several seconds, something going through his head. Leone, glanced over my head to his brother. “I think all of us would feel better if you learned how to rappel.”

Victor moved up beside him. “Isn’t that encouraging her to climb more?” He rubbed the back of his neck.

I looked from one to the other. “What is rappelling?”

Chase came over and held out his phone. I looked at the video of someone using a rope of some kind to run down the side of a building. My mouth dropped open, I turned to look at Leone, feeling very excited. “Can you teach me to do that?”

He looked over at the video playing on Chase’s phone. “Not quite like that but I can show you how to descend a building, or whatever, quickly and safely.”

I turned and looked at Victor. “I want to rappel.” I nodded.

He sighed loudly. “Of course, you do.” He looked at Leone. “Get her a retractable cable unit and make sure she knows how to use it.” He glanced over at the ropes hanging from the beam. “And how to use ropes.”

Leone nodded. “As well as she does walking.” He turned around and went over to spar with Quinton.

Chase tucked his phone in his pocket and gave me an odd look. “Did he just consent to teach a human girl how to rappel?”

“I think he did.” Victor said quietly while looking at me. “Make sure someone volunteers to be on hand in case he can’t cope with it.”

“Will do.”

I frowned, not understanding.

Victor looked at my hair, with the assorted clips in it again, then back to my face with an amused smile. “I have to go tend to some matters, but later I have something I need to show you.”

I realized I was watching his mouth again and gave my head a little shake before looking back up at him. “Very well.” I told him in a stiff manner and inclined my head like he did.

He chuckled and lifted my chin so I had to look at him. “The visions are under control?”

I nodded, which felt funny with his hand holding my chin up. “Yes. All is normal in there.” I grinned. “Well, my version of normal.”

“Mmm, good.” He released my chin. “Try not to find trouble. I’m not up to any grey hair moments.”

I looked at his hair, still not seeing any that weren’t red. Then I heard Chase laughing behind me.

“Go Victor, or I will never get this lesson started or get to sleep this day.”

I kept forgetting that Chase’s day was our night. I must ask if they have a clock that tells both, it would make things simpler in my mind if I could see it.

“Not a scratch on her, brother.” Victor said then turned to walk away.

“No worries, brother justice. I like breathing too much.” Chase answered and then motioned for me to go out onto the mat with him.

~

After Chase’s instruction, I found myself quite hungry again, so I wandered to the kitchen. I knew I had cookies in my pack, but I wanted to save those in case I needed them later. Chase had shown me so much, and I had to admit, it wasn’t violent or scary. I found learning the flips and evasive moves was fun.

Daxx was in the kitchen with Mitz when I walked in. I smiled at both of them. “I’m a little hungry.”

Laughing Daxx patted the stool beside her. “That was some workout you had today.”

I nodded and set my pack on the floor beside me. “It was fun.” I grinned, “I don’t think throwing knives is going to be my thing though, Chase agrees.”

Mitz gave me a strange look and Daxx laughed again.

“Her throw is a little wild yet.” She covered her mouth and then laughed quietly again. “The guys almost got hit a few times.”

I nodded, still upset by that. “I didn’t feel good about that, even though Chase told me they’d heal so no ‘biggie’.” I frowned. “I’m not sure what a biggie is.”

Both Mitz and Daxx laughed. I sat there and watched them, smiling myself. I couldn’t remember laughing and smiling this much before.

“I’ll make you a sandwich, love, how does that sound.”

“Fantastic, thank you.” I told her and then looked back to Daxx. “Leone is going to teach me how to rappel.”

“Really?” She had a strange look on her face.

“Leone is?” Mitz asked me, a serious look on her face.

I nodded. “I’m still not sure why he’s afraid of me, but he said he would.” I watched Mitz put some meat on the bread. “Victor asked Chase to have someone volunteer to be on hand in case he can’t cope.” I frowned. “Cope with what, Daxx?”

She cleared her throat, not smiling now. “Leone had an addiction years ago…” she glanced briefly to Mitz before continuing, “to human essence.”

I understood. “Oh, so I’m probably like the favorite cookie he can’t have.”

Mitz chuckled. “Exactly that, love.” She set the plate in front of me. “You are so refreshing to have here.”

I peeked between the bread and nodded to Mitz. “Thank you.” I took a bite and chewed it slowly, it was good. “I asked Victor if he could feed off me, but he said not yet.”

Daxx coughed. “Really?”

I took another bite and waited until I swallowed it before answering her. “Yes. He won’t even kiss me again until after we talk…” I smiled when Mitz set down a glass of milk, “about the book with leaves on it.” I took a drink of the milk and noticed a look pass between the other women.

“He seems to be taking great care.” Mitz said, with that soft look she got.

Daxx snorted, “you mean unlike my initiation into this life?” She rolled her eyes and looked at me. “I was almost marked by the wrong twin, then accidentally marked by my mate.” She waved a hand around. “and no one was telling me anything.”

I looked at her arm. “Is the tattoo your mark?”

Mitz sat down beside Daxx. “It’s the mate’s tattoo, yes, love.”

“It just appears?” I shrugged, “I mean it’s not done like a regular tattoo?”

Daxx nodded. “Yeah, no needles and ink.”

I pulled her arm across the counter and looked at it. “That’s fascinating.” It was, to have a tattoo just appear, it was very cool. Releasing her arm, I picked up the other half of my sandwich. “Will you live longer now too?”

“That’s what they’re telling me.” She ran her hand lightly across the pattern on her skin.

I paused in eating and looked at her. “That is wonderful. To know you will always have someone and not be alone.” I put the sandwich down. So many. No, not many. One with many pieces. I had to focus and try to sort out to make sense of what I saw.

“Crissy?”

Blinking I looked at Daxx.

“Are you okay? Do you need anything?” She was standing beside me now.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t hear what you said.” They were still there, just flashes in pieces. So many of them, there was danger or was it evil? Many would think them the same thing but they weren’t. I looked back at Daxx. “So many pieces, I can’t catch them all right now.” I leaned down and picked up my pack. “My notebook.” I told her.

“Mitz have you seen Cristy? She not answering…” Victor walked in and stopped with his phone in his hand.

“Hi.” I smiled at him and tried stay focused and not get lost in my head.

“What’s wrong?” He walked over to me with long strides.

I tapped my head. “Just too many pieces right now.” I hugged my pack. “I will have to fit them together.” I wished I was on my roof top. The quiet there would help.

He held out his hand. “I was just trying to text you to tell you I had time to show you now. Come. It will help fit the pieces together.”

I didn’t know what he could possibly show me that would help. “It will?” I put my hand in his.

“Yes. I told you I would find you a high, quiet, safe place that was just your own in Alterealm, and I have.”

“Oh.” I smiled up at him. “You did?”

He nodded, his green eyes moving over my face. “Are you well enough to get there now?”

I paused for a moment to assess. “I’m okay.” I grinned. “Really, I am this time.”

“Very well.” He inclined his head to Daxx and Mitz. “Ladies.” And then gently pulled on my hand so I had no choice but to follow.

I glanced back to the two women to see both of them looking shocked, but pleased, at the same time. “I will see you later.” I told them, feeling excitement about where Victor was taking me.