Chapter 19

After booting up his computer, Jackson glanced out the window at the early morning light before turning back to his screen. Opening his email program, he scanned the list of new arrivals, finally finding the one he’d hoped would be there. He clicked on it and, when it opened, studied the information Zane had sent him about Heath Morrison, Tristan’s mate. “Fucking perfect!”

Sticking his head in the open door, Logan asked, “What’s got you so excited this morning?”

Looking up at the sound of his twin’s voice, Jackson grinned. “What the hell are you doing up so early?”

“Uh-uh, I asked you first.” Sauntering in, Logan claimed a chair in front of his brother’s desk.

“So we’re pretending to be twelve-year-olds this morning?”

“Nope…it’s just you sounded happy, and now that Josiah’s out of the picture, I realized how much I missed that about you. Now tell me…what’s so ‘fucking perfect’ as you put it?”

“Heath Morrison…our cousin’s mate. His father is the top Alpha of all the English wolves and he would make an ideal ally for the Blackwood Pack, especially since we’re already allied with the Scottish wolves.”

Shrugging, Logan said, “Makes sense…but why are you looking for allies?”

“I’ll explain in a minute, but first, tell me why you’re here and not in bed with your mate. ”

“Kieran and I have to go to Scotland right away and I need your help in getting us there as quickly as possible.”

“Oo…okay,” Jackson said, chuckling and shaking his head. “Good try…but I’m not buying it.”

“No, it’s true. Kieran promised Brian and Reif he’d be there when their eggs were ready to hatch and it appears now’s the time.”

“Oh shit…you’re not kidding.”

“Nope…trust me. Kieran was nearly in tears thinking he wouldn’t get there in time to greet the new Nessies.”

“Nessies…I don’t know if the world can handle more Nessies,” Jackson muttered, frowning.

Surprised at Jackson’s reaction, Logan studied his twin before asking, “What’s going on? Does it have to do with you needing allies?”

Leaning back in his chair, Jackson paused for a moment before explaining about the incursion of humans and the threat they posed to the paranormal world. “Dylon’s done some research and it’s a bigger problem than I originally thought. Even with the help of Cain, it’s more than our pack can handle, even with all of our gifts. That’s why I’m looking for allies…packs I can trust to stand with us. Your trip to Scotland gives me the perfect opportunity to reach out to Heath’s father and get a feeling for what kind of man he is.”

“So you want me to see him while we’re there?”

“Yes…but I also want Kieran to be with you because he’ll know if there’s hatred in Morrison.”

“And if there is?”

“Then I’ll know I can’t trust Morrison or his son. ”

“Isn’t that being unfair to Heath? Our father had so much hate inside him, yet none of us did. Why would you think the relationship between Heath and his father would be any different than ours?”

“That might be the case, but if Kieran finds hate in the elder Morrison, then since he’s the head Alpha, I can’t risk trusting his son. There’s just too much at stake.”

“Right…got it. Our mission is simply to meet Alpha Morrison, shake hands, and find out if you can trust him,” Logan said. “We can do that, but can it wait until the Nessies are born?”

“Of course…no rush.”

“Good, it’ll give me time to ask Brian his opinion of the English Alpha. I’m sure he, at least, knows something about him.”

“Fucking excellent idea,” Jackson replied. “It might also be worth it to see if Angus has had any contact with Morrison.”

“I’ll do that, too, since I planned on getting his feedback on the plans Ian has approved for replacing the shacks his pack’s been living in. I was gonna email them to him for his comments, but presenting them in person will give me the chance to answer any questions or make changes on the spot. Ian wants them built before winter.”

“That’s ambitious…you’re sure it’s possible to do that?”

“Steel said he could.”

“What did I say I could do?” Steel asked as he appeared in the doorway of Jackson’s study .

“Build the houses in Scotland before winter,” Logan replied.

“Absolutely,” Steel said, heading for Jackson. Sitting in the chair reserved for him, he leaned over, giving his mate a kiss before turning to Logan. “Did Angus give his approval for my crew to start?”

“Not yet…I plan to get it while I’m in Scotland.”

Raising his eyebrows, Steel asked, “You have to go there just to get his okay?”

“No,” Jackson smiled. “Logan and Kieran are going because Brian and his mate’s eggs are about to hatch. And I need you to figure out how to get them there as fast as possible because Kieran promised to be there when the Nessies are born.”

Frowning slightly, Steel asked Logan, “How fast is fast?”

Shrugging, Logan replied, “Don’t know, but according to our spirit, it’s gonna happen soon.”

Shifting his gaze to Jackson, Steel murmured, “You need Remy or Mystia for this…going by plane will take too long.”

Sighing, Jackson said, “I better ask Remy to do it…Kieran doesn’t travel light.” Looking at his brother, he asked, “Can Kieran be ready in twenty minutes?”

“Uhm…better make it thirty…I have to make sure my mate has packed the appropriate clothes for a meeting with Alpha Morrison,” Logan replied, rising.

After his brother left, Jackson leaned over and whispered in his mate’s ear, “How’s that tight pucker of yours feeling? Ready for another round? ”

“Sore…but not enough to keep me from sinking my cock into you.”

Smirking, Jackson murmured, “Later, babe…now why are you here instead of making breakfast? Did the stove quit on you?”

“I found Dakota in the kitchen who told me he was saving my brother’s life.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Long story short…my brother was being an asshole, so Hope and Oracle had a ‘come to Jesus’ talk with him, and right now, I figure he’s on his knees in front of his…”

“Stop right there! I got the picture, unfortunately…something I really didn’t need.”

Laughing, Steel pulled Jackson onto his lap. “Aww…what if I make you forget…would you like that?”

Swatting at Steel’s arm around his waist, Jackson said, “You did that on purpose just so you could get back at me for this morning? May I remind you that it was your idea?”

“It was one of my better ideas, dontcha think?” Steel whispered before licking Jackson’s mating scar and chuckling softly when his mate began to shiver.

“I can’t hanky-panky you right now,” Jackson muttered, slipping out of his mate’s hold. “I have to wake Remy and I doubt Carson’s gonna be very happy about that.” Taking several steps back, he said, “But tonight…I’m all yours.” Then whirling around, Jackson fled the room before it became impossible to resist his mate.

~/~/~/~/~/ ~

Dr. Juan Luna checked and double checked his findings; the baby Nessies would soon be born. “Nessies! My colleagues would laugh their heads off if they heard me say that,” he muttered. But he’d gotten so used to Brian and Reif referring to their eggs that way, it now seemed natural for him to do it. Glancing at the incubators, he confirmed that they were operating according to the parameters he and Ian had agreed on. Then, satisfied, he left the nursery to find their fathers.

Hurrying through the hall, he finally located the door he was looking for. Knocking several times, he waited for permission to enter and breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a deep voice bidding him to enter. Opening the door, he stepped inside and stopped at the edge of the pool. It never failed to amaze him every time he saw Brian and Reif in their serpentine forms gliding through the water, their shiny scales glistening in the light. It was truly a sight to behold. Jumping back when one of their tails slapped the surface of the water, Dr. Luna chuckled as he brushed off the splatter of drops on his white coat.

“Sorry abut that,” Brian said, back in his human form. “Ye guid?”

“Yes…yes,” Dr. Luna replied.

“Is there a problem with the eggs?” Reif asked, swimming up next to his mate.

“No, no…well not exactly,” Dr. Luna said. “But I thought you should know they’ll be hatching soon.”

“Ye canna be serious!” exclaimed Brian, staring at the doctor.

“Isn’t it too early?” asked Reif .

Shrugging, Dr. Luna replied, “Babies come when they are ready. Early…late…I don’t pay much attention to due dates. They’re really only a guide…nothing more.”

“Okay…we’ll be right there,” Reif said.

Brian waited until they were alone before saying to his mate, “The Shaman promised to be here, but he canna get here that fast.”

Wrapping his arms around Brian, Reif kissed him, and said, “Don’t worry about him…he’ll come when he comes…in the meantime, let’s get dressed so we don’t shock the poor doctor anymore.”

~/~/~/~/~

“I love traveling by magic,” Kieran giggled, after appearing in front of Brian and Reif’s house. Glancing around, he spied the big trunk at the bottom of a pile of suitcases. Running over, he grabbed a trunk handle, tugging at it but to no avail. “ Macushla, I need your big sexy muscles again.”

Chuckling, Remy pointed a finger at the trunk, then with a quick flick, the trunk was alone on the grass.

Logan glanced at Remy. “Thanks…for everything…especially for your moving services.”

Laughing, Remy said, “I would do anything for the Shaman…he’s the future of our world.”

“I’m very lucky to have been given him as my mate.”

“No, not lucky at all…but deserving of a mate like Kieran…most definitely, otherwise the Fates wouldn’t have chosen you,” Remy murmured, watching as Kieran rummaged through the boxes in the chest.

“ Macushla !” Kieran shouted, holding up a large blue box. “I found it!” Not waiting for his mate to respond, he set the box down and opened it, pushing aside layers of tissue paper. “Oooh…the Nessies are gonna love these,” he murmured, running a hand over the contents.

Heading over to Kieran, Logan smiled at his mate’s exuberance at life. It was something he’d desperately needed in the dark and deary world he’d struggled with before he found his mate. Stopping when he reached Kieran, Logan looked down into the box and asked, “Babe, what are those?”

Remy, who had joined them, stared at five tiny blankets, embroidered with underwater scenes. “Wow! I’ve never seen anything like that…did you make those?”

“You should see the robe he made for Theo, Norm, and Smokey’s wedding…so many different types of stitches…it’s simply amazing,” Logan said, proudly.

“No…not the embroidery,” Remy said, “though that’s beautiful too…I meant the love shining out of each blanket. I can’t feel any magic, so how…how…did it happen?”

“It’s for the Nessies…so they’ll be surrounded by my love even when I’m not here,” Kieran murmured. “They only have Brian and Reif…I wanted them to join the Blackwood Pack, but Brian told me this was their home. And he’s right…the Nessies should grow up here, but I was worried because there are so many bad people out there in the world that I decided to give them blankets infused with my love that would always comfort them when life becomes troublesome.”

Remy swallowed the lump in his throat before saying, “I think they are very lucky to have you in their corner.”

“The Nessies will have all of us in their corner,” Logan said softly, wrapping his arms around Kieran. “They will never be alone…ever. ”

Nodding, Kieran dashed a few tears from his eyes, before picking up the blankets. “C’mon, according to our spirit, the first Nessie is almost ready to hatch.”

~/~/~/~/~

“This one’s been shot too,” the paramedic shouted out as he rushed into the cell. Kneeling down next to the unconscious figure, he got a good sniff of the man’s scent. “Oh shit! He’s human,” he muttered, as he began to work quickly to stem the flow of blood spurting from the wound in the man’s chest. Pressing down on the spot with one hand, he picked up a small packet with the other, using his teeth to tear it open before pouring the contents of it into the bloody opening and then piling a handful of gauze over it. Placing both hands on the wound, he pressed down hard, hoping the coagulant he used would work on a human.

When the top layer of gauze turned red, the paramedic realized the remedy that usually worked well on shifters wasn’t doing what he’d hoped it would on the human. Lifting his hands, he peeled back the covering and was greeted by a spurt of fresh blood. Getting desperate, he yelled for his more experienced supervisor. “What the hell is a human doing in a High Council prison anyway?” he muttered to himself.

Replacing the blood-soaked gauze with fresh pads, the paramedic kept pressure on the wound with one hand while searching in his bag for anything that would help slow his patient’s bleeding.

“Mama…mama…don’t go…I’ll be good…”

The human’s voice was so low, the paramedic might never have heard it if not for the acute hearing abilities of his animal. Bending down over the man, he said, “ Hey…you’re gonna be all right…can you tell me your name?”

“Don’t go…no…no…”

“I’m not going anywhere. My name is Dale…what’s yours?”

“Dale…”

“That’s right…I’m Dale…what’s your name?”

“Dale…I need…please…hurts.”

“I know it does.” Turning back to his medical bag, he dumped its contents onto the floor, rummaging through the pile until he found what he was looking for. Removing the cap of the needle with his teeth, he plunged it into his patient’s thigh, pushing down on the plunger until the barrel of the syringe was empty.

“There…you’re gonna feel better in a moment,” Dale said, checking the wound once more. But when it continued to ooze, he knew he was losing his patient. Leaning down, he ordered, “Stay with me…you hear me? STAY WITH ME!”

Before he could do anything else, a flash of blinding light appeared and, when he could once again see, the human had disappeared, leaving only a pool of blood on the floor.

“What the hell?” the paramedic muttered, falling back on his heels.

“You got another gunshot victim?” asked his supervisor, rushing into the prison cell.

“Not anymore,” the paramedic replied, looking around the room. “I was treating him…then there was this bright light and when I could see again…he was gone!”

“Forget him! Your partner needs help. Go find him. ”

Nodding, the paramedic shoved everything back into his bag and left.

Checking a list on his clipboard, the supervisor searched until he found the prisoner’s name who’d been in the cell. Circling it, he made a brief notation about what had happened and then left. There were too many others requiring medical attention and besides, it wasn’t his job to track down escaped prisoners.