Enslaved in Shadows (30 page)

             
Her baby was safe and right now that was all that mattered to her.
She was content, for now and she knew they still had to go back to retrieve the other vampires being held against their will.
She only hoped they could get them back before Marcus and that man had a chance to move them. Who was that man? And where was Solon?

Chapter 18

             
Draven cradled his sleeping daughter in his arms and walked up to his parent’s door.
They still didn’t know how Oliver ended up at the cottage. They’d find out. Royce couldn’t get a bead on his thoughts, a definite problem.
He didn’t have time to call his family, knew they wouldn’t turn him away, especially when they saw the reason why he’d come calling at this hour.
Jes was silent the rest of the trip back. Faith wasn’t harmed.
She’d told them a man name Enri said he would keep her safe. Jes’s body flinched at the other man’s name. She’d held Faith in her arms and closed her eyes exhaling in a long breath. She checked her for wounds, bruises, anything that seemed out of place. He would forgive Enri; make his death quick, the only offer he would give.
             
             

             
The car they’d taken from the airstrip proved useful.
They were fortunate it still ran. The death walkers were also in the business of destroying cars. They’d just left out the tires and the engine.
He’d tried to speak to her on his way to his mother’s but she’d shut down. Completely.

             
His mother Mara answered the door in pink fluffy pajamas sporting white bunnies.
Her hair was under one of her infamous sleep hats. Black curls laced with silver poked out on the ends, giving his mother a quiet look. She was the exact opposite. Mara was a
fire-breathing
dragon to those she felt were in opposition with her family’s needs.

             
“Draven, boy do you know what time it is?”
Yeah, he knew the time and he also knew his mother would change her tune in about two point five seconds.
Wait for it.

             
“What have you got in your arms son?”
His mother sniffed.
She looked between him and Jes, then back down to his daughter.
Her hands reached across and plucked Faith from his arms.
He took the invitation and ushered Jesminda in front of him through the door.
The others had gone ahead to the station with two of their suspects, Oliver and Solon. The bastard Solon thought to ditch them. He’d appeared unexpectedly, and then tried to disappear the same way. Everything was adding up, then torn down again.
Answers were needed
,
and needed now.

             
He’d clocked Solon over the head when he was in werewolf form. He’d been directly behind Oliver. Aiding and abetting was more like it.
There was something off about him. Something
was
off about Ollie as well. Real men didn’t come to a battle and creep. Smart men got into position and faced danger in the light. That way you could see the bastards coming.
You’re part of Shadow
Unit
not Fight in the Light
Unit
.
Didn’t matter, he was stealthy not creepy. Solon and Oliver equaled creepy.
He wanted the fuckers to resist questioning.
Ronin and Royce would go to town on their asses and hand them their spines as a consolation prize. Good times!
The sooner they got the questioning over, the sooner they’d find the missing vampires. The sooner they found the missing vampires, the sooner he could get his hands on Marcus. Abusive bastard was due his reward. His mother brought him back from his thoughts.

             
“Why didn’t you tell me I had a grandbaby?” His mother squealed.
“Huh? Boy you better answer me or,” he gave his mother a look and she quickly moved to the back of the house. She knew his patience was thin. Instead of facing him head
on,
she called the one person who’d give him shit. Dear old dad.

             
“Tony, come here quick and see what Draven has brought for us.” His mother bellowed.

             
Mara was already in her grandmother doting phase. He could see it in the way she held Faith, cuddling and cooing the little angel as if she were still a baby. She was definitely an angel, sent from the heavens to bring him mass quantities of happiness.
I’m someone’s dad.
The thought floored him. From the moment he’d found out about her, he was now responsible for her. Any other day last
week,
it would have freaked him out. Now, it only brought him joy and love. He loved this little girl and her mother more than his life. It had all happened so fast.
Time and distance couldn’t break what had always been his.

             
His father approached from the back of the house in his boxers and a
tee shirt
. He was scrubbing his hands over his face as he made his way to the front. He took a long sniff and froze.

             
Of
course,
Antony Cepherous Stone would be the first one to take in his entire surroundings. His wolf always looked for danger, trying to spot potholes before they appeared.
His mother only saw the child, whereas Tony not only recognized the child as his kin, but also smelled the human woman Draven marked as his own.

             
A low growl emitted from his father’s throat. Mara hushed him and motioned for them to go into the living room.
He watched as Mara pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over Faith.
She looked at everyone including Jesminda and nodded her head in the direction of the kitchen.

             
This was going to be good he thought.
Mara had a serious look on her face but busied herself making coffee for everyone.

             
“Humans are not allowed to be a part of this pack.” His father stated in a harsh tone.

             
“Shut up Tony.” Mara scolded.

             
“Why didn’t you tell us you got a human female pregnant with a cub? Huh?” His mother eyed him then in the way she always did when he was in for a good smacking upside the head.

             
“I didn’t know mother, I swear.
She only just came back into my life due to a case I was on.” he answered truthfully.

             
Mara eyed him and then turned assessing eyes on Jesminda.
He didn’t move in her direction. Knew Jes would stand up to his mother.
His mother and his mate were presently in a staring contest, both marking their territory. It was unnerving as hell. Any minute his mother would do one of two things. Attack her or welcome her with open arms. Pack mentality was brutal, harsh at best. Jes needed to stand her ground and there was nothing he could do. If he stepped
in,
she’d be viewed as weak. It would also be a direct assault on his alpha. His father would see it as a challenge to his mate. Both men would be at one another throats. This was why humans were a big no. They didn’t understand the customs. She’d probably think the entire situation was barbaric.

             
“Well, come on child let me get a good look at you. He’s already marked you. It’s too late to take it all back now.” She stood in the middle of the kitchen with her hands on her hip and gave Jes a no nonsense look. Hesitant at first she stood there, most likely assessing the situation.

             
“My daughter gave me that same look once. We had it out. I won.”
Her voice was strong, shoulders squared. His mate was preparing for battle. Even after everything in her past, she was still a force to be reckoned with whether she knew it or not.
You are strong love.

             
Mara ignored her comment and shrugged. His mother was still waiting on her to respond to her request. Jes looked to him for assistance and Draven gave a brief nod in his mother’s direction. He couldn’t interfere. Wouldn’t. Shoulders up and chin high Jesminda stepped closer to his mother.

             
“Well, she’s got good child bearing hips. All your cubs will be full breed.”
             
             
             

             
“Excuse me?” Jesminda asked.

             
“Don’t talk to my wife in that manner human. Mother of my son’s cub or not, you will not be addressing the Luna that way.”

             
“I’m not a child, and I was not being disrespectful.” Jes snapped at his father. “We came here for help, and if you’re just going to have your paw up your ass, well, you can just shove it.”
             
His father stood dumbstruck. Tony always had something to say. At the
least,
he would always be on the defensive. Both he and his animal waited in caged silence. When challengers came knocking on his door, Tony always threw down the gauntlet. Always. Jesminda had escaped his wrath.

             
She stormed from the kitchen, making a
beeline
for Faith.

             
“When this is over,” he said to his father. “You will owe my mate an apology. Pray she accepts.” He walked over to his father and stood chest to chest, nose to nose with the alpha of House Canidae. With direct
disapproval,
he whispered. “Because, if she doesn’t I walk.”

             
Draven followed her quietly. Before she reached
Faith,
he drew her to a stop and turned her into his arms.
He kissed the top of her head. Needed her touch just as much as she did if not more. She was skittish and he knew she’d planned on leaving him after the mission was over. He needed to convince her it was a bad idea on all fronts. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms in a soothing motion. Her body was stiff, but as he rubbed further she slowly thawed little by little.

             
“My father’s an ass, don’t worry my mom will deal with him, alright?”

             
She let out a long breath “Okay.”

* * * *

             
Jes looked down at her sleeping daughter and sighed. She was still in Draven’s arms and she felt safe protected. It was the first time in a long time she’d felt anything for a man.
Back at the motel and the forest counted as feeling something. She knew that. It was mostly due to her body’s needs, not her.
Whatever helps you sleep at night.
He was trying to wear her down, one hug and soft lingering kiss at a time. Her mind rebelled at the thought of starting something with him. Her heart....or was it her libido felt something else.
Her body tensed, she wasn’t ready for this type of relationship. She would never be ready for anything. Maybe he would just accept her body and not her heart, her soul. She knew he wanted more, a small corner of her brain understood it.
But when faced with the
day-to-day
challenges she had where men were concerned she couldn’t follow through.
He’s already planted the seed.
It grew when she wished it wouldn’t.

             
Draven inserted himself into their lives, her heart. It paralyzed her with fear. She’d let it happen.
His emotions were attuned to hers; even that first night, he’d known what she needed, and gave it to her without question.
All except for a name and number.

             
He tipped her chin up with his finger and bent his forehead to hers.
His eyes were penetrating. X-ray vision to her emotional core, he picked past the dirt and grime as it burrowed further into her body and saw the real her. Why did he have to be so damn consuming right now?
She needed to get her head in the game and he wasn’t helping her when it came to matters of the heart.
Matters of the heart?
She pushed his chest so she could take a step back.
He wouldn’t let her, there was a slight rumble in his
chest,
and she realized he was growling his dislike as she tried to step back.

             
“It’s not easy, baby. I know, but please trust me when I say; I will take care of this. Us. We’ll get through this.
Our daughter will be safe, and then we can start working on building our life together.”

             
No no no!
Her mind panicked. There was no relationship! Didn’t he understand that! Too broken, she was fucked up. She’d by-passed the seven rings of hell and landed straight into eternity. There was no coming back. Wading through the shit, taking it one day at a time, loving Faith with everything she had. That, would be her only survival from here on out. There wasn’t any room for him. She wanted to believe him, desperately, but things had a way of not working out in her case. Bleak was her future and nothing else, bare existence at its best when it came to her own well-being.