Destiny of Three (12 page)

Jansen was worried about hurting her, but she wanted more, and he gave it to her.  He knew this was her first time like this.  His whole body shuddered as he pushed one more time and then came inside of her.  He watched as Banks’s teeth elongated and reached up and bit into Star’s neck.  His felt like electricity was going straight through his body when Banks bit down. 

All three of them screamed out as sparks flew out of Star’s fingers and into Banks.  Whatever she’d done, it felt wonderful.  It was as if her feelings came through him when Banks mated her.  They were all together when it occurred.  It must have something to do with her being one of the Powerful Three. 

“Did you feel that?”  Jansen asked.  He eased out of Star, checking to make sure she was okay.

“Yes,” both Star and Banks said at the same time. 

“Did I hurt you, baby?”  Jansen asked, worried that he was too rough on her. 

“No, I’m fine,” Star whispered as she lay on top of Banks’ chest.  The big bear hugged her close, rubbing circles over her back.  Jansen got up and went into the bathroom, coming out with a warm washcloth. Very lightly, he cleaned her off, taking care of her as she slept on top of Banks. 

Her hair was covering her face when he bent over to check on her.  He pushed it to one side so he could check her eyes; what he saw made his heart ache, knowing that she was his now and they’d protect her forever.  She had a small smile on her face. 

“God, she’s beautiful,” Jansen said.

“Yes she is, and now she’s ours,” Banks responded.

“We need to let her rest then get her home early.  I have a feeling that something is coming tomorrow and I want to be around the others.  We have to stay together, like Ne-ma instructed us.  She’s never wrong, Banks.”

“Then we pack up and leave in a few hours.  Let her rest, and we can leave around five in the morning.  Maybe you should call Jonas and let him know we have our mate and we’ll be back soon, and to be on the look-out, because I believe every word your Ne-ma said.  We have to stick together,” Banks said.

****

Jansen grabbed his cell phone and walked downstairs where he didn’t wake up Star.  She needed her strength for whatever was coming. 

Jonas answered on the first ring.  “Did you find her?” 

“Yes, and we’re fully mated too, but I need to tell you that I have a feeling that the vampire is coming tomorrow.  We’re letting Star sleep a few hours, then we’ll be on our way home.  Are you all going to be at the lodge?”

“Yes, since all of this has happened we thought we might need some help from our friends who are there.  Larken has already briefed the ones we can trust, and we’ve moved the dance to the convention center down the road.  We’re having lots of prizes and giveaways to try and contain everyone at the center.  Guards will be placed all around, so we can try and keep people out.  We sat down with all the Alphas and explained that there was a gas leak and nobody could come to the lodge until we got it cleared for their return.  Last year everyone partied until the next day.  We even served breakfast the next morning, so many people stayed there.  I think the gas leak will keep them away until we can settle this.  If not, then we may have to cancel and get everyone out, but I’m hoping for the first choice.  We’ll have everyone contained there so nobody gets hurt,” Jonas explained.

“Sounds like a good plan to me.  Just remember what my Ne-ma kept telling me; that it was essential that we stick together.  After what happened tonight, I think I know what she means by it.  I’ll explain when we get home.  See you in a few hours.”  Jansen hung up the phone.  He didn’t even see June Hubbard sitting by the fire.

“Excuse me.  I didn’t see you sitting there, ma’am.”  Jansen smiled.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I thought some warm milk might help me.  Would you join me for a cup?”  June asked.

Jansen sensed that June wanted to talk to him a minute.  “Of course.”  He reached out so she could grasp his arm and pull herself up.  It wasn’t that she needed his help, but his Ne-ma would pounce on him if he hadn’t help a lady up from her chair.  He learned early on in life what manners were.  She always taught him how to act around a woman.  It made him ashamed of how he’d neglected Star’s feelings.

He watched as she took a pot and filled it with milk, then turned the stove on.  She didn’t speak until she’d poured the warmed milk into two glasses and sat down.  “Star is a wonderful woman.  You and your partner are lucky men.”

“Yes ma’am, I believe that with all my heart.” 

“Star said you were a gentleman, but hid it.”  June took a drink as he smiled.  “I’ve always gotten bad feelings when terrible things were going to happen.  I knew the moment my son was killed, and other times when things have happened.  I’ve lived a long time, Jansen, and when I get these feelings I trust them.”  Jansen watched as June played with the ring on her finger, thinking.  “Star’s in trouble.  There’s a vampire who wants her and her siblings.  She needs protecting at all costs.  She’ll do anything to protect the ones that she loves, including Banks and yourself.” 

“We know that, and we have a plan in order.”  Jansen assured her.

“Yes, I know.  My mate will be there too.  ‘Just in case’ is what he told me, but something tells me he won’t be able to save someone.  Last night my son came to me in a dream and told me to tell you, ‘When you think all else has failed, someone will come, but you have to allow him to do something that doesn’t seem possible.’  I don’t know what that means, but maybe just maybe when that moment comes you’ll remember that.”  June patted his hand.  “I already think the world of that girl of yours.  You make sure you bring her back to see me soon.  You three can come and relax here anytime you want, too.  Let me know ahead of time so I can get you a bigger bed.  I think Star likes the library.  I put something in her bag for her; tell her that it belongs with someone who will appreciate it.”

Jansen smiled.  “I’ll do that, Mrs. Hubbard.  I think she’ll like that.”

“Please don’t call me Mrs. Hubbard, call me June.” 

“Yes ma’am, thank you.”  Jansen took his cup to the sink to wash it. 

“No, you leave that cup in the sink, I’m going to put it in the dishwasher with mine.  You go up to your mates,” June instructed. 

Jansen got up and walked out of the kitchen, wondering what her dream could mean.  Everything was in riddles right now, and he only hoped that when the time came he would remember all the things his Ne-ma and June told him.

Jansen tiptoed back into their bedroom and found that Star was on her side now, backed up against Banks.  He couldn’t help but smile at the look of peace on both of their faces.  His heart hurt thinking about the threat that was against them, and the possibility of losing either of them.  The concept was unthinkable.  He could feel the magic brewing up in him as he thought of how to use it to protect the ones he loved. 

“Where have you been?” Banks asked, concerned. 

“Downstairs, talking to Jonas and June.  She wants us to bring Star back to see her.  She said something to me that I don’t understand.”

“What did she say?” Banks asked.

“She said that her mate would be at the lodge tomorrow just in case he’s needed, but she had the feeling that he won’t be able to save someone.  She also said that last night her son came to her in a dream and said to tell me that when we think all else has failed, someone will come, but we have to allow him to do something that doesn’t seem possible.”  Jansen spoke quietly, trying not to wake his mate up.

“Woohoo, sounds kind of creepy to me.  What the hell does that mean?  And your Ne-ma told us something just as strange as this.  Can’t anyone tell us something that’s going to help us prepare?”  Banks voice grew louder until Star started moving in her sleep; he stopped talking until she calmed down.  

Jansen pulled his clothes off and got back into bed.  “I hear ya, but that’s how it works.  When I get visions, I know they only give us a tiny bit of information, but it’s always worked out in the end.  I have to have faith that we’ll get through all of this.”

“I know, but look at her.  What if…” Banks stopped talking, buried his head in the back of her neck and inhaled her scent.

He knew that Banks needed to feel and scent her to know that she was still okay.  “We have to have faith that together we’ll get through this.  Get some sleep; we don’t have long before we have to get up and get back to the lodge.”

Jansen watched as Banks sighed, then closed his eyes and he snuggled up to Star.  He put his nose in her hair and went to sleep.

“I love you, buddy,” Banks whispered, reaching over to lay his hand on Jansen’s.

“I love you, too,” Jansen responded, his voice low and emotional, as he closed his eyes. 

Sullivan stopped at a restaurant in order to make his weekly phone call to Regis Yulson.  He was only thirty minutes out of Freedom, but Regis didn’t have to know that.  He wanted to stay close by just in case Sky needed him.  Regis wouldn’t have a clue that he wasn’t where he said he was.  He’d already found the tracker and thrown it off the mountain.

He pulled out his phone and called the vampire. 

“Good morning, Mr. Grayson.  Have you found my prize?”  Regis’s voice made his skin crawl. He hated the sound of it, and everything about him. 

“No, I’ve found nothing.  Mr. Yulson, I still have your money and I’m going to send it back to you.  I can’t find them anywhere, and to be honest, I’ve lost interest in it.  The money is enticing, but I don’t believe the Powerful Three have even been born yet.  You may have seen them in the future.”  Sullivan sat and waited for him to say something, but all he heard was complete silence.  “Are you there, Mr. Yulson?”

“Yes, well, I hate to hear that.  Where can I send my guards to get the money?  I’ll need it.  I do think you’re wrong, Mr. Grayson, but if you’re not interested then you’re wasting my time.” 

Sullivan knew that he needed to meet Yulson’s guards in a very public place, just in case they double-crossed him.  “I’ll be at the Barn Yard Café on Hwy 91 in Colorado.  I’ll be eating breakfast so I can get on the road.  I think I’m headed south.  I hate all of this snow.”

“They will meet you there.”  Sullivan only heard a click after that.  He was staying at a rat-hole of a motel down the road so he could pay cash and put it under a different name.  He didn’t trust Yulson, and he needed to keep him as far away from Sky as possible.  He would be ready for his guards when they showed up.  He’d give them the money, then leave the restaurant as fast as he could. 

All he could think about was getting back to Sky.  He knew without a doubt that Sky was his mate.  The man was not only beautiful, he also had the biggest heart he’d ever seen.  Sullivan walked back to his vehicle and drove to the hotel, just down the road from the café.  He would get up early and go and stake out the meeting place, just in case they tried something with him.

Sullivan got up to his room and laid out all of his clothes for the next day, then cleaned his guns.  He didn’t like the fact that Regis was so cooperative and let him off with just an “I hate to see you go” attitude.  Something wasn’t right about this, and he’d have to take extra precautions with him.  Tomorrow was going to be all about trying to stay alive. 

Later that night, Sullivan put his guns on the night stand next to his bed and closed his eyes.  The next thing he knew, he was being hit across the face.

“What the…”  Sullivan jerked his eyes open to find Regis Yulson and five guards inside his hotel room.  He was being tied down with silver chains while Regis sat in a chair across from him.  

The silver chains cut into his skin as the guard pulled them tighter, making sure he couldn’t wiggle out of them.  

“Let’s talk, Mr. Grayson.”  Regis’s voice sounded too calm to him as he played with the chain around his neck.

“Don’t you think we could have done that at the restaurant tomorrow instead of you breaking into my room and tying me up?”  Sullivan complained.  He tried not to move much or the silver would start to burn worse than it already was.  He needed to conserve his strength if he was going to have a shot at surviving this ordeal.  He should have listened to that gut feeling in the beginning when Mac called and told him about the job, but no, he was only thinking about the money.  Now look what had happened.  He had the worst vampire he’d ever met sitting across from him, most likely going to kill him, and his only thoughts were of Sky.

Regis tapped the side of his nose and said, “Something tells me that you’re not telling me the truth.”   

“And what do you think Regis, that I’ve found the Powerful Three and I’m keeping them all for myself?  That I’m going to use them to rule the world?  Give me a break, man, that’s your idea of living, not mine.”  Sullivan was trying his best to be the biggest smart-ass he could be in order for Regis to believe him. 

“Why don’t we just check to see?”  Regis stood up and stalked over to him.  “I can smell a lie, and I would bet money that you are lying to me.  You see, Mr. Grayson, I have your blood running through me, and I can find out the truth.  Another one of my special talents.” 

Regis jerked his head to the side and whispered in his ear, “I hate a liar, Mr. Grayson,” then bit down into his throat and began sucking his blood.  Sullivan was scared to move but kept his mind clear so Regis couldn’t read him.

The vampire jerked his fangs out of him, releasing his head with a slap.  “You’ve been a bad boy, Sullivan.   Not only are you a liar, you’re a mate to one of them.  I was going to kill you, but I need you now to make the boy do exactly what I say.  Get him up.”  Regis chuckled.  “This has worked out so much better than I thought.”

“You leave them alone.  I will kill you if you touch him!” Sullivan roared. What had he done?  He’d led him to their front door.  Struggling with the chains, Sullivan tried to get one of his hands loose with no luck.  The chains were burning into his hands as he struggled. 

“Oh, I just love it when they struggle.  I plan on taking so much of your blood, but I’ll leave just a little bit to get them to do what I say.”  Regis leaned over and smiled at him.  “Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?”

Sullivan tried to shift but the silver chains prevented him from bringing his wolf forward.  “I’m going to kill you.” 

Regis jerked him closer, turned his neck the other way and bit down again.  Sullivan could feel the blood draining quickly from his body.  His eyesight wavered as the vampire pulled him closer and sucked harder.  Panic flared inside him as all the oxygen left his lungs. 
I’m sorry,
was all he could think before he dropped to the floor and passed out.

****

Star hugged River and Sky when they met up at the lodge.  Ash had breakfast brought down to the conference rooms so they could all talk there before going to their posts.  Apparently, while she was gone River’s mates Jonas and Reece had made some progress in coming up with a plan.  Everyone had assigned places.

“Who came up with that plan?” Star asked her sister.

“Jonas and Reece, along with Larken, Larsen, Nash, Pelton, and every other male that knows us,” Ash complained. 

“Did you guys even think to talk to us about any of this?  Maybe we have something to add?”  Star asked. 

“You mean while you were gone?”  Nash asked.  She could tell he was mad at her.

“Watch how you talk to my mate,” Banks snapped back at Nash.  Jansen and Banks both moved closer to her.

“I’m mad at you, Star.  You knew that any day now a threat was coming, and you ditched your security, left without answering your phone, and turned it off so we couldn’t track you.  What if something had happened to River or Sky and they needed you?  Did you ever think of them?  So yes, I’m your friend, and I have a right to tell you when you’re acting like a child.”  Nash’s voice was full of anger, but she could finally see that he really cared a great deal about her and her siblings even though he was angry at her.  She was wrong, and she needed to step up to the plate and admit that to Nash and all of her family and friends.

“I’m sorry, Nash.  You’re right; I was wrong to leave like I did.  I apologize to all of you if I worried you.  I shouldn’t have done that.  I hope you don’t stay mad at me for long.”  Tears pricked Star’s eyes as she waited to see if they would all forgive her.

Nash walked toward Star, but before he could get even close, Banks and Jansen got in front of her.  “I’m only going to hug her.” 

Banks and Jansen turned around to her, waiting for her answer.  If this had been any other moment she would have jumped up and down that they were actually looking to her for permission before they did anything.  “It’s fine.  I deserved it.” 

Her mates parted, but stayed close enough to hurt Nash if he didn’t treat her right.  Nash walked up and hugged Star to him.  “You scared us all.  Please don’t do that again.” 

Star rubbed her head into Nash’s shirt as her mates started growling.  “I won’t.  I’m sorry.”

“Now that that’s been said, let me put on another shirt because your mates are wanting to kill me right now since you’ve rubbed your scent all over me.”

“Oh.”  Star immediately looked up at her mates. “I’m sorry.  I wasn’t thinking anything like that.” 

She gasped when Banks grabbed her and started nuzzling her hair, neck, and anywhere he could put his scent.  The room broke out into chuckles as she was passed to Jansen, allowing him to do the same thing. 

She could feel the blush go up her face as Jansen rubbed all over her.  “I think they know who I belong to.” 

“We’re just making sure,” Jansen commented, then kissed her on the nose. For the first time she saw him smile, and what a wonderful smile he had. 

“You need to smile more often,” Star commented and smiled back.

Jansen pressed a hard kiss to the top of her head.  “If it puts that smile on your beautiful face, then I’ll try to do it more often.  I don’t want it to change the way people perceive me, though.” 

Star giggled.  “Not to worry.  I think your reputation is safe.” 

“Now that all is forgiven, let’s get to the plan.  I’ve moved the Valentine’s Dance to the convention center, so we should be safe from anyone getting in the way.  I’ve put the staff up there and told them to handle everything from there.  If someone needs to come to their room, we have staff set up who can get them in through the back.  Something tells me this vampire will walk right in the front door,” Larken said.

“Let’s move to the front of the lodge.  I’ve got pack members set up around the building to let me know when he arrives,” Larsen advised. 

Everyone walked up the stairs to the front of the lodge.  It looked like a ghost town with nobody up front running the desk and no kids playing games on the tables. 

“I’m not trying to be rude, but don’t you think we should know what the plan is too?”  River asked. 

“I agree.  We need to know what you have planned,” Star added. 

“I’ll tell you ours if you tell me yours,” Reece said then crossed his arms over his chest.  “We know you three have something planned.  Why else would you be going to the furniture store and out in the woods?  My guards know everything, baby, and you shouldn’t keep that from your mates.” 

River crossed her arms as well and narrowed her eyes at her mates.  “Like you guys?” 

“Okay, let’s everyone calm down.  Now is the time to come together.  Lessons learned today, so now we need to figure out how and what to do.  I will say this, my Ne-ma can see things, like me, and the one thing she kept hitting on is that we need to stick together.  Now I don’t know if that means we should all have the same ideas on how to handle this, or if it means we actually need to be together, holding hands or what, but let’s stop fighting among ourselves and figure this out,” Jansen said, then walked over to his mates and sat down beside them.

“Anyone want a drink?”  Larken asked.

“I would love one.”  Everyone looked up as Regis Yulson walked through the door with ten guards.  Jansen and Banks jumped up and pushed Star behind them.

Star looked over at Sky and motioned for him to come closer to her; then she did the same to River.  It seemed the room became completely divided when Regis stood with his guards blocking the door. 

“I see that you have been waiting on me.  That is good.  I would have thought that you would have hidden the Powerful Three by now.  Just my luck, I caught you before you could run and hide, but I mean you no harm.”  Regis’s voice was strong and sounded creepy.  They could all hear the lie as he spoke.

“Why are you here, Regis Yulson?” Reece asked as he stepped in front of River, pushing her towards her sister and mates.  Jonas held her hand, watching the guards, as they all started moving toward each other slowly.

“Hello Reece, it’s good seeing you,” Regis said.

“I wish I could say the same thing about you.  I didn’t like you when you were friends with my father, and I sure as hell don’t like you now.  You need to leave while you still can.”  Reece’s voice was hard and to the point.

“That’s what I always liked about you, Reece, your bluntness.  However, like your father said before, and I do have to agree with him now, you’re not in any position to tell me what to do.” 

“I think we are.  You see, we have a lot more power than you do.  So I disagree with you,” Reece stated bluntly. “Because when it comes to power I know what we have, but that’s why you’re here.  You want it and you can’t have it.” 

“Without doubt you have it now, but I plan on taking it from you, and then it will be mine.”  Regis sounded too confident to Star, and that scared her.  What did this man have up his sleeve?

Regis narrowed his beady eyes as he looked over the group. “You must be Sky?”

Sky didn’t answer; he just glared at the man. 

“I think that you are.  So do you come to me willing, or do I have to play one of my cards and hurt someone you care about?” Regis waited, and when Sky didn’t say anything, he motioned for one of his guards.  “You leave me no choice, then.  Please say when.”