The Lynx Who Claimed the Sun (10 page)

Although Garth suspected the people who’d taken Nicolas weren’t natives of the area, the idea had merit. Taking into account the smell on the envelope, hummingbirds were definitely involved. Perhaps if Byron found someone in the city, that person could lead them in the right direction.

Garth and Byron made arrangements to see each other again in a few hours, and then Garth headed out. Byron’s club, The Grinder, was a good distance away from Skylar’s mansion, and his house had also been in the same neighborhood. That changed when Byron met the seahorse. He’d purchased a property in the proximity of the Pierce family home, with the obvious intention to watch over Skylar. It was sweet, in a somewhat disturbing way, but then again, Byron was a shark. He didn’t know any better.

At the same time, this development made the trip from Byron’s house to Skylar’s very short. In no time, he was driving through the big gates of the Pierce compound. Like Skylar pointed out, security had been tightened to the point of obsession, and it made Garth feel a bit better, at least regarding his children’s safety.

He parked the car in the driveway and made his way inside.

Skylar met him in the foyer. “Hey,” the seahorse greeted him sedately. “Still no luck?”

“No luck,” Garth confirmed. “I’m just checking up on the kits, and then I’ll go back to the search. How are they?”

“Restless,” Skylar answered. “The presence of Soren’s pups has helped, and Carson and I have been trying to distract them. It didn’t work one hundred percent. They know something’s up.”

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“Of course they do.” After all, Garth wouldn’t just take them from their home for no reason. “I’ll talk to them.”

Skylar led him inside and toward one of the many living rooms inside the big mansion. Even before Garth reached the room in question, the door burst open and his two sons came running out.

“Daddy, you’re here,” Preston said as he hugged Garth.

“Of course I am,” Garth answered, lifting his youngest son in his arms. “Where else would I be?”

Corbin pulled on his pant leg to draw his attention. “Dad, what’s going on?”

Skylar gestured them to an adjoining empty room and discreetly left Garth alone with his kits. As the door closed behind Skylar, Garth sat with his children on a soft couch. “Boys, first of all, I want you to know this has nothing to do with you. I’ve asked Skylar to house you for a while because it’s safer, but beyond that, you’re not involved in any way.”

“Daddy, what’s the matter?” Preston’s voice trembled as he spoke. “You sound upset.”

“I know you’re old enough to understand how important it is for this to be kept secret.” Garth took a deep breath and said the words that tasted bitter on his tongue. “Nico disappeared.”

The kits’ eyes widened. “Is it because of the thing yesterday?”

Corbin asked. “Was he that angry? Did he really get sick?”

“I already told you it’s not that. There are some bad men after him, and I believe they forced him to go. But don’t worry. I’ll find him.”

He kissed his children’s foreheads and got up. “Listen to Skylar, okay? I’ll come by as often as I can.”

“Okay, Dad,” Corbin answered. “We’ll be good. We promise.”

Garth hated to ask his kits this, but he knew he needed to do it.

“One more thing. Do you have any clue where your mom lives? I need to talk to her about her visits.”

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“We don’t really know,” Corbin answered. “Gina would take us to the park, and Mom would meet us there.”

Garth sighed, scrapping that lead as well. Byron had told him Gina didn’t know where Bella was, and Garth believed him. No one ever dared to lie to Byron.

“Okay, boys. Thanks.” Garth smiled at his children once more and gave them each a hug. “And before I forget. Nico had a message for both of you.” His heart ached as he relayed the contents of the e-mail to his children. “Corbin, you are to take care of me, and Preston, you’re supposed to grow a spine and stop your brother from doing stupid things. He also said he’s going to miss you.”

“Nico… said that?” Corbin stammered.

“In an e-mail.” Garth rubbed his eyes, feeling emotionally exhausted. “Now I really must go, kits. Take care, okay? And listen to Skylar.”

His kits hugged him one last time, and he left the room, meaning to go back to Byron’s, perhaps come up with a plan to find Bella. In the hallway, he ran into Soren and his brother, Brody. “Can we help with anything?” Brody asked.

Garth considered the question then shook his head. Byron had plenty of people at his disposal, and they would be searching for Nicolas under threat of death. “It’s best if you just stayed here and looked after everyone. I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”

The two werewolves nodded. “All right, Garth. Good luck.”

Garth thanked the men and, without further ado, left Skylar’s home. Good luck, indeed. He would definitely need it.

* * * *

When Nicolas awoke, he’d been moved from the famous car trunk, but his general situation hadn’t improved any. This new space was larger, but, impossibly, even darker, so much so that Nicolas couldn’t see a thing around him. It was quite shocking, since his
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eyesight had always been great. Nicolas guessed it must be an underground cell of sorts. His captors had not bothered to bind him, though, something that unsettled Nicolas. Were they really so certain that he couldn’t escape?

He sat there, musing over this and over all his questions.

Valentina. Alonso. What was it about them that he couldn’t remember? And his own name? What did it mean? God, he couldn’t take this anymore.

Nicolas changed into his hummingbird form, hoping a little flying, even around the small cell, would put him into a better mood. It didn’t. Instead, it made him even more restless. Hummingbirds weren’t meant to be below ground. They were meant to bask in the sun, feel the free air and the scent of flowers. This… this was wrong.

He turned back into his human form and leaned against the cool wall, mentally begging for something, anything to happen.

Thankfully, his wait came to end when an unseen door opened.

The person entering the room carried a lamp, so Nicolas was spared from the unbearable darkness. “Hello, Nicolas,” a male voice said.

Once more, Nicolas was struck by the familiarity of the voice.

Every little thing seemed to be triggering memories inside his brain.

“F–Father?”

“You’re remembering.” The man hung the lamp high on the wall.

Now, Nicolas could see him clearly. He recalled his father hugging him, laughing, teaching him how to use various weaponry.

“Why am I here?”

His father snorted. “You’re here because we need you. Your betrayal cost us dearly, and now you’re going to fix it.”

“But I have no idea what I did,” Nicolas shot back. “Tell me what I did.”

“You ran,” the other man replied and spat at Nicolas’s feet. “You dishonored yourself and your ancestors. Our family has been reaping the results of your cowardice for the past twenty years. But no longer.”

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“I…don’t remember,” Nicolas replied weakly. “I don’t know what to do.”

The older hummingbird laughed. “Of course you don’t. I hear you’ve become a whore for our worst enemies. But I’m not surprised.

I can expect anything from you right now.”

“Father,” Nicolas tried again, “what happened? Why do you all hate me? We…we were happy once.”

His sire looked away. “Yes, we were.” His voice softened, turning into a low murmur. “Believe me, Nico-Chi, I would do anything to go back to that time.” His tone hardened once more, and piercing black eyes fixed on Nicolas again. “But we can’t, and you have to pay the price of retribution. You are the blessed one, Nicolas, and that won’t ever change.”

The words sparked a tidal wave of memory in Nicolas’s mind. He clutched his forehead and screamed as he remembered…

1990, somewhere in Northern Mexico

Nicolas stared at himself in the large ornate mirror, his heart
beating faster and faster. This was it, the night when he’d finally
become a man.

Today was his fifteenth birthday. Today, when he shifted, he
would receive the gift of his ancestors. He’d been training for this
ever since he’d be old enough to shift into his legged form. From
today on, he would become a great warrior like his father.

From ancient times, their lands had been in danger from other
shifters inhabiting the rainforest. They shared a border with the
ocelots who worshipped the jaguar god, Tezcatlipoca, and the snakes
who brought offerings to the feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl. The
snakes mostly left them be these days, but the ocelots made often
incursions within hummingbird lands. Thankfully, the hummingbirds’

sun god, Huitzilopochtli, helped them, granting them the speed and
agility necessary to fight off their enemies. And today, on Nicolas’s
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coming of age, he would grant one final gift, the one that would allow
Nicolas to become a true soldier of his clan.

His sister burst inside the room, looking as excited as he did.

“Come on, Nico-Chi,” she said. “Hurry it up. It’s starting.”

Nicolas turned to Valentina. “What do you think, Val-Coza?”

She beamed at him. “You look great. My little brother, finally a
man. Who’d have thought it?”

Their mother appeared through the open door and glowered at
them both. “What are you doing chatting? It’s almost time.”

As Valentina left, Nicolas’s mother gave him a weepy smile. “My
baby. I can’t believe you’ve grown up so fast.”

Nicolas accepted a hug from his mother. He loved her dearly, and
her affection always calmed his nerves.

She broke away from him far too quickly. “Go on,” she said. “The
ceremony is about to start.”

With that, Nicolas’s mother ushered him out of the room. The
beads on his cloak twinkled, reminding him of his own chirp. As they
left the house, the sun’s rays hit the golden embroidery on their
clothing, making them shine.

There were lots of people gathered in front of their home, both
young men and women who’d come of age and older folk who’d come
to watch the ceremony. Valentina had taken her place at their father’s
side and their mother joined the rest of the family as Nicolas mingled
with the rest of the group.

The elder appeared in front of them and started to utter their
names. Nicolas’s mind whirled when he heard his own name called
out. Nicolas Chimalli Huitzilin.

In ceremonies, the Huitzilin clan always used their full warrior
names, granted to them to honor the Aztec ancestors. Nicolas’s name
meant “Shield,” something he secretly found very appropriate. He
wanted to be a shield, a shield for his family, the Huitzilin—the Aztec
hummingbirds of the Mexican rainforest. On the other hand,
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Valentina’s name, Cozamalotl, meant rainbow. It suited her, since
females were meant to bring glee and hope in their lives.

Like all youths, Nicolas respected his past greatly, but at the same
time, he was glad it was just that, the past. His people no longer made
blood sacrifices to their sun god. Instead, Huitzilopochtli received
from them all their devotion, song, and most earnest worship.

They all held their breaths as they waited for the sun to reach
zenith. At last, the elder said the words the entire gathering needed to
hear. The older men and women fell on their knees, while the youths
all changed into their hummingbird form.

Priests gathered around them and hundreds of flower petals fell
over them. Almost instantly, Nicolas felt an amazing heat flow
through him. It was simply magical.

At last, the rain of petals ended and the feeling began to fade. At a
sign from the elder, all the youths changed back into their legged
form. Now, their noses were identical to those of the rest of the clan,
huge and beautiful.

Nicolas beamed, a feeling of accomplishment washing over him.

But then, silence fell over the gathering. All eyes were on Nicolas, and
apprehension gripped him. The elder headed toward him and the rest
of the youths parted to make way.

The older hummingbird hugged him. “Welcome to the clan,
blessed one.”

Nicolas was confused. He’d never seen such behavior in all his
life as a hummingbird. Granted, he and his sister didn’t live in the
main hummingbird center, but with their mother, deep in the
rainforest. Nicolas only came here to see his father and receive
training, while Valentina did so to socialize and find potential males.

Since he’d been too young, he’d never participated in official
ceremonies and his knowledge only came from his parents. Was this
behavior normal?

The elder broke the hug and smiled, obviously noticing Nicolas’s
confusion. He gestured with his hand and moments later, one of the
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priests provided a shiny mirror. Nicolas took it and stared at his
reflection. He looked absolutely the same. His nose hadn’t changed in
the slightest.

“But… Why?”

“You are our blessed one,” the elder replied. “Now come. We
must celebrate.”

Put at ease by his leader’s words, Nicolas went with the older
hummingbird. He didn’t know what “blessed one” meant, but he
decided it didn’t matter. His people and his family would show him
what he needed to do from now on.