Rebecca felt tremors run down her spine as Charles' rough scarred hands became as soft as velvet as they ran down her sides and her and ample hips.
"I love you, my mate. You are so beautiful." he said his gold eyes flashing as his lips moved to her neck and collarbone. She shivered beneath him.
"I have missed you so." she moaned as she rubbed her hand down his long muscular back and pulled him closer to her. He looked down into her blue eyes and growled low in his throat.
"I'll never leave you again." he said. She felt her heart soar at his words.....
"Mom, I can't find my pink sweater!" Rebecca's eyes shot open and she sat up quickly in bed at the sound of her grand daughter Kaylee's voice coming from down the hallway.
"Honey, I didn't do anything with your sweater. Maybe if you cleaned that room we wouldn't have this problem every morning before school!" Raquel hollered back. Rebecca stood and smoothed out her floral cotton sleeping gown.
She cursed as she tried to force the images of her dream from her mind. It had been five long years since she had last seen her mate. Five long years since he had returned to them after twenty-one years of captivity, only to leave again.
True she had not wanted him to stay. At least not acting the way he was. In her dreams he was the man that he had been when they had met more than three hundred years before. Back then he had been different. He had been capable of love and tenderness. Years of hunting rogues and killing had changed her mate.
It had made Charles just as mean and evil as the immortals he had hunted and though Rebecca's love for him had not nor would ever fade she could not let him stay here and spread that poison around their children and grandchildren.
"Grandma!" Kaylee shouted while banging on Rebecca's door. Rebecca pulled on her robe, tied it tight around her waist and opened the door.
"What is it dear?" Rebecca asked her fourteen year old granddaughter.
"Have you seen my pink sweater? Aunt Jordan is pissed because we're going to be late but I can't find it anywhere." she said her voice full of irritation.
"Watch your language, Kaylee! Find something else to wear it's time to go!" Raquel shouted up the stairs from the kitchen.
"Stop eavesdropping mother and you wouldn't hear my bad language." Kaylee shot back.
"Don't talk to your mother that way!" Evan's voice chimed in from downstairs as well. Kaylee rolled her eyes and looked back at her grandma.
"I don't know where it is, dear. Your Aunt Angela was the last one that washed laundry. Maybe she'll know where it is." Kaylee didn't say another word just moved down the long hallway to Angela and Jake's door.
Rebecca watched her knock on it loudly and then jump back with a small yelp when Jake flung the door open and growled sleepily.
"What do you want?" he demanded. Kaylee shifted her feet suddenly not looking so cocky or full of attitude as she had just moments before. Rebecca smiled to herself. Jake was definitely the most intimidating of all her children.
"Uncle Jake, um.. Sorry if I woke you up. I was hoping I could talk to Aunt Angela." Kaylee said her voice suddenly the model of respect and politeness. Jake crossed his arms over his bare muscular chest and looked down at her.
"She's sleeping." he said. Kaylee nodded and was turning to walk away when Angela pushed past Jake and walked out into the hall wearing a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt.
"Jake, love, what have I told you about being so protective of me?" she said to her mate gently. He shook his head.
"That girl needs to learn respect. She can't just walk around here demanding what she wants and waking the whole house up over some damn pink sweater! I mean she's got an entire room full of clothes is that one sweater really such a big deal?"
Just then Bethany came down the hall on her way to the stairs. Somehow even in the morning she managed to look perfectly graceful and elegant. She waved one long slender tan arm at her brother as she walked past.
"Obviously you've never been a teenage girl." she said. Jake looked down at his definite male self and then back at her.
"Obviously." he said. Angela laid her hand on her his arm.
"Go down and get you some coffee. I'll help Kaylee find her sweater. It should be hanging up in the laundry room." Rebecca watched Angela take Kaylee's arm and then the three of them walked down the stairs.
She hid her yawn behind her hand and walked down the stairs to the kitchen. She never seemed to sleep well anymore. Not in five years since she had again seen the face of the man she had once loved more than life itself and then he had walked away from them all.
The kitchen was full of laughter and talking when she walked in. Jordan was pacing the floor and kept looking at her watch.
"We are going to be late!" she yelled. Kent reached his hand to grab her arm from where he was sitting at the table.
"It's a sweater emergency sweetheart. You can't rush those kinds of things." he said. Jake growled over his coffee cup as he scratched his bare stomach sleepily.
"With that girl there is a new damn crisis everyday. I'm remembering now why I stayed gone when all of you were teenage girls."
"I'm ready now." Kaylee said walking into the kitchen wearing the pink sweater. Angela was behind her and walked straight to Jakes waiting arms.
"Good let's go." Jordan said. Then she looked around "Where the hell is your brother?" Kaylee shrugged.
"He's in the living room with Lane. They're playing video games." Joey said as she too walked into the kitchen. Bethany rolled her eyes.
"Lane does realize that he's 115 years old right?" she asked. Jordan stormed into the living room.
"Kayleb, it's time to go!" she yelled. Kayleb sat his controller down on the couch.
"Rematch tonight." he said to Lane. Lane smiled as he turned off the game.
"Won't do you any good kiddo. I'm unstoppable on the battlefield."
"Yea as long as that battlefield has a pause and restart button." Jake said with a laugh walking into the living room.
"You think you're so tough big brother? You might be able to kick my ass in real life but on the game I'm number one." Jake walked around the couch and sat down picking up the controller Kayleb had laid down.
"Just one more thing you're gonna find I'm better at than you." he said matter-of-factly. Lane turned the game on as Jordan grabbed both Kaylee and Kayleb by the arm and drug them out the door.
"We got to get going too." Kent said as he and Evan walked out to leave for work.
"Mommy, I'm ready for school." Laney said walking into the kitchen. Angela dropped to her knees and hugged her chubby little five year old daughter tightly.
"Go give your daddy a kiss and I'll take you to school." she said. Laney smiled brightly and then ran into the living room her black pigtails swinging.
"I gotta go." Bethany said. "Joey are you ready we have to go to that art gallery in New York about your artwork." Joey stood up and gulped down the last of her coffee. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and smiled.
"Let's go." she said. She and Bethany walked into the living room. Joey kissed Lane goodbye and she and Bethany walked out the door. Laney came running back into the kitchen.
"I'm ready mommy." she said. "Daddy told me to make sure I'm a good girl and Uncle Lane told me not to be too good cuz then my teachers would get bored."
"That sounds like your uncle Lane." Raquel said matter-of-factly. Angela looked at her.
"Are you coming to town with me and Laney? I was going to do some shopping." Raquel nodded.
"Yea I need to pick up some things." she said. She looked over at Rebecca who was sitting at the table drinking tea. "Do you want to come mom?" Rebecca shook her head.
"No I have plenty to do here to keep me busy." she replied.
"I love you, Jake. I'm leaving." Angela yelled.
"I love you too. Be careful." he yelled back. Just then Lane started cussing loudly.
"I didn't even know those damned tanks could do that!" he shouted angrily. Jake chuckled.
"Yea well I think I have a slight advantage over you, little brother. I actually drove one of these things in a battle almost identical to this one." Angela and Raquel were laughing as they led Laney out the door.
Suddenly Rebecca found herself alone. The early morning chaos was over just as quickly as it had begun as her family went about their daily lives. She took another sip of tea... She really didn't like the way it tasted but she had been drinking it everyday for over three hundred years.
Charles had made her, her first cup of the stuff and while she had truly hated the taste he had looked so proud of himself as he'd handed it to her that she hadn't had the heart to tell him that. And so he had continued to make it every morning and she had continued to drink it just to see the smile it brought to his face.
That had been before he started changing. Before hunting took over every second of his day and killing became the only thing he'd cared about. Still Rebecca had continued to drink the nasty tea, even though she had had to start making it herself, because it was the one thing that still reminded her of the good times she and Charles had shared.
She felt tears welling in her eyes and blinked them away. She would not cry for that horrible man. It was true that she missed the love they used to have but that love had been gone for 260 years...
She forced herself up from the table and dumped the rest of her tea down the sink. It was time she quit drinking the disgusting stuff. Without that there would be no more daily reminders of her lost mate except of course when she looked into Jake and Laney's golden eyes.
....Later that night in a town far away.....
Charles took another swig of whiskey and looked at himself in the mirror behind the bar. He was shocked enough by his own appearance to take another swig of whiskey. He had stopped aging at the age of twenty-six but right now he could have passed for a sixty year old. He had dark bags under his eyes. His black hair was long and tangled and his face was covered in a heavy beard and mustache.
He was tired, dirty and completely alone in the bar aside from the bar tender who was wiping down tables. It was nearly midnight and most of the people in this town had long since gone home since it was a Monday night.
"Gonna have to ask you to leave sir." the bartender said walking over to him and slapping him on the back. "I'm sure your family is missing you." Charles growled low in his throat and fought the urge to rip the mans arm off.
He couldn't tolerate being touched. He supposed that came from the years he'd spent locked alone in that silver cage. .And the solitary life he'd lived the last five years. He stood up, threw some money down on the bar and walked out onto the dark deserted street without a word.
He was tired but he did not want to sleep. Whenever he slept he saw her. Those auburn curls, those soft gentle curves and her blue eyes full of love as she looked up at him.... He cursed and punched the brick wall beside him hard enough to crack it and send dust flying.
He cursed again at the pain and shook his hand holding it to his chest. Rebecca's eyes had not looked at him like that in over 260 years. He didn't miss her either no matter how much his mind kept replaying scenes of their happy times in his head. He was better of without her. She was a distraction and a hunter could not afford to have distractions.
He didn't miss his kids either his drunk mind reminded him. Though often he found himself wondering about Jake. Jake had always been his favorite because Jake was a hunter like him. There was not a single other person on this earth that was as good at hunting and killing as Jake. He remembered that tiny baby that Rebecca had told him was his granddaughter.
Jake must have been disappointed when his mate hadn't given him a son to carry on in his footsteps. Charles' head perked up when he heard the sounds of a struggle. He sniffed the air and could smell immortals that were clearly in killing mode. He could smell several mortals as well and the fear they were giving off.
He took off running and found them soon enough in a small dark alley. The mortals were already dead but Charles didn't care. He didn't hunt because he gave a damn about saving mortals. He hunted because he liked to prove his strength against other immortals.
"What do you want?" one of the five vampires said as Charles walked into the alley. Charles didn't answer just kept walking toward the vampire who was starting to take steps backward.
"What do you want werewolf?" he demanded. Charles lunged for him and caught his throat in his hands. He squeezed and the vamps eyes widened just before his head was ripped from his shoulders and he fell to the ground a pile of dust.
"What the hell!" Another of the vampires shouted. The four of them leapt on Charles quickly and though he held his own at first he was weak and tired from lack of sleep. And the alcohol he'd been drinking for hours was still clouding his mind and judgment.
He killed two more vamps but then realized with clarity that he was going to die if he didn't get away. He was beaten so badly that his body was having trouble healing itself and he felt himself growing weak from blood loss. He was backed into a corner. The remaining two vamps were closing in now. He only had one choice and that was too dash away.
Even as he lost consciousness he dashed though he had no idea where his unconscious mind was dashing him to.
888
Jake and Angela were on the couch in the living room. Everyone else had long since went to bed and they had tucked Laney into her bed hours ago. They were watching the fire roaring in the fire place and laying perfectly content and peaceful in each others arms when the air suddenly shimmered beside them.
Jake pushed Angela behind him as he stood and growled low in his throat ready for a fight. Suddenly the body of a man fell to floor. He was covered in blood and reeked of alcohol. For a second Jake's mind flew to Lane but he knew his little brother was upstairs with his mate.
"Oh my god! Is that your dad?" Angela asked. Jake sniffed again and through the stench of alcohol picked up the distinctive scent of Charles. He nodded to Angela and then used his bare foot to turn his father's body over.
His face was dirty and covered in a beard and blood. His clothes were ripped and tattered and Jake had to search to find a part of him that wasn't bleeding or broken. What the hell had happened to him and what the hell had made him think he'd be welcome to come back here?
"He needs help." Angela said. She reached for him intending to heal him but Jake grabbed her and pulled her away. "Jake, he needs help." she said again.
"The son of a bitch will be fine." Jake said matter-of-factly. Angela put her hands on her hips.
"Look I know he's an asshole and you don't like him but we can't just let him die." she said. He shook his head.
"He's not gonna die. He's immortal." Jake assured her. Just then Rebecca came into the room. She looked at her mate lying on the floor and barely managed to keep herself from dropping to her knees at his side.
She looked at Jake not able to hide the accusation in her eyes.
"What did you do to him?" she asked. Jake shook his head and raised his hands.
"I didn't do anything to him. He looked like that when he got here." Before Rebecca could reply Lane and Joey walked into the living room.
"I thought I smelled...." Lanes eyes fell on his father lying on the floor and Jake standing over him. "I did smell dad. But looks like Jake got to him first." Jake cursed and blew out an irritated breath.
"Why does everyone just assume I'm the one that beat the shit out of him. He looked like that when he got here." Angela nodded in agreement.
"He really did. I wanted to heal him but Jake wouldn't let me."
"The son of a bitch is immortal he'll be ok." Jake assured everyone. Rebecca turned away from Charles' beaten and bloody body. She could feel the tears coming and blinked them quickly away. Whatever had happened to Charles she was sure he had deserved it.
"Jake, get your father off the floor. He's bleeding all over the carpet." she said. Jake shrugged and threw Charles over his shoulder. He walked to the door and opened it allowing a gust of cold winter air into the living room.
He tossed Charles out into the snow and shut the door wiping his hands together as he turned back to face everyone. They were all looking at him with shocked expressions. Jake shrugged.
"What?" he demanded. Then he grinned sheepishly. "He's not bleeding on the carpet now." Lane was the only one that laughed.
"I thought it was funny." he said. Jake nodded.
"Me too."
"Everybody needs to get up and get to sleep. We'll worry about what he's doing here if he's still here in the morning." Rebecca said. Jake wrapped his arm around Angela and they followed Lane and Joey up the stairs.
Rebecca found herself standing in the living room alone. Only a door separating her and the man who had been occupying her dreams for years. She thought of him beaten and bloody out in that snow bank and though she understood Jake's hostility she couldn't stand the thought of Charles being so cold.
She grabbed a quilt off the couch and opened the door. The air was freezing and she walked over to where Charles lay in the snow. His wounds appeared to be healing. She wrapped the quilt around him and before she could stop herself she kissed his hair covered cheek.
Then she cursed under her breath and stood up wrapping her arms around herself and going quickly back into the house.
Charles cracked his eyes open in time to see Rebecca's gown swishing around her delicate ankles as she walked in and shut the door. His skin seemed to be on fire where her lips had touched his cheek.
He managed to stand on his weak legs and wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. It had been much warmer in California and he had forgotten how cold it got here in Virginia.
Damn his oldest son for throwing him out into the snow. At least he hadn't let that nasty mortal born mate of his touch him. Charles would have hated to have to burn his own flesh off to get the stench of her hands off of him. Charles knew he wouldn't be welcomed if he walked back into the house just now so he walked out to the garage instead. He broke the door to get in and then curled up in the corner to try to get some rest.