CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“Well, it’s about time.” The exasperated voice of a woman woke Layla from her dead sleep, and she bolted awake, her eyes shooting wide open. It took a few moments for her heart to slow its rhythmic pounding before her gaze fell on the short female looking down at her, hands on her small hips, foot tapping impatiently on the grass.
Don’t panic, don’t panic. Her mind repeated the mantra over and over. Layla backed away quickly and got to her feet, putting distance between her and the pixie-like female. She just stood there watching Layla, glaring and huffing in annoyance. It took a few moments for Layla to realize this was a woman, and not a child, before her.
“Layla, we really don’t have time for this, my dear. Seconds are precious. I am sorry to be short with you, but we have much to discuss. Come, please.”
Layla opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. She had no idea what the hell was going on. Looking around quickly she took in the scene—the sky seemed to be too blue, with perfect white puffy clouds, and bright overly green grass below. Then there was her—the petite woman with pin-straight black hair, and the most amazing golden eyes that were right now pinning her to the spot. This was either the most vivid dream she had ever experienced, or someone had slipped her one hell of a sleeping pill.
“Layla, I know this is odd. I had much more time to speak with your sisters.” She began to pace back and forth, wringing her hands before her. The long white dress she wore brushed over the grass, her bare toes peeking out as she walked.
“Sisters?”
“Yes, the other Seers. There are seven of you—Isabelle, Seer of Empathy; Sera, Seer of Hindsight; you, of course, the Seer of Nature; and your twin, Lexi, the Seer of Healing. The others I do not know yet, they come to me in dreams.”
Layla licked her dry lips and took a step toward this woman.
“How do you know all this?” What worried her more was she referred to her as the Seer of Nature, not the Seer of Beasts. Very few beings knew of her “true” nature and only Lexi knew about the “episodes.”
“I guess you could call me the matriarch of our race. I am Ilianna, the first Seer. I have been trying to help you all through these trials, but I can only reach out a few times. For some reason, it has been difficult getting through to you and Lexi. But I have no problem with your daughter, Annabelle.”
“You speak to my daughter?” Well didn’t that just chill her blood and change the direction of the conversation. Protective mother coming through, clear the way.
“Be calm, Layla. She is a true wonder. She decided not to tell you about speaking with me, against my wishes I might add. That little woman is going to run your demon ragged when she grows up.” Layla watched her carefully. She did not appear to be lying at all. She gave off an aura of kindness mixed with nervous impatience, but she genuinely wanted to help.
“I’m sure she will. I don’t believe Tan knows what he agreed to when he decided to join our family.” A smile pulled at her lips as she thought about him holding her as she fell asleep last night. Despite all that happened when Richard had shown up, despite all the sparking energy she felt in him, he had remained with her—breathing through his own need to rage. She had felt it in his blood, driving him to hunt. But something else kept him with them—the drive to keep her and Annabelle safe.
“Tanus—you have been good for him, Layla. You saved him from Michael, pulled him back from the web of madness he was held under.”
“Tanus? His name is Tanus?” How was it that the one name she had picked for him was so close to his own? Fate? Chance? Or somewhere deep inside her soul, had she known him already?
“I know his memory is still fragmented. I want to help. That is why I called you…” Layla waited for her to continue as the little woman paused and looked at the sky. Moving forward, she reached out and quickly took her hands. The heat this little female gave off was amazing.
“Listen to me, our time is over for now. Take him into the mountain…”
Layla winced, feeling heat spreading in her head. Before her, a scene unfolded, a cave hidden from view inside a large hot spring. The cave seemed to glow from within, steam rising in the air, heating the cave. Then the vision was gone.
“Take him. There are magicks in your world, places where the ancient ones once worshipped old gods. These places hold the power to cleanse and heal the soul. I can’t promise it will heal all his mental wounds, but it will help. You need to take Annabelle with you. That man, her human father, is coming for her. You can’t be in that house tomorrow. Promise me you will leave for the cave tonight, Layla?”
“Tonight? But it is minus fifteen degrees out there. Annabelle can’t go out in that.” She couldn’t walk halfway up the damn mountain in the dark with her five-year-old daughter in the middle of winter.
“Layla, do not forget who you are. Do not fear it. Between you and the demon she will be protected. Now quickly, you must wake.” The woman let go of Layla and stepped back, folding her hands before her as if in prayer.
Layla felt herself becoming lighter, the dream fading around the edges, the world becoming dimmer. She was still trying to figure out how she was supposed to get her child up the damn mountain without putting her in danger when her mind locked on a thought. This woman would know about Lexi.
“Wait! Ilianna, please! Where is Lexi? Tell me she is okay! Please.” The woman looked up, and only then did Layla realize she was floating above the land.
“Your sister is safe, for now. But her future is hidden from me. Believe in your bond, Layla, not in her words!”
The words barely made it to her ears before the wind rushed around her. She grabbed onto them as if they were physical, making sure not to forget them as the clouds of waking covered her mind. “Believe in your bond, not in her words.” Cryptic—why couldn’t prophets and messengers just give straight answers?
Layla jerked awake and gasped, pushing herself up from the couch. She looked around the room, almost frantic for a second, her eyes wide. The fire threw flickering light over the dark room, illuminating the form of a sleeping demon with a small sleeping girl curled up against his chest. She took in a slow breath and lay back down, her mind catching up with her. Annabelle was safe, Richard had not taken her, they were in the house.
Then that damn dream came rushing back. Ilianna and her words. “Her human father is coming for her. You can’t be in that house tomorrow.” Could it have been real? Was her mind playing tricks on her?
“It was real, Mommy.” Layla turned her eyes to her child. She was almost shocked by the sudden age she saw in those crystalline depths. She had the sudden urge to grab her child and shake her until that wise look was gone from her vision and she was just a normal child again, wanting pancakes with smiley faces and hotdogs with pineapples.
“Why didn’t you tell me, baby? About seeing Ilianna?” She kept her voice low. Turning her eyes to Tan—no—Tanus. That’s right; Ilianna had told her his real name. The demon had done so much for her, he deserved the sleep.
“I didn’t want to upset you. I know how much this scares you sometimes.” Oh God, had she done this to her own child? Made her grow up so fast she felt she had to protect her own mother from the truth.
Sitting up, she swung her feet around and ran her fingers through her hair. How had it come to this? She covered her face and held back the urge to cry. Small arms suddenly wrapped around her neck and she lifted her head and looked at her daughter.
“This should be me comforting you, Belle.”
“Nope, my turn. I love you, Mommy, we help each other. And now I have a daddy, and he can help, too. So when do we leave?” Her bright little eyes and wide smile were catching. Layla grabbed Annabelle and pulled her into her lap. The giggling girl wriggled as her mother tickled her.
“When do we leave for what?” The very tired male voice came from the floor. Both stopped and turned their eyes to him. It took all of one second before Annabelle launched herself from her mother’s lap and she was in the air flying toward the demon.
The demon caught her easily with a smile on his lips. Her little giggles lifted the melancholy from the room. Layla watched with the awe of a mother who could see the moment the bond between father and daughter began to bloom.
“I had a dream, Tan. I was taken to a place where a woman called Ilianna spoke to me. She explained some things, she told me your name. Tanus, your name is Tanus.” She watched him carefully as he sat Annabelle in his lap and locked his eyes on hers. He looked thoughtful for a moment. She could tell he was searching inside trying to associate the name with a memory.
“I don’t recognize it, but if my full name was Satanus, it would make sense. But I prefer Tan, it’s your name for me.” Those few words and she fell in love with the big brute all over again.
“So do I. This Ilianna, she said Richard was coming back tomorrow. That we need to leave.” Layla watched as his whole demeanor changed, his arm tightened around Annabelle, and the flaming blue of his eyes darkened considerably. Gone was the smiling male that had made Annabelle laugh only moments before the one that replaced him was all demon.
Annabelle turned, taking in his eyes, and then leaned back against him, totally content in his arms. Layla let out a small breath. Her daughter did not seem bothered at all by his sudden change in energy, but rather relaxed by the protective nature to it.
“The human will be in for a surprise if he tries to harm you or Bella.” His tone was all business as he stood, easily keeping Annabelle in his arms the whole time. She moved with him, turning in his embrace so she could lay her head on his shoulder. She had gone very quiet all of a sudden.
Layla stood and walked to his side. His eyes were locked on the window and the darkness outside. He was on alert already, even though morning was hours away. Turning, he looked at the silent child and then at her mother.
“Where does this Ilianna woman suggest we go? We’re in the middle of nowhere in Montana. I doubt we can leave town without Dickless finding us. I will not leave the warmth of this cabin with Bella to go wandering around in the night; it is too much of a risk for her.”
“That’s what I told her. She said I…” Layla should have said something about his language use, but she was too concerned about telling him about her “episodes.” Hell, could she even get the words out?
“She said what?” His urging voice brought her eyes to his, and Layla took a breath before letting it out.
“I think you can keep her safe, that’s what Ilianna said. You and me together. In your hellhound form you run hot. You give off massive amounts of heat. You can carry her. I will follow behind and hide the footprints.”
Tan raised his eyebrows at her statement but didn’t comment as to how she was going to manage such a feat. She was right. He could keep the child warm. The fact she glossed over her first attempted statement was not lost on him. Why she would try and hide something from him he would find out later. Right now, there were more important things to worry about, like why Richard would be coming back so soon, and why this Ilianna woman seemed to have such an effect on Layla that she would believe her words this strongly.
“And where would we be going? For how long?” Something inside drove him to lay this all out. He didn’t like to go into this without a well-laid plan of how long would they be gone, how much food and water they would need. Was there protection at their destination? Shelter? Warmth? Did they have a radio?
His mind listed off a hundred things he needed to check before he would move on this insane plan of leaving the cabin with his daughter. He blinked, his mind going blank suddenly. Yes, it felt right, Annabelle was his daughter. He wasn’t sure when that fact had become carved into his soul, but it had, and he would give his life for her and the woman he loved.
He watched Layla biting on her bottom lip. With a soft growl, he reached out and sank his fingers into her hair. Tilting her head back he covered her lips with his own, claiming her mouth, flicking his tongue against her lips until she parted for him and melted against him. He let out a purely male sound of satisfaction as she looked up at him with a soft dazed glow to her eyes. A gentle giggle from Annabelle had her mother blushing bright red before hiding her face against his chest. He gently pulled her head back so he could see her eyes before leaning in to press his lips to her hairline.
“Now we have that out of the way. Tell me where we are going, Layla. We need to prepare, and we have only a few hours.” As she started to talk he listened, but half of his mind was on weaponry. How was he going to defend his new family?
Something stirred in his chest, prowling under his skin. Tan had a feeling he would not have to worry too much about that; beast and demon were in total agreement. Whether by claw or fang, he would tear anyone apart that tried to harm their family.
It didn’t take as long as he expected to get everything together. Layla had pulled the snowmobile out from the shed, and while he finished loading the attached sled, she knelt before her daughter, zipping up her winter jacket to her neck and pulling her hood up over her head. He turned his head and watched the two females. Annabelle looked a little nervous. She fidgeted the whole time, looking over at the red snowmobile excitedly. She had let it slip to him earlier that she had never been on the snowmobile before, and was looking forward to it.
He finished securing the final pack down and zipped up the jacket Layla had found stuffed in the attic. There had been fresh snowfall since the sun set, and it had dropped the temperature of the air significantly. Worry pricked at him. He did not like the idea of taking Bella out on a night like this. The weather could turn at any moment; the chances of a storm rolling in were slim, but winter in the mountains could be unpredictable. However, Layla was on edge, and she wanted to get away from the cabin. This Ilianna woman had given her a warning, and she was taking it very seriously. So, to ease her fears he would do as she wished, even if that meant trekking out into the snow at five o’clock in the morning.
“Okay, ladies, we ready to go?”
Layla stood and faced him, her eyes too wide, too nervous. She nodded and dropped her gaze, her fingers fiddling with the zipper to her jacket. She was trembling the whole time, and kept missing the link to the zipper. He reached out, covering her hands with his and stilling her shaking hands.
“Layla, I won’t let anything happen to you or Annabelle. You’re mine, remember?” Her eyes lifted to his and she nodded as the demon zipped up her jacket. Cupping her cold cheeks with his hands he leaned in, covering her chilled lips in a warm lingering kiss. He was determined to drive away the ice that seemed to have infused her body. Her hands lifted to cover his, and just for a moment nothing existed but her lips and the taste of her on his tongue. He hated she had to endure this, that her worry and fear had driven some of the light from her.
“I belong to you, too, right?” A little voice came from his side. He could have stood there kissing her all night, but he reluctantly released Layla’s lips and looked down at Bella. She was looking up at him, her ice blue eyes wide. Leaning down, he picked her up and settled her on his hip easily.
“Of course you do. You are very special, Bella. You want to sit up front with me?” Her bright smile was all the confirmation he needed. He put her down gently and she ran through the snow, looking like a bright pink mini Michelin Man climbing on the snowmobile. She was dwarfed by the large machine.
Arms moved around his waist, and Layla rested her head against his shoulder. She was so quiet. That put him on edge. She always seemed to be so alive with sound, humming or talking. Her silence went against her very nature. He didn’t like it. Turning her face up so he could see her eyes, he gently brushed his thumb across her cheek.
“Your silence is painful to me, Layla. I find myself missing your voice.”
She let out a small laugh and a smile finally pulled at her lips. “Hush up, silly demon. Since when does a man want his woman to talk his ear off?”
Lowering his head, he rested his forehead against hers, the air misting between them. “Your voice calms me, and has from that first moment you spoke. You broke through the darkness, you carried me back from the brink. Now it is my turn to bear the weight.”
He saw her eyes glisten with tears. Hell, he could smell it. Shit, he didn’t mean to make her cry; he was not good at this sappy stuff. He opened his mouth to apologize for whatever he said that made her cry, but she threw her arms around him and kissed him hard and fast.
“I love you, Tanus.” He stared at her. She had said the words. He felt strong and weak at once. Was that even possible? He wanted to roar to the world, sneak her off into the darkness, and keep her hidden from everyone. Every protective instinct surged in his heart, and he grinned wide.
“Well of course you do. I’m sort of perfect.” That earned him a punch to the shoulder, and she huffed, her face flushing bright red. The flustered female made a break for the snowmobile and her grinning daughter who was watching the whole thing. He grabbed her from behind and pulled her back against him, leaning down so his lips brushed her ear. He chuckled softly as she huffed again, trying to pull away.
“Let me go, you ass.”
“Nope, never going to happen. I am both demon and hellhound. Remember? When I make a claim, it is for life. You are mine, Layla. My mate, my heart. My love.” She stopped struggling and turned around, her eyes locked on him as if she had not heard him. “You heard me; you are my love. There will never be another.”
Layla wanted to smack the bastard again. His words were not as simple as “I love you.” They were more than that. They meant something deeper than mere love. She knew it in her heart. He was making a declaration of fealty, of devotion for the rest of his life. How had she stumbled upon this man? How had he come to be in her life, in the life of her daughter?
“Sometimes, demon, I want to kick you.” She chuckled and smiled. He just grinned and wrapped her in his powerful arms. Closing her eyes, she breathed him in, letting the air of power and strength wash over her. She felt protected and safe for the first time in hours. The tightness in her chest eased for the first time since the madness of Richard walking back into her life. She believed they might be okay now.
“Come on, crazy woman, let’s get going.” His low tone sent her heart racing, and she considered kicking him for real. Shaking her head, she watched him as he walked over to the snowmobile and climbed on behind Annabelle, turning her around so she was facing forward. He secured her snow goggles over her eyes and leaned around her, starting the engine.
The grating noise shattered the silence of the night and drove home just how real this whole situation had become. For all the craziness that revolved around her life—talking to animals, her sister healing, a daughter who seemed to have more powers than sense half the time. This moment felt totally unreal; her life had gone from semi-sane to certifiable in a week. The reason for the sudden straitjacket requirement sat on the back of that snowmobile talking quietly to her daughter, looking down at her like a father should look at his child. Her heart melted for him. Yeah, she could live with certifiable as long as he was in it with her.