Chapter Three

His claws kept trying to break through his skin. He wanted to shred the seats. It was the look of pleasure on Brandi’s face when she sat in his Rolls that kept him from tearing it up. The familiar ache of impotence swirled in his stomach coming up his esophagus to burn with fury in his mouth.

He growled as his beast fought him for his skin. Memories of Brandi were playing through his mind. The way she smiled when she laid against his chest. The small sound of pleasure that came from her. How she looked as he fed her.

A growl tore free loud enough to shake the car as he pulled into the driveway. He put it in park not caring that the engine was still running and threw himself against the door in his desperation to be released. He changed forms his beast demanding then stealing his skin. The growl that emerged would have awakened the neighbors if they had any.

He ran towards the side of the house where they were building the outdoor kitchen. The grip he had on his sanity slipped, but he could still remember there was someone in the house he could hurt. Slade stepped out of the kitchen door and changed forms. Jabari came at him, claws outstretched death in his eyes.

They clashed falling to the earth as they fought for the dominant position. Jabari slashed at his neck Slade turned his head deflecting what could have been a death blow. Jabari howled in frustration as Slade kicked him off. They both jumped back to their feet.

They circled around looking for a weakness. Jabari eyed Slade’s leg the one that had been cut several days ago and went for it. There was a roar of pain as claws shredded his back. Claws gripped his ankles as the rest of his brothers joined the fight. They pulled him down until they could subdue him. He roared and growled his frustration speaking in the language of his beast. They dragged him inside the house and through the kitchen. He felt every bump as he hit the stairs.

They took him to the part of the basement they used for holding enemies. There in the corner, was a cell designed for him. They tossed him in and locked the door. He stood and ran at the walls trying to claw his way through. Each brother watched him before turning their backs and walking away.

Slade sat on the floor in front of his cell for a long time before he finally left. Jabari fought for freedom until he couldn’t move. Then he fell to the floor covered in grief he couldn’t bear.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Slade’s voice broke the silence.

“No.”

“Talk anyway.”

Jabari lifted his head to watch as his brother once again took a seat on the floor ignoring the chairs by the wall.

“She’s dying. It that what you wanted to know? How long does she have left, is that what you’re wondering? Weeks’ maybe a few months.” His voice was raw from the pain he could still feel simmering beneath the surface of his skin.

Slade flinched. To hear she was dying hit closer to home than he was ready to deal with.

He was taking his pain and his anger out on his brother. Opening up wounds that were still too new to be considered old. He was acting like a bastard or a wounded created either way his actions were unforgivable.

“Maybe Mekhi can…”

Jabari was shaking his head. “No, there is nothing he can do. There is nothing I can do. She will die.” The dead gift he carried inside of him flared to life long enough for him to realize she was dying and nothing and no one could save her.

“Then all you can do is stay away from her. I don’t want a repeat of last night.”

“Could you stay away from Brie?” Slade roared his teeth elongating.

“I didn’t think so. She’s my mate. How am I supposed to stay away?”

He didn’t have an answer for that.

“I’ve wondered over this last month how Mekhi managed to keep his mate. I hoped it was skill and knowledge, now I know it was luck. None of those will help me with Brandi.” He stood covered in dry blood.

Slade opened the cell and handed him a pair of pants.

“What will you do?”

Jabari stopped on his way out and turned to face Slade. “I wish I knew.”

He left the basement and took the stairs until he stood in his room. The white walls stared at him a contrast to the walls in Brandi’s condo. He passed them up unable to look and headed for the shower. Maybe Slade had a point. He should stay away.

*~*~*~*

Brandi woke feeling much better. She ignored the feeling and took her time getting out of bed. She fell for this false sense of strength a few times in the past only to end up on her ass.

Fie was standing by the bed talking up a storm. She had to smile; he looked so much better after last night. Whatever Jabari fed him helped.

“Are you hungry, baby?” She didn’t even flinch when she said, baby. She no longer thought of the fact that she wouldn’t have children. Those thoughts could tear her in half. It always helped that she hadn’t met anyone who made her think about settling down. That changed last night when Jabari fed her. He didn’t have to, but he did. She turned her mind away from the thought before she spiraled into a dream filled world.

There were no more dreams for her or thoughts of the future. She told herself that every day, then she stiffened her spine and fought. Giving up wasn’t in her nature.

She walked into the kitchen and grabbed the food that Jabari made for Fie. She heated it up and brought it to the bathroom to put in his bowl. She changed his water and watched with a smile as he began to eat. Today was going to be a good day.

She used the bathroom before she walked back into the bedroom. Today was her day to visit the youth center in her old neighborhood. She pulled on her favorite pair of shorts along with a t-shirt and a jacket. She got cold faster now.

“Fie, I’m going out, but I’ll be back in time to feed you dinner.” She laughed as she opened the door. Talking to her cat made her feel better. Someone was listening to her even if he could only meow in response.

She almost tripped over the package on the other side of her door. It was wrapped in a festive paper that reminded her of parties. The card read ‘I love your new line of clothes.’ It was from an admirer. Occasionally she got something nice from someone wanting to say, thank you. She tucked it in her bag to be opened later. Right now, she needed to hail a cab or call another Uber. She made it to street level still debating what to do.

“Going somewhere?”

Jabari was standing next to his Rolls as she left the building. Her shoulders stiffened hadn’t she said goodbye to him yesterday?

“Not with you.” The ache she felt in her gut almost killed her, but she needed to protect him. If he got involved with her the well of pain, she saw behind his eyes would only get deeper. She couldn’t do that to him… Could she? She turned her back on him and pulled out her phone to get a ride.

It was wrong because she knew it would hurt, but she allowed herself one last look at him as she got into the car. Her heart seized. Why couldn’t she have the desire in his eyes?

She gave the driver directions to where she was going then settled back. Her heart ached, but she couldn’t do this to either of them. He could become important in her life, and she didn’t have much life left. Who was stupid enough to fall in love at the end of their lives? Was it stupidity to grasp onto love where you found it? The voice inside her head, the one that liked to play devil’s advocate, asked.

She gave her head a shake. For others, it made sense just not for her. She exited the car only to find Jabari pulling up behind her.

“What are you doing here?” Why did he have the power to move her? It wasn’t like she knew him, but from the first time she saw him her heart beat faster, and she wanted, oh how she wanted.

“Is there a law against coming here?”

“You’re stalking me.”

“It’s part of what I do.”

She tapped her foot in frustration. She wanted to yell at him as if she hadn’t left that part of her life behind. All she had time for now, was emotions that made her feel Zen.

“You can’t be here!”

“Why?”

“Because these kids don’t ride in Rolls Royce’s. They may not even know what one looks like. Then you come here and flaunt how rich you are in front of them. It's not fair.” You can’t be here because I’ll need you when I’m weak, and it’s not fair to get my hopes up and then dash them. Those words stayed behind the barrier of her teeth.

She turned and made her escape into the building leaving him outside and hopefully out of her life.

“Ms. Brandi.” Several of the kids ran to her to receive hugs and kisses. The parents walked up to her and hugged her giving her smiles of welcome.

“I heard we’re having a game of B-ball here today.”

“It’s girls against the boys, we’re going to kick their butts.” One girl told her, she was in the midget league.

“You can try,” one of the boys shouted as he made a basket.

“Go warm up Tina.”

“Yes, Ms. Vahl.” She ran off to find another basketball.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling fine Leona. Now that I’m here watching the kids I feel even better.”

“They will do that to you. Why don’t we find you a seat? Maybe by that man who is eating you up with his eyes. You attract the best men.”

Brandi turned around to see Jabari sitting in the stands watching her. She turned her head to look at the other side of the room.

“Are you telling me you would rather sit by yourself than by that sexy man?”

Yes, her head screamed, but her heart wasn’t having it. Unable to stop herself her feet carried her over to him. He moved making room for her.

Her tongue came out to lick her bottom lip, and his eyes followed the movement. Could one last grand affair of the heart before she died be wrong?