My Brother's Keeper (10 page)

Kendrick looked at her with a serious expression. "So I've been told. Why? Did you have dreams as well?"

Anne looked away. "Yes."

"Dreams are tricky. People usually remember what they see but not how they felt, and that can change the dream dramatically. Personally, I think they are the worst way to find one's mate, but who am I to judge?"

She heard him turn, and when she looked back, he had picked up his book again and was reading. Wasn't he going to ask her who she had dreamt of? Did he not ask because he knew she was Keelan's? This was so confusing!

She stood. "Keelan is all set for the night, I think I'll turn in. It's been the longest day of my life."

Kendrick stood, which made her smile. All of the men had courtly manners; the simple gesture made her feel special.

"Despite the outrageous changes in your life, I have to say you handled yourself with grace and intelligence. I know of much older individuals who would have broken down today, yet you came through the day shining brightly."

Anne felt her cheeks begin to burn. "I did faint when they first told me about Keelan."

Kendrick inclined his head. "As any normal person would do after finding out the dire circumstances of someone they care about."

Anne felt her eyes fill at his praise. "I don't think I could have done so well without you. Thank you, Kendrick."

"You are most welcome. Sweet dreams, Anne." Kendrick gave a slight bow.

Unsure whether she should curtsey in response, she did the next best thing. " 'Night," she mumbled and ran from the room.

She didn't stop running until she was leaning against the closed door to her own guest room. Drat that man for affecting her so much.

Mindlessly, she changed out of her clothes and into a sleep shirt. A quick trip to the bathroom left her with a clean face and freshly brushed teeth. She pulled back the covers and slid between icy sheets.

I bet Kendrick could warm these for me.

I mean with magic! Ahhh! Stupid hormones!

Anne pulled the covers over her head.

I wish I knew what to do!

Slowly her own body heat began to warm the bed and she drifted off to sleep.

*****

"Hurry up! Kendrick and the boys are waiting!" Keelan pulled her hand as they ran through the woods.

"Keelan, slow down!" Anne laughed. Keelan looked back at her, his usual smile shining brightly.

"I'm sorry for the confusion, it's my fault." Keelan navigated them through branches and low hanging limbs.

She was about to ask him what he was talking about when they ran out into a clearing. In front of them, a large picnic was laid out in the afternoon sun. Kendrick was laughing and wrestling with three auburn haired little boys who looked to be about three.

"Come on." Keelan tugged at her hand, but she couldn't move forward.

She knew without a shadow of doubt that the boys were hers. Tears filled her eyes; the children were so beautiful. 

A cloud moved overhead, casting a long shadow. She looked at Kendrick then at Keelan. Who was the father of her sons? She looked back at Kendrick. He was sitting up, watching the boys as they started eating their lunches. He was waiting patiently, a gentle smile on his face.

"Who is my mate?" she whispered.

Keelan leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. "Ask Darian."

She turned to ask him what he meant, but the dream began to fade. She screamed, reaching for the boys to protect them from the darkness.

"Anne!" She heard Kendrick calling out to her.

She opened her eyes and sat up, gasping for air.

"Anne! Are you okay?" Kendrick sat at the edge of her bed, a worried look on his face.

Remembering the happy dream with Keelan and her sons made the darkness of reality that much harder to face. She buried her face in her hands and wept. There was no happy family for her. Keelan still lay in a coma in the next room, and the boys' laughter was a fading memory.

Warm arms enveloped her in a tight embrace. She held on to Kendrick's solid frame and laid her head against his chest. She let the rhythmic thudding of his heartbeat soothe her. For the first time since her parents had passed away, she didn't feel like she was all alone. Everyday in school, she had passed by people, never receiving more than a second glance or a nod as they walked by. At the hospital where she had trained, the only physical contact she had was when she reached out to help a patient. Did he know how intoxicating the very warmth of his skin was to her?

After a few minutes, he broke the silence. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She sniffled. "How did you know I was dreaming?"

"I heard you call out."

"Oh, no! Do you think I woke anyone?" She didn't think she could face anyone else if they came to see if she was okay.

She felt him shake his head. "I don't think so. The only reason I heard you was because I had just awakened from a dream myself and was reading."

"What did you dream?" 

"It was a warm dream. It was bittersweet because it was wonderful but had to end."

"It was almost like because it was so wonderful the act of waking made it a nightmare," she whispered.

He pulled back and cupped her face with both hands. "Did you see Keelan?"

She nodded.

He dropped his hands to rest on either side of her body. "I did as well. He looked healthy and happy. He was smiling."

"It was like the sun was shining because he was smiling." She felt the dream starting to slip away.

"Did he say anything to you?"

She nodded again. "He told me to 'ask Darian'."

Kendrick frowned. "Ask him about what?"

Anne stared down at the bedding. "I asked Keelan about matings; that's when he told me to ask Darian."

Kendrick put a finger under her chin and gently tilted her head up. "This is important. Did he say anything else?"

"That all the confusion was his fault."

Kendrick leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead exactly as Keelan had. "Get some rest, I'll speak with Darian in the morning."

Anne was too afraid to ask him about the children; she nodded and lay back down. "Keelan? He's out there somewhere, isn't he?"

Kendrick's expression was sad as he nodded. "Yes, but don't worry. I'll find him, I swear it." He stood and quietly left the room, leaving her with more questions and mixed emotions. Did she want it to be Kendrick because he was here and able to comfort her?

"Dammit it all!" she muttered, turning on her side. She hugged a pillow close and closed her eyes. When she slept this time, there were no dreams to haunt her.

*****

Anne lingered in the hallway upstairs. She heard the other couples walk by on their way downstairs and had waited until they had gone before she left her room to wait by Kendrick's door. She didn't feel quite like an outsider; it was more like she and Kendrick were a team, and it felt wrong to go downstairs without him. 

When Kendrick opened the door and stepped into the hall, she felt a wave of relief. He saw her expression and frowned. "Were you waiting for me?"

"Yeah."

"Kendrick!" a male voice called.

They turned to see a blond young man jogging toward them with a package in his hands.

"Yes?" Kendrick asked, stepping forward.

"My name is Noah Calloway. I work with Meryn. This package just arrived for you from a vampire courier." Noah held out a small box wrapped in brown paper.

"Thank you, Noah."

"No problem. Well, I better get back to work. Meryn will be finished with breakfast soon, and she'll want to look over my coding." Noah crossed his eyes and made a face.

Anne laughed. "Good luck."

"Thanks!" He waved and ran back the way he came.

Anne looked down at the package. "What do you think it is?"

"Only one way to find out." He held his door open, and they walked inside. Kendrick immediately went to his table. Carefully, he cut the twine that held the wrapping in place. When he opened the box, his eyebrows shot up. "I must have done something right." He reached into the box and pulled out six black necklaces. The faint stench of death made Anne take a step back.

Eager and smiling like a child, Kendrick began placing the necklaces onto individual stone crystal plates. As each necklace touched the respective plates, it began to glow in different colors.

Kendrick stood back, a satisfied look on his face. "We should get preliminary results by tomorrow."

They walked back out into the hallway and Kendrick closed the door behind them. He whispered a spell then turned to Anne. "Place your hand on the doorknob."

She reached forward and grasped the metal knob. "What am I doing?"

"These necklaces are probably the most important things in the city. If I had a separate room for study I would lock them in there. Since they are in the same room as my unconscious little brother, I'm not taking any chances. I've bespelled the door so that only you and I can enter."

"What would happen if someone other than you or I tried to enter the room?" she asked curiously.

He gave her a wolfish grin. "It would not be pleasant."

He straightened beside her and offered her his arm. She blinked at his elbow and looked up at him. Smiling, he reached down, took her hand, and placed it on his arm.

"It would be an honor to escort you downstairs." He turned and walked them down the stairs and into the dining room. When they walked in, the other men stood, and Kendrick pulled her chair out for her. She smiled at him and sat down. The men took their seats, and Ryuu began going around the table with his serving cart handing out cups of coffee.

"Ryuu! Come back here and let me sniff Kendrick's drink some more," Meryn pleaded.

Ryuu sighed and looked at his charge. "Why torture yourself?"

Meryn dropped her head to the table. "I want coffee." She sounded so pitiful, Anne thought for a moment Ryuu would relent; instead, he reached down to the second shelf of the cart and pulled out a small bowl of coffee beans. He walked over and set this in front of Meryn "You can smell these to your heart's content."

Meryn scowled at the squire fiercely. Anne realized that the small woman had been planning to sneak sips all along.

Ryuu rounded the table and passed Kendrick a cup that smelled faintly of chocolate before turning to her. "I wasn't sure what would be to your taste, so I waited to see what you might like this morning."

Anne turned to Kendrick. "May I try some?"

He nodded and carefully handed her his hot cup. She blew on the liquid and took a tentative sip. The mixture of chocolate and coffee was perfect.

"Oh my goodness." 

When she went to hand the cup back to Kendrick, he smiled and shook his head. "You keep that one. Ryuu, one more please."

Ryuu bowed. "Of course."

Kendrick raised a hand. "Ryuu, before you go, since everyone is here, I have a small announcement. I received the necklaces from the council this morning for testing. To keep them and my brother safe, I've placed a warding spell on the door, if anyone other than myself or Anne tries to enter the room, they will be severely injured."

"Understood." Ryuu said and went into the kitchen.

Rheia stood. "I'll let Penny, Noah, Jaxon, and Mina know." She hurried out of the dining room.

Colton scowled. "Do you really think something so dangerous is necessary in the house?"

"I wouldn't have done it if I didn't." Kendrick said casually as he eyed the pastries in the basket at the center of the table.

Darian slumped back in his chair. "First Keelan, then the Committee, now we're reduced to warding spells in our own home. What have our lives come to?"

Colton cut his roll in half and smeared a layer of thick jam on each side. "At least we have the perimeter. No matter who cast it, it's keeping those damn ferals out of the city."

Rheia came back in and sat down next to her mate. She eyed his gooey roll and shuddered. He had lathered it on so thick, it was almost as if he was eating jam with a bit of roll.

Ryuu reentered the room carrying a cup of steaming coffee. He placed it beside Kendrick and went to Meryn. "
Denka
, you have to eat something." The squire had a worried look on his face.

"Not hungry," Meryn muttered, her face still on the table.

Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at Meryn. Anne wondered why that was so surprising.

Aiden turned in his chair and scooped Meryn into his lap. "What's wrong, baby? You've been eating three breakfasts lately; why aren't you hungry?"

Meryn didn't answer, she just turned her head into his chest. "I'm tired."

Aiden looked at Ryuu and Ryuu nodded. "
Denka
, how about a very small cup of coffee, with chocolate in it. Just like what
Heika
is drinking."

Meryn turned her head slowly to look up at her squire and nodded. "Please."

At first, Anne thought Meryn was just playing to get some coffee, but the worried expressions on the faces around the table told her that this was a severe deviation from Meryn's normal behavior.

In less time than it took him to make Kendrick's drink, Ryuu returned with a cup for Meryn. Anne thought that she would gulp down the sweet beverage, but when Meryn only took a single sip and set the cup down, she knew that this was serious.

Ryuu took Meryn's wrist between his fingers and closed his eyes. When they opened, he turned to Kendrick. "
Heika,
could you please?"

Kendrick stood immediately and hurried around the table. He eyed the blue tattoo and raised a brow at Ryuu, who shrugged. Turning his attention back to Meryn, he gently held her hand between both of his.

Anne found herself holding her breath as she waited to see what Kendrick would find. When his eyes popped open, she almost fell out of her chair. She was surprised at how quickly she had come to care for the odd woman.

Kendrick's astonished expression turned to Amelia and then back to Meryn. "Extraordinary."

"What?" Aiden growled.

Kendrick smiled. "Fate is a mischievous female. I am constantly amazed by her woven designs." He began to whisper, and when he was done, he placed Meryn's hand back in her lap.