The Lost Soul Trilogy (Primani Book 5) (110 page)

SPRING IN ENGLAND WAS WET. Of course, it was. Was there a season that wasn’t? The country was beautiful but enough with the rain already. Domino moaned in disgust and wiped dog snot on the windowpane. The glass fogged with her breath and she sat with a sulky huff.

“I’m right there with you, pup. This bites.”

‘Stir-crazy’ didn’t begin to describe our current level of restlessness. It had been drizzling and chilly for more days than I could count. Dec had launched into full-on overprotective nanny mode and wouldn’t let me outside in case I caught a cold. God forbid, I get a runny nose! It was making me mental. He’d been such an angel though, no pun intended.

I couldn’t ask for a better bodyguard or friend. After the first few rocky weeks, we’d settled into a routine that kept us both sane. When the weather was nice, we went exploring around England and spent days trudging around monuments, parks, and tourist sites. We took the demon dog as often as we could since she sulked like a two-year old if we left her behind. Besides, it gave Dec an excuse to talk without looking like a crazy person. I was still cloaked outside of the safe house.

I wiped a little spot and peered through the glass. Dec was running errands and Killian was in Switzerland with Rivin. Where was Sean? I traced little hearts in the condensation and worried. He’d been undercover for months without any contact with us. We got some news from Raphael. The tracer was working and he’d talked to him every few days. He let us know Sean was alive.

Alive.

That five-letter word wasn’t comforting.
Alive
was straight up better than ‘dead,’ but didn’t mean ‘okay.’ For example, I was technically alive when Dagin tortured me. The pain and fear only made me wish that I was dead.

Yeah, you could live without enjoying it. I hoped and prayed Sean wasn’t being tortured. He had to come back from this; he had to. Our little cell wasn’t complete without him. Our
family
wasn’t complete. Everyone missed him. The stress was wearing on me as the little parasites sucked all my energy. I patted my stomach with affection and smiled at the image. Yep, I was going to be a great mother.

“Michael, please protect your Primani Sean. Bring him home to us unbroken and sane,” I prayed softly with eyes lowered.

Domino leaned against my leg and I cuddled her close. She prodded at the blanket with her nose and I lifted it so she could curl underneath my bent knees. The window seat wasn’t roomy, but we managed. After all, it was just us girls. I leaned back and closed my eyes. I was so tired. Maybe a short nap?

Domino shifted her head so she could lay her chin on the nursery, aka my belly. She seemed oddly interested in the sounds and movements coming from inside. Anytime she could, she rested her chin there. I was most definitely showing now. I rested my palm on the pile of tangled triplets and sighed. I was already huge. I closed my eyes and listened to the wind rushing through the new leaves in the garden and drifted off.

The sound of the garage door opening woke me just in time to see the sun sinking in the sky. Glancing at my phone, I jerked upright. I did not just sleep for six hours! Groaning about all the things I didn’t get done, I nudged the pooch and we both climbed down from our perch.

“Hey, little momma! I’m back!” Dec tapped once and cracked open the door. He beamed at me and held out a bag of something yeasty and still warm.

Inhaling deeply, I said, “Is that bread? I’m starving!”

Playfully pulling it behind his back, he winked and helped me up by the elbow. “This is for dinner with the stew I got from The Devil’s Hangman. We’re having company and I don’t want you to cook. I also grabbed dessert because I am just that good!”

“Spotted Dick?”

His eyes narrowed dramatically and he said, “You don’t even like it. You just like to say it, don’t you?”

Giggling at his expression, I said, “That is so not true! I love it, but yes, I like saying the name. Happy now?” Spotted Dick was one of the few English foods I loved. It was soooo good. All spongy cake and sticky syrup...and some kind of creamy vanilla sauce...yum on a plate!

He kissed my cheek and asked seriously, his brows dipping low, “How are you feeling? Okay?”

My stomach growled at the thought of the pub’s beef stew and fresh bread. It was perfect. “I’m fine, big brother. You’re too good to me, you know that? I hope you did something fun today?” He’d been acting like a caged tiger all week so I finally shoved him outside and made him go do Primani things.

“I killed two demons over near Worchester Common apartments and one near the park on Abbey Road.” He held out his hands and turned so I could see his back. “And look! Not a single scratch or piece of ash on me. Man, it felt so good to get out and fight again. I love you, darlin’, but I can’t let my energy build too much. Bad things might happen.”

“Like what? Could you explode?”

He shrugged. “It’s possible. You never know.”

Yeah, we wouldn’t want that! I didn’t know if I could bend over to clean the floor.

We headed for the kitchen with Domino on our heels. He held my elbow and I shrugged out of his grip, saying patiently, “You’re doing it again, angel. I’m not going to fall down--yet. Give me a couple more months though, and I’ll look like a whale. THEN you can help me!”

“Ah, come on now, you’re beautiful, darlin’. You’re like the Madonna right now. All radiant and peaceful. I like helping you and my nephews.”

Even though we’d had this conversation 100 times, he just couldn’t help himself and I’d given up getting mad about it. He looked a little sheepish but raised his hand to tuck my hair behind my ear. So gentle, he tucked the strand and let his fingers linger. Their warmth filled me with light and happiness and I couldn’t resist him. The smell of fresh leaves filled my senses. I breathed deeply and smiled. So peaceful, so warm...Before I knew it, I was resting on the couch with my feet propped up on a pillow and a cup of hot chocolate at my side. Three marshmallows floated on top.

Ooooh! He did it again! Damn, er, darn him!

He poked his head out of the itty bitty kitchen and flashed both dimples my way. “Gotcha! The twins are on their way so don’t freak.”

That’s our company? Cool. Dimitri and Alexandyr were endlessly entertaining. They were assigned to the Western European special ops div and stopped to visit whenever they could. Dimitri and Dec went way back and conquered many a killer wave with Rivin. Rivin was still sulking because he was banned from being anywhere near me.

“Do you want to Skype Rivin tonight? He’s feeling left out. I can sense him driving past the house. He’s pretty unhappy. I think he misses you, Dec.”

Dec just laughed. “He’s always unhappy, love. That’s just him. But sure, let’s call him later.”

With a sharp bark, Domino alerted and stared intently at the foyer.

Incoming.

A slight shift in air pressure and Dimitri and Alexandyr rematerialized together. Even though their bodies and faces were absolutely identical, they couldn’t be more different. They had completely different styles and personalities. Alexandyr wouldn’t be caught dead with long hair or braids. His golden blond hair was always impeccably trimmed in a conservative GQ cut. Short, slightly layered, and lightly gelled for a wee bit of lift on top. He dressed in clothes right out of GQ too. Metrosexual? Nah, definitely not. He was waaaay too bad ass to be metro. He did, however, look damn good in Armani.

Both Primani stooped to pat the watch dog. Dimitri grinned and sauntered into the living room. He walked in a way that could stop traffic (if the drivers were all women). There was something about his confident swagger and long muscular legs. He was just sexy, period.

His twin reminded me strongly of Killian, the Killian that had scared the bejesus out of me when we first met. He glided into the room like a mountain lion stalking a hiker. His intense blue eyes alert for the barest hint of a threat, he surveyed the house around him as he moved. His eyes missed nothing, ever. That’s where the similarities ended. Unlike my ultra-controlled Zen-loving husband, Alexandyr had the temper of an irritated bull shark. Where Dimitri was light, he was darkness. He gave me chills.

Coming straight to me, Dimitri bent and kissed the top of my head respectfully. His warm eyes glowed a soft blue as his body recovered from traveling. Ignoring my personal space as usual, he splayed his palm over my belly and closed his eyes.

“They’re fine, Legolas. You worry too much!” I said, exasperated.

Crouching to look me in the face, he smiled oddly and said, “There is no such thing as too much worry. You carry more than babies inside of you, little one.”

Before I could press him for more, my phone buzzed on the table. Killian.

“Hey, babe, I’m on my way home.” His voice was low and urgent in my ear.

Was he driving? It sounded like he was in a car.

Turning away from the avid eyes of the three Primani behind me, I said quietly, “Are you driving?”

His soft tone sent shivers of apprehension crawling over my skin. “Long story.”

He totally didn’t answer my question.

Alexandyr observed blandly from the doorway and lifted an eyebrow in question.

“Killian’s on his way.”

We’d just finished eating and the guys were clearing the table. I was wiping it down when a loud knock practically took out the front door. Now what?

Alexandyr grabbed my arm and hissed, “Stay here!” Then he was gone. Poof.

Dec and Dimitri vanished.

Domino looked up at me and seemed to shrug. She wasn’t worried.

The pounding came again.

I sent my vision out to search for threats and came back with nothing but two life forms standing on the porch.

Not human, but not demons either. They tended not to knock.

Primani. And one of them was mine.

Ignoring Alexandyr’s order, I came into the living room and announced to Dec, who had rematerialized in the foyer, “It’s only Killian. Open the door for crying out loud!”

Dec huffed at my tone and reached for the door handle just as it opened on its own.

Well, hell.

Heck.

Shoot.

Never in a million years did I expect to see this.

Killian stood there with a black-haired toddler cradled in his arms. The boy was pale and tiny. His little feet were bare but clean. He was dressed in Killian’s shirt which swallowed him up. His eyes were closed in exhaustion. Purple smudges brought my eyes to his sunken cheeks.

“So three isn’t enough?” I asked stepping closer to him with more curiosity than George.

He gave me a wry look and glanced behind him saying kindly, “Come inside. You’ll be safe here.”

Behind him stood a woman with wavy brown hair and terrified eyes. She was skinny and pale with dark circles of illness under her blue eyes. Her cheeks were sunken as though she’d lost a lot of weight. I hadn’t noticed before, but now I saw how hard she clutched at the belt loops on Killian’s jeans. It was all that held her up. An air of hopelessness and fear surrounded her and made a beeline for my empath side. She was absolutely terrified for her son.

I knew her; I’d seen her before.

But it was Alexandyr who choked, “Aisling? Mighty Gabriel, how is this possible?”

He turned white as a ghost and ran to her side, scooping her into his arms and carrying her into the living room. He set her down on the couch and knelt beside her with his arms clutching her against his side.

“We thought you dead!” His cold voice was harsh with emotion. “Where have you been?”

Dimitri’s mouth had dropped open at the sight of her and now he clamped his mouth into a tight line. His emotions were flowing around him like a storm. Shock, relief, and...guilt?

Okay, so this was beyond strange. Time to move things along before it got weirder up in here.

“Killian, bring the little boy over and sit him down. Dec, get over here and examine him so we know what we’re dealing with.” Turning to Aisling, I said, “I’m Mica, Aisling. This is a safe house for Primani. You’ll be okay here.” I gestured to the little boy and asked, “What’s his name?”

She smiled faintly and held a shaking hand to his mop of coal black hair. “Sean Michael.” A tear ran down her cheek and she let it fall. “He’s dying, isn’t he? I am being punished for my sins.”

Sean Michael.

Sean...

Oh, Jesus. This is Sean’s baby? He’s going to lose his mind.

Absolutely. We need to keep them alive first. They were unconscious when I found them.
Killian’s face was carefully blank but his eyes were locked to mine from the other side of the couch.

I started to touch the boy’s forehead when Killian’s voice cracked like a whip.

“No! Don’t touch him! Stay back until we know what’s wrong. They’re both very sick. You can’t touch them.”

“I have to help them! I can help, Killian.” I was seeing red. I needed to help too. Didn’t he get that?

Turning to me with snapping eyes, he used his don’t-argue-with-me tone, “Oh, I get it, babe. You’ve got a heart of gold and I love you for it. But I refuse to take chances on your life. We’ll take care of this. Why don’t you go get them something to eat? They’re starving.”