Bloodbreeders: Seeking Others (9 page)

I laid there while everyone, other than Jacob, slept as only death could, thinking about the rest of my life. I wanted to leave everything on the ship once we reached “our” home and become a stronger family unit while learning to be better fighters. Then afterwards, worry about going further up the coast. As of tomorrow the ship would stay out once we reached our destiny, and then come in closer to dusk. I fell asleep thinking about the stories that
he
had told me about the tunnels in London, and how he once worked them when he himself was a slave.

It was still raining lightly when I woke the next evening, and sure enough, once again Jacob was watching me. I rolled over and clenched my teeth together, because I felt like I had been run over by a train. I very slowly moved my legs off the side of the bed and sat up. My head was pounding slightly where the club had its way with me, but the real pain was in my muscles.

“The longer the night grows, the more the soreness will go away,” Jacob said laying his head back. 

“So you feel it too, huh?”

“I have become accustom to the side effects of battle.”

I mimicked the words, “I’m accustomed.” Then I added, “So, you’re saying the pain ain’t no big deal.”

“Strangely put, but yes.”

“Not trying to ask a stupid question here, but are we close to your…
our
place?”

“We have been here for hours,” he replied leaning forward.

“You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that,” I said standing up and stretching.

Once everyone was awake, the excitement of getting to live on land for awhile was starting to show. The only ones that weren’t throwing things into bags were Johnny and Shyanna, who seemed perfectly happy playing on the floor next to the bed. Jacob sent the first boat over with the slaves that we found at Cortez’s, where I could see at least three torches waiting on a dock. He sent Jessie with them so that the ones there would know it was Chin returning, or at least think that until we came ashore. Once the boat returned we all piled in and went back as a group.

I could see the confusion on the three men’s faces that were now standing in front of the seven that we had previously sent over, as we floated up to the dock. The men said nothing; they started helping us out of the boat and immediately took our bags from us.

“Master Jacob,” one man said dropping to one knee. “Where is our lord?”

“She is standing right in front of you. Gather in the great hall, there is much to be heard.” Jacob looked down at the man who still looked utterly dumb struck. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

“There is a guest. The woman waits while her male companions seek the hunt.”
“No one hunts on our land,” Jacob growled.

“Who is this woman? Did she give a name?” I asked, causing him to drop further to the ground, keeping his eyes anywhere but on mine.

“She claims she is Rebecca, high order of Mistress Yvette’s.”

“Son-of-a-bitch!” I smiled like I had never smiled before. “Go, tell her that Chin has arrived and will see her shortly. Do not mention another word.”

“Yes, my…”

“Yes
ma’am
is fine.”

He nodded and took off like he was on fire. I just couldn’t stop smiling. I think I may have even giggled out loud. Brandon and Derek were both grinning right along with me. Looking at the others I knew I had to fill them in. After I told them that she and her three goons were the ones that took me with lies and deception, and that Rebecca’s men slaughtered my entire family, all nodded in understanding. Then I told them payback was
going to be my bitch. Jacob and Jessie both looked me up and down.

“You must look the part of a high mistress. My mother’s clothes will fit you nice enough,” Jessie spoke as she walked around me.

“Then let’s do this. I’ve wanted to meet up with this bitch for a long time.”

Jacob took the boys with him, and Jessie took us girls with her. This was not like any home that I had even seen in books. Everything was made out of wood. Some was bamboo and some maple, but there was a whole lot of it. Most of the places that I had seen had a great amount of stone, but this seemed to be more like Mother Earth. There was greenery throughout the area that Jessie was taking us through. What I would think of as foyer, had no top, yet it was inside the home. It was just as open as the night sky itself. There were bricks covering the ground, with small wooden benches set here and there, and long palm type plants by each of them. Jessie took her shoes off and we followed, then she slid a white panel door open and stepped in going to her knees and bowing her head. Right after she stood, she told us to please come in.

“Pretty,” Shyanna said as she hopped into the light.

“Look at her shine.” Tammy pointed at her. “She’s changed.”

“No, she’s clean,” I laughed putting my hand on the top of her head.

“That’s just way too neat. When she turns she’s a brighter green, but when she moves like this,” she said moving her shoulders, “she gets a purple color rolling across her.”

“Renee,” Jessie said. “This is what my mother wore when the old one met council.”

“Wow! That is gorgeous.”

“It is called a kimono, and it will be you that makes it beautiful,” she replied looking up at me.

“Jessie, that was just too sweet.”
“I have never thanked you.”

“I’m the one that should be thanking you, Jessica. You and Jacob, both. I don’t think we could have done any of this without you.”

“You are kind to say that, but look where you were when you found us. You could have put us down, but you let us live. Why did you do that?”

“Because, you both were in the same boat that the rest of us were in, you just
happened to be on that particular ride a hell of a lot longer.”

“I still fear that he will show up and kill us all for what we have done to him,” she said swallowing so hard, I heard it.

“Jessie, he is dead…good and dead. Chin, is never coming back and if he did, I’d just kill him again.”

“For such a young one, you are so wise and comforting.”

“I helped raise my siblings. I’ve had loads of practice. Now, help me put this on.” I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out and taking her arm and pulling her into a, well, I would say warm embrace but all breeders were more than cool to the touch, but it was as loving as a mother could offer a child. And I did, I loved them all.

The kimono was soft and cool against my already frigid flesh. The color was a vibrant red with elaborate golden designs sown in and it went well with my dark hair and the pale pink of my skin. It was taking much longer for the healing of my dawn burn to go away than the damage from our recent battle at the Cortez estate.  I had Tanda help me brush my hair out, and for the first time in over a year, trim off the ragged ends. I let Jessie apply black liner above my top lashes, along with a dark red lipstick, that I couldn’t stop licking, which ended up getting me in trouble more than once.

Not being able to wear the blade that Bo had given me, I stuck the small black one that I’d gotten from Jacob into my silk lined pocket, what little good it would do. But, for good measure I ended up carrying my blade in my hand, I just didn’t feel complete without it. The boys came back in wearing the same type of black silk pants that Jacob had on when we had our first encounter. The waist was wrapped up high in the middle with a white silk cloth of sorts which was tied at the side with the rest hanging down their left leg. Jacob came around the corner wearing the same type of kimono that I was, only his was shorter and he got to wear pants.

“Why don’t I get a pair of those?” I asked looking at Jacob’s pants.

“You are female, of course,” Jacob answered, and then froze as he looked over at me.

“What?” I asked looking down. “Do I have something hanging wrong?”

“You look…different,” he smiled then started walking around me. “She will fall over if she thinks you dead.”

“She’ll fall over either way.” I smiled watching him as he moved like he was on ice.

“I have had her placed at the back of the great hall where Chin usually awaits his guests. She will see you walking up. On the other hand she will have nowhere to run.”

“I really like the way you think.”

As we were talking Tammy, Tanda, and Jessie walked out of the changing room wearing the exact same outfits. Red kimonos very much like mine. My embroidery designs were a lot bigger, but the dragons looked the same. “We don’t have time for the hair,” Jessie added when she saw Jacob looking. He gave his well-known nod and he took me under the arm and walked me out. We went back through the open air foyer, and stopped at the other side. Jacob dropped my arm and tapped on the door.

“The master has arrived.” A voice called out on the other side of the door, and my heart crawled up and made itself comfortable in the back of my throat.

Jacob stepped back and put my arm on his. He looked down at me and I shrugged, because I knew he could feel the fine trembling that had started when the man announced that the “master” was here. He patted my hand like you would a scared child, and took a step forward. Like magic the doors eerily swung open. The room was massive. There were golden statues of large bald men on each side of the room, with candles burning all the way around them. Fresh flowers were placed on the tables on each side of the statues. There was so many that the room smelled heavily with their fragrance. I could now hear myself swallowing the closer we got to the back and in front of the table that had four large, brass trimmed chairs on the far side. She was sitting in the last one on the right, eyes averted while she viewed her own attire. More than likely thinking I was Chin’s wife? I didn’t know nor did I care, however the anticipation was killing me.

Rebecca was smiling, ready to meet up with Chin, but her face slowly changed the closer we got and the recognition of who we were took hold. Who, I was. She stood so fast the chair fell backwards making a loud sound on the glossy tile floor. She was wearing her famous red shirt and tight black pants, only this time she wasn’t holding herself so high.

With my eyes squinted, I took on a death stare, directing it right at her. I could feel my top lip rising up as my breath became restless in my body. Garvin and Tanda stepped up on my right and the rest went to Jacob’s left making a long line right in her path of escape. Johnny slid around in front of me on my right and Shyanna hopped to my left.

“That’s the lady, Renee.” Johnny squirmed to get back behind me.

“Don’t worry baby, she’s not even alive,” I assured him, reaching down and putting my hand on his head. “Fancy meeting you here, Rebecca.”

“Well, I…where is, Chin?” she stuttered.
“I am Chin now, Rebecca. Haven’t you heard the news?”

“Renee, I was only doing what I was told.”

I went to take a step forward when Jacob grabbed my arm.

“You were told to kill my family, you bitch!” I yelled, leaning as far as Jacob would allow.

“I didn’t kill your family, I was with you, remember?” she pleaded, reaching her hand out.

I pulled my sheath off of my blade and sliced her offered hand. She grabbed it and screamed, stumbling over the chair she had knocked over. I yanked my arm away from Jacob and stormed over to her, as she tried backpedaling to get away. I threw the chair across the room with one smooth toss, I was so pissed! I wanted to cut her lying heart out. She pulled a blade out from behind her back and I felt the others move forward.

“No! She’s mine. No weapons Rebecca, one on one, you and me.” Then I stepped back and dropped my blade.

A smile gave way to the fearful look on her face. No matter if she knew what we had already done, she still saw me as that stupid little farm girl that was weak and afraid of her own shadow. How the tides had turned. I pulled the bottom of my kimono open, and stepped to the side as she got up. She too, dropped her blade.

“So, you are the one who took down Cuba?”
“Don’t forget Cortez, we took them down too.”

“I’m surprised at you, Garvin,” she called out.

“Don’t you speak to them, don’t you dare,” I screamed and kicked her right across the face. “You’re filth under their shoes.” Then I kicked her in the stomach.

She fell, swiftly kicking out and making contact with my knee. I hissed and hopped back. When Shyanna saw me fall back, she shot up in the air and gave that beautiful scream of hers causing Rebecca to grab her ears and look away. That’s when I grabbed
the small black blade and pulled it from its sheath, leaving it open in my pocket. I then went over and brought my fist back, hitting her hard when she looked back. She came up and I felt the sting of something piercing my stomach. I grabbed her hand, stopping her from twisting and ripping out my insides. All I could do was hit her in the face over and over, but she wouldn’t release it. I dug around for my pocket as we fell to the ground, finding my sharp blade. As soon as she rolled me over I came back up with her laying there looking at me and glancing down at my blade. All I had in my hand was my hilt.

“Omar will kill you,” she slurred as blood poured from her mouth.

“I’ll send your regards,” I replied getting up and stepping back.

“You have entered her heart,” Jacob said looking down at her, as her mouth opened and closed.

“So that’s where my blade is?” I walked the few steps and stomped down on her chest.

Her mouth stopped moving and her flesh turned to ash. I cursed, kicking at her remains, mad because I hadn’t asked about her three soon-to-be dead friends, out there waiting to die at the end of our blades, but preferably mine. Johnny came over and instantly I calmed down. He smiled while staring down at the charred mess that was once the woman that had frightened him. I picked him up and carried him to Tammy, telling her to take the girls back to the room, so I could figure out where the other three were. This little hunt had just begun. They were about to leave when the two large doors flew open, and back into the air Shyanna went.