Breanna (22 page)

Brea relaxed, her hands beneath the hot water, the dishes quickly vanishing into the drainer two days later. She was surprised at how easily the people around her had slipped into friendship – okay, mostly friendship - and each other’s lives.

Delivery people had arrived Tuesday afternoon with various pieces of furniture her parents had bought. She watched the things being carried up the stairs and went to supervise the placement. Her parents were off talking to the school about positions for the fall.

It was getting easier to see them so young. Not real easy, she thought with a sigh. But easier. On Thursday, Nick and Jase actually didn’t protest when she tried sliding out of bed at six. She frowned at the pair of them rising right behind her and wandering down the hall to their own bathrooms. It wasn’t until they appeared in the kitchen that she found out they had full days of interview scheduled.

She made an extra pot of coffee.

“Don’t you have an appointment with Matt to go over your renovations?” Nick looked up from the English Muffin he’d dropped from the toaster to the plate and dug a jar of peanut butter from the cabinet.

“I will be there in less than twenty minutes,” she told them.

“We’ll drive you in. We have our interviews scheduled for the new office,” Jase told her, draining the coffee and brushing the surprised OH of her lips with his. “We 271

forgot to tell you that part?”

“I’m thinking we forgot to tell her that part,” Nick agreed, crunching down on the muffin as he walked toward their home office. “I’ll get the files.”

“You’re not working at home anymore?”

“We won’t be in a week,” Jase answered, walking with her to the front of the house. “Final inspections for the building are this afternoon. Then it’s finished and ours.”

Brea looked from one to the other, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Where is it?”

“Come along, Miss Cooper,” Nick winked at her.

“What are you two up to?” She knew she was dragging her feet and jumped when the solid, large and swift palm struck her jean covered behind. “Hey!”

“That sounded nice,” Jase teased, lifting her to the front seat of the SUV and closed the door.

“I warned you about the caffeine,” Nick said with a chuckle, sliding behind the wheel.

“He’s like that with or without caffeine and you don’t drink coffee, so what’s your excuse?” Brea buckled the seat belt and shifted to the side, glaring at them both.

“Hmmm…..the lady seems to have claws after all,” Jase teased on her sore subject.

“Grrrr….” She raised the corner or her mouth like she’d seen their wolves do, slumping back in her seat and sighing. “All right, fine.” 272

“I’m not sure she handles surprises well, Jase,” Nick glanced at his friend as he read through some files.

“It’s not the surprise….she thinks I’m controlling,” Jase murmured, listening to the chuckle from the front.

“Huh…wonder how she got that idea?”

“Don’t you start. You just hide it better,” Jase snorted, closing files and collecting the things they wanted to carry into the new building.

Brea straightened slowly in the seat, watching Nick guide them toward the mid-sized industrial park just outside the national park. She had her window open, the scents of sand and tidal swells making her sigh. Her eyes kept darting around, her lips pulled into a taut bow. Her new shop was right near the coastal highway, the truck parked in front and the crew doing the renovations. The large specially made sign ready to be mounted above the doors.

Her gaze shot to the office that occupied the block. Only the two of them.

She turned slowly to look at Nick and then glance back at Jase. The SUV was parked in a slot to the right side of the unit. She pulled the corner of her lip between her teeth, all the events rushing through her mind like a tsunami.

“That’s why the purchase was so easy,” she looked from one to the other.

“Why should we have made it difficult, Brea?”

“You made the decision before we altered the price,” Nick said calmly. “Much better to have it in the family, don’t you think?” Brea collected the large tote she’d prepared and left them sitting in the SUV, her 273

head shaking as she went into the half-finished café.

“It was quieter than I expected,” Nick stepped from the SUV and reached for the briefcase he’d brought with him. The pair of them went to the propped open door of their new office, stepping quickly aside for the people moving desks into the offices.

There was a large open area in front with a reception desk. Off to the left were two smaller offices and to the right, their large shared office, similar to the one they’d set up at home.

“I’m not sure it’s over yet,” Jase warned.

“Yeah, I got that feeling,” Nick went to the computers that had been brought in and began pulling wires and equipment from various boxes to get their office set up.

Brea sat in what was going to be her new office an hour later. She’d gone over the things to be done with Matt, who assured her they were easily on schedule and might even have things done a couple days ahead of time. She stared out the window.

She’d positioned the built in shelves and desk so she would have a nice view of the sand dunes spreading out far to the left of the building.

It was their building.

She opened the contract for sale and looked over the name.

J & N Security.

She’d never asked the name of their business. Only that they provided security teams for people requesting them and that the majority of the people working for them were shifters. It heightened their usability because of all the extra senses, she remembered them telling her.

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She sighed and leaned her elbow on the desk, her chin resting in the center as she stared. They’d settled into a nice, peaceful and fun rhythm. And it hadn’t been at all uncomfortable at all to lay in bed, talking, reading and laughing. And those other things, she thought. They were open and talked about every topic her brain would bounce to without flinching.

But they’d also made sure she didn’t bring up the topic of someone hunting her.

They were very good at changing the topics and diverting her attention.

Brea sat back in the comfortable desk chair, put her arms at her sides and leaned back, eyes closed. She had questions and wanted answers.

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The forest hadn’t changed. Nothing much seemed to ever move without the humans or whatever inside to alter things around them. Even the broken branches seemed to have vanished. She thought about how happy she was with Jase and Nick and felt the leaves and branches flutter around her.

She didn’t change her appearance or play today. She just wanted to talk to him.

She wasn’t entirely sure how it worked, or even how they were connected, since he really didn’t seem to like her much. But she also knew no matter what he said, she saw sadness in his eyes when she asked about her grandmother.

“Is there a good reason you’ve decided to interrupt my breakfast and stock reports?”

Brea swung to the side, meeting the dark eyes of the man she’d met in a business suit. She wasn’t sure why it made her smile, but she did. A bright, innocent smile that she wasn’t even aware of as she walked toward him.

“Do you have a job?”

Sullivan Moore couldn’t help the laughter. And he’d been fighting it since he’d first met the child. She sounded so surprised and fascinated. So young and innocent.

“I’m sure I’ve done something to warrant this,” he said with a sigh, a wave of his palm and suddenly they weren’t in the forest any longer.

Brea blinked, eyes wide as she looked around. He walked to the large white 276

decorative table and took his seat. To his right was a laptop, open and scrolling something. She stared at the screen. Nick had that same thing on his computer a lot of the day. But it wasn’t so much the breakfast laid out, or the laptop or the newspaper.

It was the view. The railing was white, stark white and waist high. She moved to it and stared.

“It’s gorgeous!” She breathed deeply, her hands on the wide stone railing, staring out at the sharp blue waters spread below her. Roofs in deep red tiles were spread around them, the buildings like their patio, all done in a stark coastal white.

“Yes, it is. Breakfast?”

“Oh, no thank you, I ate earlier,” she wandered the length, peering over and taking in the sprawl of the house behind her. “Where are we? Is this your home?”

“The coast of Greece,” he answered and spread marmalade on a slice of toast.

“Yes, it’s my home. Yes, I work. I have a company that produces some of the finest sailing yachts in the world.”

“My dad teaches physics,” Brea went to the chair across from him and sunk down, staring at him. “Did you know that?” Sullivan Moore closed his eyes for a long minute. “Yes. I don’t recall a time when he wasn’t interested in enhancing the minds of the young or physics. He even offered several very profitable design changes to some of the yachts we create. And all before he was twenty.”

He met the tiny smile on her face.

“Do demons have…” She paused, searching for the right words. “I’m not sure of 277

the words…..genetic memories? Maybe that’s it…..”

“As….do I know what demons have done through history?” He asked, finding her fascinating despite himself. “No.”

“I’m not sure how it works, but most of my life they didn’t tell me what I was,” Brea saw the surprise on his face and shrugged. “Yeah, it’s true. I only just found out a bit ago. But the point is…..where my parents lived in North Carolina…..did you know the place was destroyed? Before I was born. And it was destroyed because of me.” Sullivan leaned back in the chair, his features flat and emotionless. “I’d heard rumors…..stories. I don’t believe it had anything to do with me, though.”

“All I have is what others tell me. I can see it….I could see it when….when the shield around me failed, but I don’t know the motives of the demons who did it.” She said with a sigh.

“You’re positive it was demons?”

“I saw the flames. I heard the screaming.” Brea reached across the table and gripped his wrist. “I saw….one that looked like you did. That first time in the forest. I know you can look. I know you can see inside. Look.” Sullivan stared into the determined wide eyes, almost daring him to run from her. He peered inside. It wasn’t anything new, but this time, she was controlling his path, and the corner of his mouth lifted. Just a little bit. He could feel her power, feel what his grandchild could do if she ever felt the urge.

“You weren’t there.” Brea didn’t move when she felt the surge of anger shooting from him, his back stiff. He’d pulled out and sat staring at her.

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“Of course I wasn’t there! Do you believe me capable of destroying innocents?”

“I don’t know you. I’m asking. People believe you were responsible for it.” She watched a wall slide over his gaze, over his emotions.

“I’m not responsible for what people believe.”

“You’d rather they think badly of you than tell them the truth?” She sighed heavily.

“I don’t care.”

“Would people do something in your name without telling you?” She watched the interest flash in his gaze and knew her questions were making him think of things long since past.

“Why did you call for me, child?”

“How can I do that? I’m not sure how it works…..if you don’t like me, aren’t you supposed to ignore me? Kind of like a cell phone, just send me directly to voice mail,” she grinned at him cheekily.

“Who said I didn’t like you?” He met the single arched brow.

“Did you know someone tried to kill me?” Brea stopped breathing. His reaction was not what she expected, the air around them suddenly filled with a fury and a wild heat he didn’t try and contain. She watched eyes the same shade as her father’s suddenly burn blood red. “I’m guessing that’s a no…..they hit me on the head outside my shop……I blend coffees and teas and sell them with pastries. I should bring you some. I’m quite good.”

“Evidently they didn’t succeed.” He wasn’t ready to admit it to her, but he was 279

glad. He thought of his mate and almost smiled. The child would have been no end of delight to her.

“They put me in a car and took me to the beach, slit my wrists and left me there,” Brea shrugged, looking out over the water and missing the momentary shock in his eyes. “Jase and Nick found me before a big storm hit and took me to their house.

Evidently there’s this fairy healing thing in me that closed the wounds and kept me alive. Tired, but alive.”

“Did your pets seek retribution?”

“I know they would and never look back.” She faced him with a curious frown.

“But they don’t know who did it or why. They don’t want me to know, but I know they have friends trying to find out who was responsible.” She pulled her lower lip between her teeth. “You haven’t been searching for me, have you?” Dark eyes didn’t waver from hers. “I’ve known where you were since the day you were born, child. You aren’t a secret.” Yes, he’d had people watching them. If he’d been a slightly spiritual man, he’d swear Regana had been nagging at him his entire life to stop being so stubbornly stupid and reconcile with his son, but especially to get to know his grand-daughter.

“You didn’t want to know me.”

Yes, his Regana would have adored this child. Sullivan pushed away from the table and paced the length of the stone patio.

“I don’t think she would want you to hurt,” Brea said very, very softly. “I think she would have wanted you to live and laugh. But I understand. I’m not sure how I’d 280

recover if anything happened to…..to either of them. I never knew I could….that it was inside me to love someone so strongly it hurt. I don’t know how someone gets under your skin and grips your heart so much the thought of it makes you hurt so bad inside…” she broke her, her words breaking at the same time her eyes filled with tears she tried to rub away. “I’m sorry. I guess ‘cause my grandmother was human, I’m a little human and the emotions can make a girl nuts.”

“She would have liked you,” he said after a long minute, unable to look at her, his hands clenching the wide stone rail tensely. “She would have spoiled you…..and our son….if she had lived.”

Brea swallowed hard and went to his side, her arms around him from behind.

“I’m sorry she didn’t get the chance. But I’m sure it’s saved your sanity,” she teased.

“You’re an impertinent child,” he told her gruffly, ignoring the catch in his voice.

“I know,” she sighed, her head against his back. “Someone is showing my picture around town. They said you would pay big money to get me,” Brea almost lost her balance when he straightened and spun to face her, his hands on her shoulders.

“What did you say?” He ground out coldly, clearly.

“Someone is using your name. Demons came after me in the alley behind my shop the other day,” she blinked up at him, his anger registering and sending a justified thrill through her. “Three of them….they said there was a reward. They even said you wouldn’t mind if I was damaged when they brought me to you.”

“I have not paid anyone…..do you hear me, child? Anyone….to ever harm you or 281

find you,” he told her firmly, his hands opening slowly. “I might not have agreed with your father’s choices, but I’d never harm my own child. Or his child.”

“Why did you let the fairies think you’d come to hurt me?” She tsked, rebuking him softly, her smile teasing. “You enjoyed frightening them.”

“I came because I wanted to see how you’d progressed,” he admitted slowly. “I felt…..the sudden surge of your power. We don’t have genetic memories, but you’re of my blood. I felt your power suddenly break into the spectrum. And I knew they would open a portal to the forest and pull you inside. I could have come to you anytime during your life if I had chosen to.”

“Why didn’t you?” Brea stared at him, her mind busily working out things. “You weren’t angry because he loved my mother,” she did as he had done. She’d felt the soft touch of him inside her thoughts and repeated the practice. “You were frightened,” she whispered sadly, one hand up and fingers touching her mouth. “You were afraid he’d hurt like you had if….if my mother hadn’t lived because of me.” Abruptly, Brea felt like her stomach was being pulled from the inside out.

One minute she was on the coast of Greece, bright sunshine and blue waters and the next she was jolted upright in her seat, shaken. Hard.

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