Caging the Bengal Tiger (7 page)

"Lark?" Isaac said and the one in question bowed his head.

"It's been a long time brother, but you should still know the penalty for taking someone’s
meru."
Isaac snapped.

"And how was I supposed to know you were matted to Samuel's daughter? I haven't been home or in contact with anyone since I left," Lark growled and stepped into Isaac's personal space. "You haven't changed, big brother. Tell me, is father still the unforgiving officer of our little home?"

Not caring if her shirt was still not buttoned, Lacey jumped in between both men. "Enough already, jeez." She turned and held out her hand to Isaac's brother. "I'm Lacey. Isaac, Anthony and Dan's woman. You'll have to excuse them. We haven't finished the bonding yet. Now maybe we can all take this back to my house and behave like adults here." She turned and glared at Isaac.

Once more Barry took control of the situation and pushed Lark back. "Please forgive us, but we just wanted to make sure you were warned that your father is only a day away. He's changed since the last time he found you, Ms. Samuel. And it would be a bad idea for us to visit your house. Our scent would be there and right now we want to make sure he does not know about us."

"Please call me Lacey. I hate the name Samuel. I don't understand. My father shouldn't be here for another three days. How is he moving so quickly?"

Aggravated, Lacey started to pace back and forth. "What the hell has my father done now? God, why can't that man die!" She ran smack into Isaac and would have fallen backwards if he hadn't hugged her tight.

"He'll die soon, Lady Cat," he kissed the top of her head. "How is he different? I'm Isaac, Lark's oldest brother. The two behind you are Anthony and Dan." He turned to face the group, but kept a hold of her at his side.

"And I'm Akaos, Lark's other brother," Akaos said holding out his hand to Barry, all the while staring at Lark. "Mother will be happy to know you are alive. Maybe you'd take some time to see her soon."

Their younger brother had the good grace to look down at the ground. "I'm not allowed or has our father changed his mind?"

"Um, I hate to break this family thing up, but we have another serious problem here. Teddy is not going to give up on his princess. He will stop at nothing to get her and to prove his point. He's joined forces with a few others to help further his cause."

"What few others? Like you?" Isaac asked looking down at her. "Can he take her from the house like you did?"

"No, that they can't do. Her father is evil and the men he has taken into his fold are so also. One is them is my brother, but his gifts were stripped by our father. He can move himself around, but that’s all. The others, no. Our kind cannot enter a dwelling unless we are welcomed or called in. Sort of like the myths of your kind." Barry grinned.

"So how is that going to help him with me?" Lacey asked.

"Demons are born with certain abilities that cannot be taken away. As we grow older, our gifts are given to us, but if one has abused this gift, they are taken away. Hence my brother, but he has the ability to call you out, Lacey. No matter where you are at, his voice alone can draw you out of any place you are hiding." Barry looked at Isaac. "Have you told your mate about the link you have with your father?"

Lacey ignored the last question, stepping out of Isaac's arms. "You’re wrong. They're already here." Bones snapped and popped as the cat took over running to the back of the property. Her father had somehow managed to surprise her, but he wasn't the only one with surprises.

She ran, knowing exactly where he was. Stopping before the entrance to her home, Lacey watched her father and three others move up and down the fenced wall, studying it.

"
Take her to the compound. We'll deal with them and meet you there."
Isaac said inside her head at the same time Dan grabbed hold of the big cat and transported her to outside their home in Detroit.

The cat screamed as she jumped out of Dan's arms when they arrived. "Shift now, Lacey." Next to Dan was Akaos and Warden, followed by another twenty warriors each one taking off in different directions.

She snarled at Akaos’ command, but did as he said. "How dare you? This was my fight! You had no right to take me away!" Lacey screamed and spun around, stomping toward her home. If she wasn't so furious, Lacey would be enjoying this, but right now she needed to run.

At the door to the compound, Lacey took a deep breath and placed her hand on the scanner before punching in the code to open the doors.

"Lacey," Dan said her name right behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder, but she knocked it off.

"Don't." She spun around. "Do you know how long I've planned this? Do you have any idea what you have taken away from me? I needed to close this door, not you or Isaac. Me. I promised them," she whispered the last part before going through the door, not waiting.

"Wait!" Akaos grabbed onto her arm and she growled. "The area needs to be checked first," he said and nodded to three men who stepped in front of her.

She grinned and it wasn't a nice one either. "Really? And how are they going to check all the hidden paths, tunnels and such? Did Maya give you the layout of the place?"

"She didn't need to. I took it from her head and each of my men knows every inch of this place. You are clear to go to your quarters." He released her arm. "But Lacey, it’s their job to take care of you and killing this man who hurt you was their job. There is no way any of them could have allowed you to go into battle." He tried to explain to her, but Lacey didn't want to hear it.

"Whatever." She made her way into the tunnel that led to her quarters. She knew Dan, Akaos, and Warden followed. Lacey stumbled as a sharp pain pierced her chest. "What the hell?" she placed her hand on her chest looking to see if she'd been shot or something, but nothing.

"What's wrong?" Dan put his arm around her and looked down at her, frowning.

"For a minute there I thought I'd been shot or stabbed. The pain was fierce, but it went away as soon as it came. It was weird." She rubbed her chest bone, but froze. The link to her father was gone. There was nothing there. "Is he dead?" Lacey looked up at Dan and Akaos, and they nodded.

"Yes, he and those four men were killed. Isaac is sending the others to their camp to take care of the rest." Dan stated.

Numb, Lacey turned and headed to her room, needing the comfort of her place. She turned the corner to see Isaac and Anthony they’re waiting for them at her door. "It's over. Your father can harm you no more."

***

The words were barely out of his mouth when her legs crumbled. She would have fallen to the ground if Dan hadn't caught her. "I've got you, Lady Cat," Dan kissed the top of her head. "How do we get into the room?" Dan asked, and she pointed to the ceiling.

"Turn the light bulb to the left, then to the right," she rested her head on Dan's chest as he reached up and did what she said.

A loud click released a dead bolt and the door swung open. Stepping inside, Isaac smiled as he took in the large room. The walls were cement, but painted the color of the sky. The room was half the size of a human football field. Pillows were thrown about the room. In the left corner was a small kitchen with a table.

"Put me down, Dan, please." Lacey squirmed till Dan lowered her feet down, but held on just in case. "There is beer in the fridge that should still be good. Help yourselves. I'll be back in a few minutes," she said and headed toward the back of the room.

Looking at Dan for a second, Lacey reached to the shelves of books. The wooden case slid open and he heard the hiss of air being released before she disappeared into the room. Not liking the fact she was out of their site, the three of them made their way over to the passageway.

Candles lit the tunnel that weaved right and then left to open to a smaller room. All over the walls were pictures of what had to be her family. The children were all small and one of the women looked like Lacey, but not. "This is my family’s room, where I keep their things to keep them close to me, my mom, brothers and little sister." She sat in a beanbag chair on the floor with a blanket wrapped around her. "My mom made this for me when I was born. Each of us got one." She nodded to the blankets surrounding her.

She filled the room with so much anger and emotion that Isaac knew he had to get her out of there. "Lacey, it's all over, Lady Cat. Why don't we go back into the other room?" Isaac knelt in front of her.

"I came to say good-bye to them, to let them go," she said looking behind him. That's when he felt the cold air slid up his back.

They were not alone in the room. "Lacey who's here with us?" he asked, looking around again and noticing shadows moving around the room, almost as if they were checking each of them out.

Stretching, Lacey laughed. "I believe it's my mom and brother. They've always been here for me, but it's time to let them go." She took his hand and stood. "Momma, Seth these are my mates. They took care of him, so I wouldn't have to." She leaned against him and looked around the room. "Please give sis a kiss for me and tell her I'll see her in the next life."

Cold hands brushed against his face and his hand. "
Thank you,"
was whispered into his ear before the shadows slowly left the room.

"They're gone," her chin wobbled and tears filled her eyes as she turned to look at him. "It's time to move on. I'll pack this up later." She nodded to the room. “What I want to keep is in the other room well except this." Lacey bent down and collected her blanket. "I want to give this to our first born and my cats to my daughter."

"And what makes you believe we'll have a daughter? We could have all boys," he teased as they exited the room and stepped back into the main area. Akaos and Warden sat at the table and looked up as the came into the room.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yes, are we all clear here?" Isaac asked moving to the table sitting next to his brother pulling her onto his lap.

"Yes, every tunnel and hall has two warriors. Tesuss, Talhrn and Todd are all bringing the women back here." Just when he finished that sentence Maya and Dee came running into the room followed by Talhrn and Tesuss.

Lacey squealed and ran to Maya, hugging her tight. "We're home," she said and each woman burst into tears.

Isaac shook his head. "You know we'll never get them to leave now," he said as he leaned over and took one of the beers on the counter.

"Of course we will. This was our home and it will always be part of us, but our homes are with our men. Yet!" Maya held up her hand to stop them from saying anything. "We need to be brought back here to help those we find. Dee and I agreed the home in California should go to the children. With the pack there and your men, they will be protected enough, but here we have everything we need to search for others," Maya said, directing her words to both Talhrn and Akaos.

"You will not be searching for anything. My God, you carry our children inside your belly. You'd risk them?" Akaos snapped and stood.

Isaac knew trouble was brewing when Maya's skin seemed to ripple and fangs formed for a few seconds before she controlled the cat.

"What did I say about jumping the gun? Do you really believe I would risk our children? Don't answer that. I really don't care what you think right now. Talhrn." Maya turned to their King. "All Dee and I want is to be here once in a while to help, greet new women that are coming in. Dee and I can work from the planning room till it's time for the babies to be born."

Before he could speak, the rest of the women came running in, a quiet Abby with them. "Let's go to the playroom. We all need to run and just relax."

"Playroom? What's that?" Talhrn asked, but already knew the answer as he teased his
meru
.

"Do you mind? I haven't seen the room yet and I know the children would love it the way Mom talks of it," Dee sounded unsure, looking down at the ground.

"If I wasn't sure you'd be safe, I wouldn't have let you come. The children are here. Lead the way, Maya."

As the others filled through her door, Lacey stopped and held out her hand to him, to look back to Anthony and Dan. "Come on Dan. I know you are dying to see where all that dirt went." Lacey teased and he grinned.

"If it's anything like Maya's room." He stopped when Akaos looked back at him.

"When were you in my woman's room?" Akaos asked and Lacey moaned.

"We've all been in her room. Jeez, give it a break," Lacey teased while Maya yelled back. "Just ignore him, Dan. I am."

"Really?" Akaos took off running towards Maya and she shifted before leaping away. Her adopted girls laughed and shifted, following their new Mom.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Lacey watched the cubs turn the corner. "Would you three mind when we have a girl if I named her after my sister, Jasmine. We were so close and I never got to say goodbye to her."

"I have no problem with it. Anthony, Dan?" he asked and each of them shook their heads in agreement. "Well, then that takes care of the girl’s name, but don't you think we should have a little practice making her first." He squeezed her butt cheek and Lacey laughed.

"Honey, if you need practice at having sex, then Lacey is in a lot of trouble," Abby said, shocking all of them.