Running in Fear: New Beginnings Jubilee (7 page)

Jaycee laid Marcia in her crib and stared at her three little babies, each of them a miracle unto themselves. A single tear slipped down her cheek as Remi slid his arms around her from behind and hugged her.

She leaned back against his chest. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they? I never thought I would have any children, but now I have three.” Jaycee turned in Remi’s arms and smiled up at him, her rock. “If it wasn’t for you three…”

“Hush, don’t you think we feel the same? You have brought a peace to us all. Look at Mark have you seen the pictures he is doing? I’ve never seen him so calm and Dane is back at carving our history into the walls downstairs.” He swept her up into his arms and they made their way out of the nursery and downstairs where Dane and Mark waited.

“Have we heard anything about Leda’s children? I’m really worried about them, Remi.”

Dane shook his head. “Nikola might have a lead, but we’re not sure, that’s why he’s going up to the mountains tonight. Remi, and a few of us are going, as well. It’s a small lead, but we’ll see. We just don’t want to get Leda’s hopes up.” He kissed her lips when Remi lowered her to the ground.

“Come, I’ve made lunch and you have to keep up your strength up with three little ones now.” Dane led her into their new dining room and she laughed. The table was filled with all different kinds of little sandwiches, potato salad, deviled eggs, and…she smelled the air and turned to Dane. “COFFEE!!”

Remi, Mark and Dane busted out laughing. “You aren’t pregnant now, so I don’t see why you can’t have any. I got you favorite flavor too.”

Mark handed her a cup of steaming hot chocolate mint coffee, with French vanilla creamer in it, as Remi pulled out a chair for her and she sat smelling the coffee. Jaycee closed her eyes and savored the moment. She knew her mates were laughing, but right now Jaycee didn’t care. They had given her a piece of heaven and she was bound and determined to enjoy it.

Taking a small sip, she sighed, and opened her eyes. Remi shook his head and placed a plate in front of her. “Eat, you can have as much coffee as you want now, but you need food.”

Eating and talking, Jaycee kept going over the holiday she wanted for everyone and seven days just kept popping up in her head. She jumped up and grabbed the pad of paper and pencil she had on the small desk bringing them back to the table. Her men frowned at her as she came back to the table.

“What are you doing? You need to eat more” Mark put another two sandwiches onto her plate, along with some more potato salad.

Rolling her eyes, Jaycee sat down, pushing her plate away from her. “I can still eat while I write. Do you know how Gaia kept saying we have seven days till the planet moves to its place in the universe?”

Going over to the buffet table, Remi nodded. “Yes, I think all of us are counting the days.”

Leda came into the room with Suzanne and her mates. Jaycee nodded to the table. “Eat, there is too much here for all of us anyway. Glad you two are here. You know how Hanukah is celebrated in eight days on Earth?”

The women quickly filled their plates and gathered around her, while the men started to move into the other room. “Hey, aren’t you going to listen to my idea?” Jaycee pouted and stared up at Dane.

He laughed, leaning down and kissing her. “Sweetheart, we know you will inform us tonight, but right now we need to discuss who is coming over first.” Dane glanced at Leda and smiled.

That is when she knew they would also be discussing their trip to the mountains. Jaycee nodded and turned her attention to her new friends. “The next seven days every one of us will be working to bring who ever we can over to this new world. After these seven days, bringing anyone over will fall, on Nikola and his people. They will be the only ones able to go back and forth when the planets separate.

We are starting a new world, a new year, so I thought we should have celebrated the first seven days of the year. Each day, we could celebrate something different. For example, I thought the first day we could celebrate the planet itself. Using only what the planet gives us, we make our food and create our gift for that day.”

Grabbing her cup of coffee, Jaycee glanced at Leda and Suzanne. “Well, what do you think?”

Taking a bit of her food, Suzanne nodded. “I like it, and it’s perfect. I think the second day should have something to do with the fae people. A celebration for Queen Isabel maybe, and all that she has done for her people. A day of celebrating the majesty of their old world. We could use items from their world to decorate a tree just for this day. With things from the Palace, we could have Lissa gather things that no one would even think of bringing with them.”

Laughing, Jaycee grabbed her pen and started writing. “That is great and I love it, but the third day should be for your people, and the fourth can be for ours, with the last…” Jaycee didn’t get a word out when three strange men knocked on her dining room door.

“Remi, now would be a great time to do that speed thing and get in here!” Jaycee knew what they were, but she wanted to know how they got here. It also looked as if she and Cecil would have to figure out a way to get over their fear of snakes, since it was now evident they this species would be sharing this planet.

Slowly getting up, Suzanne pushed Leda behind them as Remi, Dominic, Dane and Blair came into the room with the other men behind them.

“Well I guess that answers one question.” Remi glanced at her before he opened the door. “Are you going to be able to handle this?”

“We have no choice now, do we? Let our new neighbors in, and let’s see what’s going on, but Clayton should be here.”

“We’re here.” Clayton said, standing behind her with Cecil in his arms, her eyes big, as she held onto him.

The three men moved into the room. The shorter one, stepped forward. “My name is Alex Breathen. This is my brother Mathew, and our father, Wren. We were told to come here to talk with you. Gaia, or Mother Nature, sent us. She said you would be able to help us.”

Jaycee took a deep breath. “Remi, why don’t all of us go into the living room. There is more room there. We can bring in some fresh coffee, or if you prefer, we have tea too.”

The older gentleman smiled. “Coffee please, I’m afraid we are not big tea drinkers.” He glanced around, and nodded to Alex.

“Our wives are here too, but we wanted to, well, make sure it was safe.” Alex nodded to outside where three women appeared at the door, shivering.

“Damn, Remi open that door before they freeze out there. Don’t you have any coats or anything?” Jaycee asked, helping the women into the room.

“No, one minute we were in the Florida everglades, and the next we were standing outside your house. Gaia had told us we would be coming, but we didn’t know when. Only a select few have been chosen to come,” The young blond said, glaring at the man known as Alex.

Jaycee sighed and laughed. “I have a feeling we have much in common when it comes to our men trying to protect us.”

The woman glanced at Remi, who now hovered behind her. “Yep, if that one is your mate, we sure do. It gets old fast, doesn’t it? My name is Anna, this is my sister-in –aw, Debra, and my mother-in-law, Therese.” Anna held out her hand which was shaking from cold and Cecil stepped forward, pushing a cup of warm coffee in her hand.

“Drink first, you’re freezing. Then we can shake hands. Well, what are you waiting for Clayton, Remi? Take our guests into the living room. I’m sure there is a nice fire going in there to help heat these people up.” Cecil waved her hands.

Remi grinned and kissed Jaycee’s nose before leaving. “Clayton, I didn’t know your mate was so bossy?” Her mate teased Cecil.

Clayton glanced at Cecil. “She usually isn’t, but we’ll see how sassy she is when we get home.”

Cecil laughed. “I can wait, now go on. We have lots to do!”

* * * *

Remi leaned against the wall and listened to Alex explain what had happened with his people, which were now divided just as his were.

“Remi, believe me, we had no idea they were conducting those experiments! Hell, my father was in World War II. He knows what those kinds of experiments can do.” Alex sipped his coffee.

“How many do you think are fighting for the other side? Do you have others of your kind wishing to come here? I just don’t understand?” He pulled Jaycee in front of him and slipped his hands under her shirt touching her skin, needing the connection to her.

“The last we heard, over ten thousand were helping the other side, I’m afraid. They have

split everyone up with this issue. Some are in England, France and Germany, while half of them in the US and Canada. Our numbers have always been low and this will almost destroy us. We have a total of a thousand of us that want a new chance at life, away from the fighting.” Alex stood and started to pace. “We usually never stay close to each other, except for once or twice a year, but lately those that joined the other side have been even taking out those that oppose their plans.”

He stopped pacing and glanced at him. “It’s as if their personalities are gone. There is

nothing left inside of them, just that of the animal. All they know how to do is to hunt and mate. And Remi, they don’t care who they mate with, or if it hurts the female.”

Cups rattled and he glanced over to see Suzanne’s cup shaking. Blair took the cup out of her hand as Dominic pulled her into his arms. “As you can see, our women have had a rough life Alex. Just want to give you a heads up, when we start bringing over your people, if they are not true, and are here to harm the planet, the planet has its own protective shell around it and it will kill them.”

“We’ve been already warned, but you don’t have to bring any of us over. When we came, the others came as well. They were sent on to a separate location, a warmer one. Gaia said you would know where.”

Dominic nodded his head. “At the base of that mountain range, where I pointed out on the map, is where I believe the demon population will like to live. It will be a perfect spot since the volcano in that area keeps the waters warmer than normal.” Dominic glanced at Alex, “Are you people going to have problems living so close to demon forms?”

Alex shook his head and Anna laughed. “Alex’s old friend was half demon, so no. He’s with the group that is already there.”

“Good, I’m afraid we won’t be able to help much now. We only have have seven days to bring over the rest of Remi’s people, my people, and we have a whole society that is being forced here, I’m afraid.”

Alex’s father, Wren, stood. “Don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine, and if you need any help, please let us know.”

“Anna, I will contact you soon after we get everyone here. We are planning a celebration for our new beginning here. Maybe later you’d like to help us with it?” Jaycee collected the cups as they prepared to leave.

“Wait,” Jaycee ran upstairs and grabbed their coats, bringing them downstairs. “I know you’re used to warmer weather, so please put these on. We don’t need you freezing before we get you to your new home.” She handed each one a coat.

“Thank you so much. I promise to return them once we get settled,” Anna said, slipping on her jacket.

“No, you keep them. That way, if you ever want to visit, you’ll have some warmer jackets. Plus, we don’t really know the weather and the seasons yet, since the land is still forming. Who knows, you might need them in a few months.”

Remi shook the mens’ hands as Dominic and his mates took to the air, taking their new friends back home. He turned to see Cecil, Jaycee and Suzanne picking up the dishes and taking them to the kitchen.

“Are you wondering why Gaia brought all of his people here at once, when we are still bringing over ours?” Clayton asked as he sat down and stared at him.

“No, I know why. I just didn’t know if they knew why. From what they were saying, they don’t know why either.” Remi popped a cookie into his mouth. “Their entire group was in one spot, an easy target. It was a target and they had been found. According to Gaia, there was no time.”

Clayton frowned and sat forward. “Then the war is heating up on Earth? Have you heard anything from the rest of the Council? And do we know our traitor yet?”

Nodding, Remi made sure the women were still in the kitchen. “Yes, but we don’t have to worry about the traitor. He’s dead. It was Brent, the Northern Europe council member. The other members of the council have gone into hiding. Leda tried to contact a few of them and nothing. We did hear that one of the largest groups of were’s and zombies have been killed. Our old homestead is totally destroyed along with the four neighboring cities.”

“Damn, that’s what I was afraid of. They have hit all of our strongholds. How many more do you have to bring over, and are they safe where they are?”

The women came in as Dominic, Blair and Granger returned to the house. “The others are safe for now, but some are not coming. Last count we got, over a hundred decided to stay and fight. Dane and I have already made our choice as to who would be alpha there. Grant and his brother Seth Randle have taken over the reins.”

Leda sat down and handed him a letter. “That is from Washington. You can let Grant and Seth know when this is all said and done, the whole state of Maine is theirs. But the government needs more help in New York and Cleveland. It seems that’s where the heaviest forces are. They can’t break their lines.”

Sitting in the big overstuffed chair, Remi read the letter from the President. Sure enough, the remaining members of his pack would get Maine as a homestead. “Well, we know that Tor and his men will be tackling parts of New York tomorrow. I think that would be the best time for all of us to attack. If we can get New York back, the humans would be in a better position.”

Dominic nodded. “I have a hundred demons ready to help until the last day. Then they’ll come to their new home.”

Nikola flashed into the room with Lissa. “Are we ready? Tor and Blair are waiting for us. I thought the women could plan their holiday while we’re gone.” Nikola kissed Lissa’s lips. “I love you, Lissa.”

Smiling, Lissa patted his chest. “Be careful, Nikola, you aren’t completely healed yet, and you know I don’t need my guards here at Jaycee’s” Lissa rolled her eyes as her three guards appeared in the room.