The Forgotten One (18 page)

“Well it seems, Dylan, you are getting a wrestling show in after all,” Gage laughed watching his father. “The old buzzard still has the moves though,” he grumbled, taking a drink of his beer.

“Don’t hurt him, Randle. Willow will never hear the end of it,” Ida yelled from the other side.

She peaked up at Alton who stood beside her. “Are you mad?” she asked.

“At this?” he shook his head. “No, it was expected, but you, little kitty, have a bad temper on you and you can’t go running off, no?” he asked, running his finger down her cheek.

Her mother snorted. “She always did and I’d usually find her sitting outside thinking after her outburst.” Laurann winked at her daughter. “Willow is a fighter, you know this. She’ll just take time to think things through when she walks away. She actually hates to see anyone fighting. Oh, and her IUD dissolved when she mated.” Her mother informed them.

“What?” She screamed, distracting both Maxim and Randle as they turned towards her intending to protect her. Randle’s tail knocked Maxim back into the water and next to one not-too- friendly croc that had been watching. “No!” Willow went to help Maxim, but Alton held onto her as Randle met the new threat, helping Maxim battle.

“Where the hell did that croc come from? I swear, if the humans don’t stop picking up babies and bringing them where they don’t belong, I’m going to start feeding them to my animals,” Ida snapped, moving towards the water.

Alton went to stop her, but Willow shook her head. “No watch,” Willow said.

As soon as her feet stepped into the water, the creatures in the water turned to her and waited. “You come here now!” she pointed her old staff at the croc.

Maxim frowned, wiping the blood from his cheek, but released the beast he had a hold of and moved to get out of the water. Alton reached out and helped him up onto the bank, but everyone’s attention was now on Ida as she weaved her magic.

“Now, I know you don’t belong in this neck of the woods, but you do not come in and attack my guests understood?” she told the creature, running her hand over the top of the man eater. “Yes, I know I’m different, but you also know I can make some mean shoes with your hide so don’t piss me off.” Ida tapped her cane on the croc’s head and he turned over, showing his belly.

“Fucking assholes!” Willow growled and tried to move to help, but Maxim shook his head. “No Little Kitty, Ida has this under control.”

As if right on clue, Ida reached over and pulled the knife out of the beast, placing her hand over the bloody wound. “I know it hurts, but here in a second you’ll be all right. I think we’ll call you Blue. Now, I don’t want you to go wrestling with others for a day so the rest of this could heal right. Oh, and I’ll find the man who this belongs to, not to worry,” Ida said, moving her hand away from where the hole had been. “There, now off with you. I think there is a nice big fat snake down there you can munch on.”

Willow shivered and glanced to see Alton looking at her. “What, I don’t like snakes or spiders.”

Alton leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Come, let’s go sit and talk. Dylan, don’t get to close…”

“No!” Willow yanked out of Alton’s hold and ran for the water’s edge, but she didn’t have to as the croc flipped over snatching the creature up before it could reach her son.

“I think we need to move away from the water now.” she scooped Dylan up in her arms, shaking.

“I have to agree with you on this one. I didn’t even see that thing in the water,” Ida looked back down at the croc and even Randle seemed to appreciate the new comer. “It looks like I have a new guest in my little swamp,” Ida sighed and Willow, Marsha and Laurann laughed.

“You wouldn’t have it any other way Grams.” Marsha wrapped her arm around Ida’s. “What you need to do is start looking for a man. You can’t be out here alone forever. Grandpa wouldn’t want that.”

“Don’t worry about me, child. I’ll find the right man when the time is right, but I do believe you have an admirer we haven’t even been introduced to. Willow?” Ida asked, nodding to where Storm, Bane and Langut stood.

Willow took another look at the man that had been assigned to her sister. “Wow he’s huge,” she glanced over at Tamara who met her gaze smiling.

“Knock it off you two,” Lars grumbled. “You don’t need to be thinking how big his thing is.”

Alton stopped as did Maxim staring down at her. “Really?”

“What? I can still wonder. I mean, come on, the man is a giant. What are you, eight foot tall?” Willow asked and he laughed.

“Seven, four,” he smirked, looking at Storm, which did not faze her sister at all.

“Yeah, big pain in my fat ass,” Storm grumbled.

Langut was fast, picking up Storm and holding her up so his nose touched hers. “Your ass is not fat, and don’t let me hear you say that again, understood little girl?” he growled.

Storm didn’t say a word for a second, shocked, but boy when that wore off, she swung with a right hook, hitting him square in the jaw.

He released her and she landed on her feet. “Don’t ever scare me like that again!” she snapped.

Willow shook her head. “Ida, Marsha may I introduce our sister Storm, our brother Bane and Langut. He’s kind of her bodyguard sent by my great…”

“If you even say it, I’ll allow Maxim to take you out in the woods and beat you,” her grandfather, Vaulau stepped out of thin air, brining Aibell, Agares and Shald with him. But that wasn’t all.

Twenty of the men the same size as Langut surrounded their little place. “Well damn,” Ida said, moving around in a full circle. “Now I’ve seen it all. Am I looking at real Viking warriors?” Ida asked, almost drooling.

Laurann burst out laughing as Willow and Marsha shook their heads. Even Shald had a smile on her face, but it was her grandfather that snorted. “Yes, some of the men roamed your Earth waters back then. I heard you were having a cook-out and we’ve never been to one, so I hope you don’t mind? I thought we should speak before your other set of grandparents get here.”

Willow growled, releasing Dylan before she sat down on the swing, but was picked up by Maxim and placed on his lap. “You’re not happy to meet family?” Maxim asked as everyone settled down in front of the fire pit, which her father started with a wave of his hand.

“You know damn well I don’t want to see them, no offense grandmother. But what they have started is wrong. What if we don’t want this responsibility? Then there is the fact these things are going to be destroying what we love. This is our home.”

“So you would make this planet your home?” Vaulau titled his head to the side. “It could be done, but the humans here would have to be informed of the others and certain boundaries would have to be made. You don’t want other species destroying what you like. As for the
Tarrs
, Shald’s parents couldn’t have stopped that, even though they should have held off with the announcement.”

She stiffened as a small growl escaped. “What announcement? What else did they do?”

“Willow,” her father dropped his voice.

“What? I finally have a chance to have a normal life and what happens? My world turns upside down. All this could be destroyed by those things coming here.”

“She does have a point,” Laurann snarled. “The thought of all this gone,” Tears filled her mother’s eyes. “This is home.”

Vaulau studied everyone. “We will speak with…” Vaulau stood and growled looking towards the river. “Well, it seems we don’t have to wait.”

Everyone stood and watched as another 25 blue gel-like warriors spanned out around their little place, which was all of a sudden feeling very cramped. But what drew her eye was the couple that seemed to glide towards them.

“Ida, to the left?” Willow said and at once she waved her hands and the hunter that had been looking for the croc he had stabbed turned into a frog.

“Dessert for Blue. That little snake didn’t fill him up,” Ida said, and as if on cue, the croc moved up staring at the strange things before gulping down the small frog.

“Interesting. I do believe I like your friend, granddaughter. She has no whims about her,” The blue man said, stopping before her. “You are a fierce one, and your men are a perfect match for you, but this one.” He turned to Alton. “He is the alpha, as he should be, but there is something missing.”

“There is nothing missing in my man,” Willow growled. “He’s perfect for me.”

“I just said he was, but… Now I know.” He waved his hand and Alton growled, bones breaking as he pushed Willow away from him.

“What did you do to him?” Willow cried and tried to move to him, but she was stuck where she was.

Baal growled trying to move, even Vaulau was furious but could do nothing, as Alton moved away from her screaming as if in pain. “Alton,” she whispered, tears rolled down her face as she watched him fall to ground.

“Well, this wasn’t supposed to happen,” the blue monster said.

“Watch your mouth granddaughter. I have no problem spanking you myself.” The man said, turning his swirling eyes on her.

Chapter Twelve

Alton could hear her crying, and it was tearing him apart, but right now he could do nothing as extreme pain ripped through him. Even Ral, the warrior in him, wasn’t free from the curse the blue man had put upon him.

“Not a curse, just awaking what was already in you. Long ago before your species started to mate with others, your race was a powerful one. Almost more so than my own, but for some reason the dominant warrior inside your people seemed to curl up and sleep. I didn’t realize it would be so painful, and for that I am truly sorry, but hasn’t there always been a part of you that seemed to be missing?” The blue man circled around him. “I am called, Treust, and my wife Zuka. We are known as the
Xam
.”

A bright light exploded in his head, as he lay face up looking at the now night sky. The pain slowly eased, but he was different. How, he had no idea.

“Wow,” Willow whispered next to him. “Now, talk about making a woman feel small and dainty, Jeez.” She leaned down and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Are you okay?”

He lifted his hand up to wipe away her tears and stared at his hand. It was twice the size it had been. “The pain has stopped.” Alton sat up and things spun for a few seconds, before he realized he even had strange clothes on.

“They are warrior’s clothes. Your partner inside you has also changed. You are truly one now. This Ral was part of you,” Treust said as Vaulau held out his hand for him.

“Do the others?” Vaulau asked.”

Treust turned and looked around. “His grandson yes, the others no. Even though they have a warrior inside them, they weren’t born with it as this race is. Her son, yes, but he will grow with the boy. He’s already awake and will soon join with him when he hits puberty. Now for the Grandson.”

Alton turned and was about to say something when Lars went down hard. Tamara growled and glared at her grandfather. She was about to say something when Gage covered her mouth with his hand.

Now he knew how Willow felt watching his son going through the same conversion. “Shit,” he muttered, thinking of his son, Trevor.

The swirling eyes turned toward him as his son appeared next to him. “What? How did you?” he got out right before he dropped to the ground. The pain was too much.

“Every time you come into contact with one of your fellow men, they too will go through the same thing. You will need every advantage to face the Tarrs.”

“We wouldn’t have to face these things if you hadn’t opened your…” Willow’s mouth was covered with some kind of tape.

“Release her now,” Baal snapped. “You come here to meet family. You not only put her man through pain, but you do this. This is not a way to grow close to your grandchildren.”

“They need to learn respect. I couldn’t have stopped the Tarrs advancement no matter what I announced.” Treust looked down at the small hand that touched his arm. He nodded. “Speak,” he said.

“May I speak with my granddaughters and our daughter? It might help,” her voice seemed to calm everyone around them as he nodded.

At once the strange tape was gone from Willow’s mouth, but she was furious if the claws at her side were any indication. “Come, we have much to discuss, while the men talk,” the woman said and moved back towards the chairs.

He took a deep breath finally looking down at his body. Alton now stood as tall as Langut if not a little bit taller. He was wearing black boots, leather pants and some kind of white shirt.

“I have to say you are impressive,” Maxim moved up to him. “How do you feel inside?”

“I see all the battles we faced with the Tarrs. I know things… the vastness of what is out there. We have much work to do and a woman that is going to have to be taught a few things that will totally go against some of her ways.”

“I’m afraid all your women will have to change a bit. Outside this planet is very different. Yes, there are warrior women, but once mated, they are cherished and protected. My granddaughters will rule beside their mates, but you will be one who speaks, not them.” Treust glanced over at his son, Trevor.

“I do believe this one has much anger and he blames Willow for this change now as well.” Her grandfather turned his eyes on him. “You have a bigger threat coming and need all your attention on what is going to happen along with your mate.”

Alton nodded, knowing it was time he had a talk/ass kicking with his son. “If you would excuse me, Maxim.”

“Do not worry, she will not do anything,” Maxim moved towards Willow as Alton reached down and helped his son up. “Follow me now,” Alton ordered Trevor, moving away from everyone since this was a private talk.

“There is nothing to talk about,” his son snapped.

“You either follow me or I’ll personally kick your ass right here and now.” Alton spun and faced his son as all talking stopped.

Lars struggled to go to him, but Treust shook his head, holding him back. “No, this is between father and son. All of you have much to do and we can’t stay here long.”

“Are you coming?” Alton asked one more time.

“Fine,” Trevor said and looked back at his son, nodding to him. “Relax, we’ll be fine.” Trevor told Lars.