Wolf Tales 12 (31 page)

There wasn’t much that hadn’t been charred. Ugly burns ran from his shoulders to the middle right side of his back. Burning pitch had stuck to his skin, and even rolling in the dirt hadn’t dislodged all of it. The wounds were deep and ugly, affecting muscle tissue and tendons, but even as Anton watched, skin began to heal, replacing gray or black with healthy pink.

Keisha turned and linked with Anton.
Go back to the others. Tell them how Jake is doing, that we might need others to take shifts to manage his pain. I’m going to stay.

He didn’t question his mate when she turned his hand loose and joined the others to help with Jake’s pain. He merely nodded and left all of them to do what they did best.

As he walked back toward the main chamber, his thoughts were spinning with the amazing talents his people had. Jake had been suffering excruciating pain, but now he slept as their healers repaired his damaged body from the inside out.

Packmates shared his pain, suffering with him so that, shared, it became bearable. All of them—every known Chanku—had gathered here in Montana because they knew Anton might need them in his search for Lily, yet they’d already planned to be here for the birth of Adam and Liana’s third child.

Again, to help one of their own. To share her pain as well as the joy of the entire pack in welcoming a new member.

He’d eavesdropped shamelessly throughout the week, listening to all of them talking among themselves—agreeing that moving here, accepting his leadership for the chance to be together as a family, as a single pack, was worth whatever inconvenience it might mean to any one of them. Each of these people—his people—saw and recognized the importance of family.

A family that had continued to grow and prosper over the past eight years—ever since the night Stefan had rescued Xandi in a raging blizzard, and weeks later, when both of them had rescued Anton from his own, lonely hell.

And,
he thought,
Keisha has saved us all.

She was his heart, and the heart of a strong and powerful family facing its biggest crisis in the days and weeks ahead.

It wasn’t merely the loss of his house that worried him. No, it was the growing clamor from human populations across the globe.

Everyone wanted to know more about the shapeshifting Chanku. The White House had put the reporters off for now, delaying the release of information while Nick ostensibly healed from his injuries. They couldn’t keep using that excuse forever.

Anton had to believe the time was right for this to happen. All of them were together, and, as Eve had reminded him mere days ago, together they were stronger. Somehow they must figure out a way to explain their existence. To describe their amazing abilities without sending fear throughout the world over a heretofore unknown alien population existing among humans.

A population that had been here first, long before humans had walked the Earth. Now, that would make it difficult for anyone who might want to kick them off the planet!

He stepped into the main chamber. It was quiet now. The babies and children slept. Exhausted, most of the adults had found their pallets and were taking advantage of a chance to rest. Tomorrow loomed with unknown challenges, but dawn was many hours away.

Anton glanced into the shadows. Nick and Beth were curled up asleep beside Matt, Deacon, Daci, and Jazzy Blue. The link the kids had forged on the streets of San Francisco held strong and true, all these years later.

His heart went out to Nick.

No matter what Anton had said to help lift the burden, the young man carried the weight of their newfound celebrity squarely on his shoulders. Before they dealt publicly with the world, he hoped to figure out a way to take some of that weight from Nick, make him realize he’d actually done a good thing for all of them.

Somehow, they’d have to deal with the fallout in a manner that would protect the pack and offer all of them a future without fear. He walked across the shadowed chamber to check on the children. Gabe and Mac slept on either side of baby Lucia’s small portable crib, protecting their infant sister. Lily slept at their heads with her body curled around her three siblings.

No wonder they idolized their elder sister—they relied on the knowledge she would do anything to keep them safe. Stefan’s three were close beside Anton’s little group. In sleep, Alex looked like an angel—proof that appearances could be deceiving. And even in sleep, four-year-old Amber held on to Ariel’s hand, assuring that the toddler wouldn’t toddle away.

Anton stood there, hands shoved in his pockets, head bowed, watching them sleep. He took great peace in their innocent faces, in the connection his children felt to their siblings and to the other children within the pack—a connection he’d never known as a child. It gave him hope, knowing their children would grow to adulthood fully aware of their heritage. Even more important, they would grow up knowing they were loved.

He could think of no better legacy to give them.

He yawned and checked his watch. It was only a little after one, though it felt much later. He had to get some sleep in case he was needed to relieve the ones helping with Jake’s pain. He sent the thought out, that everyone be prepared should Keisha call on them. Soft murmurs in his mind told him they were ready.

Quietly he searched the darkened cavern for the pallet Keisha had pointed out as theirs, but as he moved carefully among his sleeping packmates, he noticed a familiar figure sitting alone in the shadows on the far side of the pond, close to the astral gateway. He skirted the far end of the natural pool and knelt beside Liana. She turned and smiled at him.

Quietly, she whispered, “Anton. Hello. I thought you’d be asleep by now.”

“Liana? Is something wrong?”

She leaned against him and sighed. “My timing sucks. My water broke. Contractions haven’t really started, but I imagine I’ll be going into labor pretty soon. I didn’t want to bother anyone yet. Everyone’s so exhausted.”

He turned, sat beside her, and leaned against the wall. “I’ll keep you company,” he said. “Adam’s doing an amazing job healing Jake, so I imagine he’ll be busy for a while.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. “I know. I’m blocking him. He thinks I’m sleeping. I don’t want him to worry about me. From past experience, I know this could go on for a long time. Jace took over thirteen hours.”

“Your labor with Eve Elizabeth was really short, though as Keisha always reminds me, don’t borrow trouble. Rest while you can.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and felt her tension ease as she allowed herself to relax.

He closed his eyes as well, thinking of the woman beside him, of the way things seemed to come full circle. So many years ago, she’d been their Goddess—a vain and self-serving immortal who’d not only lost track of her ultimate duty to protect her people, she’d lost the ones she’d been charged with protecting.

She’d brought Anton to her for sex—nothing more than sex to recharge her waning powers—but she’d discovered that he was different. He was Chanku. One of those she’d lost.

He quickly became her link to rediscovering others of their kind. Liana’s transformation had mirrored Anton’s. As he’d learned more about himself and his heritage, she’d helped manipulate lives and events so that more and more Chanku were brought together. Of course, she’d done it more to avoid the wrath of the Mother who watched over all of them, but without Liana’s help, the pack as it was today would not exist.

Now Liana was mortal—or as mortal as Chanku could be—carrying Adam’s third child. She’d found her place in a world where she truly belonged, while Eve, Adam’s first bonded mate, watched over them as the goddess they should have had from the beginning.

And here he sat, while his wife helped heal a packmate, while their children slept, while their house burned. He’d not allowed himself to think about that at all—not since shutting the kitchen door behind him. It was a huge place, though, with a heavy slate roof and solid construction.

It would take many, many hours to burn.

He tightened his hold on Liana, sent a prayer to Eve that he hoped she could come up with a plan for all of them.

The corner of his mouth quirked up, totally involuntarily.

The guys had teased him for years about his plans. The running joke had quickly become “Anton’s got a plan,” generally followed by a hearty curse.

Not this time. He had no idea what they’d do next. No idea at all. In a way, it was almost a relief to turn his worries over to Eve, close his eyes, and drift into sleep.

Chapter 22

A little girl slipping onto his lap jolted Anton out of a sound sleep. Blinking himself more fully awake, he felt Lily’s small body snuggling close against him. Liana slept fitfully beside him, so he used what Lily called his “quiet voice.”

What are you doing here, sweetie? I thought you were sleeping with the others.

He felt her sigh against him.
I was, Daddy, but we have work to do.

We do?
With Lily, one never knew. . . .

The Ancient Ones—that’s what those men in the funny red robes told me to call them—gave me a very important job, and with everyone together, this is the perfect time to do it.

He was almost afraid to ask, but . . .
What is it, sweetheart? I will help in any way I can.

I knew you would. I told them you would.
She put her arms around him and hugged. Anton’s eyes immediately welled with tears. She was home now. He had to relax. He was not going to lose his daughter. Never again.

I have all the memories about our ancestors. The Ancient Ones put them in me. There’s a lot of stuff, and I don’t understand all of it, but they said you would. I’m supposed to give them all to you, and you are supposed to give them to everyone else. Even the babies.

The babies?
He almost laughed. Lily’s sense of superiority must be a bit upset about that. She held herself far above anyone younger. But then, Lily’d been a child going on adulthood since the day she was born.

Before she was born, for that matter.

Yes, Daddy. Even the babies. Even Liana’s little girl who isn’t even borned yet. I think it’s stupid, but the Ancient Ones said it was too important not to share with everyone.

Born. Not borned.
The automatic correction slipped out before he even thought about it and he smiled against Lily’s soft curls. Keisha and Xandi’s influence was stronger than he thought.
If the Ancient Ones said it was important, it must be. What else did they tell you?

She twisted around and sat on his lap, facing him. He looped one arm around her waist so she wouldn’t tumble off his legs.
All kinds of things, like the place where they came from, and what it was like before there were other people on this planet. Did you know they saw dinosaurs?

He’d never imagined such a thing. How long had the Chanku been on this world? He wondered if, during that time, they’d evolved. Were they the same people who had landed here so long ago? He tried to remember the monks—the Ancient Ones—he’d met so long ago. They hadn’t struck him as unusual in any way. Slightly built, more along Oliver’s lines than his own, but typical human men.
Dinosaurs? I wish I could have seen them.

You can, Daddy. They’re in my memories. All you have to do is open your mind to me and let me share them. The Ancient Ones said I’d do a better job if I’m asleep. This would be a really good time, because I’m very tired.
She yawned and curled up against him again, a warm and trusting little bundle holding the history of an entire race of people beneath those dark brown curls.

The idea boggled the mind. He glanced at Liana. She slept soundly now, her body slowly readying for the birth of her daughter. He cast his thoughts out and realized Jake slept, as did the ones who’d been taking his pain. Keisha was with their little ones—she knew Lily was with Anton, knew Anton sat with Liana. All was well.

He wondered how long it would take. Wondered how many secrets he would finally learn.

Wondered if he was truly ready for so much information—he, who had craved knowledge his entire life.
Go to sleep, sweetheart, but be sure to leave your barriers down. I’ll see if I can get all those memories tonight, while it’s quiet and everyone is asleep.

G’night, Daddy. I love you.

I love you, too, Lily.
Holding her close against his chest, he blinked back tears, thinking of the long days and nights when he’d thought she was lost. Then he opened his thoughts and reached into Lily’s amazing mind.

The moment he connected, he felt the pull, as if a great whirlpool sucked him down. His first instinct was to resist, but then he realized that was exactly why they’d chosen a child for this momentous duty. Lily would have opened to them with the trust of the innocent.

But was their intent entirely innocent? He’d not even questioned if there might be danger involved. He’d taken Eve’s word, but what if she was wrong?

It was too late. He’d have to trust in the wisdom of their Goddess, in the goodness of the Mother. Caught in the swirling maelstrom of Lily’s mind, he forced himself to let go of the struggle, felt his consciousness fading, his thoughts swirling, spinning, melding with the minds of people who’d existed for millions of years.

And then, as if he fully existed in another time and place, Anton stepped out onto the lush and fertile ground of a world long dead, among people who had been gone for millennia. He walked on the world of his ancestors, the birthplace of Chanku.

Sunny rose to all four legs and shook the sand out of her thick coat. Igmutaka slept beside her, a long, tawny cougar with paws the size of dinner plates. The lantern still burned, though much of the cavern they’d taken refuge in was lost in shadow.

She followed the sound of running water and found a small pool. It smelled perfectly fresh, though it wasn’t as cold as she’d hoped. Still, her throat was dry and she took a long drink, lapping the water up with her tongue. She’d been drinking for a few seconds before she realized exactly what she was doing—drinking water in her wolven form.