Gifts of Fate [Kindred of Arkadia 7] (Siren Publishing Classic) (10 page)

“Wait!” Gabriel exclaimed, stepping forward. Rebecca and Ashby began to laugh and hug one another.

Baron stepped around Rhys and looked down. His face broke out into a grin.

Connor looked back to Rhys to see two brilliant green eyes looking out at them. As the song ended,

Rhys sat back on his heels.

“Baron, if you won’t kill him I will.” Salsiby grabbed the hilt of Baron’s sword. With an annoyed look

on his face, Baron calmly backhanded the small, rodent-like man.

“You hit me! You hit me unprovoked in Arkadia! I demand this man be banned from coming back

here,” Salsiby screeched from the ground, blood pouring from his nose.

“Technically I was defending an innocent Arkadian townsperson.” Baron grinned at Connor.

“That’s right. You were about to kill an innocent man.” Connor stepped forward.

“He is a monster!”

“It seems we have a different idea of what is a monster, here in Arkadia,” Rebecca said, stepping

forward.

Salsiby turned to Gabriel.

“You still can’t feed him. I know you have been checking for a supplier of shifter blood and came up

empty. It’s only a matter of time before he kills.” Salsiby was helped to his feet by one of the wolf shifters

he had brought.

Rebecca frowned.

“He lives in a town full of shifters, why do you think getting shifter blood will be an issue?” she asked

sensibly, looking around.

“I never wanted the townspeople to think we thought of them as food,” Gabriel admitted.

“You are a damn moron!” Rebecca exploded. If he weren’t so worried about his sister calling the most

dangerous vampire on the planet a moron he would have enjoyed the stunned look on Gabriel’s face.

“I tried to tell him,” Ashby chimed in, standing next to his mate.

“Of course we would help. Gabriel, whether you like it or not, you are family,” Ma said.

“The vampires gave us blood when we needed it!” A woman yelled from the sidewalk in front of the

diner.

“They saved my son!”

“And my wife!”

Rebecca turned to the crowd.

“Christmas blood drive! Use the emergency phone tree, let’s get people down here!” Rebecca bounced

up and down on the balls of her feet. Immediately, people were reaching for cell phones.

“I may be feeling better, but it may not be such a good idea to have me around a town of shifters

donating blood. I’m just sayin’.” Rhys smiled tiredly from the ground.

“We’ll get him home.” Roman stepped forward and pulled Rhys up before embracing the man.

“It wouldn’t have been Christmas without hearing you sing.” Roman smiled at his friend.

“Felix, let’s head to the clinic and start setting up,” Doc said, grinning from ear to ear.

“Right!”

“I can help,” Baptista said, stepping forward.

“This isn’t right! The council ruled that he be executed,” Salsiby contested.

“Will someone
please
drag him out of here?” Rebecca asked.

“Alpha Mother, if you would allow me?” Baron grinned.

“Are you staying for the party tomorrow?” Rebecca asked. Baron shook his head as he grabbed Salsiby

by the back of the collar.

“No, I’m hosting the boy’s Christmas poker tournament this year. But thanks for the invitation.” He

smiled and spoke politely as the small man thrashed around, not even making the large Sentinel budge.

“Don’t just stand there, help me!” the oily lawyer yelled at the wolves. Baron swung his head around

and simply stared at them.

“Our job is done,” one said and all three hurriedly made their way out of town.

“You actually brought some smart ones with you this time,” Connor teased.

“You won’t get away with this. Baron, I’ll be speaking with your Commander!” Salsiby swung his arms

in an attempt to strike Baron.

Holding the man at arm’s length, Baron watched the lawyer in disgust. Without changing his expression

he threw the man forcibly on the ground. Connor heard a bone snap.

“I’m sorry, did you trip? Here, let me help you up.” Baron jerked him back up by the hair. He turned to

Connor.

“Well, let me head out. Merry Christmas, everyone.”

“Bye, Baron, and thanks for taking the trash out.” Connor laughed.

“Anytime.” Baron waved and dragged the lawyer out of town by the hair.

“That man is super hot!” Rebecca sighed.

“What is it about the military types?” Madison watched as Salsiby ‘tripped’ again.

Aleks and Connor both growled at their mates.

“Now that the sneaky lawyer is gone, what happened with you guys?” Madison asked, turning to

Rebecca.

She shrugged and looked at the other members of the Inner Court.

“For me, it was like, the words weren’t mine, but I felt what she did. We just all felt it at the same time,”

Ashby tried to explain.

“She who?” Connor asked. Rebecca pursed her lips and tilted her head.

“I think it was Fate. I think she has plans for him that didn’t involve being executed,” Kate said.

“It’s nice to know someone is looking out for us.” Rebecca giggled.

“On that positive note, I’m going to take the boys home. We’ll have a long day again tomorrow for the

Christmas party,” Kate said as Bran and Caleb walked up with their boys. Rian handed Lucian to Sebastian

and Rex passed Arthur to Ashby.

“I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep tonight,” Sebastian admitted, cuddling Lucian close.

“Me either,” Nic said, yawning. Everyone laughed.

Gabriel walked up from coordinating the vampires to assist in the blood drive.

“You have no idea what this means,” Gabriel said, pulling Rebecca into a hug. Aleks growled and pulled

Rebecca into his arms. Rolling her eyes, she winked at Gabriel.

“You mean that someone else is giving their blood and saving someone I love? Yeah, no idea what that

feels like. I want to make sure I’m one of the first to donate,” Connor said, though his words were meant to

be light, they carried the weight of emotion with it.

“As soon as they set up I’m heading over there,” Aleks said, kissing the top of Rebecca’s head. She

sighed.

“I can’t donate,” she said sadly. Connor slapped his forehead in disbelief.

“Rebecca, you’re the one who literally just kick-started this whole thing,” Madison reminded the tiny

human.

“Besides, you’re pregnant,” Ashby reminded his friend.

“It’s just that Gabriel saved my baby, and I wanted to help Rhys, since he is like Gabriel’s child,”

Rebecca explained.

“You and your Inner Court worked a miracle. I believe that Fate was only able to work through you,

due to your close bonds. You did save my child.” Gabriel, uncaring that she stood in her mate’s arms,

kissed her cheek. She sighed happily and Aleks snarled. Both Gabriel and Rebecca ignored him.

“Come on, everyone, let’s give up some red blood cells,” Rebecca cheered.

Connor laughed and followed Madison to the clinic. She also stood in line to donate.

“I insist on donating too.” Madison looped her arm through his.

“Why?”

“Because without the vampires, Arkadia would have fallen, and I would never have met you,” she said

quietly.

“Fate knows best, doesn’t she?” Connor smiled.

“Of course.” Madison rested her head on his shoulder as they waited for their turn to return the gift that

had been given to them that summer.

Chapter 8

Rebecca

Dec 24th
Sunset

“I love Christmas trees!” Rebecca laughed in pure delight as the men secured the large tree in the center

of town.

“Becca, go inside, it’s cold,” Aleks said, tying off one side.

“It’s winter.”

“Becca.”

“No.” Aleks sighed.

“Please.”

“Okay, but only because I want some of Ma’s hot chocolate.” Rebecca blew him a kiss and walked back

to the diner. She walked inside and saw that her friends were already setting up tables for their Christmas

party. Ma sat in the middle of four Pack ’N Plays surrounded by babies and looking completely in her

element.

Her friends sat at the three tables closest to the Pack ’N Plays. None of the new parents wanted to let

their babies out of their sight. The men walked in, bringing in a gust of cold air with them. Rebecca

watched as Connor went to the counter to grab a cup of coffee. Out of nowhere a dark-haired, olive-

skinned woman sauntered up to him. She leaned in, rubbing her breasts on his arm. Connor began to frown

down at the woman.

Quicker than Rebecca could track, Madison was standing next to her mate. She opened her mouth and a

long, angry hiss erupted. The dark-haired woman stepped back and then edged backward. Madison hissed

again and the woman left the diner in a hurry. The men sat around their mates at the tables, getting warm.

“Brazen hussy!” Ma exclaimed, her cheeks heated in anger. No one dared remind her that she had

fussed at Sebastian for using that term a few days ago, not when a strange woman was flirting with her

mated son.

“Shameless!” Rebecca murmured, meeting Ashby’s eye. Both broke out into giggles. Ashby got a funny

look on his face.

“How are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m good. But I so want to learn how to hiss, that was badass!” Rebecca opened her mouth and a faint

hiss came out. Kate burst out laughing.

“You might want to stick to your tiny growl.” Liam grinned.

“It just takes practice,” Rian said, pulling up a seat. He opened his mouth and hissed beautifully.

Rebecca tried again.

“I sound like a bicycle tire that has a slow leak.”

“Maybe Lucian can teach you when he gets older.” Lachlan laughed and kissed his great-grandson on

the head.

“I’ll just stick to shooting people, it’s easier,” Rebecca said.

“Have you got the lights on yet?” Sebastian asked.

“We’re working on it now, we just needed a quick break to grab some coffee and warm up some.”

Connor sipped his coffee.

“All that tree needs now are presents.” Rian laughed.

“Oh! That reminds me. I got you something.” Rebecca reached under the table and handed Rian a box.

His eyes lit up and he ripped into the present like a five year old. He lifted the lid and frowned.

“You got me clear plastic balls?” he asked.

“Look closer.” She grinned. She had been working non-stop on this project for days.

“There’s pictures in there!” Rian exclaimed, pulling more of the small spheres out.

“Liam told us about your family and Christmas. I figured if you had all of our pictures in these

ornaments, you would never have to wait for family on Christmas again, we’d always be with you.” She

dug into her pie. Around her the diner quieted, and she looked up to see what had happened. Rian sat

uncharacteristically quiet staring down at the box in his hands. Rebecca looked at Ashby, who smiled at her.

She looked back to Rian.

“I didn’t mean to make you mad,” she whispered. Rian set the box down on the table carefully, as if it

were made of the most delicate crystal. He looked up and his normally laughing eyes were brimming with

tears.

“How could I ever be mad at you? You’ve made so many wonderful changes in the past year, I barely

recognize myself with how happy I am. The entire town is thriving and coming together because of you.

We’re all here and celebrating together because of you.” Rian stood and placed his fist over his heart,

paying tribute to her.

Chairs scraped on the floor as everyone in the diner stood. Rebecca looked around at her friends who

smiled down at her. Beside her Aleks took her hand. Kate, Bran and Caleb placed their fisted hands over

their hearts. Liam, Kent and Sebastian smiled and raised their fists to their chests. The wolves and the lions

throughout the diner followed suit.

Gabriel stepped forward and bowed elegantly. Behind him every vampire in the diner bowed after their

Prince. Rebecca covered her mouth with both hands, overwhelmed at their display of acceptance and love.

“I don’t know what to say.” She sniffled.

“You could tell your mate that you’re in labor,” Sebastian suggested.

“What!” Aleks bellowed. Everyone in the diner began to talk at once, except for her bear who steadily

and systematically began to lose his mind.

“Stand. Stand. Go.” Aleks pointed to the door. Rebecca rolled her eyes. He was down to simple one-

syllable words already. Wonderful.

“In a minute, I want to finish my pie.” She was reaching for her fork when Aleks lifted her, chair and

all, and strode toward the door.

“Pie! I want my pie!” she yelled.

“Doc. Come!” Kaden jumped up and opened the door, wide-eyed. The door shut behind Aleks as he

carried his mate in a chair to the clinic, with her bellowing for pie. When it closed completely, the diner was

suddenly quiet. Doc and Felix stared at each other at their table and both sighed.

Unable to contain his laughter a second more, Ashby began to chuckle.

“Can you imagine his reaction when he finds out she’s been in labor since last night?” Sebastian

laughed.

“Good luck, Doc!” Connor yelled.

“Remember, bob and weave. Bob and weave.” Rian bobbed his head back and forth, holding up his