“Byte.”
Angus frowned. “My dog?”
Passen nodded slowly. “A
fascinating mixture of a couple of animals. To say what happened to
this unfortunate young man is unique would be false. As you know,
it’s been happening to our pack for decades. Maybe someone is
experimenting in other areas. Let’s face it, there are a lot more
humans than us. If whoever is behind this is seeking a way to
extend the initial reaction beyond the three days, what would they
have?”
Angus hadn’t thought along those
lines and was surprised Silas hadn’t either. “An army of super
humans,” he murmured. “According to everything I could find, he
lacked control and completely changed personalities. I suspect he
abused his brother even though the young man never
said.”
“That doesn’t surprise me, chances
are whatever he injected gradually destroyed his mind by turning
his body into a hostile battleground. Foreign blood wouldn’t be
tolerated.”
“Hawke said that.” Angus paused.
“Can we examine Byte? That whole comparison you just made makes a
lot of sense. I’d like to have his blood tested.”
Dr. Passen looked at his watch. “I
have an hour before a meeting with my team. Can you bring him down
now?”
Angus pushed away from the wall and
headed for the door. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Do you want me
to bring him in here?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
He turned the corner and headed
toward the elevator for the residential area. Placing his palm on
the scanner the computer asked for his name for voice verification
before allowing him to the residential section. Inside the elevator
he nodded to Hank or whoever monitored the security
cameras.
When the door opened on the right
floor, he inhaled. The pups were still asleep but he would peek
into the nursery and look in on them. Moving down the hall, he
stepped into their room and smiled. These children captured his
heart and he would give his life protecting them. Adam lay sprawled
on top of the cover with his fist near his mouth. Renee lay on her
back, with her arms next to her side. Jackie was on her side with
her knees pulled up. He moved to the last bed and met David’s
silent gaze. The two stared at each other for a few seconds before
David closed his eyes. Angus wasn’t sure if the boy fell asleep or
dismissed him. Either way, it had been an interesting moment when
David woke and stared at him like that. As quietly as he entered he
left the nursery and headed to his suite for Byte.
When he opened the door, Byte
jumped up and down yipping and then ran in a circle before sitting
on his hind legs looking up at him. Smiling, Angus sat on the floor
and pulled the heavy animal beneath his arm. He rubbed the blue
speckled head with his knuckles, earning a purring sound from
Byte.
“I missed you
too. But I heard you did a great job watching the kids, I’m proud
of you.” He continued stroking Byte for a few more minutes. “You
deserve a treat. I’ll take you outside later today before I start
work. Right now I need you to come with me.”
He stood, walked to the door and
waited for Byte to follow him before closing it. “Come on boy, the
doc’s waiting.” They turned the corner.
Renee screamed, dropped the pitcher
in her hand and ran back inside the room she’d just left. Doors
opened. Jacques came into the hall wearing bottoms. A few seconds
later Victoria edged pass him.
“Was that Renee? What happened?”
she asked.
“Hi, Angus, when did you get
back?” Jacques asked moving toward Angus.
“Do you see that blue thing?”
Renee asked from the crack in her door.
“Aunt Renee,
that’s Byte, Angus’ dog,” Tyrone said walking back toward his
rooms.
Her door opened wider. She craned
her neck to see Byte who continued down the hall toward the
elevator.
“That’s not a dog.”
“He’s a mutt, mixed with a few
things,” Angus said appreciating the black tank top and boy shorts
she wore. Pity she didn’t like men, she was a sexy
package.
“Ugly, you mean.” Her hand flew to
her mouth. “Sorry that was rude.” She looked at the floor and the
mess she made. “I need to clean this up.” She turned toward
Jacques. “You got a mop and broom I can borrow?”
Jacques turned and walked back
inside.
The silence in the hall grew a
little awkward with her standing half-naked, fully naked in his
mind, wishful thinking. “How long is your visit this
time?”
“I’m leaving later today that’s
why I’m up early. Thought I’d eat and then spend a few hours with
the kids before I catch my flight. You weren’t at the shower last
night?”
“No, I just returned.”
Byte barked.
“I better take
him out before he wakes up the kids.” He looked at the broken
pitcher.
“If that scream didn’t wake them,
his barking won’t,” Renee said with a sardonic twist of her
lips.
“Good point,” he said moving
toward the elevator. “If I don’t see you again, have a nice
flight.”
“Thanks.”
When Angus reached the elevator, he
heard her murmur. “Nice ass.”
Chapter 7
Jasmine, Victoria, Rose and Renee sat on the
covered patio talking and watching the children run around playing
nearby in the courtyard turned playground.
“Who’s the little girl standing over David
talking?” Renee asked shading her eyes with her palm. “Looks like
she’s telling him to do something, wonder what she’s
saying?”
Jasmine looked at Rose who could hear the
children perfectly, so could she if she focused but being human
Renee could only guess.
“That’s Sarita, Asia and Hawke’s baby. Not sure
what she’s saying, they play well together though, seems she’s just
as stubborn as him,” Victoria said sitting with her feet up on a
wicker stool.
“Stubborn?” Renee looked at her mom. “Why do
you call him stubborn?”
Rose chuckled and shook her head.
“What?” Renee asked looking at Rose. “Did I
miss something?” She looked at Jasmine and then at David. He walked
across the play area and sat on the ground with his bucket. Sarita
trailed behind him like a shadow.
“Stubborn as a bull,” Victoria said shaking her
head.
“Mama, he’s not that bad,” Jasmine said trying
not to laugh. Anyone who spent time with David knew her baby was
particular. If he didn’t think something was a good idea, he let
you know and then he’d decide if he would do it or not. Fortunately
he never disobeyed her or Silas but she knew that day would
eventually come. Of all the children, he reminded her of the Silas
she met in the hospital that first day. How such a young child
could be so self-contained, she didn’t know. But he was Silas’
son.
“Yeah right,” Victoria murmured looking across
the playground at David and Sarita sitting on the ground placing
things into the bucket. “Remember that time the kids were playing
in the nursery –”
“Here you go with that story again. That was an
isolated, well a different situation. All the kids were angry,”
Jasmine said.
Rose laughed. “David wouldn’t move until
somebody explained, that was funny.”
“His mama had to explain about the circus for
him to do anything. Can you imagine that? Littlest one in the bunch
demanding explanations,” Victoria said.
Renee laughed. “Silas had promised and they
were primed. But I don’t think that was being stubborn, just…
curious.”
“Now I know it’s time for you to catch your
flight and get back to the college campus if you think it’s okay
for a toddler to question his parents the way he did.” Victoria
looked at Renee. “Can you imagine what would’ve happened if you did
that?”
“Jasmine spanked them, you forgot that?” Renee
said looking at her sister.
“No, Mama didn’t forget. She just likes to hone
in on the fact that my son asked me a question and I answered.”
Jasmine turned and met her mom’s stare. “That’s how I handled the
situation because I know my children. David wasn’t being
disrespectful; he genuinely wanted to understand what happened.
Adam threw a tantrum but that’s how he is. The girls were
disappointed and showed out as well. Each of them are different and
I handle them differently based on the situation. I would never
ignore my son’s request for information because he’s small. He’s
smart and intuitive, speaks when he has something to say and does
not play mind games like his brother.”
“I’m not trying to upset you,” Victoria said
waving her hand. “Just making an observation.”
Jasmine refrained from rolling her eyes and met
her sister’s gaze.
“David is solid, already got a woman, how about
that,” Renee said.
“The two of them tend to hang out more than the
others but a lot of that has to do with Sarita’s upbringing,”
Victoria said.
Jasmine’s stomach dropped. She couldn’t believe
her mom said that. Sarita had been born in a lab and held as a test
subject for the Liege. No one knew anything about her mother, not
even Hawke. The Liege kept him prisoner for decades, breeding him
with different wolves. He had no idea he had pups until recently.
But that was never to be discussed with humans, even
family.
“What happened?” Renee asked.
“Her mom died,” Victoria faltered and met
Jasmine’s stern gaze. This was the reason Silas didn’t want human
visitors in the compound. Someone might say or do something that
would violate their security.
“Asia’s not her mom?” Renee asked looking
across the playground at Sarita. “They look alike, I wouldn’t have
guessed that. Is she at work? Is that why you’re
babysitting?”
“Yes her mom and dad are at work,” Jasmine said
and then looked at Rose. “How’re you feeling?”
“My back hurts but that’s been my complaint for
a while. I’m ready for this part to be over.” She looked at Jasmine
and offered a weak smile. “I want to hold my babies.”
“Soon, sweetie. You want to walk around a
little bit?” Jasmine asked, watching Tyrese and Danielle enter the
courtyard.
“Rese, Rese throw me the ball,” Adam said
running and holding the ball toward his brother. Tyrese took the
ball and tossed. Adam ran and almost caught it. “Aww, man. Again.
Throw it again.” He ran toward them again.
“Are you ready, Auntie?” Tyrese asked
Renee.
She stood and walked around to their mama,
placed a kiss on her cheek and hugged her. “See you soon. Love
you.”
“Same here, sweetie. Everything will be
alright, if Jasmine can move on after what Davian did to her, you
can move on too. Be patient, things will work out,” Victoria said
patting Renee’s cheek.
Renee jerked back. “There is no comparison
between those two things, Mama. If you really believe what you just
said, you don’t have a clue with what happened with me or
Jasmine.”
“What? I just said –”
“Mama, you need to stop talking. I don’t know
if it’s the pregnancy or what but what you just said was so out of
line… I still can’t believe you went that far.”
Victoria threw up her hands and shook her head
as if she had no idea how insulting she’d been.
“What’s going on with David?” Rose asked
craning her neck to see around Danielle.
“Why’s he running to the patio? Is it about to
rain or something?” Renee asked looking at the sky. “Looks clear.
That was strange. Whatever happened, he held onto Sarita’s hand and
took her with him.”
“Tyrese find out if everything’s okay,” Jasmine
said, concerned. If that had been any of her other children she
wouldn’t have given it much thought. But David didn’t just do
things, normally there was a reason.
Renee walked behind Tyrese and kissed each
child goodbye, even Sarita. Jasmine glanced at her mom who stared
at Renee and the children. As much as she loved her mama, the
safety of everyone in the compound, the Nation, rested on keeping
their dual-natures a secret. And she refused to allow anyone to
jeopardize the safety of her children and grandchildren.
Renee returned to them and hugged Rose. “I’m
expecting a call soon.”
“I want Rone to make that call, today if
possible.” Rose looked down at her round belly. “Hear that, Aunty
wants to see you.”
Tyrese returned and spoke to Jasmine. “He had a
bad feeling and wanted to be near the rest of them. Wouldn’t say
much more than that. But he seems okay now.”
“Thanks, Rese,” Jasmine said and then stood to
hug her sister.
“
I miss you, seems like we never
spend time together like before. Lets plan a girl trip, we haven’t
done that in years,” Renee said.
Jasmine stared at her sister. “I know but I
have young children and grands, it’s harder to get away. Maybe when
they are older and more settled we can do something,” she said
knowing it would probably never happen. Her mate had too many
enemies who would try to use her as a bargaining chip but it was a
nice thought.