Night Finds (5 page)

Another claims that the wearer is never allowed to date. Ever. Alex and Sebastian have already made that statement perfectly clear. I guess letting the whole world know isn't that big of a deal. The guys will probably make sure she gets a version to wear as she grows. The last one that really catches my eyes is one that says
if you think I am good lookin’ you should see my uncle
. Reading that, I didn’t need Jake to hand me this present to know it was from him.

“Well, at least she will have clothes to match the pacifiers. I think all of the other babies will laugh at her though.”

“Good thing there aren’t a lot of other babies around to have to worry about that,” Sebastian says in commiseration.

Smitty’s gift is similar to the onesies, but in bib format. Marcus and Hilda provide a gift that at first makes me wonder what the world is coming to, but I quickly figure out it is a gag gift. The box indicates that it contains a feeder type contraption, similar to what you find in a hamster cage for dispensing water, that I can attach to Sophia’s crib to allow her to feed herself.

I open the box up and find it filled with baby bottles. Most of them are mildly inappropriate with their sayings or the fact that they look like liquor bottles. Poor Sophia is going to be a really confused child.

Will gives me baby knee pads and a couple of sleeper outfits that have tons of fringe so while Sophia is crawling around the floor she can be put to good use in cleaning it as she goes. Dante’s gift is oddball teething rings and rattles. My favorites are the bacon flavored teething ring and the dumbbell shaped rattle.

Jonas, knowing just what I really need, presents me with books on parenting.
“How Not to Kill Your Baby”
,
“The Baby Owner’s Manual”
, and
“Sh*tty Mom”
are the ones that stick out in my mind. I am afraid to actually start reading any of them. I thought Sophia would just come out and know how to take care of herself. She already can talk to some of us, so that should mean she doesn’t sit around and cry for things she can just ask for. In my mind that is what it means, she may have different ideas.

I take Phee’s gift last. The fact that it is wrapped in pink wrapping paper has me really afraid. Hilda wrapped her and Marcus’ present, but she went with a dark yellow. Most likely the same exact color we picked sheets in an hour or so ago.

I am careful while I unwrap this gift. I can just see Phee freaking out if I tear her hard work. Under the wrapping is a clothing box similar to Jake’s. After seeing the pink and frills at the baby store today, I don’t know if I can bring myself to open the lid. I just know it is going to be a little dress and I am certain I will start screaming if I see it.

“Quit being a baby and open it, Nyx,” Phee says rolling her eyes.

I guess I cannot delay any longer. I open the package to find pink tissue paper. It is going to be as bad as I thought. I peel away the paper and find black. There is no pink dress. It is little mini Nyx fatigues. There is even a little pair of black booties that match.

“Oh my God,” I say dragging out the pair of pants that match mine perfectly. Underneath, along with a top, is a set of little plastic bowie knives and a little sheath that wraps around a kid's waist. “Sophia, I think you need to come out so you can try on what your Aunt Phee bought you.”

Phee squeals and runs over to give me a hug. “I knew you would love it. I just did the wrapping to confuse you. I knew if I would have gotten the dresses I liked in the store they would have been burned, so I got these special ordered and they luckily do really quick work. It only took them a couple of days to get two outfits made for you.”

She releases me and runs back over to her mate. “This is one time where I didn’t have to talk sense into her,” Sam says. “I am glad you like it, but I knew you would. Phee told me so enough times that it would be impossible not to believe her.”

“Have you guys been moved in as well?” I know that was the original plan, but I don't know if it was going to happen immediately.

“You have to see our room. It is amazing. I love it here. I mean the old place was better than living with my mom, but this place is out of this world. You look tired or I would already be trying to drag you around to show you all of my favorite spots.”

I know I feel tired, but the fact that it is showing means my eyes are going to close any second. I hope that Sophia doesn't mind letting me get a few hours in. It is bad enough I am not able to sleep on my stomach, which is my preferred position. I have never liked sleeping on my side and that along with the kicks has made more than an hour of sleep a day impossible.

“Before you fall out, I was wondering if you have heard from your dad lately, Princess,” Jonas says. Sebastian is already working to separate the presents from me and putting things away.

“No, but we only talk about once a week. Is there anything I should be worried about?”

“I haven't been able to reach him for three days. That hasn't happened before, and I don't want you to worry, but I am starting to get concerned myself. With you being pregnant and the possibility of you popping at any second so great, it isn't like him,” Jonas answers.

“Walt, I am guessing since he is asking me, you haven't had any luck.”

“No, and I agree with Jonas. You are the most important thing in your dad's world. Him not sitting around waiting for our daily updates is unusual.”

I pull my phone out and punch in his number. It rings three times and then goes to voicemail. I haven't had to listen to his message before. He has always picked right up.

“This is me. If you are hearing this, you know what to do,”
his voice says and is followed by a beep.

“Hey, Daddy, if you wouldn't mind please call me, Walt, or Jonas back as soon as you can. I have baby news to share and you are worrying the guys.” I hang up and I am not really sure how to proceed. I still have no idea even where the man is hiding. I cannot believe someone else found him.

“Your dad is a tough guy. I am sure he will call you back soon and everything will be okay,” Alex says lifting me out of the chair.

I think he is right. I cannot really do anything about it this second. After a little nap, I will regroup and figure out what needs to be done. Sleep first. Grill Walt and Jonas for Daddy's location later. It isn't much of a plan, but it will do for now.

Chapter 5

Big trouble in paradise

I think I fell asleep in Alex's arms as he carried me to bed. I don't remember being put down, but his warm body curled behind me makes me believe it happened, especially since I can feel Sebastian close by on the other side.

“Love, your phone is ringing. It is Aaron's ringtone, so I thought you might want to answer it,” Sebastian says as he hands the phone over.

“You are right, but my eyes don't want to open yet.” I tap the screen and hold it up to my ear. “Daddy, I am still sleepy. Why did you have to call back now?”

“You never did go so far as to call me that. All those years that I raised you and Daddy never passed your lips. Thinking about that saddens me just a tad,” someone, obviously not my father, replies.

“Frank, what are you doing with my dad's phone?” I feel both guys on the bed stiffen at my words. They should have been able to hear Frank's reply and they may not have recognized the voice, but they can figure out the problem with Frank having Daddy’s phone.

“It is really simple, my dear. We, and by we I mean the Collective, want you back and since you are with child, we will take her too.”

Sebastian comes off the bed at that comment and walks over to punch the closest wall. Alex moves to comfort him, while I continue to talk to the lunatic.

“That will happen over my dead body. You aren't getting me or my baby.”

“I expect there will be quite a few dead bodies when we meet up, but we both know none of them will be yours. Let's arrange a meeting for an exchange. How about in five hours at the house your dad has been hiding out in. That should give you enough time to prepare. And rest assured, I brought the army with me that you warned me I would need. See you soon, daughter,” he says and then hangs up.

“Son of a monkey's uncle's brother. We had better start gearing up. I don't know how far away Dad was hiding, but five hours doesn't seem like enough time to get everything together.” I hop out of bed and hurry to my closet.

“Nyx, we can't go. We don't even know if your father is still alive. It is probably just a trap,” Sebastian says coming to join me. I don't let his words halt my progress. My pants are already on and I am strapping on the external thigh sheaths. I want everyone to know I mean business. I make sure to pack the Panoptic knife. I rarely leave home without it these days. Leaving it laying around for anyone to pick up would be a major no-no. I am charged with keeping it safe and I have been doing my best.

“I haven't even had a year with my dad. I don't care if it is a trap; I am going in after him.” He tries to stop me from my actions, but I bat his hands away. “You can either get ready and come with me or you can stay behind and be stuck wondering what is happening.”

“Babe, I have to agree with Sebastian on this one. Let us get a team together and go in to get Aaron. We don't want to put you or Sophia at risk. You don't have to be there for this,” Alex says trying to back Sebastian up.

“The Hell I don't. If you think you are going to leave me behind, you are both sadly mistaken. I will fight you fang and claw over this. I don't know how they found him, but it is my fault that they did. If I was still with the Collective, they wouldn't be using him as leverage against me.” I pull on a shirt and stretch it down over my bulging belly. It grew over night. I just know it did. My shirt doesn't cover it very well, but I don't care. I grab my new holster that doesn't rub against it wrong and throw that on too.

“None of this is your fault. The Collective has wanted your dad dead for a long time. They thought you accomplished that for them, but since you didn't they are using it against you. They are underhanded scum and we will deal with them,” Sebastian states. I pretty much registered, “blah, blah, blah.”

“We better get dressed. I am not going to tie her up in the condition she is in. It might distress Sophia and I don't want to cause any problems there,” Alex says and leaves the closet.  About time, I grab my boots and a pair of socks and follow him out as I push past Sebastian.

“That is my child in there, Nyx. I won't have her put in harm's way.”

“Then you better figure out a way to keep us safe and still allow me to come because it is happening,” I say sitting down on the bed to try to put my socks and boots on. Bigger belly is blocking my way making things difficult. Now that I think about it, getting my pants on must have been done by remote control because that is a task I tend to need assistance with.

“Let me help,” Alex says coming out of his closet fully dressed. He bends down and puts my left sock on. “I love you more than life, Nyx, and to paraphrase one of your lines, if anything happens to you during this mission, I am going to beat you down. If you end up dead, I will resurrect you just to give you the beating.”

“We are going in, bringing Dad back, and killing any Collective force that stands in our way. That is my current plan and until you hear otherwise that is what is going to happen. Are you guys ready to go wake up anyone that is still sleeping and get everyone geared up?”

I don't know my way around, so I am depending on at least one of them being ready to move. Alex finishes tying my shoes and I jump up and head towards the door. I feel them both follow in behind me. Alex's mood is contemplative and Sebastian is apprehensive. He is not happy at all about the current events. I will have to find a way to make it up to him later.

“Let me get in front of you,” Alex says moving to take the lead. Sebastian comes next to me and puts his arm across my back.

We make our way down the halls and I pay no attention to the things we pass. Frank says he brought an army. I told him he would need one when we met up not long ago and he had a good twenty people with him at that time. Just how many can we expect to run into? Double that? More?

Our core group is around a dozen. We have at least thirty or forty other guards that work under Alex and Sebastian on call at all times. I would hope that is enough. I don't know how many of Frank's guys will be super wolves. If even half of them have been genetically altered with the Collective's special drug, we might be in trouble.

Alex has led us into a living room with the furniture I am used to seeing spaced out around it with a couple of couches added. Jonas, Will, and Sam are sitting there looking at us.

“Gear up. Dad's in trouble and we have to go in after him,” I say with no preamble. Will and Sam scramble away and Jonas stands.

“How bad is it?” he asks as he presses a button on his phone. I am pretty sure it sends up the red alert. It may also be ordering a pizza, but I doubt it.

“Frank has him and he wants to make an exchange for Nyx,” Alex relays.

Jonas starts laughing. Okay, totally not appropriate in this situation. I hope the glare he is receiving conveys my dissatisfaction.

“Don't be getting your panties in a bind. Frank doesn't know Aaron as well as he thinks he does if he believes Aaron will allow that to happen. Aaron would die before letting them take you back. It will be nice to finally put Frank in his place. He has a lot to answer for,” Jonas' eyes change into those of his wolf for a split second. I think he is ready for a fight. Good. That is just how I need the guards. “When it comes down to it, Frank is mine. I suggest no one stands in the way of what needs to be done.”

That is a step beyond what I am looking for. Jonas is a good guard and he doesn't let emotions rule him. His emotions are presently rolling off him in waves. That can only mean one thing. “He is the one, isn't he?”

Jonas nods and walks away. “I need a couple of extra things for this trip.”

That is all I need to hear to know it was Frank that killed Jonas' brother. If my dad ends up being dead, I might argue his claim; however, I know Jonas really wants the kill. We have talked about his brother before and what he was like when he was alive. I haven’t pushed to find out who actually carried out the murder, but I guess I know now. I am surprised no one told me.