Taming Jax (First Wave Book 5) (37 page)

They finally gave up on dinner, and Reven made sure the animals had plenty of food and water before grabbing the girls and putting in a popular cartoon movie for them. He cuddled on the couch with them until the children fell into an exhausted sleep.

Reven looked down and picked up Bayla first. He kissed her sweet face before he laid her in her crib and covered her with her blanket. Next he carried Melina to her bed and did the same, brushing her hair back before he turned off the TV and went back to sit beside Jax.

Reven picked up her right hand into his own and kissed the back of it before enclosing it with his other hand. He leaned his head on their hands and breathed out a sigh.

“Jax, I know you’re in there. Keep fighting baby, just keep fighting and come back to us. Please…” Reven said brokenly before his head dropped to the bed, and he fell into an exhausted sleep beside his mate.

*****

Ivint paced the conference room before turning angry eyes to the others that brought him here. “You will leave him the hell alone! You have no idea the strength of that man, and you will believe my word when I tell you that he will be fine!”

He was pissed. They had gone behind his back and now they wanted to make him force Reven into something that he would never forgive any of them for and Ivint wouldn’t blame him.

Grai shook his head sadly. “Ivint, just listen to him. I agree with you; I really do. I think he should be left the hell alone with his family, as he sees fit. I did until I heard what Amun has to say. Listen to him. Please.” Grai said, he’d resort to begging if he had to, the situation was becoming too dangerous.

While Ivint was quiet, Amun bravely spoke up to his commander. “Sir, I’ve been tracking the energy, trying to figure out a way to help or speed up her recovery. What’s happening is that the animals and the children are giving their energy to Reven, who is giving it Jax.”

He paused for a quick breath before continuing. “The problem is that they are quickly depleting their own energy trying to sustain Reven, who is keeping none for himself. He doesn’t realize that he is weakening them all.”

Kintaq, head animal doctor interrupted. “Several of the smaller animals had to be taken to intensive care because they were on the verge of death. They still had to be sedated to stop them from trying to continue to give energy they didn’t have to spare! More than half of those animals in the docking bay are too weak to go outside!”

He was pissed as hell that no one seemed to consider the sacrifice these brave and loving creatures were making for their friend. Kintaq loved Jax like a sister, their shared love of the creatures giving them a unique bond, and he knew she would be screaming at them for not doing something for her friends. She would never want them in such danger, especially not for her.

Grai sighed, his weariness showing. “The same thing is happening to the children. Their teachers have noticed a marked change in their behavior. Melina is too tired to participate in any physical activities, and Bayla has stopped standing and crawling.”

Ivint turned startled eyes to Grai. “What?”

Amun nodded his head. “Sir, the scans show that the children have stopped growing, and their energy levels have depleted by half. If it continues, the baby will be in a coma in five days and the child in seven. But, we’ll lose Reven long before them.”

Amun was desperate. He was losing them all. Something had to be done. He was so sure of it that he had agreed with the others that if they couldn’t convince Ivint to help that they would do something without him.

Incurring the forever wrath of their commander was not on his list of this to accomplish in life, but this had to be done, and he would weather it to save Reven and the children. Even the animals they had all come to respect.

“How is this possible?” Ivint whispered as he sat heavily, putting his head in his hands.

Amun continued, knowing they were getting through to him. “We don’t know. However, we do know that the energy is going through Jax’s beast to the baby inside of her. The scans are showing a rapid expansion of energy that is changing the beast inside of the baby’s developing brain.”

Amun walked over to lay a hand on Ivint’s shoulder. “Sir, we have no idea what is happening to the baby. Her vitals are really good, but that could change at any moment, and we have no idea of the long-term effects of something like this.”

Grai cleared his throat and stood. “Something must be done to protect these children. This cannot continue another day.”  

Ivint ignored the silent tears slipping down his face and nodded his head. He knew they were doing the right thing. He only hoped that Reven would agree when it was all over. Somehow he knew; Reven would never forgive this betrayal.

*****

The foreign energy pushed at the man, prodding at his barriers to see if they could be penetrated before moving on to the older child, then the youngest.

Finding its target, the energy invaded Bayla’s cells, learning her strengths and weaknesses. It took its time in her mind, going through every memory, every emotion and experience.

When it had them memorized, the energy moved on to the connections in the toddler’s brain. It ran through the first one it found, following it to the older child, where it formed its own connection, bypassing the exhausted girl’s defenses while it piggy backed on Bayla’s energy.

Heading back to the toddler, the energy found the next connection in her mind and followed it to the man, where it easily formed its own connection with him.   

On and on it moved, and once it exhausted the connections in Bayla, it moved into Melina’s mind to inspect and raid, growing stronger with each memory, each piece of itself that it left behind in the unsuspecting victims of its invasion.

Now that it had finally found a way inside the weakened people and animals, it ran rampantly through each one, using their memories to see through their eyes. Their experiences and emotions fed its power, expanding it and mutating it to suit its own needs.

Using its new power, the invading energy easily read the intentions of the others upstairs and quickened its pace to ensure it was done with its task before they could stop it. It couldn’t allow that.

It used the new connections it had made to pull even more energy from the people and animals, unconcerned about the amount it was taking. It knew exactly what it was doing and magnified the stolen energy, adding its own as it manipulated it and changed it.

When it knew it was ready, it sent the manipulated energy back out in a powerful and stunning wave that rocked the room and everything in it before spreading to the animals outside. Leaving none of them untouched, before pulling back.

The animals were the first to respond. The birds took flight in a cacophony of sound. Beating wings and screeches erupted as they took to the air. All work stopped in the docking bay as they watched the birds swoop, dip and fly in a circle near Jax’s room.  

The coyotes and cats began to howl, growl and roar as they got up and paced restlessly in front of Jax’s room. The smaller animals ran in between the legs of the larger ones, each adding their voice to the rising wave of sound taking over the docking bay.

They were quickly joined by other animals that were coming back in, through the open-door topside, until their numbers were almost doubled and the sound became almost unbearable.

It was the muted sound that wakened them in Jax’s room, starting with Bayla. She was the first to realize the change in herself, the invasion of the foreign energy, and she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Grai was the first to be warned that something was wrong in the docking bay. He turned to Traze.

“Pull up the docking bay.”

By now, the others had heard the news through the Shengari’ and were waiting to see what was going on as well. They were shocked when the images came on the screen.  

“What the hell?” Risk whispered as they watched the animals.

“Damn!” Traze said as he turned down the sound on the vid because they couldn’t hear, the animal sounds were too loud.

Grai turned back to Traze. “Can you pull up inside Jax’s room?”

Traze shook his head as he stood with worry. “No, we didn’t have time to set up vid in there.”

Grai cursed as he and Ivint stood and took off out of the door to the docking bay; the others were right on their heels.

*****

Melina woke to Bayla screaming from her crib. She ran over to the baby and picked her up as she tried to understand why she was crying. It took her a few minutes to realize the strange energy in herself, and she turned towards Reven and Jax in fear.

Reven was just waking up and Melina walked slowly, nervously towards him, wondering if he was also affected by the new energy.

He looked up at Melina blankly before he turned back to Jax to make sure she was all right. His breath left him as he saw the spots forming on her upper-right arm. He heard Melina gasp beside him and ask, “What is it?”

Reven shook his head as he pulled the sleeve of her gown up and saw that the spots had started at her shoulder and were working their way down her arm. He pulled up her other sleeve, but there were no spots, just her Ator-Ma.

Doing a quick check of her back and legs, he realized that only her right arm was being affected by the spotty discoloration rapidly forming and expanding on her arm and shoulder.

Reven began to panic and called out to Amun, who said he was already on his way to them. With a sigh of relief, he hugged Melina and Bayla to him.

“It will be all right. She will be fine.” He said hoarsely, trying to convince himself it was true.

Bayla had finally calmed down, and she grunted and lunged towards the bed until Reven chuckled and sat her beside Jax on the bed. The baby immediately put her head on Jax’s stomach and smiled while Melina shook her head in confusion.

“What is it?” Reven asked her as he looked around curiously, finally registering the muted sounds of the animals outside the door.

Melina looked up at him and shook her head. “Bayla said it’s Jax.”

Reven looked at his mate and saw that she was still comatose. The only thing responding on her body were the small dots that had now traveled past her elbow and were beginning to cover her lower arm.

He looked at Melina. “What do you mean?” He asked as he picked up Jax’s right hand in his own. He almost dropped it when the dots began popping up faster, moving quickly down Jax’s arm to her hand.

When the first dot popped up on his right hand, the one holding Jax’s, he turned to Melina and said calmly. “Take your sister and step back.”

Melina looked down at the dots that were now traveling so fast that they were now covering Reven’s lower arm too, and she grabbed Bayla into her arms and stepped back.

Bayla fought her, trying to get back to the bed, but Melina held her tightly and tried to soothe the agitated child as she stared at the dots on Jax’s arm. They were beginning to blend into different forms, shapes and swirls, while the dots continued up Reven’s arm.

Melina looked at a stoic Reven and asked, “Does it hurt?”

Reven turned to the frightened child and tried to ease her mind. “No honey, it doesn’t hurt. I’m sure it’s nothing, and Amun is on his way.”

Reven turned back to Jax and watched as the dots began to form an elaborate design almost exactly like the Ator-Ma they both wore on their left arm and shoulder.

Out of curiosity, Reven lifted up Jax’s left sleeve and was horrified to see that the sign of their mating was disappearing from her arm. Lifting up his own sleeve, he saw that it was disappearing from his arm as well.

His heart began to sink when Melina turned to him with excitement and grabbed his arm. “It’s Jax! She’s back!” Melina jumped up and down and put Bayla back on the bed with her mom before turning to hug Reven.

“What…” Reven began, until he lifted his right arm to hug Melina and saw the same swirls and intricate designs on Jax’s right arm, beginning to form on his as the dots expanded.

His heart skipped a beat before thumping hard in excitement. The new design forming was similar to the Ator-Ma, but different. He wasn’t sure what it meant, but he knew it was important. He took her hand in his own and turned it over, admiring the swirls and designs that tracked down the back of her fingers to his, continuing up his arm to his shoulder.

Melina looked up at Reven with tears in her eyes. She had finally traveled the strange energy inside of her and Bayla to the source.

“It’s Jax. Feel her.” Melina said as she pressed a hand to Reven’s stomach and helped him to feel the new energy inside of him as well.

Reven sucked in a sharp breathe the moment the energy hit him. “She did it…” Reven said in amazement and awe.

Bayla bounced up and down and cooed in happiness while Melina smiled brightly at her dad. “Yes she did.”

They were all startled when Cal roared and Wolfen yipped and ran in circles under the bed. It was then that the muted noise outside finally hit them, and Melina laughed.

“Bayla said they know she’s back. They are greeting her and celebrating.” Melina said as she ignored the tears streaming down her face.

Reven was mute as he felt the energy begin to expand as the dots exploded into form on his arm. He saw flashes of memories flit through his mind, unable to stop them.

The moment they rolled Jax though the docking bay to this room, while the animals and warriors had lined up on either side. Their first kiss. Finding the kids. On and on the images flashed until suddenly they stopped, and Reven felt almost bereft.

Looking down, the new Ator-Ma was done and the old one completely gone from both, he and Jax, save for a small star shaped mark on both of their left shoulders.

It took him a second to realize that dark-brown eyes, speckled with silver dots, were looking at him intently. He couldn’t breathe and gasped for breath, clutching his chest.

“Easy.” Jax said as she squeezed his hand and sent him some calming energy, helping him to get control of himself.

Reven squeezed her hand back and took a deep breath, not even trying to talk as he fought the tears of joy that were pushing at his eyes.

Jax gave him a moment and turned to Melina. “You’ve been so brave and strong. I could never have asked for a more precious child. Thank you.”

Reven let go of Jax’s hand, so she could catch Melina when she threw herself at her, hugging Jax tightly as she cried. Bayla soon joined in, and Reven held all three of his females as the tears finally spilled down his cheeks unchecked.

That was the first thing everyone saw when they burst in the door. Grai, Ivint and Traze stood there in surprise before Grai pushed everyone out of the door.

Amun turned towards him with angry eyes. “I need to check all of them!”

Grai looked at him strangely and held up his arms to the birds that were swooping and screeching through the air above them. “I have a feeling that everyone is going to be ok for the next ten minutes. This moment can never be given back to them. Let it be theirs and theirs alone.”

Amun looked around at the now active and excited animals and nodded his head. Ten minutes wouldn’t hurt; he thought as he pulled out his scanner. With a few clicks and swipes, he easily connected to the main computer in the room and began running the scans necessary to determine the health of the occupants.

Jax pulled back from her family and smiled through her own tears as she wiped Bayla’s face with the blanket. “I missed you guys too.”

Reven turned serious. “How do you feel? Are you all right?” He asked nervously.

Jax sighed. “I feel… weird. Like myself, but not like myself. How long have I been out?” She asked curiously. It was the only thing she didn’t know for sure.

“A week.” Reven said as he watched her every movement and expression for anything different or unusual.

Jax picked up Bayla and cuddled her close. It was obvious by the silence that Jax was speaking to the baby through a private path. One that hadn’t been there before, Reven thought as he looked at Bayla’s smiling face.

Jax turned her dark eyes to Reven and gave him a shy smile. “I know you’re worried. But, it really is me. Well, most of me anyway.” Jax said with a blush.

Reven just blinked away the sheen of tears and nodded his head. “What do you remember?” He asked, hoping that she would ease his fears somehow.

Jax laughed. “Wow that was specific! I’m teasing.” Jax assured Reven when he looked horrified that he’d pushed her too far. She was going to have to be more careful not to upset him.

She put her hand in his and squeezed it gently as she looked into his eyes. “I remember everything. R2 is filling in anything else I need. One thing I do recall very well is Lara digging in my head and trying to erase the image of that bast…,” Jax looked at the kids and stopped mid-word, before changing the rest of her sentence.

“Jerk. But, R2 put a copy pretty deep, so I remember his voice. His outline against the sun, approximate weight and height.” Jax said, making sure she’d never forget who was coming for her family. She was going to hunt him and kill him slowly.

Reven shook his head, thinking Jax must be confused or her memory had holes in it. “What is an R2?” He asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Jax grinned. “R2 is Ritan-2. Like me, he’s gone through a bit of an overhaul so it’s my way to specify the new Ritan. He loves it.” Jax added, just to annoy her beast.

She almost chuckled when Ritan said sarcastically in her mind, “Yeah, I love it. Twice the power and strength and you’re still a bitch.”

Reven shook his head, unsure what to think. Her casual attitude seemed a little strange, but he had no idea what changes to expect to begin with. He was scared, and called out to Amun.

Jax smiled. “It’s ok. I’m all right with him checking me out.” When Reven looked startled Jax blushed. “Sorry, I guess the evolution of the beast gave me Lara’s ability to hear the other paths on the Shengari’. I’ll have to work on controlling that.”

Reven just nodded his head, a little in shock over it all, as Amun, Grai and Ivint came in. Grai had ordered everyone else to remain outside, not only to give the family some privacy, but because he didn’t know what to expect.