We Shall Rise (26 page)

Reysa blinked back the tear that wanted to escape. “Considering your track record, I should be honored.”

Kaden smiled as he kissed her passionately.

Reysa returned the kiss with equal desire and then she stilled in his arms. “Get up!” she yelled.

Kaden was too stunned from the unexpected change in her demeanor. Reysa shoved him, causing him to roll off her and onto the floor.

“What the hell is going on?” he shouted at her.

“Sorry but get under the bed now,” she shouted back as she jumped up and knotted her robe.

Kaden heard the tiny footsteps and the knock on the door. He rolled under the bed as Tatiana entered. When he had a moment, he and Reysa would have to work out a kid alert signal. Anything would be better than getting kicked out of her bed. He looked at his strained erection, its disappointment matching his. “Sorry dude, I feel your pain.”

Tatiana rushed into her mother’s arms holding her tightly. She pulled back a little so she could sign. “What’s the matter baby, girl?” she asked. Tatiana’s eyes were filled with tears that spilled over onto her reddened cheeks. Reysa’s heart raced as she waited for an answer.

You left me Mama
. Tatiana signed.
You left me and Daddy
. Tatiana buried her head in Reysa’s chest and cried.

A puzzled Reysa held her until Tatiana’s crying eased. She sat her on the bed next to her. "Sweetheart, I would never leave you or your daddy,” she signed. “We are a family. We’ll always be together.” Tatiana did not look convinced. Reysa did not understand what brought on this fear, but then it dawned on her. “Did you have a bad dream? Is that what caused you to worry so needlessly?”

Tatiana nodded. “Angel, it was just a dream. I know dreams can be scary and seem so real at times, but it’s still a dream. I’m right here. Your daddy is right here. We are not going anywhere.”

Do you promise, Mama?

“I promise. You’re stuck with me, kid.”

Tatiana’s tears finally calmed as she hugged her mother again. She raised her right hand, her pinky and index fingers were upright as her thumb stretched to form an “L”. Reysa smiled as she made the same gesture to her daughter. “I love you too, baby girl.”

Can I sleep with you and Daddy tonight?

Reysa knew this was a habit she would soon have to break with Tatiana. She could not share Christian’s bed in this way. Even though it was innocent, it would hurt Kaden to be left out. Despite his words, he was still uncomfortable with Christian and asking him to accept this would be too much. She felt torn looking at her daughter’s hopeful face and knowing a disappointed Kaden was under her bed.

There had to be a compromise. “Tati, Daddy and I will stay with you in your room until you fall asleep. Then we are leaving and going back to our own rooms. You have to learn to sleep by yourself even when it’s a little scary.”

Tatiana pouted, but Reysa would not relent.
Okay, Mama
, she signed.

“That’s my girl. Now go get your daddy and I’ll meet you guys in your room.”

Tatiana ran off as directed. Kaden crawled out from underneath her bed. “I’m sorry about that,” Reysa apologized. “I will just stay until she falls asleep and then I’ll come back.”

“I understand. No need to apologize. She’s your child, Reysa. She needs you.”

He seemed sincere, but she could see the disappointment in his eyes. She sauntered over to him and placed a deliciously wet kiss on his bare chest. “And I need you,” she whispered as she grabbed his hardness, nearly causing him to explode in her hands, “so make sure you’re ready for me when I get back.”

She released him and walked out the room. Kaden had the fight back the urge to go after her. She had to tend to her daughter. The logical part of him understood that, but he wanted her so desperately. Sharing sucked he grumbled as he returned to her bed and waited.

Minutes turned to hours as he waited and waited. Finally, he pulled on a pair of pants and went to look for her in Tatiana’s room. The door was open so he stepped inside. There she was sleeping on Tatiana’s right side while Christian slept on the child’s left. Tatiana nestled in between them sleeping soundly and peacefully the way a child should.

He did not know exactly what Tatiana had signed when he hid under Reysa’s bed, but he heard Reysa’s words and knew the child was afraid that her family would be taken away—that Reysa would leave. She shouldn’t have to worry about such things. She deserved to have her family with her. She should always feel safe and secure that they would be there for her. How often did he wish for that as a child? He would not be the one to take that away from her.

As he watched them, he realized the disturbing truth that they made an ideal family. The only thing that didn’t belong in this family was him. He was the intruder. Mate or not, Reysa belonged to them. He closed the door not wanting to disturb this family any further.

II

Kaden sat in the kitchen nursing a glass of A-positive when he heard her, or rather felt her presence in the room. She had slept all night with Tatiana and Christian.

When Reysa woke up in Tatiana’s bed, she knew she had slept there far longer than she should have. She had promised Kaden she would return to him, but she let him down. She had no intention of staying so long, but she was more tired than she realized. As soon as she laid her head on the pillow, her body slumbered. She felt as if she hadn’t slept in years. Vampires usually didn’t require much sleep, and she required less than normal, but lately all the stress had left her bone weary.

She hoped Kaden would understand, but the distant look in his eyes warned her that he was not in a forgiving mood. “Sorry about last night,” she blurted out as she went into the kitchen and started mixing ingredients for breakfast. “I was unusually tired and I just passed out as soon as I hit the pillow.”

She still looked tired, Kaden noticed. Even exhausted, Reysa in blue jeans and a lavender t-shirt was the sexiest early morning treat his eyes have ever enjoyed.

Kaden’s silence spoke volumes as Reysa continued to prepare the French toast. “Well, it’s partly your fault. I’m not used to being kept up day and night like that,” she teased.

“Your fuck buddy doesn’t satisfy you?” he uttered, showing no glimpse of humor with those words.

He was being distant again, but Reysa refused to allow him to bait her. She continued making the breakfast. “It’s been awhile, maybe I should call him?” She smirked as Kaden’s glass shattered. He still wanted her even if he was being too stubborn to admit it.

He stood up and grabbed a towel to clean up the mess. Reysa bit back her laughter knowing that would just tick him off considering his already foul mood.

He plopped back down at the table again brooding in his usual style. “Kaden, I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me?”

He turned to her his green eyes penetrating her. “Nothing,” He said as he turned away.

Reysa stood there staring at his back waiting for him to clarify, but he remained broodingly silent. His overreaction to last night was grating on her already tired and frazzled nerves. For a moment, she contemplated bashing his head with the frying pan in her hand, but Tatiana raced into the room with that glowing smile of hers that instantly warmed Reysa’s heart. She decided to ignore the grouchy vampire and focus on her daughter.

Tatiana ran over to hug her mother and then she ran to Kaden, who just stared at her. Reysa grabbed the pan. If he took out his frustration for her on her child, she would bash his head with the pan. Kaden did not disappoint her. He reached down and pulled a giggling Tatiana into his arms. The child melted as she hugged him tightly. He released her and she sat in the chair next to him.

“Sleep well?” he signed to her.

Yes. I had a bad dream at first, but them Mama and Daddy stayed with me and the bad dreams went away
.

“Good. I’m glad your parents made the bad dreams go away.”

They always do. Do your mama and daddy make your bad dreams go away?

He could tell her the truth that his father caused all of his bad dreams, but that was more than she needed to know. “I’m a big boy now. I make my own bad dreams disappear.”

What about when you were little like me?

Reysa knew she should end this conversation for Kaden’s sake, but she couldn’t help but be curious. He had opened up to her some about his painful childhood, but there was still so much he hid buried deep within.

“My mother tried to take away the bad dreams but I learned that only I could really do that. I had to grow up and learn to take care of myself.”

What’s your mom like?

This kid knew how to ask the tough questions. She was relentless in her interrogation. “My mother is kind, beautiful, loving. For most of my life she was my only happiness. I wish I could have been the same for her. I made mistakes and I have disappointed her, but she always forgave me. Somehow, despite me, she always loved me and I loved her.”

She sounds like a great mom, like mine
.

“Yes. We are both lucky to have such great moms.”

Reysa felt the wave of sadness that swept over Kaden. He had been pushing his mother away since she nearly died and she knew how much it was hurting him. He was too stubborn to admit he needed her.

Fortunately for Kaden, Christian walked into the kitchen and Tatiana’s focus shifted to her father. Christian hugged Reysa and helped her finish breakfast. Kaden watched, realizing he should have been the one to help her, but he didn’t. Christian always knew what to do while he sat back, wishing he had a clue.

Reysa placed the plates on the table along with platters of French toast, bacon and fruit. Everyone grabbed a mound and started to dig in.

Tatiana broke the silence blurting out an unexpected question,
Daddy, are you and Kaden friends?

Christian dropped his fork nearly choking a piece of bacon. “Why do you ask, baby girl?”

Because I want to know
. Hard to argue with a child’s simple logic.

Christian sat back in his chair and glanced at Reysa before answering. “Kaden is your mother’s special friend. As long as he’s her friend, he’s my friend.”

Reysa nodded in approval.

He’s my friend too, right, Kaden?
Her hopeful eyes glistened as she waited for Kaden’s response.

“Absolutely,” he signed as he winked at her. Reysa’s face beamed.

Tatiana started eating again, until she tapped her fork on her plate to get everyone’s attention.
I have a new friend. His name is Caleb
.

Reysa and Christian exchanged puzzled expressions.

This piqued Kaden’s interest. “Who’s Caleb?” Kaden asked.

He’s the boy Auntie Yasmine brought home
.

The jaguar cub? “He talks to you?” Reysa signed.

Of course, Mama. He’s my friend
.

“Sweetheart, when I saw him he was still in his jaguar form. I never saw him shift to a boy.”

He shifted when I went to visit Aunt Yasmine. I asked him to cause’ I couldn’t talk to him when he was a cat, but then I couldn’t talk to him when he was a boy either. He doesn’t know how to sign. He wrote his name on paper and then I wrote mine and then we wrote notes to each other. Now he’s my friend. He’s five, but I’m bigger than him
.

Tatiana did not seem to notice everyone’s shock as she continued signing about Caleb. Caleb told her that his parents had been killed the night he was taken. The man that took them had shot them with a tranquilizer, immobilizing them. Then he took their heads ensuring their deaths. Caleb shifted into a jaguar as his mother always told him to do when he was in danger and he stayed like that until he saw Tatiana.

I told him he was not in danger here with me, so he could be a boy again. He didn’t have any clothes on. That was weird. I gave him a pair of my leggings and we played for a while. I think I’m going to marry him tomorrow
.

The abrupt, surprising change of subject this time caused Christian to choke. Reysa patted him on the back helping to dislodge a piece of bacon. His face was flushed, but his breathing was restored. He turned to his daughter and signed, “You can’t get married tomorrow or the next day or the day after that. No boys, not now, not ever.”

For once, Kaden agreed with the lycan. Reysa took a softer approach as she explained to Tatiana, “Sweetheart, you can’t get married until you’re all grown up like when you’re at least twenty…” Christian kicked her shin, “I mean forty or even older than that. For now, Caleb can be your friend. It’s good that you helped him. Do you think he would talk to us?”

Yes, Mama. I told him you would be his friend to and he didn’t have to be scared of any of us
.

After breakfast, they spoke to wary Caleb who had returned to his jaguar form, but shifted into a boy when Tatiana asked. He confirmed the information he told Tatiana and explained that the other children were taken in a manner similar to him. None of them had parents, but they had clans and other kin who would gladly welcome them home. Caleb was not as lucky. His family had broken away from their clan before he was born. He had no place to go.