Running in Fear: Ghost Warrior (15 page)

A slow smile formed on her lips. “Not to worry!” She grabbed onto Suzanne’s hand and flashed her and Suzanne into the kitchen where Cecil, Marsha and Shelly stood. “Don’t have time, need help.”

Marsha shook her head. “It’s too far to do what you did and we don’t have a safe house close enough to Dominic’s estate to go there.”

“Leda!” Lissa and Suzanne ran out of the room heading outside to the cabin where Leda was setting up her equipment. “If anyone can get any news, it’ll be her. She has contacts everywhere.” Lissa nodded to Suzanne as they pushed into the cabin. Dominic and Nikola stood there talking with Leda.

“Oh, there you two are. I’ve called two of my contacts in New Orleans. Nothing out of the normal has happened in that area yet, but he said everyone is nervous because many of the lines are down, cut by someone. So if you’re going to go in there, now would be the time to do it, before whatever is going to happen, happens.”

Lissa glanced at Nikola. One minute she was standing talking to Leda and Suzanne, the next she was tied down on the bed. Nikola and Castor stared down at her.

“Suzanne is also being held until we find your friends, but I won’t risk your life or our babies, so you will stay here while we are gone.” Nikola snapped and disappeared from the room with Castor.

Lissa tried her magic, but nothing worked. She was bound to the bed until they returned or they didn’t. Hurt and angry, Lissa closed her eyes. Tears slipped down her face as she tried again to connect with Della, but nothing.

Small hands worked at the bindings at her ankles and at her arms. Lissa opened her eyes to see Jaycee, Shelly and Marsha working on the bonds. “Do you believe Remi tried to do that to me, but Marsha told him he might hurt the babies, so he just locked me in a room? Ha, like that would stop me. How dare them try and bind us!” Jaycee shouted untying her hand.

“We still won’t be able to leave; your mate has placed some kind of bubble on the house and the property around it. And all four of your mates aren’t gone. Castor is down in the communications room with Leda working on Remi’s interview.” Marsha announced helping her sit up.

She nodded. “What about Suzanne?” Lissa tried to dress herself, but her powers weren’t working.

“I think he pulled your powers Lissa, and we’re on our way to her quarters now, since her mates left too. Except for Archer, and we’ll take care of him,” Shelly rubbed her hands together.

Lissa moved into her closet, realizing she had no clothes. Shelly came in behind her and handed her a pair of jeans and a shirt. “They might be a little big since I’m taller, but they should fit.” She nudged her and laughed. “I used to have to dress Jaycee all the time. The freaks that kept coming after her always went for her clothes, don’t ask me why.”

Jaycee laughed behind them as she got dressed, all of a sudden feeling so alone. Lissa glanced up and Jaycee stared at her and nodded. “Shelly, why don’t you and Cecil go free Suzanne. We’ll get the picnic baskets ready.”

Lissa moved out of her room and down to the kitchen with Jaycee and Marsha. “So where are we going?” Lissa asked pushing into the kitchen.

Castor, Remi, Leda, Bo, and King Jared all sat at the kitchen table. Lissa froze as did Jaycee, and Marsha. “Shit, they weren’t supposed to be in here.” Jaycee snarled as both Remi and Castor stood.

“And both of you were supposed to be in your rooms, resting.” Remi growled, Castor said nothing as he slowly moved closer to her, but she didn’t give him a chance as she shifted, the one thing no one could take away from her, and ran for the back door. Castor was there and he grabbed her, and held her tight, flashing them back into their rooms.

“Shift Lissa, now.” Castor dropped her onto the bed and she snarled at him, but curled up into a ball at the far end of the bed. Lissa would be damned if she did anything he, or any of her mates said.

“Lissa, I’m in no mood. You will shift now.” Castor moved around the bed to grab her, but she didn’t move. He sighed and stroked her head. “We need to talk Lissa, that’s why I stayed. Nikola and the others knew we needed this time alone. I’m sorry about your friend, Lissa, she didn’t make it.” He picked her head up and stared into her face.

“We just got word, everyone at Dominic’s estate had been killed. There was no one left alive.”

Nikola had just stepped into their quarters when Lissa shifted, screaming. Tears ran down her face and sobs wrenched her body, when he heard Suzanne’s scream next. He moved into the room, followed by Pierre and Adonis.

In all his experience, he didn’t know how to fix this. His mate lay on the bed, tears falling down her face, as she just stared at the wall. “Della saved me, Franco’s bite had me at death’s door, but she wouldn’t give up as she paid three hookers to get me alone so she could take me away. She risked her life for me, cutting her wrists feeding me, not knowing what would happen to her. Della would sit with me all night, brushing my hair and telling me all about Suzanne. About how they escaped and survived. Her voice alone brought me out of myself, it was she who held me, while I puked and puked. She was the one who taught me to walk again, talk and believe I had a life.”

Someone knocked at the door and Nikola knew it was Dominic, Archer, Blair and Granger with Suzanne. He opened the door and Suzanne flew to Lissa. The both of them held each other and cried.

Marsha came into the room carrying a tray of hot tea and biscuits. She sat down on the bed, as Jaycee, Shelly, Cecil, Leda, Tonya, his mother and sisters all moved into the room. His mother glanced at him and at the other men.

“I have set up the dining room for you and the men. Let us help your mates. We know what it is too lose someone so close. Give them time and we’ll meet you in the dining room shortly.” Nikola shook his head, but his mother pleaded with him with her eyes.

“Son she is on the verge of losing it right now. What you did earlier, by stripping her and tying her down brought back too many memories, and now the one who saved her from that is gone. She needs us right now, because right now Lissa just sees men. Men who want to take and hurt. We need to bring her back for you Nikola.”
His mother pleaded and his gaze flickered to Lissa.

Her eyes were blank as Suzanne tried to talk to her and hold her. Castor gripped his arm and sucked in his breath. “I can’t feel her, she is withdrawing, Nikola.”

Castor’s voice was in a panic, his bond to her seemed to be dissolving. The men slowly left the room and closed the door behind them.

Dominic and Remi walked with them to the dining room. “This is the closet we have come to losing one of them, and it isn’t from a physical attack, but a mental one.” Empusa snapped, as fire lit the dining room. Gaia paced on the other side of the table.

Queen Isabel huddled close to her mate, Hendricks. She glanced up and shook her head. “I warned you to go easy. We have another problem. There is a door opening in the fae world, and it seems to be connecting with this world. I have hidden it so far, but soon enough our people will know. We need your mate whole, Nikola. You and your mates will be the ones to rule over the fae of both worlds since it seems our world is now joining with your new one.”

He sat down and ran his hand through his hair. Pierre squeezed his shoulder and handed him a stiff brandy. He gulped it down and frowned at Empusa, who cussed up a storm.

She turned and glanced at Dominic. “Take me to Alex and the Della now.” Queen Empusa ordered.

Dominic nodded and she took his hand disappearing from the room. “Do you think she can bring them back?” Castor asked, what all of them were thinking.

“If anyone can, it will be her and Temmra’s mom.” Gaia opened a door that appeared, Jack and his wife walked through the door. Remi and Bo gasped and welcomed both of them.

“They will not be able to leave this new world. They only have life on this world. I suggest you break this news to Jaycee gently. Nikola, I suggest you send a few of your men and bring back Leda’s parents and children. Lissa needs her friends around her and I suggest you try another approach of punishing her other than the way you did.”

Nikola nodded, but already he had Leda’s parents and children in the rooms next to hers. He stood and moved to the sliding glass door. Sal waited as if he knew something was wrong. Nikola opened the door and Sal moved inside. He knelt down next to Sal. “She needs all the help you can give her, Sal.” He rubbed the animals head.

“Save her, from the mess I’ve made of things.” Sal’s tongue reached out and licked his face, before he took off and headed for their room.

“Remi, your family and Dane’s will be arrive here soon. You will need to build new homes, decided where on this new realm you want to live. This is a new beginning for all of you. Maybe building a new life here will help the women deal with the war and come up with a way to end it. I want everyone that is close to these women here, safe. Isabel, we’ll need your help and your men’s help with quarters for all those who will be coming until homes are built. This house is not large enough for this.”

Queen Isabel nodded and left with her mate as Gaia floated to him and stared up at him. She placed her arm on his. “You have a temper Nikola, and you jump to the wrong conclusions about Lissa. It has to stop now. Lissa knows not of the world between a man and his wife. She would rather die than hurt you or her children and would never place them in harm.”

Gaia sighed. “Her friends will be here shortly, Empusa and Temmra’s mom was able to save them, but with Jack and his wife, Alex and Della will have to stay on this world.” She leaned in to him and kissed his cheek.

“Your Lissa is everything you wanted Nikola. She needs you now; the women can’t get through to her and neither can Sal. Only you, Nikola, can bring her back.”

Nikola flashed into their room and the women slowly moved out of the room. He moved to the bed and picked Lissa up out of Suzanne’s lap, who sighed. “She’s been calling your name.”

He nodded and moved with her fast outside, to her plants. Adonis, Pierre and Castor waited for them. Nikola sat down on the cushion of flowers that spread out for them making it soft. The smell of vanilla filled the air, and the noise of the waterfall behind them was the only sound. Even the animals seemed to hold their breath.

“Lissa, come back to me. You have to see this place. There are flowers under us, and they are as soft as the finest silk. Do you hear the waterfall’s behind us? I think we will have to make this our little place to get away from everyone.” Nikola nodded to Pierre who picked up her small feet and stared to rub them.

All of them waited, touching her and whispering words of love to her. “Lissa, Goddess Empusa was able to save your friend Della. She and Alex will be here later today. They won’t be able to leave this world, but she will be here for you.” Nikola brushed the hair away from her face and unbraided her hair running his fingers through her hair.

“I love your hair, even with the purple steak through it. I was told purple was your favorite color. Are we going to have a purple house?”

Lissa snorted, a small smile on her lips, life slowly coming back to her. Their bond once again grew stronger, but she still hesitated as she glanced around at them. “Why?”

Fresh tears slipped down her cheeks and all he wanted to do was crush her to him and never let her go. “I was afraid Lissa, in all my life I have never been afraid as I am with you. When Isabel told you I would be more protective, she was not kidding. The thought of you going to Dominic’s estate was too much for me to take. I’m sorry Lissa. Please forgive me.”

* * * *

Lissa stared up into Nikola’s face. A single tear slipped down his face and her heart beat fast as she tried to scoot into his lap, but he shook his head. “I’m fine Lissa, just forgive me please.”

He leaned down and kissed her lips softly. “Nikola there is no forgiveness needed.” She glanced at Castor who hadn’t said anything. Slowly she sat up and glanced around at her surroundings and smiled. “You are right, this place would be perfect for us to get away. It wasn’t that you tied me up Nikola, it was being left alone, and then finding out about Della at the same time…well it brought back so many painful nights.” She glanced at her mates and stood moving to the water.

“I don’t know if it will happen again Nikola, and I can’t promise it won’t happen.” She glanced back at him and smiled, as her clothes disappeared and she jumped into the water.

She came up to the surface to see Nikola and her mates staring down at her. “As you can see Nikola, Castor, Pierre and Adonis, I’m not perfect and I have a lot of problems still inside my mind, but I hope you’ll be there to help me with them. You’ve already helped me so much. Four months ago I would have laughed in your face if anyone would have told me I would have four mates, and that I would love them all.” She pushed back into the water.

Nikola’s eyes sparkled, Castor grinned, Pierre laughed and pushed Nikola into the pond clothes and all, while Adonis picked up Castor and threw him in. She laughed, splashing water into Nikola’s face as he came up in front of her and wrapped his arms around her.

Adonis, Pierre and Castor stood around her kissing, stroking her body. “Our Lissa, no one could love you more than we do. You are our hearts, we will go through anything to keep you at our side and I will personally help you with anything that brings the past up again and frightens you. I love you Lissa.” He kissed her softly, his clothes disappeared. “Now, how about we show you just how much we love you, before we are over run with new people here.”

Lissa laughed and squeezed Castor’s hand. “I’d say that’s going to take at least a couple of hours, don’t you Castor? I mean didn’t you promise also to make some kind of clamp thingies for me?” Castor’s eyes lit up, Adonis moaned and Pierre laughed as she dove under the water, knowing the chase was on, just like she wanted.

They might have their problems, but Lissa knew that as long as she had Nikola by her side, she would survive, just as Della had told her. Her vision had come true. Lissa was surrounded be all of those who loved her and soon she would have four more little bodies to love and protect.