Red Satin Lips (6 page)

“
Spread out! I want this bastard found now!’
Lars ordered through the connection he and Gage had formed when they put their team together. Their fathers paced in front and behind them set on protecting them as Gage and he whispered to her.

“Come on, baby, wake up, you’re scaring the crap out of us!” Gage said rubbing her free hand.

In the other she clutched the phone and that’s when Lars heard the laughter. Lars picked up the phone. “Who is this?”

“Awl, the prodigal son. How nice to talk to you, not. But soon my blade will be slicing through your mate’s skin as I take her body. I’ve even left you a nice example of what I plan to do to her. Did you hear the death screams as your woman did? No matter, wherever you, go I’ll find her and take her away from you,” the mechanical voice taunted him before disconnecting.

The gut retching scream-cry had Lars dropping the phone and reaching for Tamara as she scrambled out of his arms on her hands and knees. Puking. “Momma!:

He looked up at Michael.The promise of death flashed in his eyes, as he knelt before his daughter. “I’ll go check on your mom. I promise, little girl, we’ll find them.” He stood and looked back at Lars and Gage.

“Take care of her,” he ordered and left to see what was left of her mother.

Lars walked over to Tamara. “Come here, Tamara. Your dad has gone to check on your mom.”

Not taking any risk, Lars scooped her up into his arms and headed back into the house., while Gage gave some quick orders to Lydia.

“Dad, could you have some of my team move our belongings for us? We might as well stay out here. I don’t think Tamara would feel comfortable in our room.” His father nodded and made his way out the door to take care of the move.

With her hands clenched in his shirt, Tamara shook in his arms. “She’s gone, my mom is dead. I’m going to find him.” She raised her head and stared up at him. “I’m going to kill this guy or whoever did this.”

“No, we’re going to take care of it. I don’t want you anywhere near this Tamara. You are to concentrate on yourself and our children.” He slid down the wall and sat on the carpet with he cradled in his lap.

Gage came into the room, joining him on the floor. He lifted up her feet and placed them in his lap.

“Lars is right. You need to allow us to find these people. We promise we’ll destroy whoever is behind all of this.”

She looked into his eyes, then at his mom, before turning back to him. “Even if it’s your brother?”

Lars’ mother didn’t give him time to answer as she knelt down next to them and took her hand into hers. “I love my son, but something has happened to him to change him and if he has done this horrible thing, then he needs to be put down. I’ll grieve like any mother will, but I won’t have any of my children hurting others. You are my daughter now, Tamara and we’ll protect you even if it’s against Alex.” She leaned over and kissed the top of her head before standing.

“I’m going to have the cook bring down some food. You three stay here, rest and talk,” his mother ordered.

“We’re not going anywhere the rest of the night,” Lars knew that the bed was in place in their room. His men had been working to set up the master bedroom for them as fast as possible. Her photographs that hadn’t been destroyed  had been hung on the walls and a dresser had been brought in and filled with  her clothes that hadn’t been destroyed.

Lars handed her to Gage and rose, heading down the hallway towards their new room.

“Lars, did your brother have a mate?” Tamara asked, as they stepped into the bedroom.

“Not that I’m aware of. It would be feeling…uncomfortable to take another if one is already mated. It’s just not done.” Lars stripped off his shirt and shoes before he climbed onto the bed.

Laying her in the middle of their bed, Gage stripped down to his pants, letting his clothes fall. “Why do you ask?” Gage asked joining them on the bed.

Ignoring her attempts to stop them, Lars and Gage both stripped her clothes off her and tucked her under the covers.

“I want to go to my mom’s house. I need to go,” she took a deep breath. “If your brother had a mate maybe she is seeking revenge for his sleep. Maybe she was the one who woke him?”

“You’re changing the subject, but it doesn’t matter because you’re not going there.” Lars stared down at her and realized how pale she was. “When was the last time you fed?

She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t remember, maybe yesterday. I’ve eaten, but this discussion isn’t over. I’m going. I’m all she had. I need to see to things, Lars, not strangers. This I won’t argue about. I’m warning you both now. Don’t make me choose, because there is no choice. I owe this to my mom and you both should understand that.”

Lars looked up at Gage, who sighed and nodded. “Fine, we’ll go, but not today Tamara. Let your father take care of your mother right now. Tomorrow the three of us will go.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

A soft knock on the door drew their attention. Making sure she was covered, Lars walked over to the door knowing it was her father. As soon as he opened the door, Lars could tell by the look on his face that it wasn’t good.

Her father looked to the bed and shook his head as Gage gathered Tamara up in his arms, holding her while she cried. He stepped out into the hallway with her father.

“How bad?” he asked and at once Lars saw the pictures in his head.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, but your grandfather said he has. He’s still there and Alton does not like where this is going. Not only was she skinned alive, but he raped her afterwards, before removing her eyes, nose and tongue.” Michael leaned against the wall.

“There was blood everywhere. On the wall was your grandfather's name right alongside my daughter's. There’s one other thing.” Michael’s eyes met his. “Alex was there. Alton recognized his scent from the blood on her mother’s fingernails.”

Inside the Lars’ demon roared and Lars knew his voice was now that of other. “Was Alex the one?”

“Yes, Alex was one of the ones who raped her. There were pictures of Tamara scattered around the room. Each one of them had his seed on it, like he was marking her.” Michael snarled. “Do not let her near that apartment. There is nothing left, Lars. They destroyed everything in it. I have her mother’s body at the local morgue and I’ve ordered a closed casket. We can’t allow Tamara to see her mother like that. She should remember her smiling.” A small bag appeared in his hand and he handed it to Lars..

“These are the things I could clean. I’ve even taken off the residue of the violence that clung to some of the items so Tamara won’t feel the pain associated with them. Alton will be in later to talk to you.” He placed both of his hands on Lars’ shoulders.

“She’s going to need you both to be strong and watch her, because I have a feeling she’s not going to let this rest.”

“She’s not, already things are popping in her head and they are things I didn’t even think of. Maybe if we keep her mind working on it, we can keep her physically away from it,” Lars said, but her father frowned.

“The thought of her even knowing the facts about what happened does not sit well with me, but I know she’ll hear about it sooner or later. You’re right, and I’ll be here if you need me. I’m not going to allow anyone to kill my daughter when I just found her.” With that he left and Lars turned, hating the fact he had to deliver such disturbing news to his mate.

Yes, he and his other form agreed, his brother Alex was a dead man walking. Nothing and nobody would stop him from killing him this time.

He opened the door and saw Tamara curled up in a ball beside Gage. Her swollen, tear-filled eyes met his before they drifted to the bag in his hand. “This is all that could be saved. I’m sorry, Tamara,” Lars’ voice cracked as he watched her lips tremble and she nodded.

For the next hour, Lars explained everything she needed to know and where her mother’s body was. All the while, Tamara held onto a set of rings that had belonged to her mother, not saying a word till he was finished.

“Alex didn’t organize this, someone else did. Someone who is more powerful, but connected to Alex in some way, like a lover or mate is pulling the strings. Oh, and there is more than one male. I’m seeing at least two or three others with this woman. It is almost as if she has a following or a cult.”

Shocked, Lars and Gage stared at her as she lay between them in some kind of trance. Afraid to break her concentration, but worried about her state of mind, Lars and Gage allowed her to continue.

****

The images kept coming and Tamara let them. She took in every detail of her surroundings, well her mother’s last hours, but there was not one image of the woman Tamara knew was there giving orders. She was like a phantom just out of reach, as if she was teasing her, but the bitch had met her match. There were men around her  Tamara knew Alex, but she didn't know the others and couldn't get a good fix on their appearance.

One was the man with the knife. He was taller than Alex and had a darker complexion, maybe even black, but she couldn’t make out for sure. She spoke out loud as Tamara moved through the images that were sent to her.

“The woman is in the shadows, I know it’s a woman, I can hear her laughing.” Tamara shivered and frowned. “This isn’t all of her party. Some are missing. I can almost hear her thoughts.” Gage moved in closer, his body warming hers on one side as Lars did the same to her other side.

“She hates your grandfather. He is her nemesis. He’s had contact with her before, but does not know it.” She sucked in her breath. “God she’s old, she remembers the pyramids being built and wants to return to those days.” Tamara snorted. “She hates humans and thinks they’re like cattle. It’s one of the reasons she doesn’t like me. Oh and it seems your brother is hung up on me too, which only infuriates her more.”

That was it, the last image. Her stomach growled, but she was also weak from not feeding.

“Come here, you need to feed, then we’ll go see what mom has brought us to eat,” Lars said as he picked her up and placed her over his body. He ran his hands down her back and cupped her ass. “Feed Tamara,” Lars moaned as she licked a spot above his heart and sank her fangs into his skin.

His powerful blood filled her depleted system within two minutes, almost giving her a head rush as she sealed the wounds. “Thank you.” Tamara patted his chest before climbing off of him and sitting on the edge of the bed.

She looked around, actually seeing the room. Before Tamara had been so out of it that she hadn’t noticed that some of her pictures and things were now here along with their dressers. Seeing her robe hanging on the door to the bathroom, she stood to grab it, but Gage was there first.

He held it open for her and she smiled. “Thanks. I know the others are in the living room, so let’s get this over with. I’m also going to have to go into town tomorrow since my costume was ruined along with my clothes. We can stop at the morgue while we’re in town.” She brushed her fingers across the rings that had been  her mother’s.

The bitch that did this to her mother would die and by her hands. Already Tamara was forming her psychology profile on the woman in her head. It wouldn’t be long before she knew how that bitch thought and worked.

“Hello in there…” Gage said, running his hand up and down in front of her. “Where are you, sweetie?” he asked, a concerned look on his face.

“I have a lot going on, but I’m fine. I have you two with me and that helps more than you know.” She twined her fingers in his as Lars stepped up to her.

“I know you’re running things through that head of yours, but don’t leave us out, Tamara. I know how important this is to you, but we insist on being next to you.” He took her other hand and they made their way out to the living room.

“Now maybe you can tell us how you saw what you did? It had something to do with the rings, didn’t it?” Lars asked, looking at Michael who frowned.

“Don’t worry, Dad, I didn’t see mom and what they did to her.” She took a seat on the couch someone had supplied for them. Lars sat next to her as Tamara looked down at her hands. “It’s like I’m seeing certain images and feeling certain things. I can’t explain it. I sense her anger, the woman behind all this. It’s as if I’m getting a picture of who she is, sort of like a profile like the police use, but more intense.”

She looked up at her father. “There were at least three males in mom’s home with the woman. It seems Alex and the one with the knife have taken a personal liking to me and that is really setting off the bitch.” She smiled up at Angeline who handed her a plate of food.

“Eat, you have to keep up your strength,” she said smiling, but Tamara could see the hidden grief already there behind her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I wish I was wrong about Alex being there.” Tamara squeezed her hand as she patted hers.

“There is nothing we can do about it now. He’s chosen his path. I have my memories of him as a child. That will have to be enough. Plus, I have you now.” She turned and went into Lars’ father’s arms.

Everyone was quiet for a few minutes as Tamara ate. When she looked up all of them were watching her. “What?”

“We’re waiting to hear what else you found out,” Alton said kneeling before her. “She’s old, isn’t she?”

Sitting back against Lars, Tamara nodded. “I saw pyramids. She wants to go back to the old ways. She considers humans cattle.” Tamara stared at Lars’ grandfather. “You hurt her somehow back then, but you didn’t know it. I get the sense she’s even spoken to you before.”

He snarled and stood. “I’ve been trying to rack my brain, but I can’t come up with anything. At that time I was young, but I also hunted those that drew attention to our kind. We didn’t have a council. Humans didn’t know of our kind for another hundred years. There were only a few of us who were chosen to hunt and even then we didn’t know the others just in case we had to hunt one of our own.”

Something inside her clicked and she sat up running the images again in her head. “She still hunts,” Tamara whispered and handed her plate to Lars.

“That’s what was missing.” Tamara got up and started to pace. “She’s killing the hunters of old and, if I’m not mistaken, she’s gotten quite a few of them already.” Gage stepped in front of her and pulled her into his arms.