Stay

“I will get Gareth.” One of the men nodded at mom and left the room.

She let out several deep breaths. I wished I were feeling confident enough to comfort her, but I wasn’t. The exhaustion was worse, and all I wanted to do was curl up on one of the couches and go to sleep.

Footsteps outside the room had my mom’s entire body tensing. In response mine did the same thing.

“Taliana?” A male called.

I glanced at the tall, dark haired man standing in the doorway.

“Taliana?” He remained in the doorway watching her like he didn’t know what to do.

“Hello, Gareth.” Mom watched him carefully.

There was an awkward moment where I wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but then he started taking long strides into the room. “You’ve returned.”

“I have.”

His face softened and he closed the distance between him and my mom. He pulled her into his arms, offsetting my hand. I watched in shock as he held her against him and started to cry. She did the same thing. What was going on? I was prepared for a fight, but not for this. I held onto the arms of my chair to keep a bearing.

After several moments, Gareth stepped away from Mom. “And is this our daughter? Is this Astrella?”

Astrella? Who was he talking about?

Mom shook her head. “No. She is not with me today, but she is well. This is my other daughter.”

“Your other daughter?” His voice rose. “You bore another daughter?” He walked over to me. “Whose is she? Who dared lie with my mate? Was it Chris? I will have him killed.”

“No! Chris is innocent, Gareth.” Mom grasped his arm. “I was never willingly with anyone but you.”

“Are you sure she is not mine?”

Mom nodded. “I’m positive.”

“Tell me. Tell me how that could be true.”

I wanted to know the same thing. Clearly she’d had sex with Robert. What was she getting at?

“I will tell you everything if you’ll give me a chance.”

He nodded. “I would give you a million chances.”

My chest tightened. Was he for real? He reunites with his mate and finds out she has an illegitimate daughter, yet he’s all lovey dovey?

Mom sat down on a couch and he sat down next to her. Nearly on top of her. I just watched, feeling like a voyeur watching something I wasn’t supposed to.

“Ok, Taliana. Tell me everything.”

She nodded. “I’m glad we’re all sitting.”

Chapter Fourteen

Jared

As soon as Vera shifted back into a bear I started pushing the rocks out of the way. I’d successfully broken us out of our little prison, but we still had to find an exit. I hoped Tiffany had really left us for dead. Even with my strength back I didn’t feel like getting into a fight just then. I had no clue what magic she’d used against me, but I was determined to never experience its effects again. When I got to Levi I’d have to talk to him about wiping it from existence.

We’d barely made it halfway down the main corridor of the cave when I heard footsteps. I touched Vera lightly to get her to stop. I’d retracted my wings to make it easier to walk, but I was ready for whoever was coming, I just really hoped it wasn’t that nasty witch again.

A faint light announced their approach from where we hid behind a boulder.

I watched, waiting to see what we’d be facing.

“Hailey?” I yelled out in surprise. What was she doing there? And the bigger question was why was she with a bear? I refused to believe she was going to double cross me too.

“Get away from him!” Hailey lunged for Vera, but I jumped in front of her. Hailey stopped short just in front of my hand.

I looked right into her eyes. It was the best way to calm a Pteron down. “She’s with me.”

“A bear?”

“I could say the same thing about you.”

Vera made a small snarl next to me which I assumed was her way of asking if Hailey was safe.

“She’s a friend,” I reassured Vera, “But I don’t know who this bear is.”

“He’s Toby’s friend,” Hailey replied. The bear growled.

I laughed. “Yeah, I wouldn’t want someone calling me that hawk’s friend either.”

Hailey shoved me. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“How’d you guys get in? Is the entrance still open?”

“Yeah, come around this way.”

It was much easier to move around with Hailey’s light guiding the way, but it was strange to be moving in a group like ours. Two Pterons and two bears? I wondered when the last time that had happened.

We wound our way around the cave, until finally the smallest stream of sunlight came into view. We all picked up the pace, anxious to leave the cave behind. At least I was, and I was positive Hailey was too. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. Pterons and caves don’t mix.

We dashed out into the sunlight. I’d never take the sun for granted again. I gazed up at the sky with adoration. For a while there I’d actually wondered if I’d ever see it again.

I couldn’t spend too long staring up. I transformed, needing to feel the warm rays on my wings and once again relieved that whatever Tiffany had done to me had worn off, or rather Vera had helped me fight it. I didn’t see her. I did however see Hailey standing there with her hands blocking her eyes.

Oh yeah. I was still buck naked.

“Please put some pants on.” Hailey groaned. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

“Owen would be glad to know you hide your eyes when a guy’s naked.”

“I do it specifically when you’re naked, Jared. Not all guys.”

Vera appeared next to me in her human form. She was wearing short shorts and a tiny tank top again. They may have been the same ones she wore when we’d met her the day before. Had it really only been a day? It had felt like an eternity since I’d last seen everyone else.

“Give the poor girl a break,” Vera held out a pair of pants. “Put these on.’

“What are these?”

“They’re called pants. It’s kind of the in thing right now for people to wear.”

Hailey laughed. “I like you. I’m Hailey by the way.”

I stepped into the too short pants while the girls introduced themselves.

“I’m Vera.” She bent down to pick up something off the ground. I tried not to stare, but man what an ass.

“Jared, stop checking out Casey’s sister.”