Dr. Toure chuckled and reached around Calvin fast, gently taking Tamar's soft hand, his eyes briefly flashing, letting Calvin know who he was.
Calvin stepped back to watched Tamar's pupils expand as she held the doctor's large hand. Both Kali and him glanced back and forth as the doctor swallowed and gently let go, blinking as well.
“You must be part of the Chicago team, Doctor?” Calvin gruffly interrupted, slicing the tension in the air as he crossed his arms over his broad chest.
“Ah, yes. As I said, I'm Dr. Toure. I was told by the Satous that you all were in here. Dr. Satou is with your son and his son, Mrs. Steele. Both young men suffered extreme trauma, but they will be okay. They seem to heal fast.”
The last statement was said with a hidden undertone that everyone in the room clearly understood. Those with Nephilim blood or who were pure Nephilim typically healed faster than typical humans.
“Due to security issues, I placed the men on blackout. Just as a precaution to keep them hidden from any Cursed spies. I am sorry that you all had to wait so long and had to deal with the inconvenience. I had noted that you all were coming in and should be escorted right away to the room, but as you all saw, sometimes we get mishaps.”
Tamar hustled to the door. “Good. Then let me check on my sons then.”
Dr. Toure placed a hand on Tamar's shoulder as she stopped and looked behind her. Her head tilted to the side as she gave him a sidelong glance that could cut a man in two. This woman was beautiful. Simply elegant. A queen. And he felt as if he knew her all his life.
Eammon thought as he sharply inhaled her sweet sultry scent and tried to shift back into his professional manner. “There are some things of concern. As you know, your son is past his maturity stage, yet he is going into the âpriming,' as is your daughter. I had one of my trusted nurses check her as well, since she had a seizure in the waiting room.”
Calvin inwardly cursed as he moved to head back out of the room but was stopped by the doctor.
“Listen to me, and listen to me quick. If there is a better place for them to transition, then this hospital is the best. I will keep them on blackout, while we help them through the transition. We've had documents telling us of those Nephilims who did mature in later life, so we know what we are up against. They will not die on our watch. But if you keep moving them as you are, they may not make it through it.”
Dr. Satou offered a soft smile as he turned to help Tamar relax in understanding. “Mrs. Steele, can you tell me why they may be going through this late transition? I've taken blood samples and saw that they should have gone through this already.”
Tamar opened her mouth and then quietly shut it as Calvin took over.
“This late transition happens in our family from time to time. We have the necessary capability back in St. Louis to take care of them. We just need to make sure they are okay. Can you keep them safe from Cursed here and help us move them out?”
“No. Darren and Take will want to stay here. They are in school. I cannot uproot them from their new home. Take Sanna home, but I need someone here to guide them through this here and keep them hidden until they come into their power.”
Dr. Toure's soft, slight accent lowered with concern as he agreed. “We can do that. My team can watch over them. It looks like they do not know what they are, so . . . I will leave that to you of course, Mrs. Steele.”
Dr. Toure looked at everyone in the room as a need to protect them all suddenly swelled in his chest.
Tamar's head was bowed low as Calvin wrapped her in an embrace, while Kali slid in to hug her as well.
“We have your back, Momma Tamar. You know it's time to tell them.”
“Yes, I do, and I will soon. It's for the best,” Tamar whispered.
“It's for the best.”
Chapter 8
Khamun was shaking his head. It was taking everything in him not to slam his foot on the gas and hoof it down the highway while he listened to Amara and her shadow, Miya, idly ramble. He had picked them up fifteen minutes ago and was now on his way to the hospital.
“So are you single, mister man?”
Khamun had to keep himself from rolling his eyes behind his shades as he drove on, ignoring Amara and Miya's questions.
“Girl, do you see this? Meme, I asked a direct question, and he's ignoring me! Khamun, what's your last name again?”
He almost said V'ance but remembered to give his mortal last name. “It's Cross, and yeah, I'm single. Why are you both so damn talkative?”
Miya was chewing on some gum as she looked at him through the rearview mirror, her yellow-painted, razor-sharp fingernails tapping with nervousness.
“Because we need something to keep our minds off of where we are going. So tell us about yourself, like why you are so fine and single. You gay?”
Amara exploded with laughter as she gave her best friend a high-five. “Meme! I was so going to say it!”
Khamun closed his eyes at a red light that seemed to be taking forever and slowly inhaled. Both were cute and bubbly. If he wasn't under so much stress and worry over protecting Sanna, he would've been able to handle their antics. But as of right now, he wanted to stop the car and walk away.
“Who said I don't have anyone just because I'm single, baby girl?”
Both women glanced at each other then broke out in laughter.
“Whatever!” they said in unison, and they began to ramble to each other, almost sounding like clucking chickens to his ears.
Khamun couldn't help but rub his throbbing temple. He knew he had to protect these women, but damn it, they were slightly annoying. When he'd picked them up from the airport, he had to admire them both. They'd both stopped and gawked at him as he held a sign with their names on it. They looked like they'd stepped right out of a coloring book. Somehow with all that color, they looked very mature. They were very sexy, but were bright as hell. Matching ice cream Nike shoes on their feet. Bubble gum sunglasses that he knew Kali would love. And they sported denim leggings with bright-ass shirts that showed off their ample rear, perky breasts, and deep-set curves, all while they linked arms and gabbed away.
Khamun had to adjust his shades just to keep his eyes on them. He noticed that Amara resembled a younger version of Sanna, with less thickness. Her sandy-brown curly hair framed her soft face like a halo, and the dimple in her right cheek made him want to beat any man's ass who ever tried or wanted to touch or hurt her. The need to protect her was crazy deep as his abs clenched, and he eyeballed every man that stared too long at the young woman. He had to rein that in. Suppress that need to make her his family, his little sister, because he hadn't even really met her older sister yet. The woman he longed for and loved.
Miya was dressed in vivid colors as well. She looked like a living Toykopop model, but with an edgy urban feel that belonged in the next hip-hop video. Her silky ebon hair fell around her face in crinkles, giving her a sassy feel as her curvy body made many men blink twice at her.
He felt them play with the ends of his locks, his jaw clenching at their whispers and giggles. This shit was “cray,” as his favorite rapper would say. So he quickly pulled it up into a knot, ready to lay down the law.
“A'ight, look. No, I am not gay. I'm single due to work,” Khamun grumbled as he drove through traffic.
“Oooh, really? How old are you, and what do you do?” Amara smiled as she studied Khamun's muscular form.
He was the kind of sexy that one could only dream about. Not too beautiful that you might have to question his orientation, but reality sexy and edgy, with sinful dark-chocolate skin, like burnt caramel or burnt cinnamon. With crinkled locks so well-groomed that you just wanted to grab a few strands and begin playing in them. His body, damn! His body was like, Whoa!
She wanted to see under the shirt just to see if he was really as ripped as his arms displayed. Everything about this man felt like he was the one, the one she had been looking for all her life, for her sister Sanna. She smiled and nodded, twirling her fingers through her hair as she chewed on her gum. It didn't help he had beautiful eyes as well. That seemed to be the icing on his coco cake. He was definitely big brother worthy.
“The hell?” Khamun briefly glanced at Sanna's mini-me in the passenger seat, his eyes searching over her as if he thought she was crazy. He shook his head and deeply exhaled. “Okay, baby girl. I'm twenty-nine and work in a restoration construction firm established by my pops. I have a degree in architecture and art history. I have a purple belt in kenjutsu and a 9th degree belt in jujitsu. In undergrad, I worked as a bouncer, so I have gun training via marine training. My blood type is O-negative, and I'm HIV-negative. And I can't stand spiders. Anything else?”
Khamun gave an annoyed glance in the rearview mirror. Being Nephilim meant he couldn't get the common human's sexually transmitted diseases, so telling her he was HIV negative was just for show. He reached for his all-black, invisible-rimmed sunglasses and slid them on. Though he told her a hell of a lot of information just to soothe her, he left out his Nephilim background and his ninjutsu training.
Amara and Miya glanced at each other as both women giggled and high-fived each other. “Damn!” they said in unison.
“I think my sister would appreciate what you have to offer, except for the spider thing. Might want to do something about that.” Amara turned and looked out the car window.
Khamun almost lost control of the car as he watched Amara out the corner of his shades. She said it as if she knew. It was as if all the wisdom of the world had settled into her voice, and that had him processing and reevaluating the younger Steele sister.
Miya nodded in agreement as she quieted down as well. Both women seemed to work in sync and in thought as if they knew everything and nothing at all and as if they knew they were right around the corner of the hospital. That had Khamun appraise them both. They were not fools or immature at all.
“Do you think they will be okay?” Amara quietly asked as he turned the car into the hospital parking lot.
He noticed Miya reaching to squeeze her hand.
“Hey, sis, I think so. Your fine-ass brotha has your blood and all. He always bounces back hella fast. So, yeah, I think so. And Take is of my blood, so I know for damn sure he better be okay, or I will choke him.” Miya gave a lopsided smile, trying to lighten the mood.
“I don't know. This feels different . . . like everything is changing. Khamun, what do you think?” Amara's golden-rimmed chocolate eyes focused on him as he turned off the car and slid a hand in his locks.
“I think they'll be okay, because they have a large healing support of family around them, baby girl.”
Amara smiled then opened the door, hopping out with ease. She turned to check her makeup, reapplying bubblegum-pink lipgloss and fluffing her curly mane. “Okay, I can dig that.”
Miya jumped out and stood next to her, adjusting her wavy hair over her shoulders as she gave Amara a “stank” look, face scrunched up, eyebrows raised. “Oh my gosh! Not dig that. I thought you were going to stop that truth! You know, that's so nineteen seventies!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. I like it, though. Got it from Calvin.” Amara hooked arms with her bestie, and she and Miya both walked through the sliding doors of the hospital entrance at the same pace.
Khamun just shook his head and checked his cell to see where the Steele and Satou families were in the hospital, as anxiety hit him. He was finally going to see her in person. Be near her. Inhale her sweet perfume and hopefully touch her. He had to close his eyes and inhale slowly just to calm his racing heart as he stood in the slow-moving elevator. Damn hospital had the nerve to have the muzak version of Prince's “Diamonds and Pearls” playing.
Inwardly chuckling, Khamun kept himself in check before he started nodding and singing along.
“You okay, mister man?” Amara asked with a raised eyebrow.
Miya gave a smiling chuckle, her green gold eyes flashing with power.
“Ah, yeah.”
How she asked him gave the feeling that she was peering into his soul, and that flash of power in Miya's eyes had him wondering about her as well.
The elevator dinged, letting them know they had reached the tenth floor. As the doors opened, Calvin came into view as he stood waiting for everyone, a big goofy smile plastered across his face.
Khamun reached out, clasped hands with his boy, then pulled him into a shoulder bump as both men nodded, offering a masculine display of support.
Peering over Khamun's shoulder, Calvin grinned hard again. He stepped past his boy and scooped Amara up into his arms as she squealed.
“Big bro! I've missed you! I need some of your cooking, so hook a sista up when we get home.”
“You ain't said nothing but a word, peanut. I've missed you much, and Kali is here. She ordered you some fabric from Bombay. Should get to you soon.”
Amara's sudden tug at his neck as she hugged him harder had Calvin chuckling while he hugged her back.
Gently sitting her back on the ground, Calvin peered at a beaming Miya with a smirk. “And this must be Miya. Hey, doll.” He flashed a smile.
Miya giggled bobbing her head up and down as she turned a pretty shade of red, equally cheesing hard.
“He's cute too. Why didn't you ever tell me you had fineness around you, Truth?” Miya whispered as Calvin gave her a brotherly hug as well.
“Because you'd never go home, and I'd be all alone in the A!”
Amara pouted then laughed as Miya pinched her. “You know that's a lie! I can't do that. I'm stuck to you like glue! For now.”
Miya sneered then walked up to Khamun. She stared up at him with her hands on her hips as he looked down at her, shaking his head. Flashing a mischievous grin, she hip-bumped him and hooked her arm through his. “Let's go. I need to know if the fam is okay and Amara has been wanting to see her mom for a minute now.”
Calvin became tense and slid his hands in his pocket. “Yeah, follow me. Everyone is in their room. Um, don't trip, Mara, but Sanna had a serious migraine.”
Amara stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening with concern. “Is she okay? Is my sis okay?”
“Yes, yes. They gave her a shot and checked her out. She's chilling in a wheelchairâdoctor's orders, since she won't go lay down.”
Both Amara and Khamun tensed up. Though Calvin saw that his bro also became rigid though he tried to hide it. Everything was still swirling in his mind after Tamar had laid that bombshell of information on him and Kali. Blown away and spiritually moved was an understatement. Shifting his mental gears, moving on, he knew this was going to be some intel Khamun would definitely trip over.
Time seemed to stand still for Khamun as he rounded the corner and walked into room seven. He could see the back of her thick hair. It was partially pulled back, leaving the back spilling over her shoulders in a thick, wavy, well-kept cloud. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair as he watched her slide her head to the side in weariness. He glanced around as he saw the two males of this tight-knit family hooked up to monitors, resting asleep, their bodies covered in partially bloody bandages.
“Amara! Miya!” Sanna yelled, happiness flowing over her sister and her friend as they both honed in on her.
Tamar and Kyo both chimed in unison, and both women headed across the room.
Dr. Satou smiled, greeting Miya with a fatherly hug as Kyo joined in on the family embrace. Amara broke down in tears, while her mother cradled her in a rocking hug.
Khamun couldn't help notice Sanna's eyes go to her sister in happiness and surprise as she looked over her shoulder. Her stunning eyes hesitated briefly as she glanced over at him and then looked away. As he slowly exhaled the breath of air he was holding onto, he noticed her stare quickly returned as she gaped at him in confusion. Her intoxicating gaze stayed on him as she tried to turn her wheelchair to get a better view.
The blood rushed to his ears as everything seemed to get silent. Nothing but the monitors chiming and beeping as he stared at the woman he'd always watched from afar. His eyes trailed over her sensual face, soaking her image in.
She licked her lush lips, and that made his groin tighten as her pupils dilated. He watched her swallow as her hands clutched the arm of her chair and she began to breathe ever so slightly faster, the swell of her breasts rising like a gentle wave just for him. He watched her skin softly flush ruddy, making her skin glow with a toffee-glazed hue as he stepped closer.
Amara's squeal broke the trance as she rushed her sister and hugged her tight, before looking up and breaking down in tears at the sight of her twin brother's battered sleeping form. Rushing to his side, she held his hand.