Possession of the Soul (8 page)

“I don’t know,” she replied. “I’m sure we’ll find out. You know, at one time I could talk to mom about anything. Boy, would she be a big help right now.”

Tabatha stared out at the water. The moon was reflected like a giant silver coin. It was so quiet now, just like it had been the day the explosion had killed her family. The flash of the explosion had been bright across the horizon; she remembered the force of it knocking her backward.

It had been warm that day, and the wind had blown gently. Birds had been chirping in the background, the fish jumping in the lake. The sound of a vehicle coming up the drive interrupted her reminiscence of that fateful day. Tabatha moaned the same time Melody did. They looked at each other.

“I should have known Hoyt would come. After all, he was a friend of Ben’s.” A Jeep pulled in, and another car maneuvered into the drive behind it.

Car doors slammed, and their men stomped around the house. Silently, Tabatha sat in her lounge chair next to Melody’s. Their mates saw them and strode out onto the deck. Hoyt’s guards followed at a distance.

Hoyt, Chax, and Shane stood before them, their bodies stiff as anger flared in their gazes.

Shane reached down, intending to pick Melody up, but she wouldn’t have it.

“Don’t try it, Shane. We did nothing wrong!” She warned before he touched her. The expression in her eyes dared him to try. “Don’t touch me! We came here to relax. So just be quiet.”

But that didn’t stop him. He picked her up, lugged her over his shoulder, and stormed into the house.

Tabatha laughed as she stared at Melody’s retreating ass. “Give him hell, Melody.”

But her laughter died. Hoyt and Chax moved in, their bodies tense.

“Do you know how stupid it was to come here without guards?” Hoyt questioned.

She shrugged. “I belong to no one, so I can and will do whatever I want to. I needed to come here, to sort some things out.” She held her hands out in front of her in an attempt to keep them at bay. “You’re not my mates yet, and I’m not convinced you are. This is my home, and I won’t be taken away from it.”

A deep baritone laugh broke the tension in the air. Tabatha knew that laugh, and the owner of it should be dead. It couldn’t be.

“Hoyt, you and that thing better step away from my baby sister. Friend or not, I’ll kick your worthless ass.”

That voice! Tabatha would’ve recognized it anywhere. A voice she had longed to hear again, but never thought possible. She whipped around and stared at the corporeal ghost of her dead brother. Ben stood in the backyard very much alive—or was he?—And he looked furious. Shock didn’t cover the range of emotions clouding Tabatha’s mind. The world began to fade into darkness, and then all turned black.

***

Hoyt reached for Tabatha before she hit the ground. “You could have warned us, Ben! Why the hell haven’t you contacted me? I was planning on preparing her for your return.” He glared at Ben as they walked into the living room with Tabatha in his arms.

Melody gasped. Her eyes glazed over and started to roll back in her head.

“Grab her!” Hoyt yelled to Shane, who caught her and cradled her body.

“Damn it, Hoyt,” Shane snapped. “You should’ve told me he was coming in! They’re going to be so pissed when they wake up, and I don’t blame them!” He placed Melody on the couch.

“I had no idea Ben would be here. Do you think I would put Tabatha through this shit?” He snapped back as he noticed Chax about to attack Ben. “Cool it, Chax. Ben is her brother. Ben, this is Chax. Your little sister’s
other
mate.” He nodded toward the demon and turned to walk to her bedroom.

He stared down at her small body as he laid her on the bed and traced his fingers down her cheek.

 
Damn, is she going to be furious!

“I couldn’t stay in hiding, knowing she’s in danger,” said Ben. “Plus when you called and told me she was your mate, I knew she would have a fit. You need my help with her, and well, I’ve missed Melody.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I have a feeling Tabby isn’t the only one to have two mates. When I saw Melody at the club last night, my wolf half wanted to claim her. It took every ounce of control to stay hidden from everyone.”

“Then I suggest you go talk to Shane before they wake up, because you’re going to have to explain all this crap.” Hoyt straightened and looked at him. “Did you let the team know you’re here?”

Chax moved into the room to stand in the corner, his attention on Tabatha.

“Yes, and they’re not too happy I’m here, but I don’t care. I need to be with Tabatha. I’ll go now and talk to Shane, but call me when Tabby starts to waken. I want to explain everything to her.” Ben turned and left them.

Hoyt shook his head and gazed over at Chax. “You know she’s going to want to stay here. We need to bring in more men to patrol this place.”

“I’ve scanned the area, and so far no one else is here, but I’m sure they will find out soon enough.” Chax nodded at Tabatha. “You know we’re going to have our hands full with her, right? From what I’ve seen already, she doesn’t take orders well.” He growled and walked over to her, tracing her breast with his finger. “I can’t wait to tame you.”

***

Tabatha opened her eyes to see the ceiling fan in her old bedroom. She looked around the room and saw Ben across from her. He stood there with Hoyt and Chax next to him, Ben’s smile as bright as his eyes.

Emotions rolled through her—happiness to see her brother, shock that he wasn’t dead and, last of all, anger.

She sat up and said, “Okay, someone better explain where the fuck you’ve been for the past ten years.” She lunged for him, anger surging through her system. How could he be alive and not tell her? Tabatha slapped him across the face. “I went through hell. I had no one!” She screamed.

Ben wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug. He held her until her pent-up emotions ran out.

“Mom and Dad…” Tabatha sputtered as the tears started to flow.

Her brother pulled her down on the bed next to him and embraced her tightly again. Tabatha noticed a new scar down his cheek. She traced the scar with her finger.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that alone, Tabby.” He leaned back and looked into her eyes, brushing her hair back. “The explosion threw me from the boat. A PSU agent found me and took me to the hospital in the next city. I lay in a coma for six months. They wanted me to help them find out what had happened. The PSU didn’t want the killers to know I was alive, so they set me up in a different town, working behind the scenes. Now that you’ve been threatened again, I had to come home as soon as I could.” He sighed, the sound weary and forlorn. “I visited Mom’s and Dad’s gravesites first. Then I came here. Everything still looks like it did when the accident happened. I am so sorry I wasn’t there.” He cupped her cheek.

“So, let me get this straight,” she replied. “You’ve been working for the PSU the whole time, but no one informed me you were alive? Do you know what I went through without you?” She stood and frowned down at him. “I had one year left in high school when this happened. Social Services wanted to send me to a foster home. They wanted me to leave the only home I’ve ever known. Thank God, Melody’s mom came to the rescue and told them that I could live with them.” Rage consumed her, body and soul. “You’re my older brother. You’re supposed to be there for me! So tell me, did you go in for training to be in this special force?” She detected movement behind her and turned to face Hoyt. “Don’t even say a word to me, Hoyt.”

“You have to understand, Tabatha. They wanted to keep you safe. If Ben had come back to you, the people who killed your parents would return to finish the job they’d started,” Hoyt tried to explain.

“You knew, didn’t you?” She nearly shouted. “Wait, this is why Shane appeared all of a sudden right before he met Melody, isn’t it? Shane knew all this, too!”

His eyes confirmed what she suspected.

“So you three have been lying to us the entire time. I know you work for the Paranormal Specialty Unit, but does Shane work for them as well?” Tabatha paced back and forth in the small bedroom.

“Tab, I started to train with them before Mom and Dad died,” Ben explained. “Hoyt and Shane trained with me in the same classes.” He stood and tried to pull her into his arms.

“Don’t!” She pushed him away. “Tell me something, Hoyt. Is all this about being my mate a lie, too? Did you just say it to keep an eye on me? And what about you, Chax? Do you work for them also?” She strode to the doorway, anger in her every step.

“I wouldn’t lie about being your mate,” Hoyt replied with conviction. “You’re mine, and Chax isn’t involved with the PSU. What he has said is true.” He followed her into the hall.

Bumping into the door, Tabatha glanced over her shoulder to see Melody. Her friend’s face was pink, and she had crossed her arms over her chest. Tabatha knew she’d heard everything they had said. Shane attempted to pull Melody away.

“So all this shit is a lie?” Melody asked. “Meeting you guys? Hell, you know what my family is like, but I couldn’t see my best friend in a foster home. I had to beg my mom to allow her to stay with us. And it wasn’t pleasant that whole year, let me tell you! Did you even think of all the nightmares she had or how many nights she cried herself to sleep? No! You just come waltzing in here and expect her to forgive you! Well I, for one, will not. Let’s go, Tab! I know the perfect place we can hide for a while.”

Tabatha glanced behind her. All four men looked on as Melody dragged her into the living room, heading for the door.

“Mel,” she said, “You know it’s not safe. Why don’t you stay here? I can just take off and disappear.”

“Neither of you are going anywhere.” Hoyt appeared behind them, his arms crossed over his chest. “We made a mistake, but it’s not safe out there.”

Tabatha fought to control her temper. “You’re not my mate yet! So I suggest you keep quiet. I agree we can’t leave, but that doesn’t give you the right to tell me or Melody what to do.” She turned and walked down the stairs to the pier.

Melody followed her.

The wind blew across her face as she stared out at the lake. Hurt and anger swirled in her head.

Melody kept her company. “I’m so furious I can’t stand to look at any of them right now,” her friend finally spoke, sitting down on the pier. “What are we going to do?”

“I have no idea. I’m thrilled Ben’s alive, but what they did… I just don’t know.” Tabatha sat down next to her. “Hoyt says he’s my mate, but how can I believe him now? And what about Chax? I mean, come on. I’m a human. How can I be mated to a werewolf and a demon?”
Let alone a god of some kind.
Tabatha heard the men walking down to the pier towards them, but chose to ignore their approach.

“Tabby, what’s that?” Melody pointed at a rubber raft floating in the water. Something furry lay on top of it.

“I don’t know. It looks like—Oh my God! It’s Boots!” She screamed and jumped up. “They killed Boots! How did they get into our apartment?” Tabatha gaped at their pet’s body. She shook, and her heart beat faster. Tabatha rubbed her temples as a dull twinge moved in her head. But on further examination, she realized Wol-itelm lurked inside of her.

 
“Yes, I’m here, baby, and I’ll always be there when you need me.”
A soft breeze blew around Tabatha, surrounding her as if protecting her.

“Shit! They’ve found us,” Shane yelled, pushing Tabatha and Melody back as he kneeled on the decking. He grabbed the cat from the float as it came close to the pier. “Its neck is broken.”

“Let’s go, Tabby.” Hoyt wrapped his arm around her. “I want both of you in the house now. That animal was still warm.”

Fear ran through her. “I don’t want to leave her. This is my parent’s home.” All that had happened to her in the last day came crashing in around her, zapping her energy.

Chax looked out over the lake, reaching out with his senses. “No. They are not near. I do not sense anyone holding any intent to harm. This was a message meant to scare and upset you, drive you away from this place and back down to the city. We can protect you here, and send for more of Hoyt’s pack.”

She let Hoyt and Chax escort her inside.

“I think I’m going to go lie down. I haven’t slept in 30 hours except for the two hours I was passed out,” she muttered and stumbled toward her bedroom.

Chapter Eight

The clock ticked loudly as Tabatha turned over the events of the past day in her mind. Her dreams had roused her throughout the night. Of course the dreams had been erotic in nature, because wetness seeped through her panties. Her skin was clammy, and her body burned with lust. In her dreams, Wol-itelm, had held and comforted her while she cried. Later, the dream changed, his hands stripping her clothes away. Removing each piece of clothing separately, Wol-itelm kissed and sucked every inch of her exposed skin. Now wide-awake and full of desire, she needed the new dildo she’d just bought.

Where did I put it? Ugh. I need some kind of relief!

Tabatha pulled a box where she’d stashed the new purchase out from underneath the bed. The toy was still in its container. She opened it and smiled at her toy.
Oh, baby, come to Mama.

She kicked the covers off, turned, and laid the box on the floor. She yanked her T-shirt off her heated body and rubbed the new toy, that she named Hoyt, over her stimulated nub. Her other hand went to her nipple and pinched it hard.

“Yes,” she moaned, her eyes closed. She inserted the toy into her body and pictured Hoyt’s thick shaft inside of her instead. “Hoyt” she sighed.

“I’m here, Tabatha,” he whispered in her ear.

Her eyes flashed open to stare into his lust-filled ones.

“Let me help you,” he said softly, his naked body sliding down hers. “I smell your honey and I’m going to feast.”

***

Tabatha jerked herself wide-awake and looked around the room. “God, what a dream!” She turned and saw the clock. Seven a.m. Her T-shirt clung to her sweaty body.