"You're just in time. I have three alphas calling me back so we can do a conference call together. I hate to say this, but it's sounding like the demons are getting smarter. I've spoken to the elders and none have ever come across three demons working together. It's making me a lot more nervous about hearing Faith's vision."
"You're right, Dad. I think we might have to ask for help. We're just not a big enough pack to deal with this."
* * * *
As they pulled into the shopping center car park Faith turned to Grace and Sophie.
"Now you girls know the rules, right? No running off. No talking to strangers. Do not leave our sights. Got it? If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask, especially if you need to go to the toilet. Lastly, how old are you?"
Grace frowned. "Seven, but I'll be eight in twelve days."
Faith winced. Poor thing. To go through everything she had and have only her sister left … Thank God they had found them.
Sophie smiled, adding, "I'm five, just turned five, I had a cake and everything."
Faith looked at the girls with tenderness. "That's great. Do you think you can remember the rules?"
The girls nodded. As they were getting out of the car Grace asked, "Can we go to the bag shop first where the big, red boy-man is waiting for us?"
All the wolves froze as Faith turned to Grace. "Do you know what the man wants to talk about, or how he knows we're here?"
Grace beamed up at Faith. "Yes, he knows what you are. He wants to help. The monsters call him half-breed. His mum told him to come here today." She seemed to come out of a trance. "How funny is that!"
Della nodded to Jamie and walked away, talking on the phone. Jamie smiled down at the girls. "Well, thank you, Grace, but I'm dying for some toys, so do you two want to go to the big toy store first?"
Both girls nodded, jumping up and down. "Toys, toys."
Faith grabbed the girls' hands. "Okay let's go. Which aisle should we take Jamie down first? Dolls, Barbie, costumes, teddy bears, or books?"
Jamie groaned. "I was thinking video games."
Both girls said, "No, Barbie dolls."
Faith laughed as they headed into the toy store. One hour later after the girls had filled a trolley each and were now in Jamie's favorite place, video games, Faith felt arms come around her waist. Turning her around, Kane kissed her neck, moving up to her cheek, and then he picked her up and their lips met.
She sighed into his mouth. Their kiss was cut off again by giggling and a "yuck" from Jamie followed by more giggling.
Kane leaned his forehead against hers. "I missed you."
Faith rolled her eyes. "You have done just fine without me for several years, I don't think two hours should worry you." She frowned. "So how many did you bring for this one guy who's supposed to want to help?"
"Grace said half-breed, so all we know is that this creature is red and big, I don't even want to think of what it could be. I do not like the feeling I'm getting, but I can't even fathom that those monsters could somehow breed with humans." Kane shook his head like he was trying to get rid of rotten thoughts. "To be safe, I brought four, then there's Jamie, Ava, Eve, Mum, and I."
At his overreaction, she moaned. "It's just one man. Plus, I don't have a bad feeling, and I haven't had any visions."
He kissed her again. "Better safe than sorry. Okay then, let's get this show on the road. Everyone's in position, don't acknowledge them, we're hoping this half-breed's sense of smell isn't as good as ours. I have Blake and Tray only two stores down. I'm going to stay with you. Jamie's going to be at our backs."
Faith nodded as they headed out of the toy store. Rane grabbed the trolley and put everything into his car. "Did you buy the whole toy shop?"
"No, silly, but we got lots more toys now than like ever," Sophie said.
They walked into the shopping center.
Chapter 6
Faith turned to the girls. "We're going to go talk to that man now so I need you girls to listen."
They both nodded. Ava and Eve asked if they would like piggyback rides, which they enthusiastically accepted. Eight stores in was the bag store, and standing in front of it was a really tall man with dark skin. His clothes were baggy, and he had a hat on his head, hiding his features. He looked up and straight into Faith's eyes, and she gasped when she saw that his eyes were black with a red tinge around the edge. As she got closer she could tell his skin also had a red tinge.
Kane swore. Faith couldn't take her eyes off the stranger, there was something familiar about him.
"I don't feel any danger, Kane. I actually get really positive vibes."
The half-breed's eyes never left Faith, and the odd thing was that they looked on her with love. When she was only a shop away, he smiled, revealing long, sharp teeth. Kane snarled, and the man stopped smiling, covering his teeth. Faith could feel the menace, anger, and curiosity coming off the werewolves as they reached the bag store. Kane stood in front of her.
"You don't look at her. If you have something to say, say it to me." Kane growled, flashing his sharp, lengthened teeth.
Faith knew Kane was being overprotective because they weren't sure what this half-breed demon could do. Demons had the ability to control you as long as you kept your gaze on them and didn't get distracted, and once they got their teeth into you and drained you of your blood, you became their zombie to command.
Faith carefully peered around Kane and noticed that the man looked a lot younger than she had originally thought. She didn't even think he was a man, more like a young teenager.
"She said you would be beautiful, and it would shine from the inside out. You look exactly like her," the half-breed said. He sounded like a teenager whose voice was just about to break.
A red tear fell from his eyes. He reached out to touch her, but quick as lightning, Kane grabbed his hand. "You don't ever touch her. Don't even look at her!"
The boy winced. "I would never hurt her, I love her. My mum said you werewolves would look after her."
Faith looked around. She had been so involved in everything going on that she hadn't realized they had been walking to the exit, surrounded by the werewolves.
The half-breed continued, "She said her princess would always be protected. She knew they were coming for her, they wanted you. Mum said it was fate helping that that woman had a stillborn child." He looked at Faith and whispered, "They never knew. Mum bespelled you."
Kane growled and moved in front of Faith again. "Half-breed, I won't tell you again, don't look at her."
Faith frowned. "What are you talking about?"
She glanced around to see they were in the far end of the car park where there were only one or two cars.
"I'm half-breed to everyone, but Mum called me Ben, her big Bengie. Mum tried to come with me, but they killed her. She died so I could get here on time. Mum said to tell you she loved you with all her heart. She said when you touch me you would know all she said and you would love me just like she did." Red tears were rolling from his eyes. "I like the daylight, as you can see. I'm different from the demons. I ran here to you in the sun. I even like water. Mum said she couldn't see what would happen, but she knew I needed to be here and you would be here with your wolves, but the visions didn't show her how many there would be. She said it would be hard, but once you touched me you would know I'm your brother. My mum was your mum."
Rane and Blake grabbed Ben and started pulling him to a van.
"Please, just touch me and you'll know."
Faith knew she shouldn't do it, but she was the only paranormal psychic in her family, and she had always felt like the odd duck. She didn't look like either of her parents or their family, and she couldn't shake the feeling he was telling her the truth. Without thinking, she ran around Kane and touched Ben's hand. She heard Kane's roar of "noooo" as he grabbed her around the waist as the vision started.
A very pregnant woman who looked exactly like Faith waddled into the hospital. As she entered she yelled, "Please, my baby's coming. Please hurry, we don't have much time."
Nurses ran to the woman, grabbing her just before she fell to the floor. They rushed her up in the elevator then along a corridor and into a room. The woman yelled, chanting some words that Faith didn't know. She screamed, moaned, and a baby girl came out squealing.
The woman panted her thanks, kissing the baby and murmuring love words. Then she gave the baby to one of the nurses, grabbing her hand and saying, "I know what you are. You have to help me. They're coming for me and my baby. She's special. Please, there's a couple two rooms down, she's about to give birth to a stillborn baby girl. Switch them. I have bespelled her, they will think she's their child. In five or so years they will live near wolves but won't know it. The wolves will love my child and keep her safe. She will be important to all supernatural creatures if she lets herself be." The woman smiled. "She will even be mate to one. Please. Bring me the stillborn. I'll say she's mine. Quick, do it and get out of here before they get you too."