Jalla wasn't one to weep. She never was as she just had to grow up too quickly. She had a fiery temper matching her hair and was never scared to share her opinions… Yet, now, watching the too-familiar man disappear into the crowd – too quickly to do something about it – she wept in helpless fury, ignoring the curious and disturbed gazes of the people around her and hugging her kits against her legs.

He saw them and they're going to come for them now.

"Mom, what's wrong?" she heard a tiny voice and swiftly wiped her face, looking down at her son's adorable little face with a shaky smile.

It wasn't time to cry, but to run. She steeled her spine when her daughter looked up as well, clear fear and insecurity in her eyes before Jalla placed her hands on their identical, red locks and pushing back her terror, smiled coyly at her kits.

"We're going to play, children," she said softly, gently pushing them back toward their house. They tossed her uncertain looks before obediently letting her go and holding their hands, walking in front of her. "Navi, you and Nari are going to pack your most important things, okay?"

"Yes, mommy," her son replied in a subdued tone, perhaps sensing her nervousness. His unusual, red-cyan eyes – exactly the same as his twin sister's – looked toward her, oh, so very seriously, and in different circumstances maybe she would be tempted to laugh…

She tightened her hands into fists and worked her jaw furiously, utterly anxious before the door of their small cottage closed behind them. Watching the twins disappear into their room, she took a deep, calming breath and then set to pack – lightly and only the most important things.

Navi and Nari were eleven now – and though the pregnancy was forced upon her, she never regretted having them. She ran away… but they were the light of her life – and even if she despised their father and everyone else who had a hand at the beginning of their life, she adored her twins beyond reason. But ever since the midwife put them in her arms and a matching pair of mismatched eyes stole her heart… she knew they were never going to be safe.

Her hand involuntarily drifted to the deep scar on her cheek and she tightened her jaw until her teeth ached. A memento from her grandmother – when the bitch tore her little brother from her arms, took him, and got him killed. Just because he had the same eyes as her kits…

She was barely six when Raha was born and their mother died… and she hated him for that at first. Her mom, G'yalla, was the only kind and good person in that awful, cold place… and to lose her, terrified her out of her mind. But then she took one look at her brother's face and she was instantly in love. In her childish naivety, she didn't understand why others were so excited about him… but anyway, she decided that since he was the last she had of her beautiful mother, she was determined to keep him safe.

And the tug-of-war between her and their grandmother started. Again, she didn't really understand why the woman showed interest in her brother while she never cared about any of the other kits – but every time the bitch would take Raha from her, she sneaked around and stole him back – defiantly ignoring the punishments she was getting for that. The whipping seemed like a small price for him. It lasted almost a year before the woman seemed to give up and let her have her brother all to herself. Or so she naively thought, then.

Until he was four and they came for him – intent to send him away to some 'Baldesion' man and with a statement that her brother wasn't safe at the camp anymore. And when she refused – begging for them to at least let her travel with him – she got that scar for her efforts and he was taken anyway. And by the mean tilt to her grandmother's lips, she knew the bitch was doing that out of spite – and to show her 'leadership.'

And her brother paid for that with his short life – as she was told a few years later when she wouldn't stop asking for him. That Baldesion man sent a letter that the ship never arrived to where he lived – perhaps sank by pirates or monsters – and considering the bitch's expression when she told her that – more disappointment than any sort of care about her grandson… No matter how much she didn't want to believe that, she didn't have a choice.

But more than furious, she refused to comply with her tribe's twisted ideas. At eighteen, she worked her ass off in secret at the nearby village, and when she almost managed to save enough money to buy heat suppressants and leave… she was drugged, her heat forced early with herbs and her own grandmother tossed her to a Nunh of their tribe like a piece of meat when she somehow learned of her plans. The Nunh who was her own father, for fuck's sake… and raised not to care about who was he fucking… Just – as she knew by then – they planned to raise her brother. And when she came around and realized… she ran and never looked back, cursing her naivety in staying there that long.

Jalla discarded her tribe's letter and traveled as far as she could – catching any work she was able to get – until she couldn't anymore, settling down in a small village near the edge of the ocean. Where people were kind enough not to ask too many questions about her or her babies when they were born soon after. Where with the help of strangers' kindness – so much more than she ever got from her supposed 'family' – she dared to believe they were safe.

Until today, when she spotted one of the boys she grew up with – and saw him eye her twins, to dart away quickly. She didn't know – or care – if he was sent to look for her specifically… but she would be damned if she let those insane people lay their hands on her babies! She couldn't protect Raha but…

Packing her things hastily, she nearly missed the sudden sound behind her, her sensitive ears twitched as she spun around with a quiet snarl.

"Easy," an unfamiliar Seeker with black hair and pale blue eyes raised his hands in a pacifying gesture. "Calm down and sit down," he said quietly and before she knew what happened, her body listened outside of her will, sitting on the edge of her bed. "You're going to answer my questions honestly, Jalla, and nothing more," he added, kneeling in front of her one knee and she could only nod, even as her heartbeat thrummed uncontrollably between her ears in terror. "Ah, don't be scared," he frowned and she gasped as her fear simply… melted away. His voice was the most beautiful thing in existence – deep and rumbling, and with a strangely mesmerizing note.

As her heart and breath slowed down involuntarily, she couldn't help but simply gawk at the stranger because he had to be the most beautiful man she saw in her life. Insanely tall for a Seeker, even kneeling he was taller than her, not that she was very tall in the first place. His hair and fur were so black they seemed to nearly absorb the light hitting them, fiercely contrasted with his pale skin and even paler irises. Dressed all in black, he seemed to nearly exhume power and confidence – even motionless looking more like a predator waiting to strike than anything near being relaxed. He narrowed his eyes at her with consideration, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"You look too young to be his mother," he murmured under his nose, then sighed and his gaze focused on her scar, an ugly thing cutting her cheek in half from the base of her nose to the edge of her jaw. "Oh… how did you get that?" he scowled, sitting back on his heels and resting his hands on his thighs.

"From my grandmother," she heard her own voice, and even though she didn't intend to answer… she couldn't help herself, mesmerized by the ice-blue eyes and that deep, deep voice. When his beautiful face darkened with another scowl, if she was able to, perhaps she would be scared, but instead, she felt her mouth move again. "I tried to stop her from taking my brother away from me and she whipped me for that."

"…brother? Raha?" he blinked rapidly, looking at her with surprise. No less than she felt, maybe, if not able to ask how he could know that.

"Yes," she nodded instead.

"Oh…" he frowned, looking around her small cottage. "Are we at your tribe's camp?"

"No," she shook her head and scowled involuntarily.

"Not a pleasant topic, I see," he said quietly, narrowing his eyes at her again and tilting his head slightly. "Why did your tribe send him away?"

"To protect the Eye," she whispered, her heart thumping in misery. "Until he's useful."

"…useful? For what?" now he was scowling, leaning toward her slightly.

"For breeding," she replied, caught in the pale stare when his eyes flashed with rage.

"For…?" he growled, then visibly took a deep, steadying breath. "I don't understand… If that's true, why nobody ever sent for him…?"

"He's dead," she whispered.

"Huh?" his eyes shot wide open. "Who said so?"

"Baldesion sent a letter saying the ship never arrived," she said softly.

The male blinked slowly a few times, then a slight smirk tilted his almost too-pretty lips.

"I see," he hummed, rubbing his chin again. "And was he made aware of what were your tribe's plans for him?"

"I don't know," she shrugged helplessly.

"Perhaps, then," he sighed, then again focused his gaze on her before looking toward the bag she was busy packing. "Ah, going somewhere?"

"Yes," she answered firmly, following his gaze.

"Where?" he asked and she was caught in the ice-blue gaze again.

"I don't know," she repeated. "Away."

"That's awfully vague," he hummed with a hint of amusement. "So if you're Raha's sister… you don't look much older than him. How old are you?"

"Thirty," she replied automatically.

"Ah, so you're five years older than him?" the man tilted his head curiously.

"Six," she corrected, blinking at the strange line of questions.

"Six…? So, how old was he when they took him?" the black-haired Seeker scowled again.

"Four," she sighed sadly.

"Oh… and when is his birthday?" a slight smirk danced on his lips… before he frowned and his eyes narrowed again. "Wait… so you were what.. ten? And your… grandmother whipped you?"

"I don't remember," she replied to the first question then frowned automatically. "And yes."

"What kind of messed up…" he drawled through his teeth.

"…mommy?" the tiny voice behind him had the stranger twist around in a move fast like a viper… and she felt her heart jump in her throat despite the apparent compulsion. Navi stood at the door leading to the twins' bedroom, looking toward the black-haired Seeker with fear in his mismatched eyes.

"Oh… crap…" the stranger gasped, and though she couldn't see his expression, he sounded beyond shocked. "Hey… little one. Don't worry, I'm just asking your mom something."

Her son didn't look comforted by that at all and her heart ached when his huge eyes filled with tears and his lower lip trembled. But when his twin peeked around him with a fearful expression, her brave boy pushed her behind him and raised his chin pointedly, glaring daggers at the stranger.

"Oh, Azeyma… twins?" the black-haired Seeker looked toward her with an almost… awed expression. "And both with the Eye?"

"Yes," she replied, though now her heartbeat thrummed again furiously, her eyes only for her babies, and her hands tightened into fists in her lap. "P-please… don't… hurt… them," she gasped with effort, panting harshly as speaking out of turn… hurt.

"Never," the man sighed, then turned his gaze back toward the terrified kits. "Don't be scared. Come here," he stretched out his hand toward them, and she fought the compulsion when her babies' expressions smoothed and they followed the suggestion with tiny smiles, holding their hands as they stopped in front of the stranger. "Gorgeous… just like my Raha," he sighed almost… dreamily, then looked toward her with a smile. "Who is alive, by the way."

That… had her stop trying to move and gape at the man with wide-open eyes. He was even more beautiful when he smiled, but it was his words that had her heart flutter helplessly.

"He is," the man added, watching her expression before turning around to her kits again. "Hey, there… What are your names?"

"Navi," her son replied softly.

"Nari," said his sister at the same time.

"Cute," Seeker chuckled, then sighed and rubbed his chin again. "Go, sit with your mom," he added with that hypnotic tone, but she relaxed when her babies complied, settling down on her sides with smiles. "Listen…" the man then started with a frown, holding her gaze. "I didn't want to scare you or your kits… and for that I'm sorry. But between their eyes and apparent lack of tribe's letters… I can see that there is something more going on than I expected. So be honest with me… do you need help, Jalla?"

"Yes," she said softly, gently catching her babies' hands in hers. "They'll come for them."

"Who?" the man scowled and his eyes turned into shards of ice.

"The tribe," she whispered helplessly, caught in the snare of the pale irises. "I ran away before they were born. But earlier today I saw one of them and he saw the twins and then ran. He'll bring them here."

"Why… does that scare you so much?" he asked, watching her expression.

"There was none born with the Eye after Raha… until them," she said, tightening her hands around her kits'. "They'll take them and…" she choked, fighting to keep her mouth shut, feeling her babies' gaze on her.

"It's okay, don't finish… I can imagine," the man sighed then ran his fingers through his ink-black hair. "Hence the packing, I guess?"

"Yes," she nodded, exhaling slowly in relief.

He looked between the three of them for a long, long moment – seemingly considering something – then stood up slowly and smoothed his expression with a kind of… goofy grin. She blinked with surprise, but unable to speak only tightened her hands around her children's again.

"Well… let me start over," the Seeker sighed, then rested his big hands on his hips and slightly bounced on his heels. "My name is T'senri Tia… and I have the honor to be mated to your brother," he said quietly, holding her surprised gaze. "As I said, Raha is alive and well… And he had no idea about any of this. I don't have much time… but if you can accept my help, I can bring you somewhere safe… where your tribe will never find you or your kits. You can speak freely," he added almost like an afterthought.

"I…" she gasped, then sighed with relief. "Why… How did you get here? And Raha… is he really…?"

"Please, I really do not have much time," the Seeker said quietly, raising his hand and stretching it toward her. "All of this… I can explain later, I swear. I promise you, I can keep you and your babies safe… but you have to trust me, Jalla. I adore your brother beyond reason… and I don't want to force you – but clearly, you can't stay here. And traveling alone with a pair of small children is a very, very bad idea, believe me. So, if you want my help, take my hand, okay?"

She swallowed thickly, focusing her eyes on his hand and considering her options. She didn't know him and could only believe his words… or not. But in her experience, the strangers were kinder to her and her kits more than any of the people whom she knew growing up. And if Raha was really alive…

Jalla took a deep, steadying breath then freed her hand from her son's grip and hesitantly put it in the Seeker's much bigger one, rewarded by a nearly blinding grin.

"Good choice," he said softly, then pulled her to her feet. "I swear, you won't regret that. But now, grab your things – quickly – and come back to me. You're free," he added toward her and her twins.

"You heard him," she pushed her babies toward their room with a reassuring smile she didn't really feel, in thought praying she wasn't making a huge mistake as she set to finish packing under the unnerving, pale gaze.


T'senri relaxed only after he left the woman with her kits with his mother, swiftly and in a few words explaining the situation to stunned T'rhasa before as quickly jumping back to the Old Sharlayan, hoping his prince was still asleep. It was still quite early in the morning… but he exhaled softly with relief when he sneaked inside their bedroom and saw his mate curled into the nest of blankets, snore-purring adorably.

Until he closed the door behind him and the crimson eyes instantly shot wide open, turning toward him with an uncharacteristic scowl on his handsome face.

"So…?" Damon drawled, sitting up slowly and tilting his head slightly with typical curiosity.

"Found her," he said quietly, then sighed and walked over to the nest, sitting on the edge of it, and frowned, running his fingers through his hair. "But… it got complicated. She's not his mother, by the way, but his older sister. With two adorable children to boot… twins, both with the Eye."

His lover's immortal blinked at him slowly, leaning back against the edge of the nest.

"That's… interesting," Damon frowned, looking up at the ceiling with consideration.

"I brought them to the house… where my mom is staying," he added, flinching when the immortal gasped and his eyes shot toward him.

"Why would you do such a thing?" Damon downright hissed. "He's not like you, Senri. He wasn't dying to see his family again… and now you took away his choice about it."

"I know," he sighed, closing his eyes and rubbing them tiredly. All in all, he barely got a few bells of sleep, springing up barely past dawn, excited to find answers… and got more than he bargained for. "But I couldn't leave her there, Damon. Apparently, she ran away from the tribe before her kits were born, and was just found by them… and it seems they have a real hard-on for those with the Eye."

"Is that so…? So why…?"

"They think he's dead," he murmured, looking up at the immortal. "Basically, it seems the arrangement with the Baldesion was supposed to be a temporary thing until they can use Raha for breeding. And he sent them a letter saying that the ship they put him on never arrived."

Damon's face grew utterly unreadable as only his eyes narrowed into slits and his lips thinned into a line.

"I see…" he finally drawled out after a long, long moment.

"Jalla… she has a huge scar on her face," he whispered, dropping his gaze between them. "Apparently, she was whipped for trying to stop them from taking him. By her… their, I guess, grandmother. And when she spoke of their tribe… the fear in her eyes, Damon, was unbearable. Not to mention, she broke through Ares's compulsion when she thought I'm a danger to her kits."

"She did…?" the immortal said slowly, with consideration.

"Yeah… which tells me, if she's that scared for them… she probably has a damn good reason to be, " he sighed, then rolled his shoulders slightly and caught the other man's gaze. "So… I couldn't leave her there. Or let her wander off into the world with two tiny kits… as she seemingly planned. She's terrified, Damon. And she looks enough like my Raha that… I can't stand it."

"Okay… I see she piqued your need to protect something fierce, my boy," the immortal chuckled a bit helplessly, watching his expression, then shrugged slightly and rolled his eyes. "Just… don't think you can make it a surprise you planned, Senri."

"I know," he sighed, shifting slightly as he unbuttoned his black shirt and kicked off his boots, then only in pants crawled into the nest, to rest at his side next to his lover's body. "I'll… tell him, and hope he doesn't freak out… too much," he said with a sheepish smile when Damon chortled at his expanse, then shifted to rest in his arms, closing his eyes.

"Good luck with that," he said quietly, with a noticeable hint of amusement. And perhaps more than a hint of worry.

"Thanks," he muttered with annoyance, then flinched slightly when his lover's eyes near instantly drifted back open, but now filled with typical for his mate empathy. Oh, Azeyma… no time to prepare…

"…thanks?" Raha murmured sleepily with a quiet snicker after yawning widely. "What for, Snark?" then he blinked with surprise when his hand smoothed down his back and met the waistband of his pants. "…huh?"

Gods… there's no easy way to say it, is it…?

"I…" he choked, then sighed and pressed his nose against his lover's throat. "I did something… you perhaps are not going to like, my prince," he whispered, pulling him in a tight possessive embrace… maybe a bit too worried he's going to bolt – not that he could really stop him if he wanted.

"Oh…?" his lover chuckled, lifting his hand to run his fingers through his black hair delicately. "What happened, my beast?"

"You, ah… remember you agreed to share my birthday last night? Because you didn't know when is yours," he added when his mate hummed with obvious confusion.

"I… did?" Raha snorted a soft laugh, gently scratching at the back of his ear. "I'm not sure, Snark… but it's a nice idea," he added, then sighed and rolled to his back, pulling him along until T'senri gladly settled on top of him, nuzzling maybe a bit apologetically against his hot skin. Feeling his mate's hands smooth soothingly up and down his back, he couldn't help but curl into him with a choked whimper. "So… what got you so… agitated, Snark? What did you do?"

"I… found your sister," he blurted out, praying in thought when his lover stilled under him utterly and his breath stuttered. "I… After yesterday and what you did for me… I wanted to get you something as nice… So, I thought… the answers, why they sent you away… would be that. So after you fell asleep, I asked Damon – and please, don't blame him, because I begged him – to poke around your memories from that… time. He found her name… and I jumped to her, intending to find out for you… and it kind of backfired."

"…how?" his mate's whispered against his throat, but still so utterly motionless.

T'senri downright started sweating but closed his eyes and in a staggering whisper explained the whole thing, rubbing his chin against his mark on his lover's shoulder. When he fell silent, still carefully keeping most of his weight on his elbows around his mate's form, he gasped silently when Raha finally moved, running his hands over his back again.

"Are you… mad?" he asked softly, delicately rubbing his cheek against his lover's throat.

"…mad? No…" his heart nearly died at the cold note in his lover's low voice. Not daring to poke across their bond, he stilled utterly, waiting. "I can be never mad at you, my beautiful beast. Especially not for doing something so… much like you, Senri. So no, I'm not mad at you," he said slowly, as if carefully picking his words, while his right hand smoothed up his back and sank into T'senri's hair, curling into a fist at his neck. "But I am… upset," he added, then trailed his tongue up his throat, sending a near-violent shudder down Warrior's spine. He couldn't help a small, needy mewl of arousal, when his lover shifted under him, bracing his thighs around his hips to accommodate him between them. "Not with you," his prince assured, pulling on his hair until T'senri lifted above him, almost shyly peering into the narrowed crimson irises. And seeing the roiling fiery fury in their depths, he swallowed thickly… instantly, painfully aroused.

"Raha…" he gasped breathlessly, shakily, when his lover bared his teeth at him in a… unusual grin, then pulled him in a deep, devouring kiss… eating him alive as T'senri mewled, rutting against the hot, hard body under his painfully aroused flesh, cursing the material of his pants in the way.

"My beast…" his Raha cooed when they broke for air and the Warrior almost passed out, snarling mindlessly as his fangs extended and his claws dug into the blankets under his mate. "…if you still want to grant me a gift… will you indulge me, my Snark?"

"Anything," he rasped, losing his mind in a painful need to fulfill his mate's every whim. Rutting against his lover's beautiful body and watching the blaze of his fury in crimson irises, he purred near-deafeningly, nuzzling his cheek against his mate's in a dazed stupor as his blood simply boiled in his veins. "Tell me, Rrraha… and it's yourrrs."

"I want that tribe gone, my beast," his lover hissed, tightening his fingers in his hair almost painfully. "And that woman… my grandmother," he nearly spat on a rumbling growl. "I want her head, Snark."

"As you command, my prrrince," he purred, then let him swallow his growl and the bloodthirsty grin that bloomed on his lips as he took his lover's mouth in another mind-shattering kiss.

His beautiful Raha… Always and in everything his perfect match. And that… more than demanded a proper tribute.

"I'll need herrr name," he rasped, breaking the kiss to bite his mate with a possessive snarl, lifting slightly to push at the waistband of his pants desperately.

"I'll get it for us," his lover chuckled breathlessly, arching under the bite and with his free hand clawing at his back. "After… the party," he mewled when T'senri growled into his skin eagerly, then pulled his legs higher against his sides and took him with a groan. "And then… it's playtime," his chuckle was downright evil, setting T'senri's senses ablaze as he set to fuck him almost brutally.

"Can't wait" he crooned, then took his mouth in a rough kiss, swallowing his lover's laugh at that.